Our Curriculum Design

At St Chad’s, we recognise that the early years are a crucial stage in a child’s development, as it is during these formative years that the foundations for future learning, wellbeing and success are established. By the time children join our nursery, whether at the age of two or three, they have already developed a wide range of skills, knowledge and experiences shaped by their family, culture and home environment. We value and celebrate these unique starting points.

Our school's Christian vision (LOVE God LOVE Neighbour LOVE Self) and our core values (love, friendship, compassion and respect) underpin and shape our approach to teaching and learning.

Love: “Do everything with love”. (Corinthians 16:14)

Friendship: “Encourage one another and build each other up”. (Thessalonians 5:11)

Compassion: “Be kind to one another”. (Ephesians 4:32)

Respect: “Treat others as you want to be treated”. (Luke 6:31)

We view our role as early educators as an immense privilege. We believe that primary education is about far more than outcomes and assessments; it is a vital stage in a child's development. At St Chad's, we strive to provide a rich and memorable learning experience that encourages every child to achieve their potential, develop as confident and compassionate individuals, and foster a lifelong love of learning.

The underpinning principles of our curriculum are to ensure that every child in our care:

  • knows that they are special, unique, valued and loved;
  • experiences life in all its fulness and achieve their fullest potential;
  • has a high self-regard and positive mental health;
  • makes excellent educational progress, regardless of their background or starting points;
  • shows love, compassion and respect towards themselves, each other and their world;
  • is equipped with the necessary skills and character to overcome challenges that they may encounter in life;
  • flourishes with their unique God-given talents in all that they choose to do. 

We aim to provide a child-centred, broad, balanced and engaging curriculum that enables our children to become confident, curious, caring and independent learners. We want to ensure the rounded development of the whole child through academic achievement and spiritual development. With this in mind, we have devised a 'Heads, Hand and Heart' approach through our whole school curriculum design: 

  • Head (to think): to develop knowledge and become independent and articulate learners
  • Hands (to do): to develop skills and put these into action which prepare model citizens ready to make a difference.
  • Heart (to feel): to develop positive attitudes towards themselves, others and the world around us.

At St Chad's, we are committed to providing our children with the time and opportunity to develop and master new knowledge and skills in a safe and secure environment. Inspired by Debra Kidd's 'A Curriculum of Hope', we provide a values-led thematic curriculum to help build bridges between our children's learning and the world around them. Linked to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Primary National Curriculum,  our theme approach to learning is underpinned by five core curriculum pillars:

  • Coherence: Our curriculum is planned and plaited so that it connects in sensible and logical ways, allowing children to build an understanding of ideas, concepts, chronology and themes, to better understand them because they are encountered in a way that makes connections explicit and relevant. 
  • Credibility: Our curriculum is clear about what children will know and be able to do and how these elements link to the national curriculum. 
  • Creativity: Our curriculum offers the child the right to experience, develop and practise creativity as an entitlement. Creativity extends beyond 'making and doing' and also allows for the development of fluency of knowledge and ideas through exploration, experimentation, connection and play. 
  • Compassion: Our curriculum uses a range of experiences, including stories and global matters, to allow children to develop empathy with other points of view and perspectives, and to use that empathy to move into active compassion. 
  • Community: The curriculum is built with the local and broader community beyond the school in mind. 

We believe that children learn best when they are engaged, motivated and able to make meaningful connections in their learning. Our curriculum is carefully designed to build knowledge, develop skills and foster curiosity through rich and purposeful learning experiences.

Each curriculum theme is driven by a "Big Question" and enhanced through high-quality texts that inspire learning across the curriculum. Themes begin with an engaging "Big Start" to capture children's interest and conclude with a "Big Finish", providing opportunities for children to celebrate and share their learning with their peers, families and the wider school community.

We are immensely proud of the diverse community we serve and place talk, language and communication at the heart of our curriculum. We are committed to providing language-rich learning opportunities that develop children's vocabulary, communication skills and confidence. Through both indoor and outdoor learning experiences, children are supported to develop academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

Learning is further enriched through educational visits, visitors, community partnerships, special events and home learning projects. We value working closely with families and recognise the important role they play in supporting children's learning and development.

Our curriculum, alongside our Collective Worship, promotes respect, responsibility, compassion and understanding. Children are encouraged to develop as confident, thoughtful and active citizens who value diversity, respect others and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Due to our mixed-age classes, curriculum planning is organised on a three-year cycle to ensure full curriculum coverage and progression in knowledge and skills. Further information about each curriculum subject can be found on its individual subject page.

Year A:
Year B:
Year C: