Our Curriculum
Our broad and balanced curriculum is designed to inspire pupils to become literate and numerate by developing their individual interests whilst increasing their experiences and understanding of the world. We are committed to providing a safe environment where every child has the opportunity to develop their beliefs and aspirations whilst discovering talent within themselves . Our Christian ethos and strong community spirit enables every pupil to develop their sense of belonging and become life-long learners. The curriculum develops children’s behaviours and attitudes in readiness to go into the world as responsible, well-rounded individuals who achieve success and make positive contributions to society.
Our class curriculum overviews for 2021/22 can be viewed below.
| Class 1 – YR/1 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Topic/theme | Space explorers | Light and Dark | Knights, princesses and dragons! | Animators studio | Timehoppers | If we go down to the woods today! |
| Communication and language | Circle Time
Playing together Likes and dislikes Rhymes and story bag Following instructions |
Circle Time
Playing together Friendships Rhymes/stories Listening to music link with pictures |
Circle time
Sharing stories with other year groups |
Circle Time
Show and Share Sharing ideas and projects with the class |
Retelling stories
Following instructions Rhymes and chants |
Listening attentively
Creating stories and rhymes Speaking confidently and clearly to others |
| Physical Development | Movement songs
Being healthy Bikes – pushing, pedalling Finger gym and dough disco Year One
Music and Movement |
Dance and movement.
Go Noodle and Cosmic Kids Yoga Finger gym and dough disco Year One Parachute games Dance |
Outside equipment – control of movement.
Basic equipment in PE Finger gym and dough disco Year One
Gymnastics Apparatus |
Hopping, jumping and moving freely
Team games Finger gym and dough disco Year One Ball skills |
Digging
Sandcastles Water play Handling tools PE – Parachute games Finger gym and dough disco Year One Ball skills Games |
Ball skills
Bikes – Gross Motor Finger gym and dough disco Year One
Team Games Cricket |
| Personal, Social and Emotional Development
(PSHE Year One) |
Learning rules and expectations of our new class.
Turn taking. Interaction. Making positive relationships. Managing feelings. |
Managing feelings.
Sharing with friends. Turn taking. What does a good friend look like? Healthy eating |
Trying new things and building confidence
Promoting independence Managing feelings |
Show care for living things
Promoting independence Working together Helping Self-care routines |
Promoting independence
Being a kind friend Circle time |
New beginnings, moving on
Managing feelings when things are changing |
| Literacy | Book focus – Toys in space
Beegu Phonics Year One Constructing a sentence orally and written |
Book focus – The light in the night
Mog in the dark Phonics
Year One Instructions Letters and postcards |
Book focus – Small knight and George and the royal chocolate cake.
Phonics
Year One Recount Instructions Leaflets |
Book focus – Comic focus
Phonics
Year One Fact files Recount |
Book focus – TBC
Phonics
Year One Persuasive Writing Recount |
Book focus –
Whatever next Little Red Riding Hood Phonics
Year One Brochure |
| Maths | Number 1-10
Recognition. Reliably counting 1:1 correspondence Number songs. Subitising Year One Number system More and less Problem Solving:- using and applying Calculation |
Number 1-10 counting and recognition
Addition Number songs Shape – 2D 1 more than Year One Number system Problem Solving:- using and applying Calculation |
Number bonds to 10
Numbers to 10 ordering Addition and subtraction Shape 2D/3D properties Year One Number system Problem Solving:- using and applying Calculation Geometry Shape and Position |
Numbers to 20 – recognition/ordering
Shape and size – biggest smallest, longest shortest Comparison Estimation Year One Number system Problem Solving:- using and applying Calculation Geometry Shape and Position Data Handling – Statistics Measurement |
Numbers to 20 – place value
1 more/less Capacity Distance Year One Number system Problem Solving:- using and applying Calculation Data Handling – Statistics Measurement Money |
Positional language
Money Time Numbers to 20 – place value 1 more/less Year One Number system Problem Solving:- using and applying Calculation Geometry Shape and Position Data Handling – Statistics Measurement Money |
| Understanding of the World
(Science, ICT, RE, History, Geography)) |
Local walks.
