Curriculum

The Curriculum at St Felix

Followers of Jesus Learning Together

Possibility

Community

Responsibility

At St Felix these are our curriculum drivers underpinned by our Catholic faith. Our intent is a knowledge-rich curriculum which provides a broad and balanced offer for all pupils recognising their starting points and enabling them to succeed. 

This is implemented through a curriculum where knowledge is valued and specified, taught to be remembered and coherently sequenced. It is implemented through well-planned lessons with effectively designed tasks focused on tight learning objectives informed by cognitive load theory. Assessment for learning ensures lessons are adapted for the needs of the pupils. The curriculum commences when children join St Felix in the early years. It builds progressively from Nursery and Reception into KS1 with our youngest pupils introduced to concepts and knowledge they will build on through their subject specific lesson of KS1 and KS2.

The school accesses external curriculum materials from the Primary Knowledge Curriculum for Science, History, Geography and Art, CUSP for English, Sing Up for Music, Kapow for DT, Ten Ten Life to the Full for RSE and White Rose Maths Hub for Maths.

The lens of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is used across the curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to make links between the knowledge they acquire and how this informs their actions now and in the future to ensure a meaningful and purposeful existence.

The impact of our curriculum is measured through assessment for learning strategies within class. Consolidation tasks within units enable teachers to assess pupils' success at reaching the endpoints for the topic. These help inform teachers' judgements alongside the pupil's own perception of their learning from which we evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum offer. Summative assessments are conducted at the end of each term. Statutory assessments include the KS2 tests at the end of Year 6, the Phonics Screening Check in Year 1 and the Multiplication Tables Check in Year 4. These measure the core subjects of Maths and English. These show us that the majority of pupils attain well at St Felix and, more importantly, that they enjoy learning a broad and balanced curriculum, taking responsibility for themselves and the environment and recognising they are part of God's family with the potential to be a protagonist for change.

Long Term Planning

In 2024-25, the curriculum planning for Y1-6 has been adapted to reduce the content as per the areas for improvement recommended by Ofsted in June 2024. The RE curriculum now reflects the new RED units. Y5 and Y6 are the only year groups taught in mixed age classes.

In 2023-24, Years N-4 had a separate curriculum for each year group. UKS2 continued to work on a 2-year rolling programme.

Our planning followed a 2-year rolling programme. Year A was 2022-23 and Year B is 2023-24

Subject specific intent

English

At St. Felix, our English curriculum is designed to foster a love for language and literature while equipping students with the essential skills for effective communication, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. Grounded in research-based practices and national standards, our curriculum integrates reading for meaning, writing for purpose and spoken language in a cohesive and purposeful manner.

Key Components:

Phonics and Early Reading:

We implement a systematic synthetic phonics program, following the principles of Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. Through direct and frequent phonics instruction, students learn letter-sound correspondence, blending, segmenting, and decoding skills to become confident readers.

We provide a range of decodable texts that match students' phonics abilities, allowing for practice and application of newly acquired skills.

Reading for Meaning

This can be explained in the simple statement that when we read, we read to understand and comprehend the meaning of the marks before us on the page. The letters are not ends in themselves. They are the writer’s attempt to convey meaning coherently across sentences, paragraphs and chapters.

Fluent Decoding:

Fluent decoding, the ability to read with accuracy and speed, is essential for effective reading. It encompasses both decoding (substantive knowledge of the alphabetic code) and fluency (disciplinary knowledge of using this knowledge accurately). Teaching them together is crucial as they are intimately intertwined and continue to develop throughout a student's reading journey.

Vocabulary:

Word learning is a crucial aspect of reading for meaning, focusing on the understanding of words and phrases. Vocabulary instruction can be separate from decoding instruction and is essential for building substantive knowledge across subjects.

Comprehension:

Comprehension involves understanding text through various lenses, interpretations, and perspectives. It goes beyond basic reading domains and considers elements such as setting, character, and literary concepts to prepare students for deeper understanding in secondary school.

