Curriculum

Curriculum Overview

At Wells park School, we provide an eclectic curriculum, specifically developed to meet the needs and interests of our children. The overall intention of our curriculum is to prepare our pupils for adulthood through a positive and supportive framework of experience that helps to develop:

  • Aspirational, confident individuals - who lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
  • Successful learners - who celebrate and recognise the importance of joy both as an individual and within their wider lives
  • Responsible citizens – who both belong to and make productive contributions to our society
  • Emotionally aware, caring young people – who have the ability to recognise and respond to both their own feelings and those of another person; encouraging positive physical, mental, emotional, and social development.

We have tailored our curriculum to best support five key developmental areas: Identity, Communication, Relationships, Health and Well-Being and The Wider World. The intention of our curriculum and its associated pedagogy is to develop the skills our pupils need in order to pursue friendships and meaningful social interactions with those around them.

Through this approach, we will provide a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum that supports every child's social, emotional and academic developmental needs as well as their spiritual, moral, cultural, and physical development.

  • Humankind: Understanding what it means to be human and how human behaviour has shaped the world.
  • Processes: Understanding the many dynamic and physical processes that shape the world.
  • Creativity: Understanding the creative process and how daily and exceptional creativity can shape the world.
  • Investigation: Understanding the importance of investigation and how this has led to significant change in the world.
  • Materials: Understanding the properties of all matter, living and non-living.
  • Nature: Understanding the complexities of the plant and animal species that inhabit the world.
  • Place: Understanding the visual, cultural, social, and environmental aspects of places around the world.
  • Comparison: Understanding how and why things are the same or different.
  • Significance : Understanding why significant people, places, events and inventions matter and how they have shaped the world.
  • Change : Understanding why and how things have changed over time.

Mission Statement

Whilst at Wells Park we appreciate that we are a small school, this does not stop us from having big ideas and, as such, we do not set limits on what our children can aspire to achieve.

We care about our pupils, their families, and our role in the wider community. We are committed to providing a safe and accessible school, ensuring that it is friendly, welcoming, vibrant and inclusive. We take our safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and foster a safeguarding culture which goes above and beyond our statutory duties.

At Wells Park, we are committed to fostering a sense of belonging in order to bring our pupils, their families and supporting professionals together to advocate and support the best possible outcomes. It is this sense of belonging that connects us to the many relationships we develop throughout our community and supports the social, emotional and academic development we strive for at Wells Park.

General principles

Our curriculum will give children the opportunity to:

  • Experience the challenge, reward and enjoyment of learning
  • Develop and demonstrate their individual creativity
  • Understand the purpose and value of their learning and see its relevance to their past, present and future
  • Experience success and the joy that it can offer
  • Develop an understanding of their emotions and how to control them so that they are better able to understand their feelings and those of others

This will help re-engage pupils in their learning, as prior to joining the school, pupils may not have enjoyed access to full-time education with some only receiving limited education away from a social/school setting.

Skills 4 Life

Skills 4 Life are indicators of skills learnt inside or outside the classroom. In order to understand how badges might be used to support learning and development in education, we have been surveying pupils to gauge their interest and potential uptake of the initiative.

There is a desire for broader mechanisms like skills 4 Life to help students promote their own unique set of skills, knowledge and experience.

Learning and achievement within the school system is largely evidenced through prescribed metrics, but these formal methods frequently obscure evidence of equally important, though less tangible, aspects of learning, such as the development of relevant skills and competencies. Pupil welfare and future employability is high on the agenda for Local Authorities and Central Government, with a growing emphasis on the links between mental health and future economic well-being. 

In response to these growing pressures, our hope is that the Skills Badges may offer an alternative/complementary approach for those pupils who may not necessarily fall into the more familiar streams of recognised achievement. 

It is our intention that the Skills 4 Life programme will recognise, foster and develop the potential for our pupils to learn ‘wider-life’ skills in order to support life-long opportunities and behaviours as described by Eichsteller, G.; Holthoff, S. (2012) as:

  • Holistic education – education of head (cognitive knowledge), heart (emotional and spiritual learning), and hands (practical and physical skills);
  • Holistic well-being – strengthening health-sustaining factors and providing support for people to enjoy a long-lasting feeling of happiness;
  • To enable children to empower themselves and be self-reliant, recognising their value to society;
  • To promote positive social, emotional and mental health. 

What are Skills 4 Life?

Skills 4 Life are visual indicators that the recipient has achieved a certain level of knowledge or demonstrated competence in a particular skill. Each woven badge is composed of an image with additional information inserted into it, typically stage/level of achievement. 

Skills 4 Life can be organised into collections and displayed in much the same way as badges in the Cub Scout movement. Each skill has an accompanying certificate identifying the skill and the issuing member of staff/school governor. This verifies that it is genuine and awarded to the stated person.

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural and Fundamental British Values (SMSC/FBV)

  • Moral - Recognise right and wrong and respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues and offer reasoned views
  • Tolerance and respect -To respect and tolerate the opinions or behaviour of others
  • Rule of law -Learn that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable for their actions and behaviour
  • Individual liberty - Be free to express views or ideas
  • Social - Use a range of social skills to participate in the local community and beyond; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict effectively and display prosocial behaviours
  • Spiritual - Explore beliefs, experience and faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity and reflect on experiences
  • Democracy - Be part of a system where everyone plays an equal part
  • Cultural - Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain’s parliamentary system; participate in cultural opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity

Purpose
To ensure pupils understand and appreciate what it means to belong and the positive impact of belonging across all aspects of their lives.

Well-being

Our curriculum will give children the opportunity to:

  • Build respectful and lasting friendships
  • Develop self-esteem and confidence in their abilities
  • Learn how to respect themselves and others
  • Recognise that people are good at different things
  • Reflect and think mindfully about their own well-being

Purpose
To provide a supportive and nurturing environment in which the pupil can develop successful and lasting relationships in order to sustain lifelong well-being.

Pupil Voice

Our curriculum will give children the opportunity to:

  • Make choices about things that are important to them
  • Make a positive contribution to the school and local community
  • Take part in democratic activities across the curriculum
  • Express their opinions on a range of different topics and issues

Purpose
To foster a wider sense of responsibility for themselves and the school community.

Pedagogy

Our curriculum will be taught through a pedagogy that:

  • Promotes problem-solving, creativity and communication
  • Excites, promotes and sustains children’s interests
  • Offers all children a memorable experience at the start of every topic
  • Enables children to reflect on and evaluate their learning

Purpose

To provide a learning foundation built on experience that draws on a full and varied social, emotional and academic curriculum.

Enrichment

We will enrich our curriculum by:

  • Providing on and off-site subject or topic related activities
  • Offering opportunities for children to learn outdoors
  • Using quality resources in and out of the classroom
  • Welcoming parents and carers to take part in children’s learning and experiences

Purpose
To provide a variety of experiences specifically designed to contextualise the curriculum we offer and engage our pupils in a memorable and meaningful learning journey.

Outreach

The aim of Wells Park Outreach is to support pupils in the management of attitudes, behaviour and motivation in mainstream education following short-term in school support. It strives to provide swift intervention to help pupils succeed in mainstream school; it also endeavours to provide the family support required in order that pupils maintain positive attitudes, behaviour and motivation.

It is committed to promoting enhanced independence and responsibility for learning and social behaviour both throughout the school day and at home.

Wells Park Outreach exemplifies the school’s ethos through ensuring that the child is at the centre of all decision-making and in supporting the development of the whole child, academically and pastorally.

Wells Park Outreach provides support for pupils to gain appropriate classroom behaviour so that they are able to participate successfully in mainstream school, support for parents/carers in order to maintain successful participation in mainstream school, and support and training for mainstream schools in order to facilitate successful participation.

Curriculum subjects 

English

English is a tool used in everyday life. It offers a whole range of concepts which provide a way of viewing and making sense of the world.

At Wells Park, the lessons are planned around the National Curriculum (2014) and are adapted to meet pupil needs.  The attainment within each class can vary, meaning that every lesson needs to be differentiated to fit the needs of every learner.

Curriculum aims:

  • Ensure that every child is successful through clear differentiation and high expectations

  • Build upon what learners currently know and develop their knowledge

  • To develop broad experience and hone all English skills

  • Ensure that learning is an enjoyable and challenging experience

  • For each child to make outstanding progress 

  • Bring English to life through practical, real-life application

  • Address gaps in the pupil’s knowledge and ‘close the gap’ with effective intervention

  • Encourage and offer opportunities to master and create greater depth of understanding in core areas

  • Allow children to apply English in our outdoor learning facilities e.g. gardening, Woody Wells, Farming

English Genre Curriculum Map

Writing

At Wells Park, the teachers carefully plan writing genres across the year, ensuring even coverage of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The genres are carefully thought out alongside the topics, to find the most appropriate fit with key texts. 

Teachers plan carefully through a sequence of key skills specific to the genre. When teaching each writing outcome, we begin with a WAGOLL (what a good one looks like). We analyse these WAGOLLs to determine what the purpose of writing is and how to achieve it. We develop the children’s writerly brains to understand the purpose, not the context. The context of the chosen WAGOLLs need not be closely linked to topic titles, but they must be high quality. We write WAGOLLs for the pupils if we are unable to source one of sufficient quality or appropriate reading age. The aim of using a WAGOLL is to show quality in every aspect we wish the children to replicate. The mission is to highlight the benefit of being able to write for a purpose. 

Each writing outcome will seek to link to the key text being studied in the half-term. It is for the teaching team to make decisions about how a text fits so that the final writing outcome is of high quality. Each writing outcome is the starting point and the destination. Children need to know how to write for a range of purposes. They need to understand the purpose and importance of different forms of writing. High quality text will be used to provide engagement and content for the writing outcome. 

Week 1 begins with WAGOLL and the detailed skills that are being used in it. The understanding of the writing outcome is taught and is assured before it is then applied to the high-quality text. Discussion, debate and context-free consideration of the writing outcome is the main activity of this week. The children may rehearse certain connected skills and practise their application through writing short pieces, but the context is incidental. The key objective is for the children to articulate the written outcome, explain its purpose and give examples of its features. Moving forwards, children can cement into long-term memory the features and purpose of this writing outcome through creation and composition that is connected to an emotive and enjoyable text.

Week 2 aims to support children in forming and organising their compositions by thinking about what we want the reader to understand from our writing and how we can achieve it. They will complete two drafts of their final piece. The first is composition writing, where the children independently (or with support) write their collected notes, ideas, phrases and structures from the first part of the week into a finished piece. They need not focus too heavily on SPAG or handwriting at this point (though the STS must be met and writing needs to be legible). They then complete their transcription writing, which is a full rewrite of the piece, following independent time using the transcription checklist. The second write allows the children time to show their clearest handwriting and gives the skills of redrafting and self-correction. 

Writing Genres

Above is a downloadable table showing the different writing genres in which children will be given the opportunity to explore across the year.

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught in either a whole class or group teaching according to the stage of development. Teaching sessions include fine motor skills, warm up, detail on posture, paper position, left-handedness, pencil grip, letter formation and terminology. Children should be taught the skills of handwriting through the following developmental stages:

  • The ability to produce writing patterns that are a consistent height and width.
  • The ability to write each letter in print at reasonable speed, ensuring regularity of size and spacing.
  • The ability to produce joined up writing (taught in a gradual process, using Letter Join).

Pupils are assessed termly for their handwriting skills. This is completed by summative assessment completed by the teacher and the supporting adults in the classroom. The handwriting assessment objectives match those used in Letter join, to ensure consistency across the curriculum.

The data is combined with other key English skills, which include composition, spelling, punctuation and grammar and handwriting. This creates an overall judgement. As our pupils are not Year group based, each pupil will be working in the band appropriate to their writing assessment. For pupils working at KS1 level, children receive short, daily handwriting sessions each week, and for pupils working at KS2 level, children receive at least two taught handwriting sessions per week.

In addition, children should be given the opportunity to practise their handwriting on a daily basis within their English and Topic lessons. Joined-up handwriting is modelled by the teachers and support staff to ensure a consistent approach. 

Children can receive a ‘pen licence’ as recognition of consistency, effort and presentation in their handwriting. These are levelled (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) to ensure that all pupils are given the opportunity to progress and improve their handwriting.

Handwriting Progression of Skills

Phonics & Early reading

At Wells Park School, we believe that all 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 from admission and follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school. Pupils assessed at the level of Little Wandle follow the programme regardless of chronological age, to enable them to progress as fluent readers and writers.  

