Our Curriculum

Vision Statement for English

At Sandringham, we believe that literacy and communication are key life skills. Through the English curriculum, children will be helped to develop skills and knowledge that will enable them to communicate effectively and creatively through spoken and written language.

We provide a wide range of rich and meaningful opportunities to become fluent and critical readers, develop empathy and an understanding of society beyond the home and school setting, improve wellbeing and equip children with the skills to become lifelong learners.

Through our reading curriculum, we offer broad and rich reading experiences and have a balance of phonics, whole word and meaning based approaches to teach children to read. We strive to introduce all children to a wide range of children’s literature and explore ways in which reading can broaden the experience of life and give a sense of what is possible.

At Sandringham we believe that reading is a fundamental skill and the experience of reading for pleasure is invaluable. We strive to develop an ethos and environment that excites, enthuses, inspires and values reading. We believe that reading is key to developing the ability to understand the experiences of others thus, developing children’s language, social acceptance and cultural awareness.

Policy Statement

Our Aims

To encourage children to :

• Be effective, competent communicators and listeners in different contexts
• Enjoy and engage with a range of high quality texts 
• Feel part of a reading community where book recommendations are shared and adults act as reading role models
• Develop positive attitudes towards reading so that it is a pleasurable and meaningful activity 
• Read fluently with good understanding
• Develop a habit of reading widely, for pleasure or for information 
• Have a curiosity about authors and books that will be the foundations of a personal journey and lifelong learning 
• Express opinions, articulate feelings and formulate responses to a range of texts using appropriate technical vocabulary
• Have an interest and curiosity in words and their meanings and to develop a growing vocabulary to use in both spoken and written format
• Develop a breadth and depth of vocabulary
• Write in a variety of styles and forms showing a growing awareness of audience
• Develop imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness
• Make appropriate  grammar and punctuation choices
• Understand and explore spelling conventions and word structures
• Take pride in and present oral or written work to a high standard
• Secure a fluent and cursive script

Our English Curriculum

Our English Curriculum is secured firmly across the school with the use of high quality texts. This has developed with guidance and training from CLPE (The Centre of Literacy in Primary Education) through the approach in Power of Reading. 

At Sandringham we believe that the use of high quality books within the reading curriculum is at the heart of our approach to engage and support children. The Core English texts are mapped out from Nursery to Year 6 providing the opportunity for cross curricular links and a breadth of texts. Conscious effort is made to reflect  the realities of experience of our children and positive representation of gender, age, culture and religion in book choices. Home languages particularly in Early Years are valued. Rich experiences are planned for, providing pupils access to theatre, workshops, author visits and creative projects. This supports our belief that classroom activities involving real tasks, purposes and audiences will engage pupils.

Our Approach to Maths

Sandringham Primary School's approach to maths is based on strong research and pedagogy. We spend time keeping up to date with the latest research in how children develop mathematical thinking skills which we then apply into our teaching and learning.

Maths No Problem textbooks and resources are used to support our teaching. Our lesson structure enables all children to explore a mathematical problem at the beginning of each lesson, this is then unpicked in greater depth before children are asked to apply this concept in a variety of ways.

Our lessons encourage: independence, talk, collaborative thinking and metacognition. All of which are vital skills to prepare our children with ready for secondary school and beyond.

Sandringham Vision Statement

Mathematics is a creative and highly interconnected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject. (NC 2014)

At Sandringham Primary School, every child can achieve in maths and it is our responsibility as teachers to provide the environment and experiences to make this possible. As teachers, we believe that every child is a capable mathematician with the ability to reason and problem solve.

Exploration and discovery are at the heart of our curriculum. Children will link old and new learning experiences together in order to develop fluency and build a deeper understanding of their maths.

Opportunities for reasoning, explanation and clarification are provided through talk. High quality dialogue within the classroom will make sure our children are challenging their own thoughts with those around them whilst broadening their knowledge and understanding.

At Sandringham Primary School, every child in every classroom has a “I can solve anything” attitude.

Sandringham Primary School Maths Open Days

Friday 1 December 2023

We began using Maths No Problem in 2015 and regularly host open days to share our journey. Our open day begins with an introduction from the maths lead and then the opportunity to wander round live lessons - you will be able to choose KS1 or KS2 depending on your preferences. We will then spend time as a group in one lesson where we will experience a Lesson Study. Following the lesson, the teacher will join us and discuss the learning alongside the group. There will be an opportunity for a Q&A session and book look.

We recommend that 2 delegates from each school come along. Lunch and refreshments are provided.

It is £109.05 per candidate or £98.22 with a promo code. Bookimgs are to be made via the Eventbrite link below:

Maths No Problem Open Day - Friday 01 December 2023

LETTA ITT Training

Please see below an example of a video which is shown as part of the LETTA Maths training.

ITT Critique Maths Video                 Year 1 Subtraction Video

All pupils at Sandringham Primary School are taught the key knowledge and skills in the scientific disciplines to develop understanding of the world around them at an age-appropriate level and in line with Development Matters and the National Curriculum. We harness children’s natural excitement and curiosity and inspire them to pursue scientific exploration and enquiry to support their understanding of the world. 

