Curriculum
At Werneth Primary we follow the National Curriculum and ensure that we provide our children with a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum which is personalised to meet the needs of our pupils and the school community.
We ensure that social, moral, spiritual and cultural (SMSC) learning permeates throughout the curriculum, providing pupils with the opportunity to celebrate the diverse society we live in, with British Values being an integral part of school life.
The topics we study integrate the national curriculum foundation subjects (geography, history, art, design and technology) to ensure there is a cross-curricular approach to learning. We utilise trips, special visitors and practical experiences to enhance the topics and bring them to life for the pupils.
Other subjects such as Science, PSHE, Computing, MFL, RE and PE are taught separately, with lessons carefully planned to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and also taking into account the interests of our pupils and the needs of our school community.
Please follow the links below to see what topics are studied throughout school.
Our curriculum offer
Please click here to see our over-arching Curriculum Policy
Please click here to see our long term curriculum overview. This contains details of the Humanities, Science, Art and Design and Design Technology topics studied.
Reading
It is a moral imperative that all children learn to read fluently, so that they are able to access the wider curriculum and knowledge of themselves and the world around them at Werneth Primary School and beyond.
Being a fluent and confident reader will support our children to:
-improve their language and communication skills. Through hearing stories and a range of texts, children are exposed to a wide range of words. This helps them to acquire new words, build their own vocabulary and improve their understanding when they listen, which is vital as they start to read
-learn more about people, places, and events that they might not have any knowledge or experience of. This develops our learners’ cultural capital and gives children a deeper understanding of the world around them- including cultures that are different from their own.
-gain access to the breadth of the curriculum and pursue personal interest- learning more about the subjects that interest them and being able to deepen their knowledge and conceptual understanding in these areas.
-develop their own opinions and views of the world, as well as developing the vocabulary and registers of speech needed to communicate their knowledge, skills, personal views and conceptual understanding.
-become lifelong learners, equipped with the reading skills to satisfy their thirst for knowledge and have the reading skills needed for work and later life
-develop a love of reading and literature.
As such, Reading will always be a very high priority for our children, families and school community.
Please click on the link to see our Reading Policy and Phonics Policy
Writing
At Werneth Primary School, we believe that in order for children to view themselves as successful writers, they need to be involved in writing for real purposes and for different audiences based on experiences that we aim to provide. It is our intent to provide pupils with a high-quality education in English that will teach pupils to speak, read and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others effectively. Arming our pupils with the ability to write with confidence and accuracy is an essential life skill that we strive to deliver through our curriculum. We aim to plan for cross curricular writing opportunities to enable pupils to demonstrate their writing skills, vocabulary acquisition and understanding in other areas of the curriculum.
Mathematics
We aim to create mathematicians who are fluent in all areas of Mathematics and can use this greater fluency to reason and solve problems.
We will develop these skills in Mathematics by:
- accurately assessing pupils’ prior knowledge, skills and understanding in Maths.
- using this information to plan and deliver clearly differentiated and challenging lessons, sequences of lessons and activities that are matched to learners’ needs.
- securing children’s knowledge and understanding of key performance indicator (KPI) objectives from previous and current year group(s), as set out in Target Tracker.
- following the Calculation Policy to ensure consistency across the school in Maths teaching.
- assessing pupils before, during and after the lesson to move pupils on to the next level of challenge in order to maximize pupil progress over time.
- using this information to inform future planning, teaching and learning
We use the White Rose Maths scheme at Werneth Primary School. Parents can see the full programme of study on the White Rose Maths website by clicking the link here
Science
At Werneth Primary School, our science curriculum aims to provide all children with:
- scientific knowledge, skills and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- a developed understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- Full entitlement to the aims, objectives and programme of study National Curriculum for KS1 and KS2
- A sense of curiosity and interest in the world around them.
- Practical, hands-on, real life experiences that develop children’s knowledge, skills and conceptual understanding.
- An interest in STEM subjects and are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
Computing
At Werneth Primary School, the Purple Mash Computing scheme of work is used to ensure that children progress through the subject content to achieve end of Key Stage attainment targets. The curriculum is organised in a spiral curriculum, with children revisiting the relevant Key Stage attainment targets through a range of progressively more challenging activities. In this way, children secure and deepen their understanding of key Computing concepts (the attainment targets) in a range of different contexts (activities and tasks).
Computing Policy
Humanities (History and Geography)
Our Humanities curriculum emphasises the importance of supporting children to acquire, develop and apply conceptual and subject specific vocabulary verbally and in writing. This provides the children with the cultural capital needed to discuss learning with increasing levels of confidence and apply this newly acquired language when reading, so that they can read and comprehend a range of texts that support further and/or future learning.
Our curriculum has also been designed to contribute to children’s personal development, with teaching sequences providing opportunities for children to learn about and discuss events from the past and modern day issues and how they shape the way that we live our lives today. We aim to develop critical thinkers, whose behaviour, perspective and personal views are shaped by what they learn.