By addressing these sub-concepts within reading instruction, we aim to develop students' proficiency in decoding, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension, laying a strong foundation for their literacy development across all subjects.

Writing for Purpose

Writing for purpose runs parallel to reading for meaning and can be explained as the understanding that when we write, there is always a reason. The three most common are to entertain, inform and persuade. Like reading for meaning, the words and phrases, rooted in sentences and paragraphs that our students write are not purposeless.

Composition and Transcription:

This refers to the substantive knowledge of writing, including spelling, punctuation, grammar, and handwriting and constitutes the core knowledge necessary for explaining the English language.

Purpose and Text Type:

This involves understanding writing purposes and the forms of text they take, such as informative or persuasive writing. Students learn how to structure their writing according to the intended purpose, understanding conventions specific to each type of text.

Writer's Craft:

This focuses on how writers use language beyond text type conventions, including creating imagery, persuasion, information, and discussion. It includes studying literary techniques such as metaphor, simile, personification, repetition, setting, and character development.

Spoken Language:

Our curriculum promotes effective oral communication skills through collaborative discussions, presentations and performances. This starts in EYFS with immersing children in a wide range of well-chosen stories, rhymes and songs. This develops children’s understanding and use of rich vocabulary and language structures. Hearing stories is a key part of the pupil experience throughout St Felix. As they progress, students learn to articulate ideas, listen actively, and engage respectfully with peers.

Classroom discussions and activities encourage students to express opinions, share insights, and construct meaning through dialogue and interaction. Work with external partners such as The Young Shakespeare Company and Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal promotes pupil understanding of the importance of the spoken word in heritage texts, modern re-tellings and their own compositions.

Literature Studies:

We expose students to a diverse range of literary texts, including classic and contemporary works from various cultures and genres. Through close reading and analysis, students explore themes, symbolism, and literary devices.

Library time, book clubs, and DEAR time provide opportunities for deeper engagement and personal connection with texts, fostering a lifelong appreciation for literature.

Adaptation: Teachers plan instruction to meet the individual needs and interests of students, providing scaffolding for some learners and enrichment opportunities for others.

Assessment and Feedback: Formative and summative assessments are used to monitor student progress and inform instructional planning. Feedback is provided regularly to support student growth and development.

St Felix English curriculum empowers students to become proficient communicators, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners. We aim to inspire a passion for language and literature that extends beyond primary school and provides a secure foundation for the next stage of education.

Progression Maps

Reading

Writing

Science

We aim to increase our children’s scientific knowledge and curiosity about the wider world, expand their scientific vocabulary, improve their science capital and promote high aspirations for all.

We aim to promote a life-long love of the subject of Science, through teaching our children about the Scientists who have built the knowledge and skills and how attitudes have changed through scientific discovery.

We aim for our children to build their own subject knowledge and scientific skills from their individual starting points and consider how these can be applied across a wide range of subjects and in their future learning. We want our children to experience the awe and wonder of the scientific world, from reading, testing and investigating and know that they are all Scientists too. We also want them to learn the responsibility of good Scientific knowledge and how this contributes to changes in their lives now and in the future for the good of God's world and all within it.

Progression Maps

Computing

We are preparing our children for the digital world; both today, throughout their academic careers and into the future of adulthood and employment. Through teaching Computing, we equip our children to participate in a rapidly changing world where both work and leisure activities are increasingly being changed by new technologies.

We will enable our children, regardless of their digital experience, to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information in a variety of ways. Our children will become confident, creative and independent learners and it is our intention that all children will have the opportunities available to help them achieve this.

By the time our children leave St. Felix, they will be able to effectively communicate and can evaluate and apply information technology, including using new and unfamiliar technologies. They will be able to connect with others responsibly and safely and will be competent, confident users of information and communication technology whilst understanding the dignity of work.

