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Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Curriculum

Curriculum Statement

At Holy Family Catholic Primary School, our curriculum is designed to build on the foundations laid in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as pupils progress through each key stage. Subjects are taught discretely, ensuring that each area of learning is developed thoroughly and cohesively.

Guided by our mission, "Always our best for God, each other, and ourselves," we instil values of love, compassion, trust, and self-belief. These principles foster a sense of belonging and curiosity, empowering pupils to become active agents of positive change in society.

Our 'Building the Kingdom' curriculum aligns with Catholic Social Teaching and promotes spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. By exploring significant questions of purpose and meaning throughout the Liturgical year, we prepare pupils to be thoughtful leaders who understand their ability to impact the world positively.

We are committed to providing a broad, balanced, and rich curriculum that includes diverse learning experiences. This approach equips pupils with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary for secondary education and beyond.

Principles for Learning and Teaching

  • Every pupil is valued as an individual and encouraged to achieve their best
  • Pupils are supported in becoming independent, enthusiastic, and self-motivated learners
  • Opportunities for reflection and recognition of different learning styles are integral to our teaching
  • Creativity and problem-solving are encouraged, ensuring pupils enjoy their learning experience
  • Spiritual and moral development is nurtured, fostering a sense of community

Curriculum Intent

As a Catholic school, we prioritise excellence and prepare pupils as global citizens for the 21st century. High levels of literacy and numeracy are essential, alongside a robust Religious Education programme that adheres to the new Religious Education Directory. We collaborate with parents as primary educators of faith and focus on charitable service to enrich our community connections.

Recognising our diverse school population, including a significant number of pupils for whom English is an additional language, we ensure that all children understand their role in the wider world. Our curriculum promotes British values and awareness of rights and responsibilities as UK citizens.

Wellbeing is central to our curriculum. Pupils demonstrate outstanding spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, engaging deeply with ethical issues and personal values. We provide essential support for emotional development, ensuring that all pupils can access the curriculum effectively. We have a qualified Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) and an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) as part of our team to support wellbeing across the school.

Through metacognitive strategies, we encourage pupils to reflect on their learning processes, fostering deeper understanding and self-awareness as they navigate their educational journey.

This approach encapsulates our commitment to nurturing well-rounded, capable individuals ready to make a meaningful contribution to society, as noted in our most recent Ofsted inspection: 'The curriculum helps pupils become well-rounded young people who have the skills to make a difference to the world as they grow older.'

At the centre of our curriculum is Catholic Social Teaching. This set of values inspire our children to make a difference in the world, regardless of their faith or beliefs:

The dignity of the human person:

God loves us. God loves everyone. We are all different. We are all unique. We are equally loved. People matter more than possessions. We have all got different gifts and talents.

Family and community:

Family at home and family at school. We look after each other. We learn to walk, talk, love, forgive, share, belong. We are all needed in our families and our communities. There are different communities. There are different ways to belong. We all have rights and responsibilities to our families and communities. We are all helping to create God’s kingdom.

Solidarity and the Common Good:

We play together. We help each other.  We bring peace to each other.  We learn together. We celebrate together.  We are grateful for each other.  We listen to each other.  We walk alongside each other in times of peace and of challenge.

Rights and Responsibilities:

God wants everyone to be happy.  We have all we need for everyone’s happiness. We need to share fairly with everyone.  We need to make the right choices and help others to make the right choices.  We need to recognise the right of everyone to happiness.  With rights come responsibilities.  We need to take responsibility to ensure other’s happiness.  We need to share and give.

The option for the poor and vulnerable:

We play together.  We share together.  We learn together.  We use our gifts to help others.  We need to recognise inequalities.  We need to explore fairness and justice.  We need to recognise who needs our help and how can we help them.

The dignity of work:

The gifts we have been given are invaluable and are needed to continue God’s work.  We need to work together for each other, in school, at home, in life.  We need to work hard to be the best we can be for others.  We need to recognise equality: working together, sharing gifts, enabling others, ensuring all achieve and are able to use their gifts to support the community/the world.

