Raynsford Curriculum
Curriculum-Gallery (ID 1006)
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Thematic Curriculum
Thematic Curriculum
The national curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by primary and secondary schools so children learn the same things. It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children should reach in each subject.
Other types of school like academies and private schools do not have to follow the national curriculum. Academies must teach a broad and balanced curriculum including English, maths and science. They must also teach relationships and sex education, and religious education.
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Curriculum Newsletters
Curriculum Newsletters
Find out what the children will learning each term.
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EYFS
EYFS
Intent
At Raynsford Academy within the Early Years we believe that every child is a unique child who is constantly learning they can be; capable, independent, confident and self-assured. It is our mission that children flourish and develop a love of learning that will last a lifetime, when carefully supported by confident adults around them. We believe that no matter a child’s individual background, circumstance or need, all children have a right to learn and achieve.
Children within the Early Years develop; spiritually, morally, socially and culturally and begin to understand what makes them who they are as well as recognising similarities and differences amongst themselves, others, religious beliefs and festivals within the world around them whilst being rooted with strong Christian values and beliefs.
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Art
Art
INTENT
At Raynsford Church of England Academy, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. We believe that through art, craft and design we want to engage, inspire and challenge pupils by introducing them to a broad range of techniques, tools, media, materials and artists, craftspeople and designers. We want to equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, explore, take risks, invent and create. Most importantly, we want them to foster a positive, life-long relationship with the subject and have fun.
At Raynsford Academy, we teach themed art units that are planned using a progressive knowledge and skills-based curriculum that culminates in the end of key stage national curriculum outcomes. Through deliberate practice children will consolidate skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, collage, textiles and digital media. The children will all have the opportunity to study famous artists and traditions from the past and across the world to nurture a love of art and develop a cultural awareness of art throughout the world.
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Computing
Computing
INTENT
We want all children to be masters of technology at Raynsford Academy. Technology is everywhere and is used all constantly. We want children to become problem solvers and critical thinkers using technology positively, safely, responsibly and respectfully.
We learn how to code, create and debug algorithms, program, sequence, and use tools provided to research, create, save, edit and present using digital literacy. We can accurately manipulate variables and various forms of input and outputs, use a wide range of search technologies and be discerning in evaluating the reliability of digital technology. These skills allow us to engage more readily in the rapidly changing world we live in today.
Our aim is to build confident, competent learners with the ability to use technology purposefully and respectfully to further their learning, whilst developing logical reasoning which can be applied to every-day life. Our knowledge rich curriculum has to be balanced with the opportunity for children to apply their knowledge creatively which will in turn help our pupils become skilful computer scientists. We understand that having a balance enables confident, ambitious learners with a unique, creative flare.
As a school, we identify how computing can be used cross curricular enhancing learning in all subject. We want learners to discuss and reflect on the impact computing has in their lessons and outside lessons, looking at well-being and development.
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Design and Technology
Design and Technology
INTENT
At Raynsford Church of England Academy, the children receive a design and technology (D&T) curriculum which allows them to exercise their creativity through designing and making. The children are taught to combine their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding to design and make a product.
Skills are taught progressively to ensure that all children can learn and practice to develop as they move through the school. Evaluation is an integral part of the design process and allows children to adapt and improve their product; this is a key skill which they need throughout their life.
D&T allows children to apply the knowledge and skills learned in other subjects - particularly maths, science and art - and encourages children's creativity encouraging them to think about important issues.
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Geography
Geography
INTENT
At Raynsford Church of England Academy, we believe the intention of the Geography Curriculum is to inspire children’s curiosity and their interest to explore the world that we live in and its people. We aim to ignite a love of learning and equip them with geographical skills to develop their knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Through our teaching, we intend to provoke thought, questions and to encourage children to discover answers through exploration and research to enable them to gain a greater understanding and knowledge of the world and their place in it.
The Geography Curriculum at Raynsford enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
We aim for children to build on prior knowledge and promote a love of learning that develops their curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives, equipping them well for further education and beyond. We intend for children to leave Raynsford as confident Geographers where they:
- Have a robust understanding of the Earth’s processes and can make connections between human and physical geography
- Can use and apply compass directions and locational language and competently use atlases and maps (including digital) to identify and locate continent, oceans and countries.
- Can communicate geographically in a range of ways and can identify similarities and differences between places based on their landscapes and environments.
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History
History
INTENT
At Raynsford Church of England Academy we want to capture children’s love of learning within the History curriculum. It is our intent that children will ignite a love of learning that will be inspired by children wanting to question and understand the world we live in today. This will support them to make connections as to how the world today has been shaped by previous events. Written and orally shared concepts, vocabulary, questioning and stories and sources will shape pupil’s undersntanding of the world in which they live in is the way it is today from past events. Children’s curiosity will be continually shaped by these sources and lead them to want to question ‘Why?’ which in time will enable children to link their historical knowledge, processes and events.
Throughout the History journey from Early Years to Year Six children will layer their prior learning with new knowledge and build the skills to ensure children can formulate constructive arguments and formulate their own ideas, independently. Learning will be understood in chronological sense; however, it will not be taught this way. The children will understand what came before and what went after each event.
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Maths
Maths
INTENT
At Raynsford Church of England Academy, we believe that Mathematics is imperative to allowing us the opportunity to understand and change the world. We want all to experience the creativity, power and enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject with a clear understanding.
We encourage children to foster positive can-do attitudes and promote the fact that ‘we can all do maths!’ We believe all children can achieve in mathematics and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts through manageable steps. We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenge through rich and sophisticated problems.
At Raynsford Academy most children will be taught the content from their year group only. They will spend time becoming true masters of content, applying and being creative with new knowledge in multiple ways. We aim for all pupils to:
- Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
- Be able to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios
- Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language.
- Have an appreciation of number and number operations, which enables mental calculations and written procedures to be performed efficiently, fluently, and accurately to be successful in mathematics.
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Modern Foreign Languages
Modern Foreign Languages
Intent
Across Key Stage Two at Raynsford Church of England Academy, we aim to foster a love for languages where inquisitiveness is at the heart of Modern Foreign Languages. Through the scheme, Language Angels, we deepen pupils’ understanding of language and culture of other countries they can widen their understanding of the world. Language teaching provides the building blocks to enable children to take on further languages and equip pupils with the necessary skills and knowledge to study and work in other countries. We will extend the children’s knowledge of how language works and explore the similarities and differences between the French learning and English. We will also help strengthen their sense of identity through learning about culture in other countries and comparing it with their own. Weaving through all of our Modern Foreign Languages teaching, is a commitment to enhancing and promoting our core Christian values; Forgiving, Respectful, Inclusive, Empathetic, Neighbourly and Determined.
We will help them develop and demonstrate substantial progress in the 5 key language skills necessary for learning French
· Speaking
· Listening
· Reading
· Writing
· Grammar
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Music
Music
Purpose of study
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A highquality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
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PE and Sport
PE and Sport
Intent
At Raynsford Church of England Academy, we believe that Physical Education (PE), physical and school sport play a key part of school life and our children’s future health and well-being. Therefore, it is important our pupils understand the significance of leading a healthy, active life style to prepare them for secondary school and beyond.
Our Intent at Raynsford Church of England Academy is to provide and deliver an inspirational, inclusive and balanced PE curriculum that every Pupil develops a love of physical activity. We aim to display this joy through the enhancement of existing skills, the learning of new skills and the introduction to new and exciting sports, clubs, school teams and also external clubs.
We believe that regularly participating in physical activity and sporting activity is a pivotal element of developing and building a school in which pupils are proud of the community in which they belong. That being so, great attention is placed upon providing opportunities beyond the classroom walls. Our extra-curricular scheme consists of many exciting and diverse after school clubs and festivals as well as supporting and promoting local clubs within Mid Bedfordshire.
It is our purpose to fully deliver and expand on the aims of the national curriculum for PE to meet the needs of our pupils at Raynsford. The aims of PE national curriculum (2023) are:
- Develop competence to excel in a wide range of physical activities
- Physically active for sustained periods of time
- Partake in competitive sports and activities
- Lead healthy, active lifestyles.
We strongly believe this aligns with our schools vision and values and is another way in which we positively engage with our local community.
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Phonics
Phonics
INTENT
We believe that all of our children can become fluent readers and writers. This is why we teach reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We start teaching phonics in our pre-school and Reception classes and follow the Little Wandle progression which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move on through school. As a result, our children can then use approaches to decode unfamiliar words as they read. We also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics and shared reading and writing both inside and outside the classroom and across the curriculum.
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PSHE
PSHE
Intent
At Raynsford CofE Academy, the intent of our PSHE curriculum is to deliver a curriculum which is accessible to all, and that will maximise the outcomes for every child. Our PSHE curriculum has been built with the aim to support the development of the ‘whole child’. PSHE is embedded in all that we do, to enable our children to become independent, responsible, healthy and confident members of society.
At Raynsford CofE Academy, we use the PSHE/RSE Kapow scheme of work, which is split into the key themes of: Families and Relationships, Health and Wellbeing, Safety and the Changing Body, Citizenship and Economic Wellbeing. Each unit covers a wide range of the social and emotional aspects of learning, enabling the children to develop their identity and self-esteem as active, confident members of their community.
The children are taught how to keep themselves safe, both physically and emotionally, resulting in them gaining knowledge and skills which enable them to access the wider curriculum.
PSHE is also an important part of collective worship, where we explore values and children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural curiosity is stimulated, challenged and nurtured.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is also taught as part of our PSHE curriculum and it promotes pupils’ self-esteem, emotional development and helps children to form good and healthy relationships. This begins a lifelong process of acquiring information, developing skills and forming positive beliefs and attitudes within the context of a Christian vision for the purpose of life.
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Reading
Reading
INTENT
Reading is at the very heart of our curriculum at Raynsford. We are
committed to fostering a love for reading and not only giving children
opportunities to read in English and Guided Reading lessons, but in the
wider curriculum.
At Raynsford, we intend for children to become enthusiastic and
motivated readers. We aim to build children’s confidence in reading
where they will develop the skills to decode words in order to be able to
read fluently with understanding of what they have read.
Our commitment to reading is demonstrated through our diverse and
ambitious whole school reading spine which ensures children will
experience a wide variety of genres and authors throughout their time at
Raynsford. Our consistent whole school approach starts from the
children’s first day in Reception.
From Year 1-6 we use class sets of texts in Guided Reading lessons as
well as dedicated class reader time each day, promotes a love of
literature, an enjoyment of reading for pleasure and the chance to
broaden their understanding of the world. -
Religious Education
Religious Education
INTENT
In Raynsford Academy, RE plays an important role in expressing the Christian vision of the school. RE reflects the ethos and values that are held and promotes understanding of people of all faiths and none.
RE has the same high status as any other subject and contributes to the overall development of our pupils from all backgrounds and traditions.
Our aim is for all to belong to a safe and happy community which celebrates our diversity and differences. Our children will be well prepared for the next step of their journey as responsible citizens. We aspire for all to flourish.
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Science
Science
Intent
At Raynsford Church of England Academy scientific enquiry is at the core of our science lessons from EYFS to Year 6. Our intention is for our children to question the way the world around them works. We strive to offer a fun, practical and motivating Science curriculum which gives the unique opportunity for children to explore, discover and investigate the world around them. We want our children to remember more, understand more and do more. At Raynsford we use Developing Experts to support our teaching of Science. Developing Experts is delivered through a sequenced curriculum designed to enable the learner to experience a coherent curriculum expressed through a logical progression. Science is taught in topic blocks with previous knowledge being built upon to ensure fluency across the whole science curriculum. We have high expectations, while making learning accessible for all. Each topic will start with a review of previous learning with children being given an opportunity to share what they already know about the current topic and revisiting content where appropriate to ensure a depth of understanding. We aim to offer positive and enriching experiences by conducting experiments, investigations, and encouraging questions to develop a natural curiosity. Children at Raynsford are encouraged to understand how Science can be used to explain what is occurring by performing tests, using equipment and making observations. Children are taught how to analyse data and encouraged to make predictions using reasoning skills to explain why. At Raynsford Church of England Academy we have links with the local community and offer school trips to further deepen the children’s understanding of Science. The pupils additionally have opportunities to be involved in Science Week and take part in STEM projects.
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Writing
Writing
INTENT
At Raynsford we aim for children to leave us as confident and proficient writers who are able to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.
We help children develop their writing skills as they progress from mark making in the EYFS, to using a range of sentence types in KS2. This is achieved by following a progressive curriculum to build upon previous teaching, with regular assessment to ensure each child’s needs are met to reach their full potential.
Through our thematic curriculum, we make the most of cross-curricular opportunities, providing exciting writing experiences linked with other subjects that engage and enhance all pupils and allows them to make connections with their learning.
We believe that all children should be encouraged to take pride in the presentation of their writing, in part by developing a legible, cursive, individual handwriting style by the time they move to secondary school.
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
Through explicit SPaG lessons, we aim for all children to have a solid understanding of grammar. The children focus on specific grammar skills each week, which can then be transferred and applied effectively into their writing.
In EYFS, children have opportunities to practice their spelling as they learn a new phoneme-grapheme correspondence. They do this through spelling orally using segmenting and blending skills.
In Key Stage 1 the children are supported via the :ittle Wandle programme where they klearn 10 new spelings a week that are reflected form the sounds they have learnt, prior knowledge or spelling rules.
In Key Stage 2 the children have dedicated weekly spelling lessons where selling rules are introduced. Children then complete tasks within the lesson, allowing them to apply newly learnt knowledge, with teachers regularly assessing the knowledge they have retained. Children then receive weekly spellings to practice.
