Our Curriculum

Intent

At the Beamish and Pelton Federation, we aim to provide an interesting and enriched curriculum that enables pupils to become enthusiastic, curious learners and respectful, responsible citizens who know how to keep themselves safe. We aim to raise aspirations so that children know that if they believe, they really can achieve.

Implementation

For all curriculum subjects, teachers plan and assess against carefully organised learning objectives to continually build upon and extend knowledge and skills. Our carefully planned ‘Curriculum Enrichment’ enhances this further, ensuring that by the time they leave us, children have had a wide variety of opportunities and experiences. (See Curriculum Enrichment Booklet). Teachers encourage children to ask questions and articulate their thinking, gaining an increasing vocabulary while making links across their learning.

English

Reading
From the very start, children are encouraged to have a love of books and reading. Word reading skills are taught through the Read, Write, Inc approach supported by a wide range of home readers, books and texts. Comprehension skills are taught through a range of individual, group and whole class teaching where teachers use VIPERS to develop the children’s skills across the range of abilities.

High quality class texts have been chosen to challenge and inspire children’s thinking and this often drives the work done in Writing and GPS.

Writing
Class texts are the main driver for the teaching of writing. Through these children are taught the skills of Spelling, Handwriting, Composition, and Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation in line with national end of year expectations. As with all subjects, able children are extended further and those requiring support receive additional teaching and intervention. By the end of Key Stage 2, all children will have worked with an author.

Maths

In maths, we have high expectations that all pupils can and will achieve, and this has led to us adopting a ‘mastery’ approach to planning and teaching maths. The mastery approach is defined by five key principles: Representation and Structure, Fluency, Variation, Mathematical Thinking and Coherence. We aim to develop children’s mental and written fluency as well as their ability to solve problems. We encourage children to ask critical questions, make links and articulate their reasoning. We aim for the children to see mathematics as being relevant to their world and applicable to everyday life as well as being something that they will need as they move on through their school life and ultimately into the world of employment.

Click here to find out more about Maths at the Beamish and Pelton Federation.

Science

Through an enquiry-based approach, teachers pose scientific questions for children to explore, investigate and reflect upon. Science is taught progressively, in line with the National Curriculum and end of year expectations. Across the year, children also take part in STEM week to further enhance their scientific knowledge and enquiry skills through working with outside educational agencies. In 2017-2018, our work in Science was commended by achieving the Silver Primary Science Quality Mark.

History and Geography

Similarly to Science, Geography and History are taught through an enquiry-based approach. Children explore, investigate and answer questions in order to gain knowledge and understanding of a given topic, local, national or worldwide. Each topic helps to build upon children’s current knowledge and skills. The teacher plans for cross-curricular links across other subjects such as Art and Design to enhance this learning further. A wide range of visits and visitors support this learning.

Computing

Within the teaching of Computing, children develop key skills across the three areas: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. Teachers plan lessons that support and challenge children to develop coding skills and how to use a range of computer programs. We also aim to ensure that all our children become ‘digitally literate’ and know how to stay safe online when using all forms of technology.

Art and Design

Beamish and Pelton Federation believes that art engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. Our federation encourages pupils’ curiosity and creativity, allowing them to think critically and develop a thorough understanding of art, and its place in the world, including how it reflects our history and contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Design and Technology

D&T offers pupils a chance to use creative thinking and activity within a defined purpose and tangible outcome. The school is committed to nurturing pupils’ curiosity and creativity, as well as preparing them for living in a modern world where technology is rapidly changing and advancing.

Music

Children develop their creativity, musical skills and a passion for music through our Charanga scheme, which is the basis of our work in music. This passion and creativity is extended through whole school singing and participation in school performances, which develop musical, drama and performance skills further. Every child has the opportunity to explore and develop their individual skills further by taking part in additional music lessons and after school clubs, including dance and choir.

PSHE

Children develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and to be tolerant, respectful and understanding citizens. The teaching of PSHE, delivered using the JIGSAW scheme, is accessible to all. It aims to raise aspirations by equipping pupils with both confidence and resilience in order to tackle many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. We aim to provide our children with opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities and to appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society.

Languages

Children learn French from Reception, first focussing on the spoken word and understanding the culture of French speaking countries. Across KS2, the skills of reading and writing are introduced. We aim to ensure all children have had the opportunity to work with a native speaker by the time they leave primary school. Please also see our International Schools page to take a look at our International work.

P.E.

We are very proud to have achieved our fourth Gold Mark in P.E and Sport this year.

Physical Education is taught through Durham Core tasks, which include all forms of sport. Children are assessed at their starting point at the beginning of a unit of work. Teachers then plan, differentiate and assess to the needs of the children, before re-assessing their skills at the end of a unit. P.E is also delivered across the year through whole-school events such as house competitions, sporting events run by our P.E Sports Crew and Sports Day. A wide variety of after school clubs support our PE provision.

R.E.

Our Religious Education curriculum is taught according to the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in Durham. Teachers teach R.E as a discrete subject, yet plan for cross-curricular links where appropriate. Our children develop skills across three areas: Knowledge and Understanding of Religion, Critical Thinking and Personal Reflection. Children have the opportunity to visit a range of places of worship as part of their learning.

Please read our Curriculum Enrichment Booklet to find out more about what each year group will experience.

Careers

We are currently participating in a new initiative, The North East Ambition Careers project, which explores how to open up career possibilities, broaden horizons and help children and their families see that anything is possible. It aims to support children in gaining the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their ambitions, regardless of their starting point. We are excited to be a part of this project, hoping to raise the career aspirations of our children and help them to understand the different pathways to employment that are available to them.

Already, as part of this project, the children have taken part in a career focussed Art Week where they learnt new skills, practised them and used them to create fantastic pieces. Along the way, the children found out lots of information about the different creative careers that are out there and some of the children were lucky enough to work with real artists. Pelton pupils have also enjoyed some career focussed workshops led by representatives from Newcastle University, Sunderland University and NatWest bank.

This project would benefit greatly from the support of the wider school community. If any parents, carers or family friends would be willing to inform our children of their career journey, please get in touch with a member of school staff to discuss how we can share this invaluable first-hand information and experience with our young learners.

Curriculum Plans

To view our full Curriculum online for each year group and subject, please click here.

Please find blow our school’s requirements in Reading, Writing and Maths across years 1 to 6

Please visit Our Classes section of our website to view our work and activities.

If you have any questions about our curriculum or the work we do in school, please speak to your child’s class teacher or alternatively, contact the school who will be happy to help.

Teachers, children and parents meet termly to discuss the child’s progress and targets are set for the forthcoming term.

Home Learning.

We encourage our pupils to enhance their learning at home by accessing the following websites:

Mathletics mathletics.com/signin

Times Tables Rockstars https://ttrockstars.com/

Maths Shed https://www.mathshed.com/

Spelling Shed https://www.spellingshed.com/

Fiction Express https://en.fictionexpress.com/

Reading Plus (Year 5 and Year 6 pupils) https://student.readingplus.com/seereader/api/sec/login

Purple Mash https://www.purplemash.com/login/

The children have usernames and passwords for these sites.

British Values

At Beamish and Pelton Federation of Schools we Promote British Values

Outdoor Learning

‘Learning in the outdoors can make significant contributions to literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.’ Please view our Outdoor Learning activities.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

At Pelton Community Primary School, we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The Curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development. Further information can be found in the SEN Information Report. If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.

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