Our Curriculum

At St Matthew’s we follow the 2014 National Curriculum in Years 1 to 6 and the Early Year’s Framework in Reception and Nursery. Our excellent Early Years team are always forward thinking, and this year have been ‘Early Adopters’, taking part in the research pilot of the New Early Years Framework. Across the whole school, each year group plans the learning for their children using a topic-based approach ensuring that it delivers breadth, depth, balance and progression. This is carefully planned so that it meets the statutory requirements of the curriculum, is developmental and interests and engages our children.
Our curriculum has been designed to take into account the context of our school and the diverse communities we serve. We build much of the curriculum based on the experiences, interests and values the children bring with them into the classroom. We promote and develop the self-esteem, mental well-being and spirituality of our pupils through discrete teaching in subjects such as PSHE and RE, but also across the whole curriculum and within each child’s experiences in school.

To enhance learning and make their education relevant and exciting, pupils are provided with as much first-hand experience as possible. Our ‘Curriculum Promises’ and Essential Learning Experiences (ELEs) are planned to broaden children’s experiences. They also help us to increase children’s engagement in learning, stimulate young minds, create a sense of awe and wonder and develop curiosity about the world around them. By taking part in these ELEs we also encourage the development of children’s vocabulary and language skills, and build an awareness of their local environment, the local community and help children to fulfil our Christina vision ‘ Be blessed by God, be happy and aspire to be…..’

Our aim is to ensure all our pupils are receiving an education which is relevant to their needs, which meets the legal requirements, will provide a progression of skills development and which is exciting and motivating prepares them for their aspirations in the 21st Century.

Intent Statement

The Child, The Family, The Community underpins our curriculum at St Matthew’s C.E. Primary School. At St. Matthew’s C.E. Primary we see each child as a unique individual. We wish for the children to strive and become resilient, aspirational, independent, learners with a growth mind-set. To achieve these children are offered a broad and relevant curriculum –based around our school values of Being Thankful, Compassion, Community, Hope, Respect and Trust with PSHE (Person, Social, Health and Economic education) & R.E> (Religious Education) at its heart.

Language development and Reading are key to learning across the whole curriculum, nurturing minds and enabling all learners to flourish. We provide well planned opportunities (our Curriculum Promises), which are designed to develop attitudes that have a positive impact on individuals, families and the community. These ensure that the range of life experiences the children encounter at our school promote Spiritual, Moral, Cultural, Mental and Physical development for all.

Through our curriculum, we strive to help prepare children well for the increasingly complex world in which we live. Our curriculum prepares pupils for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences to become life-long learners. It enables them to develop as role models, to make a constructive contribution to their community, instilling in them a sense of individual worth and a respect for others. All of this can be summed up in our school's strap line taken from our vision statement that states we want all our children to "Be blessed by God, be happy and aspire to be..."

Curriculum Promises

At St Matthew’s C.E Primary Academy, we believe that it is essential that our pupils are exposed to a range of diverse, engaging and inspiring opportunities during their time with us. With this in mind the staff and pupils have worked together to create 50 Curriculum Promises to run alongside our Essential Learning Experiences. We have considered a range of different opportunities that can be provided beyond the curriculum that will transform from sheer experiences to the fondest of memories.

We feel experiences gained during time spent at our school, will not only be fondly remembered, but will help shape our pupils into the young adults they grow to become. At St Matthew’s C.E Primary Academy we offer our ‘Curriculum Promises’ to each and every pupil who pass through our doors on their educational journey.

Please find below a list of our ‘Curriculum Promises.’