DT Curriculum Overview
Design technology (DT) at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School is taught to be in line with the National Curriculum programme of study for design technology (2014) and the Development Matters (2021) within the Expressive Arts and Design area of learning. Our aim is to provide a high-quality design technology education to ensure that all pupils develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
“As soon as I was old enough to peer over the worktops, I remember being fascinated by what went on in the kitchen. It just seemed such a cool place, everyone working together to make this lovely stuff and having a laugh doing it.” - Jamie Oliver
Early Years Foundation Stage
The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child's own natural desire to learn
Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) team at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School has constructed a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give children, particularly the most disadvantaged, the knowledge, self-belief and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. The curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced following the guidance of the new non-statutory framework, Development Matters. It builds on what children know and can do, towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for their future learning. We believe that every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Our aim is for all children to learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. We know that children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between teachers, parents and carers.
Characteristics Of Effective Learning
English Curriculum Overview
The ability to read and write effectively not only has a direct impact on progress and attainment in all areas of the curriculum but also upon children’s confidence, self-esteem and motivation to learn. In line with the National Curriculum for English (2014), our aim is to provide a high-quality English education, which develops children’s spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary, as well as providing a key to access the whole curriculum. The subject coordinators have designed the curriculum to develop children’s knowledge sequentially, revisit, remember and apply old skills and learn new skills to achieve the objectives set by the 2014 National Curriculum. The curriculum design intends to provide a balance between exposure to classic texts and ambitious language as well as engaging, modern and exciting texts, which enable children to appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage and develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and to gain knowledge. The intention of using a range of high-quality texts ensures a cultural capital, which expands children’s horizons and exposes them to culture, gives high aspirations, makes children aware of all future possibilities and empowers children to be socially mobile.
The English curriculum aims to develop powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness in all areas of literacy. The curriculum develops a wide vocabulary, a secure understanding of grammar and linguistic conventions, as well as the ability to spell new words by effectively applying the spelling patterns and rules they learn throughout their time in primary school. The teaching of varied and rich literature inspires and nurtures a culture where children take pride in their writing and fosters confident, life-long writers, communicators and fluent readers who are able to effectively articulate their ideas and emotions as members of society and the wider world.
Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.
-Frederick Douglass
Reading for Pleasure at St Thomas More
Our new library is a calming, comfortable space in which children are encouraged to try new books and discuss books that they have read. Our twelve reading ambassadors in Year 6 are on hand in the library to support children pick books that they will enjoy. In addition, we have two dedicated St Thomas More parents as volunteer librarians, which allows all classes to visit the library across two days. Furthermore, the library is open every break and lunchtime.
What Reading for Pleasure looks like in our school:
- Royal Society Young People's Choice Award - The Young People's Book Prize aims to promote literacy in young people and inspire them to read about science. This year our Year 6 reading ambassadors will become a judging panel and vote for the shortlisted STEM book that they think should win this prestigious award.
- Families and Fairytales - Reception parents are invited to read high quality picture books with their children (and friends) in both of our Reception classes.
- Bring Your Parent to Read - Parents are invited into classrooms for an afternoon to find out how to support their child's reading with an emphasis on questioning.
- Local Library visits - This term, Year 1 visited author Ellie Irving in Walderslade Village library as part of World Book Day.
- Online workshops - We participated in an online workshop with Michael Rosen and Jasbinder Bilan as well as illustrator Allen Fatimaharan.
- Class reads - Every class reads a high quality book, not linked to their English lessons, at the end of the day.
- Library competitions - Our parent librarians run numerous competitions throughout the year. Winners from the recent poetry competition received medals and Star Reader status for two weeks - lucky them!
- Word Millionaires - Some of our children have already achieved their Word Millionaire certificates.
- Book Donation Day - On the 18th April, children will be donating a book to the school library.
- Storytelling area - Classes can enjoy an outside storytelling session in our special storytelling area!
- World Book Day - The children have loved dressing up as their favourite book character and celebrating the wonderful words written in books they love to read.
