There is a school curriculum policy in place which parents are welcome to see. Below is a summary of its content.
"Schools are required to teach all children Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Art, Music, PE, Design & Technology, ICT, PSHE and Citizenship. A broad outline of areas of study is contained in the DFEE document "Curriculum 2000". More detailed information of curricula content is found in the QCA and Here I Am (RE) schemes of work, which are used in the school.
From September 2005, children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 receive tuition in French for one hour a week. In Key Stage 1 a performing artist works once a week on drama, music and dance activities.
A large proportion of the English Curriculum is taught during a daily Literacy Hour as outlined in the Government "Framework for Literacy" document. A similar allocation of time is given to Maths to deliver the "National Numeracy Strategy" programme of study.
It is assumed that parents who have decided to send their children to a joint Roman Catholic and Church of England school would want their children to be involved in assemblies and other acts of religious worship. However, parents do have a right to withdraw children from religious celebrations and need to notify the school in writing if they wish to do so.
All classes worship together daily in the school hall, except for Tuesdays, when the whole school worships in the church. Parents are welcome to join us in church each week. We have "special" services twice a term taken jointly by the Roman Catholic Priest and Church of England Vicars.
In the reception class the children follow the programme for the foundation year, which is based on early learning goals and areas of experience. This emphasises the importance of developing academic and basic skills. Reading and maths are structured to meet the individual child’s needs and stage of development. All reception children are assessed to determine their basic skills level in literacy, numeracy and social development.
In Years 1 and 2 the teacher builds upon the skills and knowledge acquired in the previous year/s and the curriculum becomes more structured. At the end of Key Stage 1, Year 2 pupils are assessed in the core subjects. Maths and English test results are reported to parents.
Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 children, while following the National Curriculum programme of study, are encouraged to become more independent learners. They are required to critically assess and discuss with the class teacher their own progress. During their final year at the school, Year 6 pupils participate in a residential school trip, which enables them to extend different aspects of the curriculum. At the end of Key Stage 2, Year 6 children complete Standard Assessment Tests in the core subjects. These results are reported to parents and forwarded to the relevant secondary school. Years 3, 4 and 5 children are now also tested and the results form part of their assessment of progress, which is shared with parents.
