Curriculum Subjects

Intent

At Redwell, we facilitate Art and Design to allow the children to develop their imagination and creativity, to make connections and give them the skills to record their ideas. We nurture the children’s confidence in creating art, so that art lessons can be a place for self-exploration and freedom of expression.

Our art curriculum encourages curious minds, sets challenges and equips pupils with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own works of art. Our children study art in a way that ensures progression of skills, and follows a sequence to build on previous learning. We provide children with the opportunity to gain experience of a range of formal elements over a two-year cycle. Within this cycle, they will study Drawing, Painting, Printing, Sculpture, Collage & Textiles and Digital Media. Every year, pupils also study a range of artists and develop their ability to think and act like creative practitioners. Art and Design is mapped in accordance with the National Curriculum requirements, to ensure sufficient breadth of study.

Being inventive and able to solve problems ensures both academic and creative progress. We want our pupils to explore a range of diverse artists and appreciate unique and individual styles. We encourage them to be proud of what they achieve and give them an appreciation of art that will last a lifetime.   

Implementation

The skills and knowledge that children will develop throughout each art topic are mapped across each year group and are progressive throughout the school.  The emphasis on knowledge ensures that children understand the context of the artwork, as well as the artists that they are learning about and being inspired by.  This enables links to other curriculum areas, including humanities, with children developing their knowledge of individual artists, as well as individual works and art movements.  A similar systematic approach to the development of artistic skills means that children are given opportunities to express their creative imagination, as well as practise and develop mastery in the key processes of art: Drawing, Painting, Printing, Sculpture, Collage & Textiles and Digital Media.

Art and Design should be taught three times during the year, spaced with Design and Technology. This differs slightly in EYFS where there is more flexibility. Lessons can be taught weekly or in a block, depending on the focus, and key areas will be revisited repeatedly with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to build on their previous learning.

Each new unit of work begins with a recap of the previous related knowledge from previous years.  This helps children to retrieve what they have learnt in the earlier sequence of the programme of study, and ensures that new knowledge is taught in the context of previous learning to promote a shift in long term memory.  Throughout each unit, understanding will be monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities and teachers are able to seek advice and guidance from Year Group and Subject Leaders.

The school’s high-quality art curriculum is supported through the availability of a wide range of quality resources, which are used to support children’s confidence when experimenting with different types of media.  The school grounds are also utilised, with planned opportunities for learning outside the classroom.

Impact

At Redwell Primary School, the impact for the learners in Art and Design is that pupil voice evidences confident and enthusiastic children who are able to talk about what they have learnt in Art and Design using subject specific vocabulary. They are able to develop ideas, master techniques and take inspiration from the artists that they have studied.

Pupils’ work demonstrates that Art and Design is taught at an age-appropriate standard across each year group, with opportunities planned for pupils showing a swift understanding. Work is of high quality and demonstrates that pupils are acquiring knowledge, skills and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence and across all key areas: Drawing, Painting, Printing, Sculpture, Collage & Textiles and Digital Media. The consistent use of children’s sketchbooks means that children are able to review, modify and develop their initial ideas in order to achieve high quality outcomes. 

Progression Maps

Intent

In this technological age, where computers are a vital part of our modern lives, our main aim is to ensure that children are safe users of technology. At Redwell Primary School, we want to raise safe and healthy children who are mindful, active producers of technology. Children need to know how to navigate the online world safely, maturely and sensitively; ensuring they use their critical, ‘computational thinking’ skills when presented with a range of views and information that will enable them to participate effectively and safely in a digital world.

Implementation

To achieve this, we use Purple Mash and other software which prepares our children for their future in an ever changing technological world and gives them skills that can be transferred across a wide range of subjects including coding, spreadsheets and typing. These skills start in our Early Years department with the use of Mini Mash and technology within the provision to give the children a strong foundation ready for ‘formal’ computing lessons which start in Year 1 and go all the way through to Year 6. Each year, the children build on the skills they have learnt in the previous year which builds their confidence and skills, making them competent computational thinkers.

Impact

The impact of our broad Computing curriculum is that all children leave Redwell with the skills they need to  be  apt in using technology and prepares them for the curriculum delivered in secondary schools, so that they have the best chance of success as they progress into Key Stage 3. We believe our Computing curriculum sparks interest and produces children who are prepared for our ever-changing technological world.

Progression Maps

Intent

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject which has a vital role in contributing to a balanced curriculum and creating the problem solvers of the future. It is a subject that inspires children to ‘learn to think’ creatively to solve practical problems both as individuals and through teamwork. At Redwell Primary School, our aim is to encourage children to use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. The children are also given opportunities to explore, reflect upon and evaluate past and present technology designs and are encouraged to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills and confidence to contribute to future design advancements.  

We aim for our learners to:

Design –

• To develop criteria to inform the design of functional products that are fit for purpose.
• To generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through a range of approaches.

Make –

• To confidently and appropriately select and use a wide range of materials, resources and equipment to perform tasks according to their functional properties.

Evaluate –

• To work with an investigative and critical approach towards new and existing products
• To understand how key events and individuals in Design and Technology have helped shape the world.

Cooking and Nutrition – 

• To understand and apply the principles of a healthy and balanced diet.
• To understand the principles and skills in food, including where food comes from and seasonality.
• To be aware of the importance of food hygiene and kitchen safety.

Technical Knowledge –

• To develop technical knowledge through each stage of the design process which encompasses the contextual, historical and technical understanding required for each strand.

Implementation

At Redwell, we have mapped out a clear progression of skills and knowledge from EYFS through to Year 6. Our objectives fit within the five National Curriculum attainment targets of Design, Make, Evaluate, Technical Knowledge and Cooking and Nutrition. We have created a curriculum which meet the needs and interests of our pupils and specifically links to our half termly topics. Key concepts and technical vocabulary are also included in our planning which follows a clear teaching sequence of design, make and evaluate.

Design and Technology should be taught three times during the year, one unit focusing on 3D models, one on food technology and one on textiles. This differs slightly in EYFS where there is more flexibility. Lessons can be taught weekly or in a block, depending on the focus, and key areas will be revisited repeatedly with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to build on their previous learning.

Understanding will be monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities and teachers are able to seek advice and guidance from Year Group and Subject Leaders.

Impact

At Redwell Primary School, the impact for the learners in Design and Technology will be that pupils have a clear enjoyment and confidence in the subject and have the ability to apply key skills across other areas of the curriculum.

Pupil voice, will provide evidence about what they have learnt in Design and Technology, using subject specific vocabulary. This pupil voice and discussion will include their thoughts, ideas, processing, and evaluations of work.

The curriculum is spaced, ambitious and builds on the key areas which are revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to build on their previous learning.  Pupils can think critically about the subject and recall their learning over time.

Work is of high quality and demonstrates that pupils are acquiring knowledge, skills and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence and across all three focus areas: 3D models, food technology and textiles.

Pupil’s work demonstrates that Design and Technology is taught at an age-appropriate standard across each year group, with opportunities planned for pupils showing a swift understanding. As designers and creators, pupils have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions and events in history and of today that can impact our world.  They recognise where their decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues. 

Progression Maps

English

Speaking & Listening

We aim to encourage children to express themselves and to communicate fluently and articulately, with clarity and purpose, in an interesting and varied manner. Similarly, they are encouraged to listen and to appreciate other speakers with all their variations of tone, vocabulary, dialect and content.

Activities will build upon the oral language and experiences, which pupils bring from home. We aim to give the children the skills to read for both pleasure and information and to give them study skills in the use of reference books. Teaching will cover a range of stimulating literature, both fiction and non-fiction, and should ensure that pupils regularly hear and share stories and poetry.

Reading & Writing

Success in reading is achieved through partnership between home and school. Therefore, we encourage children to take an independent reading book, a library book and an individual school planner/reading record, which we ask you to sign when you hear them read. Positive parental comments in this booklet will be much appreciated and questions to challenge your child’s reading can be found within the planner/reading record. We ask that parents accept the responsibility for the care and return of all books. Book bags are available for purchase from the school office.

We offer a huge variety of books for your children to read, including those from high quality reading schemes and a variety of ‘real books’ that can be found in the school libraries. We ask parents to share in the teaching of reading both at home and in school. We offer a weekly ‘Book Time’ session every Thursday from 8:50-9:10am and we warmly invite you to spend these sessions reading with your child. 

