Through discussions with our children and families we have developed our own unique curriculum. The 'Woodthorpe' Curriculum is a thematic, creative curriculum. This creative approach to curriculum design enables us to take ownership of our curriculum, to shape it and mould it to the needs of our children. Each term our teachers, with the help of the pupils, develop a theme for study - this is based on what the children's interests are and what they 'want' to discover. As well as the national curriculum being covered we also aim to develop core skills that we feel are important for our children in order for them to succeed in modern Britain, things such as teamwork, respect, enthusiasm and self-belief.

As well as this themed approach to learning we also have clear progression systems in place to ensure that children make rapid progress. Each term pupils progress is tracked closely and teachers assess the areas that each individual pupils need to develop the following term.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In conjunction with the school vision, we recognise that children are all individuals and that it is our duty to give each individual an education which helps them to achieve their full potential in all areas of development. These include:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development
• Communication and Language
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

We aim to ensure that each child is given the opportunity to experience the very best possible start to their education through developing a positive self-image, independence and concern for others. At Woodthorpe School, we provide a safe, secure and challenging environment, which will offer a wide range of learning experiences for all individuals. High-quality care and education is provided to promote effective learning and development for each child based on the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. We recognise the vital role that parents continue to play in the education of their children and encourage a working partnership between home and school.

Writing

Intent

At Woodthorpe, we want our children to be enthusiastic and passionate about writing with each child being engaged within an exciting writing curriculum.

Writing is a fundamental part of our curriculum and all children from EYFS to Year 6 have the opportunity to develop their writing skills and use them across the whole curriculum.

Through the way our writing is taught, children learn to write a range of text types for different audiences therefore giving them the skills needed in later life to write for a range of purposes. Children are immersed in high quality models and texts to instil a love and passion for reading and writing.

The childrens’ experiences are enriched with practical days enabling them to draw upon their own personal experiences, making their writing relevant and exciting to them. They have the opportunity to plan, write and revise their writing (just like real authors!) during which they develop an increasingly wide knowledge of grammar and punctuation. Children are encouraged to share their work and take pride in what they have produced knowing they have the respect of their peers when doing so.

To ensure children are challenged within their writing, all year groups have year group objectives as well as objectives taken from a greater depth standard for each piece of writing. Pupils are also challenged within spelling and grammar via online platforms such as Spelling Shed and SPAG Online. These programmes allow children to see their personal improvements and gain frequent consolidation of skills.

Implementation

At Woodthorpe Primary school we have a consistent approach to the way that we teach writing across the school. 

Most genres are taught over a period of two weeks. Within this two-week period, teachers follow the same five-part sequence to the writing process:

1. Initially, the class have a practical day where the children find out as much information as they possibly can about the topic that they will be writing about. These sessions may include elements of drama, art, computing or visits / visitors with the children immersed in what they will be writing about.

2. Secondly, children focus on the features of the genre and demonstrate these features through the class working wall.

3. The next part of the writing process involves the children planning their writing. Teachers then use one of these plans to model a quality piece of writing, allowing the children to understand the required standard for that piece.

4. Once the plan is complete, the children work on their own piece of writing, referring to previous planning and drawing on previous experience.

5. Finally, the piece of writing will be edited by the children following teacher input. Children may also choose to improve elements before the piece is finally completed.

6. Pupils in years 5 & 6 will complete an additional part to this sequence. These pupils will complete a piece of writing linked to the first piece but with increased independence.

Audience, purpose & form:

Audience

To ensure that our children have experiences writing both formal and informal pieces of work, we ensure that the audience is carefully considered and displayed on the learning wall within the classroom.

Purpose

A core part of our writing process is that our children understand the range of purposes for writing and throughout the year, our children will be exposed to many different reasons for writing:

• To entertain,
• To discuss,
• To inform,
• To persuade.

Form

Over the year, each child will write in a range of different literary forms and styles.

Assessment

An age related assessment grid is placed at the front of every writing book and this is updated half termly to track and monitor individual progress. Within the grid are several objectives at the expected standard plus additional objectives at a ‘greater depth’ standard.

