Our curriculum is designed with the aim of all pupils achieving mastery in mathematics; developing a love of the subject and an ability to connect areas of learning to solve problems. We want our children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice, so that they develop conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately. Mathematics is taught in mixed ability groups that focus on the life skills of collaboration, growth mind-set, resilience and problem solving as much as discrete mathematical knowledge.

The NCETM’s White Rose planning facilitates appropriate coverage of the mathematics curriculum. We also supplement this through Power Maths resources. We use a wide range of high-quality resources to ensure every learning intention is taught to maximise learning. Additional resources including Times Table Rockstars and Numbots are utilised to support children’s recall of key number facts.

PHONICS

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds is used daily to teach reading and phonics in Reception and Year 1. Children in Year 1 will take a national test in phonics (known as the Phonics Screening) where they will encounter a mix of real words and ‘alien’ words. In Year 2, children who did not pass the phonics screening, will take part in Little Wandle ‘Rapid Catch-up’ sessions.

READING

Reading enables children to access texts for pleasure and to achieve across the curriculum. Each classroom has an engaging reading area designed to inspire reading with intriguing and exciting texts to help spark children’s imagination and foster a motivation to read. We also have a Literacy Mill in our outdoor environment to encourage children to read outside the classroom.

Children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 have reading books which closely match their current phonic knowledge. From Year 2 onwards, they progress to Big Cat Reading Fluency Books or Reading Practice Books. In addition to this the children take home a reading for pleasure book, to read independently or share with a grown-up.

We encourage parents to read and share books regularly with their child. Guided and shared reading takes place across the school and these are opportunities for the class teacher to listen to children read and develop their skills as readers. These skills included retrieval, inference, prediction, comparing and contrasting.

WRITING

We have a text based approach to the teaching of writing and use Read to Write from Literacy Counts. This provides engaging, vocabulary-rich texts, with a wealth of writing opportunities within and across the curriculum. Each text includes vocabulary learning and contextualised spelling, grammar and punctuation opportunities and is carefully and explicitly linked to the national curriculum outcomes for each year group. Shared and guided writing are important elements of the teaching sequence and are key steps between whole-class teaching and independent writing. Independent writing is planned for and carried out throughout the school at varying amounts of time during each week.

HANDWRITING

In Reception, letter formation is taught in line with Little Wandle Letters and Sounds. There is a focus on physical development and pencil grip which is usually secure by the end of their first year. From Year 1, the children begin to use cursive letter formation and when children are forming letters clearly and correctly, they will start to learn to join their letters. Children can usually join their handwriting by the end of Year 2.

SPEAKING AND LISTENING

Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. Interactive teaching strategies are used to engage all pupils in order to develop their confidence in the use of vocabulary and grammar, raising reading and writing standards. Role play, hot seating activities, presentations and recitals, oral rehearsal of sentences, discussion and debate are key features of teaching and learning in our school. Children are encouraged to develop effective communication skills in readiness for later life.

We recognise the importance of science in every aspect of daily life. We aim to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and develop skills associated with science as a process of enquiry. Studying science develops the natural curiosity of the child, encourages respect for living organisms and the physical environment and provides opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence. We strive to deepen children’s scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. We develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery.

At Willaston CE Primary School we strive to provide a high-quality history education which will help children to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Our curriculum not only inspires children’s curiosity to know more about the past but it also helps them to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

The aim of geography teaching at Willaston CE Primary School is to stimulate the children’s interest, understanding and awe and wonder about the created world around them. It is our intent to inspire pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people, which will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We use the school grounds, local environment and travel further afield to conduct geographical fieldwork. At Willaston CE Primary School we teach a geographical curriculum that endorses the importance of outdoor learning to encourage a curiosity for learning.

Our International School Award shows our commitment to embed international awareness and understanding within our school. It demonstrates how our pupils develop an increased knowledge, awareness and tolerance about other countries, cultures and languages.

In Physical Education we aim to equip children with the skills and knowledge required to fulfil a balanced, active, healthy lifestyle and the competence to excel in a range of activities. We also aim to inspire lifelong participation in sport and physical activity. The progressive nature of our PE planning aims to ensure children develop fundamental movement skills and apply these in a variety of increasingly challenging contexts, both competitive and cooperative. Carefully structured, engaging PE lessons encompass invasion games, net games, striking and fielding games, athletics, gymnastics, dance, outdoor adventurous activities and swimming.

At Willaston CE Primary School, Religious Education is taught in line with the Local Authority Agreed Syllabus (July 2024). This is supplemented by material supporting our Christian Ethos from the Diocese of Chester which enables us to provide a rich and varied curriculum covering key concepts and ensuring that quality resources are used such as Understanding Christianity and Questful RE. The curriculum is coherent, sequential and balanced offering theology, philosophy and social science.

RE is taught in every year group as required by the statement of entitlement. RE at Willaston aims to provide a sequential and broad understanding of Christianity as a diverse, global, living faith and explores the faiths of others with a deep respect for integrity of other religious traditions.

RE at Willaston informs about faith, challenges reasoning and celebrates difference. It enables all pupils to develop an understanding of who they are, what they believe and what the meaning of life might be for them and others.

We want children to become respectful, compassionate and kind pupils through listening carefully to the views and ideas of others and responding with respect whether they agree or disagree, using evidence to support their argument and make their case. They learn to encourage each other when given opportunities to share how they feel about concepts and values. They develop empathy with others as they seek to understand why people act in the way they do based on their beliefs. Through our teaching pupils become tolerant and responsible citizens by developing their understanding of differences in culture and belief, while seeing similarity in people across the world. We create opportunities to respond to ideas of faith and practice and reflect on what impact these may have on the wider world.

We value the important role creativity plays in the delivery of all areas of the curriculum. In art we provide a progressive curriculum, providing knowledge about a range of artists from across the decades who have used a wide range of different inspirations for their work. Children are taught about the influence culture has on artistic styles. Our art curriculum develops skills in painting, drawing, collage, printing, 3D and textiles and provides children with the opportunity to explore, develop and refine skills using a range of different media.

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. DT encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. We support children to be active learners with the confidence to ‘have a go,’ and the resilience to persist with a project when challenges occur.

Our DT curriculum combines skills, knowledge, concepts and values to enable children to tackle real problems. It can improve critical analysis, problem solving, and practical capability and evaluation skills. We encourage children to become innovators and risk-takers.

The core modern foreign language taught at Willaston CE Primary School is Spanish. All children in KS2 and in Year 2 will access quality first teaching in Spanish by the language specialist in order to adequately prepare children for KS3. We aim to prepare children to be a global citizen now and in their future roles. Increased capability in the use of MFL promotes initiative, confidence and independent learning and encourages diversity within society.

At Willaston CE Primary School we believe music is a unique way of communicating and expression. The teaching and learning of music can enable children to better understand the world they live in and how they can relate to it. It also plays an important part in helping children feel part of a community. We provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music, through the teaching of music lessons and providing opportunities to expose our children to a diverse breadth and range of musical experiences.

We have outside support in delivering the following musical experiences in each year group:

Reception, Year One and Year Two: Singing

Year Three: Recorder

Year Four: Ukulele

Year Five: Samba Drumming

Children can also access one to one, and small group music tutoring.

The aims of the computing curriculum are to equip future generations with the necessary skills for adult life and employment within the ever-changing technological environment we live in. We teach three clear aspects of the computing curriculum: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. Children will also be given the chance to explore what the internet really is, looking at how it works and how information is sent from one place to another. Online safety is a critical part of our computing curriculum.

We strive to provide age appropriate relationships education which explores attitudes, values and skills. This allows children to develop individually, in their own unique ways, empowering them to make positive decisions about their health-related behaviour.

Our curriculum helps children to question, understand and make sense of their place in the world. Life skills are taught through a programme of social action projects. We enrich our curriculum by organising activities to enhance learning opportunities. For example, we have healthy eating cookery workshops, road and personal safety talks from our local police community support officer, as well as many other workshops, assemblies and trips.

We have established Forest School and outdoor learning at Willaston CE Primary School to give all children regular opportunities to learn, achieve, develop self-esteem and confidence in an outdoor setting. Forest school activities are planned to link closely to learning in the classroom, developing themes and ideas in a different setting.

We are fortunate to have Willaston Meadow on our doorstep, which is a fantastic resource to teach the children about our local environment. We hope that by giving the children memorable learning experiences, they will develop a love and respect for their environment which they will take with them into their adult life.

Class teachers set homework tasks which are given to children every week. Children have the freedom and the flexibility to respond in a number of different ways. Tasks are often open-ended, problem solving, practical tasks designed to reinforce or enhance the learning taking place in the classroom. We encourage parents to support and talk to their child about their learning as this dialogue reinforces understanding.

Links to additional on-line learning activities across all areas of the curriculum can be found in ‘Home Learning‘ on the home page of our website.

CLUBS

We are delighted to offer a wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs. Click on the link below to see the clubs on offer for this term.

MUSIC FOR LIFE LESSONS

Parents who think their child may be interested to try lessons on a musical instrument please register your interest with Music for Life. Please phone 01978 761162, or email admin@musicforlife.org.uk or go to the website – www.musicforlife.org.uk