Our Curriculum

Curriculum Vision

At Saint Gregory’s we believe that providing an imaginative and engaging curriculum inspires and motivates children to develop a love of lifelong learning. We strive to deliver a balanced curriculum that broadens children's knowledge and deepens their understanding. We endeavour to help our children do this through the lens of Catholic life.

Rationale

At Saint Gregory’s we are proud to offer a curriculum with our school values and ethos at the heart of everything we do. Our curriculum follows the statutory 2014 National Curriculum programmes of study and has been designed by staff to meet the needs and interests of all our children.

Our Curriculum:

• Is based on the vision, aims, mission and ethos of the school.
• Is broad and balanced and is careful to ensure different depths of study through targeted use of resources.
• Inspires children to develop a love of learning, through creative and stimulating approaches by encouraging teachers to share their own knowledge, interests and expertise. This is done through a range of teaching approaches which show their love of teaching.
• Embeds knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare pupils for further learning and productive adulthood in our ever-changing world.
• Enables children to use their acquired skills and knowledge to observe, think and challenge.
• Embeds assessment for learning so children can gain ownership of their learning and use reflection as a tool for self-improvement.
• Uses Assessment for Learning to build on prior learning.
• Establishes cross-curricular links to foster a broader understanding and allows children to use and apply their skills to all learning.
• Promotes partnerships between our children, their parents/carers, our staff and the wider community.

Whole School Design & Structure

At St Gregory’s we have designed the curriculum around year group themes. To ensure that children experience real breadth and depth in their themes, each has been devised with a clear thread in mind that takes children on an engaging journey through the curriculum, helping them to make links, apply skills and knowledge and build upon prior learning in a variety of ways. Themes begin with a launch, and include opportunities to explore, deepen, reflect and celebrate, through experiences, trips and events both inside and outside of school.

 

Learning is contextualised through a termly History, Geography or Science theme. These are driven by core texts which children immerse themselves in and help the development of basic skills across the entire curriculum.

Year Group Curriculum Maps

Our curriculum is mapped out throughout each year of the school. The overview for each year group can be found here:

We are always responsive to the interests and needs of our children and so this document is a flexible working document which may be subject to change.

Wider Curriculum

The curriculum overviews include the National Curriculum objectives.  Information about the wider curriculum that children at St Gregory's School access can be found here:  http://www.st-gregorygreat.gloucs.sch.uk/wider-curriculum/

Teaching of Phonics and Reading

We use 'Letters and Sounds' to teach phonics at St Gregory's.  This helps children journey through different phases of learning at a pace which is right for them.   Sessions are built on prior learning and take place both inside and outside of the classroom.  More information about the phases can be found here:

Alongside Letters and Sounds, a range of books are used for children to develop fluency and comprehension of their reading.  These come from different reading schemes so that children can read a range of genres.  These  books are used to read within school and at home.

Teaching of Mathematics

Maths is taught discretely with opportunities to apply mathematical knowledge and concepts linked throughout the wider curriculum.  We use 'Kangaroo Maths' planning documents and gather resources from a range of sources including 'Maths, No Problem!'.   More information about maths at our school can be found here: