Curriculum

At Grange Farm, our curriculum has been designed to ensure that all pupils have full access to the National Curriculum set out by the Department for Education. We teach the full range of subjects in Early Years through to the end of Key Stage 2 and ensure that all pupils, regardless of their needs, can access the learning relevant to their age and ability.

In this section of the website, you will find information about each individual subject, including the key content and approaches for each subject. Some of our subjects are taught alongside one another as part of our Cornerstones Curriculum. These are History, Geography, Art, Design Technology and Science. These subjects are taught as projects, which are placed alongside other subject projects where there are opportunities for the children to make meaningful connections.

Art

Art is taught as part of our Cornerstones Curriculum, alongside Design Technology, History and Geography. Each half term, the children will study a project linked to their overall driver project designed to develop their skills and knowledge of visual elements, art forms, artists and art movements.

It is our intent to provide all children with a high-quality art curriculum, which develops creativity, sets challenges, engages and inspires. Throughout their learning children will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design work.

At Grange Farm we aim to encourage all children to develop their confidence in order for them to express themselves and develop a sense of appreciation of the world around them. We do this through providing children with a range of mediums for children to choose from as well as exploring a wide range of artists from different backgrounds, disabilities, races and genders. 

Our curriculum is tailored around giving children exposure and opportunities to practise art and design techniques when using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. We do this through the use of individual sketchbooks, art clubs and trips to galleries. Our children also benefit from having the opportunity to be taught by our art expert Mrs O'Brien, who shares her own experiences, knowledge and artistic style with the children to help them create some exceptional pieces of artwork. We display our artwork proudly around school and in our Gallery in the main school corridor.  

 

Computing

At Grange Farm we recognise the importance of equipping children with the ability to use technology in order to enhance their understanding of the changing world in which we live. We following the Computing National Curriculum, using the Teach First Computing Scheme, alongside our curriculum projects as well as teaching computing specific skills individually.

We believe that by teaching computing skills discretely and using technology as a vehicle to enhance the learning in other areas of the curriculum, this meets the needs of all of our children and supports their progress in this subject.

A key component of the computing curriculum is computer science, where children are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through computer programming. Children are able to use this knowledge and understand to create programs, systems and a range of content.

Computing is also a powerful tool in which to support children’s digital literacy – their ability to use, express themselves and develop their ideas through a range of technology. We recognise the importance of this if our children are to go on to be successful in the future as active participants in a digital world.

Online Safety

As a school, we are fully committed to keeping our children safe online and recognise the important part that schools play in teaching children about staying safe online. Specific online safety lessons are part of our curriculum whilst regular reminders are also interwoven in any lessons where technology plays a part.

Each year we also take part in the National Internet Safety Day which usually takes place in February. The day focuses on helping children navigate online spaces safely and serves as a reminder about the risks and challenges of being online.

 

Design Technology

Design Technology is taught as part of our Cornerstones Curriculum, alongside Art, History and Geography. Each term, the children will study a project linked to their overall driver project designed to develop their skills and knowledge food technology, textiles and mechanisms.

At Grange Farm, we believe that design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils will design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art to generate their ideas. Children will learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they will develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. We believe that high-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

English

The overriding intent of the English curriculum at Grange Farm Primary School is to foster a love of reading, writing and literature. We strongly believe that mastery over the English language empowers children to be able to communicate creatively, imaginatively and to engage with the world at large, becoming confident and independent learners.

Our children’s learning journey in English begins with the teaching of phonics which plays a key role in developing word decoding skills. Systematic, synthetic phonics is taught daily in Reception and Key Stage 1 using the DfE approved scheme ‘Jolly Phonics’. There are clear expectations about which phases should be taught and staff assess children’s phonics progress frequently, providing catch up interventions where necessary. Children practice reading both at school and at home using books that complement the phonics scheme as part of whole class and independent reading. Our aim is that all children become successful, fluent readers by the end of Key Stage 1 in order to enable them to access the full curriculum.

Our English curriculum is centered around carefully chosen, high quality texts which are studied in whole class reading lessons daily. These allow children to immerse themselves in rich vocabulary and stories which provide them with the opportunity to enrich their curriculum knowledge through reading. Through studying the texts, children can explore the world, ask questions, seek answers, be inspired and learn to love reading. Decoding text and developing fluency in reading are key parts of whole class reading lessons, where teachers expertly model fluency and intonation in their reading aloud and children have opportunities to read aloud independently and as a whole class through echo and choral reading. Children are taught a range of comprehension skills in order to deepen their understanding of the text further: retrieval, inference, prediction and evaluation. They will make comparisons between texts they have read I class and studied independently.

