Language
Our Curriculum
We inspire our children's learning through a creative curriculum, ensuring our pupils experience a wide breadth of study and have, by the end of each key stage, long-term memory of an ambitious body of procedural and semantic knowledge. Our progressive curriculum ensures that children have the requisite knowledge to proceed to their next year of study, including transition to secondary school. Our curriculum is ambitious, meeting and often exceeding the national curriculum, for all and strives to address inclusion and disadvantage in its intent and implementation. For more information of the intent, implementation and impact of each curriculum area, please click on the subjects below.
If you would like to speak to anyone regarding our school curriculum, please contact the school office and ask to speak with either Miss Williams or Mrs Brown. They will be able to direct you to the relevant subject leaders.
Art and Design
The Futura Learning Partnership intent for Art and Design is that learners will explore a diverse range of traditional and contemporary artists, crafts people and designers, fostering their curiosity and understanding of the world around them.
Learners’ experiences will enable them to develop an appreciation of their own and other cultures and how artistic styles have been influenced over time. Through high quality art lessons learners will become reflective critical thinkers with the abilities to express themselves creatively.
They will learn to evaluate their own work and the work of others. A well-sequenced art curriculum will allow learners to make continued progression through the refinement of skills and building on prior knowledge.
Learners will have the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge in a range of contexts. Learners will be exposed to art in the local community, galleries and museums to inspire and inform their creative practice.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Art and Design (pdf)
Computing
The Futura Learning Partnership intent for Computing is that an exciting and rigorous Computing education will ensure children are immersed in engaging, technology-rich learning experiences which allow them to learn deeply and embed core computing skills, think independently and problemsolve in an ever evolving digital world.
Regardless of changes within technology and the world we live in, our children will possess the core skills and behaviours required to safely and confidently access new technology to enhance their wider learning, access the curriculum throughout their school journey and inspire a future where technology is used to innovate and make positive change.
We believe that learning about Computing provides an important context for the development of pupils’ key learning skills, particularly problem-solving, creative and critical thinking and resourcefulness.
Futura recognise that social context plays a vital role in children’s education and as such we aim to provide opportunities for children to experience Computing in ways that are unique to their local and wider community.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Computing (pdf)
Design and Technology (DT)
Our DT curriculum aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to become successful, innovative young designers and makers. By building on prior experience, students progressively develop technical skills and practical expertise. They are encouraged to think creatively, imaginatively and be ambitious in their design ideas.
They are given opportunities to solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They learn to recognise the importance of design and technology in the real world and its relevance in everyday life.
They are given opportunities to learn about and be inspired by designs and designers past and present who have impacted on life across the world. Through the design, make, evaluate process, students are guided to develop skills of team work, communication, resilience and reflectiveness through problem solving.
They learn to use knowledge and understanding from other curriculum areas including mathematical, scientific, computing and art skills, applying them in relevant and practical contexts. In this way, we aspire for our students to become articulate, dynamic thinkers able to approaching new challenges with confidence and enthusiasm.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Design and Technology (pdf)
English
Our intent for English is that a high-quality education will inspire children to become creative and critical thinkers. We believe that it is the right of every child to become a competent and confident user of the English language; able to live, work and succeed in the literate world. Children will be able to communicate fluently and confidently, using a wide vocabulary accurately and effectively. They will be able to critique a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, appreciating a rich and varied literary heritage.
Children will be inspired to become imaginative writers who can write coherently with a high level of accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar; children will be able to adapt their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. English provides the fundamental building blocks for students to succeed in all subjects; a high level of literacy provides the vehicle needed to unpick key concepts across the curriculum. This, alongside carefully selected texts appropriate to our contexts, develops the cultural capital needed to succeed in life. Crucially, we aim to foster a love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The school uses the 'Literacy Tree - Writing Roots.' Book-based Writing Roots are sequences of detailed lesson plans between ten and twenty sessions in length. They are based on a wide range of high quality and significant children's literature chosen to engage, challenge and support children to be critical readers and confident and informed writers. All National Curriculum requirements of grammar, spelling, vocabulary, literary language and composition are embedded leading towards a variety of purposeful and exciting shorter, longer and extended writing outcomes where the audience and purpose is clear.
Phonics
The school uses the Little Wandle scheme of work, in EYFS and Years 1 and 2, to teach children to read accurately and fluently with good comprehension. They also learn to form each letter, spell correctly, and compose their ideas step-by-step.
For more information, please see our Curriculum for English (pdf) and Phonics and Early Reading Policy and Spelling Scheme Overview
Geography
The purpose of the Futura Learning Partnership geography intent is to provide a framework for high quality geography education across phases to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. The aim is to ensure that pupils are equipped with knowledge about a diverse range of places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the earth’s key physical and human processes.
Pupils should make sense of the complex world around them, understand and be confident to investigate some of the major issues, challenges and opportunities that the world faces today. The aim is to ensure that pupils will develop greater competence in using geographical knowledge, approaches, concepts and skills in analysing and interpreting a wide range of different geographical information. In that way pupils will enrich their locational knowledge and spatial and environmental understanding as well as acquire the geographical cultural capital needed to be confident and successful global citizens.
Numeracy (number and measurement) solving numerical problems, the ways in which numerical information is gathered by counting and measuring, and how it is presented in graphs, charts and tables. There are many opportunities within geography for students to develop their numeracy skills.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Geography (pdf)
History
The Futura Learning Partnership intent for history is that a high-quality history education will inspire children to have a curiosity and fascination about the local area and Britain’s past and that of the wider world as well.
Children will be able to think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. The children’s deep learning of history and its related information gathering skills will enable them to have an understanding of where we have come from and how this has been influenced by the wider world and different cultural heritages. This in turn will enable us to learn from the past, model the future and understand society and the child’s place within it. Furthermore, it gives us a view of other cultures and their development through time.
We believe that learning about historical events provides an important context for the development of pupils’ key learning skills, particularly communication, working with others, problem solving and critical thinking skills and that this will be done not just through experiences in the classroom but also through the use of field work and educational visits.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for History (pdf)
Languages
Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. At Puriton, we aim to foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. We strongly believe that languages are a skill for life, and something that pupils should enjoy and find rewarding. Through learning foreign language, students also develop literacy and oracy in their own language as well as resilience and problem solving skills. Language learning should provide the foundation for learning further languages.
We hope to expand students’ cultural knowledge whilst developing their language skills. Through language learning, pupils gain a sound understanding of the structure of their own language, leading to effective communication in the foreign language. Students of all abilities can benefit from learning a foreign language, supporting and enhancing their literacy learning across the curriculum.
The Languages curriculum caters for students with varied previous language learning. It enables students to build upon prior knowledge or language learning skills. Students are well-prepared at the end of each key stage to tackle the next steps in language learning but equally, should they choose not to continue their formal language learning, they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to use in the workplace or for leisure or to further their learning.
We learn French at our school.
For more information, please see the Curriculum for French (pdf)
Mathematics
Our long-term aim is to produce an ambitious, engaging, connected curriculum accessible to all pupils in the Futura Learning Partnership. Pupils will make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems.
The intent of our mathematics curriculum is to design a curriculum, which is accessible to all and will maximise the development of every child’s ability and academic achievement and preparation for their journey into the wider world. We aim to deliver lessons that are creative and engaging. We intend for our pupils to be able to apply their mathematical knowledge across the curriculum. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content.
Multiplication
Pupils practise the recall of multiplication and division facts in years 2 - 6. A systematic approach, using fact booklets and consistent images, songs and rhymes are used throughout the school.
We also use Times Table Rockstars, a whole-school times table challenge, to encourage children to learn their multiplication facts by heart. Children complete fun and exciting games/activities according to their ability. Once they have improved their time taken to answer the questions their Rock Star Avatar changes. Can you aim to become a Rock legend? Further to this, the more frequently they play, then the more points they gain to spend on their Avatar.
For more information, please see the Curriculum for Mathematics (pdf)
Music
At Puriton Primary School we follow Charanga’s English Model Music Curriculum. This Scheme is aligned with the National Curriculum for Music and the non-statutory Model Music Curriculum (MMC) Guidance published by the DfE in 2021. Charanga follows a spiral approach to musical learning, with children revisiting, building and extending their knowledge and skills incrementally. In this manner, their learning is consolidated and augmented, increasing musical confidence and enabling them to go further.
Our philosophy of music education is based on the principle that it should be fun and engaging for all concerned, and that every child is a born musician. Music plays a role in every aspect of our lives, wherever and whoever we are.
In KS2, the children are also taught how to play specific instruments. These units build upon the Music learning of Charanga, whilst building on progression throughout the key stage alongside encouraging performance. Our children are encouraged to perform through the creation of opportunities to celebrate, share and experience music of all kinds through opportunities such as Nativities and KS performances.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE)
The purpose of the Futura Learning Partnership PSHE intent is to provide a framework for high quality PSHE education across phases which is accessible to all and ensures that each of our pupils will develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy, safe and prepared for life and work. The aim is to ensure our pupils understand more about how to play a positive and successful role within our society, both as a child and as an adult within the future. It should have an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. The aim is for a holistic PSHE learning journey spanning the pupil’s school career, with a progressive, spiral curriculum that addresses real needs in a rapidly changing world. Our curriculum is ambitious for all and strives to address inclusion and disadvantage in its intent and implementation.
