Our Curriculum

Literacy | Maths | RE | PSHE | Sport | Music & Drama | Science

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St. Loys Curriculum

This academic year 2023-24, we are very excited to be linking with Warriner MAT and following a knowledge-rich curriculum driven by a strong set of values about what matters. A curriculum with drive and ambition, informed by research and deliberately designed to enable all of our children to have equal access to knowledge, to value the pursuit of that knowledge and to be able to use that knowledge for good.

Our Curriculum will continue to offer all our pupils a rich and varied diet of learning in all subject areas and aims to ignite curiosity and be dynamic in nature and delivery. The Autumn Term in Hedgehogs Class kick starts with a foray into our local area, exploring the history and the people, and …we’ll even have a castle in the classroom. Whilst in Badgers Class, an exploration into Stone Age to Bronze Age will see them building a timeline and decorating the walls with cave art. ‘Cycle A’ plan and an overview of the year ahead can be viewed here.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

At St. Loys, the teaching and learning for our Foundation Stage children is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum framework. The framework helps us to provide: Quality and Consistency so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind; A Secure Foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interests of each individual child and are assessed and reviewed regularly; Partnership Working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers; and Equality of Opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported.

 The EYFS framework sets out key early learning goals (ELG) for children’s early development which, when achieved, provide the ‘foundations’ for all later learning and successes. These focus on developing every child’s skills through three characteristics of effective teaching and learning; Playing and exploring, Active learning, and Creating and thinking critically, and through the educational programmes (activities and experiences) that promote learning and development in 7 areas;

 3 Prime Areas underpinning learning: Communication and language; Physical development; and Personal, Social and Emotional development.

 4 Specific Areas: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the world; Expressive Arts and Design.

Our Foundation Stage children work towards the Early Learning Goals which are the Knowledge, Skills and Understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn 5 years old. Assessment is through observation of children in planned, purposeful play and focussed adult-initiated activities.

See more about our Foundation Stage learning in Hedgehogs Class here.

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Literacy at St. Loys

The phonics programme that we follow at St Loys is Jolly Phonics and our reading scheme in Hedgehog Class for our FS/Yr1 pupils uses a broad range of Jolly Phonics reading books. Beyond Year 1, we use a number of publications, including; Oxford Reading Tree, Project X and StoryWorld. We encourage children to explore many reading genres including non-fiction texts. Wherever possible, we start with a text to stimulate children’s thinking, particularly within our Creative Curriculum but even in our Maths learning.

Jolly Phonics is a fun and child-centred approach to teaching literacy through synthetic phonics. Teaching of these begins in Foundation Stage. The scheme has actions for each of the 42 letter sounds and the multi-sensory method is very motivating for children and teachers.

Jolly Phonics teaches children the five key skills for reading and writing: Learning the Letter Sounds, Learning Letter Formation, Blending, Identifying sounds in Words (Segmenting) and ‘Tricky Words’.   The Jolly programme adopts a whole school approach and continues beyond FS as ‘Jolly Grammar’ enabling the teaching of essential grammar, spelling and punctuation skills. For more information about Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar teaching, please speak to Mrs Addison. Further details from Jolly Learning here.

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Maths at St. Loys

We have been part of a Maths Mastery approach to our Mathematical learning for the last few years now and are engaged in continuing to develop this within the Enigma Maths Hub as part of the Sustaining Programme. Across the school we utilise the White Rose Education (formerly known as WRMaths) Scheme of Learning in line with National Curriculum expectations, and resource activities via a range of provision, including Twinkl, Target Maths and WRM. As mixed year classes, we endeavour to offer the required content according to age, stage and mastery approach, which endeavours to teach Maths using small steps and, where feasible as a whole-class/single-year group approach.

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Science at St Loys

Our Science curriculum is mapped out across a 4 year cycle ensuring that pupils gain a wide range of knowledge and skills in working scientifically. In order to bring Science to life for our pupils we often engage with external visitors, we have previously welcomed Emily & friends from Wild Science into school…..a rare treat to handle and observe some Rainforest animals up close…..introducing: Oscar the Boa-constrictor, Gary the snail, Stefano the frog, Colin the cockroach, Lily the millipede and Max the guinea pig.

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Religious Education (R.E.) at St. Loys

St Loys is a Church of England School and we promote a Christian attitude throughout. Time is set aside for daily worship in school and children take part in services in the Parish Church on major Christian festivals. The Vicar of St Mary & St Peter’s Lois Weedon Church delivers regular whole-school worship. We work closely with the Peterborough Diocesan Board of Education and follow the newly launched Diocesan Syllabus for Religious Education. Under the 1988 Education Act children may be exempted from attendance at religious worship and instruction at the parents’ request.

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Experience Easter

Our immersive Easter at St Loys sees us journey through the Easter story via 6 stations…considering the experience of Jesus at this holiest of times. An opportunity for calm, meditation, respect and compassion…hover over the photos to reveal the narrative and see more here

Hopes and Dreams

Hopes and Dreams - Station 1

Hopes and Dreams – the celebration of Palm Sunday is reflective of the hopes and future dreams of freedom with Jesus as leader..

The Servant King

The Servant King - Station 2

The Servant King – Jesus modelled the care and compassion all should have for one another by washing the feet of his disciples..”do as I have done for you..”

Remember Me

Remember Me - Station 3

Remember Me..The Last Supper – a special meal together, breaking bread with thanks to God….”do this to remember me.”

Garden of Gethsemane

Garden of Gethsemane - Station 4

The Prayer – Garden of Gethsemane….Jesus turned to God in prayer aware of the challenges ahead…we offered up our worries and feelings of overwhelm by the placing of ribbons and stones…

The Promise

The Promise (3 crosses at Golgotha) - Station 5

The Promise – three Crosses at Golgotha…. Exploring Good Friday and the importance of the Cross as a symbol. We built up the cross and adorned it with natural materials remembering God’s forgiveness and sacrifice for us..

The Surprise - Resurrection

The Surprise - Station 6

The Promise – the empty tomb & the Resurrection…. “Do not be afraid” Easter Sunday marks the part of the story that celebrates new life..We used seeds as a symbol of growth and new beginnings ….hope after loss is carried in our hearts.

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PSHE at St. Loys

Relationships Education, Relationships & Sex Education (RSE) & Health Education

Our Well Being policy sets out the aims, principles and strategies for the teaching of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education.

At St Loys we seek, through the academic teaching of Personal Social Health Economic education (PSHE) and Physical Education (PE) and across the curriculum, to promote healthy, respectful relationships, focussing on family and friendships in all contexts, including online. We encourage the development of resilience and character with attitudes, practices and understanding conductive to good health, including mental wellbeing. Sex Education is non-compulsory in Primary Schools, however, in Upper Key Stage 2 we deliver a curriculum that covers health, hygiene, physical and emotional maturity of the pupils. This ensures that pupils are prepared for the changes that adolescence brings and draws upon knowledge derived from Science teaching of life cycles including conception and birth. Parental consent will be sought.

Physical Education (P.E.) and Sport at St. Loys

At St Loys, we believe that physical education is a unique contributor to a child’s physical development and wellbeing. A broad and balanced physical education curriculum is intended to provide for children’s increasing self-confidence in their ability to manage themselves and their bodies within a variety of movement situations. In developing a vision for P.E. at St Loys, we acknowledge it to be a critical area of learning where self-esteem, physical progression and positive attitudes are fostered and nurtured. Our Vision Statement echoes the values of our whole school intent for children to feel supported in reaching their full potential and valued for all their endeavours. The aims, principles and strategies of P.E. at St Loys sit within our Wellbeing Policy encompassing PSHE and Relationships.

We enjoy a broad range of physical activities and sports within our curriculum including: Athletics, Tag Rugby, Basketball, Football, Tennis, Gym, Netball, Yoga and Dance.

In addition to this, we participate in extra-curricular sporting activities and enrichment opportunities with external providers and sports partners, including:

  • Hot Shots Basketball
  • Gymnastics
  • Dance
  • Multi-skills

See more about Sport at St Loys here..

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Music and Expressive Arts at St. Loys

Children participate in performances for parents and friends at the School and in the Church. Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT) provides the opportunity for pupils to undertake tuition on many instruments. At the moment St Loys offers tuition on: Strings, Keyboard and Brass instruments. These instruments (with the exception of keyboard) are loaned free of charge for the first year through NMPAT. For further information please email office@nmpat.co.uk

Children from Year 2 and above are also offered the opportunity to take private Guitar lessons with Mr David Taylor and our Year 1 and 2 children learn to play Ocarina in the classroom, which is always popular.

Children also have the opportunity to have shared lessons in the Recorders, Drums, Ukuleles and other instruments on rotation. These opportunities are provided by the governments ‘First Access’ scheme run through NMPAT.

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Curriculum Assessment at St. Loys

At St. Loys, we assess our pupils learning and development formatively and summatively. For National Curriculum subjects this is in accordance with nationally set expectations. Towards the end of the Spring Term KS1 and KS2 parents will receive a written report, which covers academic progress as well as personal and social development. These reports will outline further learning needed to reach National Expectations for your child’s age. National Tests at Key Stage 1 (Year 2) and Key Stage 2 (Year 6) take place during May each year. The tests are in English and Maths and are fully explained and discussed with parents before the children take them.

Parents of pupils in Foundation Stage will receive their written report at the end of the academic year.

Our level descriptors…

Before – Yet to be secure in the end of year expectations.

Emerging – Beginning to experience year group expectations.

Developing– Revisiting expectations and beginning to work independently.

Within – Many of the end of year expectations have been met

Secure – Almost all of the end of year expectations have been met and ready for progressing to the next year expectations.

Exceeding – Secure in all of the end of year expectations and able to use and apply their knowledge and skills confidently. This is also referred to as Greater depth learning.

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