Foundation Curriculum

Each curriculum subject is taught as a separate discipline. By teaching each subject discretely, our children are able to identify and learn the key skills and knowledge of that discipline and understand how they build on progressive concepts over time. We have worked carefully to design our curriculum to ensure we teach the content of the National Curriculum and have organised this in line with our overall aims for the curriculum – that each child is on a continuous journey of learning from Nursery to Year 6.

Each teacher has identified the learning their cohort has previously gained, where new skills are to be taught or prior learning mastered, and what the children will need to do, know or understand in their next year group or phase. We have identified the progression of skills and knowledge appropriate for each subject in each year group building on the rich learning experiences of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.

Using the principles of the Early Years as a model for our foundation curriculum approach, we believe that deeper, more meaningful learning takes place when the children are experiencing the curriculum. A hands-on, practical exploration of new learning is central to each lesson and our books reflect the ‘learning journey’ which takes place each week. As our books capture the experiences the children are having, they can be used to support the children’s ability to remember, rehearse and revisit their learning over time. We want our lessons to be fun, active, engaging and ambitious, for our children to be excited for the next lesson and know how they are developing their role as a learner.  We encourage and develop our teachers to be creative and flexible in their approaches to teaching and learning.

Our vision statements for each foundation subject are outlined below:

Art and Design

Art and Design at Two Waters marries the learning of technical art skills with opportunities for creative expression, encouraging communication and experimentation.  Individuality within Art and Design is celebrated and children have the opportunity to build resilience and to be self-reflective as they engage in discussions and receive regular feedback. Children develop their understanding of a range of artists, discovering how Art and Design has helped to shape our history.  

Design & Technology

We aim to deliver Design and Technology as an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. We teach children to develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.  Our children build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users. Our curriculum will allow all children to critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

We aim for all children to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art.  Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. High-quality design and technology education can make an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of all.

Geography

At Two Waters School, we aim to equip our children with the knowledge, skills and understanding to make sense of and ask questions about the world and its people.  We seek to do this through the delivery of a practical, diverse and progressive Geography curriculum that promotes the children’s interest and understanding of place, people, resources, and natural and human environments together with an understanding of key physical and human processes.  We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world which will remain with them throughout their time at Two Waters School and beyond.

History

Our history curriculum aims to inspire our pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. History helps pupils to understand the process of change, the diversity of societies as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.  It will equip the children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgment.  Our curriculum recognises the context of the school’s local environment and promotes diversity and challenges pupils to consider their own backgrounds and pre-conceptions and make comparisons to those of others.  

Modern Foreign Languages

Two Waters aims to offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign language curriculum that inspires and excites our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. We want all pupils to develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages.  Learning a second language offers pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, developing a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. Through our scheme (Language Angels), children are taught the four key language learning skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing and grammar is covered in an appropriate way across the primary phase.

Music

At Two Waters, we aim to provide a music education which enables children to develop a love of music with increasing self-confidence, creativity and a sense of achievement. Through our scheme (Charanga Musical School), pupils have the opportunity to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions.  They learn to sing, to create and compose music on their own and with others, and also have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.  They deepen their understanding of music in the world and the significance of music through history. Children are encouraged to explore their own musical preferences and discuss these with confidence.

Personal, Social, Health Education

Our PSHE curriculum, underpinned by Jigsaw’s PSHE Primary Programme, provides opportunities for children to gain experience in navigating their world to develop positive relationships with themselves and others.  With the complexity and pressures of growing up in today’s society, we must ensure a strong emphasis is placed on emotional literacy and building resilience. Mindfulness and emotional awareness are key skills which will allow our children to develop self-regulation and manage their thoughts and feelings as they mature. We hope to provide our children with the skills to build positive relationships and healthy, reflective habits for life.  

Physical Education

At Two Waters, we aim for every pupil to be passionate about physical education and sport and embrace rich and varied activities with enthusiasm. Our PE curriculum, underpinned by the Primary PE Planning scheme, aims to embark all pupils on an exciting learning journey from Nursery to Year 6.  Our PE journey begins in EYFS through Physical Development where children develop their strength, coordination and spatial awareness. Once pupils master basic movements through running, jumping and throwing, they are able to participate in a variety of sports such as tennis, hockey, rugby, football, swimming and dance.  We teach our children about the importance of a healthy body and mind which is included in our ‘school qualities’.  We believe that through teaching high quality Physical Education sessions, we are supporting children to maintain both physical and mental health for life.

Relationship, Sex Education

Please see separate RSE policy.  Click here.

Religious Education

Through our RE curriculum, we aim to provide our children with knowledge and understanding about the principle religions of the world.  We believe that RE lessons should teach pupils to become religiously and theologically literate in order to appreciate different human experiences and personal identities. With this, children will be able to engage in discussions and evaluations of different viewpoints in the wider world and celebrate our increasingly diverse community at Two Waters.