The Curriculum at Tiptree Heath Primary School
Click here to view our Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact Document
The aim of Tiptree Heath’s curriculum is to provide opportunities for the children to develop as independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations and who know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society.
The curriculum at Tiptree Heath Primary School was created with the following drivers: Knowledge of the World; Communication; Creativity; Aspiration; Wellbeing and Community. These are important to us as we want all of our children to be the best they can be and make a positive contribution to the world they live in. We recognise that a curriculum has to be broad, balanced and offer pupils opportunities to grow as individuals as well as learners. We recognise that pupils should be challenged; learning from failures and celebrating successes. We intend for our curriculum to be empowering, enabling pupils to communicate well, develop creativity and independence.
Our curriculum puts the child at the centre, where positive relationships, based on mutual trust and respect are at the heart of everything we do. Our curriculum has been designed to take into account the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
and the Primary National Curriculum. It provides our children with enriching experiences, immersing them in progressive knowledge and skills and equipping them with characteristics to succeed in life.
This is in line with our Equality, and Diversity Inclusion Policy which you can find on our policies page.
Wellbeing, Community, Knowledge of the World, Aspirations, Communication and Creativity underpin our Curriculum. See Our Curriculum Drivers.
To see the curriculum by year group, please visit the class pages and click on the link. See Key Stage Curriculum Overviews below.
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
Key Stage One Curriculum Overview
Key Stage Two Curriculum Overview
Click to see our Curriculum Expectations as part of The Eveleigh LINK Academy Trust.
For more information about our curriculum, please talk to your child's class teacher or contact our school admin.
Subject Intents
(click on the blue links to find out about our curriculum)
The children are taught through modelling to draw, paint, sculpt and develop other art, craft and design techniques using a range of materials.
Lessons encourage children to be creative, explore their ideas and record their work through first hand experiences.
They have opportunities to evaluate and analyse their work and the work of great artists and designers.
Art Policy Art Progression Document
The Computing Curriculum Overview
In line with the 2014 National Curriculum for Computing, our aim is to provide a high-quality computing education, which equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. The curriculum will teach children key knowledge about how computers and computer systems work, and how they are designed and programmed.
By the time they leave Tiptree Heath Primary School, children will have gained key knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum:
- computer science (programming and understanding how digital systems work)
- information technology (using computer systems to store, retrieve and send information)
- digital literacy (evaluating digital content and using technology safely and respectfully).
The objectives within each strand support the development of learning across the key stages, ensuring a solid grounding for future learning and beyond.
Computing Policy Online Safety Policy Computing Progression Document
Children are encouraged to independently design products with a purpose in mind following research of historical and current techniques.
They are taught to select appropriate tools and use these safely to achieve their desired effect.
Evaluation of their own work is vital in order that they learn from their mistakes and grow through this process.
Cooking and food preparation and discussion around healthy lifestyles form a part of DT at Tiptree Heath.
DT Policy DT Progression Document
The Geography Curriculum Overview
Children enjoy learning about the world and different cultures through geographical themes.
Key skills e.g mapping and field work are developed through knowledge of the local area of Tiptree and the wider world.
Human and physical geography are explored and compared in detail.
Geography Policy Geography Progression Document
The History Curriculum Overview
The History curriculum at Tiptree Heath Primary School makes use of resources within the immediate and wider local area enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality.
Topics are informed by the national curriculum and are sensitive to children’s understanding of chronology, as well as the context of the local area. The History curriculum is planned and structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and that the school’s approaches are informed by current pedagogy. In line with the National Curriculum 2014, the curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
- gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world which helps to stimulate pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past
- are encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, scrutinise arguments, and develop perspective and judgement
- understand and can communicate historically about the chronology of taught events or periods in time
History Policy History Progression Document
Children are taught to become confident and competent mathematicians who can show understanding using different representations, solve problems, explain their reasoning and apply their learning across a range of contexts and curriculum areas.
Key skills are built on, practised and consolidated in order to achieve fluency.
Our approach to the teaching of mathematics develops children’s ability to work independently and collaboratively, taking risks, making connections and building a rich mathematical vocabulary.
Maths Policy Maths Progression Document Mental Maths Progression Document
The Modern Foreign Language Curriculum Overview
Children develop language skills through games, songs and rhymes and practical activities, both orally and written.
At Tiptree Heath Primary School, French is the focus language. Children are encouraged to communicate verbally in pairs, small groups and whole class.
Children learn vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures while developing accurate pronunciation.
