Our Curriculum

At St Mary's we are committed to developing a unique curriculum which serves to raise achievement and enhance the personal development of our children. Our overarching aim, grounded in our Christian vision is that children ‘together we love to learn and learn to love’ and that children continue their learning adventure when they transition to The Batt and throughout their life.

We are constructing our curriculum to meet the demands of the national curriculum, as well as take into account the context of our community. We aim to ensure that learning in each subject is coherently sequenced and builds on previously taught knowledge so that children’s understanding in each subject is secured and demonstrates greater depth over time.  

Subject leaders strive to become specialists in their field, and work to ensure that the enthusiasm they hold for their subject is imparted on their colleagues and pupils alike. 

Embedded within our curriculum are 4 golden threads through which we approach all learning:

Exploration – children’s experience of learning is engaging and immersive whenever possible and involves first hand experiences such as visits and workshops which stimulate their interest

Cooperation – children’s learning is collaborative, involving effective relationships with children and adults in school, and they work with others to explore new learning and ideas

Communication – children are given opportunities to articulate their learning effectively in a variety of ways including through discussion, drama, writing and technology so building life-long communication skills

Innovation – children’s learning becomes embedded so that they are confident in applying knowledge and skills independently in a wider range of contexts and independent thought and learning is promoted

We endeavour to ensure that our children understand that education is the key to unlocking a world of success and opportunity, whilst our core Christian value of love ensures understanding of what it means to be a good human.

Our curriculum is inclusive and we embrace a ‘keep up, not catch up’ philosophy, meaning all staff have consistently high expectations for all children in our school. Where children have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, a team works around that child to ensure that they are given the best tools and skills to access the curriculum in order to achieve their full potential.

Alongside the formal curriculum, we also aim to cultivate a rich cultural capital where we embed a culture of wonder and interest in the world. We ensure that current affairs do not go unnoticed and are committed to global learning. Carefully considered enrichment through visits and visitors enhance our curriculum offer and ensure equality of opportunity. All children can experience life beyond their immediate personal context.

Children leave our School with a real sense of belonging and community.