Science capital and real-life application - Children develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They understand how their scientific knowledge and skills are relevant and applicable to the world around them. They are aware of the wide-ranging uses and implications of science, today and for the future, and recognise the power of science to change the world. 

Children are supported to develop positive attitudes towards science and to understand that anyone can be a scientist. They are exposed to a variety of opportunities outside of standard science lessons, including visitors, participation in out-of-school science learning contexts, and consumption of scientific media.

Progression of skills - Scientific Knowledge                         Progression in working scientifically skills

At Sandringham we believe that the provision for children with SEND should be dynamic and inclusive. Where children are identified with SEND, their learning is planned and tailored to meet the needs of the individual child.  For some children with SEND, they may be taught as part of the main curriculum. For others, there may be some adjustments to whole class teaching or they may require an entirely personalised curriculum focusing on life skills and independence. In identifying the needs of our children, we focus on providing broad and balanced learning experiences which support pupils to develop the skills they require to be successful. 

Our SEND curriculum uses research-based approaches, these include the SCERTS framework, play based learning experiences, errorless learning etc.  These approaches provide a strong foundation to assess and plan meaningful and purposeful learning for all our pupils with SEND. 

Please refer to our SEND page for further information: SEND

Our aim at Sandringham Primary School is to provide children with a high-quality computing education that prepares them as active participants in a rapidly changing digital world as well as to prepare them for the future workplace. The curriculum is designed to enable children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. We want children to become competent and confident users of computing technologies and embrace this in a socially responsible and safe manner. Through our computing curriculum, children will develop their creativity, resilience, problem solving and critical thinking skills. We want the use of technology to support learning across the entire curriculum, forming particularly deep links to maths, science and design and technology. At Sandringham, children will gain 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 progression and depth.

At Sandringham, computing is taught in discrete computing lessons using the 3BM scheme of work. The scheme has been adapted to cater for the needs of our children whilst ensuring coverage of the 2014 National Curriculum attainment targets. We have Chromebooks in each classroom to enable computing skills to be taught and, where appropriate, meaningful links are made to the wider curriculum. Children will develop their knowledge and understanding of the three computing strands (computer science, information technology and digital literacy) using tools on J2E, Scratch and a range of programs on Google. In our Animation Studio, children are taught to use iPads and laptops to create animations using a range of apps and software. Sandringham’s Online Safety policy provides guidance for teachers and children about how to use the internet safely. All year groups participate in lessons on online safety and children understand how to stay safe when using technology. 

Through our computing curriculum, children will become competent and confident users of technology, able to use it to accomplish a wide variety of goals, both at home and in school. Sandringham will equip children with the skills to become digitally-literate and children will show proficiency in using technology independently and collaboratively. They will be agile to change and, therefore, responsive to the different challenges they will face in a digital world. Children will learn key vocabulary so that they can be articulate when discussing their understanding of computing. Teachers will use termly assessment data to plan for future learning and revisit learning using a cross-curricular approach to ensure good progress.

The science of geography is vast and diverse.  A deep understanding of geography opens the world up for our children to discover, learn about and protect for generations to come.  Physical and human geography are studied and the symbiotic relationship between both are explored from Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 2.  Children will be given opportunities to look at the fragility of planet Earth and the impact the human race is having on the natural world.  The fate of planet Earth lies in the hands of the next generation. Our children have a pivotal role to play and therefore, we strive to empower the children of Sandringham to make the right decisions.

As geographers, our children will:

• Understand the role they play in society to ensure a sustainable future for all
• Learn fieldwork techniques to ask and answers questions about the environment
• Gain a deep knowledge of our diverse planet, including the many races and religions that live here

Our curriculum is designed to prepare our children for the challenges they may face in the 21st Century. Through considered planning, our children will explore topics that will deepen their knowledge of the world and question their current beliefs. Through this approach, we will nurture and develop curious minds. We will help our children to see the world around them from different points of view. We will guide our children as they begin to question and challenge themselves in our ever-changing world.

Our teaching approaches are varied and wide, including:

• Fieldwork techniques
• Discussion and debate
• The questioning of a variety of sources
• Analysis of first and second hand data 
• The use of technology

Through the approaches we take, our children will have the knowledge, skills and belief that they can make a difference. They will have the power and the confidence to do good in our society. We will equip our children with all they need to be successful as they move through school and beyond. The true impact of a geography curriculum will be seen in years to come through the decisions made by the next generation coming through Sandringham.

Progression of Skills - Geography

Through careful and considered planning of history, our pupils are given opportunities to take an in-depth look into how the world around them has been shaped into what it is today. Pupils explore and learn knowledge about the past and from this, develop a deeper understanding of historical events and the impact these continue to have in our modern society. We nurture pupils’ curiosity about the past so that they can better understand the diverse societies and cultures of today.

