English Subject Aims

St Bernadette’s School understands the need for all pupils to develop their scientific knowledge and skills in order to understand the world around them. A good understanding of scientific concepts helps to support pupils learning across the school.

Intent

At St Bernadette’s Primary School we believe that a high quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. 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.

Science in our school is about developing children’s ideas and ways of working that enable them to make sense of the world in which they live through investigation, as well as using and applying process skills. It is the aim of the staff at St Bernadette’s ensure that all children are exposed to high quality teaching and learning experiences. They are immersed in scientific vocabulary with the support of knowledge organisers, which aid children’s knowledge and understanding, not only of the topic they are studying, but of the world around them. We intend to provide all children regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability, with a broad and balanced science curriculum.

Implementation

In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in science, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Last year a clear path to provide a Science ‘Catch-up’ curriculum was followed. This catered for the needs of all of our children who had lost valuable school learning time due to the lock-downs during the pandemic. Each teacher was aware of what areas of the curriculum were missed by their existing cohort during the previous year. These areas were addressed first to provide a redress on the correct teaching sequence of Science units in line with our original school curriculum plan. From the beginning of this academic year we were back in line with our regular Science long term plan.  Pre-learning is still however a specific focus within school with all of the teachers now planning their Science topics with a clear understanding of the curriculum path that their children have followed.

Science teaching at St Bernadette’s Primary School involves adapting and extending the curriculum to match all pupils’ needs. Where possible, Science is linked to class topics. Science is taught as discrete units and lessons where needed to ensure coverage. Due to one form year groups in our school, Science units are taught on a year rolling programme. This ensures progression between year groups and guarantees topics are covered. Teachers plan to suit their children’s interests, current events, their own teaching style, the use of any support staff and the resources available.

We ensure that all children are provided with rich learning experiences that aim to:

• Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world today and in the future.
• Help our children acquire a growing understanding of the nature, processes and methods of scientific ideas.
• Help develop and extend our children’s scientific concept of their world.
• Build on our children’s natural curiosity and developing a scientific approach to problems.
• Encouraging open-mindedness, self-assessment, perseverance and developing the skills of investigation – including: observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, communicating, interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
• Develop the use of scientific language, recording and techniques.

Impact

The impact and measure of this is to ensure children not only acquire the science capital and appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives.

To measure the impact of teaching and learning of Science in school, we have recently, during lock-down, updated the school assessment system. The school now uses the Headstart assessment scheme to augment the class teacher’s professional judgement for Science progress and attainment.  This brings the subject onto a par with the other Core subjects and allows future scope for effective attainment and achievement monitoring of impact on pupil progress across school.

Across the school year there are many checks to monitor and evaluate the impact of Science learning through the school to ensure that all children will have:

• A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.
• A richer vocabulary which will enable to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
• High aspirations for their Science learning, which will see them through to future study that will help them with work and a successful adult life.

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Coming soon…

Intent

At St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School we believe RSHE and PSHE (personal, social, health and education) plays a vital part in primary education.  RSHE and PSHE enables our children to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives.

At the core of our school ethos we also have spiritual development too. These aspects of development, drawn from Gospel values, form the core purpose of our school.

As part of a whole school approach, our aim is to develop the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as happy, successful and productive individuals, family members and members of society.

We aim to prepare them to manage many of the most critical opportunities, challenges and responsibilities they will face growing up in such rapidly changing and challenging times (and take these management skills into adulthood.)

Our intention is that RSHE and PSHE will foster pupils’ wellbeing and confidence, helping them to connect their skills and understanding to all subjects and to practical, real-life situations.  We intend that our RSHE and PSHE teaching and their ongoing development and understanding in these will help them to feel safe and secure enough to fulfil their academic potential.  Furthermore, we aim to provide our children with opportunities for them to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society.