MFL Policy MFL Progression Document
Throughout the school year, children are able to perform to outside audiences (examples include the Christmas carol service; summer production; class assemblies; music festivals and more).
Children listen to, appreciate and describe different genres of music, using the different dimensions of music.
Children are able to compose, perform and evaluate musical compositions. All children have the opportunity to play musical instruments.
Through Essex Music Services we provide specialist instrumental lessons.
Music Policy Music Progression Document
Children are empowered to make healthy life-style choices and given equal opportunities to take part in physical activity, in a range of sports.
The children are inspired to challenge themselves and set goals to achieve through participating in a range of sports. Opportunities are regularly provided for teams of children across the school to take part in local events, competitions and tournaments and at county level.
In swimming, all children are given the opportunity to develop survival skills, confidence and competence in the water.
PE Policy PE Progression Document
At Tiptree Heath Primary School, PSHE enables our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society.
It encourages them to understand how they develop personally and socially and explores moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up.
Children learn about rights and responsibilities of society and how their behaviour can affect this.
The children are taught about the British Values throughout the curriculum, including practically, through voting for their own representatives. The chosen class representatives get involved with regular meetings discussing ways to improve the environment and school experiences.
The children are encouraged to play a positive role in contributing to school and the wider community.
PSHE Policy PSHE Progression Document
Religious Education (RE) plays a fundamental part in understanding, appreciating and responding to the world in which we live. We follow the Essex SACRE guidance and the Essex agreed RE syllabus (exploRE), which provides a rich curriculum that helps to shape pupils’ own development, beliefs, values and culture. RE lessons enable each child to develop respect for the religious and cultural differences of others and contribute to a cohesive and compassionate society. Differences in beliefs, traditions and cultures are portrayed positively. Children are encouraged to develop empathy, generosity and compassion for all groups of people.
RE Policy RE Progression Document
The Reading Curriculum Overview
Throughout the school, children are provided with a range of opportunities to develop a love of reading. In early reading, the children are taught phonics following the Little Wandle phonics scheme. Children are encouraged to use key skills including phonetic decoding and comprehension strategies to develop their understanding of a text. Phonetically decodable books are carefully matched and used alongside our reading scheme in Key Stage 1. Collins Reading Scheme is also used in KS2 along with age-appropriate chapter books to both build on reading skills and foster enjoyment in reading.
A love of reading is promoted through library visits, author visits, book fairs and reading events. Children enjoy a range of authors and varied reading materials. Children take part in regular OTTER time (Our Time To Enjoy Reading) across all year groups. Enjoyment of quality texts is shared through focused reading groups, individual and whole class sessions.
Reading Policy Phonics Policy Reading Progression Document Have a look at our Phonics page.
The Science Curriculum Overview
At Tiptree Heath, science involves children asking and answering questions. Science teaching and learning is fun, engaging and practical.
It frequently takes place outside the classroom and involves exploring and investigating ideas that are exciting and relevant to learners and their wider world.
The importance of collaboration in science is recognised and a range of wider opportunities outside of the classroom are offered to pupils. The value of resilience, and learning through mistakes and self-led investigation is encouraged and celebrated.
Children are proud to make good progress with science in every session.
Science Policy Science skills progression document Enquiry types progression EYFS PLAN matrices
The Writing Curriculum Overview
At Tiptree Heath Primary School we believe that a quality English curriculum should develop children’s love of reading (see separate policy), writing and discussion. We believe that a secure basis in English skills is crucial to a high quality education.
We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and use discussion to communicate and further their learning.
We believe that the ability to write with confidence and accuracy is an essential life skill. Writing is a complicated process, drawing on the ability to communicate ideas, information and opinions in a range of contexts. Successful writers understand the characteristics of writing in a range of genres matched to audience and purpose. They also understand and apply handwriting, spelling and punctuation skills and we aim to achieve these throughout our curriculum.
Our writing curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
1. acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language,
2. appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage,
3. write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences,
4. use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas,
5. are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
Writing Policy Writing Progression Document Speaking and Listening Progression Document
Handwriting Scheme Year 2 to 6 Supporting Handwriting at Home
For further information, you may find it useful to view the following documents:
Parents Guide to the Early Years Framework
What to Expect When - Parents Guide to Early Years
Learning to Read Through Phonics
Tiptree Heath Primary School - KS2 Reading Comprehension Booklet
Tiptree Heath Primary School - Calculation Policy
Clubs
We aim to run after school clubs run every term for children in Key Stage one and Key Stage two, for example: football, netball and cookery.
Sports coaches have also regularly come into school to work with our children to develop their skills.