Curriculum
Merton Park School Curriculum
We aim to deliver an outstanding curriculum that:
- is fun, enjoyable and memorable
- is underpinned by aims, values and purpose
- develops the whole child
- is broad and balanced
- has clear progression in subject knowledge and skills
- is supported by wonderful fiction and non-fiction texts
- offers purposeful experiences
- is flexible and responsive to needs and interests
- has an eye on the future
- uses environments beyond the classroom
- makes strong cross curricular links
- has a local, national and international dimension
At Merton Park Primary School, the different National Curriculum subjects are taught through topics and these are linked to a specific fiction or non-fiction text. However, not all subjects can be linked to an over-arching topic and some subjects are taught discretely – this is particularly the case with some aspects of maths, PE and science.
Click here to see a Parents' Guide to the National Curriculum:
A curriculum overview and information for each year group can be found under the specific year group tabs.
English
At Merton Park we ensure all children become confident speakers, writers and readers. Our aim is for all children to develop a love of language and to achieve this we make teaching inspiring and learning exciting. We are a 'Power of Reading' school which means that high quality texts are at the heart of our curriculum. Children are immersed in the texts through drama, music, film and art.
Speaking and listening is at the core of teaching and learning in English. This gives children the chance to develop their vocabulary, explore language and discuss ideas which they can use when writing. We use Pie Corbett’s 'Talk for Writing' to support storytelling and language development throughout the school.
Our writing often links with our' Power of Reading' texts and the children are given opportunities to write for a range of purposes and different audiences. Children create reading journals which are collections of their writing and learning around a text.
High quality literacy is not explicit to literacy lessons, instead is at the heart of our curriculum. The principles of ‘Think, Talk, Write science’ are used to ensure there is high quality teaching and learning of English in all subjects. In science children learn to write like scientists and in history they learn to write like historians. We help children to find and develop their writer’s voice and put emphasis on the effect our writing has on the reader.
Mathematics
At Merton Park we make mathematics a positive, enjoyable learning experience through which the children understand the importance of maths in their everyday lives.
We ensure the children have a good knowledge of key number facts and understand place value, as this underpins all aspects of mathematical development. In the Early Years and Key Stage 1 this is always taught in a practical way so that the children have concrete experiences to refer to. Speaking and listening plays an important part in maths lessons and we ensure the children are always using the correct vocabulary.In Key Stage 2 teachers and learners then build on these facts to develop mathematical fluency and reasoning. We place a considerable emphasis on mental calculation, practical experiences and problem solving. Children are encouraged to explain their thinking, using the correct vocabulary, and to describe reasoning to others. We teach children that sometimes there can be more than one answer and there can be different approaches or outcomes to their work.
Throughout our school the children are taught strategies and methods that can be used to solve given calculations or problems. We use the White Rose (Teaching for Mastery) approach, which supports mathematical understanding through the use of specific equipment and visuals. Children are taught through whole-class, interactive teaching which develops fluency and gives children opportunities to develop mathematical reasoning and problem-solving. With this approach, it is our aim that by the time the children reach the end of Key Stage 2 they will have a bank of strategies they can use to apply to everyday situations, making them mathematicians and thinkers - not formula followers.
Children are also given cross curricular opportunities where appropriate. We make positive links to science, design technology, computing and problem solving. This strengthens the children’s use of maths in practical everyday situations and brings the curriculum to life.
Science
Children at Merton Park follow the National Curriculum for science. In each school year there are four or five different areas of study. Some of these topics are returned to more than once and some, such as 'Living things, including humans', are taught each year but with a different focus.
You can see the different science topics by clicking here
