Our Curriculum
What do we want our children to know and do?
At Ludworth Primary School, we intend to provide a curriculum that, while being true to the National Curriculum revision of 2014, is relevant to our children and bespoke to meet their needs. We know our children and our area very well and so we understand that they need:
| Our bespoke curriculum aims | Desired outcomes for children |
| To develop spoken language with an emphasis on speaking in full sentences, using standard English and a wide range of appropriate vocabulary, including technical vocabulary. An emphasis on vocabulary will support children in their reading comprehension and in the effectiveness of their writing. |
By the end of their time in our school, children will be able to speak fluently, in a range of contexts to a range of audiences, using standard English and a range of vocabulary. |
| To develop reading skills and a love of reading. |
Children read fluently across a range of genre with excellent levels of comprehension. They love to engage in reading for pleasure. |
| To develop writing skills. |
Children can write fluently for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts. |
| Our children thrive on experiential learning, including learning outdoors, having visitors into school and taking part in educational visits. They enjoy being engaged in active learning activities and this style of learning promotes good outcomes for them. |
By the end of their time in our school, children will have developed a love of learning through a wide range of learning experiences. |
| Our children need to develop an understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle, including taking part in regular exercise to increase fitness levels and developing an understanding of healthy eating. | By the end of their time in our school, children will understand how to keep themselves fit and healthy. |
| We want our children to continuously improve their understanding of what it is to grow up and live in our region, our country, Europe and the wider world. | By the end of their time in our school, children are developing their understanding of becoming a positive citizen of the area, country and wider world and the responsibilities they have alongside that. |
| We use TREDU’s Gem Project to develop good behaviour for learning. Including Diamond Power where children are encouraged to take responsibility for solving their own problems, Emerald Power to encourage resilience when learning is challenging, Amethyst and Topaz power to encourage collaborative learning both in pairs and groups, Ruby power to take joy from your own and your friends’ achievements and Sapphire power to learn to ignore those ‘monster distractions’. We believe that developing these behaviours can positively influence children’s mental wellbeing and support them through all stages of their lives. In addition to this, we take part in the Happy Centred Schools project to further support children's mental health and wellbeing. |
By the end of their time in our school, children will demonstrate positive learning behaviours to help them in their future education. They will have developed resilience to help with their mental health and well-being. |
| We understand that being a child in the modern day can be stressful. So that the valuable life lessons of co-operation, collaboration and communication through play are not lost once the children leave EYFS, we plan carefully for play during playtimes for all children from Reception up to Y6. This involves an approach called OPAL (outdoor play and learning) and the school has a Platinum Award in this as a result of undertaking a two-year project. | By the end of their time in our school children will have developed excellent co-operation, collaboration and communication skills through open ended play. |
| Throughout our school day, we strive to ensure that there is no inequality of experience caused by being either a ‘have’ or a ‘have not’. To this end, we have Poverty Proofed our school day with a charity called Children North East. This ethos runs through every decision making, planning process in the whole school. From strategic decision making by the Governing Body to planning of lessons and excursions by the teachers. |
Throughout their time in our school, there should be no perceptible difference between children of different economic backgrounds. By the end of their time in our school, children should not see disadvantage in their economic background as a barrier to future success. |
| To plan for children’s future financial security by ensuring that they are introduced to a range of employment opportunities. |
Children will have a knowledge of a variety of employment opportunities so that they can think about what interests them and work towards a goal in secondary school. |
Off Curriculum Weeks
Here at Ludworth Primary, we also believe that it is important to respond to major events and current issues. In order to address this, we allow a maximum of four weeks every year where our curriculum varies from our planning. Despite this variance, all activities are carefully planned to meet school priorities and to enhance key learning. For example, we have studied a whole school history topic on powerful and influential women. We have also linked World Book Day with Science Week and worked on a whole school fortnight of current environmental issues and associated literature. We feel that this element of our work is very important to help children to understand their place in the world around them and how their choices can influence change.
How are National Curriculum subject areas taught at Ludworth Primary?
This table provides a very brief glimpse of some of the ideas and resources behind our curriculum development. For more detailed information, please look at the documentation attached at the foot of this page.
| Subject | How it's taught |
| Reading and Phonics |
Success for All (SFA) – using whole novels to progress skills in reading on a daily basis. The SFA programme runs from Reception to Y6 and the early stages include the systematic teaching and learning of synthetic phonics. Please click here to find out more about our phonics programme. SFA Phonics KS2 extra reading – Accelerated Reader is completed for half an hour every day. |
| Writing |
Daily writing lessons, linked to quality literature and possibly using a stimulus such as ‘Literacy Shed’ video clips or Forest Schools work. A balance of writing genre is planned throughout the year and National Curriculum programmes of study are referenced for spelling and grammar work, as well as composition and transcription. Cross curricular writing is linked to topic work and planned into the curriculum as often as possible. Handwriting: Teachers use Letterjoin resources and the school follows the Letterjoin handwriting policy. Forms and joins are expressly taught and then practised, often using the spelling patterns children are working on. Spelling: Rules and patterns are taught with reference to National Curriculum Expectations using Read Write Inc. Spelling. Subject specific vocabulary is emphasised through other subjects and the correct spelling of these words is taught. |
| Maths |
At Ludworth we use the mastery model of teaching maths. We follow White Rose small steps planning. Each class has a wide range of concrete resources to support this style of learning, where children use concrete, pictorial and then abstract approaches to maths. Children will work on their fluency within each concept, will develop reasoning skills around their maths and will solve problems. |
| Geography, History, Art / Design, Design Technology and Science | In school we use the Focus Learning Challenge curriculum to support these areas of learning. This allows children to become engrossed in questions about topic areas and they find answers and develop knowledge through a wide range of learning experiences. |
| IT and Computing | In Ludworth we have a good quality range of IT equipment to support children's learning in this area. To ensure computing knowledge and skills are progressive throughout the school, teachers plan using Purple Mash schemes of work and resources. Some learning in this area is planned through other curriculum lessons so that children can apply their computing knowledge in a purposeful way. |
| PE | To ensure progression in this area, teachers use MoveIt resources from Twinkl. Learning is carefully sequenced for maximum learning opportunities and development of knowledge and skills. PE is further supplemented through engagement with specialist coaches and sports providers. |
| RE | This follows the Durham Agreed Syllabus.
Our RE curriculum develops children’s knowledge and understanding of Christianity and of other principal religions. Children develop their knowledge and understanding of religion through the four RE concepts:
Children are encouraged to think critically by using reason to analyse, evaluate and give opinions. |
| Music | All children at certain points in their school career have access to some professional music tuition using the Durham Music Service. Teachers use a resource called Charanga to ensure that learning in music is progressive, practical and correctly pitched in line with the expectations of the National Curriculum. |
| French | Key Stage 2 children access lessons in French. This learning is supported using the National Curriculum expectations and a scheme written by Durham Local Authority which ensures that learning is progressive. |
| PSHCE including Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education |
Our school is part of a project called Happy Centred Schools. This uses a Philosophy for Children approach to tackling key issues throughout the year under the themes of:
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The curriculum documentation below gives a clear view of exactly what is being taught in each subject area. Our school Medium Term Plans detail how our more bespoke curriculum aims are integrated. If you would like further information about our school curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact the school and ask for an appointment to talk to Mrs Crosby (Executive Head Teacher), who is curriculum lead.