THE CURRICULUM AT ST PAUL'S SCHOOL

THE CURRICULUM

Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE)

All year groups are taught PSHE on a weekly basis. Important topics are covered. These include healthy eating, how to keep safe and how to make a positive contribution. As well as weekly lessons, there are additional theatre workshops that cover themes such as anti-bullying or drug education. We have a school council that meet regularly and talk about current issues that affect their life at school. PSHE uses the Jigsaw resources.

Relationships & Sex Education (RSE)

RSE is taught in the Summer Term (Summer 2)

Certain topics and vocabularly are now compulsory and children must attend those lessons. A letter will go out before the topic is taught detailing which ones are compulsory. Where appropriate, certain topics will be taught in single gender groups. Parents are always invited to view the materials.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Staff concerned about children will first consult the Inclusion Leader to draw their attention to their worries. The child's needs will be considered and discussed and a plan of action will be followed. Parents are consulted at every stage. The first level of intervention may mean using special strategies and writing an Individual Education Plan with specific targets to be achieved by the child within the classroom. Reviews for children with SEN take place every term. All events will be recorded and used for the next stage of development. We follow our Mission Statement by recognising and developing each individual's strengths and talents through differentiated teaching, enabling them to succeed and flourish now, in their next stage of education and in the wider community.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The Early Years Foundation Stage follows the ‘Development Matters’ curriculum. This curriculum helps support our practitioners to be child-centred and ensure that all children can progress at their own level and ability. Within the framework are the Prime areas; Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language and Physical Development.

There are then Specific areas; Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design. Children in the Early Years are provided with an environment that encourages them to explore, play and be active as independent learners. We provide a range of stimulating activities that cover all the areas of learning. Children are given opportunities to solve problems and be challenged in a fun, interactive way.

Educational Visits

Whenever possible the school encourages class teachers to take their class out on Educational Visits to broaden the curriculum and to enhance the curriculum covered in the classroom. For each trip a Risk Assessment must be completed and approved by a senior leader. Generally, classes walk or travel by public transport.

Assessment

Formative assessment is used to check understanding and inform teaching. Teachers give high quality feedback in core subjects providing good opportunities for pupils to make next step improvements. As a result, pupils show an enthusiasm for learning and are able to articulate how teachers help them to improve. Progressively, pupils take ownership of their learning through self-evaluation and peer marking, as they move up the school.

There are national assessments for children in Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 6. Anonymised class results are reported to Governors and the local authority.

Homework

Each week teachers give each child in Years 1 to 6 a piece of homework. This work is to be completed at home with an adult and handed back in the following week. This is in addition to reading at home. Teachers may still give out additional targeted work. For this to be a success it is essential that there is an effective partnership between the school, pupils, parents and carers. See our Homework Policy

Equal Opportunities and Race Equality

St Paul’s School is committed to equal opportunities for all its children, staff and other stakeholders, whatever their ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status, whatever their gender and gender identity, whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith, whatever their sexual orientation and whether they have a disability. See our Equalities section November 2021