Intent, Implementation And Impact

This section provides the full detail of our curriculum. Here you will find:

  • Our whole‑school curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact
  • Detailed curriculum statements for each subject.

For parents wishing to see what their child is learning this half term, please visit our Class Pages. For an accessible overview of our curriculum, see our Curriculum Overview page.

Whole‑School Curriculum Intent

At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, we have designed our curriculum with the intent that our children will become resilient, independent, well rounded learners that will have the building blocks to become successful, moral adults, live healthy lifestyles, and take opportunities beyond their horizons.

Based on the National Curriculum, our curriculum aims to ensure all children:

  • Acquire secure knowledge and vocabulary across all subject areas
  • Develop fluency in key skills, including reading, writing and mathematics
  • Build resilience, independence and a positive attitude to learning
  • Experience meaningful challenge, regardless of starting point or background
  • Make connections across subjects to deepen understanding
  • Are well‑prepared for the transition to secondary school.

Our curriculum reflects our school values of aim high and dream big.

We will deliver a curriculum that:

  • Inspires creative learning through excellent teaching practices that build on prior learning and allow for repetition and progression of skills that build upon high starting points.
  • Embraces the community in which it is situated, recognising local history, heritage, geographical and business links and most importantly, the aspirations of all our children.
  • Is inclusive, develops self-confidence and identifies that all our children are unique and recognises their potential.
  • Encourages our children to be self-motivated, independent and resilient by developing inquiry-based skills that allow them to make mistakes and learn from them.
  • Challenges our children to achieve success in and out of the classroom and uses outdoor provision to enrich the curriculum.
  • Creates caring, confident and curious children who know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society.
  • Promotes an equal value on their physical and mental well-being and ensures they are prepared for life in modern Britain.

The curriculum is led and overseen by the curriculum lead. Subject leaders play an important part in the success of the curriculum by leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review and the celebration of good practice contributes to the ongoing commitment to evolve and improve further.

The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and other experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the children in our school.

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the curriculum follows:

  • A blocked curriculum approach to ensure coverage and progression in all subject areas.
  • A curriculum map that groups subjects per term to allow for the sequencing of prior learning and the fluent development of new skills, repeated within the year and year on year.
  • Topics that are creative, fun and engaging but teach the skills of each subject discretely within them.
  • Children are taught the sequence of skills and knowledge that are the components to a composite outcome.
  • Lessons develop long-term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and year on year.
  • A teaching sequence that immerses the children with a “hook”, builds knowledge and skills, and concludes with a reflection that can be showcased to an audience.
  • Teachers plan to make use of the outdoors as often as possible to make teaching engaging, varied and memorable.
  • Well-being and SMSC are threaded through the curriculum.
  • There is discrete teaching of MFL, RE, ICT, RSHE and PE.

In addition:

  • All subject leaders are given training and opportunities to develop their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding so they can support curriculum development and colleagues.
  • Assessment of the wider curriculum follows the whole school feedback policy.
  • Low-stakes testing supports long-term memory development and secure understanding of skills.
  • Teachers assess progress and attainment across wider curricular subjects.
  • Classrooms are prepared to reflect the current topic, including inspiring learning walls that show children’s progress.

  • Opportunities for all children to collaborate and develop social skills both indoors and outdoors.
  • The curriculum design ensures that the needs of individuals and small groups are met through high-quality teaching and targeted interventions.
  • Enjoyment of the curriculum promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour.
  • Children develop resilience and learn to cope when things go wrong.
  • Children feel safe to try new things.
  • High-quality visits and visitors enhance the curriculum and provide purposeful learning opportunities.
  • Children share their learning with peers, parents, carers and wider audiences through exhibitions, performances, competitions and events.
  • Children leave school with a sense of belonging to a close community, with the confidence and skills to make decisions, self-evaluate, make connections and become lifelong learners.

Subject Curriculum Statements

Below is a summary of each subject’s Intent, Implementation and Impact, and Progression Plans.

 

At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, we value the arts as an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum. From the early years, we nurture creativity, self-expression and confidence, enabling all children to achieve and take pride in their work.

We provide a wide range of opportunities for children to explore, experiment and communicate ideas through different forms of art in a safe and supportive environment. Through these experiences, pupils develop their skills, appreciate diverse cultures and begin to form their own creative responses to the world around them.

We aim for all children to see themselves as creative individuals, equipped with the skills and confidence to continue engaging with the arts throughout their lives.

We will deliver a curriculum that;   

  • Expose’s all children to the arts, giving them a chance to experience, and participate in a range of creative activities and events.    

  • Allows our children to experiment in a ‘safe’ environment where there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ results, thus, both self-expression and self-esteem may be enhanced.  

  • Give’s children entitlement to a wide range of experiences in the arts as part of and in addition to the curriculum.    

  • Give’s children the opportunity to explore, develop and communicate their personal, aesthetic response to experience.    

  • Develops their knowledge and skills within a wide range of arts activities.   

  • Introduces them to an appreciation of the arts that will last a lifetime.    

  • Develops their appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage within the school and local community.    

  • Helps them make personal interpretations of what they have experienced.    

  • Encourages children to express themselves creatively using a wide range of media and situations.    

The curriculum is led and overseen by the art lead. Our art lead will implement training, monitoring, evaluation and review and share good practice amongst staff which will contribute to the ethos and ambitions for art at Hallam.    

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the art curriculum is based on the following principles:  

Art Content and Sequence  

  • The National Curriculum forms the basis of teaching and learning and dictates the curriculum content for Art.  

  • The ‘Art Content and Sequence’ document is used as support for planning to ensure that there is progression in the development of key skills.  

  • All children follow a program of progressive skills in art and design, creative dance, music and drama.  These take place in discrete art and design lessons and also as a means of communication in other wider curriculum subjects.   

  • Wherever possible first-hand experiences and real things are used to stimulate art and design activities. Teaching is done in whole class groups followed by group and individual work. New techniques and skills are modelled and examples of work are shown to the children.    

  • In group and individual work, pupils have the opportunity to investigate, explore and develop ideas and techniques. They are also involved in evaluating their work, celebrating success and identifying areas for improvement.      

  • Art activities are differentiated to ensure that all pupils can access the tasks and have an appropriate level of challenge. Pupils with particular talents are given opportunities to extend them. Opportunities for using and extending art skills are built into lessons in other subjects.    

  • At Hallam we ensure that children also have access to contemporary (20th and 21st century) artists as well as more traditional ones, that are perhaps more relevant to children today.   

  • Cross curricular opportunities for further learning and development in the arts are built into planning of all subjects as a means of enhancing the children’s learning opportunities. These may be in the form of visiting performing arts groups, museums, galleries and other venues.   

  • In the EYFS there is continuous provision of art and design opportunities: these activities make important contributions to children’s development in the areas of Expressive Arts and Design and Communication and Language. They are also important in children’s Personal, Social and Emotional development. Art is covered in art lessons, continuous provision and as a means of communication and learning in other curriculum areas.   

  • Vocabulary is a focus and lessons are planned to provide maximum opportunities for children to analyse the use of vocabulary and develop their knowledge of tier 1, 2 and 3 words.  

Art Teaching and Learning, Assessment and Feedback  

  • Art is taught through the whole curriculum and mapped out to develop a wide range of experiences. 

  • A high emphasis is placed on creativity and self-expression.  

  • Where appropriate children are taught to understand the skills and techniques an artist has used to create their art. Through a sequence of progressive lessons, children will practise the skills taught. 

  • Each year group has a progression of skills which they will plan from.  

  • Feedback is given in line with the Feedback Policy.   

  • Peer assessment will be used as a learning strategy for engaging students in knowledge construction and skill development via comprehending teachers’ assessment criteria, learning from viewing peers’ work, and making reflections. 

