The Copthorne Curriculum

The staff, pupils, parents and Governors of Copthorne have worked together to design a balanced, rich and inspiring curriculum which specifically meets the academic, personal and social needs of our pupils whilst adhering to the requirements of the Primary National Curriculum 2014. Our curriculum encourages all pupils to explore and celebrate diversity whilst becoming enthusiastic, independent and confident learners ready to take their place as positive British and global citizens.

Curriculum Overview

Please use the below links to access an overview of the curriculum for each year group. If you would like any further information about the curriculum for your child’s year group please contact their class teacher, who will be happy to discuss it with you.

Reception Annual Overview

Year 1 Annual Overview

Year 2 Annual Overview

Year 3 Annual Overview

Year 4 Annual Overview

Year 5 Annual Overview

Year 6 Annual Overview

Reading
We are determined that every pupil will learn to read, regardless of their background or needs.

We use the ‘Little Wandle’ phonics scheme and have clear expectations of pupils’ phonics progress over each term. Daily phonics lessons begin as soon as children start their Reception year.

Within phonics sessions, children read books matched closely to their phonic knowledge, practise handwriting and spelling and write sentences from dictation.

Teachers give pupils plenty of time to practice reading and re-reading books that match the grapheme–phoneme correspondences they know, both at school and at home.

Pupils are assessed regularly and anyone falling behind the programme’s pace is provided with targeted support. This ensures that pupils are able to ‘keep up’ rather than ‘catch up’. 

All teachers and support staff have completed Little Wandle phonics training to ensure sufficient expertise in the teaching of phonics and reading in all areas of school. We are consistent in our approach and the scheme is taught with fidelity. 

Click here to view information for parents about Little Wandle.

Our reading curriculum ensures that pupils enjoy listening to and reading a wide range of stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction, chosen to develop pupils’ vocabulary, language comprehension and a love of reading. 

Reading is taught throughout school as a discrete subject as well as being an integral part of English and Copthorne Curriculum lessons. Lessons provide the opportunity for the class teacher to further develop children’s independent reading skills. They are designed to ensure that pupils develop both language comprehension and word reading skills to become confident readers. Children are also identified for individual support and intervention, such as daily 1 to 1 reading.

Children are encouraged to read a range of challenging texts and develop a love of reading. These texts make links to learning in other areas of the curriculum.  

Writing

Our Writing curriculum, aims to inspire creativity, develop fluency, and foster a lifelong love for writing in our pupils. We believe that Writing is a fundamental skill that empowers our pupils to express themselves, communicate effectively, and engage critically and imaginatively with a range of texts, genres, and contexts, enabling them to navigate, understand, and contribute to the diverse and evolving world around them.

We plan meaningful units of work for English writing according to the 2014 National Curriculum, which support pupils to: 

• develop the stamina and skills to write at length; 
• become fluent in key transcriptional components and grammar so they become increasingly
  accurate writers;
• write for a range of purposes, including a range of story genres, reports, instructions and recounts; 
• write to support the consolidation of what they have heard or read.  

A broad range of exciting and high quality texts are used to support these sequences of learning, according to the whole school long term plan for writing.

Mathematics
The teaching of Maths is based on the National Curriculum and the White Rose Primary Maths resources are used to support teaching. Our curriculum ensures that pupils are provided with opportunities for successful acquisition, consolidation and application of core mathematical knowledge. 

Our Maths curriculum planning for each year group is carefully sequenced to build mathematical knowledge, concepts and procedures over time. Learning is broken down in small steps that are covered in a logical order. 

Within the curriculum many opportunities are  provided for children to revisit previous learning to ensure that it becomes embedded in their long term memory. Time is systematically built in for retrieval, review and overlearning. This supports children’s rapid and accurate recall, allowing them to work with increasing independence and to apply their mathematical knowledge to more complex concepts and opportunities for problem-solving. We want to help children to see the links between maths and other subjects and deepen their understanding through investigations and applications of maths across the curriculum.

The progression document below details how Key Stage 1 and 2 National Curriculum objectives are covered, and how it the curriculum progresses through topics.

