A member of the Tas Valley Church Schools Federation
Curriculum Intent and Organisation
We intend for our curriculum to support our vision that children and the whole school community will benefit from ‘Life in all its fullness’ (Adapted from John 10:10).
This means the curriculum must endeavour to:
In order to achieve this, we think carefully about the organisation of our curriculum.
Our core curriculum is based on the National Curriculum for England that must be taught in all maintained schools:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum
Taking the National Curriculum as our core document, we think about putting learning into meaningful contexts that will build upon each other as children progress through the school.
We take time to consider:
If consideration of the points above means we must deviate from our set plans in order to meet current needs, we do so. Over time we ensure we have covered all elements of the National Curriculum.
We operate a 2-year rolling program of topics to allow for teaching in mixed-aged classes. The starting point for our planning is the school vision.
Not all subjects can be covered in this way using natural links, so some other learning is purposefully chunked together in order that knowledge and skills are embedded in other memorable ways, for example through a ‘Science Week’ or ‘Democracy Week’.
Although, whenever possible, links are sought and made, we recognise that systematic building of knowledge and skills in some subjects is best achieved through routine well-planned and taught lessons that may be discrete from other curriculum areas for much of the time – for example, Languages or PE.
We believe that effective learning takes place when children are engaged and excited by the curriculum, when the subject matter is placed in an interesting and relevant context and when resources are chosen for their impact. We recognise the importance of visits and visitors in enriching learning and we seek to provide experiences that are memorable for our children. We consciously seek ways to support the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of our children through all areas of the set curriculum and ensure that our PSE curriculum is rich in opportunities for children to explore and express these areas of development.
Phonics
For Phonics in Reception and KS1, we use a number of different resources but follow the guidance of Letters and Sounds.
Religious Education
We use the Norfolk Agreed Syllabus.
Curriculum Map for Squirrel Class (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 Year A)
Year A | ||||||
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
yearly cycle of changes, diary, recording, termly focus | Nature and the four seasons. Recording, measuring, monitoring seasonal changes, weather and day length throughout the year. (Science and Geography links) Shirley Hughes: Out and About. A First Book of Poems (Power of Reading) is organised into seasons and will be read regularly, so that children become familiar with some of the poems. Children will sow, grow and harvest all year round. | |||||
half-termly traditional tale(s) with which the children will become very familiar
| The Little Red Hen
| Thumbelina | The Frog Prince | Hansel and Gretel | Rumpelstiltskin | The Three Billy Goats Gruff |
Topic
| Food Glorious Food | Preparing for Winter
| Toys (inventions) | Journeys | Making Music | Africa |
English
Texts Power of Reading (Y1/2 texts red) | Pattan’s Pumpkin Handa’s Surprise (EYFS title) Pumpkin Soup | Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story Rabbit and Bear: Rabbit’s Bad Habits Jolly Christmas Postman | The Robot and the Bluebird The Egg Box Dragon Traction Man is Here! | Man in the Moon (a day in the life of Bob) Look Up! Whatever Next? | Ossiri and the Bala Mengro | Grace and Family One Day on our Blue Planet… in the Savannah Anna Hibiscus (various titles, EYFS title) |
Science
| Plants (1,2). Identify, name variety of plants and trees and their structure (1). Observe, describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants (2). Working scientifically to investigate needs (water, light, temperature) (2)
Planting time: onion sets, garlic bulbs, flowering bulbs outdoors and indoors. Harvest: squash family, collect seeds to save and sow for next year. | Working scientifically Keeping the jolly postman’s parcels dry on his rounds.