Read Write Inc. Phonics is taught daily in EYFS and KS1 and for those who require in KS2. The children are taught in differentiated groups, to allow us to meet their needs successfully. All children in Years 1-6 will be given a weekly spelling list to learn as homework and will be tested weekly, results will be written in the child’s reading record/school planner. Our English teaching is based on the National Curriculum and grammar skills are taught regularly. We teach different genres of fiction writing, including poetry and a variety of non-fiction text types through the ‘talk for writing’ storytelling approach. We endeavour to have interesting, dynamic learning experiences to suit all learning styles on offer to excite and enthuse our children about English.

At Redwell Primary School, the children enjoy English and have embraced the Storytelling techniques, not just in English lessons but across the wider curriculum too. Our texts are at the heart of our curriculum and feed into all other subjects through the deepening stages. With reading and storytelling comes a wealth of vocabulary, by the time a child has completed their learning journey with us, they will have a readymade word bank at their disposal. They will also have been exposed to over forty different stories, ranging from quest stories, to stories from different cultures. We believe that by following the Storytelling School approach, we are not only developing literacy skills but also allowing children’s confidence to flourish. 

Progression Maps

Intent

At Redwell Primary School, French is the chosen modern language. Children will gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of the three pillars of language - phonics, vocabulary and grammar - which are the building blocks of language acquisition. These are practised through the four modalities of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Throughout the study of French, children will gain knowledge and understanding of the culture of France and it’s history and traditions therein. Children are given ample opportunity to explore, poems, songs, stories and rhymes in the language; thus developing their cultural capital.

We aim for our learners to: 

• be confident using spoken language to initiate conversation and respond;
• develop fluency in reading;
• use phonological awareness enabling them to decode;
• use good intonation and pronunciation;
• develop fluency in writing;
• be confident selecting vocabulary according to context;
• have an understanding of how grammar can change and enhance meaning;
• have a growing ability to use language creatively and spontaneously.

Implementation

For our Key Stage 2 pupils, we follow the Salut scheme of work, which instils enjoyment and engagement around the learning of language through all modalities of language acquisition. The fun and accessible tasks, resources and activities allow all children to become confident to speak and understand the French language, whilst meeting the end of Key Stage Attainment Targets outlined in the National Curriculum and providing them an insight into further language learning in secondary school.

The modules within Salut enable pupils to study a range of topics, engaging in conversational French whilst also acquiring and understanding more subject specific vocabulary as lessons progress. Each unit (per term) aims to build upon prior learning and units are sequenced to enable pupils to purposefully build on learning from previous sessions to aid the retention of key subject and topic-based knowledge. Core units – introducing basic grammar and sentence structure – are taught in Year 3, whilst the complexities of French grammar and tenses are covered in Year 6. The lesson plans provided are easily adaptable to differentiate learning and provide challenge for those more confident with language learning.

Annually, as a school, Redwell celebrates Bastille Day where: children dress up, enjoy a croissant and jus d’orange for breakfast, learn the History behind the Storming of the Bastille and listen to/sing traditional French songs and stories. This celebration solidifies the learning of new cultures, diversity and language within our school.

Impact

The children at Redwell enjoy the fun that Salut encompasses within language learning and this is demonstrated in the progress and attainment through their language journey. Quizzes, interactive games and regular revisits of vocabulary throughout the week embed the knowledge acquired in the lessons to create retainable and long-term learning – all whilst creating an engaging classroom atmosphere.

We believe that when children leave Redwell Primary School, they will have a natural curiosity and confidence to explore other countries, cultures and languages: understanding that in today’s multi-lingual society, it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language. They will therefore be engaged and prepared to continue their language learning journey at Secondary School.

Progression Documents

Intent

Through the study of geography, our pupils should be inspired to be curious and captivated about the world and its people around them. They should be equipped with the knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments. They should gain a strong understanding of the Earth’s physical and human features and know the differences between them. The geographical knowledge, understanding and skills will provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features are shaped, interconnected and how they change over time.