In each of the major topic areas (Number, Measurement, Geometry and Statistics), the curriculum has been broken down into key areas. For each of these areas, you can then see which NC objectives are covered in that year, together with the term and block in which that objective is first met.

Maths NC coverage and progression document

Times Tables Rock Stars is a programme used to increase confidence and strengthen children’s fluency and recall in multiplication and division. 

Click here to login to Times Tables Rock Stars. 

Numbots is a programme used to improve children’s recall and fluency in mental addition and subtraction.

Click here to login to Numbots.

Science

Our Science curriculum, is designed in alignment with the EYFS & National Curriculum. It aims to ignite curiosity, inspire awe and wonder, and foster a lifelong passion for exploration and discovery in our pupils. We believe that Science plays a fundamental role in equipping our pupils with the knowledge, skills, and understanding to understand the natural world, make informed decisions, and engage critically and responsibly with scientific developments, challenges, and opportunities in our ever-changing society.

Pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. These types of scientific enquiry include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources.

Our Science curriculum carefully identifies and prioritises the most crucial substantive concepts, in line with National Curriculum guidance. These are at the heart of our teaching, ensuring that pupils gain a solid foundation in scientific knowledge and understanding.

Pupils are made clear on the most important knowledge they need to know and remember, through resources such as knowledge organisers, helping them to focus their learning and understand the relevance and significance of scientific concepts in their everyday lives.

We have incorporated strategies to anticipate and address common misconceptions. By doing so, we aim to provide pupils with a clear and accurate understanding of scientific concepts, enhancing their ability to think critically and analytically.

Our curriculum breaks down end goals into their component parts. This approach facilitates a systematic and structured learning progression, enabling pupils to grasp complex concepts by building upon foundational knowledge. Our Science long term plan long and progression documents provide details of this. 

The Science curriculum is carefully sequenced to allow pupils to build schemata for important concepts over time. This progressive approach ensures continuity in learning and fosters deeper understanding.

Children’s learning in science is revisited and built upon over time, reinforcing learning and allowing pupils to deepen their understanding through practice and application.

Our curriculum explicitly identifies the disciplinary knowledge that underpins working scientifically. Pupils are taught the principles and methods of scientific inquiry, equipping them with the skills to explore, investigate, and interpret the world around them scientifically.

Our curriculum outlines how disciplinary knowledge advances over time, ensuring that pupils’ learning is progressive, coherent, and aligned with their cognitive development. 

Pupils are actively taught disciplinary knowledge rather than merely expected to acquire it through investigation. This ensures a deeper and more meaningful engagement with scientific concepts. 

Pupils are equipped with the necessary mathematical knowledge to support their scientific understanding, promoting interdisciplinary learning and enhancing problem-solving skills.

They learn about various types of scientific enquiry beyond just fair tests, enabling them to appreciate the diverse methods and approaches used in scientific research.

Our Science curriculum is designed to develop learners with:

• the ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings;
• confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations;
• excellent scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging problems and reporting scientific findings;
• the ability to undertake practical work in a variety of contexts;
• a passion for science and its application in past, present and future technologies.

History

Our History curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils gain a coherent knowledge and
understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past and pupils learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence and develop perspective and judgement. History lessons are taught as part of our Copthorne Curriculum lessons. 

Pupils make progress in history by knowing and remembering more, as set out in our schemes of work, based on National Curriculum content. 

The curriculum provides pupils with a rich knowledge of the period, place or society that they
are learning about, in order to support them  to engage meaningfully with the past.

Key concepts in history such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’ are revisited overtime to aid pupils in developing new historical knowledge.

Children develop their chronological knowledge and the curriculum is designed to offer pupils a secure overview of major developments and periods, allowing them to contextualise new knowledge effectively.

Our History curriculum is designed to develop learners who have:

• the ability to support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using detailed, appropriate and accurate historical evidence derived from a range of sources;
• the ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past, formulating and refining questions and lines of enquiry;
• passion for history and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the past and their understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different ways;
• an excellent knowledge and understanding of people, events, and contexts from a range of historical periods and of historical concepts and processes;
• the ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas very confidently in styles appropriate to a range of audiences;
• respect for historical evidence and the ability to make robust and critical use of it to support their explanations and judgments;
• the desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality research across a range of history topics.

