“Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects their high aspirations for all pupils. Leaders have ensure that the curriculum is planned so that pupils extend their vocabulary in each subject.” OFSTED, May 2022
At Caton St Paul’s, we endeavour to ensure every child reaches their potential across the curriculum throughout their school life. The unique, God-given talents of each child are nurtured and celebrated within our Christian family. Everything we do is rooted in our Christian vision: One family, belonging, believing and learning together.
The aims of our curriculum are:
- To develop a balance of knowledge, skills and understanding, ensuring breadth of knowledge alongside the ongoing development of key skills to enable children to aspire to become subject specialists.
- To ensure children are equipped to become informed members of the community, as well as fostering resilience and responsibility
- To enable children to develop the independent thought and decision making necessary to succeed in the 21st Century
We consulted with children, parents, staff and Governors to ensure our curriculum rationale meets the needs of children at our school.
Our school bases its work on the Early Years Foundation Stage for the children in Reception (updated in March 2021) and on the National Curriculum (2014) for children in Years 1 to 6.
Follow this link to view the EYFS Development Matters Framework and National Curriculum Framework for Key Stages One and Two:
We have an overarching topic for each term and much of our work is planned around this. English and Maths are planned primarily using the Lancashire planning framework and this is supplemented with planning from other sources including the White Rose Hub. One of our curricular aims is to inspire children to become subject specialists: because of this, although linked closely to topic, our foundation subjects are clearly demarcated on planning, and to the children.
Teachers carefully plan the coverage of basic skills in these areas and ensure that the statutory skills and progression are covered in each year group. Each child in a year group will be taught the same skills for each subject, no matter which class they are in, even though the general themes are different.
On the ‘classes’ pages of the website, you will find the curriculum map for each class.
EYFS knowledge and skills map from Pre-school to the end of Reception.
Maths
English
RE
History
Geography
Science
Design & Technology
Art and Design
PE
PSHE
MFL
Music
Computing
The school has a a bank of 35 chrome books, as well as 20 iPads, which mean that computing skills are taught both discretely and also in a cross curricular way as appropriate for the age of the children. Children are encouraged to use the internet as a research tool but are also made aware of the need for safety while online.
All classes have two lessons of PE a week and also benefit from outside coaches coming into school both in lesson time and as part of our extra curricular provision.
RE lessons follow the Blackburn Diocesan scheme of work.
Educational visits are planned appropriately to enrich the children’s understanding of topics covered. In 2021-22, we aim to offer all children the opportunity to take part in outdoor educational experiences – see the extra curricular page for more details. We are also, for the first time, taking our Y6 children to Edinburgh to enrich their cultural capital experience at our school.
We enjoy a wide range of music in our school and, as well as music being taught during curriculum time children are encouraged to take part in peripatetic music lessons. Pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a range of instruments including woodwind, brass, keyboard and strings. We have a well established choir who meet weekly to learn new songs and they perform these in the local community.
For more information about our curriculum, please contact Mr Gittins: head@stpauls.lancs.sch.uk