Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Curriculum Introduction

Curriculum Intent

At Holy Family Catholic Primary School, the children in our care are at the heart of everything we do. Every pupil should leave knowing God’s love and being able to show God’s love.

We believe that all children are unique and must be celebrated for the special gifts and talents that they possess. It is our aim to offer a broad and balanced curriculum that develops all talents and gifts.

We adopt fully inclusive practice, which means all children are able to access the curriculum we offer, regardless of their learning requirements. Each day we encourage our children to be the best that they can be, take pride in their learning, and make a real difference.

Inspired by Pope Francis we endeavour to ‘light a fire in the hearts’ of our children, empowering them to make a real difference in our diverse, ever changing society.

English

English at Holy Family permeates through the whole curriculum and school life. We have created a curriculum that encourages and promotes enthusiasm and engagement in English and transferable skills across the curriculum.

We are working hard to provide our pupils with rich and varied opportunities linked to high quality, challenging text which will help them to develop their English skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing, skills for their future and being the best that they can be as stated in our Mission Statement.

Three children with reading books

Phonics and Reading Schemes

We use ‘Sound!Start Phonics’ for phonics and various reading schemes including Oxford Reading Tree.

Mathematics

Mathematics is one of the most important subjects in the curriculum. Maths is a tool which unlocks a wide range of activities and is essential for adult life. It enhances the ability to think in a systematic and logical way.

At Holy Family, we promote the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

Human sized games on the school playground

Science

At Holy Family Catholic Primary School, our vision is to deliver a science curriculum to our children which enables them to explore and make discoveries about the world around them. We provide practical experiences that encourage curiosity and welcome questioning.

Our intent for our Science curriculum is for the children to have:

  • The ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings.
  • Confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations.
  • Excellent scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging problems and reporting scientific findings.
  • High levels of originality, imagination or innovation in the application of skills.
  • The ability to undertake practical work in a variety of contexts, including fieldwork.
  • A passion for science and its application in past, present and future technologies.
Children enjoying scientific experiments in the playground

Art

We deliver an Art curriculum to all pupils that enables them to deepen their understanding of a variety of techniques and collaborate in their use of drawing, painting and sculpture. The key expectations for the children are to develop ideas, master techniques and to take inspiration from the greats.

Our children build on their experiences each year. This enables them to use experience and ideas for their artwork including cross curricular Art; linked to the wider curriculum delivered to them at Holy Family.

Enjoying crafting in Art

Computing

Within our Computing curriculum we aim to:

  • Provide an exciting, rich, relevant and challenging Computing curriculum for all pupils.
  • Enthuse and equip children with the capability to use technology throughout their lives.
  • Give children access to a variety of high quality hardware, software and unplugged resources.
  • Instil critical thinking, reflective learning and a ‘can do’ attitude for all our pupils, particularly when engaging with technology and its associated resources.
  • Teach pupils to become responsible, respectful and competent users of data, information and communication technology.
  • Equip pupils with skills, strategies and knowledge that will enable them to reap the benefits of the online world, whilst being able to minimise the risk to themselves or others.
Two children using a touch-screen pad in Computing

Design Technology (DT)

At Holy Family we aim to provide all children with a broad and balanced curriculum which prepares them for life beyond primary education.

We encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and other’s needs, wants and values.

Design Technology is an inspiring and practical subject. It can be found in many of the objects children use each day and is part of children’s immediate experiences. It encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team.

A group of children displaying their hand-built model building

Geography

We believe in delivering an ambitious Geography curriculum to all pupils to deepen their understanding of the world around them while developing their use of geographical tools and skills.

Our children need to have an excellent knowledge of the world oceans, continents, major countries and cities, human and physical geography, the environment and sustainability. The ability to think critically and reach clear conclusions and develop reasoned arguments to explain their findings.

To have an excellent understanding of the ways places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated.

Children’s learning progresses from local to international locations, Geography knowledge and skills are taught through engaging places and case studies.

Studying maps and using atlases in Geography

History

At Holy Family, we want to provide our children with an ambitious education which will inspire children’s understanding and curiosity about the past. We want our children to have secure knowledge; not just about world History, but also about the history of Great Britain and their local area of Small Heath. It is our aim that they will learn about the key people and events of the past, which have shaped their very own lives today.

In addition to this, we also want to equip our children with vital skills such as historical enquiry and understanding of chronology. We want to encourage children to seek out answers to their own questions and make their own educated conclusions based on reliable sources they have chosen.

Children dressed up as Victorian workers

Music

Our aims in music are:

  • That children leave Holy Family School with a wide range of happy and rich memories in Music formed through interesting and exciting experiences.
  • Our high-quality music education will engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.
  • Children will meet the National Curriculum expectations in music, through using the Charanga Music scheme.
  • Children will develop self-confidence and teamwork skills through performance. They will have opportunities to sing as a class, in smaller groups and as a school community.
  • Children will have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument in Year 4 supported by the Music Service.
  • Children will understand how Catholic virtues and British Values relate to music through a study of music and songs from across the world.
  • Children will listen to, review and evaluate a range of music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including contemporary music and the works of the great composers and musicians using subject specific vocabulary relating to the musical elements; rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, texture, structure and melody.
  • Opportunities will exist for children of all ages to experience learning beyond the classroom. This will allow them to enrich their knowledge by, for example, attending performances by professional musicians and participating in school productions. Other opportunities include visits to concerts, meeting musicians and professional musicians visiting schools to work with pupils.
Children learning how to play the guitar

Physical Education (PE)

Through providing a curriculum that is broad and balanced, physical education compliments and supplements the aims of Holy Family Primary School.

The curriculum is designed to be enjoyable, but at the same time develop and stimulate the students; physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. It aims to provide an equal opportunity of learning experiences in games, gymnastics, dance, athletics and outdoor education.

Our girls' football team