Curriculum

Maths

We use the ‘Mastery Maths’ approach and the Power Maths Hub plans across school to ensure that there is appropriate breadth and depth in our maths curriculum.  Pupils have lots of opportunities to practise the basic skills and memorise key number facts such as number bonds and times tables to help them develop greater fluency and reasoning in their mathematical development.  There are also many opportunities for children to develop their mathematical reasoning and problem solving.  

Maths

English

Intent

We promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. We strive to ensure that all pupils:

• Read easily, fluently and with good understanding;
• Develop a love of the written word and enjoy reading for pleasure;
• Develop the habit of reading widely and often;
• Acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language;
• Write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences;
• Use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas whilst having a common respect for others' opinions.
• Are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Implementation

We teach English with reference to the National Curriculum English Programme of Study, we ensure we meet the needs of our children with reference to their context, experiences and needs, reaching at least age related expectation and make great progress in relation to their starting points. We start teaching speaking and listening, reading and writing from Nursery and pride ourselves upon consistency of approach across the school.

How do we teach Writing at High Clarence?

Writing is taught using teaching principles from the Power of Reading, where children are immersed in high quality texts to produce writing of different genres in response to the book they are reading. Our books have been carefully chosen and ensure the skills and knowledge are interwoven across the whole curriculum, allowing children to make links, thus making learning more memorable. Within writing, children are given specific targets to focus upon, resulting in their learning being tailored towards their individual needs and allowing for continuous progression. In order to implement and embed high quality language and vocabulary, children are encouraged to use vocabulary that extends their writing, and words used are age appropriate whilst offering challenge to extend their thinking. The grammar content of the National Curriculum is interwoven into English lessons along with a 'grammar focus' lessons, which focuses on a specific grammar objective. Children are taught all aspects of grammar (vocabulary, word meaning and spelling) which they apply to their writing, resulting in constantly improving standards. We have adopted the SCODE spelling scheme for all children who have passed their phonics screening in Year 2. The scheme teaches the spelling requirements of the National Curriculum for years 2-6 by teaching children the

Advanced English Phonic Code.  Learning walls within classrooms offer support and scaffolds that children use to improve the content and quality of their work; these develop and change constantly depending upon the needs of our children at any given time.

How do we teach Reading at High Clarence?

We are acutely aware of the barrier to learning that the inability to read (decoding and comprehending) can have upon a child’s ability to access learning. Our rigorous and sequential approach to the reading curriculum, as well as a consistent approach to the teaching of reading, develops pupils’ fluency, confidence and enjoyment in reading. Individuals are swiftly identified for additional support and intervention (including those children in KS2 who struggle with phonics).

Our approach to teaching early reading and synthetic phonics is systematic and is taught exceptionally well by well-trained staff, using RWI which is our very successful Reading programme that enables every child to become a confident and fluent reader. It aims to teach all children to read fluently and confidently it is introduced in Nursery, with the aim of ensuring that no child is left behind and that all children become confident and fluent readers, regardless of their developmental starting points.

Children from Nursery to Year Six access a wide range of engaging books linked to the curriculum, through the Power of Reading, with high quality texts matched to each unit taught throughout the year, providing children with a wealth of vocabulary and a love of books.

Reading is taught using the six main reading domains of the National Curriculum, which we feel are the key areas that children need to know and understand to improve their comprehension of texts. VIPERs is an acronym used to recall these domains and stands for: Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Sequence or Summarise. VIPERS is not a reading scheme but rather a method of ensuring that teachers ask, and children become familiar with, a range of questions. 

We believe that children should read widely and so do not have one specific reading scheme that all children follow once children have graduated from our phonics programme, Read Write Inc (this is usually when children are in Year One but the scheme may be used for children who need additional support to master phonics). A wide range of banded books is available for children to read so that they are exposed to different text types and genres. Once they have completed reading through specific bands, via banded books, children become 'free readers' where they may choose from a carefully selected 50 books in their class library or from a vast array of books within our school library. We are also mindful that the emotional content of reading material is age appropriate. Reading is a top priority at High Clarence, as we see it as an important key to the curriculum, and we celebrate reading across the school from Nursery to Year Six - all classes have an engaging reading area, dedicated reading time throughout the school day (Everyone Reads In Class).

