Curriculum
The curriculum at St Matthew’s is designed to meet the needs of our children and to foster a love of learning.
Our curriculum is underpinned by our Christian vision and values. For all children to have the opportunity to fulfil their God-given potential, we plan our curriculum to be enhancing, exciting, and stimulating. Woven throughout learning are our Christian values of Kindness, Honesty, Responsibility and Respect, and these – combined with the essential skills for lifelong learning such as perseverance, collaboration, listening and managing distractions enable our children to become highly competent and happy learners. It is important for our children to gain both academic and life skills in order to thrive in the modern world. We combine rigorous teaching with many imaginative and creative opportunities for these to be practiced and applied, both independently and with others.
We adhere to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and these can be read by subject in more depth via the government website;
National Curriculum Programmes of Study
Core Subjects
English
Children in EYFS and KS1 are taught all of the sounds in the English language and how to write them (phonics). Each child is shown how to apply these to their reading and writing so that independence in these skills develops rapidly. There is a high level of emphasis on developing speaking and listening, including the introduction of new and rich vocabulary. At St Matthew’s, we follow Read, Write, Inc Programme: https://www.ruthmiskin.com/programmes/phonics/
Read Write I
nc. Phonics was first created by Ruth Miskin in 2002. It is the UK’s leading synthetic phonics programme with the most respected and comprehensive professional development.
Read Write Inc. Phonics is for children from Reception to Year 4, and children with SEND in older year groups.
We have signed up to Accelerated Reader, which has over 29,000 books categorised to allow children to choose books suitable for them. The beauty of the programme is that when children have read a book, they complete an online quiz which tests their comprehension. The children earn points if they answer questions correctly and this in turn helps build their reading skills. Parents and children can find books of suitable levels by using the following website; http://www.arbookfind.co.uk/usertype.aspx.
St Matthew’s uses ‘Literacy Tree’ https://literacytree.com/, which is a complete book-based platform for primary schools that covers all requirements of the Primary English curriculum. Each year group has a set of high-quality texts that have been chosen to help children grow ideas and expand their minds. Carefully sequenced Writing plans are based on these books, to provide complete curriculum coverage and engage children to write with clear audience and purpose. The technical skills of Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation are taught through the medium of the text. A well-chosen text provides rich language models and structures from which children can learn how writing works and the effect it can have on a reader.
Mathematics
St Matthew’s uses White Rose Maths https://whiterosemaths.com/ to deliver the maths curriculum, White Rose aim to build a whole new culture of deep understanding, confidence and competence in maths – a culture that produces strong, secure learning and real progress. They have a simple mantra – ‘Everyone can do maths: Everyone can.’
White Rose Maths has a wealth of resources that can be accessed at home as well. They follow the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach to mathematics and their teaching videos, slides and workbooks are used and adapted by teachers to develop happy and resilient mathematicians who relish a challenge.
RE
Please see our page on RE and worship
Foundation Subjects
Our curriculum maps encompass the core and foundation subjects; History, Geography, Music, Art & Design, Computing & IT, Design & Technology and languages. Science is built into the overview plans and plenty of opportunity is given to develop their scientific enquiry skills through practical and interactive lessons. All children have access to weekly PE lessons, and we are lucky to have a dedicated sports coach at school to develop the children’s sporting skills.
EYFS
Children in The Early Years Foundation Stage follow the EYFS Development Matters Curriculum guidance. The Characteristics of Effective Learning are:
- Active Learning
- Creating and thinking Critically
- Playing and exploring
Through these principles 17 areas of learning are covered, with emphasis on the Prime Areas of Learning:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Personal Social Emotional Development
- Specific Areas of Learning include Literacy and Mathematics, Understanding of the World and Creative Arts and Design.
Term 5 Our Curriculum information letters for parents
Term 4 Our Curriculum information letters for parents
Term 3 Our Curriculum information letters for parents
Term 2 Our Curriculum information letters for parents
Term 1 Our Curriculum information letters for parents
Curriculum Overview
Year 2 Curriculum Map 2024-2025
Year 3 Curriculum Maps 2024-2025
Year 4 Curriculum Map 2024-2025
Year 5 Curriculum Map 2024-2025
Year 6 Curriculum Map 2024-2025