Curriculum Overview

Tell me and I forget, 
teach me and I may remember,
involve me and I learn.

Benjamin Franklin

In reception our curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage One and Two it follows the National Curriculum.

The curriculum at Barton Park has been designed to provide children with high-quality, rigorous and engaging learning opportunities. Enquiry and creativity are central to our curriculum and these principles are underpinned by a solid foundation in reading and a focus on developing oracy and vocabulary. 

Early reading is strong at Barton Park and given the highest priority, as reading is the key to all other learning. Phonics is taught using Read Write Inc from Reception to Year 2. When a child is a fluent reader, they move on to Master Readers. This follows a mastery approach to whole class reading comprehension and appreciation. 

We have embedded Talk for Writing into our school from nursery to year 6, ensuring the approach is used with complete fidelity across all key stages. This sustained focus on oracy boosts engagement in writing and drives improved outcomes for every child. Alongside our rich focus on spoken language and a love of stories, high-quality programmes and daily practice support pupils in mastering the 'mechanics' of writing: spelling, grammar, and handwriting.

Maths is taught using White Rose, a well respected mastery approach, and in Early Years and KS1 we use the Mastering Early Number programme, to give children confidence and achieve fluency in basic number skills before progressing to the KS1 programme of study.

Our wider curriculum is designed to build on each child’s natural curiosity and help them become enquiring, resilient and confident learners, able to communicate their ideas to both peers and adults. Our enquiry approach is built around the principle of greater learner involvement in their work; it fosters children’s curiosity and supports them in developing mastery of each subject through independent enquiry and deep thinking. 

At Barton Park Primary we adopt a subject specific curriculum to ensure excellent coverage of a broad range of subjects. History & Geography are drivers for some relevant cross curricluar links each term, and complimented by a well designed Art or Design Technology programme of study. 

Science, Computing, Music, PE, MfL (languages in KS2) and RE are taught as discrete subjects within weekly slots. PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) supports all of our work and play in school and is central to children’s growing understanding of themselves within their world. A weekly circle time and values assembly ensures children gain a practical and deep understanding of our school’s values, wider British values, and how they can embody those values in and out of school. 

Our long term curriculum maps are revisited annually, to ensure we are making use of local, national and international events as well as responding to our changing cohort of children.

Inclusion and SEND

All children are entitled to receive a high-quality education regardless of their needs or disabilities. Our universal offer is carefully designed to meet the needs of the majority of children, including those with additional needs: through quality first teaching, well-thought out classroom environments, regular routines, careful planning and adaptive teaching, we aim for all children to access the curriculum and develop their independence as learners. 

Some chidlren require additional tailored support and this will be provided over and above our universal offer. For more information, see our Inclusion pages.