Curriculum rationale

• The curriculum at The Heys Primary School is designed to provide a broad and balanced education that meets the needs of all pupils and gives them the skills, knowledge and understanding to prepare them for their future lives.
• It ensures that academic success, creativity and problem solving, reliability, responsibility and resilience, as well as physical development, well-being and mental health are key elements that support the development of the whole child and promote a positive attitude to learning.
• The curriculum celebrates the diversity and utilises the skills, knowledge and cultural wealth of the community while supporting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

 

Curriculum Statement 

 

At The Heys Primary School we offer a curriculum which is broad and balanced and which builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills of all children, whatever their starting points, as they progress through each Key Stage. The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and other experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the pupils in our school. The aim of our curriculum is for pupils to have the requisite skills to be successful, independent and motivated learners in readiness for their next stage of education. It is important that the curriculum considers the development of the whole child only concentrate on academic success.

 

Pupils are still working on the Early Learning Goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as they enter Year 1. There is a period in the Autumn Term where the majority of children progress to the National Curriculum. Throughout this period and beyond all children are still developing their phonic knowledge through Animaphonics  and developing their fluency in reading through the Daily Supported Reading Programme.

 

The National Curriculum is assessed using Target Tracker statements (National Curriculum) as a basis to ensure coverage and progression throughout the school. The more able are challenged further in their learning and children who find aspects of their learning more difficult are appropriately supported so that they too are enabled to experience success. National requirements and school requirements are mapped out as a whole school and then individual year groups plan the curriculum for their pupils accordingly. The curriculum is underpinned by the school’s Core Values and these are taught on their own and through other areas of the curriculum, including assemblies. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils and their understanding of the core values of our society are woven through the curriculum.

 

The English curriculum is taught using high quality texts. There is a whole school focus to  develop children's vocabulary and oracy as a way to support reading and writing development. At the Heys, reading has a high profile and we pride ourselves on our school library, bedtime books project, Accelerated Reader, after school reading clubs, Teacher's top reads etc. We teach writing  through the  imitation, innovation and independence sequence. Alongside this children experience lessons on grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting. 

Daily Supported Reading in EYFS and KS1 and in KS2 (DR) form the basis of our teaching of reading across the school.

 

The mathematics curriculum is currently delivered through a framework developed by the White Rose Scheme of Work. We follow the White Rose planning schedule. We are currently working with the Maths Hub and developing a teaching for mastery curriculum which enables children to develop their reasoning, investigative and problem solving skills.

 

All subject leaders are given training and opportunity to keep developing their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding so they can support curriculum development and their colleagues throughout the school. Theme weeks, whole school activities and opportunities within and outside school all enrich and develop the children’s learning. After school clubs and events extend these opportunities further. Additional whole school programmes and approaches support quality teaching and learning and the school is well resourced in terms of learning materials, books and technology.

 

The outdoor environment (Forest School) and the local community are considered an opportunity for active learning for all our pupils. The school grounds are continually being developed so they can enrich different curriculum areas.

 

Pupils have opportunities to share their learning with each other, their parents and carers and other learners through school-based and external exhibitions, performances, competitions and events involving other schools. Developing their independence and motivation as learners and their sense of responsibility as future citizens is at the heart of all our teaching and learning.

PARENT LEAFLETS

 

Please note that this section is currently being updated to reflect the current changes in how the curriculum is implemented.

 

Please click on each year group to view the relevant parent leaflet.

School also currently uses Class Dojo to communicate information to parents.  Please speak to your child's class teacher if you require the link and code.