Implementation

All our year groups have timetabled RSHE and PSHE lessons and we use the HeartSmart scheme of work from reception to year 6 to create our curriculum that ensures progression, development and consolidation of the knowledge, understanding and skills our pupils need.  These skills are not just taught in isolation, but across the school day in incidental opportunities to support children, in assemblies, school clubs, circle time, visits and trips, community and school events, break times and within other lessons. We follow the Archdiocese recommended programme ‘Journey In Love’ to support our delivery of Sex Education. In addition we have many additional activities and opportunities planned across the child’s learning journey at St Bernadette’s.

In our programme (planned and integrated within the school day) we actively promote British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs to prepare our pupils for life in modern day Britain.  Pupils learn about similarities and differences between people and cultures and our HeartSmart lessons enable our pupils to understand the British democratic process, including how to affect peaceful changes in society and with each other.

Impact

Through our RSHE and PSHE curriculum, we believe we can enhance children’s education and help them to become caring, respectful, responsible and confident individuals and citizens.  Children will have the knowledge of how to develop their self-esteem and self-awareness and make informed choices and decisions. They will be able to make sense of their own personal and social experiences and will be able to understand and manage their own feelings.

• Children will demonstrate and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual Respect, Rule of Law and Individual Liberty 
• Children will demonstrate a healthy outlook towards school
• Children will demonstrate understanding of how to keep themselves healthy
• Children will understand how to keep themselves safe at school, in the community and locality and wider world (including online)
• Children will develop positive and healthy relationships with peers, both now and in the future
• Children will understand the physical and emotional aspects involved in RSHE at an age appropriate level
• Children will have respect for themselves
• Children will have positive body images

Children’s progress in RSHE and PSHE is monitored through the year and this monitoring is used to identify further areas of development.  PSHE assessment is measured against the pupil’s own starting points.  Children also reflect on their own RSHE and PSHE learning to further their own progress and development.

Intent

At St Bernadette’s, from the moment a child joins our School family, we create a learning environment which builds relationships that support, enhance, and invite a child’s curiosity, confidence, and individual competency to flourish regardless of background, circumstance or needs. From their first warm welcome at the door, to the clear and calm routines, that are embedded from day one, our children are encouraged to drive their own learning with confidence and resilience.

We work extremely closely with parents and build positive relationships even before the children begin in our setting. We work in partnership to recognise the children’s starting points, needs and prior learning from both previous settings and experiences at home through our:

• Our Toddler ‘Bernie’s Bears’ stay and play group (from birth to 4),
• Starting School information evening
• Nursery Reception Transition events (Summer Term)
• Liaising with other settings
• Identifying children’s needs with our School Nurture & SENDCO, outside agencies and the School Nurse,
• Completion of the children’s Summer scrap books and
• Clear communication through our Parent App & Class Dojo.

Thus, providing the children with the best possible start and ensuring that each child reaches their full potential from various starting points.

Our team have high expectations in line with The New Early Years Framework and the enhancement of skills for learning is achieved through a well-resourced, stimulating and engaging environment that maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning. We understand the clear progression in skills needed across the Prime Areas of learning and the Specific Areas. Thus, allowing children to thrive as we foster a love of learning by ensuring that we capture and learn through the children’s interests as much as possible. Every opportunity is a learning opportunity!

At St Bernadette’s, we believe that ‘Reading and Writing float on a sea of talk’. Talk is inextricably linked to all children’s development- We need language to think and understand, which in turn promotes self-confidence, resilience and empathy which supports each child’s well-being We recognise that the children’s language experience varies considerably and so give valued time, plan for and explicitly teach oracy, as they not only learn to talk but learn through talk. Oracy not only improves academic outcomes but is a life skill to ensure success beyond school, in life and future employment.

We carefully structure our day to balance short adult led learning, with longer child-led sessions. We ensure both approaches foster the characteristics of effective learning and produce deep level learning. We strive to foster excellent attitudes to learning by providing effective and timely adult interactions to ensure that learning is instantly captured and enhanced. We believe that high level engagement ensures high level attainment.  Extended periods of play promote each unique child in our setting. Our enabling environments and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration right from the start. By following the children’s interests and ideas to foster a lifelong love of learning both in and outside of school.

