We are providing a Curriculum based on our Motto of Loved, Valued, Challenged that is rooted in Gospel values, Catholic Social Teaching principles, is knowledge rich and ambitious for all our learners. Our new curriculum follows seven themes that will allow our children to develop deeper knowledge and understanding in as they progress through each year group. On each Class Pages you will find a class newsletter outlining what your children will be learning each term – please have a look at these and see how you can support at home! If you would like any further information about our school curriculum, please contact our Headteacher, Mrs McNamara.
In art, pupils will learn about some of the most significant pieces of art that have been created and the artists that created them. They will also learn how to producIe their own pieces of art in a range of different forms. We place great emphasis on teaching pupils to draw with a structured drawing programme in KS2 that builds up children’s skills over time. We ensure pupils have lots of chance to practice the basics so that they are able to use their knowledge to create their own pieces of art at the end of a unit of study.
We have recently started using Kapow for our scheme of work in Art and Design.
As we are a Catholic school, it is important that we aim to develop our children’s Cultural Capital and Religious Literacy by each class studying a piece of religious art. This includes works of art from Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Rembrandt.
At Holy Cross we are very passionate about the environment and want to teach our children about becoming responsible citizens who care for God’s creation and our beautiful world. This is explored through our curriculum theme of ‘Conservation‘.
At Holy Cross we are very passionate about the environment and want to teach our children about becoming responsible citizens who care for God’s creation and our beautiful world. Children learn further about their local school environment during Forest School sessions, and this is explored through our curriculum theme of:
‘Conservation‘.
We are also passionate about supporting our children’s mental health and well-being and we believe that access to Forest School provision has many benefits linked to this. Research has shown that children can benefit in a multitude of ways ranging from confidence to social, emotional, intellectual, physical and language development (Murray & O’Brien, 2005). This supports our curriculum theme of:
Keeping Safe and Healthy.’
Case studies have shown children can:
Develop self-regulation skills.
Cope with and learn from failure.
Build resilience (the skill of coping with risk and failure).
Gain a sense of achievement.
Increase motivation and concentration.
Improve problem solving.
Expand their vocabulary and communication skills.
Feel empowered and have new perspectives.
Build positive relationships with adults and peers.
Have overall improved wellbeing and mental health.
At Holy Cross Primary School, we use White Rose Maths schemes of learning, and a modified version of their resources in order to provide a comprehensive and expertly designed journey though the world of Mathematics. White Rose is based on a small steps approach that keeps all learners together. By using the resources across the school we can ensure consistency of the mathematical elements and comprehensive coverage of the curriculum. We believe that this approach will facilitate consistent delivery of Mathematics across the school and across the inevitable ability range within year groups. It is also designed to support mathematicians who require more time and visual representation to grasp fundamental concepts and those who require challenging further to achieve Greater Depth.
White Rose Resources support us to provide:
• CPA (Concrete / Pictorial / Abstract) representations.
• Variation (Procedural / Conceptual).
• Logical and effective small steps.
• Vocabulary.
• Manipulative usage.
White Rose resources support:
• All learners through a whole class learning approach.
• EYFS stage learning.
• Visual representation designed to show concepts clearly.
• Re-visiting of concepts.
• Bar models and PPW models for problem solving.
• Clear progression of calculation.
• Fluency of calculation and concept with ‘Flashback 4’ questions
Manipulatives are:
• Used purposefully and appropriately.
• They are available for appropriate lessons – this builds a mental picture of a mathematical concept.
• Manipulative use develops through concepts as the learner moves from EYFS to Y6 White Rose uses the Teaching for Mastery model as illustrated below. This has been developed by the NCETM NCETM ‘Teaching for mastery’
The children have access to learn a number of instrument in school. In Year 2 and 3, the children have a weekly singing session with Mr Davis and children from Year 4 upwards have an hours music lesson learning an instrument.
Please click on the documents below to see the session plans for the Lent Term for Year 2 and 3.
We recognise the importance of PE and the crucial role it has to play in developing healthy lifestyles and a lifelong habit of physical activity. Our pupils participate in a range of team sports inside and outside school and we aim to develop their skills further as well as their ability to be team players, gracious in both victory and defeat. We recognise that sport and physical activity has a huge impact on well-being and self-esteem and seek to ensure that PE both inside and outside school is accessible to all our pupils.
At Holy Cross, we use and follow the Val Sabin units of work for our PE Curriculum.
Our CEO, James McGeachie, came to look at our Rainbow Retreat which will be used for ELSA sessions as well as being a retreat to focus on our Personal Social Health Education.
Our Curriculum Leaders
We work together as a team and hold assemblies to teach the children, support our teachers, as well as Mrs McNamara, with our Curriculum.
Our School Guinea Pigs
We always work together to either clean out, look after, and read to Ginger. We have rota, and show team work when we clean out the cages and replenish the food and water. We also have a new guinea pig, since the passing of Pebbles, called Kevin.
Working and playing together in The Forest Kingdom
Pupils work collaboratively to develop their research, communication and critical thinking skills. We encourage curiosity about natural phenomena and encourage our pupils to ask questions about the world around them. We ensure all children are exposed to high-quality science teaching and a range of learning experiences.
Science teaching is carefully sequenced to ensure a clear progression of substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge. Each lesson is designed to explore and build on children’s prior knowledge. This allows for misconceptions to be addressed effectively.
The disciplinary knowledge builds progressively to enable children to work scientifically. The substantive knowledge builds progressively to develop children’s understanding of concepts, models, laws and theories.
From September 2020, we will be following the Sounds-Write Phonic programme. This programme has been selected because it ensures that children develop their phonic understanding in a coherent and systematic way. There is direct teaching of phonics using this programme from Reception upwards. Children in Key Stage Two will receive additional phonics support if they did not pass the screening check in Year 1 or the re-take in Year 2. Children who are still developing their phonic knowledge take home a phonetically decodable book matched closely to their phonics phase. It is one of our school priorities that our children develop confidence in phonics to enable them to become confident readers and writers. You can find additional information here https://www.sounds-write.co.uk/
We highly recommend parents to complete this Sounds-Write course for parents of children aged 4-6. This will help to ensure that parents are supporting with the teaching of phonics the same way that we are in school. It will help support your child to become effective readers and writers. https://www.udemy.com/course/help-your-child-to-read-and-write/
It is important at Holy Cross, that the children have a good understanding of what they are reading, so therefore can talk about the story, predict endings, answer questions and use inference and relate to personal experiences. Reading is a priority at Holy Cross Primary. Staff communicate frequently with parents via the children’s reading records and through Class Dojo. Staff support parents by posting videos about reading on their newsfeed. They also promote reading by sharing home learning experiences in the class. Every teacher promotes reading by giving rewards for regular reading at home. Children receive, stickers, certificates, and prizes for reading often. We also have close links with Hucknall Library and visit the library every term. The school promote the reading challenges that are run by the library and the children that participate are celebrated in whole school assemblies. In line with our motto, we would like children to have a love of books, value reading materials and challenge themselves to read frequently.
At Holy Cross, we have a large selection of books throughout school from a variety of authors and genres. Books at Holy Cross are grouped according to their complexity and each class has a mixture of reading materials suitable to the children that are in those classes. In Key Stage 1 children receive three books. The first book is phonetically decodable which links to the phonics level being taught in the class. The second book is from the colour bands, featuring repeated texts. These books allow the children to read many high frequency words and explore more challenging vocabulary. The third book is a library book. Parents and cares are asked to read the library book aloud to their child. This supports building a love of stories and many other texts. Children hear interesting vocabulary and enjoy listening to character voices. This approach fosters a love of reading and ensures a rounded experience.
Teachers and teaching assistants listen to each child read at least once a week. The child’s reading ability is closely monitored by staff to ensure each child is making the expected level of progress. Lunchtime staff, students and parent helpers also listen to children for an additional read where possible. Children who are not making the expected level of progress are targeted by the class teacher and booster strategies are put in place. Children in Key Stage 2 also have allocated book colours and are regularly checked to ensure they are reading at the correct level.
We have places available in our current Reception/FS2 class. Visits are warmly welcome to our school, appointments are not required.
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