Stewardship:

We discover God’s beautiful world; caring and helping it to grow.  We are thankful and celebrate the harvest.  We learn about interdependence; how we can make good choices and be good gardeners; how we need the air and plants and animals.  Everything is interconnected.  We learn about the consequences of unequal distribution of resources and poor choices.  We understand what being good stewards entails.  We see God in all creation.

The Curriculum: Implementation

The school is currently organised into 7 classes.  The time spent teaching across the week is 25.7 hours.

The school curriculum overview for each year group is on the website.

Reception: St Mary

Year 1: St Joseph

Year 2: St Francis of Assisi

Year 3: St Bernadette

Year 4: St Teresa of Calcutta

Year 5: St Josephine of Bakhita

Year 6: St Oscar Romero

A broad and balanced curriculum is provided at Holy Family, enriched with memorable learning experiences which are beyond the National Curriculum. The quality of education provided at Holy Family is consistently good or above with aspirations to be outstanding. High-quality learning opportunities result in outstanding educational experiences leading to exceptional levels of progress and high pupil engagement in learning. Pupils are taught in such a way that they are enthused with their learning and have a desire to become independent learners and achieve their best. Staff benefit from continuous collaboration, quality CPD and dialogue about pedagogy which impacts directly on the quality of their teaching.

Early reading/phonics

A Holy Family early reader can use their knowledge of letters and sounds, blending and segmenting to become fluent readers and confident writers. They can apply their phonics knowledge across the curriculum to read unknown words, which enables them to become passionate lifelong readers.

Reading

A Holy Family reader can read accurately, fluently and with understanding. They can read a wide range of different text types, written by different authors with expression and confidence, whilst developing a good linguistic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. They will develop a lifelong love of reading by considering a range of issues and deeper meanings in texts.

Writing

A Holy Family writer can form, articulate and communicate ideas and organise them coherently for a reader, showing an awareness of the audience, purpose and context, with an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.  They can write imaginatively and independently across the curriculum. They will develop a genuine love of language through a text-based approach, resulting in purposeful pieces of writing.

Maths

A Holy Family mathematician has a deep and secure understanding of all mathematical concepts. They will be able to apply this understanding through fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. These skills will enable them to be the problem solvers of the future.

RE

A Holy Family theologian can articulate what it means to belong to the family of God, understands the responsibility of discipleship and constantly seeks to encounter with God. Through Building the Kingdom, they will be inspired to be the leaders of tomorrow such as those which we study in class.

Science

A Holy Family scientist can investigate and question the world around them; conducting experiments and recording their findings using appropriate scientific vocabulary. They will develop an awe and wonder about the world they live in which encourages them to question and explore.

PE

A Holy Family athlete can work successfully as part of a team using skills from a variety of different sports and activities both competitively and not. They can consistently perform sequences of dancing and gymnastics showing an awareness of their and others safety and they are able to enter the water and swim at an age appropriate level. They are aware of what it takes to be a good sportsperson and can apply this. They are also aware of the different ways that they can keep themselves healthy through diet and exercise.

History

A Holy Family historian can talk about and compare historical people and events that occurred in Britain and the wider world in chronological order, how these people and events had an impact in the past an in the present day and how they themselves can make positive changes to their own and others’ lives.

Geography

A Holy Family geographer can investigate geographical and human features of their local and wider environments around the world. They can read maps and identify key features. They can also identify the ways in which we have an impact on the world and its future.

PSHE

A Holy Family citizen has respect for their own unique character and for others. They have the confidence to challenge unfairness and promote positive change. They have the knowledge, skills and understanding to lead a confident, healthy and independent life; upholding British values and respecting other cultures from around the world.

Computing

A Holy Family technician can stay safe and use the internet positively. They will be able to think logically and in a structured way like a computer programmer. This will enable them to apply their understanding to confidently use this information technology in real life solutions.

Art

A Holy Family artist is creative and confident to express themselves in artistic ways. They take inspiration from existing artists and value the impact of art within their own life. They explore new ideas and techniques and create their own artwork, feeling a strong sense of achievement and reaching their full potential.