  • Summative and formative assessment is used for gap analysis. Additional provision is planned for those children who require support.  

Our art Curriculum will strive to ensure that:  

  • The majority of children leave with a love of art. 

  • Experience a broad, balanced arts curriculum, with an emphasis on the development of understanding and skills in art and design, creative dance, music and drama.  

  • Experience the arts through other areas of the curriculum.    

  • Be given a wide range of opportunities to express themselves creatively.    

  • Be given the opportunity to develop skills and interests in out of hours learning.    

  • Begin to develop an awareness of the emotional impact the arts have on themselves and on an audience.  

  • Children leave Hallam Primary having been exposed to a wide range of artists which have developed their knowledge in a range of areas 

  • Teachers have a deeper understanding of how to teach the skills of art through the use of detailed medium term plans.   

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At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, we recognise computing as an essential part of a broad and balanced curriculum. It is both a subject in its own right and a key skill that supports learning across all areas.

We aim to equip children with the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage with an ever-changing digital world. Through computing, pupils develop curiosity and a thirst for understanding new technologies, alongside the ability to apply their learning in meaningful and purposeful ways.

As they progress, children build a range of transferable skills, enabling them to use technology effectively, responsibly and creatively, both within school and beyond.

Through the study of Computing, children will be able to develop a wide range of fundamental skills, knowledge and understanding that will actually equip them for the rest of their life.  Computers and technology are such a part of everyday life that our children would be at a disadvantage would they not be exposed to a thorough and robust Computing curriculum.  Children must be taught in the art form of ‘Computational Thinking’ in order to provide them essential knowledge that will enable them to participate effectively and safely in the digital world beyond our gates.

In Key Stage 1 the children will learn to understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions. They will be taught to create and debug simple programs and use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs. They will be shown how to use a range of technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content as well as recognise common uses of information technology beyond school. They will be taught to use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies. Each of these skills will be taught through exciting half termly units.

In Key Stage 2 the children will design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.  They will use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs, use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and correct errors in algorithms and programs. Children will be taught to understand computer networks, including the internet, and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration. They will use search technologies effectively, learn to appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content. Children will be taught to select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals. They will use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact. Even our children in Early Years provision will be exposed to the understanding of internet safety as they explore the world around them and how technology is an everyday part of their learning and understanding of the world.

After the implementation of this robust computing curriculum, children at Hallam Primary School will be digitally literate and able to join the rest of the world on its digital platform.  They will be equipped, not only with the skills and knowledge to use technology effectively and for their own benefit, but more importantly – safely.  The biggest impact we want on our children is that they understand the consequences of using the internet and that they are also aware of how to keep themselves safe online.

As children become more confident in their abilities in Computing, they will become more independent and key life skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking and self-evaluation become second nature.

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We value Design and Technology as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a rich, broad and balanced curriculum. We aim to develop children’s understanding of the world around them, encouraging creativity, independence and resilience.

Through a range of practical experiences, pupils explore, design, make and evaluate, building confidence in applying their skills both in and beyond the classroom.

We aspire for all children to become creative thinkers, equipped with the knowledge and confidence to solve problems and use their learning in real-life situations.

At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, the teaching and learning of Design and Technology curriculum is planned to engage and excite children and to provide them with opportunities to develop their understanding and skills in practical design, construction, engineering and problem-solving skills to create quality products. They are encouraged to be creative and innovative, and to consider important issues such as sustainability and enterprise.

We intend that our children will:

  • Understand the importance of the designing, making and evaluating process and to think critically about how best to create a product.
  • Use, where relevant, market research to inform their design.
  • Think critically and reflect upon their design throughout the whole project and to make changes/improvements where necessary.
  • Ensure their products have an agreed purpose/intended user to ensure children consider sustainability, resources, cost and consumer needs.
  • Learn about the history of their products and analyse how designers and engineers in the UK or around the world have utilised their skills to create quality products fit for purpose.
  • Become proficient in employing relevant skills and using different tools to allow them to execute their design.
  • Reflect on whether their product is fit for purpose by considering the relevant audience.
  • Critically review their product and reflect on what they might have done differently to improve it. 
  • Develop an understanding of food hygiene and preparation skills.

iversity

Children will access a diverse range of topics and study many different designers.

esilience

Children will engage with ambitious challenges to succeed in projects from EYFS through to Year 6.

nquiry

Children will develop their curiosity into a problem-solving enquiry.

spirations

Children will learn about DT careers to nurture their aspiration.

emories

Children will learn, embed and practice skills for life through a spiral curriculum.

miles

Children will be offered an engaging, child-led curriculum where their own innovative and creative sparks will guide them through the design, make and evaluation process.

A carefully planned, progressive and sequenced curriculum allows pupils to explore the designed and made world, analysing how things work to then help them successfully create their own products for particular purposes and users. They are able to develop their creativity skills each year as the curriculum allows for many projects to be led by the children’s own ideas and investigations. They revisit techniques throughout school so they can build on previous knowledge and make progress as designers. Medium-term plans and teaching and learning show progression across all key stages within the strands of Design and Technology following the structure of research, design, make and evaluate. The DT lead will ensure a regular programme of monitoring and evaluation, and the celebration of good practice informs our commitment to improving teaching and learning Design and Technology at Hallam. 

Design and Technology:

  • Designing: generate ideas, market research, communicate ideas (talking, sketching, templates, mock-ups and prototypes), produce design specification.
  • Making: consider the main stages, select tools and equipment, reflect on costs, time constraints and resources.
  • Evaluating: compare outcomes to original design, test product with intended user, consider peer/self-evaluations by identifying strengths and areas for improvement with product.

Food, Cooking and Nutrition:

  • Research: market research, ingredients and skills
  • Food Hygiene
  • Fundamental cookery skills, including knife skills.
  • Evaluate by critiquing their research / recipe / execution and reviewing what they might have done differently to improve their outcome.

Technical Knowledge:

  • The specific aspect of D&T the children are working on will be shared at the beginning of a project to support them as designers.
  • The focus of the project will be discussed and referred to throughout the process to support them as designers.
  • Children will be expected to know and use technical vocabulary relevant to the project.

The use of Kapow Primary is an extra tool to support teachers in delivering teaching sessions and is actively used as a tool to enable children to understand expectations by the end of the unit. New vocabulary is taught within the unit and reinforced throughout the year. The curriculum will allow skills and knowledge to be consolidated by revisiting and building upon key skills taught in previous years.

  • Children are engaged, curious and resilient in Design and Technology lessons.
  • Children develop their ability to follow a design.
  • Children understand the design process of designing, making and evaluating within every project.
  • Children develop their ability to critically reflect and assess at all stages of the process: design, making, evaluating.
  • Children are able to articulate their intent and their thinking at each stage of the design and make process.
  • Children retain their knowledge and skills and are able to make explicit links between previous learning and their current challenge.
  • Children are able to develop ‘cultural capital’ that will enrich their learning across the wider curriculum.
  • Creativity and innovation are nurtured through design by exploring the world in which we live and work.
  • At the end of Year 6, pupils have a solid understanding of processes involved in the design and realisation of a range of products and civil engineering.

Ongoing assessments take place throughout the year. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons, ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. This data is analysed on a termly basis to inform and address any trends or gaps in attainment.

Geography at Hallam Nursery & Primary School is designed to inspire curiosity and a fascination with the world around us. It enables children to develop a strong understanding of people, places and environments, from their local area to the wider world.

Through engaging and well-sequenced learning, pupils build key geographical knowledge and skills, including enquiry, interpretation and critical thinking. They are encouraged to ask questions, explore real-world issues and develop resilience and independence in their learning.

We aspire for all children to become confident, knowledgeable geographers, equipped with the skills and awareness to understand and engage with the world as active global citizens.