Progression Map

All strands of Computing curriculum

Geography

Through our Geography curriculum, we aim to increase our children’s knowledge and curiosity of the wider world, expand geographical vocabulary and promote high aspirations for all.

We seek to create a life-long love of the subject, through teaching our children about diverse places, people and resources. Through the study of natural and human environments, as well as physical and human processes, our desire is to provide our children with a sense of awe and wonder about the world they live in and their rights and responsibilities within it.

As they continue on their journey of Geography, we aim to foster a deep understanding of the subject that develops alongside their geographical skills and recognises their starting points. Our aim is that our children go on to apply these skills across all subjects, as well as their futures beyond St Felix.

Progression Maps

Geographical Skills and Fieldwork

Locational Knowledge

Place Knowledge

Human and Physical Geography

History

Our history curriculum is intended to allow children to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of local, British and world history regardless of their starting points. Knowledge of substantive concepts and disciplinary concepts are interwoven allowing children to encounter and apply these in different contexts. The aim is to enable children to look in some depth at local, national and world history, encouraging them to explore the connection between significant events and people and how they have influenced the modern world. A secure knowledge of the past supports pupils to act in solidarity with others.

Progression Map

Music

Through our music curriculum we aim to provide access to high-quality, practical, and engaging musical experiences to ensure all pupils enjoy sustained opportunities to succeed at music making, complemented by additional tuition and regular opportunities to raise the standard of their singing. We want all children, regardless of their musical experience, to develop the self-confidence, skills, knowledge, and understanding to develop a lifelong love of music. We work alongside the Diocesan Singing programme to access specialist teaching for key parts of the curriculum.

Progression Map

P.E

Our intent is to inspire all children, whatever their level of physical fitness, to reach their full potential by giving them the knowledge and skills required to make a positive impact on their own physical health and well-being. Our broad and balanced P.E curriculum enables all children to experience a wide variety of sports and physical skills which will enhance lifelong fitness, promotes self-esteem through the development of physical confidence and ensures that all children know how to succeed.

Progression Maps

Fundamental Movement Skills

Body Management

Outdoor Adventurous Activities

Games

Dance

Art

Our Art curriculum is a knowledge-rich curriculum which exposes children to the work of artists, architects and designers from various periods of history and backgrounds, so they can make connections to their own work.

Our curriculum inspires, engages and challenges pupils to improve their mastery of techniques, recognising their starting points. It will give them the knowledge that they need in order to produce creative work and critically evaluate their experiences.

This knowledge and connections will help children to increase their cultural capital, which will enable them to succeed in their future careers with a social conscience.

Progression Maps

Drawing

Painting

Sculpture

Design and Technology

Our Design and Technology Curriculum is a skills-based curriculum which inspires children to become creative thinkers, through the process of designing, making and evaluating products that can have real and relevant life applications. Children will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge, drawing upon disciplines, such as maths, science, art and computing.

Our curriculum enthuses, engages and challenges pupils to improve the mastery of their skills and knowledge, recognising their starting points. It will give them an awareness of the impact of design and technology on daily life throughout history and into the present. It will encourage them to take risks, use resourcefulness and enterprise to become responsible citizens, who are ready to contribute to the future development of God's world in solidarity with others.

Progression Map

Further information

These are implemented with the support of the following materials

Primary Knowledge Curriculum: https://www.primaryknowledgecurriculum.org/our-knowlege-rich-curriculum/

CUSP: https://www.unity-curriculum.co.uk/more-information/

White Rose Maths Hub: https://whiterosemaths.com/advice-and-guidance

Sing Up: https://www.singup.org/

Kapow: https://www.kapowprimary.com/

Ten Ten Life to the Full Resources: https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/life-to-the-full-catholic-landing-page/

For further information regarding the curriculum our school is following please email or telephone the main school office using the number or email address detailed below. Our office staff will be happy to assist you with any queries you may have.

T: 01440 703775
E: admin@st-felixrc.suffolk.sch.uk