Curriculum Intent Statement

At Northfield Primary School, we work hard to cultivate a sense of awe and wonder through our curriculum by providing opportunities for children to engage in subjects through collaboration with their peers, high quality discussions around key concepts and practical activities. Our key values of INSPIRE, GROW and SUCCEED are interwoven throughout all subjects in order to build a learning community in our school of pupils and adults who are driven to seek the highest outcomes, resilient through challenge and determined to succeed in all that they do.

We strive to prepare children for not only their next steps in learning, but also nurture an intrinsic curiosity for the world.

Novel Study

At Northfield, we believe that to become literate, children need to understand that writing is a representation of speech, and that both come in a variety of forms linked to purpose. At Northfield Primary we understand that these aspects of language are inextricably linked, and can rarely be taught or experienced discretely. As a result, speaking and listening has a high profile, as good oral work enhances pupils’ understanding of how language is the vehicle for communication in both oral and written forms. 
 

We believe that exposing children to a wide range of literature enhances the children’s language, imagination and excitement for writing. To promote this we use a range of novels that children study in depth to use as a base for their writing.

Children are also exposed to writing in other curriculum areas and where possible, a cross curricular approach is always taken. This allows children further opportunity to express their opinions and thoughts through a range of written pieces.

Maths

At Northfield, we strive for children to have: 

• A positive attitude to mathematics as a thought-provoking and valuable subject that is important in everyday life. 

• An understanding of mathematics conceptually through a process of enquiry, reasoning and problem solving 
• Learning opportunities that allow children to work cooperatively, collaboratively and independently 
• Confidence in mathematics where children can use an expanding range of mathematical language to express ideas fluently, thinking critically about concepts. 
• Fluency in the fundamentals of maths through varied and frequent practice. 
   

   Times Table Rockstars!                Numbots!                     WRM 1-min Maths!

Science 

In a world where man is forever searching for a new answer to the oldest questions, it is through curiosity and reflection that new ideas are formed and concepts understood. At Northfield Primary school, we strive to inspire pupils to be the great thinkers of the next generation by providing a curriculum that empowers them with the knowledge and skills needed to understand the world around them and their place within in it, so that they may ask questions and seek to find the answers to these through engaging in learning that is both fun and relevant.

Lessons in science at Northfield provide pupils with the chance to test theories, pose scientific questions and investigate concepts by applying their knowledge and understanding to work scientifically across different units of work from living things to forces and evolution. Whilst the National Curriculum provides the framework and the Primary Knowledge Curriculum provides the structure, it is passion and imagination that drive our curriculum in science. Teachers motivate pupils in lessons which seek to utilise practical opportunities, discussion and collaboration to support children in developing their knowledge beyond the classroom. Our outdoor learning spaces further enhance our curriculum by providing animals and natural spaces in which children can be immersed in real world contexts to better understand concepts and ideas, as well as making learning fun for children of all ages and abilities.

Design Technology
“The Design and technology scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We want pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through our scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements. Our Design and technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National Curriculum and the aims also align with those in the National Curriculum.” Extract from Kapow Scheme of work

In design technology at Northfield Primary, we develop the innovators of the future and nurture creative thinking. Through contextualised learning, driven by a brief, children sequentially 
build problem solving skills and their ability to evaluate their work against given or independently identified design criteria. The curriculum for design technology is designed to naturally allow opportunities for pupils to revisit previous learning by working through the design process, which is non-linear in nature. This is further supported by feedback at the start of lessons and starter challenges, which allow pupils to repeatedly build upon prior learning as part of the ‘interrupting and forgetting’ cycle.

Through adapting the KAPOW scheme, we aim to not only prepare children for their next steps in learning but look beyond the primary setting to Key Stage 3 and beyond, through the presentation of their work, structure of planning and the 
resources that they engage with. This includes progression in every element of the design technology curriculum from communicating their design ideas at age appropriate levels, developing 
proficiency in their technical skills and being able to confidently talk about their work, making accurate evaluations that are underpinned by subject specific knowledge and vocabulary.
 

