Curriculum
The Cabot curriculum is an exciting, creative and inspiring building on children’s experiences, encouraging them to increase their cultural capital through the trips, visitors and experiences that are offered. It encourages a reciprocal learning partnership between the school and the local and wider communities and promotes harmony between cultures.
We aspire for excellence across the curriculum and want all children to achieve their full potential. We ensure that learning builds on previous experiences and is culturally relevant. It is delivered through a series of topics to deepen understanding and consolidate learning. It is planned to develop resilient, independent and inquisitive learners by teaching broad and balanced lessons as laid out in the National Curriculum. We strongly believe that having real experiences brings learning to life; we carefully select educational visits and invite visitors to provide thought provoking and stimulating learning experiences.
Our curriculum celebrates multiculturalism and proactively challenges stereotypes. We value inclusion and it is at the core of our school’s learning process; children include themselves and others in their learning. We are committed to ensuring that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all pupils so that all children make maximum progress and reach their potential regardless of background. We want to ensure that disadvantaged children engage with our curriculum and can succeed. We want them to be exposed to a variety of technical vocabulary that they can use to help articulate their learning, as well building their love of learning through the experiences they have. In a similar way, we believe that SEND children should succeed and to support this, we break down the curriculum and use pre-teach, group work and real-life experiences to help bring learning to life but in manageable chunks. We feel it is vital that our children have a good understanding of where they live and how it has developed over time. We teach our children about the History and Geography that is on their doorstep enabling them to encounter, explore, and experience their local community and our great city.
Cabot children are:
- Resilient, independent and inquisitive learners who are willing to take risks
- Confident and creative thinkers who demonstrate a love of learning
- Children who are proud of who they are and respectful of others differences
- Polite and caring young people who can develop positive relationships
To ensure that our curriculum is creative and inspiring, some of our subjects are taught on a cyclical basis. Our progression maps demonstrate how we ensure the progression of skills and knowledge between year groups and cycles.
At Cabot we believe that every child is a mathematician and that there is no such thing as being “bad at maths”.
Maths is about more than becoming fluent in number facts; it is also about becoming fluent in the language of maths, developing reasoning and solving a variety of standard and non-standard problems. We encourage creativity in maths, as well as links to real-world applications.
The Cabot Mathematician sees themself and their culture within the maths they study, in their classrooms and in the wider world. They are aware of the value of maths in society, its historical significance and links to jobs. They are inquisitive, eager to explore, resilient and perseverant in the face of challenge and have a variety of creative approaches for solving problems. They make connections across their learning and have a quick recall of number facts which frees up their working memory when tackling problems.
The Cabot Maths classroom is a place where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth. Learners and teachers know that we are all going on the same maths journey. We will all start the journey together; some children will need a little additional support along the way; some children will explore the maths more deeply, before returning to the group; no children will be racing ahead on a different journey; no children will be left behind, alone and isolated (with thanks to Martin Adsett, Mastery Specialist).
At Cabot, our teaching of mathematics aims to enable every child to move on in their learning and achieve their potential. We work with children from their starting points, based on their prior learning, and develop the mathematical skills and knowledge needed for later life. We also inspire and excite children, develop their skills so that they can work in partnership with a wide range of people, appreciate that everyone should be included and celebrate excellence, which we appreciate will look different for every child. We develop children’s confidence, enjoyment and oracy skills in maths, so they are able to access, appreciate and express their learning.
White Rose
We use the White Rose schemes of learning as the ‘spine’ of our maths teaching, and we supplement these schemes with several other resources. You can access the schemes of learning on their website, and see the coverage and progression of each year group:
Years 1 – 6: https://whiterosemaths.com/resources/primary-resources/primary-sols/
Reception: https://whiterosemaths.com/resources/early-years-resources/reception-sol/
To help children with their maths learning, we subscribe to Times Tables Rock Stars and Mathletics. The children know their usernames and passwords for both sites, and can play games and answer questions set by their teachers on both sites. You can access the websites at:
We recommend that children regularly practise their number bonds, times tables and associated division facts. If you need support with this, or additional resources, please see your child’s class teacher.
