Curriculum Overview
Our Curriculum Intent
At Samuel Lucas, our rigorous curriculum provides a balance of subject specific skills for learning and knowledge through a progressive curriculum. We believe that when learning is purposeful, children are able to learn and remember more by understanding and making links with the context of their learning to the wider world.
We want our children to be motivated and curious about their learning, their place in society and how they can impact the future. We believe our approach to learning and our planned curriculum will prepare them for the next stage in their education as confident learners.
Our curriculum is designed carefully to reflect our community but also open doors to new exciting opportunities. Our curriculum encompasses not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum and The EYFS Framework, but goes beyond the experiences of the classroom to ensure that our children are exposed to the richest and most varied opportunities that we can provide.
Our approach to pedagogical choices for our curriculum enables our pupils to be innovative and critical thinkers in their approach to learning so that they are lifelong learners.
The National Curriculum
The National Curriculum forms the content of most of what is taught in Years 1-6 and consists of eleven subjects for primary-aged children. Â This is divided into core and foundation subjects. Â The core subjects are as follows (click the title for information):
Our aim here at Samuel Lucas is to provide children with a high-quality art and design education so that we may inspire, engage and challenge all pupils. Through this, we aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, we want them to be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design, and deepen their understanding of how art and design both reflect and shape history, as well as contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of nations.
At Samuel Lucas, our program of art learning is designed to meet the needs of our pupils ensuring our curriculum intentions are met. We teach an art curriculum which:
- Allows the children to become proficient in and develop the skills and techniques needed for them to communicate their artistic ideas, through different mediums such as drawing, painting and sculpture.
- Helps the children to develop ideas through understanding the artistic process.
- Allows the children to explore and learn skills and techniques from the work of great artist and artisans throughout history.
- Enables the children to evaluate and analyse theirs and others creative works.
- Encourages and enables the children to develop their sketchbook skills and offers them the opportunities to take control of their own learning; to feel a sense of ownership, pride and motivation.
In years 1-6, children complete one Art project per term which covers a range of different art skills and mediums. By the end of each key stage, pupils should be able to understand, practise and apply the techniques and skills taught. At Samuel Lucas, we take a spiral approach to our Art curriculum. We do this by revisiting and developing their art skills in each of these key learning areas:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Printing
- Sculpture
- Collage
- Textiles
- Digital media
- Developing ideas
- Take inspiration from the greats
By doing this, children are able to consolidate their prior learning and use what they know to help them acquire and develop new knowledge and skills, throughout their art learning. Please note, the order and context in which the skills and techniques are covered are down to the discretion of the year group teachers.
Reception:
Throughout the reception year children will learn about different art skills. The learning opportunities provided throughout âmy jobsâ time will ensure that children make progress in their art skills.
They will:
- Look at the work of famous artists, from around the world, and discuss their thoughts about it.
- Explore the styles used by different artists and apply this to their own work and learning.
- When learning about different countries they will explore related arts and crafts and use them as inspiration for their own creations.
- Children will learn and develop the skills of: drawing, painting and mixed media.
Key Stage 1:
Pupils are taught to:
- Use experiences and ideas as the inspiration for artwork.
- Share ideas using mediums such as drawing, painting and sculpture.
- Begin to develop their ideas and learning journey in their sketchbooks.
- Explore a variety of techniques across all of the different mediums.
- Learn about the work of a range of artists, artisans and designers.
- With support, discuss theirs and others work.
Key Stage 2:
Pupils are taught to :
- Use experiences, other subjects across the curriculum and ideas as inspiration for artwork.
- Share ideas using a range of learnt skills nd techniques.
- Develop and share ideas in a sketchbook and in finished products, which reflect their creative process.
- Improve mastery of techniques across all of the different mediums.
- Learn about the great artists, architects and designers in history.
- Be able to discuss and evaluate a range of techniques used in theirs and others work.
Computing at Samuel Lucas
Our aim at Samuel Lucas is to create confident digital learners and to ensure that all children are able to access our online learning platform to design, make and evaluate programs with confidence. Children should be able to navigate a range of tools and programs on the computer to become competent and confident users who are able to explore the digital world safely.
Overview of progression of Computing
At Samuel Lucas, the children use Purple Mash to access the Computing Curriculum. The children have their own personal users to access the platform and the programs. Children are taught computing as part of their regular timetables. Please see the progression of the curriculum below for more detail.
Reception
In EYFS, children have access to a range of digital devices that allow them to explore their learning. The children are able to use iPads and laptops in the classroom and explore other devices in relation to understanding the world. They are taught about e-safety and how to access the digital world safely.
D&T at Samuel Lucas
Our aim at Samuel Lucas is to provide our designers with the opportunity to design, make and evaluate a purposeful product. Teaching and learning in D&T follows these key 6 principles;
- User â children should know who they are making their product for.
- Purpose â what is the purpose of the product they are making.
- Functionality â their product should have a working element.
- Innovation â children should be coming up with their own ideas about their product.
- Design decisions â children should make choices about their product.
- Authenticity â children donât make a replica model of something, it should be a useful and viable product.
At Samuel Lucas, we believe it is important that children have an understanding of the whole process involved in their D&T project and are able to talk about their learning. This subject encourages children to task risks, be resourceful and innovative, drawing on knowledge from maths, science, computing and art to complete their project.
In years 1 â 6, children complete one D&T project per term, covering a wide range of different D&T skills. Please see the overview below to see how the skills progress as children move through the school, revisiting the same subject areas to build on prior knowledge. Please note, it may change which term each project is covered each year.
Reception
Children are given numerous opportunities to design and make products that are purposeful. Their projects relate to their learning at the time which is planned to follow childrenâs current interests. Activities are designed to develop their fine motor skills so that they can use a range of tools competently and safely. It also allows children to refine a variety of artistic skills to express their ideas and feelings.
Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
---|---|---|---|
Year 1 | Mechanisms Sliders and levers | Structures Freestanding structures | Food Preparing fruit and vegetables |
Year 2 | Food Preparing fruit and vegetables | Mechanisms Wheels and axles | Textiles Templates and joining techniques |
Year 3 | Food Healthy and varied diet | Structures Shell structures | Textiles 2-D shape to 3-D product |
Year 4 | Electrical Systems Simple circuits and switches | Mechanical Systems Levers and linkages | Food Healthy and varied diet |
Year 5 | Textiles Combining different fabric shapes | Mechanical Systems Pulleys or gears | Food Celebrating culture and seasonality |
Year 6 | Electrical Systems More complex switches and circuits | Food Celebrating culture and seasonality | Structures Frame structures |
- To listen attentively.
- To engage in conversations.
- To speak in sentences.
- To develop accurate pronunciation and intonation.
- To read carefully and show understanding of words.
- To broaden their vocabulary.
- To write phrases from memory.
- To describe people, places, things and actions.
- To understand basic grammar.
- To appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language.
- To present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences.
- To explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words.
We cover these twelve objectives by teaching the children a wide variety of progressive skills which are built upon and embedded throughout the school.
Our aim at Samuel Lucas is to deliver a high quality, fun, inspiring, challenging, engaging and relevant curriculum that best helps children to learn, understand and remember information relating to Geography. We believe it is important for children to grow as members of wider social and economic communities locally, nationally and internationally and as such, our Geography curriculum is designed to provide opportunities that support and encourage the children to do so.
There are three key concepts that underpin the teaching and learning of Geography at Samuel Lucas. Children will:
- Investigate places â this involves understanding the geographical location of places and their physical and human features.
- Investigate patterns â this involves understanding the relationships between the physical features of places and the human activity within them, and the appreciation of how the worldâs natural resources are used and transported.
- Communicate geographically â this involves understanding geographical representations, vocabulary and techniques such as map and fieldwork.
Below is an overview of the different contexts for learning used throughout the school to support the teaching and learning in Geography. At Samuel Lucas, we take a spiral approach to our Geography curriculum. We do this by revisiting the same contexts for learning throughout each Key Stage. By doing this, children are able to consolidate their prior learning and use what they know to help them acquire and develop new knowledge and skills.
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EYFS |
|
|||||
KS1 Years 1 & 2 | The United Kingdom | The United Kingdom | Continents and oceans | Mapping the world | Climate & Weather | Australia |
Lower KS2 Year 3 & 4 | Describing maps of the world & Europe | Earthquakes and volcanoes | Transportation | Landscape & Erosion and deposition | The water cycle & Climate change | International trade |
Upper KS2 Year 5 & 6 | North America | South America | Biomes & Climate Zones | Biomes & Climate Zones | Biomes & Climate Zones | Using maps & Ocean currents |
At Samuel Lucas, we intend to provide opportunities for our historians to learn about the periods of history as specified by the National Curriculum through a carefully planned series of engaging, relevant and stimulating lessons across both key stages.
Children will be able to use the correct vocabulary to express themselves as historians and be able to identify the four key threshold concepts:
- Investigate and interpret the past
- Build an overview of world history
- Understand chronology
- Communicate historically
Throughout these four key concepts, our curriculum is underpinned by ten knowledge categories:
Settlements, beliefs, culture and pastimes, location, main events, food and farming, travel and exploration, conflict, society and artefacts.
Below (coming soon) is an overview of the different contexts for learning used throughout the school to support the teaching and learning in History. At Samuel Lucas, we take a spiral approach to our History curriculum. We do this by revisiting the same contexts for learning throughout each Key Stage. By doing this, children are able to consolidate their prior learning and use what they know to help them acquire and develop new knowledge and skills.
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EYFS |
Children are encouraged to show an interest in the lives of people today and also the lives of people in the past. They are encouraged to think about the themes and values we can learn from the lives of others. |
|||||
KS1 Year 1 | Queen Victoria | The Gunpowder Plot & The Industrial Revolution | The Battle of Hastings | Florence Nightingale & Mary Seacole | Gandhi Rosa Parks | The First Flight & Local History |
KS1 Year 2 | Christopher Columbus | Martin Luther King JR | The Plague (Black Death | The Great Fire of London | Neil Armstrong | The Moon Landing |
Lower KS2 Year 3 & 4 | The Stone Age | The Bronze Age The Iron Age | The Romans | The Anglo-Saxons | The Vikings | Ancient Egypt |
Upper KS2 Year 5 & 6 | The Ancient Greeks | The Aztecs & Alexander The Great | Maya Explorers | World War II | The Tudors & The Victorians | Benin & Early Islam |
At Samuel Lucas we fully embrace the Maths Mastery curriculum which develops fluency, reasoning and problem solving. We teach a clear sequenced curriculum which allows knowledge and skills to be gained at each stage. Each area is taught in a block to allow children time to fully understand and embed their learning. Each block is built upon as the children advance throughout the school extending on their prior learning and allowing them to master concepts and deepen their learning. We firmly believe that all children can succeed in maths and that reasoning and problem solving should be at the heart of all lessons.
The knowledge of key facts is vital to all aspects of maths and we are focusing this year on developing our pupils’ knowledge of their times tables. We address misconceptions and develop reasoning skills by asking the children to explain, justify and prove their answers. Throughout the school, pupils learn to use concrete resources and both pictorial and abstract representations to demonstrate their mathematical understanding.
- To use voices expressively.
- To play tuned and untuned instruments.
- To listen with concentration and understanding.
- To experiment with combining sounds.
- To play and perform with increasing accuracy.
- To improvise and compose music.
- To use and understand musical notation.
- To appreciate and understand a wide range of music.
- To develop an understanding of the history of music.
We cover these eight objectives by teaching the children a wide variety of progressive skills which are built upon and embedded throughout the school.
We believe that by providing our children with as many opportunities as possible in a range of sports and activities that they will develop a passion for Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity as they develop a self-awareness to lead a physically active lifestyle as they grow and develop.
It is our belief that PESSPA (Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity) should be placed at the heart of school life with our children learning about the benefits of an active lifestyle and how this can help their physical and mental wellbeing. We hope that the values PE can teach our children will develop into lifelong skills such as teamwork, resilience, determination, self-belief, passion, overcoming setbacks and respect.