Sandringham’s vision is for all pupils to become lifelong historians with the skills and knowledge needed to: 

• Think critically and question historical sources
• Develop informed opinions based on a deep understanding
• Present and defend information or opinion from a range of valid sources
• Develop a sense of their personal identity within a cultural, political and social background

Our history curriculum is taught creatively using a broad range of approaches, resources and experiences both across units of learning and within lessons. These include storytelling, role play, workshops, question and answer sessions, discussions and debates, individual and group research, investigating artefacts and sources of evidence, visits, visitors and reading. The units of work we plan are carefully considered to enable our teachers to deliver our intent. Where possible, we use cross-curricular links to ensure we are providing our children with an in-depth look at a historical unit and the wider impact this can have. We ensure our curriculum is relevant and meaningful to the children at Sandringham. Our children come from a diverse range of backgrounds and our curriculum reflects and celebrates this. We enrich the history taught through opportunities to work with the local community. This supports the teaching of local history and develops a broader sense of how children’s communities have developed and changed in the more recent past. 

Children are encouraged to question, discuss and challenge sources of evidence. Thus, empowering our children to make informed decisions and develop sound opinions based on their understanding of the past. Debate and discussion are strongly encouraged through our oracy curriculum. This enables our children to challenge their own thinking as well as that of their peers. 

Children studying history at Sandringham, will develop historical knowledge to act as the vehicle for deeper understanding into the world around them. The children at Sandringham will be able to communicate their understanding in a clear and concise manner through a range of mediums.  We will equip our children with the skills needed in order to evaluate and question the society we live in as we move through the 21st Century. Our children will have a broad and balanced understanding of the challenges that face our society and will have mechanisms to tackle difficulties that will arise.

Progression of Skills - History

Religious Education (RE) plays a unique role in developing well-rounded and informed individuals who celebrate the similarities and differences within our school and wider community. The school is part of a diverse and multicultural community where different religions and races live together, learn
together and play together. Our community allows our children and their families to learn about and from a wide range of religions and cultures.

Our curriculum
The agreed RE syllabus has been written by the local authority in line with statutory and government guidelines that follow the national requirement to teach a broad and balanced curriculum. The programme of study promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and social development of pupils at school and in society, and prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for later in life. The RE syllabus takes a topical approach which allows teachers to select and teach units accordingly. This ensures pupils have a relevant and enriching experience of different religions, enabling them to make links and connections between the diverse community that they live in. We are able to select our approaches to the units of learning and adapt the units to make sure they are relevant to the needs of the children in our school.

Through our approach, children will:

• Develop respect for others
• Ask questions about a range of religions and religious beliefs
• Listen to each other's views and opinions in order to formulate their own
• Learn about and understand a range of religions and worldviews so our children can
• Describe, explain beliefs and practices
• Learn about a range of religious beliefs and places of worship
• Work with local religious leaders and visit places of worship

Religious Education at Sandringham provides the vehicle in which our children can develop a curiosity and understanding of different opinions and beliefs. Throughout the RE curriculum and beyond, we celebrate cultural and religious similarities and differences. Our children leave Sandringham respecting and valuing their friends, peers and all people in their community as well as the wider world.

Progression of Skills - RE

Sandringham Primary School believes that physical education, experienced in a safe and supportive environment, is vital and unique in its contribution to a pupil’s physical and emotional development, health and overall education. A broad and balanced curriculum will facilitate the development of our student’s body awareness, self-confidence and enjoyment of physical activity.

We provide an extensive Physical Education programme with a specialist PE teacher and Premier Sports coaches who deliver a vast range of sports from across the PE curriculum. Relevant outcomes are achieved by structuring lessons that ensure our students are;

• Acquiring and developing skills across the PE curriculum
• Selecting and applying tactics and compositional ideas 
• Demonstrating a knowledge and understanding of health and fitness 
• Evaluating and improving their own performance through critical, collaborative, caring and creative thinking 

Our teaching staff are committed to provide a balance of individual, team, co-operative and competitive aims to cater every individual’s needs and ability. Activities ensure Maximum Individual Participation (MIP) based on progressive learning objectives which endeavour to provide appropriate, stimulating and challenging learning situations that regularly asks students to reflect, evaluate and improve on performance.

Students from EYFS, KS1 and KS2 are given the opportunity to take part in a wide range of sports from all strands of the PE curriculum, including; Invasions games, Net and Wall games, Striking and Fielding, Dance, Gymnastics, Outdoor and Adventurous activities and Athletics. Swimming is also a part of the Sandringham PE provision and is offered at the London Aquatic Centre for children in years 3,4 and 5. 

A wide variety of extra-curricular clubs are offered throughout the year, including football, handball, fencing, athletics, gymnastics, tennis, badminton, basketball, hockey, rugby, cricket and boccia. These clubs culminate in opportunities for the students to participate in competition against neighbouring schools within Newham and across the wider community, such as at the London Youth Games. We have also developed a very successful Saturday football program for students in both KS1 and KS2, designed to help parents create pathways into community sports and take ownership over their children’s physical and social development. 

As well as having opportunities for all children at Sandringham we also offer programs targeted for students with specific needs, such as;

• Rock and roll - SEND
• Horse Riding - SEND
• Swimming - SEND
• Boccia and Curling - SEND
• Lunchtime behaviour groups
• KS1/ KS2 Gymnastics - Girls in all age groups
• Football Beyond Borders – