Curriculum Statement & Key Documents

At St William’s Catholic Primary School, our curriculum stems from our Mission Statement: 

‘By following Jesus’ example, standing side by side, we will nurture each other to fulfil our hopes and dreams’. 

We are passionate about helping every child to fulfil their potential and become an all-round versatile citizen with the skills needed to succeed in life. We design our curriculum to ensure it is fully inclusive of every child and that it addresses each aspect of how a child develops, progresses and grows both academically and emotionally.

At St William’s Catholic Primary School, we have designed our curriculum with pupils’ learning at the centre. We have collaborated as a staff to create a curriculum that is broad, balanced and rich in cultural capital; allowing pupils opportunities to grow as individuals as well as learners. Our curriculum develops knowledge built on prior learning; engages and enhances natural curiosity and develops the attitudes to be a lifelong learner.

At St William’s, our children come to school with different life experiences, which impacts on their vocabulary, reasoning and understanding throughout all key stages. We intend to provide a wealth of opportunities, visitors and experiences to improve learning both inside and outside of the classroom and to create links between learning, in meaningful contexts wherever possible. We want the learning gained from these experiences to be invaluable as to how our children develop understanding about the world in which we live and how it can help learning inside the classroom become more tangible. We want to prepare all our children for the next stages in their educational careers as well as allow them to develop their aspirations for adult life. 

Through a combination of learning techniques, we aim to ensure pupils enjoy learning and feel prepared for life after school. We also intend to offer our pupils new and exciting experiences through extra-curricular activities that are designed to build resilience, confidence and self-esteem. 

We recognise that pupils should be challenged in their schooling; learning from failures and celebrating successes. Our children will have opportunities to reflect and think mindfully about their learning. We intend for our curriculum to be empowering, enabling pupils to develop their interpersonal skills, creativity and independence. 

As the children’s first teachers, we aim to work with you to provide the very best learning opportunities for all pupils and ensure they continue to grow into happy fulfilled individuals. 

The aims of our curriculum are:

• To provide a Christian education based on the life and teaching of Jesus, in which the values of the Gospel underpin all aspects of school life using the ‘Come and See’ and ‘A Journey of Love’ Catholic syllabus.

• To teach children to have an awareness of their own and others religious and spiritual development.

• To provide a rich and varied curriculum which is coherently planned and enables all children to reach their full potential.

• To provide all children, particularly the most disadvantaged, with firm foundations in knowledge, skills and understanding; preparing them for a future of learning.

• To provide an environment in which the dignity of each person as a child of God is recognised and developed; and to promote the full potential of each child through a curriculum which develops spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth.

• To promote a positive attitude towards learning and knowledge, so that children enjoy coming to school, and acquire a solid basis for lifelong learning.

• To enable children to be creative and to develop their own thinking and questioning; ensuring that opportunities are designed for deeper learning and mastery of skills.

• To provide the children with the opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills by playing and exploring (engagement); creating and thinking critically (thinking); and active learning (motivation).

• To teach children about their changing world, including how their environment and society have changed over time.

• To enable children to be positive global citizens in today’s society.

• To help children understand the importance of truth and fairness, so that they grow up committed to equal opportunities for all.

• To enable children to have respect for themselves, high self-esteem and to be able to live and work co-operatively with others. 

As a school, we place a great deal of importance on academic learning, and we take the progress and attainment of each child achieving the very best they are capable of very seriously. However, we also view each child as a complete person, and our curriculum has been tailored to ensure that each child grows as a person, and recognises their place in our community and in our ever-changing world. 

Our approach to teaching across the whole curriculum puts children at the heart of their own learning, taking an active part in lessons and ensuring that the children are rich in language and cultural capital by the time they leave us to continue their educational journey. We recognise that children have a thirst for knowledge and we are committed to nurturing young: writers, performers, readers, mathematicians, scientists, historians, geographers, artists, designers, musicians, sports persons, computer users and so much more. We aim to provide the building blocks of knowledge that enable the children to progress and follow their dreams through fostering the qualities of resilience and inquiry as well as planning opportunities for the children to know about keeping safe. 

With the understanding that a high number of our children enter our school below age related expectations, we believe that family and community engagement is key to breaking down the barriers of any possible, pre-existing negative school experiences and to welcome families in to our happy, vibrant school.  

