Curriculum Maps

Our school’s Curriculum Policy reflects the requirements of the Primary National Curriculum, which provides all our children with the opportunity to develop their knowledge, experience and understanding to the best of their ability.

RE Curriculum Overview

To teach Religious Education, we follow the RED Directory, 'To Know You More Clearly' for Pre-School, Reception, Years 1 & 2. From November 2024, Years 3 & 4 will also be using this for Religious Education. Years 5 & 6 teach Religious Education through Come and See, which teaches 'Living and Sharing Our Faith’.

Through 'To Know You More Clearly', the children learn Religious Education through Understand - In this way of knowing, the children understand deeply the meaning of scared texts, religious beliefs, sacred rites and the lives of individuals and communities who are shaped by these texts, beliefs and rites. Discern - The children learn how to judge wisely in response to different interpretations of the meaning, significance and implications of texts, beliefs, rites and ways of life so that they can arrive at justified conclusions about what is true, what is good and what is beautiful. Respond - Children reflect personally and with integrity on what they have learned and consider the implications for action these might have for their own lives and the world in which they live. The children learn through Revelation, Scared Scripture, Creation and Fall, Covenant, Prophecy and the Good News of redemption.

With Come and See, the children learn about elements of Christian beliefs and the Catholic Church’s response. Children are introduced to topics through their own experiences as they ‘explore’ what they know. The Catholic faith is ‘revealed’ as the children learn through lessons based on scripture and enhanced with interactive lessons often involving drama, role play and mime. The children are asked to ‘respond’ to what they have learnt and through their daily lives.

Each term the programme is delivered in three topics which are linked to the Liturgical Year:

Autumn Term: Family, Belonging, Loving

Spring Term: Community, Relating, Giving

Summer Term: Serving, Inter-Relating, World

Each class follows its own topic path with a rich range of on line resources and first hand artefacts As part of the annual programme, we are also invited to develop an understanding of Other Religions. We learn about how members of other faith communities live as families and how they worship.

As part of our whole school religious education curriculum, each class is allocated a Saint to follow throughout the year. The children become familiar with their Saint and recognise their Saint’s Holy Day.

Class Saints

Reception Class: Saint Joseph

Year 1: Saint Catherine of Siena

Year 2: Saint Bernadette

Year 3: Saint Therese of Lisieux

Year 4: Saint Patrick

Year 5: Saint Francis of Assisi

Year 6: Saint Poi

Worship

We have a form of community worship each day within the school community. We pray together as a class and celebrate during Key Stage and whole school assemblies. We follow the liturgical year as we celebrate Mass together with our Parish Priest and we have Class Masses within our classroom settings. As a school we support Parish celebrations and lead the annual Education Sunday Mass.

Maths Curriculum Overview

In line with the New National curriculum, the School Calculation Policy has been amended. The policy has been designed to give a consistent progression of learning in calculations from Year 1 to Year 6. Calculation in Reception follows the 'Development Matters' Early Years and Foundation Stage Document. This policy has been designed to link seamlessly, in terms of progression, with the guidance on calculation in Early Years and Foundation Stage.

Please click here to download a copy of the calculation guidance.

English Curriculum Overview

Reading is highly valued at St Joseph's - it is the key to accessing much of the curriculum and a valuable life long skill. The teaching and development of reading skills has traditionally been a strength of our school, as shown in Year 1 National Phonic Screening, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 reading SATS scores.

All children read regularly - individually, within guided groups and through whole class reading lessons. Our core reading scheme is Oxford Reading Tree, with supplementary material from Phonic Bug incorporated to further apply specific phonic skills being taught. Daily synthetic phonics work underpins all early reading skills development at St Joseph's. This systematic teaching of sounds (phonemes) enables children to access and build early reading through accurately blending sounds.

All children in our EYFS and Key Stage One classes take part in daily 20 minute phonics lessons - this provision is also made for pupils in Year Three who continue to need support in further building their reading skills.

Our children also read and experience daily stories, rhymes, factual or IT texts. Books are taken home for reading practice and consolidation, with nightly reading being the expectation for maximum progress.

The Home/School diary is a vital part of our Home/School partnership, as recognised in our two previous OFSTED inspections. It is used by teachers, parents and children in commenting on books read and skills being developed. Valuable guidance on reading with your child can also be accessed here.

Parents and carers are also offered support with effective reading at home through EYFS and Key Stage One workshops, where modelling of key phonic strategies is shared.

As a school, we strive to engage our pupils in reading for pleasure and in developing a knowledge of wider text genres. We were delighted to recently receive an award from Essex Libraries for winning our local area's 'Summer Read Schools Competition' for the firth consecutive year! We have also taken great pride in both winning and retaining The SWF 'World Book Day Schools Trophy' over the last two years.

Relationship Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education

Ten Ten

Central to our work within the school is learning about our faith, including understanding ourselves, our position in our community and how we develop as human beings – our spiritual, social, emotional and physical development. This is how Ten Ten fits in to the school’s curriculum. The scheme permeates through all levels of learning throughout the school. It focuses on friendship, family, community, relationships and spirituality; a guide to the children’s development as young Catholics.

Not all issues related to personal development are covered by the end of Year 6. The content is age appropriate and is taught sensitivity, taking into account the children’s level of maturity in regard to the delivery of the lessons.

As with all aspects of learning, children are naturally curious and many will have questions related to their lessons. Opportunities to discuss questions form part of the lessons and, again, these are treated with care and understanding.

Christ The King Federation Core Subjects Intent, Implementation and Impact

Christ The King Federation Core Subjects Curriculum Maps

English

Reading

Writing

Phonics

Christ the King Federation