At Cabot, we deliver a language rich writing curriculum using high quality texts that promote diversity and celebrate multiculturalism.
We aspire for excellence by seeing all children as writers and we recognise this will look different for every child. We believe in inclusion and strive to use word banks, scaffolds and pre-teach where appropriate to support disadvantaged pupils or SEND pupils. We aim to ensure all of our children develop a genuine appreciation of language and the written word.
Many of our families are bilingual; we celebrate this and foster a love of language by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. We place high importance on oracy and it is promoted across the curriculum; we base our learning on the talk for writing approach giving children the opportunity to learn texts by heart so the language patterns and structures are internalised in their long term working memory. We want pupils to develop a wide range of interesting vocabulary, to have a secure understanding of grammar and be able to spell new words by effectively applying the spelling rules and patterns that they have been taught.
Careful links are made across the curriculum to ensure that children’s English learning is relevant and meaningful with consideration of the audience and purpose of our writing. We believe that by making links with the wider curriculum, children can draw on the cultural capital acquired from this learning to support their writing. Within our curriculum, children are exposed to a number of genres of texts that they then base their own fiction and non-fiction writing on. Through our Literacy curriculum, children develop their skills so they are able to work in partnership with a wide range of people, recognising that writing is used widely in everyday life and that these skills are vital.
Our intentions in writing are for all children to:
- See themselves as writers
- Be confident speakers
- Develop a love of language and literature
- See writing as an interesting and enjoyable process
- Consider and create the effect on the reader that is suitable for the genre they are writing in
- Understand that editing and redrafting is a vital part of the writing process
English Curriculum Map
The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
- Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
- Are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.
At Cabot Primary we work to ensure that pupil’s knowledge is secure and built upon as they progress through the school, building on their understanding of science and the working scientifically objectives. We develop pupil’s curiosity through enriching lessons, where children are given an opportunity to test ideas, develop their own understanding and address their misconceptions through confident subject knowledge from their teacher.
We develop pupils’ aspirations to follow careers in the sciences; and ensure they are given opportunities to learn about well known scientists from all cultures, as well as learning first hand about jobs in the sciences from school trips and visitors to the school.
All pupils are encouraged to ask thoughtful questions about the world around them and their place in it and are given opportunities to demonstrate what they have learnt through; sharing ideas, whole school assemblies, science challenge (science week) and extending their experiences outside of the classroom.
Science skills are built on each year by consolidation of learning and moving children on with their scientific thinking. Developing resilience and confidence on all strands of science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology). Clear development of objectives and understanding from one year group to the next.
Working scientifically objectives are weaved throughout the year and are applied in a range of ways to cover the concepts in each year group.
Lessons are practical and accessible to all learners and are recorded in a variety of ways, both written and oral. All pupils are given access to the appropriate scientific language and opportunities to test their ideas and address any misconceptions, through teacher guidance.
Experience outside of the classroom environment, trips and experts to come in and enrich the curriculum are built in throughout the year for pupils to extend their knowledge of the wider world.
Pupils are taught about a variety of modern and historical scientific pioneers of different cultures and backgrounds to enable them to see themselves in these roles in the future.
All Key Stage Two classes learn French as part of the Nation Curriculum.
At Cabot Primary School, we are committed to language learning. Many of our pupils and members of staff already speak more than one language, which we celebrate as a great strength in our community.
Our vision is that, from whatever the starting point, pupils will work in partnership with each other to develop:
- the enthusiasm, confidence and skill to express themselves in another language;
- a respectful understanding and inclusion of new ideas, people and cultures; and
- a firm foundation for excellence in their future language learning.
All children encounter other languages through the many international elements of their curriculum, as well as during the annual whole-school French Week. This aspect of our teaching and learning has been recognised by an International School Award.
Through these elements, we aim to help the children to discover new ways of thinking and to appreciate the history and traditions of other countries through authentic sources, stories, songs and creative experiences.
