Curriculum

Intent

At Somers Heath, we believe every child is entitled to a rich and varied curriculum. It should be challenging and inspiring, enabling every individual to achieve their potential in order that they can grow to be a valued member of the wider community.  Our curriculum at Somers Heath is designed to enable all of our children to become 'Successful Learners', 'Confident Individuals' and 'Responsible Citizens'.

We endeavour to ensure that our pupils aim high, and achieve high as a result of the high expectations we instil in them. We aim to tailor education to meet individual needs, interest and aptitude, so as to fulfil every child's potential. 

Through the curriculum we use at Somers Heath Primary School, every pupil will have access to a rich, broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum. In collaboration with the other schools in Catalyst Academies Trust, we have developed a bespoke and ambitious curriculum which meets the needs of our community.  Our curriculum is underpinned by high expectations and gives the children an opportunity to learn subject specific skills, key facts and to apply their core skills in real life contexts. We cover all the areas of the National Curriculum but go beyond the minimum expectations.

Below you will find the long term curriculum overview for each year group.  This document gives a flavour of the topics the children will be exploring in school which can be discussed and extended at home. In addition, the remote education information document outlines what you can expect during a period of school closure or group isolation.

Aims and Objectives

We aim to help pupils to:

• acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life in a rapidly changing world;
• use language and number skills effectively;
• understand the world in which they live, and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations;
• develop lively, enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally, and to apply themselves to tasks, and physical skills;
• appreciate and understand religions and moral values and show tolerance for other races, religions and ways of life;
• appreciate human achievements and aspirations;

Implicit in our view of the curriculum is the fact that we believe everything that goes on within the school, whether inside or outside the classroom, forms part of the curriculum. A summary of our curriculum follows:

English: We follow the National Curriculum for English. Synthetic phonics are taught systematically in Early Years and Key Stage 1 using the Read Write Inc. scheme. Additionally, children progress through the banded reading books in the book band library during Early Years and Key Stage 1. Then, soon after starting Key Stage 2, pupils begin choosing from a range of high quality and stimulating texts. Reading comprehension skills are taught weekly during a dedicated comprehension lesson, often based on an age-appropriate quality texts. Writing skills are taught systematically using a range of resources and stimulus covering a multitude of genres across the curriculum. Handwriting is taught using the Nelson handwriting scheme. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is taught daily within every English lesson. 

Mathematics: We follow the National Curriculum for mathematics. Teachers prepare mathematics lessons using a range of resources following the whole school calculation policy. Pupils complete weekly homework activities using set tasks on Purple Mash for KS1, Mirodo for LKS2 and SATs Companion for UKS2. Problem-solving strategies are taught and practised weekly during dedicated problem-solving lessons. 

Science: Pupils explore Science in a variety of ways, which includes whole days dedicated to the subject. Our lessons are prepared following our own personalised schemes of work.

Religious Education: RE lessons are based on SACRE, the locally-agreed syllabus.

History: Pupils explore, discover and investigate developments from British, European and World History, following our own personalised schemes of work.

Geography: Pupils develop knowledge, skill and understanding related to people, places and environments at different scales in the UK and overseas, following our own personalised schemes of work.

Computing: Computing lessons are based on the Purple Mash scheme. 

Physical Education: PE lessons in gymnastics, dance, games and athletics are based on the Val Sabin schemes of work. Swimming is taught externally to children in Years 3-5 by specialist teachers at a neighbouring secondary school.

PSHE/SRE: PSHE is taught using the curriculum from the PSHE association. It includes both health education and relationships education. Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) is taught in all years at an age-appropriate level. 

Music: We follow the Charanga Scheme of work for all year groups. The children will perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.

Art: In Art, the children explore the history of artists and a range of mediums. Pupils learn about visual, tactile expression and communication. 

Design and Technology:  Pupils' lessons combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social and environmental issues, functions and industry. 

MFL: Pupils in KS2 learn key words and phrases in french using our personalised scheme of work.