Our children are taught by a PE specialist who engages and supports all the children with their gross and fine motor skills.

Our key purpose is to ensure that children are ready for the next phase of school life, making at least good progress from their starting points and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to have a smooth transition into Year 1. We focus on ensuring that all children have developed a sound base of early reading skills and phonics which gives them the foundations for future learning, especially in preparation for them to become confident and fluent readers.

By the end of the Reception year, our intent is to ensure that all children make at least good progress 

Our School Mission, values and Ethos

On their journey through our school, children will GROW TOGETHER, supported by a school community, to strengthen their FAITH; LOVE one another and LEARN to achieve excellence in everything they do.

The School Values and Ethos formulates practical ways of working to meet our Mission Statement, “Growing Together in Faith, Love and Learning”:

• We are a Catholic school who wish to help parents educate their children to appreciate the awe and majesty of God and His Creation, including respect for themselves and others as they recognise that all are made in God’s image. We will build a prayerful community who support each other on our Faith Journey by preparing for and sharing the Sacraments together.
• We are determined to create an inclusive culture of learning where all children will be challenged in their thinking, to achieve to the best of their abilities and strive to become lifelong learners.
• We will empower our children to become respected citizens to enable them to make valuable contributions locally, globally and to contribute to our world’s sustainable future.

This can be done most effectively when all staff, parents and children understand their responsibilities and work together towards the same goals, as detailed in our home/school agreement.

Implementation

Each half term, EYFS staff introduce a new theme to provide inspiration for learning, whilst providing the flexibility for children to follow their own interests and ideas. Children learn through a balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities. The timetable is carefully structured so that children have directed teaching during the day. The timetable changes throughout the year to take into consideration the changing needs of the children. These sessions are followed by small -focussed group work. This means the teacher can systematically check for understanding, identify and respond to misconceptions quickly and provide real-time verbal feedback. This strongly impacts the acquisition of new learning. Children are provided with plenty of time to engage in ‘exploration’ throughout the variety of experiences carefully planned to engage and challenge them in the provision. The curriculum is planned for the inside and outside environments and equal importance is given to learning in both areas.

All pupils’ basic needs are met through the provision of a safe, stimulating, and secure environment and staff regularly reinforce messages about how to stay safe and healthy and to ensure that their friends do too. We follow the ‘Heart smart’ PSED principles which are planned and delivered throughout the year.

Communication, Language and Literacy

Oracy is at the forefront of everything that we do. We give valued time, plan for and explicitly teach oracy, as they not only learn to talk but learn through talk. We enrich our curriculum through our ‘Word of the day’ and creating language topic webs to enrich all areas of the curriculum.

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum and our purpose is to encourage a love of reading right from the start. In the EYFS we have ‘Our Golden books’ that are our core texts. These are read and revisited throughout the year. The aim is to expose children to a variety of books which not only develop a love of reading, but have been chosen specifically to develop their oracy, vocabulary and comprehension. Central to this is exposing children to books from a range of cultures different to their own in Shevington. These books are embedded in our provision through activities, story sessions and on display for children to access independently. Through this, children begin to internalise new vocabulary, language patterns, begin to retell stories and experience lives which are different to theirs.

In our daily Phonics sessions, we follow the DfES Letters and Sounds programme to ensure consistency as well as Jolly Phonics’ songs for mnemonics. Nursery children focus on Phase 1 which concentrates on developing children’s speaking and listening skills and lays the foundations for the phonic work which starts in Phase 2. The emphasis during Phase 1 is to get children attuned to the sounds around them and ready to begin developing oral blending and segmenting skills, prior to GPC. In Reception, Phase 1 continues but children are introduced to Phase 2 and 3 where they develop GPC and segmenting and blending skills to decode words. During the Summer term, children move on to Phase 4 if they are ready. Children are encouraged to read at home and are listened to regularly in school. They are given books that match their phonic knowledge in order for them to apply their learning with the aim of becoming successful, confident and fluent readers.

