Curriculum
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Our Curriculum
Eaton Primary School’s curriculum is a living, values based, 3D curriculum. Our whole school long term plan ensures strong coverage across the school, but we constantly evaluate and change our curriculum so that it meets the needs of the children, provides meaningful links between subjects and enables us to take advantage of opportunities for the pupils as they arise.
We use the national curriculum subjects as the vehicle to inspire the values, knowledge and skills that we wish to see in our pupils. Meaningful and well considered links are made between subjects, and we ensure that we do this wherever possible, but only when beneficial. Links should be relevant and purposeful, and develop deep learning, rather than being surface level and superficial. The school regularly works collaboratively with external partners to manoeuvre our curriculum to best effect, ensuring our units of work link to the quality texts through which we teach writing, as well as making the best use of digital resources and opportunities for visits and special events.
Where possible and appropriate, the school makes use of educational technology to facilitate this learning, and this is a key part of the school’s development priorities. We aim always to give pupils a deep knowledge of their subject through the use of philosophy, emotional literacy development, ethical debate and contextual understanding. This, in turn, gives the children the knowledge and understanding to develop other areas such as character development and fundamental skills.
A key part of this strategy is vocabulary enrichment, and this is targeted constantly throughout the teaching week using a range of strategies. It is embedded in our teaching of all subjects and in the systematic teaching of handwriting and spelling. In addition, the school has developed vocabulary banks of words for children to be taught in each year, across the curriculum, to ensure that pupils are developing a vocabulary that enables them to access the curriculum to its full at both Primary School and beyond.
Curriculum Organisation
At Eaton Primary School our curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, emotional and physical development of all pupils. It also prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences that they are likely to encounter in later life. Our curriculum is planned to be not only educational, but also enjoyable for both pupils and staff. The school day is carefully planned to ensure children gain maximum benefit through an exciting curriculum and other extracurricular activities. Lessons are planned to foster an interest and a keen approach to learning.
Our school motto, 'Engage, Inspire, Achieve', is indicative of the growth mindset we wish to instill in our children.
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The National Curriculum sets out the subject content to be taught by all maintained schools in England, broken down into Key Stages. As a maintained primary school, we take the objectives from the first two key stages that cover the age range from 5 -11.
The content is divided into the core subjects of maths, English and science and eight foundation subjects; music, computing, art and design, history, geography, physical education, design technology and languages. Schools are also required to teach religious education, following their local authority’s scheme and make provision for PSHE to be taught.
The National Curriculum is just one element in the education of every child. There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to range beyond the National Curriculum specifications. Specific elements of Maths and English are taught daily throughout the school and usually take place during the morning. We further embed these skills at other times and take every opportunity for pupils to apply their skills and knowledge in other subjects. Science is taught on a weekly basis and incorporates the content from a scientific topic, such as ‘Forces’, alongside the scientific enquiry elements of the curriculum.
Some of the foundation subjects, such as music, computing and languages (KS2) are also usually taught on a weekly basis. Lessons in physical education are provided twice weekly and will often include an indoor and outdoor session. We cover three topics each year in art, design technology, geography and history. These are usually taught separately over a half term, alternating art with design technology and history with geography. At certain times throughout the year they may be taught concurrently or be covered in a much shorter period to effectively prepare for events throughout the school year, such as the exhibition.
Values are included as a structured focus throughout the year. Each class takes it in turn to prepare a weekly assembly based around one of the values. PSHE lessons are usually taught on a weekly basis and can include aspects of British Values or other areas such as self-esteem, eating healthily and making friends - however PSHE feeds throughout all aspects of school life. The school also teaches equality objectives through PSHE using age appropriate resources. Sex and Relationships Education is delivered in line with legal requirements in the summer term.
Subject leaders monitor the delivery and coverage of their curriculum areas, attainment in these areas and report to senior leaders and governors. Subject leaders ensure that objectives are suitably differentiated and that there is progression of knowledge and skills throughout the school. ​