Holy Family

Curriculum

At Holy Family the intent of our curriculum is to value, challenge and inspire pupils, adapting it and designing it to meet the needs of all learners and nurturing them to become the best version possible of the person God intended them to be. The broad and balanced curriculum, which is underpinned by the Gospel values, expands their knowledge, deepens their understanding and broadens their horizons of possibilities beyond the classroom and their own home. Coherent and sequentially planned lessons are based in real life contexts when appropriate. With a tangible purpose for their learning and immersive activities, children are provided with experiences that will allow them to build solid foundations - these will encourage them and enable them not only to embrace life in the future but also promote and develop a love of lifelong learning.

 

The Implementation of our curriculum

At Holy Family School, the curriculum has been designed around the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.  This is supported by a range of enrichment opportunities and inspiring experiences.  Clear progression documents have been designed for the foundation subjects to ensure that there is a continued progression of knowledge and skills as the children journey through the year groups.  Alongside this, continuing work on diversity ensures that our curriculum reflects the community which we serve.

All staff are committed to continued curriculum development and are integral to the process, ensuring consistency in how the curriculum is delivered.  We also recognise, however, that each individual teacher and TA will bring their own personal flair, qualities and passion to their respective roles. We acknowledge and value our uniqueness and differences and the fact that we all teach and learn in different ways: at Holy Family our practices reflect this belief.

For any teaching to be successful we must make sure that the climate within the classroom is right for learning.  At Holy Family Catholic School, our children are able to learn because they know they are valued, supported and challenged in order that they reach their potential.  We will:

  • Build solid foundations through enabling them to know, love (by living it out) and pray their faith
  • Model the Gospel values of love, faith, hope, forgiveness, family, truth, justice and service
  • Nurture the formation of personal characteristics such as resilience, motivation, perseverance, independence, self-confidence, concentration, using initiative, hope, optimism and positive-thinking to benefit themselves and the common good
  • Encourage quality interactions between all adults and pupils that model the Gospel values
  • Demonstrate high expectation and be positive role models
  • Recognise/ emphasise pupils’ self-worth, gifts and talents
  • Attribute success to effort not ability
  • Provide an emotionally and physically safe learning environment

In addition, we will:

  • Apply our behaviour expectations consistently and fairly
  • Ensure teaching methods are inclusive and accessible to all pupils
  • Provide an engaging environment with high-quality, appropriate resources, and displays that are current and support/celebrate the learning
  • Ask great questions, verbally, through display and other learning resources
  • Give honest praise and encouragement to provide recognition, showing the child that their effort is valued
  • Show respect for the Catholic charism of Holy Family School, while demonstrating due regard for the different thoughts, feelings and beliefs of others

We recognise how important pedagogical content / knowledge is in implementing our curriculum.  In order for teaching to be effective, all staff possess:

  • An increasing knowledge of the curriculum subjects
  • A strong understanding of content being taught both prior to and following their own year group
  • An ever-deepening understanding of how children learn and the strategies that support their learning
  • The ability to identify common misconceptions

Daily, staff will:

  • Use prior knowledge of children to inform planning
  • Ensure all planning is effective and meets the learning objectives
  • Inform all pupils of aims and planned outcomes of our teaching, i.e. why they are learning particular skills etc.
  • Plan so that assessment steps are clear and accessible
  • Provide marking and feedback that promotes progress
  • Carry out assessment throughout lessons so that feedback can be instant
  • Support and challenge individual pupils
  • Engage with high quality professional development opportunities
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues and outside agencies

We also understand and recognise the importance of quality first teaching, not just for implementing the curriculum, but to also ensure that progress is achieved.  To do this we will:

  • Use effective questioning to encourage deeper thinking while allowing ‘thinking time’.
  • Regularly review prior learning with the children
  • Provide modelled responses and examples
  • Allow adequate time to practice skills in order to embed
  • Scaffold new learning

In addition, we will:

  • Ensure child-friendly, clear instructions are given
  • Adapt teaching to the needs of all learners
  • Provide steps to success
  • Encourage all children to accept responsibility for their own learning, work independently when required and produce work to the best of their abilities, i.e. to be the best they can be
  • Ensure there are appropriate levels of interaction for all children between peers and between pupil and teacher
  • Model standard English by speaking in full sentences
  • Communicate clearly with other adults involved to ensure clarity and effective use of everyone’s time
  • Understand that although pupils move through the curriculum at broadly the same pace, some will require support and others greater challenge
  • Liaise with SEND staff to seek the most effective strategies to support those pupils whose struggle in order that they achieve their best

At Holy Family School we have considered how we believe our children learn best and used this information to shape how our curriculum is implemented day to day.

Some or all of the following will be evident in every lesson:

  • Pupils are aware of the aims and outcomes – why they are learning particular skills
  • Adequate time is given for practicing skills in order for them to become embedded
  • Pupils’ resilience to failure is developed; every mistake is seen as an opportunity to learn
  • Pupils are on task and engaged in their learning, and are encouraged to use their initiative in seeking solutions
  • Previous learning is regularly reviewed
  • Progression is evident throughout the lesson and end of each term.
  • Pupils are excited and motivated to learn; they enjoy being at school
  • Pupils know that they learn best when they concentrate and persevere with a task
  • Pupils benefit from scaffolding in order to build their skills and self-confidence, which leads to greater independence
  • Pupils have some awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses: they benefit from understanding their next steps and that these steps will help them to achieve their targets
  • Pupils benefit from knowing what to expect: learning is not a mystery trip
  • In line with our Marking and Assessment Policies, feedback is given so that pupils know their next steps

Enrichment sits alongside the curriculum providing inspiring opportunities for our pupils to develop their own personal qualities, as well as serve the wider community. We believe we are educating the whole child, and endeavour to build skills outside the classroom, as well as within it. We recognise that despite our uniqueness we all have a special contribution to make to our school family and can work together for the common good.  Some of these enrichment activities include:

  • Opportunities for children to make positive contributions to school and the wider community e.g. school council, faith ambassadors, peer mentors
  • Educational trips, some of which are residential
  • Music Tuition
  • Extra-curricular sports provision
  • Subject specific enrichment days/ weeks
  • Charitable fundraising

 

The Impact of our curriculum

By the time pupils leave Holy Family they are striving to be the best version possible of the person that God intended them to be.  The majority have developed a secure understand of the curriculum content that has been taught and achieve well academically.  Children have a growing understanding of the world around them and their place within it. They are equipped with skills for life that will serve as building blocks for their continuing journey. Using Gospel values as a foundation allows them to think carefully about their actions and the responsibility that they have to love and serve themselves and their community. This knowledge enables children to help keep themselves safe and to know the measures they can take if they feel that something is wrong.  Children consistently demonstrate an empathetic and inclusive attitude in all they do. They recognise that poor choices do not define themselves or others.  They show love, care and forgiveness to others around them and leave with a lifelong love of learning.

 

For further information about the individual subjects, please click on the links below:

Our English Curriculum

Our Maths Curriculum

Our Science Curriculum

Our History Curriculum

Our Geography Curriculum

Our Computing Curriculum

Our Art Curriculum

Our Design Technology Curriculum

Our Spanish Curriculum

Our Music Curriculum

Our PE Curriculum

Our PSHE Curriculum

Our British Values

Our P4C Curriculum

 

Use the link below to view assessment criteria by subject and year group:

Assessment Criteria