All of our children in Key Stage 2 participate in Intra-house tournaments at the end of their unit of work after learning and developing their skills in their PE lessons. Children represent their house group and compete for the Samuel Lucas House Cup. Our Year 5/6 sports leaders are responsible for helping to organise and deliver our intra-house tournaments and festivals. They are responsible for scoring, refereeing and leading teams/groups of children whilst the events are happening.
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EYFS |
|
|||||
Year 1 | Team building Health & wellbeing | Ball skills (hand) 1 & 2 | For morte Body Parts | Games for Understanding Ball Skills (feet) | Locomotion: Jumping Dance: The Zoo | Locomotion: Running Sports Day Practice |
Year 2 | Team building Health & wellbeing | Ball skills (hand) 1 & 2 | Gymnastics: Linking Gymnastics: Pathways | Games for Understanding Ball Skills (feet) | Locomotion: Jumping Dance: Explorers | Locomotion: Dodging Sports Day Practice |
Year 3 | Invasion: Football Invasion: Tag Rugby | OAA: Communication & Tactics Invasion: Hockey | Gymnastics: Symmetry & Asymmetry Swimming | Dance: Weather Swimming | OAA: Orienteering Cricket | Athletics: Running Athletics: Jumping |
Year 4 | Invasion: Football Swimming | Invasion: Tag Rugby Swimming | OAA: Communication & Tactics Gymnastics: Bridges | Invasion: Hockey Dance: Space | OAA: Orienteering Cricket | Athletics: Running Athletics: Jumping |
Year 5 | Invasion: Football Invasion: Tag Rugby | OAA: Communication & Tactics Invasion: Hockey | Gymnastics: Counter Balance & Counter Tension Dance: Circus | OAA: Orienteering Net/Wall: Tennis | Cricket Rounders | Athletics: Running Athletics: Throwing |
Year 6 | Invasion: Football Invasion: Tag Rugby | OAA: Communication & Tactics Invasion: Hockey | Gymnastics: Matching & Mirroring Dance: Titanic | OAA: Orienteering Net/Wall: Tennis | Cricket Rounders | Athletics: Running Athletics: Throwing |
The puzzles pieces are:
Autumn 1: Being in my World
Autumn 2: Celebrating Differences
Spring 1: Dreams and Goals
Spring 2: Healthy Me
Summer 1: Relationships
Summer 2: Changing Me
The teaching of the Jigsaw program aims to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at school and in society, therefore preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Jigsaw
Teaching and learning in RE follows these key 6 principles:
- Beliefs and Practices
- Sources of Wisdom
- Symbols and Actions
- Prayer, Worship and Reflection
- Identity and Belonging
- Ultimate Questions
- Human Responsibility and Values
- Justice and Fairness
In years 1 â 6, children have one RE lesson a week, covering a wide range of beliefs and practices. Please see the overview below to see how the skills and knowledge progress as children move through the school, revisiting the same subject areas to build on prior knowledge.
Reception
In Early Years, children explore the world around them through accessing their provision. They are given opportunities to celebrate festivals and celebrations such as Diwali, Christmas and Chinese New Year. Children are taught about the symbols and religious buildings that may be associated with these celebrations. Children are taught about ceremonies including weddings and baptisms. Children in Reception are taught to understand that people have different beliefs and enjoy learning about them through active and engaging exploration.
Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
---|---|---|---|
Year 1 | Harvest Festivals | Naming ceremonies Easter | Sacred places Big Questions |
Year 2 | Symbols Festivals | The Lordâs Prayer Exploring religious buildings | Community Big Questions |
Year 3 | Festivals and traditions Symbolic expressions in prayer and worship | Belonging to a community Exploring Lent | Sacred texts and stories Big Questions |
Year 4 | Festivals, pilgrimages and traditions Symbols in prayer and worship | Belonging to a community Sacred places | Sacred texts Taking responsibility and right and wrong |
Year 5 | Celebrations, key events in life and pilgrimage Symbolic ways of expressing meaning | Belonging to a community Ultimate questions | Sacred texts Taking responsibility for living together |
Year 6 | Celebrations, key events in life Symbolic ways of expressing meaning | Belonging to a community, individual commitment and religious leadership Communicating beyond prayer and sacred places | Sacred texts â their impact Taking responsibility for living together Reflecting on ethics |
Science intent
Our aim at Samuel Lucas is to provide our scientists with opportunities for practical hands on activities, to develop and maintain a sense of excitement and curiosity about science phenomena and to understand and use skills and knowledge. Our Science curriculum is designed to foster a love of learning about the world and promote concern and active care for our environment, whilst deepening our scientistsâ scientific understanding.