Spoken Language

We strive for our children to develop their voices and share their ideas with others, ensuring children are exposed to rich and varied vocabulary to help prepare them for life. The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. We recognise that spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing and ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills. We enable them to explain their understanding of books and other reading, and prepare their ideas before they write. They are guided towards making their thinking clear to themselves as well as to others, and secure foundations are built by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions. Pupils are also taught to understand and use the conventions appropriate for discussion and debate.

All children are encouraged to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with drama. They are encouraged to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role. They have opportunities to improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences, as well as rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances.

Impact

Children have a love of writing and are able to implement what they have learned effectively, writing with enthusiasm for a range of purposes and audiences. They have a passion for the written word and are confident to write in a range of genre across the curriculum. They love reading and are confident and enthusiastic when speaking of what they have read, recommending books to others. They speak with confidence and are able to articulate their thoughts and feelings, as well as listening, and responding, to others.

All children make progress in line with the expectations of the National Curriculum.
 

Science

At High Clarence Primary Academy our Science curriculum is designed to develop curiosity and fascination about the world and its people and develop a greater understanding of scientific concepts. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes. The essential scientific knowledge has been carefully sequenced to ensure it builds within a year, across years and across subjects. Children investigate a range of scientific concepts and explore the work of scientists throughout their time at High Clarence Primary Academy. Science should be fully inclusive to every child. Our aims are to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for science; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum; ensuring the progressive development of knowledge, skills and vocabulary and for the children to develop a love of science. Furthermore, we aim to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the natural and man-made world and a respect for the environment that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

This include the lesson they complete in the classroom but also the other experiences they are offered, such as educational visits and enrichment days.

The aims of teaching science in our school are to:

• Equip children to use themselves as starting points for learning about science, and to build on their enthusiasm and natural sense of wonder about the world
• Develop through practical work the skills of observation, prediction, investigation, interpretation, communication, questioning and hypothesizing, and increased use of precise measurement skills and ICT
• Encourage and enable pupils to offer their own suggestions, and to be creative in their approach to science, devising their own invitations and taking lines of enquiry in a way that interests them
• Gain enjoyment from their scientific work
• Enable children to develop their skills of co-operation through working with others, and to encourage where possible, ways for children to explore science in forms which are relevant and meaningful to them
• Teach scientific enquiry through contexts taken from the National Curriculum for science
• Encourage children to collect relevant evidence and to question outcome and to build resilience to persevere as it is likely they will need to repeat results or will encounter unexpected results that do not support their hypothesis
• Encourage children to treat the living and non-living environment with respect and sensitivity
• Stress the need for personal and group safety by the correct usage and storage of resources
• To critically question the world around them
• To enable children to appreciate that we do not always know the answers when carrying out scientific enquiry as the world around them is continually changing and developing
• Equip children with the language to be able to discuss their learning and confidently explain their scientific understanding in small groups

Design Technology

Our Design Technology curriculum is based on the planning provided by the Design and Technology Association. Pupils take part in designing, making and evaluating a range of different projects. These include projects involving mechanisms such as levers and food technology where pupils learn to bake bread and scones. 

STEM

History

History is the study of change over time; it covers all aspects of human society. Historians examine historical records, primary and secondary, to learn about the past and the context of people’s attitudes towards those events.

Intent

At High Clarence Primary Academy we aim for a high quality history curriculum which will inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about Britain’s past and that of the wider world.  Our curriculum takes in to account the location of the school and the content of the National Curriculum to ensure our children have an accurate understanding of the history of the world in which they live. The essential historical knowledge has been carefully sequenced to ensure it builds within a year, across years and across subjects. Our pupils will learn knowledge about the history of Britain and how it has influenced and been influenced by the wider world; know and understand about significant aspects of history of the wider world like ancient civilisations and empires; changes in living memory and beyond living memory; learn about significant people of the past, understand the methods of historical enquiry and be able to answer questions. We want children to enjoy and love learning about history by gaining these knowledge and skills, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits

We aim to develop the following essential characteristics of historians:

• The ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas confidently and to a range of audiences
• A respect for historical evidence and the ability to make robust and critical use of it to support their explanations and judgements
• A passion for history and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the past and their understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different ways
• A desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality research across a range of history topics
• An excellent knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts from a range of historical concepts and processes
• The ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past, formulating questions and lines of enquiry

Implementation

Leaders have carefully selected the knowledge and skills children at High Clarence Primary Academy require to fulfil the aims of the subject. The long term plan takes in to account the schools location and the content of the National curriculum. Key concepts have been identified that children encounter at different stages of their educational journey and then revisit repeatedly. The content has been mapped into two half termly units per year. During the terms Autumn 1 and Spring 2 the whole school has a history focus. 

