Curriculum

At Manorbrook, we believe that learning should engage and inspire all pupils throughout their time at school. Our curriculum is created to be both balanced and broad, helping pupils to develop their understanding of the world around them. We encourage pupils to question what they experience and expand their factual knowledge through meaningful learning linked to real life applications and events.

Through a creative, cross curricular approach in all subjects, we provide a range of opportunities for all pupils to succeed, whatever their interests, strengths or learning styles as well as developing independent skills which will ensure they have the skills to enable them to thrive in their chosen futures as respectful, confident and responsible citizens.

In Reception children follow the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. The new Curriculum 2014 is followed at Manorbrook for Years 1-6 and consists of eleven subjects which are taught, where appropriate, through a topic based, creative approach.

The core subjects:

English
Maths
Science

Reading and phonics at KS1

At Manorbrook Primary School we believe that reading is the scaffold to all learning. When children first start school in Reception and when they move up to Year One, children ‘Learn to Read’. We draw upon Oxford Reading Tree texts which are supplemented with a number of books from different schemes and recommendations which are book banded according to National Curriculum and age expected levels. By the end of Year One and the start of Year Two, through our structured approach to the teaching of reading, children start to ‘Read to Learn’.

Phonics is taught as a way of decoding written letters and spoken sounds in the early stages of learning to read. Learning to read is like cracking a code so, by teaching phonics, we teach children to crack the code and become confident readers. At Manorbrook Primary school we use a synthetic phonics approach. We teach phonics clearly and systematically, structured in a Review, Teach, Practise and Apply format daily. The order of teaching each sound has been taken from the ‘Letters and Sounds’ programme so that children can start reading complete words as soon as possible.

In Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, children use their phonics skills to spell words as well as learning the High Frequency words (including tricky words) and Common Exception Words. As children progress through the school, they are taught spelling rules and patterns.

From Year One, all children are tested on the rules and patterns they have been taught the previous week as part of their home learning, with the expectation that they apply them in their independent writing.

From Year 2 upwards emphasis is placed on using phonics to spell and the teaching of spelling rules. To enable children to retain and apply spelling rules, rhymes are used from Read, Write Inc.

The foundation subjects:

Art and design
Computing (formerly ICT)
Design and Technology
Geography
History
Languages (compulsory in KS2)
Music
Physical Education (P.E.)

We also teach Religious Education (in line with the locally agreed syllabus) and Personal Social Health Education. (PSHE)

Coverage

Click the links below to see which aspects of the National Curriculum Programme of Study for science and the foundation subjects are taught in each class.

We are currently in the process of reviewing and reorganising our delivery of the curriculum. Updates will be published here when available.

National Curriculum