Our Approach

Central to our curriculum are our CARE values:

• Cooperation
• Achievement
• Respect
• Empathy

These values underpin all aspects of school life and help our children become confident learners, responsible citizens and positive members of their community.

Our curriculum is built around a knowledge-rich approach, recognising that secure knowledge provides the foundation for deep understanding, critical thinking and the successful application of skills. Learning is carefully sequenced so that children build on prior knowledge, make meaningful connections and remember more over time.

In Nursery and Reception, children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. Learning combines child-initiated exploration with carefully planned adult-led experiences, providing a rich balance of play, enquiry and direct teaching.

We place a strong emphasis on developing the foundations for future success, including communication and language, personal and social development, early reading, phonics, handwriting and mathematics. Children’s interests help to shape learning opportunities while ensuring full coverage of the EYFS curriculum and preparing them for a smooth transition into Year 1.

The transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage into Year 1 is carefully planned to build on children’s existing knowledge, skills and learning behaviours. We recognise the importance of maintaining strong foundations while gradually increasing independence, challenge and subject-specific learning. The key skills developed in the early years, particularly phonics, reading, handwriting, communication and early mathematics, continue to be prioritised and strengthened throughout Key Stage 1.

From Year 1 onwards, pupils follow the National Curriculum through a carefully planned programme of study. Learning is organised around engaging enquiry-based themes, often led by history or geography, enabling children to make meaningful links across subjects where these naturally deepen understanding.

Alongside the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, children study a broad range of foundation subjects including history, geography, art, design technology, computing, music and physical education. We also provide high-quality teaching in Religious Education, Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education, Relationships and Health Education, and French.

By the end of Key Stage 1, we aim for children to have secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, enabling them to access the wider curriculum with confidence. As they move through Key Stage 2, pupils continue to deepen their knowledge and skills across all subjects, preparing them successfully for the next stage of their education and life beyond primary school.

Our teaching is informed by evidence from cognitive science and educational research. We understand that learning is most successful when knowledge is remembered over time and can be applied in new situations. We therefore focus on helping children build secure long-term memories and deep understanding.

Across the curriculum, teachers support learning by:

• Regularly revisiting previously taught knowledge through retrieval and “flashback” activities.
• Making clear links between new learning and what children already know.
• Explicitly teaching and revisiting key vocabulary.
• Breaking learning into manageable steps.
• Modelling new knowledge and skills clearly.
• Providing opportunities for guided practice before independent application.
• Checking understanding frequently and adapting support, challenge and feedback accordingly.

This approach helps children to remember more, know more and do more as they progress through school. Successful learning occurs when new knowledge becomes embedded in long-term memory, enabling children to apply their learning with increasing confidence, creativity and independence.

To explore what your child will learn in each year group, please visit our Year Group Curriculum Overviews.

For more information on our curriculum, please speak to our curriculum lead, Mrs. Panther