In Key Stage 1 children study changes within and beyond their living memory, lives of significant people and historical events, people and places in the locality. In Key Stage 2 children study an element of British History in their first unit of the year and during the second unit they study ancient civilisations of the world. Learning is chronological in nature and builds progressively and where possible links have been made to other subject areas. When children are not studying History learning across other subject areas and the wider curriculum provides opportunities to apply their historical knowledge and skills wherever possible. Summer term 2 has been consciously left to allow time for teachers to respond to current global affairs giving children time to apply their previously acquired historical knowledge and skills when appropriate.

Within a block of History the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary have been identified for teachers to ensure that content and concepts are progressive across the whole school. Knowledge organisers are designed to support children in their knowledge acquisition and are used continuously through units to support children in recalling and retaining the key knowledge and vocabulary. Low stakes quizzing is also used as a strategy to support children in knowing more and remembering more. All units begin with children investigating what key concepts are and what they are not. This is designed to support children in making links in their learning. Children then use a range of historical skills to obtain and apply new and existing knowledge. Such skills include chronological awareness, asking and answering historical questions, making contrasts between periods in history, reflecting on effects of historical events in life today and identifying primary and secondary sources of evidence. Opportunities are provided to present their historical knowledge, learning and understanding in a range of ways. At High Clarence the local area is fully utilised to aid children’s historical understanding and there are extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice. Where an area or concept can be seen in real life it is.

Consideration is given to how children who grasp concepts more rapidly and those learners who need more support are catered for within history lessons.

History

Geography

Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth’s surface and the human societies spread across it.

Intent

At High Clarence our Geography curriculum is designed to develop curiosity and fascination about the world and its people and develop a greater understanding of our pupils place in it. Our curriculum takes in to account the geographical location of the school, the content of the National Curriculum and the current geographical climate to ensure our children have an accurate understanding of the world in which they live. The essential geographical knowledge has been carefully sequenced to ensure it builds within a year, across years and across subjects. Children investigate a range of places (both in Britain and abroad) and a number of Earth’s physical and human processes.

We aim to develop the following essential characteristics of geographers:

• An extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary
• An excellent knowledge of where places are and an accurate understanding of what they are like both in Britain and the wider world
• A comprehensive understanding of the way in which places are interdependent and interconnected
• Fluency in geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills as well as effective presentation techniques
• The ability to reach clear conclusions and explain their findings
• Excellent fieldwork skills and other geographical aptitudes and techniques
• The ability to express well-balanced opinions rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current issues in society and the environments
• A genuine interest in the subject and a real sense of curiosity about the world and the people who live here

Geography

Computing

Technology is changing the lives of everyone. Through teaching computing we equip our children to participate in a rapid changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology. We feel it is essential for children to become digitally literate in order to thrive in an increasingly changing and fast-paced world. 

Intent 

At High Clarence we aim for a high quality computing curriculum which will inspire and enable children to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information. We also focus on the knowledge and skills necessary for children to be able to use information in an effective way. Our curriculum takes in to account the content of the National Curriculum to ensure that our children have an accurate understanding of the progressive and wide array of computing skills necessary to be successful. Development of declarative and procedural knowledge are major factors in enabling children to be confident, creative and independent learners and it is our intention that children have every opportunity available to achieve this.  

In our curriculum we identify the vital elements to becoming a successful and responsible user of technology, via carefully sequenced lessons to ensure it builds within a year, across years and across subjects. The core of our computing curriculum is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – a at level suitable for their future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. 

