Curriculum Overview
At St Vincent's Catholic Primary School, our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and rooted in our Catholic mission to 'Let Your Light Shine'. We want every child to achieve their full potential, develop a love of learning and leave us with the knowledge, skills and character they need to flourish in secondary school and beyond.
Intent
Our curriculum is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and the National Curriculum and is carefully planned from Nursery to Year 6. It is broad, balanced and aspirational, with knowledge, skills and vocabulary thoughtfully sequenced to ensure learning builds progressively towards clearly defined end points.
Our curriculum is underpinned by strong foundations. We place a high priority on developing communication and language, reading, writing, mathematics and handwriting, recognising that these essential skills enable children to access the full curriculum with confidence and success.
Designed using educational research and evidence-informed practice, our curriculum is regularly reviewed to reflect the latest developments in teaching and learning. It combines high academic expectations with rich opportunities for creativity, personal development and wider experiences, ensuring every child develops the knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive.
We aim to:
- provide a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum for every child
- secure excellence in English, mathematics and handwriting as the foundations for future learning
- develop secure knowledge that pupils know, remember and apply with confidence
- inspire curiosity, creativity and a lifelong love of learning
- enrich learning through first-hand experiences, educational visits, visitors and extra-curricular opportunities
- develop resilience, independence and a growth mindset
- help pupils understand their local community while broadening their awareness of the wider national and global world
- nurture children who live out our Catholic values through service, social justice and care for others.
We are proud to be an inclusive school. We believe that when we get it right for children with SEND, we get it right for everyone. High-quality adaptive teaching ensures that all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, access the same ambitious curriculum, achieve well and experience success.
Implementation
Learning is carefully sequenced so that pupils know more, remember more and can apply their learning confidently. Teachers build on prior learning through regular retrieval practice, questioning and purposeful discussion, enabling knowledge to become embedded in long-term memory.
Reading is at the heart of our curriculum. Through the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics programme, children learn to read fluently and confidently from the earliest stages. Vocabulary development is prioritised across every subject, supporting pupils' reading, writing, speaking and understanding.
Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use ongoing assessment to identify misconceptions, adapt teaching and provide appropriate challenge and support. Assessment is integral to learning and includes effective questioning, retrieval activities, low-stakes quizzes, feedback and summative assessments to ensure pupils make sustained progress.
Each subject has a carefully planned progression of knowledge, skills and vocabulary, enabling pupils to make meaningful connections across their learning.
Our curriculum is enriched through educational visits, visitors, performances, residential experiences, sporting events and a wide range of clubs. Pupils also develop leadership, responsibility and character through opportunities including Mini Vinnies, School Council, Digital Leaders, Eco Team, Wellbeing Champions and Prefects.
Throughout the curriculum, pupils are encouraged to live out our Catholic mission by serving others, caring for God's world and contributing positively to their local and wider communities.
Impact
The impact of our curriculum is seen in pupils who are confident, knowledgeable, articulate and enthusiastic learners. They retain and apply their learning, demonstrate resilience when faced with challenge and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
Our pupils achieve excellent outcomes that consistently exceed local and national averages. All groups of learners, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are supported to make strong progress and fulfil their potential.
We evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum through:
- ongoing formative assessment, questioning and retrieval practice
- end-of-unit and summative assessments
- pupil discussions and knowledge checks
- book scrutinies and work reviews
- lesson visits and learning walks
- subject leader monitoring
- pupil progress meetings
- evaluation of interventions
- statutory national assessments.
By the time pupils leave St Vincent's, they have developed the knowledge, skills, values and character to become lifelong learners, responsible citizens and compassionate individuals who are ready to let their light shine in the next stage of their education and beyond.