At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, we have designed our Geography curriculum with the intent that it will inspire our children with a curiosity, fascination and appreciation of the world around them. It will equip them with a diverse knowledge and understanding of people, places, natural, human and physical geography. The curriculum progression will expand outwards from the immediate locality to the global but with a comparison and contrast to the touchstone of the local at each step. The curriculum will engage our children and facilitate and inspire them to become enquiring, resilient, independent, challenging thinkers and active global citizens with the confidence to use, and build on, their cultural capital, learning and experiences - both inside and outside of the classroom.

We will deliver a curriculum that:

  • Will create confident geographers, with deep-seated learning and skills, that prepare them for the journey beyond primary school.
  • Is scaffolded by excellent teaching practices.
  • Allows children to develop key geographical skills, including the gathering, communication and critical analysis of data and sources of information.
  • Is aspirational for pupils and promotes higher order analytical and creative thinking, in considering real world features, problems and solutions.
  • Will challenge children to research information and think for themselves, give reasoned answers, work independently, be socially aware of local and global geographical issues, and develop good resilience and attitudes to learning.
  • Creates fun, enjoyable, engaging, memorable learning experiences.
  • Gives children the opportunity to consider and apply cross curricular learning.

The Geography Subject Leader leads and oversees the subject, to promote sustainable, continuous improvement by leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation, review and sharing of good practice. They undertake regular self-improvement and development activities, to inform subject and teacher development. The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the Geography programmes of study and other experiences and opportunities, which best meet the learning, and the developmental and aspirational needs of the children in our school.

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the Geography curriculum will follow and include:

  • A stepped progression that will build on and consolidate prior knowledge and skills, arching across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, though the Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2) National Curriculum. This should be a foundation for the Key Stage 3 (KS3) curriculum.
  • A deliberate progression scale, from the immediate local geography of Hallam, to the city wide, regional, national, European and global, with reference back to the local at each step.
  • Cross curricular links to the wider Hallam curriculum, providing opportunity to re-visit and expand on prior learning, facilitating greater knowledge and skills retention.
  • A blocked curriculum map detailing two blocks of Geography activities per annum.
  • Medium Term Plans for each block and year group, which identify hooks, vocabulary, prior learning, learning objectives, skills and knowledge to be incorporated into each block of work.
  • Knowledge Organisers for each block of work and year group, which identify key vocabulary, target embedded ‘sticky’ knowledge, links to local geography, environmental sustainability and Hallam’s DREAMS, as well as suggested fiction texts linked to each cycle. These will be used as an aide-memoire for teachers and students throughout the block.
  • Forged links with parents and local groups who may have a career, specialist interest or skills associated with areas of the Geography curriculum. • Utilising local resources and the locality to bring the outside world into the children’s classrooms and make teaching and learning experiences engaging, varied and memorable. This will include use of the MUGA, large field, lower field, orchard area, pond, local streets, shops, woodland, streams etc.
  • Disciplinary knowledge woven into the curriculum will incorporate:
  1. Data gathering
  2. Critical analysis, consideration of data, sources and resources - including the use of compasses, maps, atlases, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) e.g. OS / Google maps.
  3. The collection / preparation of data, maps, diagrams with increasing accuracy.
  4. The use of symbols and grid references in maps - with increasing complexity and accuracy.
  • In EYFS, children will begin to develop their understanding of the world around them via their integrated ‘Understanding the World’ and ‘The Natural World’ Early Learning Goals (ELGs), which will be woven into their daily learning opportunities and environment. In addition: • Subject Leaders to identify training needs and opportunities for the themselves to promote continuous improvement their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding and maximise their support for curriculum development and their colleagues throughout the school.

The Geography curriculum will:

  • Provide opportunities for all children to explore the environment around them and understand the similarities and differences with other environments at different scales.
  • Give children an insight into how physical and human geography can both influence and be influenced by human activities on a local, national and international scale.
  • Set a firm foundation of factual and disciplinary knowledge to create a smooth transition to KS3.
  • Create confident geographers that will move through, and leave the school, with the self-assurance that they understand the world around them and the impact their activities can have on the world around them.
  • Create a belief in students that qualifications and careers incorporating Geography are within their capability.

 

History at Hallam Nursery & Primary School is designed to spark curiosity about the past and help children make sense of the world around them. Through the study of local, British and world history, pupils develop a secure understanding of key events, people and periods.

Our curriculum builds knowledge and skills progressively, encouraging children to question, explore and think critically about the past. Engaging experiences, including trips and visitors, help bring history to life and deepen understanding.

We aspire for all children to develop a strong sense of their own heritage, while becoming thoughtful, informed individuals who understand their place in the world and the role they can play in shaping the future.

At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, our History curriculum engages and excites children’s curiosity and supports the development of key historical knowledge, skills and concepts through the study of British and local history and other significant time periods and societies. In understanding periods, events and people from the past, our children will gain cultural capital and have a greater appreciation of today’s world and their place within it. History on a world scale as well as on a personal scale will build awareness of children’s own heritage and enable them to be aspirational about the role they can play in the future. History at Hallam is ambitious and motivating. Ambitious in our coverage of History and sequential teaching of core skills and concepts; motivating through exciting learning, trips and visitors that give all children an opportunity to explore and question the past.

We intend that our children will:

  • Possess a secure understanding of the chronology of significant time periods and societies, in Britain and beyond.
  • Think critically and analytically.
  • Discover connections between the History they learn and the wider community today, helping them to appreciate diversity in the modern world and their place within it.
  • Further their knowledge of continuity and change over time.
  • Differentiate between source types and explain how and why interpretations in History may differ.
  • Recognise similarities and differences within and across historical time periods.
  • Conduct enquiries into historical themes and questions and form their own opinions and interpretation of the past based on evidence.

The curriculum is led and overseen by the History lead. The History lead will ensure a regular programme of monitoring and evaluation, and the celebration of good practice informs our commitment to improving teaching and learning History at Hallam. 

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the History curriculum is as follows:

  • A blocked curriculum approach has been implemented to ensure coverage of knowledge and progression in skills and concepts.
  • In EYFS and KS1, children will focus on the world around them and their living memory of History before moving to events that go beyond living history. This will ensure a firm foundation for KS2 History.
  • In KS2, the History curriculum is planned in chronological order to allow children to build an image of History over time and to use their knowledge of previous periods, events and people to better understand current learning.
  • The progression of knowledge and skills are set out in order to build and develop the following concepts:
    • Chronological understanding
    • Significance
    • Similarity and difference
    • Cause and consequence
    • Continuity and change
    • Enquiry
    • Interpretation
  • Lessons will develop long-term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and across years.
  • The use of Medium-Term Plans and Knowledge Organisers support teachers in sequencing learning, and are actively used by children as an aide-memoire during lessons and to show expectations by the end of the unit.
  • Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary is taught within the unit and reinforced throughout the year.
  • RSE and P4C are threaded through the History curriculum so children can link History to their own lives and explore their heritage and culture.
  • Children are engaged, curious and resilient in History lessons and relish the challenge and opportunities for fun that the subject offers.
  • Children are critical and analytical in their thinking, making informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.
  • Children are aware of how historical events have shaped the world today, including History at the local and personal level.
  • Children develop enquiry skills to pursue and investigate their own interests within a topic.
  • Children visit historically relevant sites and museums and learn from visitors to enhance their learning in History and create positive memories.
  • Children retain learning and explicitly make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning.
  • Children are able to articulate what they have learned in History and can describe significant periods, events and people from the past.
  • Children remember more, know more and can do more.
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Mathematics at Hallam Nursery Primary School is designed to develop confident, resilient and independent learners with a positive attitude towards number. Through a high-quality, mastery-based curriculum, children build fluency, deepen their understanding and develop a love of reasoning and problem solving.

