Coppice Rise
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG1 2DP

01423 562650

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Harrogate, a Voluntary Academy

"Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

The Curriculum at St Joseph’s

We have further developed our school curriculum for 2023-2024 to ensure it is broad and balanced across all subjects and the focus of the children’s learning is relevant to the world in which they live in today! Learning focuses on our local, national and international communities, highlighting particular issues relevant to the age of the children and their understanding.

The curriculum at St. Joseph’s is organised in accordance with the National Curriculum laid down in the Education Reform Act 1988 and the new National Primary Curriculum 2014, although its basis remains that Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in our Catholic school.

Curriculum Policy 2023-2024

National Primary Curriculum

Personal Development

As part of our Personal Development offer we have created a Personal Development Knowledge Map for each year group which includes PSHE, RHE and Character Education.

Reception Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 1)

Y1 Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 2)

Y2 Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 2)

Y3 Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 2)

Y4 Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 1)

Y5 Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 2)

Y6 Personal Development Knowledge Map (Autumn 1)

You can also find below the long term curriculum plans for each year group and subject specific information such as knowledge and skill progression maps for each area of the curriculum.

Reception Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

Year 1 Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

Year 2 Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

Year 3 Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

Year 4 Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

Year 5 Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

Year 6 Curriculum Long Term Plan 2023 to 2024

The broad and balanced curriculum at St. Joseph’s is designed to incorporate Ofsted's working definition of curriculum, being:
“A framework for setting out the aims of a programme of education, including the knowledge and understanding to be gained at each stage (intent)…
…for translating that framework over time into a structure and narrative, within an institutional context (implementation)…
…and for evaluating what knowledge and understanding pupils have gained against expectations (impact).” Ofsted March 2018.

Intent:

Our intent is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all our pupils. Teachers receive ongoing CPD in key areas of curriculum change to provide outstanding curriculum provision. Topics across all subjects have been designed to complement and build on one another with clear progression and links, so that in subsequent years, children will be able to explore concepts deeper, applying their knowledge in different contexts to learn more and remember more.

Our school has links with all primary schools within the Trust and we are making more links with our local schools and community organisations/charities.

Implementation:

Our curriculum has been designed to encompass knowledge and understanding of the world in which we live, and also the events that have shaped it in the past to make it what it is today. We are particularly proud of the respect and care that our children show for one another, the environment and the community around us.

Impact:

The curriculum is taught with the consideration of the needs of all our learners. Our curriculum is exciting and inspires children to nurture a passion for learning. Our timetables evidence that slots beyond English and Maths are dedicated to our purpose.

 At St Joseph's we, 

  • teach children to be numerate, literate and independent learners.

  • show children that learning is purposeful and pleasurable.

  • encourage the children to be self-disciplined, courteous and co-operative.

  • make each child self-confident and emotionally secure through achievement.

The curriculum is everything that the child experiences during his/her time in school. It includes those aspects that are difficult to quantify - play, assemblies, and social relationships - as well as the teaching/learning situation in class time. 

Key Skills

The following skills have been deemed ‘key skills’ in the revised National Curriculum:

  • communication

  • application of number

  • information technology

  • working with others

  • improving own learning and performance

  • problem-solving

Our school believes that all children need to make good progress in these skill areas in order to develop to their true potential. 

From September 2020 we have taught the statutory Relationships, Health and Sex Education, using the CES and Diocesan recommended ‘ Life to the Full’ resource.

The Curriculum is made up of Religious Education (core subject) plus the National Curriculum of three core subjects: English, Maths and Science, and eight foundation subjects: Computing, History, Geography, Design Technology, Languages (French), Music, Art and Design and Physical Education.

In addition to this we also incorporate  Personal, Social and Health Education and Mental Health and Wellbeing throughout the curriculum. The children in Year 4 and Year 6 receive swimming tuition at the Hydro.

The children in Y5 do drama in the autumn term, performing a pantomime/Christmas themed performance in December.

The children in Y4, in the spring term, performing the Easter story for families.

The children in Y6 do drama in the summer term, performing to families at the end of the school years h a KS2 also have drama lessons on a termly rota basis. 

Reception do a Nativity performance for school and their families and Y1 and Y2 also all do a Nativity performance for school and families.

We believe in offering a broad, balanced curriculum, which gives time for each subject area - delivered in a variety of different ways, respecting the three different learning styles. Class, group and individual teaching/learning situations are all used according to the children's needs.