We also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects. We aspire for all of our children to be able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read.

Comprehension

At Wells Park School, we value reading as it is a crucial life skill. We aspire for our learners to read confidently for meaning and regularly enjoy reading for pleasure. Our reading sessions equip our pupils with tools to tackle unfamiliar vocabulary. We encourage our children to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose.

Because we believe teaching every child to read is so important, we have a Reading Leader who drives the early reading programme in our school. This person is highly skilled at teaching phonics and reading, and they monitor and support our reading team, so everyone teaches with fidelity to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme.

All children participate in Reciprocal Reading, alongside Little Wandle Phonics. This enables children to focus on comprehension, alongside the application of Phonics, through an interactive, adult led session with targeted questions. 

Find out more about Reading at Home on our Parent/Carers Information page. 

Reading

We are committed to developing our children as readers, fostering a lifelong love of books and reading throughout their lives. We use reciprocal reading, Lexia, independent reading and adult-led story times to support and promote the advancement of reading.

We use a variety of texts, including materials from a number of reading schemes. In the early stages of reading, the texts are linked to Little Wandle through Big Cat Phonics books. Once a child progresses beyond phonics, they follow the National Bookband scheme and are able to progress to different book band levels. This ensures clear and targeted progression through key-skills development. Children are assessed regularly. These assessments enable us to monitor progression and also identify key areas of development for individual pupils.

Further information about reading and reciprocal reading at Wells Park.

Find out more about Reading at Home on our Parent/Carers Information page. 

Spelling

As a school, we use Little Wandle to support our spelling delivery for our pupils working at Pre-Stage and Band 1 as this covers spelling within teaching sessions through tricky words, recognising the phoneme and grapheme correspondence, segmenting and blending and Year 1 Spelling rules.  

After completion of Phonics at Phase 5, they will move to Little Wandle Spelling (Bridge to Spelling). Bridge to Spelling provides a seamless link from Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to learning spelling in Year 2 by building on children’s knowledge of the alphabetic code and teaching them how to spell with confidence.

Implementation

The programme begins by reviewing Phase 5, so we are sure every child has secured that part of the alphabetic code. Children then learn foundational spelling concepts that they will apply in the spelling units. The programme provides five weeks of content for each half-term.

The Bridge to Spelling teaches children how to ‘think about spelling’. Over five weeks of daily 20–30 minute lessons, children complete the alphabetic code and learn the underpinning concepts of spelling. The Bridge to spelling: 

  • Introduces key spelling terminology
  • Reinforces the addition of sound buttons, which provides a clearer focus on segmenting so that children use phonics as their main strategy for spelling
  • Includes activities which will feature throughout the programme, ensuring children become familiar with teaching and learning routines
  • Explains basic conventions for suffixes and spelling, e.g. swap, double, drop.

The Bridge to spelling has been created to reflect key concepts from the National Curriculum for Year 2. Once the learning covered in the Bridge to Spelling is secure, children are ready to move on to the Little Wandle Year 2 Spelling units. These  are designed to be taught in 15-minute lessons, four times a week. They provide full coverage of National Curriculum spelling requirements at Band 2.

Beyond Band 2, we use the National Curriculum spelling objectives, which have been broken down into a progression map and are taught regularly to our pupils, enabling them to: revisit previous spelling concepts, learn the spelling concept, practice and apply. This is recorded in the pupil’s Phonic/ Spelling book and can be used as a concrete support aid for our learners in their writing lessons. 

Impact

Formative assessment is completed termly, where pupils are assessed against the National Curriculum, for each year groups objectives. This allows teachers to be informed about pupil progress, and as a key indicator for further revisitation required or intervention, e.g. precision teaching. 

To further support spelling, pupils are assessed in September at the correct level against the:

  •  100 high frequency words
  • Next 200 high frequency words
  •  Year 3&4 Spelling list
  • Year 5&6 spelling list 

This information is used to target individual spellings through English Individual Learning Plans (ILPs). 

Spelling Coverage Map

Maths

At Wells Park, part of the Beckmead Trust, we are committed to nurturing the holistic development of each child. We recognise that every student is a distinct individual with inherent value and potential. It is our mission to provide a learning environment where every child can achieve their fullest potential, preparing them for future educational endeavours and life beyond school. We strive to empower our students to become socially, morally, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and culturally aware and responsible members of society.

Our vision for the teaching of Mathematics at Wells Park is to create a stimulating and supportive environment that fosters a love for learning, curiosity, and resilience. We aim to inspire every child to see mathematics not just as a subject, but as a powerful tool for understanding and engaging with the world.

Our Commitment

Our curriculum is designed to be inclusive and equitable, ensuring all children, regardless of their background or starting point, have access to high-quality mathematical education. We believe in the importance of building a strong foundation in mathematical concepts and skills while promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning. At Wells Park, our approach to teaching mathematics emphasises mastery of learning, where each child is given the time and support needed to develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts.

Intent

The mathematics curriculum at Wells Park is carefully crafted to ensure that all students:

  • Develop Mathematical Fluency: Gain a solid grasp of mathematical fundamentals through regular practice and exploration of increasingly complex problems. We focus on ensuring that students can recall and apply mathematical knowledge with confidence and accuracy.
  • Master Problem-Solving Skills: Approach a wide range of mathematical challenges with creativity and perseverance. Our curriculum encourages students to break down complex problems into manageable steps, fostering a mindset of resilience and determination.
  • Foster Mathematical Reasoning: Engage in mathematical reasoning by exploring patterns, making connections, and justifying their thinking. We aim to develop students’ abilities to articulate their thought processes clearly and use precise mathematical language.
  • Apply Mathematics in Real-World Contexts: Recognise the relevance of mathematics in everyday life and across various disciplines. Students are encouraged to apply their mathematical understanding to real-world situations, enhancing their financial literacy, scientific inquiry, and technological skills.
  • Encourage Curiosity and Enjoyment: Develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards mathematics. We aim to nurture a love for learning and an inquisitive mindset, encouraging students to explore mathematical ideas with curiosity and joy.
  • Promote Cross-Curricular Connections: Understand how mathematics integrates with other areas of the curriculum, such as science, technology, and the arts. We aim to provide opportunities for students to see the interconnectedness of mathematical concepts across different subjects.

Implementation

To achieve our vision, mathematics is given a prominent place in the weekly timetable, with daily lessons supplemented by focused skills sessions. Our teaching approach is grounded in the principles of mastery, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of each concept before moving on. This involves:

  • Structured Progression: A well-sequenced curriculum that builds on prior knowledge and progresses logically across year groups. Each year’s curriculum is designed to reinforce and extend learning from the previous year, ensuring a coherent learning journey.
  • Practical Resources and Tools: Providing a variety of manipulatives and visual aids to help students understand abstract concepts. We encourage students to select appropriate tools and strategies for different types of problems, fostering independence and critical thinking.
  • Differentiated Support: Offering targeted support and intervention to ensure all students can access the curriculum and make progress. Teachers assess understanding regularly and provide timely feedback and support to address gaps in learning.
  • Engaging and Challenging Tasks: Incorporating a variety of tasks that promote deep thinking, discussion, and collaborative learning. Students are encouraged to explore multiple strategies and solutions, developing flexibility in their thinking.
  • Real-World Applications: Integrating real-world contexts and cross-curricular links into lessons to make learning relevant and meaningful. This helps students see the value of mathematics beyond the classroom and prepares them for practical application in everyday life.
  • Continuous Professional Development: Ensuring all staff have access to ongoing professional development opportunities to enhance their teaching practice and stay up-to-date with the latest research and pedagogical strategies in mathematics education.

Impact

The success of our mathematics curriculum will be evident in the confident, enthusiastic, and resilient learners who can think critically and apply their knowledge to solve problems in a variety of contexts. We measure our impact through:

  • Student Achievement: Monitoring progress through formative and summative assessments to ensure all students are making expected progress or better.
  • Student Engagement: Observing students’ active participation and enthusiasm in mathematics lessons and their willingness to engage with challenging tasks.
  • Mathematical Confidence: Seeing students take risks, embrace challenges, and show persistence in their mathematical learning.
  • Feedback from Stakeholders: Gathering feedback from students, parents, and teachers to continually refine and improve our mathematics curriculum.

At Wells Park, our vision is to create a vibrant and dynamic learning environment where every child feels valued, challenged, and inspired to achieve their potential in mathematics and beyond.