We teach a Science curriculum which:
- Covers the Science Programmes of Study of the National Curriculum and Understanding of the World in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
- Promotes learning through a variety of teaching and learning styles.
- Helps develop and extend our scientistsâ scientific concept of their world and encourage them to ask deeper questions about the world building upon their natural curiosity.
- Helps our scientists acquire a growing understanding of scientific ideas.
- Develops the use of scientific language, recordings and techniques.
- Develops the skills of investigation including observing, measuring, predicting, experimenting, communicating, presenting and interpreting, explaining and evaluating.
- Prepares our scientists for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world.
- Encourages the development of positive attitudes to Science enhanced through our Science week every year.
- Fosters concern about, and active care for, our environment.
Science implementation
The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and Understanding of the World in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The key skills of Working Scientifically are integral to the learning and development of Science. These skills will be embedded throughout learning opportunities and scientists use their working scientifically EY, KS1 and KS2 working wheels to understand which, how and what skills they are using. Scientists will be taught Science once a week in topics with cross curricular learning when possible. Topics will build on previous learning in prior years.
Our scientistsâ interest and enjoyment of Science is a key feature when planning lessons. Scientists are encouraged to make the link with how science contributes to all aspects of daily life. Pupils are encouraged to relate their scientific studies to the real world.
Samuel Lucas scientists are expected to ask questions, challenge misconceptions and seek answers to their own questions, through the use of scientific investigations. Practical work gives them a worth-while experience to develop their understanding of science. Scientists are able to progressively develop their ability to plan, carry out and evaluate scientific investigations. Teachers help pupils to develop their ability to make accurate and appropriate measurements, using a range of scientific measuring instruments.
We will encourage all scientists to use the correct scientific vocabulary and communicate their ideas about Science in the appropriate scientific way. They will be given regular opportunities to use key scientific terms and will be supported to use the correct scientific words through word mats or displays.
our science teaching and learning ensures scientists not only acquire the appropriate age related knowledge linked to the science curriculum, but also skills which equip them to progress from their starting points, and within their everyday lives.
All scientists will have:
- A wider variety of skills linked to both scientific knowledge and understanding, and scientific enquiry/investigative skills.
- A richer vocabulary which will enable them to articulate their understanding of taught concepts.
- High aspirations, which will see them through to further study, work and a successful adult life.
- Curious scientific minds with a care for what they see in the world around them.
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
EYFS | Throughout the school year, Reception children have the opportunity to become Scientists by taking part in investigations through the year, which experiments will be dependent on childrenâs interests, taught topics, etc). Reception scientists will be introduced to the ideas of posing questions, planning investigations, predicting what might happen, making observations and talking about what they found out. Concepts introduced include: senses, magnetism, pushes and pulls, floating and sinking, changes of state, animal life cycles (chicks hatching) and seasons. | |||||
Year 1 | Materials | Seasonal changes | Animals including humans | Animals including humans | Animals including humans | Plants |
Year 2 | Living Things and their habitats | Animals including humans | Materials | Materials | Plants | Plants |
Year 3 | Animals including humans | Forces and Magnets | Light | Light | Rocks and soils | Rocks and soils |
Year 4 | Sound | Electricity | Animals including humans | Food chains | Living Things and their habitats | States of matter Water cycle |
Year 5 | Space | Forces | Properties and changes of materials | Properties and changes of materials | Living Things and their habitats | Living Things and their habitats |
Year 6 | Animal classification | Electricity | Light | Animals including humans | Evolution and Inheritance | Evolution and Inheritance |