Curriculum Rationale

At St George's Catholic Primary School, our curriculum rationale is underpinned by our steadfast commitment to providing a broad, balanced, and aspirational learning experience for all our pupils. We firmly believe that a well-rounded education, grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic social tradition, is essential for nurturing confident, compassionate, and capable individuals who are equipped to thrive in the modern world.

Our curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, while also reflecting the unique needs and aspirations of our school community. We have carefully selected a range of high-quality resources, including White Rose Maths, Kapow for foundation subjects, and Collins for science, to ensure that our pupils receive consistently excellent learning opportunities across all subject areas. Early reading is supported by the Little Wandles phonics scheme and Big Cats reading books. Ten:Ten resources are used as an excellent resource to support our PSHE/ RHE curriculum.

By adopting a comprehensive and coherent approach to curriculum design, we aim to move beyond a narrow focus on test preparation and instead foster a genuine love of learning. Our curriculum is structured to build upon pupils' prior knowledge and skills, enabling them to develop a deep understanding of key concepts and the ability to apply their learning in meaningful contexts.

Importantly, we have embedded Catholic social teaching principles throughout our curriculum, ensuring that our pupils not only acquire subject-specific knowledge and skills but also develop a strong moral compass, a commitment to social justice, and a respect for the environment. This holistic approach aligns with our school's vision and values, empowering our pupils to become active, responsible, and compassionate members of their local and global communities.

Whole School Aims

Our curriculum is designed to support the realisation of our school's vision and values. We are committed to following in the footsteps of Jesus, instilling in our pupils a deep understanding of what is right and wrong, and nurturing the development of confident, complete, and loving individuals.

Through our curriculum, we strive to provide a quality education where high standards are an expectation, and learning experiences are tailored to enable each child to reach their full and unique potential. We aim to create a welcoming and engaging environment where children feel safe, happy, and excited to learn, while also valuing and respecting the diversity of our school community.

Subject Vision

Our curriculum is built upon the belief that every subject has an essential role to play in the holistic development of our pupils. By teaching a wide range of subjects, we ensure that our pupils are exposed to diverse perspectives, skills, and ways of thinking, empowering them to become well-rounded, adaptable, and curious learners.

In each subject area, our intent is to cultivate deep subject knowledge, critical thinking skills, and a genuine passion for learning. We recognise that strong foundational knowledge is the bedrock upon which higher-order skills and conceptual understanding can be built. As such, we have carefully sequenced our curriculum to ensure that pupils master essential concepts and knowledge before progressing to more complex ideas and applications.

Importantly, our subject-specific curriculum visions are closely aligned with the school's improvement priorities. For example, our focus on developing a consistent approach to the teaching of writing, handwriting, spelling, and reading directly supports our efforts to improve outcomes in these areas. By taking a whole-school approach to curriculum development, we ensure that our efforts are coordinated and impactful, driving sustained improvements in the quality of education we provide.

Communication with Stakeholders

Effective communication with our school community is essential for the successful implementation of our curriculum rationale. We recognise that our parents, carers, and wider stakeholders play a vital role in supporting their children's learning and development, and we are committed to engaging them throughout the process.

To this end, we will employ a range of strategies to share our curriculum rationale and its underlying principles with our stakeholders. This may include:

• Hosting curriculum information sessions and workshops to provide detailed explanations of our approach and the reasoning behind it.
• Regularly updating our school website and newsletters with information about our curriculum, including subject-specific overviews and learning objectives.
• Encouraging open dialogue and feedback through parent-teacher consultations, where we can address any questions or concerns and work collaboratively to support our pupils' progress.
• Involving our pupils in the communication process, empowering them to take ownership of their learning and share their experiences with their families, primarily trough pupil-led Book Looks

By fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration, we aim to build trust, enhance parental engagement, and ensure that our curriculum rationale is widely understood and supported by our entire school community.

Addressing Inspection Feedback

The feedback from the most recent Ofsted inspection provides valuable insights that have been carefully considered in the development of our curriculum rationale.

Firstly, the inspectors' recognition of our senior leaders' ambition for all pupils, including those with SEND, is a testament to our commitment to inclusive and equitable education. Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all learners, with a clear focus on building upon their prior knowledge and skills to support their continued progress.

The inspectors' comments regarding the logical order of our curriculum and the opportunities for pupils to gain more knowledge and skills each year align with our approach to carefully sequencing content and providing opportunities for retrieval and spaced practice. We will continue to work closely with our subject leaders to ensure that the planned curriculum is consistently delivered across the school, enabling all pupils to develop a deep understanding of the subjects they study.

The feedback regarding the need to ensure that reading books match the phonics knowledge of less able pupils in the early years and Key Stage 1 has been addressed through the implementation of a more structured and systematic approach to teaching phonics and early reading. By providing pupils with appropriately levelled texts, we aim to build their confidence, fluency, and love of reading, which will in turn support their progress across the curriculum.

Finally, the inspectors' recognition of the strong relationships between pupils and staff, the opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, and the promotion of healthy and safe living are all reflective of the values and principles that underpin our curriculum. We will continue to nurture these positive aspects of our school community, ensuring that our pupils develop into well-rounded, resilient, and socially responsible individuals.