Below you will be able to access the yearly curriculum maps that we follow and which core areas are covered. 

KS1 Curriculum Map
KS2 Curriculum Map

For an understanding of the methods taught and used at Wells Park, please see our guidance below in our calculation policies. 

Calculation Policies

Below you will find the objectives for each band from Years 1-6. We plan and deliver the National Curriculum at Wells Park and this will give you an insight into the expectations for each year group. As a school, we use 'Band __' for each year group. For example: Band 1= Year 1, Band 2 = Year 2 etc. 

Objectives

Some learners have login details for the online tutoring software 'Maths Whizz'. 

Visit the Essex Government website for more information about Essex 'Virtual School' intervention. 

Science

As a school, we follow The National Curriculum 2014 for Science Guidelines and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics;
  • Develop an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through a variety of different scientific enquiries that help them to answer questions about the world around them;
  • Are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.
  • Are encouraged to understand how Science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, analyse causes and evaluate outcomes.

Where suitable, adaptations have been made to suit our school’s environment and ethos.

Our Science lessons will :

  • Be led by using our hands and minds to make discoveries.
  • Inspire us to follow our curiosity to new discoveries.
  • Be relevant to our experiences and our future.
  • Give us opportunities to experience unforgettable things.
  • Be recognised as affecting every part of our lives.

All children will explore the world around them, hands first. They will find joy in exploring and experimenting across a range of scientific disciplines. They will be guided by big, exploratory questions that open up the world around them, following their instinct and curiosity to discover modern scientific explanations. They will apply skills from Maths and English to record and discuss their research clearly and accurately. Science will help them to become independent, critical thinkers with the confidence to say that they know how and why things are so. 

Teaching and Learning

To provide adequate time for developing scientific knowledge, skills and understanding, each teacher will provide regular science lessons. These may vary in length based on the objectives being explored. Teachers will base their planning on the topic provided by Plan Bee and will identify the most appropriate teaching strategy to suit the purpose of each particular learning situation. The amount of science covered in each half-term will depend on the topic. Lessons will be taught weekly.

There are a variety of ways in which teaching and learning may be effective. Our school aims to encourage learning through investigation, with an emphasis on first-hand experience. Science lessons have no imposed formal structure but should typically contain some of the following elements: discussion; whole class, group or individual learning; practical, investigative tasks; recording; communicating.

Key Stage 1

The main focus of science teaching in Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they  notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways. Most of the learning about Science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos. Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary at a stage consistent with their current reading and spelling knowledge.

Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4)

The main focus of Science teaching in Lower Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out. ‘Working scientifically’ must always be taught through and clearly related to substantive science content in the programme of study. Pupils should read and spell scientific vocabulary correctly and with confidence, using their growing reading and spelling knowledge.

Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6)

The main focus of Science teaching in Upper Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. At Upper Key Stage 2, they should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings. Pupils should read, spell and pronounce scientific vocabulary correctly.

‘Working and thinking scientifically’ must always be taught through and clearly related to substantive Science content in the programme of study.

Science coverage and skills

 

Religious and Social Education

A wide range of imaginative teaching methods and pupil groupings are used to enable effective RE sessions.

Wells Park School recognises that ‘enquiry’ can be instrumental to good learning in RE as referenced in recent Ofsted RE subject reports, and we aim to help pupils develop skills to enquire independently. Pupils should be given time to generate pertinent questions where appropriate and teachers of RE should ensure that the atmosphere in an RE session is conducive to question raising and reflective thought whenever appropriate.

We appreciate the positive impact that local communities and local faith communities can have on pupils’ experiences in RE. Wells Park School caters for this by having a visit to a place of worship in each year group/key stage, and inviting visitors from faith communities into RE lessons.

It is vitally important that teachers demonstrate respectful attitudes towards all faiths, modelling the attitudes and responses we would expect from our pupils.

Aims

Our aims of RE are that pupils will:    

  • know about and understand a range of religions and world views, so that they can:
  • describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals.
  • identify, investigate and respond to questions posed and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and world views
  • appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

 

  • Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews, so that they can:
  • explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities
  • express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value, including ethical issues
  • appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion or a worldview.

 

  • Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews, so that they can:
  • ind out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively
  • enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all
  • articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.

These aims are taken from A Curriculum Framework for Religious Education in England and Wales (Religious Education Council 2013).

Right of withdrawal

Pupils’ families and faith communities have the right to encourage religious nurture of the children, fostering their faith. It is the responsibility of the school to provide Religious Education for all its pupils.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children either partly or wholly from RE.  In addition, teachers have the right not to teach the subject. Our approach to RE, however, has been constructed in the hope that parents and teachers will rarely, if ever, wish to exercise their right of withdrawal.

Those parents who wish to withdraw their child from RE lessons should inform the Headteacher in writing/contact the school office at their earliest convenience.

This policy has been adopted by the governors in consultation with the RE Subject Leader and teaching staff. 

RSE Curriculum Map

 

Computing

At Wells Park School, we aim to support children in becoming confident and independent users of technology. We aim to guide them in understanding how to use the web safely and develop their computational skills to solve problems by writing programmes.

We have a computers, laptops, tablets and other resources that help to further your Child's learning. All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, projectors and audio accessories. These help to enrich the learning environment. 

We follow the national curriculum programme named ‘Teach computing’. 

Our key concepts are:

  • Digital literacy: using IT purposefully, creatively and safely.
  • Computer science: developing computational skills and programming.
  • Computers and networks: understanding how computers work and web functions. 

At Wells Park, technology is used across the curriculum to support and enhance learning. Children are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.

This learning is achieved through teaching the skills and uses of different software and hardware. We also regularly educate the children in online-safety so that they can enjoy and use the World Wide Web safely.

Keeping safe is important for all of us, increasingly so when online. At school pupils regularly learn about how to keep themselves safer when online, but below are some support sheets and useful resources to help you at home. 

Topic Specific Lessons

Topic lessons at Wells Park School include History, Geography, Art and DT (Design & Technology) and, for some areas, Science. Wherever possible, we also make links with other areas of the curriculum. All these subjects are covered within our topic curriculum planning. Topics covered follow the National Curriculum, aimed at developing both subject knowledge and enquiry skills.

The curriculum takes Science, History or Geography as a ‘driver’ subject for each of its topics, meaning that much of the learning around the topic follows a cross-curricular theme linking to one of the three subjects. This gives pupils a brilliant opportunity to experience the topic in a range of contexts in order to help them draw connections and broaden their understanding.The essential skills of the subjects are still at the heart of the learning.

For example, in a History driver topic, pupils will: develop an understanding of the history of Britain, the history of the wider world and key historical concepts like continuity and change. They will embark on different historical enquiries and develop their historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts.

In Geography, they will develop locational knowledge, place knowledge, an understanding of human and physical geography, as well as improving their geographical skills and fieldwork.

Music, DT, Art and English also routinely feature in the topics we cover, and are often the subject of enrichment days within the curriculum and on trips and visits outside of school. In our Music classes, we aim to engage and inspire children to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

In Art and Design, we aim to engage, inspire and challenge each child, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

In DT pupils, through a variety of creative and practical activities, are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an interactive process of designing, making and evaluating. 

History and Geography Curriculum Map

Music

Intent

The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all children:

  • perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
  • be taught to sing, create and compose music
  • understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated

At Wells Park, the intention is to ensure that children develop a deep understanding of music. This is achieved by engaging them in various activities such as listening, singing, playing instruments, evaluating, analysing, and composing. These activities cover a wide range of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres, providing a comprehensive musical education. Our objective is to adopt a curiosity for music, nurture an understanding and acceptance of its diverse forms, and promote an unbiased respect for the role that music plays in individuals' lives.

We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts. This can be achieved through offering programs, clubs, and ensembles that focus on different music genres and instruments.

Implement

Our music curriculum is designed to ensure students engage in a comprehensive musical experience, encompassing singing, listening, playing, performing, and evaluating.

This holistic approach is embedded in classroom activities and is further enriched through various concerts, performances, and collaborations with external programs such as the Essex Music Hub. Most recent involvement has been with the Sound Beam program via the music hub. Children described the sessions as enjoyable and engaging and thoroughly loved exploring the different equipment.

The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons and provides children with a vocabulary to understand and appreciate music more deeply. It helps them recognize different musical styles, express their preferences, and even create their own music.