Our ambitious computing curriculum is structured into 3 areas that allow all pupils from EYFS to Year 6 to progress through different categories of knowledge. These are: 

• Computer Science 
• Digital Literacy 
• Computer Science 

Via the national curriculum and our progression of skills, we will ensure that all pupils: 

• Confident in using code and can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including logic, algorithms and data representation. 
• When coding, pupils can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems 
• Effectively develop and build a wide and varied range of skills in order to apply, analyse and evaluate information that is presented in a variety of ways  
• Able to connect with others responsibly and are competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. 
• Will have the awareness of key issues in computing such as: consent, bullying, plagiarism, copyright and privacy. 
• The ability to think critically about computing and communicate ideas confidently and to a range of audiences 
• A passion for computing and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the world and technology around them 
• A desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality tasks across a variety of computing aspects

Computing

Art and Design

Logic will get you from A to B.  Imagination will take you everywhere. – Albert Einstein

Intent

At High Clarence our Art curriculum is designed to develop curiosity and fascination about the world around us and enable our children to express themselves in a variety of ways.  Our curriculum takes into account the experiences of our children, the content of the National Curriculum and the current art climate to ensure our children have the skills, understanding and knowledge to be able to represent relationships and draw conclusions through art.  The essential art knowledge has been carefully sequences to ensure it builds within a year, across years and across subjects.  Children investigate a variety of media and art techniques and genres. 

We aim to develop the following essential characteristics of artists:

• An extensive base of artistic knowledge and vocabulary
• The ability to problem solve and to understand that there may be more than one solution
• The ability to express themselves in ways that are not restricted by their understanding of words and numbers
• The willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds
• The ability to express well-balanced critiques and to make good judgements about qualitative relationships
• The understanding that small differences can have large effects
• The understanding there are many ways to see and interpret the world
• Fluency in artistic enquiry and the ability to explore possibilities
• A genuine interest in art and a real sense of curiosity about the world

Implementation

Leaders have carefully selected the knowledge and skills children at High Clarence require to fulfil the aims of the subject. The long term plan takes into account the experiences of our children, the content of the National curriculum and has the flexibility to take into account current popular artists.  Key concepts have been identified that children encounter at different stages of their educational journey and then revisit repeatedly. The content has been mapped into one half termly units per year. During the term Spring 1 the whole school has an art focus. In Key Stage 1 children study how artists use line, colour and pattern and how they use shape, form, space and texture.  In Key Stage 2 children study how artists are inspired by nature, how they represent people, use perspective and express modern life.  Learning is sequenced and builds progressively and where possible links have been made to other subject areas. When children are not studying art, learning across other subject areas and the wider curriculum provides opportunities to apply their artistic knowledge and skills where ever possible.

Within a block of art study the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary have been identified for teachers to ensure that content and concepts are progressive across the whole school. Knowledge organisers are designed to support children in their knowledge acquisition and are used continuously through units to support children in recalling and retaining the key knowledge and vocabulary. Low stakes quizzing is also used as a strategy to support children in knowing more and remembering more. All units begin with children investigating what key concepts are and what they are not. This is designed to support children in making links in their learning. Children then use a range of artistic skills to obtain and apply new and existing knowledge. Such skills include drawing, painting, sculpture, textiles, collage, and printing.  Opportunities are provided to present their art knowledge, learning and understanding in a range of ways. At High Clarence the local area is fully utilised to aid children’s artistic understanding and there are extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice. Where an area or concept can be seen in real life it is. Consideration is given to how children who grasp concepts more rapidly and those learners who need more support are catered for within art lessons.

Art

PE

Our PE curriculum is based around the ‘Complete PE’ Scheme of work covering Athletics, Games, Dance and Gymnastics. We are supported by Stockton Schools Sports Partnership to provide high quality PE for all year groups. 

PE

Religious Education

“RE is the most meaningful way of creating a successful and wholly integrated society. The more people know about the faiths currently thriving in Britain the more likely we will be, as a nation, to embrace our multi-cultural society.”

Intent

At High Clarence we aim for a high quality religious education curriculum which will enable children to develop a knowledge and understanding the religions and beliefs which form part of contemporary society.  Our curriculum takes in to account the location of the school and the content of the National Curriculum to ensure our children have an accurate understanding of people’s beliefs both in their community and beyond. The essential religious knowledge has been carefully sequenced to ensure it builds progressively within a year, across years and across subjects. Our pupils will learn knowledge about Christianity and how this religion impacts upon British beliefs and culture. Children will compare and contrast Christianity throughout their primary RE journey with other religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism to ensure that children have a wide yet detailed knowledge base of world religion. We want children to enjoy and love learning about their beliefs as well as others’ beliefs so that they become tolerant, respectful and inquisitive learners of religion.

We aim to develop the following essential characteristics of religious philosophers:

• The ability to think critically about religion (demonstrate a religious philosophy) and communicate ideas confidently and to a range of audiences
• A respect for every person’s religious beliefs (or lack thereof) and the ability to explain their viewpoints with consideration and respect
• A passion for religious education and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the varying beliefs in our country and world
• A desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality research across a range of religions and topics
• An excellent knowledge and understanding of people, events/stories and key figures from a range of religions
• The ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past, formulating questions and lines of enquiry

Implementation

Leaders have carefully selected the knowledge and skills which children at High Clarence require to fulfil the aims of the subject. The long-term plan (Discovery RE) takes in to account the schools location and the content of the National curriculum. Key concepts have been identified that children encounter at different stages of their educational journey and then revisit repeatedly. We believe that children at High Clarence should dive deeper into the overwhelming local religion of Christianity, as well as broaden their religious knowledge by studying a range of contrasting religions alongside. The content has been mapped into one unit per half term which will focus on varying religions: usually two or three. RE will be taught throughout the academic year.

In Foundation Stage, children learn about Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter; celebrations across a range of different religions including Islam and Judaism; and stories from major world religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism.

In Key Stage 1, children study religious stories and customs within both Christianity and Judaism. Children will explore the connection that Christians and Jews have towards their significant figures and/or God. In Year 2, children also have the opportunity to compare and contrast Judaism and Christianity with beliefs and stories within Islam.

In Lower Key Stage 2, children continue to revisit and enhance their knowledge of Christianity and Judaism. Children develop lines of enquiry surrounding religious celebrations and stories from scripture. As well as this, children now have the opportunity to broaden their religious repertoire of knowledge by studying Sikh ceremonies and communities and Hindu beliefs and festivals such as Diwali. 

In Upper Key Stage 2, children hone their prior knowledge in order to enquire further into all of the religions that they have learned about in their primary school journey. Children will learn about beliefs, morals and prayer in Sikhism; festivals and commitments to God in Christianity; beliefs and moral values in Hinduism; beliefs, practices and moral values in Islam. It is in Upper Key Stage 2 that children really delve into the philosophy of religion by using their own experiences and reasoning to answer more open-ended religious debates, such as: “Is anything ever eternal?”

At High Clarence the local area is fully utilised to aid children’s religious understanding and there are extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice. We endeavour to expose the children to as many cultural and religious experiences as possible, to not limit their life experiences due to the lack of multiculturalism in our immediate area. 

Impact

Our Religious Education curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progressions of knowledge and skills. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

• A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes 
• An end of unit task giving children the opportunity to apply their religious knowledge by answering their specific enquiry question
• Tracking of gains in each low stakes quiz
• Pupil discussions about their learning

Outcomes in RE books (and, in some cases, on children’s iPads) evidence a broad and balanced curriculum and demonstrate children’s acquisition and retention of identified key knowledge. The ultimate impact of our RE curriculum is that our children will have a sound understanding of the varied beliefs and moral values of our locality as well as across the main world religions.

RE

Welcome to Early Years

High Clarence Primary School follows the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2021. Please see the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2 

In the Early Years we are committed to giving our children the best start in their school life by making learning exciting and engaging, enabling children to reach their full potential and our bespoke curriculum in the Early Years has been designed to support this. We help the children to develop a positive image of themselves as competent and independent learners. We facilitate this through nurturing and supporting each individual to achieve and learn by providing a safe, stimulating and challenging environment, enhancing their interests and exploiting all learning opportunities.

We intend learning for our young children to be a rewarding and enjoyable experience in which they explore, investigate, discover, create, practise, rehearse, repeat, revise and consolidate their developing knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes. Our environment primarily supports our children to develop their communication skills through calming neutral spaces, cosy areas to talk and open-ended resources to spark imagination.

The environment has been adapted accordingly, both indoors and out, in order to facilitate the above whilst adhering to the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.

Please open the EY Curriculum map below to see the work that your child will be involved with.