St Michael's Primary School And Nursery

Our Curriculum

At the age of rising 5 pupils will attend our early years class. Our school fully supports the principle that young children learn best through play, and by engaging in well planned and structured activities. Teaching in the early years class builds on the experiences of the children in their pre-school learning. Early Years curriculum is based on the Foundation Stage Framework that was made statutory in September 2012. This means that children are taught the Early Learning Goals. Much of this learning is taught through structured and free play. We are currently piloting the new early learning goals 2021.

The National Curriculum

The National curriculum applies to pupils of compulsory school age. It is organised on the basis of Key Stages.

Our school curriculum is underpinned by the values that we hold dear to our school. The curriculum is the means by which the school achieves it objective of educating children with the knowledge, skills and understanding that they need in order to lead fulfilling lives.

Key Stage One

In Key Stage One your child will continue to build on the excellent foundations laid in Early Years. Our teachers are committed to providing a happy, healthy and calm atmosphere in which all children are encouraged to develop and reach their full potential.

Key Stage Two

In Key Stage Two we aim to build upon the high standards already achieved. The children will grow in all areas-personal, social and academic. Preparing them to have fulfilling lives as outstanding citizens.

Homework

Homework is a shared responsibility between staff, pupils and parents/carer. Please click on this link to read our Homework Policy.

PHSE, Sex & Drug Education

At St Michael's we use the Edison Life Skills Programme to deliver the PHSE curriculum. A copy of the half termly whole school topics can be found here.

We use a Sex Education programme called Tom and Yasmin. Growing up with Tom and Yasmine is an online resource to help us easily deliver high-quality sex and relationships education (SRE) as part of our Life Skills curriculum. The Department for Education recognises the need for SRE at all key stages and encourages schools to develop their own lesson content with support from expert sources. Growing Up with Tom and Yasmin was developed with this in mind. It includes 50 flexible, age-appropriate lesson plans and fun, interactive whiteboard activities designed to meet curriculum requirements for children aged 5–11.

We use a Drugs Education programme called Jed and Ted.Using the characters of Jed, Ted and Amy and their different families, the programme explores substance use in the context of the children’s age and experiences. Each year it provides between 3-5 lessons that build knowledge, skills, attitudes and positive health aspirations, as they grow with the characters. It includes everything you need to implement a full and effective drug education programme from household substances and medicines to alcohol and illegal drugs. Exploring why people use drugs and how to stay safe in a drug-using world.

We teach e-safety through using Switched onto Computing (Rising Stars) and Purple Mash in all years groups. along with assemblies and regular visits from The 2 Johns Consultants.

At St Michael's we run a creative curriculum that is designed to motivate and inspire our children. Each year( apart from Early Years) group run a topic each term that incorporates subjects through carefully planned links. Where English can be planned into the topic, we will use texts that will inspire our children to develop their love of reading and link to the topic. Maths is taught using a mastery approach where we aim to develop the children’s reasoning and fluency. We want all of our children to be confident users of number and be able to explain and problem solve with confidence.

In EYFS and KS1 we use the Read,Write INC phonics programme to teach our children the skills of
decoding, blending and segmenting. This forms part of our approach to reading which also includes focused reading sessions as well as shared and individual reading time. In Year 2 and KS2 we use the Accelerated Reader Program to support the children’s development of reading.
We greatly value the importance of a broad and balanced curriculum: across the school the children are taught French as their MFL, music, art, RE, computing as well as PE and PSHE. Science is linked into topics where appropriate but at times will be taught discreetly.

We have chosen to design our curriculum this way as it supports the needs of our children. The termly
topic approach enables the children to receive a greater depth of learning as they have time to research, questions and ultimately deepen their knowledge and understanding. The topics ‘hook’ the children in and provide active learning opportunities which our children thrive upon.
If you would like to find out any more information regarding our curriculum, please feel free to contact the Head teacher at g.morgan@stmichaelsprimary.co.uk.

Copies of the Curriculum Map for Year 1 to Year 6 can be found by clicking here.

Please click here to read an over view of the Talk for Writing Units for Year 1 to Year 6.

An overview of the R.E curriculum for Year 1 to Year 6 can be found by clicking here.

An overview of the P.E curriculum for Year 1 to Year 6 can be found by clicking here