Humanities Curriculum Overview
In line with the 2014 National Curriculum for history, our aim is to provide a high-quality history education which equips children with a historical understanding of the world. Children will be able to learn from the past and how it has an impact on their own lives now. The curriculum is designed to promote new historical skills, challenge the children to apply and build on those skills, in order to progress and develop their understanding of the past including mistakes and successes made in history and their consequences. As a school, we aim to nurture a progressive history curriculum which develops learning and results in children knowing more, remembering more and understanding how the knowledge and skills can be applied in their own history work.
"The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future." Theodore Roosevelt
In line with the 2014 National Curriculum for Geography, our aim is to provide a high-quality geography education, which equips children with a global understanding of the world. Therefore, being able to learn from other regions and understanding how humanity is connected to its surroundings. The curriculum is designed to promote new skills and challenge the children to apply and build on those skills in order to progress and develop their understanding of geography including human and physical.
Fieldwork is a key aspect of geography education. In every year group, we give children the opportunity to apply the skills they have been taught by experiencing fieldwork sessions. There is an equal balance of core knowledge and a sense of place. Within fieldwork, they are able to gather first hand data and analysis and alongside this they gain an insight into the discipline of geography. Overall, it allows children to create connections between processes and location and therefore pupils remember more of what they have been taught.
At St Thomas More we have created a diverse curriculum, which allows children to learn deeply about Black History. Throughout the year, children learn about key figures such as Mary Seacole, Rosa Parks, Yaa Asantewaa, African cultures and traditions and civil rights. During Black History Month, the children have the opportunity to explore some additional key figures, such as: Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Michelle Obama, Harriet Tubman, Marcus Rashford and Sislin Fay Allen.
"The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And in the end, it's about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together." US President, Barack Obama
Maths Curriculum Overview
At St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School we aim to create a sense of excitement and curiosity around mathematics. During lessons, children are encouraged to make links between what they are learning, what they already know and the world around them. Mathematics is essential to everyday life and our aim is to teach children to gain a greater understanding through various approaches that empower children to select a way that works for them. Children are introduced to the processes of calculation through a wide range of practical, mental and oral activities. In lessons, the use of images and practical equipment is central to introduce number concepts and methods of calculation, including both mental and informal methods. Children should be able to verbally explain and reason about their learning before they record calculations. Our aim is to enrich children’s understanding by elucidating the vocabulary that is appropriate to each lesson. Mental calculations should be counterpart to written methods.
To have your say about Maths at St Thomas More, please answer our Parent Questionnaire by clicking on this link.
MFL Curriculum Overview
Learning a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster children’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable children to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping children to study and work in other countries.
Music Curriculum Overview
“Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging. In our schools, music can bring communities together through the shared endeavour of whole-school singing, ensemble playing, experimenting with the creative process and, through the love of listening to friends and fellow pupils, performing. The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school.”
(Model Music Curriculum March 2021)
At St Thomas More we strive to provide all pupils with a high-quality music education which engages and inspires children to develop a life-long love of music, increases their self-confidence, creativity and imagination, provides opportunities for self-expression and gives a sense of personal achievement. We follow the National Curriculum for Music 2014 and also the New Model Music Curriculum 2021. We use planning from the Kapow scheme of work which enables the children to engage interactively to learn skills based on listening and appraising, creating and exploring, singing, playing instruments and performing. Singing is central to the music curriculum at St Thomas More as research has shown that singing has a positive impact on emotional, physical and mental well-being. There is also the opportunity to learn to play the ukulele and djembe drums as the children’s musical journeys progress. These lessons are taught by a professional music teacher from the Medway Music Hub. We also have peripatetic music teachers visiting the school weekly to deliver private lessons on various wind instruments. In the summer, our Year 6 children put on a performance that showcases their skills learnt throughout their time at St Thomas More. All children take part in our Christmas Production every year. We sing to the residents of our local care home and have been praised for our singing at Mass.
“I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.”
Billy Joel