Geography

At Copthorne Primary School, we recognise the importance of Geography as a subject that helps pupils make sense of the world around them. Our curriculum is rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage & National Curriculum’s guidelines and aims to provide pupils with a broad and balanced understanding of geographical concepts, knowledge, and skills.

The curriculum covers:

▪ locational knowledge
▪ place knowledge
▪ human and physical geography
▪ geographical skills and fieldwork.

Learning begins in Early Years where children begin to find out about their home, places nearby and features of their environment such as trees and traffic. In Key Stage 1, children learn the component knowledge of Bradford and the UK, such as the names of the countries, capital cities and key human features and make comparisons between their own lives and the lives of children living in Australia. Pupils continue to deepen their knowledge of Bradford, the UK and the world across Key Stage 2 culminating in Year 6 with studies of South America, biomes and world trade.     

Our children use a range of maps and atlases so that geography map and fieldwork skills are systematically developed. Resources are introduced progressively to ensure that pupils develop a deep and comprehensive understanding of geographical concepts, skills, and knowledge over time. For example in Early Years simple picture atlases with colourful illustrations are used to introduce children to different places around the world and their basic geographical features. In KS1 pupils also use world maps to help them to identify continents, oceans, and major countries, building on their understanding of the world beyond their local area. In KS2, children use globes of different scales to support their understanding of the Earth’s rotation, latitude and longitude and time zones.

Our Geography progression map details the careful long-term curriculum sequencing of essential skills.  For example, in Key Stage 1, our children learn to locate and compare the position of major cities and seas on a UK map using the four basic compass directions.  This culminates in Upper Key Stage 2 with children using the eight points of a compass and six-figure grid references to locate a range of human and physical features studied, such as settlement locations and river features.  

Essential geographical concepts such as the features of rivers, volcano formation and factors effecting settlement location are taught by focussing on specific locations and regions.  This allows comparisons to be made between the UK and other areas of the world. 

Our Geography curriculum is designed to develop learners who have:

• an excellent knowledge of where places are and what they are like;
• an excellent understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected and how much human and physical environments are interrelated;
• an extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary;
• fluency in complex, geographical enquiry and the ability to apply questioning skills and use effective analytical and presentational techniques;
• the ability to reach clear conclusions and develop a reasoned argument to explain findings;
• significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity as shown in interpretations and representations of the subject matter;
• highly developed and frequently utilised fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques;
• a passion for and commitment to the subject, and a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and the people who live there;
• the ability to express well-balanced opinions, rooted in very good knowledge and understanding about current and contemporary issues in society and the environment.

PE

At Copthorne Primary School, we believe that Physical Education (PE) plays a crucial role in promoting the physical, emotional, and social well-being of our pupils. Our PE curriculum, aligned with the National Curriculum, is designed to provide a broad and balanced range of opportunities for all pupils to develop their physical literacy, skills, knowledge, and understanding across a variety of sports, activities, and contexts.

Our PE curriculum is designed to develop learners who:

• develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities;
• are physically active for sustained periods of time;
• engage in competitive sports and activities;
• lead healthy, active lives.

Art

At Copthorne Primary School, we believe that Art plays a vital role in enriching pupils’ lives, fostering creativity, self-expression, and cultural awareness. Our Art curriculum, aligned with the National Curriculum, is designed to inspire, challenge, and nurture pupils’ artistic skills, knowledge, and understanding across a range of disciplines, materials, and techniques.

Our Art curriculum is designed to develop learners who have:

• the ability to use visual language skilfully and convincingly (for example, line, shape, pattern, colour, texture, form) to express emotions, interpret observations, convey insights and accentuate their individuality;
• the ability to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form;
• the ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination;
• the ability to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate perceptively and powerfully through purposeful drawing in 2D, 3D or digital media;
• an impressive knowledge and understanding of other artists, craftmakers and designers;
• the ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret ideas, observations and feelings;
• independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity;
• the ability to select and use materials, processes and techniques skilfully and inventively to realise intentions and capitalise on the unexpected;
• the ability to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others;
• a passion for and a commitment to the subject.

DT

The Design and Technology (DT) curriculum at our school, in alignment with the National Curriculum, aims to inspire creativity, innovation, and practical problem-solving skills in our pupils. We believe that DT plays a fundamental role in preparing our pupils for the future, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and understanding to design, make, and evaluate a range of products and solutions for real-life challenges across various contexts.

Our DT curriculum is designed to develop learners who have:

• the ability to use time efficiently and work constructively and productively with others;
• The ability to carry out thorough research, show initiative and ask questions to develop a detailed knowledge of users’ needs;
• the ability to act as responsible designers and makers, working ethically, using finite materials carefully and working safely;
• a thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their products;
• the ability to apply mathematical knowledge;
• the ability to manage risks to manufacture products safely and hygienically;
• a passion for the subject and knowledge of, up-to-date technological innovations in materials, products and systems;
• significant levels of originality and the willingness to take creative risks to produce innovative ideas and prototypes.

Music

Our Music curriculum, in alignment with the National Curriculum, aims to foster a lifelong love and appreciation for music in our pupils. We believe that Music plays a vital role in enriching our pupils’ lives, promoting creativity, self-expression, cultural understanding, and personal development through active engagement with a diverse range of musical experiences, traditions, and practices.

Our Music curriculum is designed to develop learners who have:

• a widening repertoire which they use to create original, imaginative, fluent and distinctive composing and performance work;
• A musical understanding underpinned by high levels of aural perception, internalisation and knowledge of music, including high or rapidly developing levels of technical expertise;
• Good awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres;
• An excellent understanding of how musical provenance – the historical, social and cultural origins of music – contributes to the diversity of musical styles;
• The ability to give precise written and verbal explanations, using musical terminology effectively, accurately and appropriately;
• A passion for and commitment to a diverse range of musical activities.

RE

In RE the children learn about 6 major religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, following the agreed Bradford syllabus. 

Our curriculum aims to promote understanding, respect, and appreciation for the diverse religious and non-religious beliefs, values, and practices that shape individuals, communities, and societies locally, nationally, and globally. We believe that RE plays a vital role in fostering mutual respect, community cohesion, and personal development by encouraging pupils to explore, question, and reflect on their own beliefs, experiences, and identities, as well as those of others, within the context of a multicultural society.

Our curriculum is designed to develop learners who have:

• a strong level of religious understanding and knowledge
• a thorough engagement with a range of big questions about the meaning and significance of existence
• the ability to ask significant and reflective questions about religion and demonstrate an excellent understanding of issues related to the nature, truth and value of religion
• a strong understanding of how the beliefs, values, practices and ways of life within any religion cohere together
• the ability to think for themselves and take the initiative in, for example, asking questions, evaluating ideas and working constructively with others
• significant levels of originality, imagination or creativity, which are shown in their responses to their learning in RE
• the ability to link the study of religion and belief to personal reflections on meaning and purpose
• a wide knowledge and deep understanding across a wide range of religions and beliefs

MFL

In KS2, our Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum, focuses on Arabic. It aims to inspire curiosity, promote cultural understanding, and foster linguistic competence in our pupils. Pupils learn to to express their ideas and thoughts in Arabic and to understand and respond both in speech and in writing. We believe that our Arabic curriculum provides the foundations for pupils to go on to learn further languages, equipping them for their future where they may choose to study or work in other countries. 

Our curriculum is designed to develop learner who have:

• the confidence to speak with good intonation and pronunciation
• fluency in reading
• fluency and imagination in writing
• a strong awareness of the culture of the countries where the language is spoken
• a passion for languages and a commitment to the subject
• the ability to use language creatively and spontaneously

PSHE

PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education) runs throughout our curriculum and is also taught as part of a weekly lesson.

Our PSHE curriculum aims to equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills, and understanding to lead healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives both now and in the future. It focuses on nurturing pupils’ personal development, emotional well-being, and social responsibility, enabling them to make informed decisions, develop positive relationships, and contribute positively to their communities and society.

All statutory aspects of Relationships & Health education are covered. Click here to view DFE guidance. 

Our PSHE curriculum is designed to develop learners who:

•  are well prepared to become active citizens both in school and in the local community
• develop a healthy and safe lifestyle, being able to make informed choices in a variety of contexts
• be able to develop good relationships and the ability to respect and empathise with others
• become self-confident, self-reliant, and exhibit positive self esteem
• acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding needed to become happy, healthy and positive citizens
• adopt positive attitudes and values
• develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work and co-operate with others
• promote British values and what democracy means for us
• celebrate equality, tolerance and diversity whilst challenging racism, bullying, homophobia and discrimination

Relationships Education Policy Sept 2023

RSE Letter to parents 20.05.2021

PSHE Curriculum Year Group Overview

RSE Expectations for Primary

See example curriculum resources below

Different Families

Tolerance and Respect

Your Body Is Your Own Lesson – Consent

EYFS
In the Foundation Stage we follow the EYFS curriculum, encouraging the children to be active learners. The children are encouraged through play and exploration to develop the skills that form a strong foundation for their future learning. This is supported with the provision of a range of real life experiences through educational visits and visitors in school, Focused activities, along with carefully planned and resourced continuous provision, provide our youngest children with a range of experiences which prepare them

British Values

Democracy

Individual liberty

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. This is them performing in our annual talent competition. Children decide on the type of act they they would like to present and then audition for places. 

The rule of law

Junior traffic wardens encouraging parents and carers to follow the rules of the road and to park safely. 

Mutual respect and tolerance

                           Diwali assembly                            Easter assembly

Our assembly rota includes opportunities for children to learn about and explore a range of religious celebrations and festivals over the year. 

Remote education provision: information for parents

Remote education will only ever be considered as a last resort where a decision has already been made that attendance at school is not possible, but pupils are able to continue learning.

Attendance at school is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience, including for their attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances. Remote education is NOT an equal alternative to attendance in school. For this reason we will only ever use it as a last resort when the alternative would be no education, and only after it has been established that the pupil is, or will be, absent from school.

Pupils receiving remote education are still considered to be absent from school. The use of remote education will, however, allow absent pupils to keep on track with their education and stay connected to their teachers.

When will remote education be used?

We will consider the use of remote education where it might not be possible for pupils to receive in person education. This may be due to:

• School closures or restrictions on attendance, where school access for pupils is restricted (For example: flooding or other building issues, health/safeguarding concerns, inclement weather).
• Individual cases where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able to learn (For example: during recovery from infectious illness or an operation, during a suspension). It is expected that there will only be limited circumstances where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able and well enough to learn.

In all scenarios of potential school closure, the school will endeavour to remain open or to reopen as soon as possible. For individual cases, pupils will be encouraged to return to school as soon as is practical.

Will pupils be taught the same curriculum at home?

If remote education is required. We aim to:

• Include continuous delivery of the school curriculum (where possible), as well as support of motivation, health and well-being, and parent support
• Ensure consistency in the approach to remote education for all pupils (inc. SEND) who aren’t in school, through use of quality online and offline resources and teaching videos
• Provide clear expectations for members of the school community, with regards to the delivery of high quality interactive remote education

How much work will be set for pupils?

Should remote education be required, we will aim to provide at least 3 hours of learning for the day.

What resources will be used to provide remote education?

Information about online platforms that we utilise for remote education can be found on our website. Some of the resources that we use include:

• Mathletics
• Times Table Rockstars
• PurpleMash
• BBC Bitesize
• Oak Academy
• Use of recorded and live video for instructional videos, teacher input and assemblies.
• Printed learning packs
• Physical materials such as story books, stationery and writing tools
• Personalised resources for SEND pupils with specific needs

How will pupils that do not have digital or online access at home access remote education?

We recognise that some pupils may not have suitable online access at home. We will ensure that all pupils are able to access remote education either through the use of printed learning packs or providing a suitable device and wifi access.

What are the expectations for pupil’s engagement with remote education?

Should remote education be required, teachers will provide clear information about available learning, how to access it, and expectations. This will be differentiated for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), particularly those that may not be able to access remote education without support from adults.

We ask that parents/carers encourage their children to complete the learning provided.