Learning is carefully sequenced to ensure pupils build on prior knowledge, make connections and gain a secure understanding of key mathematical concepts. Children are encouraged to think critically, take risks and learn from mistakes, developing both resilience and independence.

We aspire for all pupils to leave as capable, enthusiastic mathematicians, equipped with the skills and confidence to apply their understanding in everyday life and beyond.

 

At Hallam, we have designed our Maths Mastery Curriculum with the intent that our children will become resilient, independent, and aspirational mathematicians. Through the delivery of a high-quality curriculum, our children will become fluent mathematicians with a love for problem solving and reasoning. We want to ensure that each child has the resilience so that they are prepared for the future.

All pupils will develop a deeper understanding of maths that they can apply to situations beyond their classroom and within their daily lives. Children will leave Hallam Primary School with an appreciation and enthusiasm for Maths, resulting in a life-long positive relationship with number.

We will deliver a curriculum that:

  • Allows children to learn new knowledge year on year and build on this knowledge, making connections as they progress through school.
  • Enables pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics.
  • Encourages pupils to think deeply about mathematical structures and concepts, and to explain, justify and reason so that they can solve problems using a toolbox of strategies.
  • Encourages children to be aspirational mathematicians throughout school.
  • Supports children to become self-motivated, independent and resilient by allowing them to make mistakes and learn from them.

At Hallam, we use the Ark Maths Mastery scheme (underpinned by the National Curriculum) to structure our school curriculum. We expose the deep structure of maths through a range of representations and aim for children to develop conceptual understanding alongside mathematical thinking using specific vocabulary. Fluency with mathematical facts and procedures is built through daily practice.

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the curriculum follows a spiral approach to ensure coverage, repetition and progression.

  • Maths is taught daily to ensure full curriculum coverage.
  • Lessons build on prior learning and allow pupils to make deep connections across topics.
  • Children are taught as a whole class to support aspiration and ensure all pupils keep up, rather than catch up.
  • Lessons are well planned and adaptable to meet the needs of all learners.
  • Pre-assessments inform appropriate challenge and identify pupils needing support or pre-teach.
  • Memory starters at the beginning of each lesson develop procedural and factual fluency.
  • Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFs) are embedded in every lesson.
  • Multiple representations (concrete, pictorial, abstract) are used to strengthen conceptual understanding.
  • Precise mathematical vocabulary is taught in every lesson, supported by stem sentences.
  • Problem solving is taught through explicit modelling.
  • Pupils are taught a range of strategies and encouraged to choose the most efficient method.
  • The Number Sense programme is taught daily in EYFS, KS1 and LKS2 to develop additive facts.
  • In KS2, times tables are taught daily outside maths lessons to secure automatic recall by the end of Year 4.
  • In Years 5 and 6, times tables knowledge is applied to division and place value.
  • Learning is assessed daily and teaching is adapted through feedback, interventions or next-step planning.
  • Post-assessments at the end of units inform future planning.

By the end of Year 6, a Hallam mathematician will have a secure bank of efficient and accurate skills for calculation. They will be resilient problem solvers who can reason, articulate and justify their mathematical thinking.

At the end of each academic year:

  • Children talk confidently about their learning using mathematical vocabulary.
  • Children are enthusiastic and can relate maths to real-life contexts.
  • Children show confidence and believe they can learn new mathematical concepts.
  • Most children reach end-of-year expectations, with many achieving deeper learning.
  • Gaps in knowledge are addressed through targeted support and intervention.
  • Children work independently and collaboratively to solve problems.
  • Children demonstrate quick recall of key facts and procedures.
  • Children show resilience when tackling new problems.
  • Children leave Hallam not just able to “do” maths, but thinking and speaking like mathematicians.

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We value Music as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a rich, broad and balanced curriculum. Music provides the children with the opportunities to develop, extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.

Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. Music enables the embodiment some of the highest forms of human creativity and we intend that the children believe in their own creative spark and the journey it can take them on. 

High-quality music education engages, inspires and challenges pupils through enquiry within music to give them the knowledge and skills to express, immerse and discover their own preferences through a rich, diverse and multi-dimensional curriculum.

At Hallam, we want children first and foremost to feel that they are musical and to develop a life-long love for music. Music is all around us; it is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It enables the embodiment of some of the highest forms of human creativity, and we intend for children to believe in their own creative spark and the journey it can take them on.

We focus on developing the skills, knowledge and understanding that children need in order to become confident performers, composers and listeners. Our curriculum introduces children to music from all around the world and across generations, teaching them to respect and appreciate music from all traditions and communities.

Children will develop the musical skills of:

  • Singing
  • Playing tuned and untuned instruments
  • Improvising and composing music
  • Listening to and responding to music

They will also:

  • Develop an understanding of the history and cultural context of music
  • Learn how music can be written down
  • Build creativity, problem-solving and decision-making skills
  • Enhance performance skills that transfer beyond school

At Hallam, we deliver our music curriculum using the Kapow scheme of work. Kapow Music takes a holistic approach, where key strands are woven together to create engaging and enriching experiences:

  • Performing
  • Listening
  • Composing
  • The history of music
  • The inter-related dimensions of music

Throughout the scheme, children are taught to:

  • Sing fluently and expressively
  • Play tuned and untuned instruments accurately and with control
  • Recognise and name the inter-related dimensions of music:
    • Pitch
    • Duration
    • Tempo
    • Timbre
    • Structure
    • Texture
    • Dynamics

Additional features of implementation include:

  • A spiral curriculum model, allowing knowledge and skills to be revisited and built upon
  • A variety of practical, hands-on musical activities in every lesson
  • Opportunities for movement and dance within lessons
  • Inclusive teaching, ensuring all pupils can access learning, with built-in challenge

Children in Years 3 and 4 also have the opportunity to learn a tuned instrument for at least one term, in line with the Model Music Curriculum.

We want children to leave Hallam equipped with a range of musical skills that enable them to succeed in secondary education and enjoy music throughout their lives.

By the end of their time at Hallam, children will:

  • Be confident performers, composers and listeners
  • Be able to express themselves musically both in and beyond school
  • Show appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world
  • Understand how music is influenced by cultural, social and historical contexts
  • Understand how music can be written down to support performing and composing
  • Demonstrate enthusiasm for music and identify their own musical preferences
  • Meet the end of key stage expectations in the National Curriculum

Beyond the curriculum, pupils benefit from a wide range of musical experiences:

  • 1:1 specialist tuition from peripatetic music staff across a variety of instruments
  • Choir opportunities in both KS1 and KS2
  • Performances for parents and the wider community
  • Weekly singing assemblies with large group participation
  • A “song of the week” to explore different musicians and genres
  • Opportunities for pupils to perform instruments in assemblies

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Modern Foreign Languages at Hallam Primary School encourages a curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new languages. French is taught across Key Stage 2, with younger children informally introduced to other languages to develop early awareness and interest.

Through a structured and engaging curriculum, pupils build their knowledge and confidence in speaking, listening, reading and writing. They explore links between language and culture, helping them to develop a deeper understanding of the world and those around them.

We aspire for all children to develop a lasting interest in languages, equipped with the confidence and skills to continue their language-learning journey beyond primary school.

French is the language taught at Hallam Primary School. Our planning is based on the Language Angels scheme of work, which covers all the components of the National Curriculum. Key Stage 1 children will be introduced to MFL through exploring other languages informally when appropriate. Our MFL curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

In addition to MFL at Hallam, we expose our pupils to a variety of languages and cultures, including those represented in our school. We aim to celebrate the diversity of language by holding an annual languages event where we hope to foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world and other cultures.

At Hallam, the skills and knowledge that the children will need to become fluent speakers will be developed over the course of a four-year period. French will be taught on a weekly basis in Key Stage 2.

