Curriculum Intent

Intention 1: To ensure that God’s love in action permeates our curriculum.

To place Christ at the centre of all learning, providing our learners with the opportunity to ask Big questions about who they are, why they are here and where they are going. Our pupils will live out our Catholic mission by responding to the social teaching of the Church, in order to contribute to the Common Good.

Intention 2: To ensure that Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education is woven throughout our curriculum.

To develop the character of our children by providing a modern, relevant and exciting curriculum based around their first hand experiences and questions in order to empower pupils to be engaged and creative lifelong learners who can contribute positively to the wider society.

Intention 3: To ensure that clear sequencing of learning allows the children to make links and deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding across all subjects.

To provide real contexts for sequential learning through high quality teaching within a well-resourced rich environment that extends beyond the classroom and which embraces the children’s individuality and creative talents and gifts. This will enable the children to acquire and retain the appropriate subject specific knowledge, skills and understanding to learn effectively, fulfil their potential and bring about outstanding outcomes.

Intention 4: To ensure that the children develop the appropriate behaviours and habits to become effective learners

To develop a growth mind set approach to learning so that pupils become independent enquirers, team workers, reflective learners, effective participators, self- managers and resourceful thinkers who recognise that their effort is key to their success and who work collaboratively.

Our pupils will have a healthy self-image, self-esteem and self-confidence. They will develop high levels of resilience and develop the life skills necessary to deal with everyday life.

Curriculum Implementation

Our implementation plan ensures that our curriculum remains focused on our four intentions.

Intention 1: To ensure that God’s love in action permeates our curriculum.

Our school motto is ‘Caritas- God’s love in action’ and we ensure that God’s love permeates every aspect of school life. Within our ‘Mission into Action’ document, we exemplify how this is achieved through the curriculum and all other aspects of school life. As a Catholic school, we ensure that Christ and the children are at the centre of all that we teach. We follow the Salford Diocesan Religious Education Scheme, ‘Come and See’. Staff also ensure that Religion is at the core of our curriculum and every opportunity is taken to refer to the Word of God and the teachings of Christ. Children take part in acts of collective worship in the classroom, in class assemblies and at Mass.

Our pupil ‘Growing In Faith Together’ (GIFT) team regularly lead the school in acts of worship and work collaboratively with our parish to actively promote the Word of God.

Intention 2: To ensure that Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education is woven throughout our curriculum.

When teachers plan our curriculum, it includes how a child’s learning can equip them to play a positive part in the world .As part of our ‘Mission into Action’ we encourage our children to show their love of the world by following the social teaching of the Catholic church. This is achieved through the use of Salford Diocese’s ‘Caritas in Action’ scheme whereby the children explore the following themes:

• The dignity of the Human Person
• Family and Community
• Solidarity and the common Good
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
• The dignity of Work
• Stewardship

In addition, teachers ensure that all planning includes appropriate opportunities to enhance the children’s awareness of SMSC. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. We promote and uphold the key ‘British Values’ of:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

The PSHE curriculum ensures that children are equipped for the modern world and that they can contribute positively to it.

Children are encouraged to undertake an extensive range of positions of responsibility around the school, as we believe that children understand values by seeing them in action in others. We provide many pupil voice opportunities to enable the children to contribute to the daily life of the school.

In addition, we work alongside local community groups including St Winifred’s parish to contribute to local, national and international charities. Each year, our pupil ‘Caritas Ambassador’ team   attend the Salford Diocesan Caritas Market Hall to meet with representatives from a variety of charities. The team then select a charity to work with for the remainder of the academic year.

Intention 3: To ensure that clear sequencing of learning allows the children to make links and deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding across all subjects.

Reading – The teaching of phonics begins in Reception following Letters and Sounds which is a clearly sequential scheme of work. Phonics lessons are taught daily and consist of a range of practical activities where children explore letters and the sounds they make. The children are then given opportunities to apply these skills.

We promote a love for reading to ensure that children develop the knowledge and skills to become life–long readers. We believe this is key for children to access other areas of the curriculum with success.

We have a ‘book-based’ approach to our English Curriculum. High quality, challenging, whole-class texts are used to teach the majority of the English objectives and allow children to immerse themselves in the book.  The book then provides a purposeful context for high quality writing opportunities.  We encourage children to have pride in their writing across all areas of the curriculum and produce work to a high standard.

Every class has a class reading book which is read to the children regularly in order to enhance their exposure to high quality texts. Teachers read with children in groups during guided reading sessions, using a range of quality texts. Children visit the school library each week and choose our own book to read for pleasure, as well as accessing a progressive reading scheme to help them with reading at home. Children need the space and time to make choices about books, and to discover authors and texts they might not get chance to look at outside of school. Our teachers check we are reading books that will challenge the children, and create exciting reading areas around the school.

We assess reading using teacher assessment , termly Scholastic tests, Testbase and other  materials such as Assess and Progress and Salford Reading test. In Year 1 there is a statutory Phonics Screening Check undertaken in the Summer Term. In Reception, Year 2 and Year 6  there are also statutory assessments of reading. Across the school, on-going teacher assessment using SIMs tracking is undertaken and termly data analysis is conducted by the English lead who also undertakes a range of other monitoring activities such as: Pupil Voice, lesson observations/ learning walks and  planning and work scrutiny

Writing – In Reception, children are taught to use the correct letter formation and then from Year One, the children develop their handwriting into a joined, fluent cursive style which is then continued throughout school.

Spelling is taught through the phonics teaching in Reception and Year 1 and using Read Write Inc materials and Spelling Shed online materials from Year 2 to Year 6.

Within the teaching of writing, we teach spelling, grammar and punctuation skills and lessons are carefully planned so that the children follow a sequence of learning which allows them to  plan and undertake an extended piece of writing at least fortnightly. This provides children with a regular routine that helps us build up competency. We work hard on handwriting and presentation, and edit our work carefully to improve it. Every classroom has a set of displayed ‘Non-Negotiables’ (which show a clear sequence of progression and are referred to regularly within lessons)  and a working wall to capture the writing journey.

Across the school , on-going teacher assessment using assessment criteria and SIMs tracking is undertaken and termly data analysis is conducted by the English lead who also undertakes a range of other monitoring activities such as: Pupil Voice, lesson observations/ learning walks and  planning and work scrutiny. Teachers also moderate writing assessment  across the year group and with the year group below/above. We also annually moderate writing with the local cluster of schools and Reception, Year 2 and Year 6 teachers moderate with other LA schools. Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling is assessed termly using Scholastic materials and at the end of the year using Testbase materials.

Maths – We have a clearly progressive Calculation policy in use throughout school. Teachers also make use of the White Rose Hub mastery schemes of work, alongside Abacus textbooks and online materials for progression. Lessons are sequenced to ensure that children build upon their knowledge and are clear as to the context of concepts taught.

Mathematical knowledge and understanding is assessed regularly using mental arithmetic tests, tables tests etc. and in Years 2-6  half  termly Abacus tests are used to check knowledge acquisition and retention and end of year Testbase materials are also used. In Year 1, end of year Rising Stars tests are used.  Across the school, on-going teacher assessment using SIMs tracking is undertaken and termly data analysis is conducted by the Maths lead who also undertakes a range of other monitoring activities such as: Pupil Voice, lesson observations/ learning walks and planning and work scrutiny. We also use a range of online resources to support learning including Education City and Classroom Secrets.

Religious Education – We use the Diocesan approved scheme of work ‘Come and See’. The Religion Lead delivers training to staff to enhance teaching and learning in Religious Education as a result of specialist training that they have received. All children participate in pupil-led and teacher-led Collective Worship sessions as well as taking part in assemblies, Masses and liturgies. Children are encouraged to take opportunities to express their faith through various school organisations such as the GIFT team, Caritas Ambassadors and Wellbeing Ambassadors.

Foundation subjects –We plan foundation subjects using knowledge and skills progression ladders, which show what children should be learning in each year group in each subject and which provide a clear sequence to learning throughout school. check children’s learning against these progression ladders and the National Curriculum objectives. Our creative curriculum incorporates the subjects of: Science, History, Geography, Art, Computing, DT and indoor P.E. and this is organised four blocks of learning throughout the year. The children will be at the heart of creating the learning for the blocks Three of these blocks have set question titles that are SMSC linked. The final block is a whole school block that allows current events/ world themes to be explored e.g. Identity, The Olympics, The Manchester Bee. At the end of each block there will be a celebration of what the children have done to which the families are invited so that there is a clear high quality end product for each block of learning which provides the children with a context for learning. Within each block, knowledge organisers are used for in the main subject for the block and regular low stakes testing and opportunities for recall are incorporated into lessons to ensure that children retain the appropriate knowledge and skills.