We aim for our learners to:  

• Develop background knowledge of the location of topic specific places. This includes understanding the differences between physical and human features and understand how these provide a geographical context for being able to understand why certain processes in our world happen.
• Be knowledgeable in what geographical skills are needed to collect, analyse and communicate data that is gathered through fieldwork which will deepen their understanding further.
• Be able to interpret a range of sources of geographical information, such as, maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and digital technology.
• Communicate geographical information in a range of ways. This could be through maps, numerical and quantitative skills, writing at varied lengths and double page spreads.
• Have a deep and clear understanding of key vocabulary and be confident to use this when talking and in their work. They are also able to explain what the key vocabulary means.

Implementation

• Each lesson of geography is taught to build up progressively and deepen children’s knowledge, understanding and skills.
• Each lesson is adapted and relevant to the needs of all the learners so every child feels included and valued in every lesson.
• Teachers are able to seek advice, support and guidance from the subject leader and people in their Year Group.
• Geography should be taught throughout the school year starting as early as EYFS all the way to Year 6. The lessons should be spaced out with History so it doesn’t need to be taught every term and this will provide high quality teaching and learning.
• Geography should be blocked when taught as this is more effective to deepen children’s understanding and helps to contribute to their long-term memory.
• Geography should be mapped in accordance with the National Curriculum requirements, to ensure sufficient breadth of study and both knowledge and skills are being covered across the school.
• Teachers will be using the knowledge organisers created to ensure they are teaching the correct vocabulary and are knowledgeable in the areas they are teaching.

Impact

At Redwell Primary School, the impact for the learners in Geography will be that pupil voice will evidence confident learners who are able to discuss what they have learnt in geography and use subject specific vocabulary and be able to explain what it means. As the curriculum is spaced out and ambitious, it helps to shape the learners’ thinking over time and contribute to their long-term memory.

Pupil voice will also demonstrate that pupils are excited, curious and captivated about geography and they understand how it helps them make sense of the world around them. In pupils’ books, the work will show that geography is taught at an age appropriate level from EYFS to Year 6 and all children’s abilities are being catered for with work being differentiated when required and children are being extended and challenged. Teachers planning and lessons will be of a high standard and it demonstrates that children are being equipped with the correct knowledge, skills and vocabulary which is then transpires into the children’s work.

Progression Maps

Intent:

Through the study of History, pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives and the process and impact of change. 

We aim for our learners to:  

• gain an excellent knowledge and understanding of people and events from a range of historical periods and to develop a range of skills required to be effective historians.
• know and understand the history of Britain and how it has been influenced by the wider world;
• gain a strong knowledge about their Northamptonshire History, particularly in our local area;
• develop a sense of their own identity within our social, political, cultural and economic background;
• develop the ability to think critically about history and communicate their ideas in styles appropriate to a range of audiences;
• consistently support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using appropriate and accurate historical evidence;
• develop the ability to think critically, reflect, debate, discuss, question and evaluate the past;
• make effective links between history and other subjects, developing their schemas and making learning increasingly relevant and connected (taking in new information, connecting it to other things we know, believe, or have experienced.)

Implementation:

• History is taught so the children are constantly building on their previous learning so their knowledge and skills build progressively, deepening as they move throughout their year group and through the school.
• These lessons are personalised and relevant to the needs of the learners through the use of our topic maps on which we gather the children’s curiosities about an upcoming topic.
• Teachers are able to seek advice and guidance from Year Group and Subject Leaders.
• Each year group has at least two half terms where history is the driver subject for their year group topic. History links are also made within topics which lend themselves to the subject, but are not necessarily driven by it. Eg.  Within a geography topic about mountains, there will be history links made to famous mountaineers from the past.
• History is mapped in accordance with the National Curriculum requirements, to ensure sufficient breadth of study. 

The skills for the subject are broken up into the following headings:

Chronological Understanding 

The children learn how to chart the passing of time and understand how some aspects of history studied were happening at similar times in different places. Over their school journey, they are able to build an overview of British and aspects of world history.

Historical interpretation

This concept involves learning that our understanding of the past comes from an interpretation of the available evidence. The children learn to evaluate sources of evidence and to develop their critical thinking skills.

Historical enquiry

Observing artefacts, images and historical accounts, the children learn to be curious about the past through the encouragement to ask questions and initiate discussion. As they move up the school, the children use this enquiry skills to focus their own research.