For more information, please see our Personal Development Plan (pdf)
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) information
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) policy
Relationships and Sex Education guidance from the DfE
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Personal, Social, Health and Economic (pdf)
Physical Education (PE)
The purpose of the Physical Education curriculum is to foster a life-long love for a variety of physical activities and sporting opportunities. Through this engaging curriculum they will develop a range of transferrable skills, language, knowledge and understanding which can be used in multiple settings. A student will be provided with many opportunities to develop wider personal, social and moral skills which could include resilience, communication, teamwork, independence, leadership, analysis and evaluation. Our students will develop their understanding of what engenders a healthy lifestyle both physically and the contribution this has on good mental health and well-being. Opportunities will be provided to experience a broad range of different sports safely, through participation and observations, in both the curricular and extra-curricular provision. Community links are established and advertised to encourage our students to have further opportunities for continuing participation through school extra-curricular activities and local clubs and sports.
For more information, please see the Curriculum for Physical Education (pdf)
Religious Education (RE)
The Futura intent for Religious Education is that all children develop an awareness of major world religions and world views, including their impact on society and culture. Our pupils should be able to appreciate and respect faiths and beliefs which may be different to their own, which will equip them for their adult life, employment as well as lifelong learning. Through RE lessons, children will be able to engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose, which will equip them to continue their studies of RE in secondary school where they will deepen their understanding of different world faiths as well as more general philosophical and ethical questions. Our pupils will be given the opportunity to develop their own religious, spiritual and philosophical beliefs in a safe environment. Children will be able to reflect, consider, analyse, interpret and evaluate different issues which are prevalent in our society, whilst also promoting mutual respect and tolerance in line with British Values. Our curriculum is ambitious for all and strives to address inclusion and disadvantage in its intent and implementation.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Religious Education (pdf)
Science
The purpose of the Futura Learning Partnership cross-phase Science curriculum is to help students understand and question the world around them. It gives them the scientific knowledge and skills that they need in order to be successful in their future lives and make a contribution to the wider community.
Students are empowered with a strong knowledge base that they can then use to evaluate important issues, analyse evidence and problem solve. They develop the confidence to form their own opinions and articulate themselves effectively. Our engaging and challenging curriculum means that students who have studied Science at a Futura school will continue to enjoy learning about Science and how the world works throughout their lives.
For more information, please see the Futura Curriculum for Science (pdf)
British Values
British Values
Our school reflects British values in all that we do. We nurture our pupils on their journey through life so they grow in to caring, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British society and to the wider world. We encourage them to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent individuals, respectful of themselves and others in our school, our local community and beyond.
At Puriton, we actively promote British values in the following ways:
Democracy
Pupils are encouraged to debate topics of interest, express their views and make a meaningful contribution to the running of the school. They are able to do this in a number of ways e.g. school council; pupil leadership roles and class discussions.
Rule of Law
We have a clear positive behaviour policy which helps pupils to make good choices about their behaviour. Pupils are helped to distinguish right from wrong, in the classroom, during assemblies and in the playground. This is supported by a Restorative Justice approach.
Individual Liberty
At school, pupils are encouraged, and given the freedom to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment, e.g. challenging themselves in their learning. They are supported to develop self-knowledge, self-confidence and a growth mind set in all areas of school life. Pupils are taught to understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms in a safe way, e.g. UNICEF Children’s Rights and within Jigsaw lessons. They have key responsibilities in school e.g. classroom monitors, playground leaders, school councillors, Eco-warriors, digital leaders as well as sports captains.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs
Respect is one of our school values and is embedded within our Golden Rules of 'Ready, Respectful, Safe'. Pupils understand that respect is shown to everyone, both adults and children. We help them to develop an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures. Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. Through the PSHE (Jigsaw) and RE curriculum, pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences and similarities between people. We offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied. Through our curriculum we learn about the world in themes such as Eco Warriors and Wonderful World.
For more information, please see our Personal Development Plan (pdf)
Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Development (SMSC)
At Puriton, we take great pride in our approach to SMSC across the school, feeling that pupils should develop into tolerant, caring individuals with a social conscience. SMSC feeds into several areas of life at Puriton including: collective worship during assemblies; charity and community outreach projects; school council and other pupil leadership roles; online safety and metal health awareness days.
For more information, please see our Personal Development Plan (pdf)
Forest School and Outdoor Learning
Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions that support play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.
Forest School has a developmental ethos shared by thousands of trained practitioners around the world, who are constantly developing their learning styles and skills to support new and imaginative learners. Its roots reach back to the open-air culture, friluftsliv, or free air life, seen as a way of life in Scandinavia where Forest School began. It arrived in the UK in 1993 and has grown from strength to strength since then. (FSA Website, 2022).
At Puriton Primary School we recognise the value of the rich, experiential learning Forest School offers. We believe high quality, well planned Forest School experiences will enable our children to further recognise, develop and foster our core values of compassion, responsibility, resilience, collaboration, respect and honesty, not only for their personal growth but also that of the communities around them. We are committed to the ethos and recommended practices that the Forest School Association (FSA) recommend; from the initial high quality leader training by a FSA approved trainer, to adopting the 6 key principals as agreed by the Forest School community in 2011.
For more information, please see the Puriton Primary Forest School Handbook (pdf)
