Curriculum

At St. Peter’s Primary School we recognise that education involves children, parents, staff, governors, the community and the local authority, and that for optimum benefit all should work closely together to support the process of learning.

Working in partnership, we aim to:

• provide a supportive, positive, healthy, caring and safe environment, which has high expectations and values all members of the school community;
• recognise the needs and aspirations of all individuals and provide opportunities for all pupils to make the best possible progress and attain the highest personal achievements;
• ensure children can develop as literate, numerate and technologically competent individuals, within a broad, balanced, exciting and challenging curriculum;
• provide rich and varied contexts and experiences for pupils to acquire, develop and apply a broad range of knowledge, skills and understanding;
• provide a curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, physical, mental and emotional development of the pupils;
• develop individuals with lively, enquiring minds, good thinking skills, self-respect, self-discipline and positive attitudes;
• encourage all children to be enthusiastic and committed learners, promoting their self -esteem, self-worth and emotional well-being;
• develop children’s confidence and capacity to learn and work independently and collaboratively;
• develop enduring values of respect, honesty, equality, integrity, tolerance, fairness and trust;
• encourage children to respond positively to the opportunities, challenges and
• responsibilities of a rapidly changing world;
• encourage children to value the diversity in our society and the environment in which they live;
• encourage children to become active and responsible citizens, contributing positively to the community and society.

As a school, we are committed to our vision statement – ‘To grow gently in the love of God’

Sacraments

Year 3 and older children who are baptised Catholic are invited to take part in annual preparations to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and first Holy Communion in St Peter's and St Paul's parishes. Preparations are parish based but are supported by school. In order for your child to receive the sacraments you will need to contact Fr. Darren Reid at St Peter's or Fr. Bernard at St. Paul's to register your interest in September. 

Curriculum Delivery

The Curriculum is organised to provide the children with their full entitlement to the requirements of the Revised National Curriculum (N.C.) at a level best suited to their age and ability. The school is continually reviewing the curriculum in order to ensure that children receive a broad and balanced education relevant to the world in which they live. We follow the 'Guerrilla Curriculum' which has been designed and personalised to enable our pupils to investigate and develop their skills around the foundation subjects more fully. The curriculum is split into three main areas; discover, explore and create. Each term the focus is on a different foundation subject with other subjects linked to it. Autumn term is spent discovering through a history focus, spring we explore our geographical skills and knowledge and in summer we concentrate on developing our creativity through different media. 

Each topic is taught through investigation a key question. These are:

DISCOVER

Year 1: How do we remember the past?

Year 2: How did it all begin?

Year 3: How did people from the past shape the world we know today?

Year 4: What makes a great story?

Year 5: Do our choices really matter?

Year 6: How do we know truth from tale?

EXPLORE

Year 1: What does it mean to belong?

Year 2: Do we always appreciate what we've got?

Year 3: How might we live in the future?

Year 4: How can small actions eventually change the world?

Year 5: What is the difference between living and surviving?

Year 6: Does adversity make you stronger?

CREATE

Year 1: Who could live in a zoo?

Year 2: How could we live in the moment?

Year 3: What do we treasure the most?

Year 4: Is it better to stand out or fit in?

Year 5: Does the camera ever lie?

Year 6: How can we make our mark? 

Our long term planning for the topics is available  on the class pages. 

Sport Premium

At St Peter's we are committed to using the additional Sport Premium Funding, introduced from Autumn 2013, for the development of high quality P.E. lessons and the provision of greater opportunities for our children to engage in Sport and Healthy lifestyles.

French

As part of the school's provision of a broad and balanced curriculum, all KS2  children receive one hour per week teaching of French at some point in the school year. Year 6 children access French for one hour every week throughout the year. This provides a grounding for the teaching of modern Foreign Languages at secondary school.

Science

Science is a core subject and the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2, and the Foundation Stage curriculum is covered in full during a child's time at St Peter's.

Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons are provided by the LA for our Year 5 pupils (and any Year 6 who have not yet reached the required grade). Children will travel by coach to Armthorpe Leisure Centre each week throughout the spring and summer terms. We also take part in Swimming Galas organised by the Doncaster School's Amateur swimming Association.

Sex Education

The Governors of the school have adopted the Diocese of Hallam Policy for developing Education in Personal Relationships. This encompasses both sex education and education in personal relationships. We have also invited the team form Big Talk into school to open the year with a session for parents before they deliver curriculum content to the children as a starting point for leaning. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from any aspect of sex education, and are informed in advance about when this is to be covered in the curriculum.

Guitar- Friday

We also employ the service of a specialist music teacher so that all children have access to specialist music teaching at some point in the year. 

School Inclusion and Access

As a Catholic School, the governors aim to provide for the individual needs of every child and to make the curriculum accessible to all children within the numerical restraints of guidelines of the agreed Admissions Policy.
Children with additional needs are supported through educational support programmes and specific Individual Support Plans (ISP).
Every effort is made to accommodate children with physical disabilities. The school provides a good level of access via ramped entrances. Wheelchair circulation in and around school is generally satisfactory and we have a single disabled toilet. These facilities to date provide an adequate level of provision for wheelchair access and mobility.
The governors are aware of identified areas for improvement and an access plan is in place for the long term development.

PSHE

PSHE is delivered primarily within the R.E. and Science curriculum.

Extra-curricula Activities

A range of after school activities takes place albeit primarily at KS2 due to the extended catchment area. Letters are sent to the appropriate age groups at the beginning of each term. At present, these activities include football, tag rugby, multi-sports, craft, art, history, cheerleading. 

Year 6 Residential Visit

Towards the end of the summer term, our Year 6 pupils spend a school week in Northumberland. Accompanied by teaching staff and other adults, the children stay in a hostel and visit many places of interest in the surrounding area. In the year 2018/19 it will take on a new dimension as part of the year 6 History Curriculum and study the Vikings and the Birth of Christianity. The residential visit covers many cross-curricular themes and provides an opportunity for our older children to develop a sense of spirituality.

Lindisfarne Castle

Charging Policy

Parents are usually asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of educational visits that take place during school time. Such visits are organised to give our children first-hand experiences and are, therefore, an extension to the curriculum.
Due to the support of parents we are currently able to offer our children a range of educational visits and experiences. Without this support the range of visits we are able to offer would not be possible.

In order to maintain our stock of books, a charge may also be made for any that are damaged or go missing.

Further details of our charging policy are available from the school.

Extended Schools

In addition to the extra-curricular activities, the school also receives information concerning extended school activities taking place in the local area. This includes educational and recreational activities for both children and adults during holiday and term time.