Organisation and communication

This concept involves using historical vocabulary and techniques to convey information about the past. They children are encouraged to use a range of mediums to present, communicate and organise ideas about the past including drama, art and design.

Impact

At Redwell Primary School, the impact for the learners in history will be that pupil voice evidences confident learners who are able to talk about what they have learnt in history using subject specific vocabulary. They are able to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology and build an overview of local, British and aspects of world history. They are able to think critically about the subject and recall their learning over time.

Pupil voice also demonstrates that pupils are enthusiastic about history and understand how it helps them make sense of the past and the impact it has on future events.  Pupils' work demonstrates that history is taught at an age appropriate standard across each year group, with opportunities planned in for pupils showing a swift understanding or working at greater depth. Work is of high quality and demonstrates pupils are acquiring knowledge, skills and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence and with an understanding of the interdisciplinary links. 

Progression Maps

Mathematics

Mathematics is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

At Redwell Primary school we aim to develop a positive attitude and enjoyment of learning towards Mathematics and the ability to solve problems through decision making, and reasoning in a range of contexts. We believe that Mathematics should provide a rich variety of learning experiences relating to everyday life.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), we relate the mathematical aspects of the children's work to the Early Years Outcomes document and the Early Learning Goals (ELG), as set out in the EYFS profile document. Mathematical development involves providing children with opportunities to practise and improve and master their skills in counting numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems (fluency), and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures, exploring patterns and relationships. Children are encouraged to access a wide range of Mathematical resources to support their learning.  The EYFS curriculum for Mathematics is split into two aspects: number and shape, space and measures. We continually observe and assess children in these areas using age-related objectives, planning the next steps in their mathematical development through a topic-based curriculum.

Progression Maps 

Intent

At Redwell Primary School the intention is that children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres. Our objective at Redwell Primary School is to develop a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed in any person’s life. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.

Implementation

Our Charanga Music School schemes provide teachers with week-by-week lessons for each year group in their school. Our music curriculum ensures pupils sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is entrenched in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assembly. The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons so that the children are able to use some of the language of music to examine it and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In the classroom pupils have the opportunity to play a number of percussion instruments. They look into the different principle of each method of creating notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They will learn how to compose concentrating on different elements of music, which in turn will feed into their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which increases their understanding of musical elements without the added difficulty of an instrument.

Impact

Whilst in school, the children have access to areas which include, pulse, pitch, rhythm, voice, technology structure, form and 20th Century Music. This allows the pupils to determine areas of strength and areas where they could improve upon. Music will help develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to pupils individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. The pupils will be able to enjoy music in as

many ways as they chose for example, as a listener, a creator or a performer; scrutinize music and understand all of its parts; sing and feel a pulse. They will build up an understanding of how to further increase skills less known to them, should they ever want to develop an interest in their lives.

Progression Documents

Intent

At Redwell Primary School, we value Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) as an integral component in supporting children’s development, to enable them to understand and respect who they are, empower them with a voice and to equip them for life and learning. The Healthy Schools Award demonstrates recognition of the work done by Redwell in this respect. Pastoral care is embodied within the school ethos and values, enhancing the care and support for all our students.

Within the umbrella of PSHE we also teach Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), further enhancing the social development of our children, enabling them to develop healthy relationships and provide them with strategies to keep themselves safe both in and out of school.

Implementation

At Redwell Primary School, PSHE and RSE are taught as a whole school approach alongside extra-curricular activities. Lessons are taught weekly across each year group following the Cambridgeshire PSHE scheme.

Representatives from each year group are chosen annually as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, further encouraging the content taught in lessons, further supporting pupil well-being.

Within RSE, puberty is taught as a statutory requirement of Health Education and is covered within the same scheme. Within our RSE policy, we identify that sex education refers to Human Reproduction and therefore inform parents of their right to request their child be withdrawn from the PSHE lessons that explicitly teach this. We encourage open conversations with parents to address any concerns.

Impact

To ensure PSHE and RSE are taught consistently across the school, subject leaders use Intent Provision Maps to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching and delivery of the subject. This includes sessions with small groups of pupils using questioning to understand the learning from a pupils’ perspective. Pupil voice also demonstrates that pupils are enthusiastic about PSHE and RSE and understand how it helps them make sense of the community and the world around them.

