Curriculum Statement

Our curriculum stems from our Mission Statement: ‘with Jesus, we learn, love and laugh.’ With that in mind, we strive to continue to develop a curriculum which prepares our pupils to grow as happy and fulfilled young people, prepared to make a positive contribution to their local community and the wider world.

 

Intent

Our curriculum is therefore inextricably linked to our Mission to ensure we provide the knowledge, skills and character development to enable our children to fulfil their dreams. We provide an environment in which the dignity of each person as a child of God is recognised and developed and promote the full potential of each child through a curriculum that develops spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth. Here at St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School, we have endeavored to develop a curriculum that not only engages our children but also reflects them. We have collaborated as a staff to create a curriculum that is rich in cultural capital, founded in knowledge and that enables us to broaden the children’s horizons are far as possible during their time in the school, enabling us to consider social justice and provide the best for our children moving forwards. Our aim is that the best learning opportunities will be provided regardless of ability, race, gender or age. Our curriculum will build knowledge on prior learning, engage and enhance natural curiosity and develop the attitudes to be a lifelong learner.

 

Implementation

As a school, we place a great deal of importance on academic learning, and we take the progress and attainment of each child 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, our city and in our ever-changing world. Our curriculum has been designed to reflect that life at St Benedict’s is rich, varied, caring, inclusive, exciting, challenging and inspiring. This runs through all subject areas, including our text-based approach to English and our Maths curriculum that builds upon knowledge gained over time and applied into problems and investigations. 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. Through our RE curriculum, we look to help children understand where values overlap and where they diverge, and hence the basis for the tensions that can arise between and sometimes even within faiths. In order to allow the children to fully develop these aptitudes, 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 learning, further enhancing their subject specific knowledge and understanding. Our curriculum is built upon knowledge, and looks to develop the children’s skills and understanding as they progress through the school. As so, we have ensured that there are regular milestones throughout each curriculum area, looking to guarantee that the learning is built sequentially and the children are given every opportunity to reach their full potential. 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. Learning is also enhanced by a carefully planned range of educational visits and a selection of extra-curricular activities. Our curriculum is also structured to use the wealth of local resources, and those further afield, to enhance the children’s learning experiences.

The Early Years team focus on play-based learning, which is informed by topics and children’s interests 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. Throughout all stages of learning, teachers use this holistic approach to mould and shape the curriculum in order for it to fit the needs of the children in their class.

 

Impact 

The impact and measure of implementation is to ensure that 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.

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 needs to be re-addressed, consolidated or developed is noted and planning adapted appropriately.

Summative assessment

RE is assessed and recorded in accordance with Archdiocese guidelines.

Pupils in year 2 and 6 complete statutory SATS at the end of the academic year .

Pupils from years 3-5 complete Testbase Standardised tests in reading and Maths twice a year. Each half term tests are also carried out in the key areas of grammar, spelling, times tables and arithmetic, which are reported to parents. Writing is teacher assessed and moderated by the English Leadership team.

Pupils in EYFS are assessed in accordance with the ‘Early Learning Goals.

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 towards the expected standard: ‘At the expected standard’ or at ‘Greater Depth, at the end of each academic year is given in each subject. This is used to monitor and track achievement and progress throughout their time at school.

 

Headteacher: Mr M Phillips
Email: admin.stbenedicts@schools.sefton.gov.uk
Address: St Benedict's Catholic Primary School, Copy Lane, Netherton, Bootle, England, L30 7PG

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