Parents are involved and engaged in supporting their child to learn to read through parent workshops, information leaflets, weekly phonic newsletters, and comments in their child’s reading record. We also provide time for our Year 6 Buddies to come and share books with our Reception children, whether that’s a book from our book corner or hearing them read their own reading book.

Writing is embedded in all areas of the curriculum. Children are praised and encouraged form the first marks they make, so that by the end of their Reception journey they are confident to use all the language and phonics skills they have learnt to express their ideas. From starting to mark make in their ‘Squiggling Books in Nursery to their Writing Books in Reception. Every mark matters! Gross and fine motor skill development is at the forefront of developing these skills.

Mathematics

A comprehensive Mathematics curriculum is taught and then embedded through the wider curriculum. We believe that Maths (as all subject areas) must be purposeful and connected to real life situations for children to learn. Revisiting and repetition are crucial for long- term memory. Our children learn through games and tasks using concrete manipulatives and pictorial structures and representations which are then rehearsed applied and recorded within their own child-led exploration. We share with parents our weekly newsletter on ‘The Number of the Week’ so they can support their children’s learning at home. We are also currently working with the Northwest Early Years Maths Hub to develop our CPD and provide a high-quality Maths Curriculum with a clear understanding of progression and skills to support all our children.

Wider Curriculum

Our wider curriculum is taught through the learning areas; ‘Understanding of the World’ and ‘Expressive Arts and Design.’ EYFS staff have a good understanding of how ELG’s feed into the National Curriculum through our robust planning and CPD opportunities. In reverse, colleagues throughout the school are also aware of the key ELG’s that link to each foundation subject and the progression of the subject.

Children have access to a high-quality learning environment covering all the required areas of learning. Staff are skilled at asking questions that encourage children to think more deeply about their learning, to extend their use of language across the curriculum and to make connections to embed new learning. Regular opportunities are planned to reinforce new learning and for staff to check understanding.

Exciting, purposeful and contextual activities are planned to build on children’s natural curiosity. For example, building a boat for their favourite toy enables them to think like a ‘Scientist’ and ‘Engineer’ as they explore a range of materials and test out their own ideas.

Building further on our oracy focus, children are encouraged to employ subject specific language and terminology in foundation subjects, and such vocabulary is modelled, both verbally and orally, by supporting practitioners.

Assessments are relevant, purposeful and not time consuming, leading to improved outcomes for children.

Intervention

Our inclusive approach means that all children learn together, but we have a range of additional intervention and support for children who may not be reaching their potential or are showing a greater depth of understanding and need further challenge. Intervention is crucial and happens daily so that gaps are plugged, and children are not left behind. Our intervention groups are for fine motor, speech and language using the NELI programme.

Our children with SEND Needs have bespoke plans and their learning is planned carefully to ensure that they make ‘small steps’ in their development.

EYFS Team

Regular monitoring of teaching and learning by SLT and the EYFS Team keep abreast of the changing world of Early Years theory and research. We were an Early Years Adopter school which enabled us to gain valuable insight and practise into the changes for the new EYFS Framework in September 2021. We ensure staff develop good subject knowledge. The EYFS Team ensures staff receive CPD specific to Early Years to develop their practice.

Impact

Baseline:

Prior to children starting, our team to spend time to get to know each child’s Learning Journey so far. By speaking to the child’s parents, previous settings and reading previous learning journey’s they gain an understanding of the whole child and where they are at.

During the first half term, all staff use ongoing assessments, observations and conversations with the child to develop a baseline assessment. This identifies each child’s individual starting points in all areas so we can plan experiences to ensure progress. The following baseline assessments are also carried out.

The RBA (Statutory Reception Baseline Assessment)

This assessment focuses on ‘Language, Communication and Literacy,’ and ‘Mathematics.’ The purpose of this is to show the progress children make from Reception until the end of KS2.

NELI (Nutfield Early Language Intervention)

NELI is an evidence-based oral language intervention for children who show weakness in their oral language skills and who are therefore at risk of experiencing difficulty with reading. The assessment informs us if the child is at expected for their age or requires intervention from trained NELI practitioners.

Ongoing Observation:

All ongoing observations are used to inform weekly planning and identify children’s next steps. This formative assessment does not involve prolonged periods of time away from the children and excessive paper work. Practitioners draw on their knowledge of the child and their own expert professional judgements through discussions with other practitioners, photographs and physical examples such as a child’s drawing / making. Some observations are uploaded using Tapestry and shared with the supporting parents and carers and examples – Star Moments recorded on Dojo.

Assessment:

Phonic assessments are carried out using phonics Tracker every half term to quickly identify pupils that are not making expected progress. Our aim is for children to ‘keep up’ rather than ‘catch up’ where possible.

Assessments are completed three times per year and shared with parents, whereby the Class Teacher updates the progress children have made. In Summer Term 2, the EYFSP is completed where teacher judge whether the child has met each of the 17 ELG’s. They will be assessed as either ‘emerging’ or ‘expected.’ Whilst there is no judgement to state if a child is exceeding beyond an ELG, teachers, have a duty to provide a narrative for both parents and the Year 1 teacher.

Impact is also evident through our successful transitions into Year 1. EYFS staff have a good understanding of how ELG’s link to the National Curriculum, and through our robust planning and delivery across the spectrum of subjects – both core and foundation.

By the end of the Foundation Stage, most (need %) children read accurately and are starting to develop fluency in their reading. Their vocabulary and understanding of language are good and most children achieve the early learning goals, particularly in mathematics and literacy, representing high achievement from on occasions low starting points. Children enjoy their learning and the participate eagerly and enthusiastically. They are beginning to manage their own feelings and behaviour and understand how these have an impact on others.

As a result of the creative, stimulating environment we provide, by the end of the Foundation Stage our children flourish and develop into confident, motivated and independent learners, who understand right from wrong and are ready for the next stage of their learning journey as Scientists, Historians, Artists, Musicians and Geographers.

“Growing Together in Faith, Love and Learning“

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Curriculum Intent

At St Bernadette’s, we value Art and Design as an important part of our children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Art and Design enables pupils to become creative and reflective learners who can express themselves fluently and confidently in a variety of different ways. We aim to ensure all pupils produce creative, imaginative work by providing children with opportunities to develop and extend skills as they study an artist or craft maker and also express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas. St Bernadette’s recognises the importance of developing the whole child and by using the experience and enthusiasm of teachers and teaching assistants, the curriculum we offer will provide our children the chance to develop their emotional expression through art to further enhance their personal, social and emotional development.

At St Bernadette’s, we recognise the positive impact of opportunities to be creative upon children’s well-being. With the introduction of Kapow’s lesson plans and progression documents, our Art and Design co-ordinator working alongside class teachers, can plan engaging lessons where children can be imaginative and express themselves. Teachers provide scaffolding for less-confident artists and challenge more-confident artists through questioning and Kapow’s pupil videos, whilst also developing thinking strategies to facilitate higher level independent learning and engagement.

Our Art and Design weeks engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. Children will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpting, as well as other selected craft skills such as weaving and tie dying.

As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically, evaluate and analyse whilst developing a more rigorous understanding of Art and Design. We aim to allow our pupils opportunities to express their own view points through their sketch books and also understand how Art and design both reflects and shapes our history and contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Curriculum Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design curriculum at St Bernadette’s is based on the National Curriculum and it is a curriculum driver as well as often being linked to topics to ensure a well-structured and immersive approach to this creative subject and curriculum.

With the introduction of an Art and Design week within each term, it ensures the children are immersed in Art and Design.  Areas covered include sculpture, printing based on topic work, portrait studies, painting, mosaics, pop art, cubism and the works of the Impressionist artists.  