Children complete end of unit assessments to help evaluate their learning and understanding of the content. Use of floor books in each classroom helps to identify the key questioning in each session, alongside the students opinions, thoughts and feelings.

Progression Maps

Intent

At Redwell we aim to inspire all children to develop a love of physical activity and sport. Through good physical education, whole school values and a whole child approach, we aim to nurture confident, resilient children who will strive for their personal best. We want to aid our children in obtaining the values and skills to celebrate and respect the success of others, as well as feeling pride in their own achievements. We aim to ensure that our delivery of physical education allows all children to have the skills and mind-set to leave Redwell with the capabilities to be successful in their future physical ventures. We strive to support our children and families with living healthy lifestyles and give them the information they need to be able to make healthy choices. We are dedicated to ensuring healthy minds, as well as bodies and will continue to support our children's well-being. We have strong links with local clubs and partnerships within our community to ensure the children and families receive the support and knowledge they need.

Implementation

• PE is taught using the PE Hub scheme of work, which builds progressively to deepen skills, knowledge, understanding and vocabulary.
• These lessons, which initially focus on the ABCs (Agility, Balance and Co-ordination) throughout EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2, ensure all children develop the fundamentals to engage in competitive sport as the get older. During UKS2, children focus more on competitive challenge: basketball, hockey, football, tennis, rounders, cricket, badminton and athletics.
• Teachers are able to seek advice and guidance from Year Group and the Subject Lead.
• PE should be taught for a minimum of 1 hour every week across the school. This is alongside the Redwell Mile twice weekly. We believe this is the best way to build physical fitness, skills, knowledge and support the children in building healthy lifestyles and minds.
• PE is mapped in accordance with the National Curriculum requirements, to ensure sufficient breadth of study and opportunities to revisit and build upon skills taught.

Threshold Concepts: 

In PE, children must have the opportunity to develop their practical skills in order to participate, compete and lead a healthy lifestyle.

• This concept involves learning a range of physical movements and sporting techniques.

At Redwell, the children meet this threshold concept by learning PE through the following curriculum areas – Games, Dance, Gymnastics, Swimming, Athletics & Outdoor and Adventurous Activities.

Impact

We aim to provide children with an exciting, ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum that will instil a love of learning for life. Our approach enables all children to become lifelong learners by developing transferable skills to equip them to become successful citizens. We are an inclusive learning community, in which everyone is valued as an individual and supported to progress. We have high expectations for all our learners and seek to engage them with high quality teaching and engaging content.  

Our curriculum aims to support our children to understand and make links in their learning, deepen their understanding, knowledge and skills and encourage their passions and enthusiasm for the subjects that we teach. We teach each subject discretely but make interdisciplinary links, where these are meaningful and appropriate. 

We endeavour to provide all children with an environment in which they can thrive, develop curiosity and independent learning behaviours, which enables them to actively participate and learn study skills now and for their future. We encourage them to have high expectations of themselves through questioning, discussion and through the learning evident in their books. We aim for every child to make good progress using these principles.

Progression Maps

Intent

At Redwell Primary School, we believe that the study of Religious Education teaches children about the value of mutual respect and encourages them to be curious about others and the world around them. We aim to provide the children with the knowledge and understanding of other faiths whilst promoting a positive attitude of respect to others who may hold beliefs different to their own, regardless of race, gender or religion. We want our children to develop skills which will allow them to live harmoniously within our diverse society. Through Religious Education we aim to reflect and encompass the values we have as a school.

We use Discovery R.E which is inline with the Northamptonshire’s locally Agreed Syllabus. We believe that this ensures progression and challenge throughout the whole school and a broad coverage of faiths and beliefs.

Each term, the carefully structured programme follows an enquiry approach to learning and challenges children to develop their critical thinking skills alongside the knowledge learnt in order to answer ‘big questions’. In doing so, our children acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religions in Great Britain and are prepared for opportunities and experiences presented to them in later life.

Implementation

Redwell Primary School have taken the whole school approach to teaching the Discovery R.E programme. This is inline with the Northamptonshire’s locally Agreed Syllabus. We tailor it to meet the needs of our students.

The intent document identifies the knowledge and understanding and skills which the children will develop throughout each term. All skills are progressive and link to the enquiry ‘Big Question’. Each sequence of learning will follow the same in-depth steps as listed below:

Step One – Engagement

Step Two – Investigation

Step Three – Evaluation

Step Four - Expression.

