Foundation Subjects
Our curriculum is broad, balanced and meets the requirements of the national curriculum. It has a project-based, thematic approach and provides children with a range of rich and memorable learning experiences.
The foundation subjects – history, geography, design and technology, art and design and music – are integrated into each project and provide enrichment across the curriculum. The following links show curriculum coverage of each subject for each year group.
Art and Design
The art and design projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s skills and knowledge of visual elements, art forms, artists and art movements. Projects are placed alongside other subject projects where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections. For example, Beautiful Botanicals has been placed in the same teaching sequence as the science project Plant Nutrition and Reproduction. In Key Stage 1, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Mixing Colours in Year1 and Exploring Colours in Year 2). Teaching these projects enables children to be introduced to and then revisit colour mixing and the colour wheel with plentiful opportunities for the children to explore primary and secondary colours and hues. In Lower Key Stage 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Colour Theory in Year 3 and Warm and Cool Colours in Year 4). Teaching these projects enables children to build on their
previous understanding of colour and further develop their expertise by studying tertiary, analogous and complementary colours with many opportunities for the children to explore warm and cool colours .In Upper Key Stage 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Colour in Landscapes in Year 5 and Colour and Style in Year 6). Teaching these projects enables children to build on their previous understanding of colour theory and develop further expertise with colour by studying tints, shades
and tones and more complex colour palettes. Throughout the art and design scheme, there is complete coverage of all national curriculum programmes of study.
Design Technology
The design and technology projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s designing, planning, making and evaluating skills.
Each project is based around a design and technology subject focus of structures, mechanisms, cooking and nutrition or textiles. The design and technology curriculum’s electronic systems and IT monitoring and control elements are explicitly taught in our science projects to ensure the links between the subjects are highlighted. Where possible, meaningful links to other areas of the curriculum have been made. For example, the cooking and nutrition project Eat the Seasons is taught alongside the geography project Sow, Grow and Farm. All the projects follow a structure where children are introduced to key concepts and build up knowledge and skills over time, using a more comprehensive range of equipment and building, cutting, joining, finishing and cooking
techniques as they progress through school. All projects contain focused, practical tasks in the Develop stage to help children gain the knowledge and skills needed to complete their Innovate tasks independently. Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, children build up their knowledge and understanding of the iterative design process. They design, make, test and evaluate their products to match specific design criteria and ensure they fit their purpose. Throughout the projects, children are taught to work hygienically and safely.
ICT and computing
The core skills of ICT are taught as a discrete programme across school. However, other elements of the computing curriculum are integrated into the curriculum as part of project work. These include e-safety, digital publication and presentation, research, data handling and the use of digital media.
Languages- French
At St Mary’s we teach French to all children in Key stage 2 (Years 3-6). We believe that language skills as well as an awareness and understanding of other cultures broaden our outlook and helps us appreciate the similarities and differences between ourselves and others. French is taught following the Language Angels scheme of learning. Lessons focus initially on speaking and listening skills and progress to children writing some basic words and phrases. Introducing children to foreign languages at primary school encourages an interest and helps to develop a strong foundation in learning language, which they take with them as they move onto secondary school. Below is an overview of the topics the children will learn over the year. The children have an hour French lesson each week every other half term. As well as having a theme for each half term, Phonics and Grammar sessions and intertwined within the half term.
Key Stage 2 French Yearly planner (2) (1)
Geography
The geography projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s geographical knowledge, skills and subject disciplines. Geographical locations are not specified in the national curriculum, so they have been chosen to provide a broad and diverse understanding of the world. Where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections with other projects, geography projects are sequenced accordingly. For example, children revisit the geography of settlements in the history project School Days after studying types of settlements in the geography project Bright Lights, Big City. All geography projects are taught in the autumn and spring terms, with opportunities for schools to revisit less secure concepts in the summer term. There are opportunities for fieldwork within the curriculum.
History
The history projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s historical knowledge, skills and subject disciplines. Key aspects and concepts, such as chronology, cause and effect, similarity and difference, significance and hierarchy, are revisited throughout all projects and are developed over time. All projects also develop historical skills based on evidence and historical enquiry. We encourage courageous advocacy through learning about significant individuals and the way that they have changed the world we live in today and how these individuals can inspire us to challenge injustice where we see it.
The choice of historical periods follows the guidance set out in the national curriculum, with specific details relating to significant events and individuals chosen to present a rich and diverse account of British and world history.
Where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections with other projects, history projects are sequenced accordingly.
All history projects are taught in the autumn and summer terms, with opportunities for schools to revisit historical concepts in some of the spring term geography projects.
Music
SMTV Music Development Plan 2025-2026
Timetables
Each year group has a set of non-negotiable allocations for various aspects of the curriculum, including English, mathematics and PE. Teachers are free to arrange their afternoon timetable to make the most of cross-curricular opportunities and the needs of pupils. Sometimes subjects and activities might be ‘blocked’ or run over successive afternoons.