Curriculum Pathway
Below you will find information about the different Key Stages and phases of your child's learning.
Core Curriculum areas are detailed separately, the Curriculum Maps can be viewed below.
To see our Curriculum Themes and coverage please click the following link Curriculum Cycle 2021-22
KS2 Curriculum Map
Topic Map Pre-School to Year 6
Maths
We have been introduced to our new Numeracy scheme called Power Maths, this follows our current scheme called White Rose and is one of only two maths schemes supported by the DfE. We take baseline assessments early on in the term to help identify gaps in our learning and to provide the children with an aspirational target to achieve. Further details can be found here, including the curriculum overviews from Year 1 to 6.
We have also begun learning our times tables and children in Year 2 and 3 will have weekly times tables tests to improve and build on their current knowledge. We would encourage you to help your child by learning their times tables by playing songs and questioning them on a daily basis, this is a fundamental skill which will stand them in good stead as they grow at Great Ouse.
Intent, Implementation & Impact
| Times Table Expectations | |
| Year 1 | Year 3 |
| Year 2 | Year 4 |
MTC - Check
From the 2019/20 academic year onwards, all state-funded maintained schools and academies (including free schools) in England will be required to administer an online multiplication tables check (MTC) to year 4 pupils. The National Curriculum specifies that pupils should be taught to recall the multiplication tables up to and including 12 × 12 by the end of year 4. The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics.
To further support your child with learning and assessing their times table knowledge we recommend the following website.
Literacy
At Great Ouse Primary Academy we recognise that language represents one of the fundamental tools to learning and communicating ideas, views and feelings. We believe through speaking and listening, reading and writing children will develop their powers of imagination, creativity and critical thinking. We aim to provide quality visual, auditory and kinesthetic experiences that will enhance children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. We aim to provide skills and attitudes that will not only make them effective learners and communicators but also provide a lifelong enjoyment of language and books. We deliver a carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum which aims to inspire pupils, promote excellent outcomes for all and overcome inequality of opportunity.
Progression for English Autumn Term 1
Writing
Our pupils will learn to write in a range of different genres in order to familiarise themselves with various styles of writing. Written work will be linked with other areas of the curriculum and will build on previous learning. The children are given specific targets termly so they are clear about next steps in their learning. Children will have an extended, unaided, writing session half termly. This will be known as ‘Invention Writing’. The children are given a stimuli to prepare and provide input for this writing session.
Pie Corbett Reading Spine - The Reading Spine is a core of books that create a living library inside a child’s mind. It is a store of classics and essential reads that help children engage at a deeper level and enter the world of the story.
- Bring reading to life with a classic read aloud programme, selected by literacy expert Pie Corbett
- Foster a love of reading with the best-loved books for Nursery to Year 6
- Deepen comprehension and teach drama and writing by drawing on the core books
Intent, Implementation & Impact
Phonics
We follow the Letters and Sounds programme to ensure children develop their phonic skills in a coherent and systematic way. There is direct small group teaching of phonics using this programme from Nursery upwards. Children in KS2 receive additional small group phonics teaching if they have failed to pass the phonics check in Year 1 or the retake in Year 2. Children who are still developing their phonic knowledge take home a phonically decodable book matched closely to their phonic phase every night. It is one of our school priorities to ensure that all children develop confidence in phonics to enable them to become confident readers. We greatly appreciate parental support in this area and encourage parents to read the phonically decodable books with their child regularly.
Science
At Great Ouse Primary Academy we have introduced our new Science scheme of work called Snap Science, it covers all the required knowledge, conceptual understanding and full range of scientific enquiry types identified in the Programmes of Study. We believe in teaching a science curriculum that will enable children to think like a scientist to answer science implications of today and the future. The curriculum is delivered through a key question focus that encourages our view of stimulating intellectual curiosity and discovery of science phenomena. Our pupils are encouraged to develop and use a range of skills including observations, noticing patterns, planning and investigations.
The scheme of learning is implemented on the year by year model of the Programmes of Study with a clear progression framework of the big ideas in science. This ensures children are continually building on their prior learning as they systematically develop their understanding of key ideas and their scientific skills. We promote opportunities for our pupils to observe the natural world first-hand through learning science outdoors in Our Changing World module. This module invites pupils to discover the outdoor environment and builds a rich understanding of how our world changes over the year.
Progression is carefully taught through modules that are continuingly revisited throughout Year 1 to Year 6.
Science Curriculum Map
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
| Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
Computing
We base our Computing Curriculum around a programme of study ‘Teach Computing Curriculum’. This programme enables clear progression across the year groups, starting with Year 1. It is split into 6 key areas which enable the children to get a rich and varied experience of Computing. These six key areas include: Programming (A+B), Creating Media (A+B), Computing systems and Data and Information. These key areas have summative assessments at the end of each unit and key homework points which the children will complete. In Reception, the children learn the basics of how to programme toys and create pathways for programmed toys to travel around.
There is also a huge emphasis on online safety, and this is taught from Project Evolve. This project allows the children to gain an insight into how to stay safe online and ways to report any unwanted behaviours. Our online safety curriculum is split into 8 different key areas and has clear progression throughout the school. These 8 key areas are: self-image and identity, online relationships, online reputation, online bullying, managing online information, health, wellbeing and lifestyle, privacy and security and copyright and ownership. These 8 areas have specific questions that the children will be able to answer through their learning.
Physical Education
Physical Education (PE) at Great Ouse is delivered using the Cambridgeshire Scheme of Work for PE with the support of the National Curriculum. The scheme provides a range of activity based units of work that are progressive from Key Stage One upwards: fundamental movement skill units for Key Stage One, progressing into generic activity areas in Key Stage Two and then specific activity focus in higher Key Stage Two, which complements the National Curriculum Key Stage One and Key Stage Two National Curriculum programmes of study for Physical Education.
We carefully determine the context (activity) through which pupils will develop their competence, knowledge, skills and understanding, based on the needs of our children both in terms of culture and prior learning.
We teach a varied and diverse selection of sports, dance and games appropriate to the children in each year with the exception of Gymnastics units, are planned to ensure a clear progression, however we apply a ‘stage not age’ approach where key competencies are reinforced.
Humanities
At Great Ouse, we ensure that our History and Geography curriculum is fully inclusive and linked to our six topics throughout the year across Nursery, Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. We provide a broad and balanced curriculum, differentiated to meet the needs of the children. We ensure progression in History through historical concepts, knowledge and skills and for the children to study life in the past. We ensure progression in Geography through geographical concepts, knowledge and skills and for the children to develop a love for Geography.
The Geography curriculum is split into:
- Location Knowledge
- Place Knowledge
- Human and Physical Geography
- Geographical skills and fieldwork
History
At Great Ouse we aim for a high-quality History curriculum which should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Our curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively providing the necessary knowledge and skills for the pupils’ future to empower them to take their role as informed and active citizens in the 21st century. With an emphasis not just on historical knowledge but also skills and concepts.
Our teaching equips pupils to:
- Have knowledge about the history of Britain and how it has influenced and has been influenced by the wider world.
- Know and understand about significant aspects of the History of the wider world like ancient civilisations and empires.
- Know and understand changes in living memory and beyond living memory.
- Learn about the lives of significant people of the past.
- Understand the methods of historical enquiry and be able to ask and answer questions.
Our History curriculum is split into 7 historical strands:
Historical Knowledge
1. Constructing the past
2. Sequencing the past
History Concepts
3. Change and development
4. Cause and effect
5. Significance and interpretations
Historical Enquiry
6. Planning and carrying out a historical enquiry
7. Using sources as evidence
In Key Stage 2, History is taught through standalone History lessons (one hour per week) taught through History topics which change termly. In Key Stage 1, History is taught through topics which are cross-curricular where appropriate. These History topics allow some cross curricular outcomes in History which are specifically planned for, with strong links between the History curriculum and Literacy lessons enabling further contextual learning. In Key Stage 1, History is taught alternating with Geography each half term e.g., Autumn first half term is History, Autumn second half term is Geography.
Design Technology
D&T gives children the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the designed and made world in which we all live and work.