All teachers follow a precise overview of units which is progressive throughout the school, developing the children’s critical thinking and empathy.

All lessons are tailored to meet the children’s needs and are personalised to the current cohort of learners.

Christianity is taught in each year group alongside one other religion giving the children the opportunity to build upon their prior learning to ensure better understanding. Lessons are taught weekly.

Other principle religions and religious festivals are celebrated through out the year in assemblies. We celebrate World Religion Day in order to bring smaller, less familiar religions to the foreground of our learning too.

Links with local religious figures support the ties between the community and the school and provide fantastic opportunities for the children to develop their religious experiences.

Every unit encompasses many of our British Values of the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect, Tolerance of those with different faiths or beliefs and Democracy.

Impact

The impact of our Religious Education teaching begins in Early Years, where children begin their learning journey by being exposed to celebrations and opportunities to listen to stories, discuss experiences and interact with resources during their continuous provision.

By the end of each key stage, our students will be able to apply the knowledge and skills learned to reach the attainment targets. We expect them to be able to be confident in speaking about the knowledge they have acquired from each unit and be able to have respectful discussions about other beliefs which may be different from their own. We believe that the impact of this knowledge will filter to other areas of the curriculum and the wider world, leading them to have respect and tolerance for everyone and each other’s differences. This coincides with the inclusive ethos of our school.

To ensure the attainment of knowledge and skills, teachers use many different strategies to assess learning. These include formative and summative assessments, collecting evidence of children’s work and pupil voice. We feel it is important that all children are given a variety of opportunities to express their thoughts and opinions. Appropriate questioning is carefully planned to ensure children are challenged and critical thinking is evident in all lessons.

Progression Maps

Intent

Curiosity, wonder, humour and even disgust are emotions that build engagement in science.  Science has changed the world in which we live and is also vital for our futures.

At Redwell Primary School, we believe that effective science teaching and learning is vital to ensure our children become scientifically literate adults who are equipped to cope in a world increasingly shaped by science and technology.  Children should be knowledgeable about the world around them and our impact upon it.  We believe that effective primary science education encourages curiosity, exploration and the chance for the children to become the questioner. Children should have the opportunity to think both scientifically and creatively, developing enquiring minds, thinking skills and the ability to make choices, form their own opinions and work collaboratively.

Our aims to Redwell Primary School ensure that all pupils:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
• develop an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of scientific enquiries.
• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses of science today and for the future.

Redwell Primary School shares its Principles of Science with the Engaging Science scheme of work:

• Science is best taught through practical sessions and investigation
• Pupils should be encouraged to think both scientifically and creatively
• Science should take advantage of the many opportunities the outdoor environment offers to learnscience in context
• The teaching of science should be rigorous and ensure that pupils of all abilities make progress
• Assessment in science should be based on what pupils demonstrate they can do in lessons rather than on tests.

Through our science lessons, we teach the skills linked with ‘Working Scientifically’ which include: pattern seeking, identifying, classifying, grouping and comparative and fair testing, research, observing over time and problem solving.  Our pupils are encouraged to solve problems and to seek answers through analysing, collecting and presenting in a variety of ways, all of which will then be built upon and developed in Key Stage 3 and beyond.

At Redwell Primary School, we explore science in a number of ways: lessons, science days, visitors and workshops.  We are always looking for new ways to inspire a passion for science across our school.