It is from these age related grids, that objectives are taken for each piece of writing. This includes, at least 1 objective at the expected standard and 1 at the greater depth standard.

Handwriting

Cursive handwriting is taught explicitly from the very start of children’s learning journey at the school. Children engage in a range of activities that develop gross and fine motor skills that will support them in their writing development as well as being explicitly taught how to hold a pencil using the correct grip. Children are taught about the leading line in and loop off and Debbie Hepplewhite resources are used to support the teaching and learning of handwriting. Handwriting practise is often combined with Phonics and spelling patterns that are being taught in the classroom so that children have a valuable and supportive context in which to develop and practise their skills.

Vocabulary

Throughout all writing sequences teachers ensure that children are exposed to, and challenged to, use an increasingly widening range and complexity of word choice.

Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar

Two online resources are used throughout the school to enable pupils to develop and consolidate their SPaG skills. In spelling an online resource called Spelling Shed is used. This resource enables pupils to challenge themselves and also compete in a school wide competition with the leading spellers being displayed within classrooms and the main school hall.

Within grammar and punctuation pupils complete a half-termly assessment that generates a whole class profile of strengths and weaknesses. This analysis is then used by the class teacher to tailor their teaching for the following half-terms teaching.

Coverage of text types studied

Reading

• Phonics

All children are taught phonics from Nursery to Year 2 (and beyond where needed.) We follow Letters and Sounds which is a resource published by the Department of Education and Skills. The children participate in isolated phonics sessions for 20 minutes every day and work through six overlapping phases.

• Individual Reading

Our aim at Woodthorpe Primary School is to ensure that all of our children can read, love reading and have begun their journey as lifelong readers. The children all have an individual reading book which is matched to their age and ability. For the first few years a child will have a reading book linked to their own individual level and this will be assigned by the class teacher. As children progress through school they will start to use the school library and independently select books within their own range. It is expected that children read at home at least three times a week and this is recorded in their reading record and on their class reading chart.

• Guided Reading

We believe that guided reading is an excellent opportunity to develop children’s skills and understanding. Children have access to a wide range of quality texts and gain pleasure from reading whilst developing their fluency.

In Early Years and KS1 the children participate in guided reading sessions at least twice a week. Small groups are organised according to the reading ability of the children and the children in each group have a copy of the same carefully chosen text. These sessions are led by an adult. Year 2 children also read a whole class text and complete reading activities based on this book.

In KS2 each class has a whole class set of a novel. All of the children follow the text at the same time. During these sessions there are opportunities for both the teacher and children to read the text out loud. Differentiated activities are then completed, based on the whole class text.

Mathematics

We place high emphasis on the fact that mathematics forms an essential component of our everyday lives and consequently ensure that as part of our school routine, every child will take part in maths activities, every day. The majority of our maths teaching is supported by an online planning tool called 'Big Maths'. 

We base our mathematics around the following core areas of: fluency, reasoning and problem solving. We believe in reinforcing key mathematical skills and vocabulary with our children, who then are given opportunities to apply this to reasoning and problem solving scenarios.

Through our carefully planned curriculum, which is informed by timely and focused assessments, we cover the following subject areas throughout key stages 1 and 2:

- Number & place value

- Addition & subtraction

- Multiplication & division

- Fractions (decimals and percentages)

- Measurement

- Geometry

- Statistics

We ensure that each child is suitably supported and challenged within the subject and encourage: learning from mistakes, resilience and perseverance as being instrumental to mathematical success

Wider Curriculum 

Our four core school values are weaved through each curriculum area:

Respect - How much children are taught to respect themselves and those around them.

Challenge - Pupils are challenged appropriately to ensure that they reach their best possible level in all areas.

Skills for life - Children are taught how to present themselves in an appropriate way with good manners and determination.

Sport - How much we ensure the pupils are physically fit.

Our curriculum is organised into the following subject areas:

Through each lesson sequence, we also strive to add a ‘memorable moment’ – a special project, activity or task which provides our children with a sense of ‘awe and wonder’ about the world in which we live and brings our rich curriculum to life.