By the end of Key Stage 2 and through the use of lessons which include songs, rhymes, stories, poems and games the children will be taught to:

  • Listen attentively to the spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding.
  • Explore the patterns and sounds of language and link spelling, sound and meaning of words.
  • Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help.
  • Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures.
  • Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases.
  • Present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences.
  • Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing.
  • Broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary.
  • Write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, express ideas clearly.
  • Describe people, places, and things orally and in writing.
  • Understand some of the basic grammar in French.
  • Children will become confident to engage in simple conversations and will have an awareness of the vocabulary and language needed in a variety of situations.
  • They will have an understanding of simple French language which will form the basis of future language learning in Key Stage 3.
  • The children will have an awareness of cultural understanding with respect to languages represented at Hallam.
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Physical Education at Hallam Nursery & Primary School supports the development of the whole child, promoting physical, social and emotional wellbeing. Through a broad and balanced curriculum, children build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to lead active, healthy lives.

Pupils are provided with high-quality opportunities to engage in a range of physical activities, developing teamwork, resilience and a positive attitude towards participation. They learn the importance of cooperation, fairness and respect, both as individuals and as part of a team.

We aspire for all children to develop a lifelong appreciation of physical activity, equipped with the skills and values to support their wellbeing now and in the future.

At Hallam Primary school, our PE curriculum is broad, balanced and inclusive to all. We teach our children to be resilient, to demonstrate sportsmanship and to understand the meaning of teamwork. We want our children to aspire to be empowered in both body and mind and live a healthy lifestyle. We give our children opportunities in a safe and supportive environment to enable them to thrive in a variety of different physical activities which support their physical, emotional, social and moral development. Our children are taught that with determination and resilience, they can fulfil their potential.

Pupils at Hallam Primary School participate in twice weekly sessions which are taught following the “Get Set 4 PE” scheme of work. Teachers plan PE with clear progression of skills and knowledge that we have devised as part of our curriculum offer to ensure that all children access it at an age appropriate level. The daily mile track is used by all year groups in addition to statutory PE lessons. This works alongside our healthy eating strategy to encourage children to take part in daily physical activity, as well as providing a break from the classroom.

In addition to PE lessons, all children have the opportunity to participate in competitive sport. This is achieved through sports festivals and competitions, which children compete in during school time, after-school and weekends. There are many opportunities across the year for children to take part in inter and intra school competitions. These successes and achievements are celebrated within the school community.

At Hallam, we love to promote inclusiveness and diversity within sport to advocate creativity, unique perspectives and new opportunities. Our older children are given the opportunity to become playleaders where they demonstrate good leadership skills and how to be a positive role model. The playleaders encourage active play, healthy competitiveness and good sportsmanship on the playground.

To encourage an active lifestyle, we offer a wide variety of sports clubs, before and after school. These clubs are reviewed termly and are chosen based on pupil voice. The children are encouraged to travel actively to school and we participate in the ‘Beat the Street’ challenge to promote exercise while having fun. All year 4 children are given the opportunity to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of 25 metres.

Making memories and seeing children smile is very important to us at Hallam. Every year, the whole school participates in sports day at the English Institute of Sport. This event enables all children to take part in competitive sport, to support their peers and to make a special memory.

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At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, we place reading at the heart of our curriculum, recognising its importance in supporting all areas of learning. We aim to develop confident, fluent readers who gain enjoyment and meaning from what they read.

Through a rich and varied range of texts and experiences, children are encouraged to develop a love of reading. Our curriculum is carefully sequenced to build strong word reading and comprehension skills, underpinned by phonics, ensuring all pupils are supported and challenged.

We aspire for all children to leave Hallam as passionate, capable readers, equipped with the skills and enthusiasm to continue reading throughout their lives.

Hallam Nursery & Primary School strives to allow all children to become fluent, skilled readers through our DREAMS curriculum. Our children will leave Hallam with a lifelong passion for reading, confident in fluency and comprehension and passionate about reading. Children will understand and experience the impact that reading has on all aspects of their learning and how these skills will serve them in later life.

At Hallam, we have designed our reading curriculum with the intent that our children will:

  • Become lifelong lovers of reading.
  • Use reading as vehicle for the whole curriculum.
  • Expose children to a wealth of varied texts which have different purposes.
  • Promote the love of reading through story sessions, shared reading, reading-rich learning environments and the enjoyment of developing knowledge through texts.
  • Ensure that every child is challenged and leaves Hallam as a confident, able (in fluency and comprehension) and passionate reader.
  • Place the highest emphasis on reading across the curriculum from the very beginning of their experience at school.
  • Sequence learning so that it progressively teaches children the word reading, underpinned by phonics, and comprehension skills required to become fluent readers.

The curriculum is led and overseen by the phonics and reading lead. Our reading lead will implement regular training, monitoring, evaluation and review and share good practice amongst staff which will contribute to the ethos and ambitions for reading at Hallam.

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the reading curriculum is based on the following principles:

Reading Content and Sequence

  • The National Curriculum forms the basis of teaching and learning and dictates the curriculum content for Reading.
  • The ‘Reading Content and Sequence’ document is used as support for planning to ensure that there is progression in the development of key skills.
  • Systematic Synthetic Phonics is taught daily in EYFS and KS1, and in KS2 when appropriate through the scheme ‘Read, Write Inc’.
  • Teachers plan the teaching of reading skills to enable children to have a clear understanding of the skills that they are using and how to interpret questions or activities.
  • Each week, focus skills are taught. In the summer term of Y2, and KS2, children progress through the stages of learning: acquire/refine, practise/apply and extend/deepen.
  • Learning is planned for to enable the children to revisit and practise skills.
  • Children are exposed to a wide variety of texts to develop their knowledge within a range of areas and provide cultural capital.
  • Vocabulary is a focus and lessons are planned to provide maximum opportunities for children to analyse the use of vocabulary and develop their knowledge of tier 1, 2 and 3 words.

Reading Teaching and Learning, Assessment and Feedback

  • Reading is taught through the whole curriculum. In all subjects, children use reading as a means to gain knowledge, and this begins from the earliest stages (in EYFS).
  • A high emphasis is placed on early reading and children are given many opportunities for independent, shared and modelled reading every week.
  • Word reading and comprehension are taught as separate skills throughout school, as stipulated in the National Curriculum. Word reading is taught through phonics, word morphology, word etymology and exploring vocabulary. Comprehension skills are through focussed objective led lessons. Children are taught how to understand the skills that they are using within reading lessons.
  • Shared reading occurs in every classroom through daily story time. Story-time books are selected to ensure that they broaden children’s experiences of texts. Each year group has a list of texts which they will read to the children. These are available in the book corner of their own and subsequent classes.
  • Children are given the opportunity to read a book of their choice independently for pleasure. Children are guided to select books that are appropriate for their independent reading level. They are encouraged to take these books home to read independently, as stipulated in the homework policy.
  • Read, Write Inc sessions are designed to allow FS2 and KS1 children to develop their knowledge and application of phonics through daily teaching and retrieval practice.
  • Where gaps in children’s reading are identified, tailored additional provision is planned for to support children to close these gaps. Same-day catch up and 1:1 tutoring in RWI is used to support children.
  • Feedback is given in line with the Feedback Policy.
  • Summative and formative assessment is used for gap analysis. Additional provision is planned for those children who require support.

Our reading Curriculum will strive to ensure that:

  • The majority of children leave with a love of reading.
  • Every child leaves Hallam Primary as a fluent reader and with the knowledge and skills required to access the high levels of texts that they will continue to be exposed to during the next stage in their education.
  • Children are able to read to an age-appropriate level and fluency. Children can, therefore, access all subjects across the curriculum.
  • Children make very good progress through KS2 and children’s average progress is above national.
  • Children leave Hallam Primary having been exposed to a wide range of texts which have developed their knowledge in a range of areas; therefore, providing cultural capital.
  • Teachers have a deeper understanding of how to teach the skills of reading through the use of detailed medium term plans.

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At Hallam Nursery & Primary School, we have designed our R.E. curriculum with the intent that our children will become resilient, accepting, mindful and inquisitive learners. Our R.E. curriculum allows children to discover and gain an insight into religions within the world that we live. We see the teaching of R.E. is vital for children to understand others beliefs and make connections between their own values. It is our role to ensure pupils are being inquisitive by asking questions about the world around them by allowing pupils to gain high quality experiences.  

Parental Rights 

Parents retain the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education and/or collective worship. Should you wish to exercise this right, please arrange a meeting with the Head of School and the RE Lead to discuss the process.

At Hallam, our intent for RE is to enable children to become inquisitive, resilient, respectful, and accepting individuals who are able to express and articulate their own ideas and insights about the diverse world that we live in.

Our role is to ensure that children aspire to become the very best individuals they can be, contributing positively to our school, our community and the wider world, and bringing happiness to both themselves and others.

Our RE curriculum provides children with enquiry-based opportunities to explore and understand a range of religions and world views.

  • Religions and themes are revisited to support long-term memory, both within each year and across year groups.
  • Pupils are taught progressive and appropriate vocabulary to help them articulate personal views respectfully.
  • Children are encouraged to understand that beliefs and viewpoints can change over time.

The curriculum is guided by:

  • The 2014 National Curriculum
  • The SACRE agreed syllabus for RE (2019–2024)
  • The Jigsaw RE scheme of work

Provision includes:

  • 36 hours of RE teaching per year in FS/KS1
  • 45 hours of RE teaching per year in KS2
  • A mix of weekly lessons, RE focus days, trips to places of worship, and visiting speakers

Curriculum coverage:

  • Up to three world religions studied in KS1
  • Up to five world religions studied in KS2
  • Exploration of a range of world views
  • Opportunities to learn about British values, including:
    • Democracy
    • Rule of law
    • Liberty
    • Mutual respect
    • Tolerance

Key themes and concepts explored

  • Myself
  • Celebrations and festivals
  • Stories of religious figures
  • Leaders and inspirational people
  • Believing – beliefs and questions
  • What does it mean to belong?
  • Religion, family and community
  • The journey of life and death
  • Symbols and religious expression

The RE Subject Leader oversees the subject, ensuring continuous improvement through monitoring, evaluation, review and professional development.

Through our curriculum, Hallam children develop a broad and balanced understanding of the world around them.

Children will:

  • Understand and appreciate the diversity of religions and beliefs in their community
  • Recognise their own value within a diverse society
  • Confidently discuss philosophical questions
  • Show respect and sensitivity towards others’ beliefs
  • Understand the role of religion in society

Pupils will feel that their own thoughts, views and beliefs are valued and safe to share.

By the time they leave Hallam Primary School, children will:

  • Have a strong sense of belonging
  • Be confident in making decisions and self-evaluating
  • Continue to ask thoughtful and important questions about the world around them

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Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) at Hallam Primary School supports children in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships.

Through a carefully planned and age-appropriate curriculum, pupils build self-awareness, resilience and an understanding of how to stay safe. Learning is structured to help children develop positive relationships and make considered choices when facing challenges or risks.

We aspire for all children to leave with the confidence, understanding and values needed to lead healthy, respectful and responsible lives.

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At Hallam Nursery & Primary school, we have designed our science curriculum with the intent that our children will develop an in-depth understanding of the world around them and an understanding of how major scientific ideas have played a vital role in society, to prepare them for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world. We recognise that science plays a vital role within our school community, with many parents and carers having professional careers within scientific fields and industries. We therefore embrace their expertise and recognise the valuable contributions that families can make to the delivery of an engaging science curriculum. Our aim is to build science capital for all our children, regardless of their background and starting point so that they are inspired to continue to use science in their everyday life, future education and careers.  

We will deliver a Science Curriculum that encompasses our DREAMS’ vision:

Science teaching will challenge and support learning through outstanding inclusive practice. Role models, including women in science and people from a variety of different backgrounds will be used to inspire children and promote a diverse science culture. This will include working with parents and scientists within the community, learning about historical and modern scientists and using our school Science Ambassadors to promote diversity.

Children will be given the opportunity to work both collaboratively and independently. They will be encouraged to take risks and through investigative work will learn how to overcome obstacles and develop their resilience.

Science lessons will encompass an enquiry led approach which will encourage our children to be self-motivated, collaborative and curious learners. The curriculum will build upon prior knowledge and a progression of skills to ensure all children have a secure understanding and knowledge of key science concepts. In key Stage 2, children will be given opportunities to plan and lead their own enquiries.

We will develop aspirational learners with an awareness of the key role that science plays within our community and the world and the opportunities that this creates for future careers.

The Science Curriculum will inspire and excite our children through engaging practical sessions which are enriched with visits and visitors, creating long lasting memories for children to look back on.

The Science classroom will be a positive, safe and fun environment in which children can thrive! We believe that the most effective learning takes place when children are smiling and happy.

The curriculum is led and overseen by the science curriculum leader, who will regularly monitor, evaluate and review science teaching and learning, celebrating and sharing good practice. Formative assessments will be integrated into every day science teaching to ensure teachers have an in-depth knowledge of the children’s learning and inform their next steps. Low stakes testing of science will also inform termly assessments and allow for long term memory development and secure understanding of skills.

The National Curriculum 2014 and the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework 2021 provide the basis for our science curriculum, which is then tailored to meet the learning and developmental needs of the children in our school.

Teachers will plan science using the newly developed progression of skills document which will allow children to build upon prior knowledge and understanding. This document will also outline the Working Scientifically skills, which teachers will use to plan enquiry-based lessons which will support children’s journeys to become independent and resilient learners.

The science subject leader will work with year group teachers to develop medium term plans for all science topics. This will ensure full curriculum coverage and that lessons are taught in a sequence which builds upon children’s prior knowledge and allows for progression. Science will be taught weekly throughout the year.

Knowledge organisers will be used for each topic for reference and assessment purposes. This will map out the knowledge, vocabulary and skills needed to master the concept. These will be sent home with the half termly newsletters.

An initial meeting with Viv Bates, from Tapton Secondary School will take place in September to organise practical sessions with teachers from Tapton. Tapton science teachers will deliver exciting lessons across the different year groups to enrich our curriculum, bringing their expertise and resources.

As part of the Ogden Trust Primary Partnership, 4 new Year 5 science ambassadors will be chosen in September and trained to promote, educate and celebrate science within school and our community. They work closely with other primary schools to build science capital and present their work at Sheffield Hallam University at the end of the year. CPD and teaching resources are offered to the science leaders yearly, based upon one area of science. This CPD will be disseminated to staff through a workshop and staff meetings to establish up-to date staff subject-knowledge. The resources, including the topic-specific enquiry book will be shared to further develop inclusive, challenging and outstanding teaching.

Our bank of parents who have a scientific background will be contacted and invited into school when relevant to discuss their careers and support the teaching of different science topics. The original science letter will be sent out to our EYFS parents at the start of the academic year to establish new parent links.

Science enrichments such as trips and visitors will be organised within year groups to ensure children are exposed to a diverse science culture. Visitors, including female scientists will be invited into school to give talks about their career in science. The girl’s trip to the Diamond University building will be organised for the Summer term.

  • Children will become resilient, independent and curious scientists who ask questions and find things out for themselves.
  • Science will be a high profile, inclusive subject, taught through an enquiry led approach.
  • Children will be enthusiastic, happy and motivated scientific learners.
  • Parents and the wider community will support science learning through trips and visits on regular basis.
  • Children will have an awareness of the full range of scientific careers and pathways available to them and will be keen to pursue STEM subjects at secondary school.
  • Children will leave for secondary school equipped with the science knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their further education.