Implementation 

• Across Years 1-6, Science is taught in explicit units, in line with the National Curriculum and the Engaging Science scheme of work, which covers both the working scientifically skills and the science knowledge expected for each Year group. Staff use resources linked with the engaging science scheme or create their own resources to match the objectives as well as their children’s interests and abilities. Investigative activities are planned for regularly and the children work in either small groups or as a whole class to complete these.
• Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills.
• Children explore, question, predict, plan, carry out investigations and observations as well as conclude their findings.
• Children present their findings and learning using science specific language, observations and diagrams. We encourage the children to present their science knowledge through the use of ‘Double page spreads’.
• In order to support children in their ability to ‘know more and remember more’ there are regular opportunities to retrieve the learning that took place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. Mini quizzes, tell me what you know, sort the correct facts are all examples of how this is carried out.
• At the start of each unit children will carry out a KWL, allowing them to share what they know about a given topic and what they would like to know through questioning. MTP and individual lessons are then adapted in light of this to ensure they are planning for the needs of the class. KWL grids are then revisited at the end of a unit to give the children the opportunity to share what they have learnt and self-assess against the key objectives covered.
• During each unit, scientists and careers are explored allowing opportunities for children to see themselves as scientists and encourage them into a future STEM career.
• Key vocabulary is identified for each unit of work and displayed on the science wall in each classroom. Staff plan for science vocabulary to be delivered prior to lesson using the ‘Pre-teach’ method. This vocabulary is regularly referred to during lessons to ensure the children have a clear understanding. 
• Teachers use highly effective assessment for learning in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed.
• Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intention, with misconceptions addressed within it.
• Through using a range of assessment tools, differentiation is facilitated by teachers, to ensure that each pupil can access the Science curriculum.
• Children are given clear success criteriain order to achieve the learning intention with differing elements of independence.
• Pupils are regularly given the opportunity for self or peer assessment, which will then be used to inform planning, preparation, differentiation and address misconceptions within that lesson, or for the next lesson.
• Our Core Subject Assessment Tracker (Arbor) allows us to use data to inform future practice.

Threshold Concepts: 

Working scientifically

This concept involves learning the methodologies of the discipline of science.

Biology

• Understand Plants

This concept involves becoming familiar with different types of plants, their structure and reproduction.

• Understand animals and humans

This concept involves becoming familiar with different types of animals, humans and the life processes they share.

• Investigate living things

This concept involves becoming familiar with a wider range of living things, including insects and understanding life processes.

• Understand evolution and inheritance

This concept involves understanding that organisms come into existence, adapt, change and evolve and become extinct.

Chemistry

• Investigate materials

This concept involves becoming familiar with a range of materials, their properties, uses and how they may be altered or changed.

Physics

• Understand movement, forces and magnets

This concept involves understanding what causes motion.

• Understand the Earth’s movement in space

This concept involves understanding what causes seasonal changes, day and night.

• Investigate light and seeing

This concept involves understanding how light and reflection affect sight.

• Investigate sound and hearing

This concept involves understanding how sound is produced, how it travels and how it is heard.

• Understand electrical circuits

This concept involves understanding circuits and their role in electrical applications.

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of Science through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World.’  Children find out about objects, materials and living things using all of their senses.  The children are encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work by exploring the natural environment around them.  Our children enjoy spending time outdoors, where they investigate minibeasts and their habitats, observe plants and animals and actively witness the changing seasons.  We encourage curious minds in all of our children and EYFS really embeds this mindset from the get go.

Impact

The impact for the learners in Science at Redwell Primary will be that all pupils, considering their individual starting point, will make outstanding progress over time, through the delivery of an engaging, interactive and high-quality curriculum.  Children will therefore be expected to leave Redwell Primary reaching at least age-related expectations for science.  Through various methods of teaching, workshops and interactions with experts, our Science Curriculum will lead pupils to be enthusiastic Science learners.  Children will also learn the possibilities of careers in science as a result of our focused STEM days and community links.  We view pupil voice as vital to allow further development of the science curriculum, support the children’s enjoyment of science and to motivate learners.  Pupil voice also evidences confident learners who are able to describe what they have learnt using subject specific vocabulary.

Science Ambassadors act as the ‘expert’ scientist in each class, they look at how we could improve science at Redwell and bring these ideas to life. Additionally, we hope to get involved in science competitions and find new and exciting ways to communicate with parents and the community about any developments we make.

Progression Map

In Reception classes, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. Learning is organised in these areas:

• Communication and Language
• Physical development 
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts & Design 

Learning is through play and through direct teaching of foundation skills. In all areas of the curriculum, children work on carefully planned activities to meet their needs. The staff spend time observing the children to gain evidence of their development and to inform future planning. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage (Reception Year) is good because members of staff work together exceptionally well as a team, enabling children of differing abilities to do very well in all areas of learning. By the time children start Year 1, most are working well beyond the levels expected for their age. Children particularly enjoy the exciting activities planned around a shared theme.

Progression Map