Curriculum Overview

Our curriculum ensures learning is effective, exciting and above all, relevant to the needs of our children.

All pupils will secure firm foundations in English and mathematics and this underpins a growing excellence in other subjects. Our child-led and knowledge-based curriculum offers a broad range of subjects from Early Years through to Key Stage 2 (KS2). We believe in bringing learning to life, both indoors and out, with an emphasis on engaging and purposeful learning.

Whitehills Primary School aims to provide a curriculum that is engaging, balanced and relevant. While emphasis is placed on children learning core skills of English and maths, we place great value on developing the ‘whole child’ and provide an engaging programme of study in all curriculum areas.

Our high expectation of children begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Children begin Whitehills Primary in Reception and parents can view their child’s progress throughout the year using EvidenceMe.  Baseline assessments are used to identify key subject areas to inform planning and focus children who need to be targeted for specific activities. Pupils begin phonics lessons in Reception, and these continue through into Key Stage 1 (KS1) and sometimes KS2. There is a focus on exploratory play in Reception based around topics and core texts, which children access both on a morning and an afternoon through continuous provision.

In KS1, children continue their learning journey, taking part in maths, reading and writing lessons every morning. In Year 1, children continue to have daily phonics lessons, whilst in Year 2, children access regular Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG), which are linked to their learning in writing, to allow them to apply and deepen their basic skills. In the afternoon, children access the wider curriculum through carefully planned topics: science, religious education (RE), geography, history, computing, personal, social and health education (PSHE). Art and music are delivered as timetabled discrete lessons.

Speaking and listening skills are also enhanced throughout the school with effective use of talk partners.

In KS2, children, again, continue their daily diet of rigorous teaching, taking part in maths, reading and writing lessons every morning. In Year 5 and Year 6, focus gradually shifts to the end of Key Stage assessments as children are prepared for these tests and the transition into Year 7. In the afternoon, children access the wider curriculum through carefully planned topics: science, history, geography, RE, art, computing, PSHE, RSE as timetabled discrete lessons. French and music are also delivered during the afternoons.

If you would like any further information regarding the National Curriculum then please click here or speak to your class teacher.

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM

READING

Teaching a child to read is vital.  We use a range of strategies, in addition to phonics, such as a variety of decoding methods, teaching high frequency words through sight recognition, discussion through picture books and for some children, other interventions.

From Foundation Stage 2, the teaching of reading begins with phonics.  Children are given phonics-based reading books to help them practise and consolidate the phonics teaching they have received in school.  The children also take home words and pictures with which to play matching games that complement the teaching for that week.  After the whole class daily phonics lesson, the children work in small groups with an adult to apply their skills in reading and writing with tasks which are matched to the lesson.

In Year 1, the teaching of whole class phonics continues and children take home phonics-based reading books to help them practise and apply their knowledge.

Once the children have past the phonics test towards the end of Year 1, they start reading lessons which teach the skills of vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval and sequencing (VIPERS).  These lessons are taught to children from Year 1 to Year 6.

One to one reading occurs with vulnerable readers and our lowest twenty per cent of children that are identified in each class to ensure further opportunities are given in order to facilitate reading progression and a love of reading.

During the reading sessions, there is an emphasis on vocabulary, the retrieval of facts and inference. Novels are used to teach reading as well as a range of non-fiction texts.  These texts are carefully chosen to ensure that there is progression and challenge across the school through our reading spine.  At Whitehills, we aim to develop a love of reading, so children are encouraged to read for pleasure at home and school.  Teachers read a variety of high-quality texts to the children on a regular basis.  Throughout Years 1 – 6 children are taught six skills to enhance our reading at Whitehills. The VIPERS (vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval, sequencing) skills are promoted and learning walls reflect this in every classroom.

We currently use a range of different reading schemes to meet the interests and individual need of each and every child.

WRITING

Our school is committed to using work with external advisers and experts who have proven records in developing pupils’ learning in writing. We use this valuable resource to finely tune our provision, share good practice and offer whole school staff continuing professional development (CPD).

At Whitehills, in Foundation Stage 2 and throughout the school, we incorporate the Talk4Writing model into the teaching of writing. Children are taught writing skills through studying a range of both fiction and non-fiction texts, including teacher produced models. Children are encouraged and supported to learn texts by heart, before trying to innovate them and gradually apply more independent changes to the model until they can write freely with confidence. In addition, in Key Stage 1, picture books and topic work are used as a stimulus for writing. Challenging texts are selected to ensure that children have an excellent model for their own writing and their acquisition of vocabulary is enhanced.

During their time at Whitehills, children are exposed to a range of classic and contemporary poetry.  We have an agreed poetry spine to ensure progression.  They have the opportunity to use these poems as a model for their own writing.

HANDWRITING

At Whitehills, we use the Kinetic Letter scheme to improve handwriting. We use this from EYFS to Year 6 and staff have been trained to ensure consistency in approach. Our English/topic books are specially designed to have the Kinetic Letter guides and this is having positive outcomes in presentation across the school. Handwriting is taught at least three times per week across EYFS and KS1 and at least 2 sessions per week at KS2.

PHONICS

At Whitehills Primary, we follow the Essential Letters and Sounds scheme for phonics teaching.  Each child in Foundation Stage 2 and Year 1 has a daily minimum 15 -20 minutes phonics lesson, following the teaching sequence of revisit/review – teach – practise – apply.  In Year 2, children access a balance of both phonic and spelling punctuation and grammar (SPAG) lessons based on their individual needs and attainment.  Reception and KS1 children are taught as a whole class.  Small phonic sessions or interventions are delivered by learning support assistants and overseen by the class teacher, to provide additional support where needed.

Sessions are lively, fast-paced and fun.  In a session, children are taught either phonemes/digraphs/trigraphs, high frequency and/or tricky words and these are consolidated through reading and writing.  There are lots of opportunities to speak and listen, as well as to read and write the sounds.

At the end of Year 1, children have to take the national Phonics Test which tests children’s phonic knowledge.  Here, they are required to read real and nonsense words, applying the skills they have learnt.  Ideally, children will have completed and consolidated Phase 5 during Year 1 and Phase 6 during Year 2, so that they can focus more on higher-level comprehension using increasingly challenging texts.  Any child that does not complete the phonics programme will continue learning phonics throughout Year 3/4 through interventions.

MATHS

Maths is taught daily in all year groups.  In Foundation Stage, Years 1 and 2, Mastering Number is taught 4 times a week with the aim of securing good number sense enabling children to leave Key Stage 1 with confidence and flexibility with number.  The continuous provision in Foundation Stage provides opportunities for pupils to practise and extend their learning.  In Years 1 – 6, we use White Rose Maths to support small step planning, utilising a Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA) approach.  This ensures children spend time using concrete apparatus and resources selected to support the lesson content, before being expected to create pictorial representations and abstract recording.  Mathematical talk is a key part of lessons, using stem sentences where appropriate and expecting pupils to use accurate mathematical vocabulary.  We trust teachers’ professional judgement to use or adapt the White Rose Maths lesson resources, including workbooks which are used in addition to exercise books.  To support the development of times tables knowledge, Times Tables Rock Stars is used from Years 2 – 6.  This is also available for pupils to access at home. Maths homework is provided each week using a maths workbook, with a homework club available to pupils who wish to access it.

COMPUTING

Our computing curriculum comprises a number of different strands: digital literacy, coding, data handling and using technology in the wider world. Each year group builds on the skills taught during the previous year to ensure that by Year 6, students are confident using technology, including a range of different programmes, apps and websites.  Our curriculum is based on Purple Mash

Apps on the iPads and tablets are utilised to teach skills such as animation, music creation and e-books. Purple Mash and Office software are embedded in the curriculum.

RELATIONSHIP & SEX EDUCATION (RSE)

Relationships and Sex Education is lifelong learning about physical, sexual, moral and emotional development. It is about understanding the importance of stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care, for family life.