Variety of common animals in UK (1), those that hibernate and their diets (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore 1, simple food chains 2), what they need to survive, stay alive (2) and link to human basic needs of water, food, air (2) Link to the cycle of life and animal offspring and growth (2) | Working scientifically Toy cars and ramps exploring different heights, different textures, effects on movement of the toy car. Observe types of movement in toys: pull-back toys, wind-up toys, battery-operated toys | Working scientifically Making and testing simple rockets | Materials Everyday materials (1) Uses of everyday materials (2) Recycling of materials Making paper
| Look at some of the animals of Africa, a different habitat. Animals including humans, variety of animal life (1). Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores (1). Living things and their habitats (2) Animal habitats and adaptations, food chains (2). |
History | History of travel and transport
| Significant national or global events beyond living memory: Bonfire Night/The Gunpowder Plot | Changes within living memory. Grandparents’ toys, parents’ toys. Changes beyond living memory: toys children played with long ago. How do we know? How do we find out?
| Significant individuals: Neil Armstrong, Tim Peake, Helen Sharman, Mae Jemison | Comparing my life to lives in the past.
| History of the seaside
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Geography | Weather – changing seasons Harvest – our local farming community. | Addressing letters and cards: place names in the UK. Where we live. | Weather – changing seasons
| Maps and mapping Geographical vocabulary Continents of the world Oceans of the world
| Weather – changing seasons
UK –parts of the UK (rural and city)
| Features of the Seaside |
DT | Design, make, evaluate fruit kebabs Design, make, evaluate a salad Make pumpkin soup |
| Toy making (moving toys: rubber bands, springs, hinges, pop-ups) Puppet making (sock puppet, paper-mache head and fabric glove, cup and stick puppet) |
| Designing, making instruments Junk modelling, upcycling of materials
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Art | COLLAGE – Arcimboldo paper, real fruit/veg (use for a salad, kebabs afterwards) PRINTING – fruit and vegetable printing
SCULPTURE – Goldsworthy creating art with natural materials (leaves, autumn fruits, nuts) | DRAWING - Rangoli patterns (chalk) Mandalas
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| PAINTING - Van Gogh: Starry Night, Starry Night over the Rhone. Oil pastels, paints. Georgia O’Keeffe: Starlight Night Marbling: the Milky Way | Folk art inspired by the illustrations in the book and end papers, traveller community art and decoration of utilitarian products. TEXTILES – sewing, applique SCULPTURE – clay tiles
| PAINTING - wax resist, colour wash technique pictures (African cloth inspired) PRINTING – African inspired motifs on to cloth |
Music | Charanga Learn the song Summer, Autumn, Winter. Learn the song Cauliflowers Fluffy. Harvest Festival celebration.
| Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (winter) Compose wintry music. Learn the song Snowflakes from Charanga. Learn songs for Christmas production. | Compose clockwork music. Learn to sing the song Cogs from Charanga. | Gustav Holst: The Planets Suite. Dance and movement. (Mars, Venus) 2001: A Space Odyssey. | Creating music from home -made instruments Traditional folk music and dancing of UK
| Charanga African drumming and songs from Africa |
PSHE/RSHE | Belonging, togetherness, team work Discovery | Discovery Links to Christmas and charities, altruistic acts. | Discovery Coping with change. Growing and changing (1), Growing up and setting goals (2). | “Going for goals” (SEAL), working towards a target (training, keeping fit, knockbacks, persistence) link to astronaut training. Discovery Education RSHE: Healthy Bodies, healthy minds. Amazing Bodies (1), Staying Safe and Healthy (2). | Empathy (21 “must read” books, empathy lab 2017) Discovery Education RSHE: Similarities and differences. Recognising strengths and respecting differences (1), Strengths, abilities and stereotypes (2). Resourcefulness, perseverance of Ossiri | Different families, relationships. Discovery Education RSHE: Families and committed relationships. The importance of family (1), the diversity of families (2). |
R/E Saxlingham order of topics in italics | How do Christians belong to their faith family? (2) Christian
Topic link to: How does a celebration bring a community together? Muslim, Christian (1) Harvest Festivals Topic link to: What do my senses tell me about the world of religion and belief? Christian, Jewish, Hindu (1). Link to celebrations: sights, smells, tastes.
| How does a celebration bring a community together? Muslim, Christian (1) Advent, Christmas, Hannukah, Diwali
Topic link to: Why is light an important symbol for Christians, Jews and Hindus? (2) Topic link to: What does the nativity story teach Christians about Jesus? (2) Christian
| What do my senses tell me about the world of religion and belief? Christian, Jewish, Hindu (1) | What does the cross mean to Christians? Christian (1) Easter: Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem for the Passover meal and the Last Supper, crucifixion.