Our aim is to ensure that all pupils produce creative work, explore their ideas and also record their experiences through their sketch books. The immersive curriculum allows our pupils to understand the background and inspiration of the artist and as a result, it allows our children to express their creative imagination, as well as practise and develop in the key processes of art: drawing, painting, printing, textiles and sculpture.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have opportunities to learn to:

• Explore the textures, movement, feel and look of different media and materials
• Respond to a range of media and materials, develop their understanding of them in order to manipulate and create different effects.
• Use different media and materials to express their own ideas
• Explore colour and use for a particular purpose
• Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately
• Select appropriate media and techniques and adapt their work where necessary

Key stage 1

Pupils are taught:

• To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
• To use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
• About the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.    

Key stage 2

Pupils are taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Pupils are taught:

• To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
• To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
• About great artists, architects and designers in history.

Curriculum Impact

The impact of our Art and Design Curriculum can be seen not only in our children’s sketch books and topic books but also through classroom displays and the school environment.

Summative assessments take place throughout the year using Kapow’s end of unit assessments and teachers record the progress and attainment against the National Curriculum expectations of attainment. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. Further information is gathered through staff and pupil voice questionnaires; highlighting strengths and achievement and any improvements, knowledge and skills that still need to be embedded.

Children in Foundation Stage are assessed within Expressive Arts and Design and their progress is tracked termly using objective tracker sheet.

Intent 

In September 2021, a complete audit of the geography curriculum was conducted. On the back of the findings from this audit, the geography curriculum has been carefully mapped out and the learning opportunities and assessment milestones for each year group crafted to ensure progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills.  From the audit we also made the decision to ensure that improving the fieldwork and mapping skills of our children was a high priority. We want our children to acquire geographical skills that they can apply to their lives, such as map reading and collecting and interpreting data.  We believe that our pupils need to be actively involved in making sense of their learning and have their views and opinions listened to. After completing pupil surveys it was found that the children of St. Bernadette’s are passionate about the environment and have real interests and concerns about climate change, we feel it is vital to ensure that we follow their interests and ensure we look at how our ever changing world is being affected by climate change within our topics where possible. We aim to have a high quality geography curriculum which should inspire a curiosity about the world in which we live and the people who live there. Our teaching of geography equips pupils with knowledge about places and people, resources in the environment, physical and human processes, formation and use of landscapes and the impact human beings have on the planet. 

Implementation 

As mapping and fieldwork skills are a high priority within our geography curriculum at St. Bernadette’s we have chosen to begin our learning journey with each year group spending time exploring mapping with a block of lessons from the Royal Geographical Association in the Autumn term before beginning any topic work. This is to ensure every year group experiences hands on, progressive, map skills that they can then use and apply throughout the rest of the year within their geography topics. It is important that children develop the skills of a geographer by fully immersing them in all areas of the subject. Our local area is fully utilised to achieve desired outcomes, with opportunities for learning outside the classroom blocked into the year to develop our fieldwork skills through first hand experiences, which enhance the children’s understanding of their own locality, for example, a study of our local biome of Elnup Woods in Year 5.  

Our Geography curriculum has been carefully mapped to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum and the skills that we want our children to acquire in each year group have been mapped out in our Geography Skills Progression document. Teachers will decide the key knowledge they want their children to learn within their topics, taking into consideration prior learning, to ensure knowledge is built on year by year and sequenced appropriately.  

Impact 

A clear progression of skills will be seen across year groups, linked to the school’s Geography Skills Progression document, within the children’s Geography books. In addition to this our children will learn practical skills that they can apply to life outside of school, through their study of mapping and fieldwork. Our children will develop a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there, through their learning of Geography. Children will understand how Geography has shaped their lives and the world today, building a broad base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary. Children at St. Bernadette’s will have a good understanding of locational knowledge and have an understanding of where places are and what they are like. As children progress through the school, they will develop knowledge of the world around them, including their local area and its place within the wider world. Additionally, we aim that our children will have the ability to form opinions, take responsibility and share an understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment. Continuing to build on their knowledge, we hope that the children will continue to be interested in the developments of our planet throughout their life. 

Intent

In September 2021, a complete audit of the Design and Technology curriculum was conducted. On the back of the findings from this audit, the Design and Technology curriculum has been carefully built to ensure progression in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. For example, the way design technology is taught at our school has been revamped and now follows a consistent structure. Initially, pupils take inspiration from existing designs to help generate ideas for design. They explore and practice the practical skills involved in the topic and then design, make, evaluate and refine their final products. This approach is taken for every design technology topic. Design and Technology is now evidenced in Design and Technology Books to enable a clear progression of skill throughout a topic. To support the development of this subject we have chosen to follow the Kapow scheme of work, supported by Projects on a Page, which are both endorsed by the Design and Technology Association. At St. Bernadette’s it is our aim to build and apply a repertoire of technical knowledge, understanding and skills (drawing on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing, art, textiles and cooking) in order to design, make and evaluate a wide variety of high-quality prototypes and products based on the principles: user, purpose, functionality, design decisions, innovation and authenticity. Through this inspiring, rigorous and practical subject, children will gain the expertise to take risks, and become resourceful, enterprising and capable citizens needed to excel in an increasingly technological world. We want our children to be able to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when designing and creating solutions to these problems. Through this we intend to show the real impact of design and technology on the wider world around us and help to inspire our children to become the next generation of innovators.

Implementation

During D&T lessons, technical skills are carefully demonstrated and modelled first, then with encouragement, scaffolds and peer-collaboration, children can subsequently explore and practice this themselves. We teach children to work collaboratively, use trial and error and then reflect on those experiences; focusing on the process of the project, as well as the finished product. Each term we have dedicated a Design and Technology Week to allow pupils to become fully immersed in the design process and see their projects through from start to finish. Throughout the year the Design and Technology curriculum may also be enriched through visits or visitors to our school to show the children how designers, engineers and inventors build and shape our world.

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. This allows for the revision of ideas to become part of good practice and ultimately helps to build a depth to children’s understanding. The children design and create products that consider function and purpose and which are relevant to a range of sectors. We do this through a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. The Design Technology National Curriculum and EYFS is planned for and covered in full within the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 school curriculum. Whilst the EYFS and National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary. We deliver Design and Technology projects with a clear structure, each key stage will undertake a construction topic, a textiles topic and cooking and nutrition topic. The promotion of a language rich Design Technology curriculum is essential to the successful acquisition of knowledge and understanding in Design Technology. The promotion and use of an accurate and rich vocabulary throughout school is planned in Design Technology. The use of basic skills such as English, Maths and ICT skills are taught during discrete lessons but are revisited in Design Technology so children can apply and embed the skills they have learnt in a purposeful context. Independent learning & working collaboratively in Design and Technology are considered vital skills. Children may well be asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in Design and Technology. They may also be asked to work as part of a team learning to help and support each other towards a challenging yet rewarding goal.

Impact

In our Design and Technology Books we will see clear progression of skills across each year group. Ultimately children at St. Bernadette’s will know more, remember more and understand more about Design and Technology. As designers, children will develop skills and attributes they are able to use beyond school and into adulthood. The learning environment across the school will be more consistent with Design and Technology technical vocabulary displayed, spoken and used by all learners and staff. The majority of children will achieve age related expectations in Design and Technology. Children will learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation and our pupils

At St  Bernadette’s, we use the Sounds-Write programme to teach phonics.

All teachers and support staff involved with the teaching of phonics have attended a 4-day training programme.

What is Sounds-Write?

FREE Sounds-Write parent courses are available online:
Part One: https://www.udemy.com/course/help-your-child-to-read-and-write/
Part Two: https://www.udemy.com/course/help-your-child-to-read-and-write-part-2/

Sounds-Write Downloads and Links for Parents