Design and Technology education involves two important elements - learning about the designed and made world and how things work, and learning to design and make functional products for particular purposes and users. Children acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of materials and components, mechanisms and control systems, structures, existing products, quality and health and safety.
The skills learned in D&T also help with learning across the curriculum. Knowledge about the properties of materials helps in science and the practice of measuring accurately helps in maths. These skills help in IT through the children’s use of computer control and, naturally, in art and design. Design and Technology education helps develop children’s skills through collaborative working and problem-solving, and knowledge in design, materials, structures, mechanisms and electrical control. They are encouraged to be creative and innovative, and are actively encouraged to think about important issues such as sustainability and enterprise.
There are three core activities children engage with in Design and Technology:
- Activities which involve investigating and evaluating existing products
- Focused tasks in which children develop particular aspects of knowledge and skills
- Designing and making activities in which children design and make 'something' for 'somebody' for 'some purpose'
Art
The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at GOPA is based on the National Curriculum. We follow the scheme of work designed by ‘Kapow’ which facilitates all formal elements of art and design and applies the essential skills to a range of topics.
Drawing is a key skill which will run throughout all activities, and it is all about understanding drawing for purpose. So, not just about skill in observation/perception, but in being able to communicate ideas visually (a mind map, a plan, a diagram, an expression of thought). The formal elements are taught from year 1 and revisited as pupils progress through school. These are a key part of the Kapow Art and Design resources. They are summarised as line, shape, form, tone, texture, pattern, colour and composition. They are often used together, and how they are organised in a piece of art determines what the finished piece will look like. The design of the Kapow Art Craft Design resources uses a balance of the formal elements alongside a balance of Art, of Craft and of Design. It also develops visual literacy through a very focussed approach to looking at art. Like drawing, visual literacy is a key skill throughout. Knowledge organisers are sent home to our pupils to encourage the use of art subject knowledge and key terms.
Children use one sketchbook which is carried through as a portfolio across all year groups to demonstrate progress and remind children of previous skills they have learned.
Art is taught for an hour a week in all year groups for half a term and alternates with Design and Technology. This is to allow children to make links across the subject. They then have a whole day of art once a term to amalgamate the skills they have learned and apply it to an area of their choice.
Pupils are lucky enough to have access to a wide range of media throughout their Primary career including opportunities for printing with different types of ink, painting with various types of paint, craft materials, clay sculpting and more.
Music
We closely follow the National Curriculum for our music teaching throughout school. The programme of learning is a good starting point for our children that builds pupils knowledge, skills and understanding in music giving them time to study important pieces of music and also to learn how to create music. We celebrate musical cultural diversity and expose the children to a wide variety of instruments and genres of music. Alongside this programme we use the BBC Ten Pieces resources to teach our pupils about significant pieces of classical music.
Children are also offered the opportunity to learn a number of different musical instruments; violin, cello, guitar and keyboard as well as enrichment extra curricular opportunities such as choir and ocarina club.
PSHE
PSHE at Great Ouse is delivered using a comprehensive Programme for Primary PSHE including statutory Relationships and Health Education, in a spiral, progressive scheme of learning, giving children relevant learning experiences to help them navigate their world and to develop positive relationships with themselves and others.
With strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health, lessons also include mindfulness allowing children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration and focus.
Jigsaw PSHE consists of six half-term units of work (Puzzles), each containing six lessons (Pieces) covering each academic year. Every Piece has two Learning Intentions, one specific to Relationships and Health Education (PSHE) and the other designed to develop emotional literacy and social skills. Puzzles are launched with a whole-school assembly and with each year group studying the same unit at the same time (at their own level), building sequentially through the school year, facilitating whole-school learning themes.
The various teaching and learning activities are engaging and mindful of different learning styles and the need for differentiation and the Early Years (EYFS) planning is aligned to the National Early Years Framework (England).
PSHE Annual Overview and progression (EYFS - Yr 3)
PSHE Annual Overview and progression (Yr 4, 5 & 6)
*we do not cover the Changing Me element as this is covered by colleagues in Secondary School.