The briefs that children work through are forward thinking and utilise not only the traditional tools and techniques associated with DT but also more contemporary skills and knowledge linked to technology. This demonstrates that learning within the KAPOW scheme and engaging in design technology at Northfield, inspires pupils to make links to the real world and recognise a relevance and purpose to their learning, ultimately inspiring them to become passionate about the subject.

Through a rigorous yet engaging curriculum, children develop a passion for design technology and develop aspirations associated with this area of the foundation curriculum. Ultimately, we are preparing pupils today to be the innovators and inventors of the future, allowing them to explore creativity and imagination to solve problems and respond to real world issues. Children feel empowered as individuals within design technology and have freedom to develop original thinking at every stage.

Art and Design

At Northfield Primary School, we value art and design as an important entitlement as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Art and design provides children with opportunities to develop and extend skills through creative mediums to express their own interests, thoughts and ideas.

From Years 1 to 6, the art and design curriculum is organised into termly units, where children are introduced to the work of key artists. Pupils may study a specific painting or other artistic work in order to identify and evaluate techniques which have proved successful. Children record and explore ideas in sketchbooks to practise and develop their skills, all of which are then applied to their final piece of artwork. Children carry their sketchbook with them as they progress through school years so that they feel a sense of pride in building up a portfolio of work as well as seeing the progress they have made in their technical skills and proficiency.

A key focus of our teaching in art is individuality. We encourage children to study and imitate the style and techniques of key artists but to ensure that they create a final piece which demonstrates their ideas and originality. We develop pupil's confidence in their own abilities rather than expecting them to produce an exact copy of the artwork they are studying. They may do this by applying specific details and effects rather than replicating the overall piece. In this way, children can experiment and improve their ability to master of a wide range of media, developing their own artistic style whilst also learning about independent artists and art history in order to make rich and powerful links to other areas of the curriculum.  

At Northfield Primary School, we hope to foster and continually grow a love of art and design as the children progress through our school. 

Computing

As a school, we follow the Purple Mash scheme of work for computing and enhance this further to ensure that the curriculum design meets the needs and interests of pupils.

“The Purple Mash Computing Scheme of Work is a comprehensive set of resources aligned to the National Curricula for Computing, Technology and Digital Competence. The Scheme of Work is intended to facilitate teachers in achieving the very best outcomes for children. It exposes children to a wide variety of digital tools, technological skills, and innovations.” (Computing Scheme of Work Quick Start Guide, Purple Mash). 

Computing is, perhaps now more than ever, an essential aspect of a child’s education in order to prepare them for the wider world, where the application of computing is forever changing due to advancements in technology. This means that we are essentially required to teach children the knowledge and skills needed for jobs and careers that perhaps do not even exist yet. With this in mind, the curriculum at Northfield is carefully planned with the understanding that learning must be ambitious and forward thinking. By having high aspirations of pupils and demanding that computing be challenging and, crucially, valued within the wider curriculum, we are ensuring that children see the importance of this subject and are motivated to engage. Utilising software, tools and resources provided by the Purple Mash Computing Scheme, we can ensure that we are adequately covering the National Curriculum requirements and moving beyond this to embed knowledge and skills through a considered sequence of learning so that children build their understanding and proficiency as the move from the Early Years and Foundation Stage, all the way to Year 6. Consistency in approach through interaction with familiar interfaces, tools and platforms, children develop confidence and subsequently enjoyment in a subject that will continue to become more and more relevant to their everyday lives beyond education. This is supported by subject specific units of work that also allow for cross curricular links, which lead children lesson by lesson to a specific outcome that enables them to see the application of skills and knowledge beyond the classroom and within their everyday lives.

History

At Northfield Primary School, it is our passion to instil a love of history in all of our children. We aim to provide a history curriculum with appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum. Learning in classrooms provides a varied curriculum that interests and intrigues our children, whilst also meeting the needs of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. 

From the Early Years Foundation Stage to the end of Key Stage 2, children are immersed in historical events, understanding these in context through the study of timelines. Children will also explore the feats, sacrifices and faux pars of famous historical figures, reflecting upon how these people and their actions have shaped the world today. 

Geography

At Northfield Primary School, we believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum at Northfield enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are, used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops and understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. The curriculum is designed develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time at Northfield and also to their further education and beyond.