Familiar faces. Harvest. Year One
Science – Planets, Astronomy, rocket fuel ICT – E-safety Geography – Our Locality History – Significant British person |
Diwali
Fireworks The Christmas Story Year One
Science – Seasons, weather, day and night, Shadows RE – Christmas Story Diwali |
Chinese New Year
Tales from around the world – tradition ICT – Colour Magic Year One
Science – Materials ICT – Creating media History – changes in our time |
Easter Story
Old Testament ICT – Coding Year One
RE Buddhism Science -Food ICT-Data collection Coding |
ICT – Stopmotion
Year One
Science – habitats Living things and plants RE Special ways of living ICT – Media Stop motion |
Places of interest/comparison of
Animal classification Habitats
Year One Science – Materials ICT -media Geography – places of interest |
| Expressive Arts and Design
(Music, Drama, Art, DT) |
Exploring instruments
Role play Mud kitchen Year One Art Portraits |
Making Diya Lamps
Firework art Year One
DT – levers, cross stitch Music – live music Baking |
Colour mixing/materials
Year One Art – European artists and craft makers |
Junk modelling
Role play Year One Music Pulse and rhythm |
Clay
Role play Junk modelling Year One
DT – Making a bird feeder Art Designers |
Exploring rhythm
Instruments Role play Year One
Music – composing for a purpose DT – Sewing and cross stitch |
| Christian Value | Responsibility | Friendly | Persevering | Truthful | Courageous | Creative |
| Key dates (visits/visitors) | Local walk
Safety Week Church visit |
Stargazing evening
Nativity |
TBC | Parents afternoon to watch our animations | Army speaker | Gruffalo trail/Stickman trail |
| Class 2 -Y2/3 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | ||
| Topic/theme | ‘Flotsam’ | Wild Thing! | Ancient Agents. | Orion and the dark. | Invade and conquer! | |||
| English | Spelling
Handwriting (formation) SPaG |
SPaG
Tenses Fact files |
Letter writing
Persuasive writing. |
Poetry
Non-chronological report |
Newspaper
Speech |
Narrative.
Recount |
||
| Maths | Number.
Calculation. Using and applying. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Geometry – Shape, position and direction. Measurement. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurements Statistics/Data Handling. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
||
| Science | Fossils/ rocks
Plants |
Living things.
Food chains Habitats |
Skeletons (humans and animals)
Protection |
Muscles and support. | Light and dark Forces | Grouping and changing materials. | ||
| ICT | Type.
Stay safe and find information. E-Safety. |
Graphics
emailing |
Sort data and create spreadsheet | Create media – develop, organise & present learning. | ||||
| RE | What do Christians believe about God?
Compare to Buddhism |
Can kindness / love change the world? | What can we learn from seeing different ways of expressing the same celebration? | Why is light and important symbol for many religious believers? | Is seeing believing?
Pilgrimage in different religions / miracles. |
What difference to daily life does
being a Muslim make? |
||
| History | Victorians
Changes over time (clothes, houses) Rich and poor |
Stone age to the Iron age.
Changes, artefacts, and photographs (collecting evidence). |
Local History
Significant British Person The Romans |
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| Geography | Places in the U.K & Europe
Coastlines (seaside towns). |
Non-European place. | Our local environment | |||||
| Art | European artist
Craft Makers Post Card art |
Ancient Sculpture
British Art and Design |
British designer | |||||
| DT | Make a cold healthy snack
Make a kite/deckchair |
Make cake | Cogs/Pneumatics | Make an animal feeder | Sewing & Cutting
Make Kite |
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|
P.E |
Gym
Badminton |
Dance
Hockey |
Games – Rounders
Athletics |
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| Music | Ukuleles
Topic related songs. Comment on a piece of unfamiliar music. |
Singing and listen to live music.
Learn a tuned percussion. |
Recording and composing music. | |||||
|
MFL
|
Numbers/Vowels
General greetings/sayings Post cards |
Instructions
To recognise and respond Animals Rhymes/songs |
Fruit & food
Days of the week adjectives Poems |
Verbs
Classroom equipment Stories Description of people and places |
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|
PSHCE |
Balanced diet.
Healthy living. |
Staying safe.
Family and friends. |
Being responsible.
How to keep information safe (sharing information). |
Belonging to a community.
New experiences and aspirations. |
||||
| Christian Value | Responsibility | Friendly | Persevering | Truthful | Courageous | Creative | ||
| Key dates (Potential
visits/visitors) |
Mersea Beach
Seaside day at school. Harvest |
Enterprise
Anti-bullying week. Nativity |
Barleylands
History day |
World book week.
Easter service History day. |
Colchester Castle | Sports Day
Music/Celebration Day. |
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| Class 3 – Y3/4 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Topic/theme | Flotsam | Creatures of the Deep | What was it like to be a Stone Age person? | Horrible History | When in Rome | Do as the Romans Do (Unless you’re Boudicca) |
| English | Sentence accuracy, spelling and editing | Information Texts/ Fact Files | Persuasive Writing (Why choose iron over stone?) | Poetry & Explanation Texts | Newspaper Reports | Historical Stories & Recounts |
| Maths | Calculation Focus | Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
Number.
Calculation. Using and applying problem solving. Measurement. Statistics/Data Handling. Money. |
| Science | Rocks and Fossils | Classifying Animals & Food Chains | The skeleton (human & animal) | Muscles and movement | Light and Shadow | Classifying substances |
| ICT | Collecting Data | Typing and Presenting information | Research – Searching safely on the internet | Typing and Presenting Information | Basic Programming | Loading and retrieving files |
| RE | What do Christians believe about God?
Compare to Buddhism |
Can kindness / love change the world? | What can we learn from seeing different ways of expressing the same celebration? | Why is light and important symbol for many religious believers? | Is seeing believing?
