Our Curriculum

At our schools we work with everyone to create a happy, safe and stimulating setting where children are motivated to learn together with Christian values at its heart. By maintaining high expectations our children are equipped to encounter opportunities and challenges with resilience and determination. We encourage a curiosity about the world and strive to ensure that our children will contribute positively to it, both now and in the future.

Our curriculum has been designed to ensure every child can continuously build their core knowledge and understand key curriculum concepts using a range of practical and academic skills.

Our curriculum is designed to enable pupils to recall and describe the knowledge and concepts in familiar, unfamiliar, local and global contexts. It is designed to enable pupils to make meaningful connections between their developing knowledge and skills, their prior learning, and their lived experiences.

The key principles behind the design of our curriculum are for our children to:

  • Become confident, independent and resilient, displaying a thirst for learning
  • Be kind, showing empathy and compassion whilst valuing diversity
  • Achieve academically across the entire curriculum
  • Benefit from an inclusive classroom where all can flourish
  • Be culturally knowledgeable and become global citizens
  • Have aspirations for the future and know that these can be reached through hard work and determination
  • Lead an active and healthy lifestyle

Intent

Our curriculum is mapped to include full coverage of the National Curriculum and provides a range of experiences for our children that consider our setting and the world around us.

It is designed to challenge, engage, motivate and promote personal excellence with the ultimate goal of each child achieving their full potential and becoming lifelong learners who make a positive contribution to the community and society.

Through our core school values, we foster an environment where the emotional, physical, academic, social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of each child is considered.

 

Implementation

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced: progression documents clearly outline both the knowledge and skills developed in each area of study. Dedicated time for revisiting key knowledge is planned into each half term and class teachers’ planning builds in time to recap previous learning in order to then build on knowledge and understanding in new, related areas of study. 

Purposeful links are made across the curriculum, meaning that knowledge and understanding is consolidated.

We value the power of authentic experience; learning is brought to life and given relevance and meaning. We therefore carefully map trips, excursions and in-school events across school.

 

Curriculum Impact

The impact of the curriculum is monitored through triangulation of outcomes. These are Planning, Assessment and observation.

These take the form of pupil voice, assessments, planning, monitoring of books and displays, lesson learning walks, discussions with teaching staff, pupils and parents.

The desired outcomes of the curriculum will ensure that pupils are fully equipped with all the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their future education.

British Values

The Department for Education define British values as having 5 different elements:

 

  • Democracy
  • The rule of law
  • Individual liberty
  • Mutual respect
  • Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

 

The promotion of British values and ethos is a key part of school life, they are an integral and long-standing element to our approach to teaching and learning within the wider school community.


The following information highlights just a few of the ways that these values form part of our every day school life.

“The values I’m talking about – a belief in freedom, tolerance of others, accepting personal and social responsibility, respecting and upholding the rule of law – are the things we should try to live by every day. To me they’re as British as the Union Flag, as football, as fish and chips. Of course, people will say that these values are vital to other people in other countries. And, of course, they’re right. But what sets Britain apart are the traditions and history that anchors them and allows them to continue to flourish and develop.”
David Cameron
2014

Being part of Britain

We welcome and promote diverse heritage. Alongside this, we value and celebrate being part of Britain. In general terms, this means that we celebrate traditions and customs throughout the year such as Harvest festival during the Autumn term, and the Nativity at Christmas.

Also, children learn about being part of Britain from different specific perspectives. Two specific examples of when we teach about being part of Britain are: Geographically and Historically.

Democracy

Every member of the school community; children, parents, staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard.

An obvious example is our school council. The election of the School Council members reflects our British electoral system and demonstrates democracy in action.  The School Council meets regularly to discuss issues raised by the different classes.

Pupils are listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. We encourage pupils to take ownership of not only their school but also of their own learning and progress. This encourages a heightened sense of both personal and social responsibility and is demonstrated on a daily basis by our pupils.

We also have an active parent’s forum from each school that meet regularly. This is another opportunity to voice their opinions to the head teacher.

Rules and Laws

The importance of rules and laws, whether they be those that govern our school or our country, are referred to and reinforced often, such as in assemblies and when reflecting on behaviour choices. We have a set of school rules which are in place across school. Children are taught to value and uphold these rules.

  • Follow instructions
  • Listen, speak and act with respect
  • Keep hands and feet to yourself
  • Treat others as you wish to be treated

‘In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you’ Matthew 7v12

Pupils are taught to value and understand the reasons behind the laws; that these rules are necessary in order to create a safe, stimulating learning environment. Children are taught that each individual has a responsibility to uphold these rules in order to create a harmonious place to learn and that those who do not uphold the rules are subject to negative consequences, in the same way they would be in the wider community. We also reinforce these rules in a positive way though mature discussion and positive rewards.

These values are reinforced in different ways:

  • visits from authorities such as the police and fire service
  • during Religious Education, when rules for particular faiths are thought about
  • during other school subjects, where there is respect and appreciation for different rules – in a sports lesson, for example.

We aim to provide children with an understanding of the importance of the Rule of law that will aid them in both in their life outside of school and in their future adult life.

 

Individual Liberty

We promote children’s freedom of choice and their right to hold and express views and beliefs in a respectfully and considered way. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment and empowered education, we have boundaries in place that allow children to make choices safely. We offer a range of clubs which pupils have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests. We believe that valuing choice and freedom in daily school life will foster a value for individual liberty as the children embark upon their adult lives.

Mutual Respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Mutual respect and community spirit is at the heart of school ethos. We offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected. We strongly believe that tolerance is gained through knowledge and understanding. Through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future.

Curriculum

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In our schools we aim to deliver a History curriculum that offers children a coherent insight into the past of Britain and the wider world. Through exploration of a wide range of historical events and the study of significant figures from the past we aim to spark our student’s curiosity. We foster empathy and appreciation of the diversity of societies and the complexity of people’s lives and challenges they face. We also develop an understanding of how these are influenced by the process of change over time.

 

To engage and consolidate understanding we offer a range of school trips, workshops and history themed days and events making the most of our rich locality. This gives children the opportunity to physically experience history first hand.

 

Early Years: Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among, families, communities and traditions.  

 

KS1: Children develop an awareness of the past and start to understand where people and events fit within a chronological framework. We encourage use of a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms and offer opportunities to ask and answer questions. Children understand different ways in which we research the past through looking at local, national and international events both within and beyond living memory.

 

KS2: Children will look at a variety of different historical concepts and threads. They will build on the progression from Ks1 developing their chronological understanding, interpreting the past and historical enquiry.

 

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

History units with main Historical Concept in italics.

Geography units with coverage of key place, location, physical and human knowledge in italics.

Local links in bold.

 

EYFS

Adventures through time

 

Family tree

 

My achievements

 

Visitors Family members

Outdoor adventure

 

Exploring the senses

 

School grounds

Peek into the past

 

Toybox activity

 

Compare past/ present

 

 

Outdoor adventure

 

Changing seasons

Peek into the past

 

My life timeline

 

Past/ present

Changes

Exploring maps

 

The world around them

 

Local area walk

Year 1

How am I making History?

 

Personal history

 

Compare childhood past/ present

 

Timelines

 

Visitors parents/ grandparents to ask about childhood

Local Area: What is it like here?

 

Place: Bishopthorpe

School grounds

 

Local walk around Bishopthorpe

 

Fieldwork

School grounds

 

Google Earth, maps of the local area, map symbols.

How have toys

changed?

 

Sequence artefacts

 

Favourite toys

 

Focus teddy bears

 

Visit Castle Museum

The UK: What is the weather like in the UK?

 

Place: UK

 

Countries and capitals of the UK.

 

Compass directions

 

Weather

 

Fieldwork school grounds

 

Maps

Google Earth

How have explorers changed the world?