As children work through the curriculum they will know more and understand more about their local area, the UK, Europe and the World. This rigorous approach, covering and going beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum, leaves nothing to chance, building geographical knowledge and understanding in a way that builds on children’s prior knowledge, allowing them to make meaningful connections and gain an understanding of how our world is connected. Conceptual understanding is at the heart of our curriculum. Children will learn about key geographical concepts such as place, space, the environment and interconnection. Over time, working through an essential process of elaboration, children will add to their conceptual understanding with many examples of geographical knowledge in context. Children will become more skilled at answering questions such as; what is it like to live in this place? What are the challenges of this environment? How have people changed this landscape over time? Children will gain an understanding of what geographers do, what they look for and what they may say about a place. 

PSHE/RSHE

"Jigsaw holds children at its heart, and its cohesive vision helps children understand and value how they fit into and contribute to the world. With strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health, Jigsaw 3-11 properly equips schools to deliver engaging and relevant PSHE within a whole-school approach. Jigsaw lessons also include mindfulness allowing children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration, focus and self-regulation." [Jigsaw Scheme Intent] 

At Northfield Primary School, we aim to promote pupil’s personal, social, spiritual and health education, as well as their emotional development and well-being. We build upon statutory content outlined in the National Curriculum and associated statutory guidance, delivering this through the ‘Jigsaw’ scheme of work. This ensures that we provide consistency throughout our school, support staff with subject knowledge and ensure that pupils are prepared for the next steps in learning as they move from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6. We aim to provide pupils with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes, values and skills they need in order to reach their potential as individuals and within the community.  This enables them to learn life skills to assist their personal, spiritual and physical growth. We explore the changes that everyone undergoes to deal with today’s society and give pupils an understanding of the rights and responsibilities that are part of being an outstanding citizen.   

Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of their school and communities. In doing so they learn to recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly responsible for their own learning. They reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. They learn to understand and respect our common humanity; diversity and differences so that they can go on to form the effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning. In addition, our PSHCE curriculum incorporates an age-appropriate understanding of RSE, as set in the statutory guidance, enabling all children to be safe and to understand and develop healthy relationships both now and in their future lives. In addition to this, we are adopting a cross curricular approach to RSE by using statutory guidance to outline RSE links in subjects across the curriculum.  

The subject leader is responsible for ensuring a whole school progression is outlined from EYFS to year 6 and ensure teachers use a long term PSHE programme to equip pupils with an age-appropriate, sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions. Each phase builds on the vocabulary, knowledge and skills taught in the previous to allow children to acquire further knowledge, know more and remember more. 

Religious Education

At Northfield Primary School, we use the Wakefield Agreed Syllabus for religious education. Our intent for R.E. is to use a range of strategies to allow children to think and consider the big questions that the R.E. curriculum entails.  We aim to ensure that all thinking and reflection time is purposeful and leads to deeper learning. To facilitate opportunities to consider the big questions, explicit opportunities for discussion and reflection are made a requirement of lessons across units of work.   

Our school curriculum works with the SACRE agreed syllabus for Wakefield, which aims to challenge children to learn about a range of religions and non-religious worldviews, whilst also considering demanding theoretical concepts.  At Northfield Primary School, we are keen to ensure that our children go out into the world with the knowledge and skills to understand the beliefs of others and live in today’s diverse and ever-changing society.  Our curriculum plans to give our children the opportunities to learn about religion and non-religious worldviews in a variety of ways, such as through art, music, drama and dance. Teachers use discussion and formal writing opportunities to allow pupils individual opportunities to shine and share their individual views in relation to key themes.  

French

“Our MFL curriculum builds upon the National Curriculum and works towards a recognised national award for MFL for all pupils, developing pupils’ resilience and enjoyment of learning. We want all of our pupils to experience the social and academic advantages of being able to speak an additional language, as well as to respect another European culture, language and way of life.” [Lingotots intent statement]

At Northfield Primary School, we know that learning languages opens doors to other countries, cultures, experiences and opportunities. We understand that becoming proficient in a second language is proven to raise progress and outcomes for pupils across the curriculum, with bilingual children often surpassing their monolingual peers. With this in mind, we provide a stimulating curriculum where children build a repertoire of vocabulary which they assimilate to form a secure knowledge of French through their application and use of this in different contexts. Visiting French lessons at Northfield Primary School, you will witness pupils singing and conversing with their peers in an atmosphere that is oracy rich to develop fluency in speaking and listening. Subject specialists deliver high-quality lessons with supporting resources that allow pupils to develop competence in their French reading and writing skills. Alongside this, expert teachers from Lingotots enhance the curriculum further by working with pupil ambassadors to develop a love of languages across school, working on focused projects across the year to develop pupils as individuals and celebrate success through showcases at key points throughout the year for parents. Northfield values modern foreign languages as part of our curriculum and works hard to instil the same attitude in pupils through fun and engaging learning.

P.E.

At Northfield Primary School, we believe that Physical Education (PE), experienced in a safe and supportive environment, is essential to ensure children attain optimum physical and emotional development and good health. We intend to deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities that inspire all children to succeed in physical education and in developing life skills. We want to teach children skills to keep them safe such as being able to swim.  We also want to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others as part of an effective team, understanding fairness and equity of play to embed life-long values. Our curriculum aims to improve the wellbeing and fitness of all children at Northfield, not only through the sporting skills taught, but through the underpinning values and disciplines PE promotes. We intend to: 

• Develop skills and knowledge that can be applied to a range of various sports 
• Give opportunities for a range of experiences through sport 
• Improve emotional and mental health through developing and promoting an understanding of active lifestyle 
• Create an understanding of personal development to recognise success and next steps 
• Promote an enjoyment of sports to encourage motivation and engagement both inside and outside of school 
•  

PE at Northfield Primary School provides challenging and enjoyable learning through a range of sporting activities including invasion games, net & wall games, strike and field games, gymnastics, dance, swimming and outdoor & adventure. We offer a wide, varied range of extra-curricular activities, lunch clubs and after school sport clubs and our children attend competitive sporting events within the local area. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also mental well-being. These events also develop teamwork and leadership skills and are very much enjoyed by the children.

Music

At Northfield Primary school, our central purpose is for children to make more music, think more musically and therefore become more musical! We believe that it is not enough for children to simply DO musical activities. Through their music lessons and the wider-curriculum opportunities offered in school, our aim is to develop children’s musical knowledge and competencies over time. We give our children varied opportunities to become confident performers, listeners and composers, following a spiral curriculum where skills are constantly revisited and built upon. Our curriculum introduces children to music from all around the world and across generations, teaching children to respect and appreciate the music of all traditions and communities. Throughout school, children explore the 7 inter-related dimensions of music, with a goal for them to then apply this to their oral evaluations of music, performances and compositions. Over time, we aim for them to build up their understanding of these concepts and their use of key vocabulary.

Our progressive music curriculum is underpinned by 3 interdependent pillars. Children develop their technical understanding of music – they learn how to control sound with increasing accuracy and how to use different forms of notations including staff notation. Children also develop their constructive understanding of music – they explore the 7 inter-related dimensions of music and how music works and apply this knowledge to their performances and compositions. Finally, children develop their expressive skills – they are given opportunities to explore and demonstrate their creative ideas and our ultimate aim is for creativity and uniqueness in children’s responses and compositions.

As part of our music curriculum offer at Northfield, we strive to create a strong musical culture across school. Our wider curriculum opportunities (extra-curricular clubs, choirs, bands, workshops, concerts, instrumental lessons) enhance our curriculum and help us on our journey towards children becoming more musical. They are not just seen as a ‘bolt-on’ to lessons. By engaging children in further musical experiences, we can offer our children opportunities to develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can support learning in other areas as well as developing life skills such as listening skills, the ability to concentrate, creativity, self-confidence and a sensitivity towards others.

SEND

At Northfield Primary School, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to experience success, regardless of barriers or need. We aim to adapt and deliver a curriculum that is accessible for all pupils to ensure that they are enjoying a broad and balanced education. To do this, lessons are adapted and differentiated to ensure that children can access learning at their own level of development. This may be done through supporting resources, help from an adult or adaptations to the task. We are clear in our understanding that simply because a child may struggle in one area of their learning, it does not mean that they cannot achieve the highest outcome in other subject areas.