Whole School Curriculum
Our Knowledge Rich Curriculum at St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary School
Our whole school curriculum is underpinned by our school mission statement:
'We will prepare the way by loving, living and learning with the Lord'
In 'loving' we learn how to be servants of Christ. We learn about our beautiful planet and how to love and care for it. We learn about other cultures and how to be respectful of diversity so that we can be successful global citizens.
In 'living' we encourage ambition and aspiration and support our children by selecting the most appropriate strategies and resources to impart knowledge and help our children to know more and remember more.
In 'Learning' we have designed an engaging curriculum with fascinating and relevant content which aims to 'prepare' our children for happy, successful and healthy lives; making the very most of the gifts that God has bestowed upon them.
Intent
At St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School we want to ensure that our curriculum is not only tailored to our pupils’ interests and needs but also ensures they are ready for life in the wider world. We believe in subject based lessons where pupils can articulate and have a passion for subject based learning.
We have recently reviewed our curriculum and are currently implementing the Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC) to ensure that our provision for Science, History, Geography and Art is a ‘carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum which aims to inspire pupils, promote excellent outcomes for all and overcome inequality of opportunity.’
'We are a subject discipline school so pupils develop a love of subjects and can dream of becoming an Historian, Artist or Ecologist and have the knowledge and skills to succeed.'
What is a Knowledge-Rich Curriculum?
A knowledge-rich curriculum at St John the Baptist;
- places powerful knowledge at the heart of the curriculum
- has carefully chosen content
- is organised in a coherent way, ensuring it builds from year to year
- is cumulative, constructing firm foundations from which children can build conceptual understanding and skills over time
- is an entitlement for every child; regardless of background or ability
- is coherent and ensures that teaching does not jump from topic to topic, but enables children to develop knowledge, foster curiosity and ignite a love of learning
We have focused our curriculum on what content should be taught, in what order, whilst reflecting upon what children remember and how they remember it. This allows children to make meaningful connections and gain an understanding of how our world is connected. The Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC) has been developed in line with current thinking on how children learn. Importantly, findings from cognitive science are beginning to influence practice in the classroom. We believe, through rigorous research, that a large majority of our children are more susceptible to cognitive overload due to home circumstances beyond their control, such as being required to act as young carers or witnessing stressful situations. Arriving to school under stress or feeling worried can impact negatively on learning.
Every day at St John’s begins in a calm, purposeful manner and breakfast is provided for every child, to ensure their readiness to learn.
An essential element of a knowledge curriculum is the development of a broad and rich vocabulary, and the ambitious and explicit teaching of this. The vocabulary content of the Primary Knowledge Curriculum has been planned with the purpose of addressing the ‘word gap’ for children who enter school with a limited vocabulary.
Implementation
Senior leaders have conducted significant research to find the best possible curriculum offer for our children. Our phonics programme ‘Sounds-Write’ influences the teaching of reading and spelling, throughout school. Reading, English and Mathematics (Power Maths) are taught and enjoyed daily. RE, Catholic Life and Collective Worship weave throughout our curriculum supporting our children’s faith development and social and moral awareness. RSE is delivered through the Ten Ten ‘Life to the Full’ programme.
The PKC offers detailed knowledge based planning and resources ensuring that teachers are well equipped to deliver a high quality curriculum. Subject audits and staff meeting time are used to identify and support strengths and areas for development in our curriculum delivery.
Science, History, Geography, Art, Design & Technology, PE, Computing, Spanish (MFL) and Personal, Social, Health & Education (PSHE) are also taught discretely throughout the week.
Consideration for SEND Learners:
To comply with the Equality Act 2010 and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Regulations 2014, we ensure high quality inclusive teaching, planning and provision to promote pupil resilience and independence
- We ensure that all learners have access to the same academic and vocational opportunities by offering a broad, stimulating and ambitious curriculum, adjusted to the needs of pupils with SEND, so that they are able to reach their full potential
- Our curriculum will ensure that all pupils gain a greater understanding of how they learn and the skills of resilience, collaboration, participation, investigation, thinking, creativity, motivation and reflection
- We regularly monitor the progress of pupils with SEND. We nurture and support children with SEND to be independent learners
- We aim to provide high quality pastoral care, to enable pupils to develop into resilient adults with good mental health
Impact
Aims of such an education for our pupils;
- to be knowledgeable about content and the world around them
- to recognise the connection between significant events and people and how they have influenced the modern world
- to transform their minds so that they are able to make reasonable and informed judgements
- to offer equality of opportunity for all learners
- to ensure they can engage fruitfully in conversation and debate
- to develop confidence that comes from possessing a store of essential knowledge and the skills
- to have a sub-set of knowledge and the accompanying vocabulary that will maximize chances of leading rich and fulfilling lives
- to recognise their own role in becoming a responsible global citizen
If you would like to find our more about our school curriculum, please explore the following links: