St Mary’s Catholic Primary School – Curriculum Statement

Curriculum overview

In accordance with the National Curriculum, all children study:

Core subjects

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Religious Education

Foundation subjects

• History
• Geography
• Music
• Physical Education
• Art and Design / Design & Technology
• Computing
• PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education) / RHE (Relationships & Health Education)
• MFL (French)

Key stages

• EYFS: Reception follow the Early Years Foundation Stage programme (Class 1 includes Nursery & EYFS).
• KS1: Years 1–2 (Class 2: mixed-age).
• KS2: Years 3–6 (Class 3: Y3/4 mixed-age; Class 4: Y5/6 mixed-age).

Curriculum delivery – “Curriculum vehicles”

At St Mary’s, the curriculum is more than the National Curriculum: it is everything the school does to develop each child throughout the day. We provide a rich, engaging curriculum through “curriculum vehicles” that give learning real purpose and context.

Our vehicles:

• go beyond subject content to explicitly build essential life skills and dispositions, including:
  • metacognition and self-regulated learning
  • teamwork
  • Gospel values and British Values
  • managing feelings and behaviours
  • managing relationships
  • cultural appreciation
  • managing time and resources
  • global awareness and responsibility

• replicate real-world contexts and, wherever possible:
  • use an outside client to give the learning a genuine purpose
  • include exciting milestones to sustain motivation
  • draw on community expertise, visitors and visits
  • align with teachers’ strengths and passions

We plan carefully for our mixed-age classes, ensuring progression and avoiding unnecessary repetition while maintaining ambition and depth for every child.

Subject curriculum statements

Religious Education (RE)

RE is central to St Mary’s Catholic identity and underpins our mission and daily life. Through Scripture, prayer, liturgy and learning about the Catholic faith and wider faiths, pupils are supported to:

• grow in their understanding of God’s love and their dignity as God’s children
• develop moral reasoning, empathy and compassion
• live out Gospel values in their relationships and actions
• make meaningful links between faith, community, and responsibility for others

RE also strengthens pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development and supports our curriculum vehicles’ focus on values and service.

English (Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening)

Intent
We want children to become confident, articulate readers and writers who can communicate clearly, creatively and purposefully, rooted in our Catholic ethos and aligned to the National Curriculum

Implementation

• Early reading & phonics: We follow Read Write Inc. Phonics in EYFS and KS1 with daily phonics teaching and staff training to ensure consistency
• Reading culture: We promote reading for pleasure through class book corners, the school library, bulk loans and reading challenges. Children hear texts read aloud regularly and read across the curriculum.
• Guided reading & home reading:
  • KS1: weekly small-group guided reading plus regular individual reading to an adult; decodable books matched to phonic phase until children are secure.
  • KS2: guided reading groups matched to reading age/ability using progressive texts; children take home banded books and are encouraged to supplement with library choices.
• Writing: Writing is taught through high-quality texts and a carefully sequenced progression from Class 1 to Class 4, building transcription, grammar and composition. Grammar and punctuation are taught discretely and applied meaningfully in writing.
• Assessment & support: Reading is assessed using school approaches including standardised tests and question-level analysis; targeted interventions and additional reading opportunities support pupils who need “keep up” help.
• Spelling: Read Write Inc. Spelling supports spelling development from Year 2–6.

Impact

Children leave St Mary’s as enthusiastic readers and increasingly confident writers who can adapt their writing for different audiences and purposes, with improving stamina, vocabulary and control of grammar and punctuation.

Useful parent support links referenced in our reading approach include: Ruth Miskin – Parents and Oxford Owl – for Home.

Mathematics

Intent
We aim for every child to enjoy mathematics, build confidence and develop a deep, secure understanding through high-quality teaching and a mastery approach. We want pupils to be fluent, to reason, and to solve problems in a wide range of contexts.

Implementation

• We protect curriculum time for maths (KS1: 5 hours/week; KS2: 6 hours/week) (Maths Intent Statement).
• We use a mastery approach supported by progressive schemes (including Power Maths, as stated in your overview) so pupils learn concepts deeply before moving on.
• Lessons include clear success criteria, careful modelling, intelligent practice and opportunities to connect maths to real life and other subjects.

Impact

Children become confident mathematicians who can work fluently, reason clearly, and apply learning to unfamiliar problems. Progress is strengthened through responsive teaching and early identification of misconceptions (Maths Intent Statement).

Science

Intent
Science equips pupils to understand the world through biology, chemistry and physics, building curiosity and secure knowledge over time.

Implementation (mixed-age structure and progression)

• Science is sequenced across the year to ensure full coverage and depth, recognising that units vary in length.
• Our mixed-age cycle planning ensures pupils access the full National Curriculum across time (e.g., KS1 Year A/B; LKS2 Year A/B; UKS2 Year A/B).
• Knowledge builds progressively across year groups, for example:
  • Animals including humans progresses from naming animals and basic needs (Y1/Y2) to digestion (Y4), life changes (Y5) and the circulatory system and health impacts (Y6).
  • Materials progresses from identifying and comparing everyday materials (Y1/Y2) to properties, states of matter, dissolving and reversible/irreversible changes (Y4–Y5).

Impact

Pupils develop secure scientific knowledge and vocabulary over time and learn to apply understanding across units through investigation, observation and explanation, building readiness for KS3 science.

Computing

Intent
We want pupils to become competent, creative and safe users of technology, who can understand and create digital systems and use technology responsibly.

