Curriculum Overview

A Big Question Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 We have a very exciting and engaging curriculum at Laycock Primary – our children tell us they love to learn! Above all other things, the curriculum is the heart of the school: the skills, knowledge…

A Big Question Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2

We have a very exciting and engaging curriculum at Laycock Primary – our children tell us they love to learn! Above all other things, the curriculum is the heart of the school: the skills, knowledge and understanding our children gain, and the ways in which the children are taught and learn, make each school day vibrant and engaging for pupils and teachers alike.

So what is our curriculum ethos? The whole school curriculum at Laycock Primary is arranged around a Big Question approach, with children exploring a new question each half term. Each question provides a fantastic source of topics to explore and investigations to carry out, allowing all of the curriculum subjects, from maths to music, to come alive for the children. Across the classes and year groups, the questions are consistent each year, but there is still room for pupil-led choice: ‘What’s the big idea about…?’ this year, enabled classes to choose their own topic and teaching staff were challenged to plan learning which built on the children’s own interests, questions and targets.

‘So how do teachers plan for progress in the curriculum subjects? Teachers plan together, sharing responsibility for mapping the curriculum across the year groups, using their excellent knowledge of the children’s strengths and skills, as well as their understanding of how children’s learning progresses and deepens as they move from year to year. We teach in subjects and make sure the children understand what it is to be a historian, an artist, a writer and so on.

Collaboration across the teaching team is what makes our curriculum so special. Teachers are as excited by new Big Questions as the children are and map out our medium and long term plans to allow for progression in each subject area, whilst still letting the children explore their Big Question to the full.

Do the children experience a wide and engaging curriculum? Yes! From educational visits off site, to places like London Zoo, Lauderdale House and National Gallery. We are extremely fortunate to live in a city that has various educational sites that our pupils are able to visit as part of their curriculum. They also get access to in-house workshops and guests we have a partnership with Little Angel Theatre.

We have also had Healthy Living and RE workshops, the children enjoy a school day designed to engage, challenge, allow for thinking and reflection. After-school clubs, lunchtime groups, sports, music and languages are also on offer.

How do you enrich the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding, as well as their personal development, in matters of health, economics and wellbeing? The children have a programme of activities, such as assemblies, Time to think, and follow the RE syllabus SACRE. Our pupils are participating in group activities where they are placed in Houses named after mythical creatures to help promote positive attitudes and encourage our ‘Kindness and Unity’ ethos.

Curriculum Maps

Curriculum Letters

Spring Term 2019

REC Curriculum Letter Spring 2019

Year 1 Curriculum Letter Spring 2019

Year 2 Curriculum Letter Spring 2019