Please see the Curriculum overview for details of what each year group will learn about:
Art and Design and Design Technology
We have worked with external consultants, local artists and staff to develop our Art and Design and Design Technology curriculum to show a clear progression of skills, make links (where appropriate) to History, Geography and Science topics and to enhance our cultural offer. Our curriculum progression goes into greater detail that the National Curriculum to break down the aims and objectives into specific knowledge and skills.
Our children will learn about the work of eighteen different great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms while learning skills that will nurture their creative development. Please see the curriculum overview document below for further details:
Art and Design curriculum synopsis
Design and Technology synopsis
Religious Education (R.E)
Although there is no National Curriculum requirement for RE lessons at primary schools, it remains an important part of all children’s education. Having a religious education is important for giving children insights into different cultures and belief systems. Given that we live in an increasingly multicultural school community, town and broader society, RE is also important for social cohesion, as well as children’s emotional and spiritual development. At Werneth Primary School, we believe that Religious Education (RE) is a vital element of our curriculum. Within our school community, we have families from more than five different religions. RE supports pupils’ cultural capital and gives them a better understanding of the world around them.
Religious Education curriculum synopsis
PSHE and RHSE
The Department for Education produced new guidance for schools about relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) following nationwide consultation in 2019. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education)
At Werneth Primary School, we believe that Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is an important element of our curriculum. Through a range of topics, we aim to develop a variety of knowledge and skills within our pupils, including:
- Preparing pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of adult life,
- The knowledge to recognise what is healthy and unhealthy,
- The ability to make informed decisions about their health and well-being,
- The confidence to come forward to report or seek advice if they are concerned or feel unsafe about themselves or others,
- To recognise positive, healthy and respectful relationships,
- A deeper understanding of internet safety and harms,
- Helping to safeguard pupils, so they can find and access help and support,
- Teaching tolerance, the importance of equality, and respect for diversity,
- Have high aspirations and make a positive contribution to our community,
- Develop pupil’s self-respect and self-worth, confidence, and empathy,
- Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place,
- Prepare pupils for puberty, and give them an understanding of development and the importance of health and hygiene,
- Create an understanding of positive relationships,
- Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies,
Alongside this, all schools need to consider the obligations contained in the Equality Act 2010 and their responsibilities outlined in Public Sector Equality Duty Guidance for schools in England (EHRC, 2014).
Please read our policy for details of how RSHE is taught at Werneth Primary School
Music
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.
At Werneth Primary School, we believe that children should have the same opportunities to engage with, experience and learn about music. We aim for all children to be able to play two musical instruments (a glockenspiel and a brass instrument) by the time they leave our school. This forms part of our core offer and develops learners' cultural capital.
Physical Education (P.E)
At Werneth Primary School, we recognise the importance PE plays in the curriculum and are committed to providing all children with opportunities to engage fully in Physical Education.
The aim of our PE programme is to develop children's basic physical competencies, build confidence in their ability and build the foundations for a lifelong love of sport, physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. PE lessons encourage children to compete against themselves and others whilst being challenged to improve their physical, social, emotional and thinking skills.
At Werneth, we also aim to develop pupils’ subject specific vocabulary and speaking and listening skills through a range of self and peer assessment opportunities. These skills are embedded in the heart of our planning.
Physical Education (P.E) Policy
Modern Foreign Languages- French
As part of the Pinnacle Learning Trust, Werneth Primary School children are given priority for places at Hathershaw College (High School). Therefore, we have taken the decision to mirror the language choices of Hathershaw College, so that our children might progress more easily from Primary to Secondary School.
This partnership also provides opportunities for the subject leader to implement a curriculum that lays the foundation for further foreign languages teaching at Key Stage 3, for staff to access cross-phase professional development and for children to receive a more cohesive education.
Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.
Through our PlanIt French scheme, we intend to inspire pupils to develop a love of languages and to expand their horizons to other countries, cultures and people. We aim to help children grow into curious, confident and reflective language learners and to provide them with a foundation that will equip them for further language studies.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Foundation Stage we follow the EYFS (Early Years and Foundation Stage) curriculum, encouraging the children to be active and independent learners.
At Werneth Primary School we aim to provide the highest quality care and education for all our children thereby giving them a strong foundation for their future learning. We create a safe and happy environment with motivating and enjoyable learning experiences that enable children to become confident and independent. We value the individual child and work alongside parents and others to meet their needs and help every child to reach their full potential.
We firmly believe in providing our children with a range of real life experiences through educational visits and visitors in school, child focused as well as adult led activities, along with carefully planned and well-resourced continuous provision to ensure that our children develop the essential skills needed to build a firm foundation for their future learning.
Please click the link to read our Early Years Foundation Stage Policy
Covid catch up plan
Please click below to see details of our Covid catch-up plan: