St Marie’s RC Primary School is a place where children can safely learn through outstanding, innovative teaching, build on their potential, fulfil their dreams and grow in faith and love. With the Gospel values of love and compassion at the heart of our curriculum we aspire to give our children the knowledge and skills they need to become successful, caring members of our diverse society.

Our curriculum is bespoke and specifically tailored to the needs of our learners. Our curriculum is culturally diverse and reflects our community.

We recognise and value each child as a loved and unique child of God. As such, our curriculum aims to develop a strong self of self -identify and self-worth within our children, celebrating who they are, recognising their talents, their cultural heritage and their diverse backgrounds.

Our children are proud of who they are.

Similarly, developing a strong sense of compassion and empathy for others is a recurrent theme throughout our curriculum; the refugee, the isolated, the different.

Our children are caring and compassionate.

Developing a strong connection and appreciation of nature is a key component of our curriculum. We aim to immerse children in the natural world. Our children are knowledgeable about environmental issues and recognise their role in celebrating and protecting God’s wonderful world.

Our children are ambassadors for creation.

Providing a wealth of enrichment opportunities through a creative, varied and inspiring curriculum, exposes our children to the world beyond their lived experience. Our curriculum aims to develop a strong cultural capital within our children.

Our children are ambitious and aspirational.

The reading and sharing of high quality books form the starting point of our curriculum with texts specifically chosen to link with our overarching principles, topics and specific subject areas.

Our children love to read.

Curriculum Implementation

Our curriculum is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values whilst maintaining high levels of engagement and creativity.

Each subject coordinator has carefully mapped out the specific knowledge and skills pertinent to that subject and for each year group. Our programmes of study are sequential and build year on year. Teachers ensure links with previous learning are made and continue to be developed. Transferable skills are always encouraged. The children know which subject they are studying. They have a growing knowledge of subject specific language and can apply it in context.

Each new curriculum unit is launched by a ‘Spark’ moment and a ‘learning challenge’ which stimulates high levels of engagement and interest. Quality first teaching then brings our curriculum to life. Teaching is focused and well planned and learning is active, engaging, well-paced, flexible and responds to the needs of the children.

At St Marie’s RC Primary School, we recognise that effective feedback is an integral part of the teaching and learning cycle. We aim to maximise the effectiveness of both adult and peer feedback. We are mindful also of the research surrounding effective feedback.

Our children are actively encouraged to ask questions and develop their enquiry skills throughout all lessons. The Big Question encourages deeper thinking, self-reflection and alternative viewpoints.

Our learning environment is calm, enriching and inclusive. High quality displays are used to actively supporting teaching and learning as well as for showcasing children’s work. Our classrooms celebrate a love of reading and is language rich.

Our curriculum is enhanced by a significant number of after school clubs offering a wide range of experiences for our children.

Curriculum Impact

The impact of our curriculum can be seen around our school: in the classroom and corridor displays, in children’s work and books and most importantly from talking to our children. We recognise that it takes time to embed a new curriculum and to collate evidence which is evaluated over time.

Subject leads gather information about their subject and measure impact through our monitoring and evaluation cycles. Staff led discussions and pupil voice taken place regularly. Evidence is collated in floor books and in subject lead files.

Pupil progress and outcomes are carefully tracked and monitored. Every day on-going assessment through AfL strategies provide instant feedback. Children’s understanding of concepts, knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention and the application of skills are all monitored and responded to. Teachers and support staff collate data and use this to inform next step planning and interventions.

Interventions, which support the teaching and learning process, take place throughout the year and help to address gaps in learning.

Our curriculum offer is unique to our school. It aims to meet the needs of our children and equip them with the knowledge, skills and values to make them successful and compassionate citizens of their communities and the world.