 

Christopher Columbus

 

Matthew Henson

 

Sequence photos

 

Timelines

What is it like to live in Shanghai?

 

Place: Shanghai

 

Continents

 

Human/ physical features

 

Fieldwork

local area

 

Atlas, Globe, world maps, aerial photos

Year 2

How was school different in the past?

 

Similarities/

Differences

 

Timeline changes

 

Victorian school day-visitor

Would you prefer to live in a hot or cold place?

 

7 continents

 

North/south

Pole

 

Equator

 

Compare Uk

Kenya

 

World maps, Google Earth

Globes

What is a Monarch?

 

Power

coronation

 

William the conqueror

 

Castles

 

Compare past/present

Why is our World wonderful?

 

Uk and world landmarks

 

5 Oceans

 

Human/ physical features

 

Google Earth,

Ariel photos

Maps

 

Fieldwork local wood/school grounds

How did we learn to fly?

 

Wright brothers

 

Bessie Coleman

 

Amelia Earhart

 

Moon landing

 

Timeline

 

Impact on their lives

 

Visit Yorkshire Air museum

What is it like to live by the coast?

 

Seas and Oceans surrounding UK

 

 

Human/ physical features

Data recording-how do people use our local coast

 

Visit local costal town

Year 3

The Victorian Era

Society and Change

 

Continuity and  change

 

Victorian life in York and Bishopthorpe Inc. railways.

Visit to National Railway Museum.

 

Water Everywhere!

 

Water cycle, Oceans and distribution of natural sources (water).

 

FIELDWORK

The Ancient Greeks- what was their legacy?

 

Historical significance

 

Significance of Greek inventions on our everyday life.

Arctic and Tundra.

 

Climate zones. Physical and Human. Environment.

 

 

Location within Northern Hemisphere. Use of Frozen Planet.

Local Study: Bishopthorpe and its palace through the ages.

 

Similarity and Difference

 

History and change of Bishopthorpe through the ages.

Rocks, relics and rumbles!

Physical: Mountains Inc. volcanoes and earthquakes. Locational: North America

 

Location within Europe. Guest Speaker: mountaineer

 

Year 4

 

 

Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age

 

Continuity and  change

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use of artefact box from DIG, York.

Why Britain is Great!

 

Place: UK

 

Locational work introducing physical and human features of the UK. Counties and cities.

 

Use of Google Maps and Digimap to compare localities.

 

The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain BC 55-AD60: Invasion, Settlement and Resistance in Britain.

 

Historical significance

 

Legacy seen in  York from the invasion of Roman Empire

Wonders of the World!

 

Place: Europe. Physical and locational work introducing human features in Europe and Russia. Capitals.

 

 

Early Civilizations to compare with British History.

 

Mayan Civilization –AD 900

Local Study

 

Place: UK Yorkshire

 

Physical: Settlement and land use in locality. Change over time.

 

FIELDWORK

 

Year 5

Britain’s Settlement by Anglo-Saxons

 

Continuity and  change

 

Legacy of place-names, religious beliefs, art and culture.

 

UN Global Goals

 

Food miles, pollution and climate change.

Human-trade links and environment.

 

Letters of persuasion.

 

The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the kingdom of England.

 

Cause and Consequence

 

Vikings in York. Visit to Jorvik.

A River’s Journey

 

Physical: Water cycle, Rivers and Oceans.

 

FIELDWORK

The Tudors- Monarchy, Religion and Exploration.

 

Continuity and  change

 

 

Elizabeth of York- War of the Roses

Amazing Amazon

 

Biomes, Deforestation and Climate Zones.

 

Location Place: South America

 

 

Year 6

World War II- The battle of Britain.

 

 

Cause and consequence

 

Historical significance

 

Life in York during WW2 including Bishopthorpe air raid shelter and Rowntree factory.

 

Delve into Deserts

 

Climate zone, Vegetation belts and Biomes. Physical.

 

Use of Google Maps and Digimap to compare localities.

Ancient Egypt

 

Similarity and Difference

 

 

Virtual Tour of British Museum

Why Should the world be ashamed of slavery?

 

Continuity and  change

 

 

 

 

North York Moors (Peat Rigg)

 

Place UK: Moors. Physical and Human features of the Moors. Change over time.

RESIDENTIAL

FIELDWORK

I’m a Year 6. Get me out of here!

 

Plan a journey through time zones taking in UK, Europe and world destination. Physical and human features. Capitals.

 

Guest Speaker: Travel agent

 

 

In our schools we aim for a high quality Geography curriculum which will inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Our teaching equips pupils with knowledge about places and people; resources in the environment; physical and human processes; formation and use of landscapes. We also want children to develop geographical skills: collecting and analysing data; using maps, globes, aerial photographs and digital mapping to name and identify countries, continents and oceans; and communicating information in a variety of ways.

 

We want children to enjoy and love learning about geography by gaining this knowledge and skills, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits within our locality.

 

Early Years: children are encouraged to develop their knowledge and understanding of their local community.  In addition to exploring the human world the children also have the opportunity to research the physical world around them, including weather and the features in their immediate locality.

 

In KS1 we build upon this, developing field work skills and extending our learning to the UK and wider world. They will then look at the features of human and physical geography while exploring contrasting locations. They will use what they learn to help them compare and contrast these places. During year 1 and Year 2 the children will have the opportunity to further their mapping skills and take a deeper look at weather patterns around the world.

 

In KS2 the children build upon their locational and place knowledge comparing areas using features of physical and human geography. The children continue to develop their geographical skills including mapping and fieldwork from KS1 and are encouraged to learn and use technical vocabulary appropriately.

 

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

History units with main Historical Concept in italics.

Geography units with coverage of key place, location, physical and human knowledge in italics.

Local links in bold.

 

EYFS

Adventures through time

 

Family tree

 

My achievements

 

Visitors Family members

Outdoor adventure

 

Exploring the senses

 

School grounds

Peek into the past

 

Toybox activity

 

Compare past/ present

 

 

Outdoor adventure

 

Changing seasons

Peek into the past

 

My life timeline

 

Past/ present

Changes

Exploring maps

 

The world around them

 

Local area walk

Year 1

How am I making History?

 

Personal history

 

Compare childhood past/ present

 

Timelines

 

Visitors parents/ grandparents to ask about childhood

Local Area: What is it like here?

 

Place: Bishopthorpe

School grounds

 

Local walk around Bishopthorpe

 

Fieldwork

School grounds

 

Google Earth, maps of the local area, map symbols.

How have toys

changed?

 

Sequence artefacts

 

Favourite toys

 

Focus teddy bears

 

Visit Castle Museum

The UK: What is the weather like in the UK?

 

Place: UK

 

Countries and capitals of the UK.

 

Compass directions

 

Weather

 

Fieldwork school grounds

 

Maps

Google Earth

How have explorers changed the world?

 

Christopher Columbus

 

Matthew Henson

 

Sequence photos

 

Timelines

What is it like to live in Shanghai?

 

Place: Shanghai

 

Continents

 

Human/ physical features

 

Fieldwork

local area

 

Atlas, Globe, world maps, aerial photos

Year 2

How was school different in the past?

 

Similarities/

Differences

 

Timeline changes

 

Victorian school day-visitor

Would you prefer to live in a hot or cold place?

 

7 continents

 

North/south

Pole

 

Equator

 

Compare Uk

Kenya

 

World maps, Google Earth

Globes

What is a Monarch?

 

Power

coronation

 

William the conqueror

 

Castles

 

Compare past/present

Why is our World wonderful?

 

Uk and world landmarks

 

5 Oceans

 

Human/ physical features

 

Google Earth,

Ariel photos

Maps

 

Fieldwork local wood/school grounds

How did we learn to fly?

 

Wright brothers

 

Bessie Coleman

 

Amelia Earhart

 

Moon landing

 

Timeline

 

Impact on their lives

 

Visit Yorkshire Air museum

What is it like to live by the coast?

 

Seas and Oceans surrounding UK

 

 

Human/ physical features

Data recording-how do people use our local coast

 

Visit local costal town

Year 3

The Victorian Era

Society and Change

 

Continuity and  change

 

Victorian life in York and Bishopthorpe Inc. railways.

Visit to National Railway Museum.

 

Water Everywhere!

 

Water cycle, Oceans and distribution of natural sources (water).

 

FIELDWORK

The Ancient Greeks- what was their legacy?

 

Historical significance

 

Significance of Greek inventions on our everyday life.

Arctic and Tundra.

 

Climate zones. Physical and Human. Environment.

 

 

Location within Northern Hemisphere. Use of Frozen Planet.

Local Study: Bishopthorpe and its palace through the ages.

 

Similarity and Difference

 

History and change of Bishopthorpe through the ages.

Rocks, relics and rumbles!

Physical: Mountains Inc. volcanoes and earthquakes. Locational: North America

 

Location within Europe. Guest Speaker: mountaineer

 

Year 4

 

 

Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age

 

Continuity and  change

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use of artefact box from DIG, York.

Why Britain is Great!

 

Place: UK

 

Locational work introducing physical and human features of the UK. Counties and cities.

 

Use of Google Maps and Digimap to compare localities.

 

The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain BC 55-AD60: Invasion, Settlement and Resistance in Britain.

 

Historical significance

 

Legacy seen in  York from the invasion of Roman Empire

Wonders of the World!

 

Place: Europe. Physical and locational work introducing human features in Europe and Russia. Capitals.

 

 

Early Civilizations to compare with British History.

 

Mayan Civilization –AD 900

Local Study

 

Place: UK Yorkshire

 

Physical: Settlement and land use in locality. Change over time.

 

FIELDWORK

 

Year 5

Britain’s Settlement by Anglo-Saxons

 

Continuity and  change

 

Legacy of place-names, religious beliefs, art and culture.

 

UN Global Goals

 

Food miles, pollution and climate change.

Human-trade links and environment.

 

Letters of persuasion.

 

The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the kingdom of England.

 

Cause and Consequence

 

Vikings in York. Visit to Jorvik.

A River’s Journey

 

Physical: Water cycle, Rivers and Oceans.

 

FIELDWORK

The Tudors- Monarchy, Religion and Exploration.

 

Continuity and  change

 

 

Elizabeth of York- War of the Roses

Amazing Amazon

 

Biomes, Deforestation and Climate Zones.

 

Location Place: South America

 

 

Year 6

World War II- The battle of Britain.

 

 

Cause and consequence

 

Historical significance

 

Life in York during WW2 including Bishopthorpe air raid shelter and Rowntree factory.

 

Delve into Deserts

 

Climate zone, Vegetation belts and Biomes. Physical.

 

Use of Google Maps and Digimap to compare localities.

Ancient Egypt

 

Similarity and Difference

 

 

Virtual Tour of British Museum

Why Should the world be ashamed of slavery?

 

Continuity and  change

 

 

 

 

North York Moors (Peat Rigg)

 

Place UK: Moors. Physical and Human features of the Moors. Change over time.

RESIDENTIAL

FIELDWORK

I’m a Year 6. Get me out of here!

 

Plan a journey through time zones taking in UK, Europe and world destination. Physical and human features. Capitals.

 

Guest Speaker: Travel agent

 

 

Maths Vision

Maths Curriculum Rationale

 

At Archbishop Junior Primary School, we value Mathematics. 

We are MATHEMATICIANS! 

We support our children to understand that Maths is essential to everyday life: critical to science, technology and engineering, and a necessary life skill. We encourage our children to grow up with a deep understanding of mathematics, applying it to their chosen career paths.

