Our Curriculum
As a Catholic school, St. Edmund’s aims to develop each child to reach their full potential in a friendly, positive, safe and caring atmosphere. Our child-centred approach focuses on the individual needs of the child, to ensure success whilst providing opportunities for spiritual, personal and intellectual growth.
Our broad and balanced curriculum is inclusive, differentiated and relevant. We prepare children for secondary school and to make a positive contribution as global citizens; to be tolerant and respectful of themselves, others and the multilingual, multicultural society of which we live.
At St Edmund’s we believe in using a thematic approach to learning in order to help children make links and sense of the world. However, some aspects of our curriculum are best taught as stand-alone lessons. The St Edmund’s curriculum is both knowledge and skills rich.
RE has a special place in our curriculum in school as it lays the foundations for how we live our lives as a school community. However, this is enriched by the many opportunities provided for children beyond the classroom. It is here that new skills can be developed. Participation in productions, educational days, residential trips and after school activities allow the boys and girls of St. Edmunds to thrive.
Through the formal and informal curriculum, a positive mind set is encouraged and children develop social confidence; to be self-reliant and self-disciplined; and to form positive relationships with students and adults.
Assessment is an integral part of our curriculum. Teachers use a variety of assessment techniques to aid the progression of students which form an integrated approach to teaching, learning, planning and assessment.
Detailed curriculum information per Year group and subject can be found across our website.
Curriculum Drivers
Our curriculum is driven by the needs of our children and is reviewed on a yearly basis by senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and children. On the St Edmund journey, pupils learn to LOVE one another, CARE for our wider world and SHARE aspirations for life after St Edmund’s.
We have identified three key drivers that at St Edmund’s, we feel are fundamental to the success of our curriculum and underpin everything we do.
Faith -
At St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School, our curriculum is underpinned by a Catholic education based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, in which the values of the Gospel underpin all aspects of school life. It is important that our pupil’s leave us as educated and caring people who have the knowledge and skills they need to flourish as human beings and make the world a better place. We are committed to our mission statement and Laudato Si which aim to provide an excellent Catholic education for every child in our care.
Ambition -
We believe that there is no limit to what children can achieve, so encourage them to be ambitious. Ambition can make the extraordinary possible, but it’s only the spark. It takes passion, determination and commitment to make it a reality. At St Edmund’s we are relentlessly optimistic and encourage everyone to be the best they can be by challenging pupils each and every day so they can continuously make progress.
Growth and Well-being:
At St Edmund’s we want to help pupils develop confidence, motivation, self-belief and a strong sense of self-worth. We strive to aid children’s development socially and emotionally so that they are equipped to become independent thinkers. Our child-centred approach will strive to instil a positive and resilient mind-set to children’s learning so that they will grow in all areas of their lives.
Curriculum Implementation
At St Edmund’s we implement our curriculum and base our decisions on the latest educational research into effective teaching practices, cognition and how knowledge and understanding develops. This information acts as a guide to ensure our curriculum is delivered in the most effective way.
Our pedagogical approach ensures that children know what they are learning and how to achieve it. Children are given opportunities to retrieve information and recall prior learning and are encouraged to be independent thinkers. Information is introduced in small steps, learning modelled, resources provided and scaffolds used to help children succeed.
Our carefully crafted curriculum balances the national expectations with a range of experiences allowing children to flourish. Our whole school curriculum maps ensure that the curriculum has sufficient depth and coverage in all subjects and ensures pupils’ progression in knowledge and skills.
Curriculum Impact
Our whole school team works together to reflect upon our curriculum and share outcomes driving forward next steps. There is an ambition for high achievement for all pupils irrespective of background and starting point.
We will base the impact of our curriculum on three key factors.
Impact 1: Faith
Pupils can confidently talk about their faith and are respectful and tolerant of other religions. Children show a deep understanding of what it means to be Catholic and feel school is a secure environment where they can flourish whilst feeling safe to ask questions. All pupils feel included and appreciated as they continue on their faith journey.
Impact 2: Ambition
Pupils consistently attain and make progress far higher than local and national expectations. They are given opportunities to achieve at higher standards. Assessment shows that knowledge acquired through education and experience and the skills (the know-how to apply the known) are well sequenced, progressive, coherent and embedded throughout the curriculum.
Impact 3: Growth and well-being
Pupils demonstrate The St Edmund’s Way and our values in their behaviour in lessons and around the school. Pupils make the right choices for their safety and these choices benefit the school and the wider community. Pupils partake in a number of sporting opportunities and their wider experiences help them to develop as individuals.