Pilgrimage in different religions / miracles. |
What difference to daily life does
being a Muslim make? |
| PE | Gymnastics & Badminton | Dance & Badminton | Gymnastics & Hockey | Dance & Hockey | Gymnastics & Athletics | Dance and Rounders |
| History | The seaside from Victorian times to now | Stone Age to Iron Age | The Roman Empire and Boudicca | |||
| Geography | British geographical knowledge – Coastal towns | Coastlines and erosion | Geographical knowledge of the UK and Europe | Volcanoes & Eruptions
Geographical knowledge of the World |
||
| Art | Landscapes – Postcards and Railway posters | Printing | British Art and Design | European Artists & Sculpture | ||
| DT | Making a model deck chair | Making a kite | Researching and creating a product to sell | Creating something with pneumatics (volcano) | ||
| Music | Ukuleles | Singing (Including singing in rounds) | Playing tuned percussion | Listening to and appraising music | Combining sounds and recording music | |
|
MFL
|
Numbers/Vowels
General greetings/sayings Post cards |
Instructions
To recognise and respond Animals Rhymes/songs |
Fruit & food
Days of the week adjectives Poems |
Verbs
Classroom equipment Stories Description of people and places |
||
| PSHCE | A balanced diet and healthy living | Healthy Relationships | Your responsibilities in society | Keeping safe – confidentiality and sharing information | Having respect for yourself and others | Having aspirations for the future |
| Christian Value | Responsibility | Friendly | Persevering | Truthful | Courageous | Creative |
| Key dates (visits/visitors) | Mersea beach
Seaside day at school |
Enterprise Week
Anti-Bullying Week |
Barleylands | World Book Week | Colchester Castle | Sports Day
Music/ Celebration Day |
| Class 4 – Y5/6 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Topic/theme | The Normans
YR 5/6 Expectations |
Oceans and Shipping | Dark Skies
Space and Winter |
Springwatch | Around Europe, a country a week | Nomadic cultures |
| English | Handwriting
Spelling SPaG Vocabulary Slow writing |
Sentence structure and types
Tenses Narrative writing |
Non-chronological reports and instructional texts
Dramatic and poetic writing |
Reading comprehension
Uplevel written work SPaG |
Writing in a different voice
Description and colour in language |
Analysing texts and writing accurate summaries
Handwriting |
| Maths | Place value
Times tables 4 operations Presentation Fractions |
Shape, volume and capacity
Estimation and proportion Percentages and averages |
Charts, graphs, diagrams, nets, co-ordinates and conversions
BIDMAS Fractions |
Formal method, mental calculation
Strategies Applying skills Fractions |
Planning with timetables
Ordering fractions, decimal and percentages |
Multistep problems
Becoming secure in this years learning before transition |
| Science | States of Matter
Fair testing Potential energy |
Flotation
Circulatory systems in flora and fauna |
Telescope investigations
Reproduction in plants and animals |
Food and health
New life |
Observation and scientific recording | Waterproof and fire resistant materials
Levers and pulleys |
| ICT | Recording and reporting data
Internet safety |
Data sorting and spread sheets | Coding | Researching subjects accurately and safely | Create text and images to a high standard
Online safety |
Record and edit audio and visual work
Online safety |
| RE | Christian understanding of suffering in the World
Science and creation |
What is a “Good Life”
Can something always be right or wrong? |
How has Christianity affected art and music?
What is a global religion? |
The importance or light in various religions
Different interpretations |
The Great Philosophers
Is it reasonable to believe in God? |
What makes a religion a religion
Changes in Judaism over time |
| PE | Athletics / Quidditch / Hockey | Athletics / Quidditch / Dance | Swimming / Hockey / Benchball | Quidditch / Hockey / Benchball | Athletics | Athletics |
| History | Understanding timelines
The Normans |
Boats through the ages | Astronomy takes over from astrology | Changes on UK land use from Medieval to Modern times | The changing nations and Empires of Europe | The Ascent of Mankind |
| Geography | Europe’s countries and features | Tides
Trade routes, land, sea and air |
Where to site an observatory ( or School of Magic )
Light pollution and elevation |
Types of terrain and climate in the UK | Mapping the seabed | Africa |
| Art | Art using other media – embroidery, collage etc | Art of the Sea | Photographic art | Landscapes and Cityscapes | Flags, banners and emblems | Naïve art and cave painting |
| DT | Embroidery
Rubber band motors |
Build a boat – various | Make a telescope, periscope or box camera | Make sundial or a water clock | Make a model airplane that flies, the bigger the better | Making tents and bivvies |
| Music | Music at home in the past | Sea shanties | Ukulele | Music and nature | National anthems | Group singing |
| PSHCE | Looking after ourselves and others | Managing friendships and conflicts | Growing up – letters to parents | Food and health | Dealing with other people’s expectations | Transition |
| Christian Value | Responsibility | Friendly | Persevering | Truthful | Courageous | Creative |
| Key dates (visits/visitors) | Museum visit Colchester Castle | Maldon Barges- visit or visitor | Visit from astronomer | Visit Abberton Nature Reserve | Medical professional to visit | Actor to visit – workshop |