DT

Holy Family engineer can generate and develop ideas in order to create a purposeful and functional product that meets a particular design criteria.  Developing these skills of creativity, innovation and evaluation will enable them to solve real life design problems and become the inventors of the future.

Music

A Holy Family musician enjoys performing solo or as a group, both singing and playing instruments. This enjoyment will lead to them participating in wider school celebrations in a range of contexts such as Mass and music festivals. They will be inspired to take up music as a hobby and potentially go forward to a career as a musician or composer.

MFL

A Holy Family linguist enjoys learning different words and phrases in Spanish and will start to develop an understanding of the language and culture. They will appreciate different cultures and languages and be inspired to further their linguistic skills when they get older.

EYFS

A Holy Family Reception pupil will develop a sense of belonging, curiosity and a desire for learning by following the school’s values and the Development Matters curriculum. They will build secure and lasting relationships with peers, staff and the wider community, be encouraged to be inquisitive and creative and will be fully equipped to access the rest of their journey through school. Our curriculum foundations are built in EYFS and then run through the school in every subject area.

Impact our curriculum is having on standards of teaching and learning

The curriculum at Holy Family is well planned to enable a wide range of engagement, not only within class but in providing out of class opportunities to enable children to develop themselves as learners and encourage each child to be as independent as they can be.  Questionnaires to the pupils and parents allow the staff to regularly review and assess the impact that the curriculum is having.

Data shows that pupils are making consistent progress in reading, writing and maths.  Pupils who need some support in these areas are identified early, and different strategies are used according to pupils’ needs.

Challenge is integrated within the curriculum with striving for every child to produce their absolute best.

Homework projects provide the opportunity for parents to get involved in their child’s learning.  The results are amazing, from Stonehenge made out of chocolate biscuits to a ‘life-size’ Gruffalo.

Assessing our children’s learning within the curriculum

At Holy Family we ensure that the children are regularly assessed against the relevant frameworks across the breadth of the curriculum.  We moderate pupils’ work within school and across our Emmaus and Newman Partnership schools.

Whilst the children’s learning is assessed every day to ensure that we are meeting their needs and to inform future planning, we formally assess reading, writing, and maths three times a year, RE at the end of each unit, and all other subjects are assessed at different points throughout the year.

We are extremely proud of the achievements of the children in our school. Academic data proves that our attainment and progress, which is a culmination of hard work, determination and high expectations expected from all at Holy Family, has led to successful learning and performance. 

There is a regular termly cycle of monitoring and assessment which provides data; this is collected, analysed and utilised for providing intervention and other support needed. In addition to this, the teachers meet with members of the leadership team to discuss each pupil’s progress to find out the reasons behind their current attainment.

Monitoring the curriculum

Our subject leads monitor the curriculum regularly: the standards the pupils achieve; pupils’ engagement and enjoyment of their subject; teachers’ training needs and resources needed. This is done through various methods including: lesson observations; pupil conferencing; book looks; data analysis; staff conferencing.

Sex and Relationships Education

At Holy Family, sex and relationships education is taught through a whole school policy and, where possible, is integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as religious education, science and PSHE. It is always taught within the context of the Church’s teaching on sexual relationships. Parents are informed prior to any lessons from the class teacher and parents are given the opportunity to discuss what their child will be learning so that they can support their child’s work at home. Any questions that children ask are answered sensitively and in a caring manner. Lessons and resources are always chosen to suit to the age of the children.  

Curriculum Enrichment

We are proud of the broad and balanced curriculum that we offer at Holy Family. Children enjoy a range of opportunities to explore their own gifts and talents through art, design and technology, music and sport. We have high expectations for all and children are proud of their achievements as a result.

At Holy Family, the children experience a variety of educational visits and visitors, which prove to be valuable learning experiences. We enjoy a variety of focus weeks including: 

  • Multi-Faith Week, when children consolidate their learning about other faiths and enjoy visits to places of worship. The major world religions are revisited each year.
  • Cultural Week, when we celebrate the wonderful diversity at Holy Family.
  • Take One Week, when the whole school works on a themed art project culminating in an exhibition.
  • Science Week.
  • Book Week.
  • And more!