The Early Years curriculum focuses on play-based learning, which is informed by children’s interests and targeted next steps, and complemented with a balance of explicit adult directed tasks. This approach to teaching ensures high level engagement for all children throughout their Early Years’ education and creates positive learning experiences in readiness for Key Stage 1. 

As children move into Key Stage 1 and through Key Stage 2, they are taught through discrete subjects but with links being made across subjects to support coherency and progression. 

In our English curriculum we adopt a text-based approach to teaching and learning and in our Maths curriculum we adopt a ‘Mastery Approach to Teaching and Learning’. 

Language is a key focus for us, both to develop the children’s communication abilities, and also to provide them with the rich and specific vocabulary from across the curriculum that underpins their knowledge and understanding of different subjects. 

We promote British Values, (Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs) ensuring that children are aware of their rights and responsibilities as a UK citizen. They are values that give a simple message to our young people, ‘In Britain, no matter what your background, you can fit in, you can succeed and you can belong’. While these values are not unique to Britain or British society, they are integral to our ethos.

Learning is also enhanced by a carefully planned range of educational visits/visitors. Our curriculum is also structured to embrace the use of local resources, as well as those further afield, to enhance the children’s learning experiences (as detailed in our ‘Records of Achievement’). 

We are an Eco School and as part of this we promote a better understanding of how to protect and look after our world.

We implement our curriculum in such a way that it is accessible and appropriately sequenced and paced for all levels of ability. Our approach to assessment is built upon these milestones, looking to use assessment to monitor and support the children’s learning over a number of years.

At St William’s Catholic Primary School, our children develop respect and understanding of people who have different characteristics to themselves: whether that be age, gender, disability or race. A rigorous, well planned curriculum (delivered by inspiring staff in an ethos of love, care and support) enables our pupils to be well rounded, empathetic young people. 

The impact and measure of implementation is to ensure children not only acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points. In shaping our curriculum this way, progress can be measured and evidenced for all children, regardless of their starting points or specific needs.

Teachers and staff work hard to plan a broad and balanced curriculum which is expertly delivered to ensure a child’s entire school experience enables them to develop a deep body of knowledge which will see them through to further study, employment and a successful adult life in whatever they choose. We pride ourselves on quality of education, not just a narrow diet of SAT’s driven English and Maths curriculum, where their creativity is stifled and well-being is compromised.  

When our children leave us, as well as being ready for a KS3 curriculum, they have a wealth of transferrable skills which have been developed throughout their time at primary school in an inclusive and nurturing environment (see Records of Achievement). We are proud that once the children from St William’s Catholic Primary School have left, they have been supported through their transition; have been exposed to rich vocabulary and have high aspirations and self-belief through the teaching of an interesting and engaging curriculum. 

We shall assess the impact of our curriculum by high quality teacher assessment, formal assessments (including NFER), effective intervention and support, the use of regular nationally standardised tests, professional reflection and consultation with pupils and parents and other means of external support. These methods will ensure teaching is matched to learning needs and pupils build learning blocks and competences as they grow. We will also mentor their attitudes to self and school and enhance their personal development.

Formative assessment is the foundation of our assessment strategy and is the engine for driving learning forward. All lessons are assessed and any knowledge, concepts, skills or understanding that need to be re-addressed, consolidated or developed is noted and planning adapted appropriately.

R.E.is assessed and recorded in accordance with Archdiocese guidelines.

Pupils in Early Years are assessed against age related expectations and Early Learning Goals.

In KS1 and KS2 pupils complete NFER standardised tests in reading, mathematics and grammar and spelling each term. Writing is teacher assessed and moderated by the English Leader, teacher’s and external moderators also. Pupils are assessed as working: Below the Standard, At the Expected Standard or at Greater Depth.

 

This gives us clear, reliable data as to how effective teaching and learning has been and formative analysis of the tests enables us to identify anything that requires particular attention and respond by adapting planning for future learning.

 

Each Foundation subject is teacher assessed against National Curriculum objectives. A summative assessment of working: Below the Standard, At the Standard or at Greater Depth at the end of the academic year is given in each subject. This is used to monitor and track achievement and progress throughout their time at our school.