Topic link to: How do Jewish people celebrate Passover (Pesach)? Jewish (2) | Why do people have different views about the idea of God? (2) Multi/Humanist
How did the universe come to be? Hindu, Christian | What do Jewish people remember on Shabbat? (1) Jewish
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Computing | Internet safety Art: fruit and vegetable art (Arcimboldo) mouse skills | Internet safety Writing use white/black black/white | Internet safety
| Internet safety Beebots | Internet safety | Internet safety |
Enrichment | Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse |
| Museum trip-toy collection Puppet Theatre |
| Time and Tide museum | Zoo trip-Africa Alive Drumming workshop |
Year B | ||||||
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
yearly cycle of changes, diary recording, termly focus | Nature and the four seasons. Recording, measuring, monitoring seasonal changes, weather and day length throughout the year. (Science and Geography links) Shirley Hughes: Out and About. A First Book of Poems (Power of Reading) is organised into seasons and will be read regularly so that children become familiar with the poems. Children will sow, grow and harvest all year round. | |||||
half-termly traditional tale(s) with which the children will become very familiar
| The Enormous Turnip |
| Sleeping Beauty |
| Goldilocks and the Three Bears |
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Topic
| Under the ground (the dark) | Cold places | Castles | Our wonderful world | Town and country | The Seaside (pirates) |
English
Texts Power of Reading (Y1/2 text red) | The Dark Orion and the Dark The Hodgeheg The Fox and the Star
The Gigantic Turnip (EYFS title)
| The Emperor’s Egg The Princess and the White Bear King Blue Penguin (EYFS title)
The Blue Penguin (EYFS title) | Rapunzel The Last Wolf | 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World The Secret Sky Garden Moth: an evolution story | The Bee Who Spoke Claude in the City | Lila and the Secret of the Rain The Secret of Black Rock How to Find Gold The Snail and the Whale The Storm Whale |
Science | Everyday materials (1) Materials found under the ground Uses of everyday materials (2) Clay is found under the ground: explore how it can be changed by bending, stretching, twisting. | Working scientifically Investigating ice
Animals, including humans (1) (2) Living things and their habitats (2)
Seasonal changes (1)
| Working scientifically Building and testing strong structures, Making and investigating simple catapults
Everyday materials (1) Uses of everyday materials (2) Strong building materials | Working scientifically Making compost, exploring which things will decompose
Plants (1) (2)
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| Working scientifically Investigating things that float and sink |
History |
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Geography |
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| Mapping, geographical vocabulary UK Local study: Saxlingham village, Long Stratton, Norwich | UK and its place in the world, continents, oceans |
DT | Design and make a lantern for a character or specific use. | Design and make ice lollies with different coloured stripes, flavours | Design and make 3D castles from nets. Design shield, flag and surrounds for the castle for a specific character, inhabitant. |
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| Seaside theme moving picture (tabs, split pins)
Design and make a boat (powered in different ways: Science link) |
Art | Light and dark: adding white/black to create shades PAINTING
Silhouette portraits of children Silhouette art (National Portrait Gallery examples online) | Monet snowy pictures Shades: blues, greys – colour mixing, (white and black) palette PAINTING
Cold places inspired art: Snowflake PRINTING | Grayson Perry fantasy house PAINTING, DRAWING
Paul Klee cubism: Castle and Sun, BurgGarten (Castle Garden) PAINTING, DRAWING |
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| Seascapes Hokusai: The Great Wave |
Music |
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PHSE/RHSE |
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R/E |
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Computing | Internet safety Black and white photos, portraits | Internet safety
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Enrichment
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| Norwich Castle Framlingham Castle |
| Local walks and visits (church, ruined church, war memorial, orchard) | The Time and Tide Museum |
Theme | We are all connected. ONE: ourselves, nature, each other Oneness | ||||||||
Harmony Principle | Interdependence | Oneness | Health | Cycles | Adaptation | Diversity | |||
Enquiry question | Why was the industrial revolution so revolutionary? | What makes a Victorian Christmas so jolly? | What is a mountain? | What is global warming? | Would you like to be a Mayan? | Would you rather visit North, central or South America? | |||
A | Aut 1 | Aut 2 | Spr 1 | Spr 2 | Su 1 | Su 2 | |||
English | I was a rat | The miracle on Ebeneezer Street (authorfy) | A Christmas Carol | The Ice Bear Ice Palace | The Wolf’s Footprint | Mouse bird snake wolf | Libba Jemmy Button | ||
Hums | Victorians | Mountains (France and the Alps)/Water Cycle/Env and global warming | Mayans | Americas | |||||
Science | Sound
| Electricity | Animals incl. humans Teeth & digestion
| Changes of state S, L, G
| Living things and their habitats + food chains | ||||
RE | Where do religious beliefs come from? (Christianity) | Why is there so much diversity of belief within______? (Christianity)
| What do we mean by truth? Is seeing believing? (Multi) | What does sacrifice mean? (multi and humanist) | How do/have religious groups contribute to society and culture? (Hindu/Christian)
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art/DT | William Morris (Printing) | DT- lamps | Art: Northern lights art (drawing)
| DT – food (anti-plastic/ food miles) | Frida Kahlo (Painting) | Art: Pop art (Digital/printing) | |||
Enrichment | Victorian Day Sing with Dippy - coach funded | Victorian Christmas Theatre Production - KS2 | France Day Europe Day Mountain newspapers? | Action project | Mexican Day / Day of the Dead | Production Independence Day - Canada July 1st / USA July 4th (Thanksgiving owl class – even though it is a November celebration) |
Curriculum Map for Hedgehogs Class (Year 3 and Year 4 Year B)
Theme | We are all connected. ONE: ourselves, nature, each other | ||||||
Harmony Principle | Health | Oneness | Interdependence | Adaptation | Diversity | Cycles | |
Enquiry Question | What did the Romans ever do for us? |
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| Is it ever ok to use single use plastic?
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B | Aut 1
| Aut 2 | Spr 1 | Spr 2 | Su 1
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English | The lion and the Unicorn and other hairy tales | Escape from Pompeii | The Pebble in my pocket | Ug (The Wild Way Home? authorfy) | Bluest of Blues | Mama Miti Plastic Sucks (authorfy) | |
Hums | Roman Empire (Celts and local knowledge?) | Volcanoes and Earthquakes | Stone age/Bronze age/Iron age | Ancient Egypt (early civilisations) | Sustainability | ||
Science | Animals incl. humans nutrition, skeleton and muscles
| Light | Rocks and fossils | Plants | Forces and magnets | ||
RE | How do people express commitment to a religion/ worldview in different ways? (Hindu or Jewish/Sikh/Christian | What is the Trinity? Christian
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art/DT | DT: food | Art | DT | Art: Bronze/ metal Sculpture/ collage Boccioni / klimt
| DT/Art : Egyptian artefacts Canopic jars | Art: textiles (sewing) | |
Enrichment | Roman feast Visit Caistor St Edmund: Venta Icenorum | Pantomime or other theatre visit? | Geologist visit
| Visit Castle museum
| Egyptian Day | Production |
Theme | We are all connected. ONE: ourselves, nature, each other Oneness | |||||||||
Harmony Principle | Adaptation | Interdependence
| Health Oneness - team spirit & Buddhism | Cycles | Diversity | Oneness Health – see sci | ||||
Geometry |
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Enquiry question
| What makes a successful species?
| Them & Us - how are we connected? Or – are we really separate? | What does it mean to be happy & well? Happiness / wellbeing | Does good always conquer evil? See Robert Fisher book
| How do we connect with our diverse world? | What sparks/ ignites an adventure?
