Our Foundation Curriculum

The Curriculum at The John Bamford Primary School

At The John Bamford School we passionately believe in preparing our children for a world which just refuses to stand still. More than ever, pupils growing up today will best prosper when they are able to quickly transfer skills they have learnt in one area of life to another. The development of flexible, adaptable and resilient life long learners is central to our vision for the school’s curriculum. It is because of this philosophy that we have developed a curriculum which knits together all areas of the curriculum as we work through adventures designed to inspire and motivate. Paying attention to depth, progression and variety of learning, teachers plan meaningful, challenging units of work which will live in the memory of students for years to come!

Throughout our adventure style learning, we thread the foundation subjects of the National Curriculum: History; Geography; Music; Computing; Art and Design; Design Technology; PE and Modern Foreign Languages (This is introduced where appropriate in EYFS and KS1, and taught as a lesson in KS2.)

In additional to those subjects we teach RE in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus and weave a rich seem of Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural experiences throughout all our learning.

Promoting British Values at The John Bamford Primary School

The DfE has recently reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”

The Government sets out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values were reiterated in 2014. At our school we ensure these values are reinforced regularly by being embedded into our adventure style learning, and by being included within our assembly themes.

Sex and Relationships Education

Discreet units of sex and relationship education are taught to Years 5 and 6 building upon the earlier PSHE programme which deals with keeping safe, growing and changing, feelings and emotions, healthy relationships, valuing difference and rights and responsibilities.

Issues and questions are dealt with in a sensitive and appropriate way. The lessons within years 5 and 6 are carefully planned and delivered using a range of approved resources, which are based on relationships and puberty. Some aspects are taught within the science curriculum. Parents are informed when these lessons take place. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from the discrete units in Years 5 and 6 and this should be done in writing to the Headteacher.

Geography, History, Art and Design, Design and Technology and Music

We follow the National Curriculum for Geography, History, Art and Design, Design and Technology and Music. These documents identify and group subject objectives into those for KS1 and KS2 children. All of our humanities and creative arts studies happen through our connected curriculum adventures. Teachers will always look for links between subjects so that connections can be made, for example, as to how the geographical natural landscape has affected the history of the people who have inhabited that region. When studying a period of history or an area of our world, studies will expand to look at the creative people that relate to that era or country. Significant artist, inventors, architects and designers are studied along with their work and this serves as an inspirational starting point for our children’s own independent or group work. In many cases the music of the people from that point in history or nation is explored, leading to opportunities for children to create their own compositions based on what they have heard.

For more information on the National Curriculum for Geography, History, Art and Design, Design and Technology and Music please follow the links below.

To view the breakdown of objectives for each subject please follow these links:

Religious Education

We follow The Staffordshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education which is broken down into year groups and themes allowing exploring, engaging and reflecting on subject knowledge and faith concepts. The three curriculum aims are supported by six broad dimensions:

Beliefs, teachings and sources
Practices and ways of life
Expressing meaning
Identity, diversity and belonging
Meaning, purpose and truth
Values and commitments

We use the resource ‘Discovery RE’ to direct learning around challenging ‘Big Questions’ and help teachers assess pupils’ progress accurately through Discovery RE’s attainment target descriptors.

For more information on the Agreed Syllabus’ year by year objectives for RE please follow the link below.

The Staffordshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education

For more information about Discovery RE, please follow this link: https://discoveryschemeofwork.com/

RE Long Term Plan

Computing

We follow the National Curriculum for Computing. This identifies and groups objectives for children to learn in KS1 and KS2. To help structure learning across the two key stages and to also include Reception in our Computing curriculum, we use the resource FantastICT. FantastICT uses three strands of learning; Learning to be Computer Scientists; Learning to be Creators; Learning to be E-Safe. A progression of learning activities over the primary phase enables children to succeed in meeting the National Curriculum Attainment Targets for KS1 and KS2.

For more information on the National Curriculum for Computing, please follow the link below.

National Curriculum for Computing

For more information about the FantastICT objective coverage year by year, please follow this link: Computing Year Group Objectives

Computing Long Term Plan

Languages (KS2)

Following consultation with our local secondary schools, we have chosen to teach French to our children in Key Stage 2. We follow the National Curriculum for Languages which has a broad set of objectives for all children from Years 3 to 6. To help teachers structure our children’s learning in a progressive and engaging manner, we use the resource Rigalo, by Oxford University Press. This resource enables children to gradually build their knowledge over the four years of KS2 through learning exciting songs, joining in online speaking and listening games and engaging with written resources.

For more information on the National Curriculum for Languages, please follow the link below.

National Curriculum for Languages (KS2)

For more information about Rigalo, please follow this link: Rigolo French