Implementation

• Computing is taught through a structured progression covering:
  • Computer Science (algorithms, programming, debugging)
  • Information Technology (creating, organising and presenting digital content)
  • Digital Literacy (online safety, responsible use, evaluating information)
     
• We use Purple Mash to support a clear sequence of units across year groups and mixed-age cycles, including online safety, coding, spreadsheets, databases, email/blogging (in a safe environment) and networks in KS2.
• Online safety is revisited regularly and explicitly taught.

Impact

Children progress from simple algorithms and basic content creation in KS1 to more complex programming structures (selection, repetition, variables), purposeful digital publishing and stronger critical awareness online in KS2.

Geography

Intent
Geography develops pupils’ understanding of place, space and the human and physical world, helping them to interpret information, ask questions and make sense of local and global environments.

Implementation (skills progression)

Our progression builds year on year (Progression of Skills in Geography), including:

• Geographical enquiry: from teacher-led questions and observations in KS1 to independent investigation, using primary/secondary sources and drawing conclusions in KS2.
• Map skills and fieldwork: from simple routes and picture maps to OS symbols, coordinates (4-figure, progressing towards 6-figure), scale, and selecting appropriate maps for purpose.
• Location and direction: from basic positional language to confident use of 8 compass points and grid references.

Impact

Children become increasingly confident “geographers” who can use maps and sources, communicate findings, and explain patterns and relationships between people, places and environments.

History

Intent
History helps pupils understand the past, develop curiosity, and build a sense of chronology and cause and consequence.

Implementation

Children learn through enquiry: asking questions, examining sources, learning key vocabulary, and making comparisons between periods and ways of life. Where appropriate, history is strengthened through curriculum vehicles, visitors, artefacts and educational visits.

Impact

Pupils develop a stronger chronological framework, can talk about change and continuity, and increasingly explain historical events and significance using evidence and subject vocabulary.

Art and Design / Design & Technology

Intent
We aim to develop creativity, skill and cultural appreciation through a curriculum that explicitly teaches techniques and knowledge while encouraging personal expression.

Implementation (artist studies and progression)

• Our art curriculum is built around progressive artist studies and carefully sequenced skill development from EYFS to KS2.
• Pupils explore a wide range of media and techniques, including drawing, painting, sculpture, textiles/printing and design approaches.
• The curriculum includes significant artists and designers (e.g., Matisse, Hepworth, Van Gogh, Hockney, Warhol, Monet, Lowry, Basquiat, Rodin, Da Vinci) and builds both technical skill (line, tone, colour, composition, form) and critical language for talking about art.

Impact

Children develop confidence and independence in making and evaluating art, understand how artists and designers reflect their time and place, and build cultural capital through exposure to significant works and movements.

Music

Intent
Music education at St Mary’s is designed so children:

• make more music
• think more musically
• become more musical

Implementation

• We use Charanga units (including the Model Music Curriculum approach) to support progressive learning
• Progression is mapped across:
  • Performing
  • Composing and improvising
  • Aural awareness and theoretical knowledge (including staff notation over time)
  • Reflecting and evaluating using musical vocabulary
  • The curriculum values repetition and re-encountering key content to secure long-term learning.

Impact

Pupils grow in confidence as performers and listeners, can compose and evaluate with increasing musical vocabulary, and develop the foundations needed for KS3 music.

Physical Education (PE) and Sport

Intent
We want children to develop competence, confidence and enjoyment in physical activity, learning how to lead healthy, active lives and work effectively as part of a team.

Implementation (mixed-age overview)

PE is planned across the year to ensure breadth and progression (PE Mixed-Age Overview), including:

• Fundamental Movement Skills (EYFS and across phases as needed)
• Gymnastics, Dance, Athletics
• Invasion games (e.g., football, netball/handball, tag rugby/hockey)
• Net/wall games (e.g., tennis/badminton/volleyball)
• Striking and fielding (e.g., cricket/rounders)
• Outdoor Adventurous Activity (e.g., orienteering)
• Swimming (planned within KS2 cycles) We also value enrichment through specialist provision and competitive opportunities, including inter-school tournaments

Impact

Children improve fitness, coordination and teamwork, develop resilience and sportsmanship, and broaden their experience of a wide range of physical disciplines.

PSHE / RHE (Relationships & Health Education) and RSE (Relationships and Sex Education)

Intent
Rooted in our mission to “Love, Respect, and Care for everyone,” PSHE helps every child flourish as a confident, compassionate and thoughtful person who recognises their God-given dignity and the dignity of others.

Implementation

• PSHE is timetabled and protected across all mixed-age classes.
• Delivery is carefully planned to ensure progression and age-appropriate content.
• We use structured programmes (including Ten:Ten / Life to the Full) to ensure coverage of:
  • emotional wellbeing and mental health
  • healthy relationships (including online safety)
  • personal safety and help-seeking
  • living in the wider world and responsibility
• Teaching is aligned with statutory Relationships and Health Education expectations

Impact

Children can talk confidently and sensitively about wellbeing, relationships, safety and responsibility, and demonstrate our mission values through respectful behaviour and caring relationships

Modern Foreign Languages (French)

Intent
Learning French gives pupils language-learning skills, confidence in communication and a broader understanding of the world and identity as global citizens.

Implementation

• French is taught in Class 3 and Class 4 through a two-year mixed-age cycle.
• Learning follows clear progression in the three pillars of language: phonics, vocabulary and grammar.
• Lessons prioritise speaking and listening through songs, chants, games, partner talk and role-play, before moving into reading and writing.
• French is taught for one hour each week.

Impact

By the end of Class 4, pupils have a growing vocabulary, increasing confidence in speaking and understanding French, and strong foundations for KS3 language learning