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| Aut 1 | Aut 2 | Spr 1 | Spr 2 | Su 1 | Su 2 | ||||
English | Active punctuation Dark Sky Park (poetry) Non-Chron Report Instructions; autobiography (Varmints; Just So stories; The Dam?) | The SkyLarks’ War The Swallows’ Flight Suffragettes book to link with theatre production? | Continue with war texts or refugees or / then Happiness project / | Shakespeare: Macbeth | Skyhawk | Writing | ||||
Hums | Sustainability Biomes: Galapagos Islands | WWI / WWII | WWI / WWII War time spirit - community | Tudors in Norwich/Norfolk | Rivers & Norfolk Broads Biome | Tudor Explorers & North America | ||||
Science | Inheritance & Evolution – The Future is Wild | Animals incl humans: circulation | Animals including humans: health, medicines/drugs | Light | Classification | Electricity Puberty & Sex Ed | ||||
RE | Creation or Science: conflicting or complementary | How & why does religion bring peace & conflict? | Buddhism How do Buddhists explain the suffering in the world? | What does it mean to be human? Is being happy the greatest purpose in life? | How do beliefs shape identity for Muslims? | |||||
art/DT | Upcycle a t-shirt: print / batik / applique - sustainability DT | Art – sculpture Giacometti – human form unit | Fauvism – both painting and digital art Expressing emotion with colour | DT – Tudor cooking Jumble biscuits & maids of honour | Textile art weaving landscapes – the Norfolk Broads The Gambian mangroves | DT - Wood, plastic, | ||||
music | Abba | Steel pans | Ukulele, chords and song writing |
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RHE | Healthy and happy friendships = 3 lessons
| Similarities & differences = = 3 lessons
| Healthy bodies, healthy minds = 3 lessons
| Caring and Responsibility = 3 lessons
| Y5 – families and committed relationships: What is love? = 3 lessons
| Coping with change: Y5 & Y6 Puberty = 3 lessons Famillies & committed relationships: Y6 starting a family = 3 lessons | ||||
PSHCE | GOAL – Premier Sport | GOAL – Premier Sport |
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ICT | Using the internet; communication & powerpoint; e-safety |
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PE | OAA and Netball |
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Enrichment | Sing to Dippy - coach funded | Theatre production KS2 | Buddhism day Norwich Buddhist centre | Visit Elm Hill? Kett’s hill? The Globe | River / broads visit Birds of prey visit | Production |
| We are all connected. ONE: ourselves, nature, each other Oneness | |||||||
Enquiry question |
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| Magic | Action for Change | How are we connected? | Quests | Is it ever okay to cut down the rainforest? | Past and Future | ||
Harmony Principle | Diversity | Adaptation | Oneness | Health | Cycles | Interdependence | ||
| Aut 1 or swap with Su 1 | Aut 2 | Spr 1 | Spr 2 | Su 1 or swap with Aut 1 | Su 2 | ||
English | Magic Theme Harry Potter A pinch of magic by Michelle Harrison? King Arthur & Merlin (Saxon times) | The Wolf Wilder Russian reading unit: Russian traditional tales by Sophie Anderson | Indian culture? The Viewer? The London Eye Connection? Poetry: cosmic disco? | Anthony Horowitz myths & legends Story writing | The Great Kapok Tree Running Wild The Explorer Journey to the River Sea Wild World (authorfy) | Floodlands | ||
Hums | Anglo-Saxons & Vikings
| Mapping or space project | Sustainability project – link with UEA | Ancient Greece | Rainforests - South America | Saxlingham local study | ||
Science | Materials (potions)
| Space
| Forces | Lifecycles | Puberty | |||
RE | Is believing in God reasonable? | Action to help others – examples from religions and our own project; link with incarnation unit? | How do Hindus make sense of the world? | Y5 What can we learn about the world / knowledge / meaning of life from the great philosophers? (Thinking) | What difference does the resurrection make to Christians? | How has belief in ___ impacted on music and art throughout history? | ||
art/DT | DT Make a …? | Russian artists – collage; pastels Malevich; Kandinsky – other artists of that time | DT Food topic Sewing – Indian animal cushion cover | Art: design a mythical creature - drawing techniques | Rainforest Rousseau Lino printing | Link art to RE – spirited arts competition | ||
Enrichment | Trip to Harry Potter world or trip to Sutton Hoo
| Russia Day link with cosmonauts space race | India Day? Hinduism day? | Ancient Greece Day Democracy: visit the Houses of Parliament | Rainforest Day | Production Walk: Saxlingham |