Our RSE programme has been created to take into account the learning needs, maturity and emotional development of our pupils and is tailored to their individual needs, aiming to enable them to make positive decisions in their lives.

RSE takes place within the Jigsaw PSHE programme of study, but aspects will also be taught during RE and within our Science lessons as part of the programme of study for the National Curriculum.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL HEALTH & CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION (PSHE)

Here at Whitehills, we use the Jigsaw scheme throughout the school to deliver PHSE and RSE. This is a comprehensive Scheme of Learning for PSHE Education including Emotional Literacy, Social Skills and Spiritual Development.

There are six Puzzles in Jigsaw that are designed to progress in sequence from the start of each academic year:

Term 1: Being Me in My World

Term 2: Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying)

Term 3: Dreams and Goals

Term 4: Healthy Me

Term 5: Relationships

Term 6: Changing Me (including Sex Education)

Each Puzzle has six Pieces (lessons) which work towards an ‘end product’, for example, The School Learning Charter or The Garden of Dreams and Goals

We also cover safeguarding themes through the following:

• anti-bullying week takes place in the Autumn Term;
• RSE is included in the scheme that we follow for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6;
• E-Safety week and a constant reminder through weekly assemblies the importance of staying safe on line.  We use National Online Safety (NOS) to support e-safety.

Assemblies cover elements of current topics in the news or celebrations. In addition, the teaching of the core British Values and School Rules outline how these are exemplified in our own school values.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE)

We follow the Northamptonshire agreed syllabus scheme throughout the school (SACRE). This provides a broad and balanced programme of RE which reflects three key areas.

It will:

• include a study of the key beliefs and practices of religions and other world views, including those represented in Northamptonshire
• provide opportunities to explore key religious concepts and common human questions of meaning, purpose and value
• enable pupils to investigate how beliefs affect moral decisions and identity, exploring both diversity and shared human values. These three areas together will nurture pupils’ religious literacy. They are reflected in the aims here.

The Local Agreed Syllabus for RE requires all pupils to investigate:

• The beliefs and practices of religions and other world views, including:
  • beliefs and authority: core beliefs and concepts; sources of authority including written traditions and leaders
  • worship and spirituality: how individuals and communities express belief, commitment and emotion.
• How religions and other world views address questions of meaning, purpose and value, including:
  • the nature of religion and belief and its key concepts
  • ultimate questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth.
• How religions and other world views influence morality, identity and diversity, including:
  • moral decisions: teachings of religions and other world views on moral and ethical questions, evaluation, reflection and critical responses
  • identity and diversity: diversity among and within religions and other world views; individual and community responses to difference and shared human values.

HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

History and Geography form an important part of our curriculum. We follow the National Curriculum and embrace a broad-spectrum of stimulating topics. As a school, we aim to wholly develop each child’s geographical and historical skills, understanding and knowledge. Consequently, our lessons are well planned, highly engaging and challenge all abilities. Other curriculum areas are incorporated into learning to ensure high levels of motivation and interest from the children.

We teach a knowledge rich curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give all learners the skills needed to succeed in life.

ART and DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Art and DT are covered in blocks of learning over the year. Our art and DT curriculum builds on skills over time and develops our children both to appreciate art and to have skills in order to produce work of which they are proud. We have recently overviewed the art curriculum to ensure the skills over time are progressive and children have opportunities to explore, use a variety of media and develop their own skills.

MUSIC

At Whitehills, we enjoy music and through the Charanga Scheme, children are exposed to different genres of music alongside the skills of playing instruments and learning to read notation. We have a variety or peripatetic teachers who offer brass, woodwind, strings and drums to our children in Key Stage 2. We have an active choir who support local people’s homes and the county hospice.

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

From Year 3, children are taught French through the Language Angels Scheme.  Since September 2022, all staff are trained in delivering the lessons and the children have opportunities to speak and write in French. Lessons are once per week.