Our curriculum
Reading, writing and maths in Key Stage 2
Once our children have completed the RWI Phonics and Comprehension programmes, our English lessons are taught using the CUSP Reading and Writing curriculum.
CUSP Reading and Writing is an evidence informed, carefully sequenced English curriculum, which maps core content in reading and writing across the primary journey, ensuring that learning is taught and revisited over time so that pupils commit their understanding to the long-term memory. At Orgill we strive for conceptual fluency. We want pupils who work through the curriculum journey of CUSP to develop both procedural and conceptual fluency. In CUSP writing, for example, we have reduced the number of text types that each year group studies in order to move the emphasis away from the memorisation of text conventions and focus on developing procedural and conceptual fluency about the mechanics and processes of writing as a craft. We also have a whole school reading spine, which also complements units in our wider curriculum. Our aim is to immerse children in rich literature to help develop and widen their vocabulary and inference skills. Our Curriculum also has explicit vocabulary instruction which is helping to shape the structure and language provision throughout our curriculum. Ultimately, we want to raise confidence, enthusiasm and standards in reading and writing across the curriculum so that all children are able to be successful and flourish.
We are very proud of our standards in Reading. In 2019, 85% of our children achieved expected standard in the end of KS2 SATs, compared with 73% nationally and 37% of children achieved higher standard compared with 27% nationally. We are confident that this fantastic achievement is as a result of our implementation in 2016 of MyBookblog as a tool for promoting a love of reading.
Maths is taught daily and discretely in year groups using Maths- No Problem! Maths- No Problem! is a transformational approach to maths teaching which uses best practice from high performing Asian nations such as Singapore as its influence.
Meeting the needs of every child
We very much believe in ‘keep up, not catch up’. We use this principle to guide us when deciding which children would benefit from either one to one support or small group support with one of our senior teaching assistants. These sessions, referred to as interventions, have a clear learning focus and are reviewed frequently. Interventions usually focus on reading, writing, maths or personal and social development. They are used for pre-teaching and post-teaching with the intention of closing the gaps.
Other curriculum areas
Science is taught using the Snap Science scheme of work.
Geography and history are taught using the Collins Connected scheme of work.
PE is taught via a scheme developed by Rising Stars which is also built around small challenges for the children. Year three and four children also go swimming every week. Every class in Key Stage two will also have the exciting opportunity of taking part in Forest Schools activities for one half term this academic year. We also have outside sporting coaches coming into school to work with the children in a particular area of sport. Through the course of the year, there are many sporting events and tournaments that some children have the opportunity to take part in.
In PSHE we teach children to be mindful, and an innovative and well developed programme, called The Jigsaw PSHE, has recently been introduced to the school to help us to do this. Mindfulness is a vital tool for life as it helps to regulate emotion and build emotional resilience. Mindful children can choose their responses to situations carefully rather than just reacting. A variety of strategies are used to teach this approach.
French and Spanish are the Modern Foreign language we teach in school. Cumbria has developed their own curriculum with accompanying resources, which is followed throughout Key Stage two. Each unit of work builds on prior learning.
Through the teaching of computing, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Children have discrete teaching of this computing and further access to information, communication technology to support learning in other subjects.
We are constantly looking for opportunities to bring learning to life such as: taking children on trips, inviting visitors into school and exploring subject areas through drama (Play in a Day).