English at Hallam Nursery & Primary School is central to all learning, enabling children to become confident readers, writers and communicators. We aim to ensure that every child develops strong skills in reading and writing, regardless of their starting point.

Through a rich and engaging curriculum, pupils explore a wide range of texts and genres, developing their ability to write with creativity, accuracy and purpose. A strong emphasis is placed on fostering a love of reading and writing that will support learning across the curriculum.

We aspire for all children to leave as fluent, thoughtful readers and skilled writers, equipped with the confidence and enthusiasm to succeed in school and beyond.

At Hallam Primary School we have designed our English curriculum with the intent that all children, regardless of background, will become fluent, insightful readers and technically skilled, creative writers. Our children will engage with a range of genres and develop their understanding of fiction and non-fiction styles. Furthermore, we have developed a curriculum that will instil in all children a love of reading and writing that we hope will stay with them for life. We understand that a good grasp of English is the bedrock of the entire curriculum and that children who are confident and adept readers and writers will be empowered to succeed in all other areas. We understand, too, the vital role played by parents and carers in the development of reading and writing and in the nurturing of positive habits, particularly in attitudes towards reading. We welcome this and value their contribution.

We will deliver an English Curriculum that:

  • Develops in all children a love of reading, writing and the dramatic arts.
  • Nurtures in all children the ability to express themselves clearly – verbally and in writing; to develop their word choice when speaking and to encourage accurate grammar when speaking in order to aid self-expression.
  • Allows children to comprehend and critique what they read, and to write creatively and accurately regardless of genre or topic.
  • Encourages children to be reflective, motivated and resilient learners. • Offers a rich variety of experiences, inside and outside of the classroom.
  • We will, from Foundation to Y6, develop children’s vocabulary, allowing them to comprehend others and to express themselves clearly and poetically.
  • We will provide a curriculum that values the dramatic arts as a means of developing confidence and the ability to express oneself with confidence.
  • We will develop children’s grammar so that they have a good understanding of the mechanics of spoken and written English. Our aim is that this will allow them to write clearly and accurately regardless of genre.
  • Phonics will be taught progressively from Foundation to Y2 as an effective way of developing children’s reading and spelling skills. Sight-recognition of words will complement the teaching of phonics.
  • The teaching of spelling will be taught across the school in a progressive way allowing children to learn spelling rules, exceptions and irregular spellings.
  • The teaching of handwriting will be taught to develop legibility and to encourage all children to take pride in the presentation of their work, regardless of discipline.
  • Children will be given the opportunity to read and write a variety of genres: different fictional styles, poetry, non-fiction. They will learn to adopt the appropriate tone and ‘voice’ for each genre.
  • Children will be encouraged to reflect upon their writing, edit and improve.
  • When reading, children will be taught to read with fluency and feeling. The curriculum will develop their ability to comprehend and critique different texts.

The English Curriculum is led and overseen by the English Curriculum Lead, in conjunction with the Early Reading Lead. They will regularly monitor, evaluate, and review English teaching and learning, celebrating and sharing good practice. Formative assessments will be integrated into every day English teaching to ensure teachers have an in depth knowledge of the children’s learning and to inform their next steps. Low stakes testing of English will take place from Y2 upwards (phonics testing will take place in Y1). The National Curriculum 2014 and the Early Years Foundation Stage statuary framework 2017 will provide the basis of the English curriculum which is then tailored to meet the learning and developmental needs of the children in school.

All planning will be informed by two fundamental, complimentary tenets: 1) to develop technical proficiency and 2) to develop enjoyment of reading and creativity of writing. Teachers will plan English using the newly developed progression of skills document which will allow children to build upon prior knowledge and understanding, as well as the teaching sequence for writing. Teachers will develop their knowledge of children’s literature and ensure that children are exposed to a wide variety of different, high quality texts. Children will be exposed to classics as well as to lesser known works of literature from around the world, representing a diverse range of authors and writers. Drama and role play will encourage children to develop their oracy skills. All children’s efforts will be celebrated. Work that reflects the efforts of all children will be displayed and named. Children will be presented with opportunities to share their work with the wider school community and with parents.

Our English Curriculum should ensure that:

  • Children leave Hallam with a love of reading. They are able to reference a wide range of different authors, from different literary traditions and genres.
  • Children leave Hallam with a love of writing. They should be able to express their opinions and their creativity in writing that is well structured, clear, technically accurate and interesting to read.
  • Children leave Hallam able to express their opinions verbally; to understand how to engage – and disagree – with others clearly and articulately.
  • Children leave Hallam having made the best possible progress as a result of consistent, Quality First Teaching and (where appropriate) additional interventions.
  • Children leave Hallam confident to try new things, experiment with their writing, take risks, and continue to expand their experience of reading.
  • Children leave Hallam feeling that their efforts were valued and their opinions heard. That they have had a chance to find their ‘voice’ and were encouraged to use it.

Reading  

 

 

EYFS 

Year 1 

Year 2 

Year 3 

Year 4 

Year 5 

Year 6 

End of year expectation  

Yellow 

Turquoise  

White 

Brown 

 

 

 

Word Reading  

Introduction to phonics.  

Phase 1, 2, 3, 4.  

 

Introduction to tricky ‘by-sight’ words and common words of personal significance.  

 

Complete Phase 5 and progress to Phase 6 spelling rules for most able.  

 

–s, –es, –ing, –ed, –er and –est endings  

 

read words with contractions 

Continue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until reading is fluent. 

 

Read accurately by blending the sounds in words that contain the graphemes taught so far. 

 

Read accurately words of two or more syllables that contain the same graphemes as above. 

 

Read words containing common suffixes. 

 

apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (etymology and morphology). 

apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (etymology and morphology). 

At this stage, there should be no need for further direct teaching of word reading skills for almost all pupils. If pupils are struggling or failing in this, the reasons for this should be investigated. 

At this stage, there should be no need for further direct teaching of word reading skills for almost all pupils. If pupils are struggling or failing in this, the reasons for this should be investigated. 

Content Domains 

 

KS1 

KS2 

Vocab 

 

Draw on knowledge of vocabulary to understand texts. 

give / explain the meaning of words in context 

 

Retrieval 

 

Identify / explain key aspects of fiction and non-fiction texts, such as characters, events, titles and information 

 

retrieve and record information / identify key details from fiction and non-fiction 

 Summarise 

Identify and explain the sequence of events in texts 

summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph 

 

Inference 

 Making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done 

 

 

make inferences from the text / explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text 

Predictions  

Predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far 

 

predict what might happen from details stated and implied 

Connections and meaning  

Being encouraged to link what they read or hear read to their own experiences. 

 

 

Identify / explain how information / narrative content is related and contributes to meaning as a whole.  

 

Make comparisons within the text. 

Authorial Intent  

 

 

 

 

identify / explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases 

 

 

FS 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Grammar vocabulary 

 

 

letter, capital letter word, singular, plural sentence punctuation, full stop, question mark, exclamation mark 

 

noun, noun phrase statement, question, exclamation, command compound, suffix adjective, adverb, verb tense (past, present) apostrophe, comma 

preposition, conjunction word family, prefix clause, subordinate clause direct speech consonant, consonant letter vowel, vowel letter inverted commas (or ‘speech marks’) 

determiner pronoun, possessive pronoun adverbial 

modal verb, relative pronoun relative clause parenthesis, bracket, dash cohesion, ambiguity 

subject, object active, passive synonym, antonym ellipsis, hyphen, colon, semi-colon, bullet points. 

Early Learning Goals and WT Year 1 Expectations

Early Learning Goals

Pink

Red

 

PHONIC STAGE: 2

PHONIC STAGE: 3

Linking Sounds and Letters

Reading

 

 

 

 

Hear and say sounds in words in the order which they occur.

