Our Curriculum Intent

At St Mary’s Primary, our concentric curriculum motivates, engages and inspires the pupils through a series of learning journeys that we have titled ‘mini-missions'. All of the curriculum areas are then delivered through this adventure. Each adventure is designed to hook all pupils in and acts as the vehicle for our learning. ​

 

The learning journey that the pupils go on, covers all subjects and are captured in one book.  The adventures allow for clear coverage of the National Curriculum. Coverage of curriculum areas is evident in the schools’ curriculum coverage grid.

 

Teaching and learning is underpinned by cognitive challenge. Teachers use effective questioning and Oracy techniques to ensure differentiation is appropriate and does not place a glass ceiling on learning for any pupil.

​Differentiation occurs by careful and strategic task matching and questioning and staff create the correct conditions for learning by delivering learning centralising around a Learning Objective and providing opportunities for depth within this.

 

The environment engages and inspires pupils but is also language rich to support the pupils’ Oracy and writing development throughout the mini-mission.

 

​A focus for our adventures is to prepare our pupils to be fully prepared for high school by the time they leave St Mary’s. This is achieved by providing contextualized, purposeful learning that develop ‘life skills’ and focusses on pupil’s development in becoming writers, mathematicians, historians and geographers etc.

Our outdoor areas around school are used to enhance and support the learning of all children. Our key outdoor focused learning days help our children to develop resilience, problem solving techniques and collaborative learning. All of these skills are essential for our children to flourish and grow in today’s society. Our school animals help our children to develop emotional resilience and key caring skills alongside offering mental health support opportunities.

 

​​Key Principles of our curriculum:

• Raises aspirations for all pupils
• Is purposeful and relevant and ensures that learning is contextualised
• Inspires and immerses pupils in their learning
• Underpins our school core values of love, pride, respect and endeavour
• Develops a growth mindset
• Celebrates the process of learning rather than just the product and ensures that failing is seen as an opportunity for new learning
• Ensures that they are secondary ready by being heavily based on skills and to prepare our children for the life in the world beyond.
• Is memorable and experiential – ensuring that all pupils have opportunities to experiences that will enrich – please see our curriculum maps.
• Develops strong relations with the community; the school, local and wider community
• Provides entrepreneurial experiences
• Promotes SMSC and British Values throughout their learning journeys.