Our teaching for mastery approach ensures that children learn in coherent and incrementally small steps. This ensures an inclusive approach to teaching and learning, and underpins our belief that all children can succeed. We aspire for all our children to leave feeling not only confident, but with memories of Maths that spark joy and encourage a life-long positive relationship with the subject. 

 

What does a Mathematician look like at our school?

 

We believe that a great Mathematician needs firm foundations in place to develop their mathematical knowledge. Our maths curriculum is underpinned by and prioritises: place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division knowledge for each year group. A little and often approach helps to ensure that children are able to recall, retain and connect key facts that become crucial in their learning.

 

Our Maths lessons ensure:

 

  • Teachers encourage a culture of ‘The answer is just the start’. This encourages our Mathematicians to be curious, inquisitive and begin to make connections and learn how to solve problems.
  • Teachers prepare pupils with talk strategies that encourage, purposeful talk. This helps children to respect each other’s opinions and supports them to reason and verbalise their learning.
  • Teachers model the appropriate vocabulary and use stem sentences to explore concepts which help children to understand mathematical terms and apply them to new learning.
  • Teachers allow thinking time to process new learning which helps to establish connections and understand the observations they have made during the lesson.
  • Teachers develop a positive culture towards mathematics through the School Values. This helps children to have a confident mindset and approach to learning, ensuring they are resilient, engaged, proud and persevere with the Maths that is taking place.

 

At Archbishop Junior School the three aims of the National Primary Curriculum for Mathematics are at the heart of everything we do, these are:

  • Fluencyin the fundamentals of mathematics so that pupils develop conceptual understanding, and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
  • Reasoningmathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
  • Problem Solvingby applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

 

Curriculum Development

The Maths curriculum at _______ really does enable children to show PRIDE. We have adopted a research-based Teaching for Mastery approach that enables all children to become fluent mathematicians, who are able to reason mathematically and use the mathematics they have learned to solve a range of problems.

At the heart of everything we do, is a belief that all children can achieve and master mathematics. We believe in promoting a sustained and deep understanding by employing a variety of Teaching for Mastery strategies that develop children’s conceptual understanding and procedural fluency in tandem. We place an emphasis on the cumulative mastery of essential knowledge and skills in mathematics by breaking down learning into small steps that enable children to develop deep conceptual knowledge.

Our approach aims to provide all children with full access to the curriculum, enabling them to develop independence, confidence and competence – ‘mastery’ – in mathematics in order to be independent mathematicians, who are well equipped to apply their learning to the wider world.

 

Subject Rationale

The National Curriculum is delivered using the NCETM’s Curriculum Maps and is supplemented by the delivery of both the NCETM’s KS1 (focus on additive facts and relationships) and KS2 (focus on multiplicative facts and multiplicative thinking) Mastering Number programmes to support children’s factual fluency. The Teaching for Mastery approach describes the elements of classroom practice and school organisation that combine to give pupils the best chances of mastering mathematics. Fluency and security in core knowledge mean pupils acquire a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. In order for concepts to be mastered, concepts are taught through small, coherent, manageable steps with plenty of opportunity for challenge through rich and sophisticated problems. Mistakes and misconceptions are seen as an essential part of learning and fostering positive can-do attitudes promote the fact that, ‘We can all do maths!’

When progressing through school, children develop the knowledge and skills to be able to solve a wider range of problems, including those with increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic that demand efficient written and mental methods for calculation. Through repeated deliberate practice and well-crafted varied fluency activities, children will have embedded core number facts, freeing up capacity in their working memories to tackle new, more complex problems and concepts. They will be able to classify shapes with complex geometrical properties and be fluent in working with fractions, decimals and percentages. The use of core representations and structures to support pupils to reason mathematically and understand key mathematical structures is embedded throughout the school. This depth of understanding supports and prepares children well as they move on to KS3.

 

Year 3 and 4

 

Year 5 and 6

 

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Extra Curriculum Activities

Personal Development

Homework