Subject Progression grids across the two year rolling programme cross-curricular music opportunities are taught and focused on clear skills development. Subscription to Kapow provides key subject knowledge and resources support this. 

Impact

Our music curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression and build on and embed current skills. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills in the different musical components and teaching of vocabulary also forms part of the units of work.

Whilst in school, staff can teach effective music lessons with the support of our music scheme with Kapow. This enables them to deliver lessons with confidence with the subject knowledge and resources available. Children have access to videos, tutorials, and online programmes, which allow students to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. Children can enjoy music in as many ways as they choose; either as listener, creator or performer. 

We aim to measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

  • Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
  • Photo and video evidence of the pupils' practical learning.
  • Use of the assessment tools provided within the Kapow scheme. 
Music Curriculum Map

 

PE

At our primary school, we believe Physical Education (PE) plays a vital role in the overall development of our pupils. Taught weekly by a qualified PE teacher, our PE curriculum helps to improve physical fitness, build teamwork, and boost self-esteem, all while supporting the mental and emotional well-being of our students.

We also provide extra PE sessions to give students additional practice and preparation for whole-school sports competitions, ensuring every child has the opportunity to develop their skills, foster a love for sports, and experience success in a supportive, nurturing environment.

In addition to weekly PE lessons, some pupils also benefit from our Gym Trail sessions, designed to enhance motor coordination and help them build confidence in their physical abilities.

Modern Foreign Languages

At Wells Park, Spanish is our chosen MFL and is delivered across all classes in the school. Classes will use short lessons to develop the key strands for learning a Modern Foreign Language (MFL), as outlined in the chart below. Our curriculum aims to introduce basic spoken and written language, in readiness for further foreign language learning at key stage 3. 

Our curriculum will:

  • Be FUN, engaging pupils in learning languages. 
  • Be practical, allowing pupils to communicate orally and in written form. 
  • Encourage practise of simple, oral exchanges with discussion of what they read/ spoke in English. 
  • Encourage pupils to listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding.
  • Explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes. 
  • Engage pupils in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
  • Allow pupils to speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures. 
  • Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so others can understand. 

Allow children to:

  • Present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences.
  • Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing.
  • Appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language.
  • 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, to express ideas clearly.
  • Describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing.

The curriculum map (download below) aims to encompass the national curriculum and ensure consistent coverage in classes across the school. The units must be taught in order as they build upon existing knowledge. 

Modern Languages Curriculum Map

Each class teacher will ensure that the planning and delivery of each session is appropriate to the pupils’ working level, ensuring that each child can access MFL. 

As a school, we use a scheme of learning- Kapow, which identified three knowledge strands. In each unit, children will draw upon this knowledge when comprehending and producing language to help them achieve the aims of the National Curriculum.

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)

Teachers at Wells Park form positive and secure working relationships with our children and so are able to tailor the delivery of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) lessons to reflect the needs of their pupils.

RSE is taught to children at an appropriate age and developmental level. Along with the British Values that are instilled throughout our teaching, RSE teaches children mutual respect and tolerance through lesson delivery and experiences. Teachers model respect and tolerance of other people’s beliefs. Opportunities are provided to explore and learn from a range of cultural differences and experiences that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping. 

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)

At Wells Park, we provide a rounded curriculum for our children that is taught through thematic learning and sometimes through stand-alone lessons. Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education. 

Teachers at Wells Park deliver a progression of age and ability-based lessons to cover the main areas of PSHE, which include:

  • Belonging 
  • Body changes and development 
  • Personal hygiene needs
  • How to have successful friendships and relationships 
  • Managing a budget 

The curriculum aims to provide children with positive and healthy information in order to make informed and well-chosen decisions about their lifestyles. The curriculum is delivered so that it is relevant to the children’s experiences and impacts on their futures. Teachers aim to present lessons in ways in which pupils will experience memorable learning activities to have a longer-lasting effect on their own life decisions. 

Curriculum Map
Whole School Curriculum Map

 

Enrichment Calendar

 

I’ve got better at everything!

- From Pupil Questionnaires

Address

School Lane, Lambourne Road, Chigwell, Essex, IG7 6NN

Phone

0208 502 6442

Email

WellsParkOffice@beckmeadtrust.org

Cookie Policy