Our curriculum encourages children to develop independent thinking skills and questioning. Our teachers plan a wide variety of educational experiences to further develop the children’s knowledge and skills which include: visits to relevant places of interest, expert visitors, hands on workshops. Teachers also plan exciting focus weeks and events like: Arts and Culture week and Wellbeing Week. Where possible, cross curricular links are made between Maths, English and Foundation Subjects.

Foundation Subject Leaders conduct termly monitoring activities including: pupil voice, work scrutiny, planning scrutiny, learning walks and monitor the progress of pupils through data analysis.

Intention 4: To ensure that the children develop the appropriate behaviours and habits to become effective learners

Our children develop a growth mindset approach from the earliest opportunities in school, so that they are resilient learners, who recognise that their effort is key to their success. They understand that they can improve through hard work, the use of effective strategies, and help from others when needed. They are not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them.

When teachers design learning opportunities, they look for ways for children to develop good learning behaviours. Within each classroom, the learning behaviours wheel is displayed and referred to which allows children to develop the knowledge and skills to be independent enquirers, team workers, reflective learners, effective participators, self- managers and resourceful thinkers who recognise that their effort is key to their success and who work collaboratively.

Our pupils understand the importance of wellbeing and good mental health and its impact on our learning. They know who to speak to if they need support and that looking after their mental health is as important as looking after their physical health. Weekly Circles begin each week to allow the children to focus on their wellbeing and to address any issues within the class. Daily check-ins are also used to allow children to be appropriately supported with their emotional health and wellbeing.

Readiness to learn is a key focus for all staff and appropriate interventions are put into place in a timely manner for individual children experiencing barriers to learning.

The restorative approach to conflict resolution is used throughout school so that the children can identify their own feelings and recognise the feelings of others. This provides them with ownership over the resolution of any disagreements or conflict and empowers them to learn from mistakes and move forward positively.

Our teachers notice when children are showing positive learning behaviours and are rewarded using dojos. In addition, children are recognised for following our Golden Rules and for outstanding behaviour and are awarded certificates for this in our weekly assembly. The headteacher sends postcards to parents when they notice exemplary behaviour or improvements or effort in learning.

Curriculum Impact

Intention 1: To ensure that God’s love in action permeates our curriculum.

Our children will have a clear understanding of our core values and our mission as pupils in our school and as they move on in each stage of their life. This will prepare them for life in the wider community, using the Word of God and the example of Jesus as their moral compass. We measure this not just by the work our children produce, but in the behaviours we see each and every day in a range of situations. The impact of this intention is seen in the daily interaction of all members of our community, including staff and children as witnesses to God’s love in action.

Intention 2: To ensure that Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education is woven throughout our curriculum.

Our children will be motivated by a strong personal sense of spirituality and morality. They will make decisions for the right reasons and in the best interests of their community, guided by their faith. Our learners will be happy and resilient, and the impact will be that they make a positive contribution to society and to modern Britain.  They will leave this school ready for the next phase of their education and go out into the world and make a difference in their own life and to others.

Intention 3: To ensure that clear sequencing of learning allows the children to make links and deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding across all subjects.

Our children will meet the age related expectations for each of the curriculum subjects throughout their time at St Winifred’s and will make good progress to meet their individual targets from their starting points. This will also be reflected in any statutory assessments undertaken at key points throughout the children’s primary education. We aim for our children to be academically and socially prepared for secondary school education and for life beyond.

Intention 4: To ensure that the children develop the appropriate behaviours and habits to become effective learners

The impact of the development of a growth mindset and appropriate learning behaviours should be evidenced by our children’s approach to all aspects of school life. When meeting new things and faced with challenges, our children won’t give up, are highly motivated to succeed and achieve and demonstrate the appropriate skills to achieve this. Children will also be able to express how they are feeling and know how/where to get support if needed.