Please click on this link to read our ‘Curriculum Aims’

CURRICULUM INTENT

As a Catholic school, our curriculum is underpinned by a Catholic education based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We provide the children with a clear set of St Michael and All Angels Values, taken directly from Gospel Values. Our Values which encompass British Values underpin our curriculum and are central to everything we do. They are woven into curriculum subjects and taught/promoted explicitly in assemblies, PSHE and collective worship. 

At St Michael and All Angels we provide a rich, broad, balanced, relevant and meaningful curriculum which gives our pupils the skills and knowledge to prepare them for life in Modern Britain and to be 21st century citizens. 

Our curriculum is based on the EYFS Framework and the National Curriculum and is designed to enable our children to reach their full potential and prepare for future success. We teach the National Curriculum using a subject based approach but we promote cross-curricular links that allow children to make links in their own learning. 

Our approach to learning is based on research, the school’s context and the individual needs of the children. The curriculum we have designed demonstrates an awareness of our pupils’ backgrounds, life and cultural experiences. We address identified barriers to learning for the different cohorts we teach, filling gaps from children’s backgrounds and through our understanding of the local context. 

In recognition of many of the children’s starting points, we have a strong focus on the teaching and learning of English and Maths as we recognise their importance in order to open up other areas of the curriculum. 

Senior Leaders with Subject Leaders have designed a well thought out, planned and progressive curriculum with our learners in mind. The curriculum builds on the knowledge, skills and understanding of all children. 

Our knowledge based curriculum with subject disciplines teaches children specific knowledge, skills and vocabulary. As we have identified vocabulary as a barrier to learning for many children, we have planned out progressive sets of subject specific vocabulary lists to be taught.

Our curriculum is inclusive for all and our curriculum design ensures that the needs of individuals and groups of children can be met through high quality first teaching. Our more able children are challenged and supported through extension activities and children who find aspects of their learning more difficult are appropriately supported so they are able to achieve their success.

Support for SEND children is well planned and personalised by teachers with the SENDCO. Scaffolds, resources and interventions are deployed where necessary (across individual or all subjects if appropriate) to close individual learning gaps. 

As the school serves a high percentage of disadvantaged pupils, we provide activities that children may not otherwise experience. The curriculum incorporates a range of first hand learning experiences, enriching opportunities including educational visits, residential trips, memorable experiences including visitors, themed days and workshops. 

We promote outdoor learning across a range of subjects as this provides children with the opportunities to experience nature, develop self-confidence, well-being, social skills and problem-solving skills. 

Our teaching incorporates the ‘Rosenshine’ Principals of effective instruction. We use a variety of teaching strategies that take into account the ways in which children learn in order to foster engagement, motivation and creativity. 

We have a clear purpose for assessment. Assessment is used to identify children’s progress and find out areas where they are less confident. It is then used to inform teachers planning. Assessment is carried out across the curriculum through questioning, quizzes and summative assessment. Regular quizzes provide opportunities for regular practise and review of learnt materials. 

We provide a positive, caring environment where we nurture and support our children to enable them to become confident, independent, determined and resilient young adults who have ambitious aspirations for their futures. 

We positively promote and place great importance on children’s physical health and mental well-being. We offer a range of clubs to all learners after school and at lunch times as well as various programmes of support for children where a mental health need has been identified. Sport is high profile at St Michael’s and pupils are introduced to a huge range of activities and sports. 

We recognise the importance of the development of the whole child and our PSHE programme provides children with opportunities to discuss and learn about physical health, well-being, safety, relationships, differences and aspirations. There is a high focus on developing children’s moral, spiritual, social and cultural understanding and we celebrate and embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. 

There are three Key Stages within our school (click for more information)

  Foundation Stage (Nursery/Foundation 1 and Foundation 2)

Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) & Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6)