RE
Discover RE is a comprehensive RE scheme of learning including 59 Enquiry modules covering Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism and including non-religions. The enquiry approach to RE ensures children are engaged and excited by their learning. Topics and themes show clear progression between years and phases and deliberate repetition of taught knowledge such as; Christianity is taught in every year group, with Christmas and Easter given fresh treatment every year, developing children’s learning in a progressive way.
The key question for the enquiry is such that it demands an answer that weighs up ‘evidence’ and reaches a conclusion based on this. This necessitates children using their subject knowledge and applying it to the enquiry question, rather than this knowledge being an end in itself. Discovery RE focuses on critical thinking skills, on personal reflection into the child’s own thoughts and feelings, on growing subject knowledge and nurturing spiritual development.
Our RE schemes of learning supports;
• SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) Development opportunities
• British Values
• Anti-radicalisation
• Critical Thinking and Growth Mindset
• Personal Development
• Enhances children’s learning and spiritual development
• Encourages the celebration of diversity
RE Annual Overview and progression
Collective Worship
At Great Ouse we hold a daily act of collective worship, this features in many ways; in our HAKA, assemblies, lessons, Daily Challenge, Focus Days, Visiting speakers, theatre groups, our annual Multi Cultural Day, World Religion Day and the local Faith Tour (UKS2).
Great Ouse Primary Academy does not have a religious status (it is not a church school), nor does it promote or rely upon the teachings of one particular religion as the foundation of the school’s ethos or teaching. However, the school does teach and promote, through its curriculum and other activities, principles which are evident in aspects of many religious faiths:
• love and care for one another
• respect for one another
• the importance of family, friendship, and relationships
• personal well-being and self-esteem
• sense of right and wrong
• justice and restoration of relationships
• forgiveness
• appreciation of the world in which we live
• understanding of different peoples, their cultures, and their traditions
• diversity
• rights and responsibilities
• personal reflection – learning, behaviour, friendships
• awe and wonder
RE Annual Overview and progression
Collective Worship
At Great Ouse we hold a daily act of collective worship, this features in many ways; in our HAKA, assemblies, lessons, Daily Challenge, Focus Days, Visiting speakers, theatre groups, our annual Multi Cultural Day and the local Faith Tour (UKS2).
Great Ouse Primary Academy does not have a religious status (it is not a church school), nor does it promote or rely upon the teachings of one particular religion as the foundation of the school’s ethos or teaching. However, the school does teach and promote, through its curriculum and other activities, principles which are evident in aspects of many religious faiths:
- love and care for one another
- respect for one another
- the importance of family, friendship and relationships
- personal well-being and self-esteem
- sense of right and wrong
- justice and restoration of relationships
- forgiveness
- appreciation of the world in which we live
- understanding of different peoples, their cultures and their traditions
- diversity
- rights and responsibilities
- personal reflection – learning, behaviour, friendships
- awe and wonder
Modern Foreign Languages (MfL - KS2)
Aims
The National Curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
- Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
- Can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
- Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.
At Great Ouse Primary Academy, we are committed to fostering an interest in learning other languages in a way that is enjoyable and fun. We aim to stimulate and encourage children’s curiosity about language and to encourage the children to be aware that language has a structure that differs from one language to another. In our diverse multi-cultural society, we aim to utilise the many positive opportunities to be found, to help the children develop their awareness of cultural differences within their own and other countries. As part of their studies, the pupils will develop their speaking and listening skills as a foundation for future study and to extend language teaching beyond their mother tongue.
Through our teaching of MFL in school (German Lunchtime Club and French in KS2), we aim for children to be able to build on three strands of teaching and learning: Oracy, Literacy and Intercultural Understanding.
These three strands will enable the children to be able to:
- Listen and respond to questions using correct pronunciation and grammar
- Memorise and recite familiar words and phrases (including rhymes, songs and stories)
- Interpret meaning by picking out familiar words;
- Read and write familiar vocabulary building up into short phrases and sentences including the use of dictionaries to find new words
- Communicate with each other in French in pairs or groups
- Recognise similarities and differences between countries and cultures