 

Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.

 

Use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more

complex words.

Begins to read simple sentences.

 

Explore and experiment with sounds, words and texts.

 

Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences.

 

Retell narratives in the correct sequence, drawing on language patterns of stories.

 

Read a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences independently.

 

Know that print carries meaning and, in English, is read from left to right and top

to bottom.

 

Show an understanding of the elements of stories, such as main character, sequence of events and openings, and how information can be found in non-fiction texts to answer questions about where, who, why and how.

Differentiate between text and illustration.

 

Understands that print conveys meaning.

Holds a book correctly.

Recognise the front and back cover.

 

Has established left to right movement, top to bottom.

 

Understands that books/texts are created by writers.

 

Recite rhymes and sing songs.

 

Enjoys sharing books with an adult.

 

Talk about stories.

Tell a story from the pictures.

 

Describe pictures.

 

Is beginning to understand what a letter and a word are.

 

Name some letters.

 

Recognise some capitals and lower case letters.

 

Recognise own first name.

Turns the pages from front to back.

 

Sequence a simple story or event.

 

Use gesture and action to act out a story, event or rhyme.

 

Make predictions based on illustrations, story content and title.

 

Chooses to look at books.

 

Use a range of strategies, including accurate decoding of text, to read for meaning.

Yellow

Blue &

Orange &

Purple

Gold

White

Lime

Brown

Grey

Green

Turquoise

PHONIC STAGE: 3/4

 

PHONIC STAGE: BLUE: 4/5

GREEN: 5

PHONIC STAGE:  5/6

 

PHONIC STAGE: 6

 

PHONIC STAGE: 6

 

 

 

 

 

Distinguish between a word, a letter and a space.

Use picture clues to help in reading simple text

Make 1 to 1 correspondence between written and spoken words

Blend phonemes to read CVC words

Use phonic knowledge to attempt unknown words

 

Expect written text to make sense.

Accurately reads aloud age appropriate texts consistent with phonic knowledge, in which additional strategies are not required. 

 

Demonstrates recognition of taught graphemes by speedily and correctly sounding out all 40+ corresponding phonemes, including those with alternative sounds, where applicable.

Checks that the text makes sense whilst reading, applying phonic knowledge to correct inaccuracies.

Use a range of decoding strategies

Applies phonic knowledge and skills, including the blending of sounds in unfamiliar words, to decode age appropriate texts accurately.

 

Recognises and reads common exception words; words with –s, -es, -ing, -ed, -er and –est endings; and words of more than one syllable containing taught GPCs.

Read aloud with intonation and expression, taking account of the punctuation, e.g. speech marks and exclamation marks

Applies phonic knowledge and skills consistently to decode age appropriate texts quickly and accurately. 

 

Identify syllables in order to read polysyllabic words

When reading aloud, sounds out unfamiliar words accurately without undue hesitation, and reads with confidence and fluency.

 

Recognise a range of prefixes and suffixes to construct the meanings of words in context.

 

Read words with common suffixes; and most common exception words, based on what has been taught.

 

Read fluently with intonation, expression and regard for punctuation

 

Recognises and effortlessly decodes alternative sounds for graphemes; words of two or more syllables

 

.

Automatic decoding is established and a range of texts is read with consistent accuracy, fluency and confidence.

Recognise the functions of punctuation including apostrophe for omission and use appropriate intonation and expression.

Recognises and reads words with contractions.

 

Recognise the full range of consonant diagraphs e.g. kn, wr, ph

 

Read independently using a range of strategies.

Apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (etymology and morphology) both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words they meet

 

Read a range of appropriate texts fluently and accurately

Re-read and read ahead to look for clues to determine meaning.

Checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context.

 

Use features to locate information. e.g. contents; indices; subheadings etc.

Our commitment is that every child at Hallam Primary will learn to read confidently, fluently and for enjoyment. In order to fulfil this commitment we ensure that all teachers are given training and regular professional development to enable them to be expert teachers of reading.

We ensure that from the earliest opportunity, we expose our children to a rich array of stories, songs and rhymes and that throughout their time in our school, the curriculum is language rich and reading is a pleasurable and rewarding experience for all.

We want: 

  • Curious readers who read widely and can speak with confidence about books they enjoy.
  • Skilled readers who use reading skills to underpin their understanding of all aspects of the curriculum.
  • Imaginative readers who use books to inspire understanding and progression of the world they live in.
  • Interested and imaginative readers who use and apply knowledge secured in their long term memory.

We believe that all children should begin to acquire the knowledge of synthetic phonics as soon as it is appropriate for their stage of development.

As a school, we commit to one systematic synthetics phonics program; Read Write Inc. Daily delivery, along with identified individual support, ensures each child progresses through the program and succeeds in learning to read and thus being able to read to learn.

All children who are working on the Read Write Inc. phonics program will bring home a Read Write Inc. storybook to read at home. This will match their current phonological awareness enabling them to consolidate and practice their reading skills at home. All staff receive regular training to ensure delivery of the program is highly effective. Children will also bring a book of their choice home for their parents to read with them.

Find out more about Read Write Inc

Speed sounds and Read Write Inc. Stages

At Hallam Nursery Primary school your child is learning to read using the Read Write Inc. Phonics, they will be at one of the following stages:

Learning Set 1 Speed Sounds

These are the Set 1 Speed Sounds written with one letter:

m  a  s  d  t  i  n  p  g  o  c  k  u  b  f  e  l  h  r  j  v  y  w  z  x

These are the sounds written with two letters (your child will call these ‘special friends’):

sh  th  ch  qu  ng  nk  ck

Check if your child can read these sounds. Make sure they say sounds like ‘mmm’, not letter names like ‘em’.

Watch the Sound Pronunciation Guide video to help you in parent support.

If your child is learning Set 1 Speed Sounds, help them to:

  • Practise the sounds they have been taught
  • Complete the Speed Sounds practice sheets for the Speed Sounds they have learnt.
  • Practise reading the Speed Sounds speedily

Learning to blend with Set 1 Speed Sounds

Your child is learning to read words containing Set 1 Speed Sounds by sound blending. For example:

m-a-t mat

c-a-t cat

g-o-t got

f-i-sh fish

s-p-o-t spot

b-e-s-t best

s-p-l-a-sh splash

Learning Set 2 Speed Sounds

These are the Set 2 Speed Sounds:

ay 

ee

igh 

ow (as in blow)

oo (as in zoo)

oo (as in look)

ar

or

air

ir 

ou (as in out)  

oy

Check if your child can read these sounds.

If your child is learning the Set 2 Speed Sounds, help them to:

  • Practise the sounds they have been taught
  • Read the eBooks at Red Ditty level, then Green level and then Purple level, in order. We recommend children read each eBook three times, as they would at school: once to read the words correctly, a second time with more fluency, and a third time in a ‘storyteller voice’ that shows their understanding. These are uploaded by the teacher onto your Oxford Owl account.
  • Practise reading the Speed Sounds speedily

Learning Set 3 Speed Sounds

These are Set 3 Speed Sounds:

ea (as in tea)

oi (as in spoil)

a–e (as in cake)

i–e (as in smile)

o–e (as in home)

u–e (as in huge) 

aw (as in yawn)

are (as in care)

ur (as in nurse)

er  (as in letter)

ow (as in brown)

ai  (as in snail)

oa (as in goat)

ew (as in chew)

ire (as in fire)

ear (as in hear)

ure (as in pure)

Check if your child can read these sounds.

If your child is learning Set 3 Speed Sounds, help them to:

  • Practise the sounds they have been taught from set 2 and 3.  
  • Read the eBooks at Pink level, then Orange level and then Yellow level, in order. We recommend children read each eBook three times, as they would at school: once to read the words correctly, a second time with more fluency, and a third time in a ‘storyteller voice’ that shows their understanding.