Our reading curriculum is carefully linked to our writing curriculum, developing children as writers through carefully planned writing opportunities which link to wider areas of the curriculum. Throughout the year, children are required to write for a variety of purposes and audiences on a range of different topics. We follow a clear pathway of knowledge and skills progression, equipping children with the writing tools to develop as independent and competent writers. Model texts are used to provide children with ideas and a structure on which to based their own writing, whilst adding their own ideas and creativity.

 

Geography

Geography is taught as part of our Cornerstones Curriculum, alongside Art, History and Design Technology. Geography takes the role of the main subject driver for the topic in one term and is taught alongside a history driver project in the other two terms.

The Grange Farm Geography Curriculum aims to ensure inclusivity for every child. As the pupils progress through the key stages, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. We seek to inspire them to develop their curiosity and fascination of the world and its people by being equipped with key skills which will remain for the rest of their lives to help them become geographers themselves. We will encourage children to discover answers to their own questions through their own exploration and research, completing fieldwork in the local area. This will allow them to gain a greater understanding of the world and their place within it. 

 

History

History is taught as part of our Cornerstones Curriculum, alongside Art, Design Technology and Geography. Geography takes the role of the main subject driver for the topic in two terms and is taught alongside a geography driver project in the other term.

Our history curriculum is balanced between learning about local history as well as the history of Britain and the wider world. Children are given the opportunity to study a variety of primary and secondary sources, make predictions, build their historical knowledge and develop key history skills through lessons as well as utilising opportunities for trips and visitors to school to enhance these opportunities further. We encourage children to work and think like historians by asking perceptive questions, thinking critically and evaluating evidence in order to understand events from the past. Children are encouraged to think about the past, not only in how and why events occurred, but their impact on the present and future.

 

Languages

At Grange Farm, we believe that the knowledge of a foreign language helps children to understand and appreciate other cultures and is a highly valuable educational, social and cultural experience.

In Reception and Key Stage 1, children will learn about different languages and cultures as part of the topics they study and through the celebration of different cultural events within the school calendar. Children in Key Stage 2 study the French language, which many of them continue into their secondary education. Lessons are planned to enable children to develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore the differences and similarities between languages. We believe that learning another language raises awareness of the multi-cultural world we live in, giving children an insight into their own culture and those of others.

Mathematics

At Grange Farm, we value Maths as an integral part of our curriculum.  It is one of the foundations of learning both as a subject in itself and in playing a significant part of learning in other subjects and in preparation for life beyond school.

Maths is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries and across many cultures.  It provides the solution to some of history’s most intriguing questions and still poses fascinating questions that we are yet to solve.  It is essential to everyday live, critical to science, technology and engineering and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment.  It opens doors in children’s thinking that helps them to make links between and progress in other areas of the curriculum.

In following the National Curriculum, we aim to ensure that all children:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice in a variety of increasingly complex contexts over time, so that pupils are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions

We value each of these three tenets as foundations of our curriculum throughout school: all three will feature within the curriculum for all age groups.  

We adhere to the National Curriculum expectation that a majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace.  However, we recognise our children as individuals who will each need personalised challenge at times.  Children who grasp concepts rapidly will be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content.  Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material will be supported in consolidating their understanding, including through additional practice, securing firm foundations to base their future learning on before moving on.

Our vision for Maths is that it provides, for all pupils, a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.  As such, we aim to provide the children with a wide variety of mathematical experiences, both within and beyond the classroom, including: external competitions, internal times table contests, Number Day and Money Sense activities.

 

Music

At Grange Farm, our music curriculum provides children with a broad and balanced musical education that fosters a love of music and develops their musical skills, knowledge, and understanding. Through engaging and enjoyable learning experiences, our curriculum aims to inspire children to participate in a range of musical activities, including singing, playing instruments, and composing. We aim to develop children's confidence, creativity, and self-expression, while also providing opportunities for them to collaborate, perform, and appreciate different styles and genres of music. Our curriculum promotes inclusivity and diversity, and we strive to ensure that every child has access to high-quality music education that enriches their lives and supports their personal and social development.

We work closely with the Coventry Music Hub who provide specialist music teachers to enhance our curriculum delivery further. Children in Years 1-3 have specialist singing and percussion lessons and children in Years 4-6 learn to play an instrument as part of their whole class music tuition. 

We ensure that children throughout school have the opportunity to share their love of music through performances and concerts both in school and throughout Coventry which is a fantastic experience to take part in.

Person, Social & Health Education and Relationship & Sex Education

At Grange Farm Primary School, PSHE is a fundamental part of our children’s education which enables them to become confident, responsible and emotionally developed citizens in a complex and ever-changing world, empowering them to have safe and fulfilling relationships.  At Grange Farm, our aim is to prepare pupils adequately for adult life: its decisions, responsibilities, experiences and opportunities.  We promote children’s knowledge, self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and resilience and help them develop problem-solving skills.   Children are taught to have respect for themselves, and for others, within our local, national and global communities. We aim to develop key character skills, including decision making, informed risk taking, clear communication, and self-regulation strategies. We encourage the exploration of, and respect for, values held by different cultures and groups to promote the development of understanding and positive attitudes. We encourage honesty and respect in all relationships, and nurture sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others. Using material which is appropriate to the children’s age and maturity, we aim to enable them to develop a deepening knowledge of their health and wellbeing, including their mental and physical health. We hope to equip children and young people with information, skills and values to understand and be able to cope with the physical and emotional changes that happen during puberty. Having introduced children to a wide range of concepts and exposed them to a variety of experiences, we believe that they will have a strong understanding of the diverse world around them, be well equipped to take responsibility for their own wellbeing and become independent, responsible members of society.

Relationship & Sex Education:

We believe that it important to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for our children so that they can flourish educationally, but also socially and emotionally.  As part of our PSHE deliverywe also teach a comprehensive RSE (relationships and sex education) curriculum which gives our children the knowledge and skills necessary to keep themselves safe and healthy in life and in their relationships now and in the future.

 Our children partake in age appropriate RSE lessons from EYFS to Year 6. We follow the RSE scheme as defined by the Christopher Winter Project resource which reflects the recent developments in RSE and the PSHCE and Science National Curriculum and has been quality assured by the PSHE Association.

 Within this resource there is an increased focus on safeguarding children. The resource also encourages children to develop the skills of listening, empathy, talking about feelings and relationships with families and friends.

The RSE programme is delivered during the academic year and we communicate with parents before the start date to fully inform how the scheme will be delivered. 

Physical Education

At Grange Farm, we believe that high-quality physical education makes an essential contribution to the health and well-being of the nation and provides children with healthy lifestyle habits that can continue long into adulthood. We aim to provide an environment which inspires children to actively enjoy physical education and encourage each other. Our physical education curriculum has been designed to inspire all children to succeed and excel in sport and other physically-demanding activities. Through the delivery of a varied and broad range of physical activities (dance, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, ball skills & adventurous activity), we aim for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. We believe this enables them to be physically active for sustained periods of time, thus leading to healthier, active lives. In addition, we help pupils to develop their understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and recognise their own success.

We are proud  to provide a wide range of opportunities for children to participate in sport and activities which help to build character and to embed essential values such as fairness and respect.

 

Religious Education

In their RE learning at Grange Farm, pupils explore big questions about life to find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that they can make sense of religion whilst also reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living. Through quality teaching, children understand a range of religions and worldviews. They describe and analyse beliefs and practices held by religious and non-religious people and comminutes. Grange Farm children have opportunities to visit places of worship, to hear from religious leaders and experience in a more holistic way, the inner workings and atmospheres of sacred spaces. We invite people of faith in to visit school to share their beliefs and traditions with children in RE lessons too.
Through their RE learning, pupils develop all important tolerance and respect for those who live differently. They learn more about others in their communities and listen to them explain what matters most to them. Children are given opportunity to speak about their own views and beliefs about religion and ethics. Our pupils build investigative skills as they move through the school; in all Key Stages, they consider key concepts and questions relating to belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, often responding creatively.

 

Science

At Grange Farm we believe that Science is key to understanding the world around us. It is taught alongside our Cornerstones curriculum to make relevant links to other subjects where possible, with different topics delivered each half term. We recognise that Science has changed the modern world immeasurably and will play a major role in driving the future prosperity of Britain. Given this importance, Science is taught as a core subject at Grange Farm, with pupils developing their scientific knowledge through studying the methods, processes and uses of Science in the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.   Children are taught to predict, explain and analyse via a range of approaches and enquiries, whilst also developing a sense of curiosity and excitement about scientific phenomena.