Key Stage 2
The Primary curriculum at TWAPA strives to be broad and balanced in line with the National Curriculum. That is apparent in the subjects that we deliver and why our KS2 timetable boasts English, Maths, Science, Computing, PE, PSHCE, Humanities, French, Creative Art, and Religious Education, the primary team of teachers each specialise in a small number of subjects. We are mindful of the fact that our pupils require personalised support in our school; particularly in regards to extending their range of emotional, social, and behavioural skills and achieving appropriate learning outcomes so they can be welcomed back into mainstream settings. We endeavour to help our pupils to find their love for learning again.
It is important for us to make pupils aware of the link between subjects in the curriculum to help with developing their interchangeable skills alongside modelling career behaviour to help their transition into secondary school and later into their working life too so that they are lifelong learners. It is imperative that we provide a caring, friendly, and safe environment for all KS2 pupils so that they can learn in a calm and secure atmosphere. We believe every pupil should be able to participate in all school activities that we provide to their best abilities in an enjoyable and secure environment and be protected from harm. We are a safe school and we ensure that our children learn, share, and grow together to help them become respectful and responsible citizens of the world.
For further information about our curriculum, please contact the school by email:Â admin@twapa.co.uk
English (Literacy)
At the Academy, we share the belief that our children will become articulate and imaginative communicators, capable of reading, writing, speaking, and listening at a level which allows them to gain secure competencies linked to their own abilities.
English is not only a daily taught, discrete lesson but is at the cornerstone of our entire curriculum. It is embedded within all our lessons, and we strive for a high level of English for all. Through the use of high-quality texts, we immerse our children in a challenging and stimulating, vocabulary rich learning environment. Pupils are exposed to a language heavy, creative, and continuous curriculum where reading and writing are intrinsically linked.
Baseline information will be gathered from all new pupils upon entry and will be shared to ensure that teachers can plan personalized English lessons which focus on the identified needs of each child. We recognise that each child has their own starting point upon entry and their progress is measured in line with these starting points. We celebrate all of our children’s successes from confident oral performances, to written responses as well as the ability to produce work which they themselves are proud of.
Maths (Numeracy)
At the Academy, we believe that mathematics is vital life skill that will support our children as they develop into adulthood. Within our Maths curriculum, we cover a range of topics, which are designed with relevant and practical knowledge, that allows the children to build their confidence and ability. Through fluency and problem-solving lessons, children will develop fundamentals that be applied in different ways. In addition, children will develop a deeper understanding of mathematical problems by exploring more complex conceptual problems.
A high-quality mathematics education will be able to provide a foundation to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. This programme of study will include the implementation of the KS2 national curriculum APPs. This will be alongside closing gaps on previously missed knowledge depending on the entry level that pupils arrive at our setting as well as identified gaps throughout study here. Pupils will learn and develop skills matched to their numeracy needs. Through links to the National Curriculum, pupils will become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. Â
Science
The main aim of The Whitley AP Academy Science programme at KS2 is to develop scientific engagement, curiosity, and literacy. The programme is designed to allow pupils to enjoy science using real and accessible examples. The learning is put into a real-world context developed to raise the cultural capital of our pupils using local, as well as world examples. This will in return develop a scientific curiosity for the world in which the children live.
Pupils will work cross-curricular with Geography, PSHCE, Maths, PE, and Food Technology as further examples of real-life experiences. By using real-life and contextual examples in the curriculum, children’s working memory and improved long-term retention of key ideas and concepts will become embedded.
The Science curriculum is designed to teach our children to challenge their own ideas about science and to reflect on learning. The curriculum seeks to raise the profile of science for the children and to help them understand the value of science in their lives and the lives of others. In addition, children will understand that science is relevant to them and that a greater understanding of the scientific method will benefit them in their adult lives.
Computing
The aims of the curriculum are to provide a high-quality computing education that equips pupils to use a range of ICT skills and develop their creativity in relation to computing. We aim to teach transferable skills that the children will be able to use as they progress into adulthood.
Computing has links with mathematics, science and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems, and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. During computing lessons, children will also learn how to stay safe online, the importance of internet safety and how to use a range of devices safely.
The Computing curriculum is designed to enhance pupils’ computing skills by providing the opportunity to use different software packages. We aim to increase each pupil’s confidence when using ICT programmes and software. Subsequently improving research skills, hand and eye coordination, reading, and working more independently.Â
Physical Education (PE)
The purpose of Physical Education (PE) at the Academy is to provide pupils with a broad, balanced, and inclusive PE curriculum, enabling learners to develop their skills in several sports and activities. We recognise the importance that PE and sport can have in promoting long-term healthy lifestyles and making a positive impact on physical, mental, and social health.
The PE curriculum is to provide pupils with high quality PE lessons, where pupils can achieve success in a range of roles whether that be as a player, leader or official. We strive to inspire our pupils through fun and engaging PE lessons that are challenging, accessible and enjoyable. One of the main purposes of PE is the reinforcement of all aspects of good citizenship and reiterating the key British values; fair play, responsibility, cooperation, sharing, honesty, and other virtues are strongly stressed.
We do not take for granted the lack of cultural capital available to some of our pupils in regard to the exposure they will have had to different sports. Therefore, we find it important to build our curriculum around a game-based approach where our pupils learn and develop their skills through accessing various sports from different disciplines including striking and fielding, net and wall and invasion games.
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)
The PSCHE curriculum is a key component that builds foundations for the children to develop into well-rounded members of society, who can leave their education with the culture capital needed to succeed in the world of work, their career and life. This means that they will work towards accumulating knowledge, behaviours, and skills to draw upon that demonstrates a pupil’s cultural awareness, knowledge, and competence.
As part of their lessons, children will work towards learning to identify, celebrating, and managing the many personal, economic, and social challenges they may face not only at school but also in their futures. Pupils will be encouraged to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to the provision. They will also be encouraged to celebrate their achievements while recognising and discussing their feelings, developing new vocabulary to help them to describe these feelings; those that they are experiencing as well as what others are feeling. They will work towards using their own ideas and justify their opinions about strategies on how they would keep themselves safe in dangerous situations. They will independently identify healthy foods and create a healthy meal plan.
Pupils will be taught that they cannot control the behaviours of others and how to respond respectfully and appropriately to the feelings and reactions of others practise listening and responding in an appropriate way to the opinions of others. They will be taught about community cohesion and how to embrace each other’s differences in society. Pupils will work towards sensitively discussing what we can identify as bullying and how to deal with this. They will work towards discussing the ‘laws of the land’ and why we need to have these. They will work towards beginning to investigate how they will work towards managing their money as they progress onto the next stages of their lives. Through these sessions, pupils will work towards acquiring and extending the knowledge and skills they need as they and their communities grow and change, for them to lead successful lives after the primary phase of their education.
Humanities
At the Academy, a high-quality humanities education will be delivered to teach pupils about the world in which they live and how it has changed over time. Our Humanities curriculum focuses on acquiring facts and knowledge as well as developing historical and geographical skills. It will teach pupils about larger global concepts to help broaden their understanding of the world around them. Our humanities education will help to provide a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives as well as gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past too.
Through the teaching of National Curriculum History and Geography topics, we aim to enable our pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world and inspire pupils’ curiosity. They will develop a sense of place, whilst exploring, investigating, and understanding the man-made and natural processes that impact on our planet. We aim to equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. We want our children to gain confidence and practical experiences of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time. Our ambition is for pupils to become equipped to be able to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. We want pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time. The Humanities curriculum provides identity, improves decision-making and judgement, alongside developing a sense of chronology.Â
French
During the teaching of languages at the Academy, pupils will be taught to listen attentively to the spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding to familiar words and phrases. They will explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words to taught examples. Pupils will engage in conversations through asking and answering questions while expressing opinions and responding to questions that others ask.
They will seek clarification and help with pronunciation and intonation and will have the opportunity to speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases, and basic language structures that they have developed throughout this scheme of work. Pupils will develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases. They will present ideas and information orally to peers in class as well as build their confidence to present to others around school. Pupils will read carefully and show understanding of a range of words, phrases, and simple written pieces. They will appreciate stories, songs, poems, and rhymes in the language while broadening their vocabulary and developing their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary.
Pupils will write phrases from memory and adapt these to create new sentences that help to express their ideas clearly. They will describe people, places, things, and actions orally and in written form that demonstrates their understanding of basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied. Â
Creative Art
The Creative Arts curriculum is design to allow the children experience different forms of art and inspire creative thinking. The curriculum will engage, inspire, and challenge pupils while equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own work. Our Creative Art curriculum will strive to provide pupils with opportunities to develop their skills using a range of media and materials. The pupils will be given opportunities to develop and extend their creativity and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thought and ideas. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art, design technology, music and performing arts. They will learn a broad spectrum of skills including sketching, cooking, sculpting, performing, joining materials and components of music.
Children will be introduced to a range of works and develop knowledge of the styles and vocabulary used by famous artists and performers. The skills they acquire will allow them to use their creative skills to reflect on and explore topics in greater depth; using creative art as a medium to express emotion and thought to enhance their personal, social, and emotional development. It is paramount that artwork be purposeful; be this as a means of expression or to explore the styles of other artists that inspire the pupils’ own work. Pupils should be clear what the intended outcomes are and have a means to measure their own work against this.
In all areas of creative art, pupils are expected to be reflective and evaluate their work, thinking about how they can make changes and keep improving. This should be meaningful and continuous throughout the process, with evidence of age-related verbal and written refection. Pupils will be encouraged to take risks and experiment and then reflect on why some ideas and techniques are successful or not for a project.Â
Culture and Belief
The aim of the Culture and Belief curriculum is to provide a broad and balanced understanding of the key areas of ‘Believing and Belonging’. It aims to ensure that it reflects the local population as well as understanding the world’s major faiths and beliefs to provide pupils with the skills and knowledge to live in a diverse and multi-faith society.
Our curriculum aims to enable children to develop an understanding of religions and worldviews. There will be depth of study, focusing on Christianity, Islam, and non-religious perspectives alongside a breadth of learning which includes a general understanding of the other key world faiths.
We will nurture pupils’ awareness of the treasury of diversity as well as explore sensitive questions about religious beliefs. In addition to this, we will challenge the many different views on faith and cultural differences that can be presented in society. We strive to broaden our children’s perspectives and encourage tolerance, including that of spirituality. Overall, we hope to develop pupils who are positive, participating citizens of the world.
