Curriculum Intent

As a Federation, we have considered all our children, their experiences, interests and needs. We have developed a broad, balanced, active curriculum model that is engaging, ambitious and develops curious, independent learners.

At the heart of our curriculum design is our Federation vision and we strive to give every child the love of learning.

Click here to view the National Curriculum

Our curriculum is delivered through cross-curricular ‘Themes’ that aim to inspire and excite children with a range of rich and memorable learning experiences. To support this, we regularly take part in educational visits and have visitors in to school to provide pupils with exciting enrichment activities and first-hand experience. Each term we run a whole school curriculum week with a specific area of focus such as: Life Skills, Faith Celebration, Sport, Health and Wellbeing or The Performing Arts.

In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, the delivery of our curriculum supports and develops our Christian and British values such as Respect, Challenge, Friendship, Democracy and Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs; so our pupils become confident and independent learners, well prepared for the 21st century.

We plan a broad, balanced and fun curriculum that emphasises the basic skills of English (reading and writing), maths and computing (using technology) which is interesting and specific to our individual children.

Click here to see our Year 1 – 6 Curriculum Long Term Plan

Click here to see our EYFS Curriculum Long Term Plan

Click here to see our Maths Long Term Plan 2022 – 23

Click here to see our English Long Term Plan 2022 – 23

Overview

The national curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by primary and secondary schools so children learn the same things. It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children should reach in each subject.

Follow this link to the Department of Education website.

Please use the links below to find out what our children will be taught.

Our Curriculum

Expand the topic for more information

British Values / SMSC

At Husthwaite CE Primary School we uphold and teach pupils about the British Values as directed under new Ofsted guidance, September 2014:

‘ensure that they and the school promote tolerance of and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), cultures and lifestyles; and support and help, through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community, to prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain’

British Values are defined as

  • democracy
  • rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • mutual respect
  • tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

We aim to actively promote British Values through our daily assemblies and whole school systems and structures, such as electing and running a School Council. We also promote the British values through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes opportunities for exploring these values.

Democracy

Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at our school. Democracy is central to how we operate.

Rule of law

The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those govern the class, the school or the country are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days.

Individual Liberty

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our school, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we provide opportunities for our children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe and planned curriculum.

Mutual Respect

At Husthwaite we show respect to each other regardless of any differences. Different cultural events take place throughout the school year encouraging children to learn about and show respect for different cultures.

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

At Husthwaite we aim to enhance pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society through a range of experiences.

Click here to see our merit cards which show how we are ‘Valuing Ourselves’ this year by demonstrating our School Values and British Values.

 

SPIRITUAL, MORAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL

What is SMSC?

SMSC is about developing the whole person. This is reflected in our teaching to not only develop children academically but also their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Children will be given opportunities to discover their own identity, developing their enquiring skills to learn about themselves, the world in which they live and to form life skills and coping strategies to face challenges that lie ahead. As a church school, we have our own Christian values which permeate school life and are reflected in the ethos of the school.

There are a variety of ways which we help our children with their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development which relate to our Christian values that interlink with the teaching of the British Values. A broad range of SMSC provision is offered at Husthwaite Church of England Primary School and Nursery delivered through extra-curricular activities and stimulating teaching and learning opportunities.

The creative curriculum offered at Husthwaite allows children to progress in their understanding and engagement of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Our close links with the Church and local community help us to embed some of the key principles that pervade the Christian ethos which we are proud to endorse in our teaching and learning.

Spiritual

  • The exploration of other beliefs and values allow children to appreciate other people’s faiths and religions.
  • Opportunities are given for children to understand the effects that emotions have on others and how they can make people feel.
  • Reflection areas in the classroom allow children time to think and reflect on themselves, others and the surrounding world.
  • Collective Worship is integral to daily life at Husthwaite.

Moral

  • The embedding of our Christian Values and ethos help to set a clear moral code that is consistent throughout school
  • The school’s behaviour policy encourages children to take responsibility for their own actions and understand the consequences of their actions.
  • Children are taught to understand the difference between right and wrong and to respect the feelings of others

Social

  • Children are taught to respect the inclusive values and to accept everyone for as they are irrespective of irrespective of ethnic origin, nationality, gender, ability, sexual orientation and religion.
  • Collective worship focuses on Christian Values which are delivered through personal qualities for example, friendship, respect, responsibility.
  • Opportunities to understand, discuss and debate social issues are given to children.
  • The school’s growth mind-set philosophy encourages pupils to work together, help each other and teaches resilience and teamwork skills.
  • Outdoor learning allows children to develop a sense of being, learn collaboratively and a respect for their peers and their environment
  • Participation in the Archbishop Youth Leaders Award enables children to experience the empowerment of helping the community through a volunteering role

Cultural

  • Children are able to explore and understand their own culture, value and beliefs.
  • A range of different cultural events take place allowing children to experience and respect other cultures.
  • Whole school topics allow children the opportunity to explore and understand a range of different and diverse cultures
  • Opportunities to participate in inter-school sports and extra-curricular activities as well as school visits, allows children to have experiences outside of their own cultural context.

Our SMSC provision is embedded in our PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Communication, Emotional) planning

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The curriculum is divided into 7 areas of development.  There are 3 PRIME areas and 4 specific areas.

PRIME AREAS:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Through this area, we aim to develop children’s social, moral, cultural, emotional and spiritual skills.

Communication and Language

This area is concerned with developing speaking, listening, and understanding skills.

Physical Development

Through this area, children develop their fine and gross motor skills.

SPECIFIC AREAS:

Maths

Mathematical development addresses problem solving, working with numbers, shape, space and measure, money and some simple data handling.

Literacy

Literacy development focuses on the early development of reading and writing skills.

Understanding of the World

This area covers science, history, geography, design and information, communication technology.

Expressive Arts and Design

Creative development is concerned with art, music, dance, designing and constructing.

English

Phonics in EYFS & KS1  

At the Husthwaite and Sessay Primary Federation, discreet phonics sessions are taught daily and this term we are implementing the ‘Little Wandle’ systematic, synthetic phonics programme. In Year 2 and into KS2 the children move towards learning spellings and spelling patterns through the ‘No Nonsense’ spelling programme.  

To support early reading development, we support our phonics programme with a range of early reading books. These reading books are phonetically decodable and allow children to practise the skills for early reading. Children have regular, discrete reading sessions in school and opportunities to take phonetic reading books home on a daily basis are promoted within school.  

Learning to read fluently is a fundamental part of a child’s education in order to confidently access all areas of learning and prepare them for the next stage in their life.  

We are a ‘Reading Federation’. Reading is given high status at the Husthwaite and Sessay Primary Federation and is at the heart of everything that we do. We aim to teach the children the skills to enable them to read well but also aim to instil in them a love of reading and a passion for exploring a range of books. Both schools actively use their school libraries and all children also have a library book they take between school and home. 

KS1 and KS2 share and read whole-class texts (fiction and non-fiction) that are linked to our curriculum themes that not only promote a love and engagement in reading but the design of our reading curriculum means that pupils are immersed in the necessary vocabulary and grammar before they even begin to write.  This is reinforced by discrete reading sessions in class.  

Writing

Shared and modelled writing takes place within English and also topic lessons for cross-curricular writing. This allows the teacher to demonstrate high expectations and covers the success criteria they would expect to see in children’s writing. Children are given extended opportunities to write frequently in a range of forms and the curriculum is designed to provide real purpose experiences to promote cross-curricular writing.  

Within the English curriculum, children have regular dedicated time to be taught spelling, punctuation and grammar rules (SPAG). As well as regular handwriting sessions, which enhance children’s ability to produce ‘published’ pieces of writing. 

For more information about the teaching and learning of English, please contact our English Leader, Miss Goodchild (Husthwaite) / Mrs Watson (Sessay), via the school office. 

     Useful Link for Parents

     https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

Click here to view the English Long Term Plan

Maths

At the Husthwaite and Sessay Primary Federation we believe a high-quality Mathematics education not only develops fluency but gives opportunities for reasoning and problem solving. We aspire for all children to reach the expected level for their year group, providing children with additional high-quality interventions to maintain this, if required.

Maths is taught at the Husthwaite and Sessay Primary Federation using the ‘Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract’ (CPA) approach.

CONCRETE:

Pupils have the opportunity to handle physical objects to help them understand what they are doing – the ‘doing’ stage.

PICTORIAL:

Pupils will then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations. These can then be used to reason and solve problems, through looking at and drawing pictures to represent the problem – the ‘seeing’ stage.

ABSTRACT:

With the foundations firmly laid, pupils should be able to move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence. For examples of this approach please see our calculations policy – the ‘symbolic’ stage.

For more information about the teaching and learning of Maths, please contact our Maths Leaders, Mr Chapman (Husthwaite) / Mrs Sowray (Sessay), via the School Office. 

     Useful Links for Parents

     Please find below helpful website links that can support Maths learning at home:

     Times Tables https://www.ttrockstars.com/

Click here to view the Maths Long Term Plan

Science

Science is covered through two discrete lessons each week with learning reinforced through cross-curricular activities at every opportunity.

In line with the National Curriculum, pupils will be taught to ‘work scientifically’ and given opportunities to do so through each topic.

We aim to ensure that all pupils:

  • develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
  • develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of scientific enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
  • are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
  • are encouraged to take the lead in planning their own investigations.
  • To support the well-structured and progressive curriculum, the school makes use of a range of engaging resources such as those provided by Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

We are committed to outdoor learning and offer a range of practical, outdoor learning experiences including lessons at our Forest Schools.

For more information about the teaching and learning of Science, please contact our Science Leader, Mrs Bennison, via the School Office. 

Useful Links for Parents

Please find below helpful website links that can support Science learning at home:

KS1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6svr82

KS2 http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2science.html

Collective Worship

Our daily assemblies include an act of Collective Worship. On Fridays we have a sharing assembly when children’s work and achievements are celebrated.  We visit church on a number of occasions throughout the year, for example Christmas, Education Sunday and at Easter time. We invite the whole school community to join us in Community Services for Harvest, Easter, Summer and Leavers’ Assembly. The local vicar is usually involved in delivering a short message as  part of these services.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education and the Collective Act of Worship.  Please contact the Head Teacher if you wish to discuss this option.

This half term our Christian Value is ‘Trust’.

Foundation Subjects/Topic

The foundation subjects, topic – History, Geography, Computing, Design and Technology, Art and Design, Music, Performing Arts and MFL (French) are integrated into our curriculum through half termly themes that aim to inspire and excite children with a range of rich and memorable learning experiences. 

Through the foundation subjects we aim to provide children with rich learning opportunities to develop practical skills, acquire knowledge and develop questioning to encourage curiosity through learning. Our practical, real purpose approach also develops engagement in cross-curricular writing. A high focus is placed on using quality enrichment and partnerships in school to support the teaching and learning of foundation subjects. A range of Educational Visits and Visitors enrich the children’s learning. 

Our children regularly use a range of technology such as ipads and laptops which develops key technology skills and promotes independent research. We are also proud to offer our pupils specialist teaching in Physical Education and Forest School by expert teachers in their field. We work alongside North Yorkshire Music Service who offer individual and group music lessons for children in school. Performing Arts is an integral part of the curriculum: we have our very own school choir and the children are also given opportunities to showcase at key events such as Young Voices. 

Religious Education

At the Husthwaite and Sessay CE Federation, Religious Education has an important and central place within our curriculum. We teach the statutory, North Yorkshire Religious Education syllabus that prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in modern Britain. As well as the study of Christianity as a livng and diverse faith, the programme also includes learning about a range of religions and worldviews, fostering respect for others. Concepts and values are explored both through discrete RE lessons and Faith Days and Curriculum Enrichment Weeks.

Through our RE curriculum and based on the strands of Believing, Expressing and Living, we aim to help children to:

  • Know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews.
  • Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews.
  • Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews.

In order to make RE a lively, active subject, we employ a variety of teaching methods including art; music; discussion; the development of thinking skills; drama; the use of artefacts, pictures, stories; the use of periods of stillness and reflection.

We want our pupils to have opportunities to encounter local faith communities through visitors and visits to local places of worship or enrichment.

For more information about the teaching and learning of RE, please contact our RE Leaders, Mr Chapman (Husthwaite) / Mrs Sowray (Sessay), via the School Office. 

Useful Links for Parents

Please find below helpful website links that can support RE learning at home:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/re.shtml

PE & Sport

PE and Sport is central to our school curriculum, which includes outdoor games; indoor activities and educating children about healthy lifestyles and fitness. The children receive specialist teaching for some areas of PE. Both the PE / Sport’s curriculum and Extra-Curricular Sports Programme at the Husthwaite and Sessay Federation develops children’s knowledge and skills through a wide range of sports and activities. We are active members of the local sports cluster and our children and school teams participate regularly in cluster events and tournaments.

Our aims are:

  • To raise the profile of PE and Sport across the school.
  • To engage all pupils in regular physical activity.
  • To develop lifelong participation in healthy, active lifestyles.
  • To enhance participation in competitive sport.
  • To increase confidence, knowledge and skills of staff in teaching PE and Sport.

Useful Links for Parents

Please find below helpful website links that can support PE learning at home:

https://www.gonoodle.com/

See more PE information here