Furthermore, children receive weekly French lessons in Key Stage 2 taken from the ‘Language Angels’ scheme of work. This is carefully planned so that each child will have the opportunity to:
- progress in their skill and knowledge from Year 3 to Year 6, through well-sequenced building blocks, adjusted as appropriate to take account of the differing needs of our learners;
- develop resilience by ‘having a go’ and not being afraid of mistakes;
- support, include and encourage everyone in their efforts;
- listen attentively to each other;
- speak with increasing fluency in partnership with others,
- read confidently, using phonics, context, cognates and dictionaries to help deduce pronunciation and meaning;
- write, adapting vocabulary and sentence structures to create new, personal work;
- understand and apply basic grammatical rules;
- acquire new vocabulary and sentence structures using effective memorisation techniques and planned retrieval practice;
- celebrate excellence through presenting their learning in class and to wider audiences.
- increase their cultural capital by learning about diverse multicultural francophone countries through discovering the history, culture, festivals and traditions of those countries
- make comparisons and connections with their own experiences, languages or other areas of learning; and
- acquire long-term skills to strengthen their future language learning.
Finally, British Values are an integral part of our language teaching, in particular by promoting mutual respect and celebrating cultural diversity.
At Cabot our intent is to inspire excellence through curiosity and interest in the exploration of the world. It is important to develop the pupil’s knowledge and skills of the Earth’s physical and human environments as well as educating them on the causes and effects of climate change, diverse places, people and resources.
We want our students to have a thirst for travel and learn all about Britain and the wider world. We aim to provide the children with knowledge of their local area so they can develop an understanding of who they are, their heritage and what makes our local area special and unique.
Our aim to have an inclusive curriculum that builds on pupil’s knowledge year after year, deepening their understanding and allowing them to; work in partnership, ask questions, research and continually apply their geographical skills across the curriculum.
Intent
We believe that students deserve a broad, well-rounded, ambitious history curriculum that develops their knowledge and understanding of British history and the wider world. We aim to provide a curriculum that is inclusive to all (including those with SEND and Pupil Premium) and helps support the learning of all pupils as they progress through our school and beyond. We believe that pre-teach and revisiting key knowledge is vital to the success of all our learners.
Implementation
We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression that are built on each year. All pupils will develop their knowledge and understanding of the past through asking questions, using a range of quality resources, sequencing events and building their knowledge of chronology within an era as well as using new and existing vocabulary. Providing pupils with vast historical learning experiences both inside and outside of school really builds their cultural capital. We strongly believe that working in partnership with Bristol Museums and the local community deepens pupils understanding of the how history influences our lives today.
Impact
We believe and understand how important it is that the curriculum speaks to who our children are and reflects the worlds they come from. It is important that our children can see themselves in the excellent learning that they do and become responsible members of society. This is celebrated in a variety of different ways.
Through our history curriculum we intend for our children to:
- Be critical thinkers.
- Open and understanding to other cultures.
- Have a knowledge of British history.
- To appreciate local history and see.
- Confidently ask questions.
- Challenge misconceptions.
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
At Cabot, we aim to inspire pupils to enjoy singing and making music in partnership with each other and with other musicians. We have a focus on inclusion, so that everyone can feel confident to get involved, whatever their musical ability or background, and so that music from different cultures is represented. We adapt where needed to ensure accessibility for SEND children as well as providing some subsided music lessons for PP children. Excellence will be celebrated through a curriculum that builds on skills and understanding from year to year, alongside other opportunities that will allow pupils to demonstrate their developing talents through performance. We believe that access to musical experiences help to enrich children’s experience and help to build their cultural capital.
Our intention is:
- To inspire children to find joy and meaning through an appreciation of music
- To develop their skills as musicians and singers to build the confidence and self-expression that come from making music themselves
- To provide experiences of listening to live and recorded music from a range of different cultures throughout history
- To celebrate the musical heritage of pupils’ own diverse cultures and not just that of the Western canon
Intent
At Cabot Primary School, we know that art and design are integral to a child’s education. It is a powerful mode of communication through which children explore and develop an understanding of the world around them. Our curriculum provides children with a wide range of opportunities and means to respond to real life experiences and celebrate multiculturalism whilst also challenging stereotypes. The children are stimulated to think and to articulate their thoughts in new ways, and through a variety of media. Through high expectations of the children we are able to enable students to:
- enjoy lifelong engagement with art and design
- become informed, reflective and critical practitioners in art and design
- understand the dynamic and changing nature of art and design
- explore and value the diversity of art and design across time, place and cultures
- express ideas with confidence and competence
Design and Technology encourages children to learn to think creatively to solve problems in partnership with each other as well as individually. We encourage children to use their resilience and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. It can be found in many of the objects children use each day and is a part of children’s immediate experiences. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, from a variety of cultures. Through high expectations, the children are encouraged to become resilient innovators and risk-takers.
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in a creative process of designing and making. The children design and create products that consider function and purpose and which are relevant to a range of sectors (for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment).
We ensure the children:
- develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- 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 and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. Children will design and make a range of products. A good quality finish will be expected in all design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child
At Cabot Primary School, we aim to prepare our learners for their future by giving them the opportunities to be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology whilst they gain knowledge, and develop skills that will equip them for an ever changing digital world. Knowledge and understanding of ICT is of increasing importance for children’s future both at home and for employment. Our curriculum is in line with the 2014 National Curriculum for Computing and the EYFS 2020 curriculum, and aims to provide an excellent computing education which equips all children (including those who are disadvantaged) to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. The curriculum will teach children key knowledge about how computers and computer systems work, and how they are designed and programmed. Learners will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of computational systems of all kinds, whether or not they include computers. Our intention is that computing also supports children’s creativity and cross curricular learning to engage children and enrich their experiences in school.
By the time they leave Cabot Primary School, the cultural capital the children will have gained will be in the key knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum: computer science (programming and understanding how digital systems work), information technology (using computer systems to store, retrieve and send information) and digital literacy (evaluating digital content and using technology safely and respectfully). The objectives within each strand support the development of learning across the key stages, ensuring a solid grounding for future learning and beyond.
Implementation
At Cabot, computing is taught in phases using a blocked curriculum working on a cycle A cycle B approach. This ensures children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of their computing topics. Teachers use the ‘I Compute and the National Centre for Computing Education (N.C.C.E), as a starting point for the planning of their computing lessons, which are often richly linked to engaging contexts in other subjects and topics. We have a computing suite, two class sets of Ipads and Chromebooks to ensure that all year groups have the opportunity to use a range of devices and programs for many purposes across the wider curriculum, as well as in discrete
computing lessons. Employing cross-curricular links motivates pupils and supports them to make connections and remember the steps they have been taught. We partner with local companies such as ‘The Apple Store’ and Bristol university ‘Digi Makers’ to ensure that children have access to practical -real world- experiences.
The implementation of the curriculum also ensures a balanced coverage of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The children will have experiences of all three strands in each year group, but the subject knowledge imparted becomes increasingly specific and in depth, with more complex skills being taught, thus ensuring that learning is built upon. For example, children in Key Stage 1 learn what algorithms are, which leads them to the design stage of programming in Key Stage 2, where they design, write and debug programs, explaining the thinking behind their algorithms.
Intent
Our PE curriculum is designed to equip children with a confident and healthy relationship to physical exercise and competition. Through this curriculum we develop in our students the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to excel in sport, dance and gymnastics. Our curriculum is broad and includes many opportunities for children to try new skills and have varied opportunities to experience new sports. Our curriculum builds on prior knowledge so that we can develop a deeper understanding of the learning and excel in the topics we study.
We include wider opportunities for community partners to work in the school and our children to go into the community and compete in competitions. We draw on the expertise and reflective practise of our staff to further develop and improve the quality of PE education we offer. Our curriculum includes knowledge of how to stay safe around water and swim a short distance confidently.
We are committed to creating a positive, safe and nurturing environment, where all members of the school and wider community will be respected and valued.
Intent:
At Cabot Primary School, good relationships are fundamental to our ethos and our success in being a happy, caring, inclusive and safe school. The importance of Religious Education (RE) is valued and carefully considered at Cabot Primary School. We want to ensure our pupils have an awareness and understanding of the beliefs and cultures within and beyond their community and equip them with essential skills that will support their enquiry and response to significant questions posed by religion and worldviews. We aim for all children in our school, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who have Special Education Needs and Disabilities, to acquire the appropriate knowledge, develop their skills and form positive beliefs, values and attitudes. RE has a key part to play in the personal, social, moral and spiritual development of young people. Bristol is a vibrant multi-cultural city and it is important to us that our pupils are aware of this and have an appreciation and respect for the diversity of their local area. We aspire for excellence across the RE curriculum and want all children to achieve their full potential.
Implementation:
RE is planned and implemented in line with the Awareness Mystery Value agreed syllables (KS1 & KS2) and the EYFS framework (Understanding the World). All pupils in Key Stage 1 and 2 have a dedicated RE lesson every week, which is planned to include meaningful and memorable learning. Children are taught by familiar adults who they have a good rapport with, in order to facilitate constructive and supportive discussions around sensitive topics in a safe and secure environment. We value inclusion and throughout their time at Cabot Primary School, pupils are given the opportunity to visit places of worship in their local community . By exposing pupils to the wide range of beliefs and religions that are practiced, we are helping them to understand and become more aware and open towards the community around them. Trips, workshops and school visitors are essential to help pupils develop a deeper conceptual understanding of religion and help them to embed subject specific vocabulary in an environment outside the classroom. All families are encouraged to attend regardless of their own religious background. Assemblies, when appropriate, are based on significant religious events, for example Diwali, Eid, and Harvest Festival. Our high expectations of behaviour, relationships, respect and tolerance of others reflect the British Values upheld in both our community and the wider world. Through our curriculum, and working in partnership with those around us, children develop key skills and are prepared for the wider world beyond primary school, a world in which they can keep themselves safe and healthy and thrive with the support of the positive relationships they forge with those around them.
Impact:
The impact of our curriculum will enable pupils to develop respect for and sensitivity to others, in particular those whose faiths and beliefs are different from their own. Through our RE curriculum, we believe we can enhance children’s education. By the time children leave our school they will:
- Be confident individuals who have positive self-awareness, extending their knowledge and understanding of religions and beliefs,
- Develop a religious vocabulary and interpret religious symbolism in a variety of forms,
- Have an in-depth knowledge of others religious views and beliefs,
- Maintain positive relationships, through respect, tolerance and understanding,
- Understand the diverse world we live in.
- Have knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions.
Through the careful planning and continuous review of an engaging RE curriculum, we can observe how our pupils show and apply their own moral compass as well as accumulating an increased cultural capital.
We are committed to creating a positive, safe and nurturing environment, where all members of the school and wider community will be respected and valued.
Intent:
At Cabot Primary School, PSHE is at the core of what we do and enables our children to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society, as well as developing the “whole child”. Through our whole-school approach to PSHE, it is our belief that excellence in these areas will lead to excellence across the curriculum. We follow the Jigsaw PSHE scheme. Our inclusive PSHE curriculum equips children with relevant and meaningful content, which is supported through a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. With an ever changing society, we are able to provide our children with a strong understanding of the diverse world around them and support them in playing a positive role in contributing to the school and the wider community. Working in partnership is key.
Implementation:
We value inclusion and our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision, which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, and to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.
We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.
Jigsaw PSHE directs our aim on developing the “whole child” through a spiral curriculum approach to developing knowledge, skills and understanding in the areas of;
- Being Me in My World
- Celebrating Difference
- Dreams and Goal
- Healthy Me
- Relationships
- Changing Me
Impact:
What will this look like? By the time children leave our school they will:
- Have a good sense of self worth,
- Be a healthy, independent, and responsible member of society,
- Understand what it means to be part of a diverse society and how to respect others,
- Have knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions.
- Be able to develop positive relationships with peers now and in the future.
- Have a good body image.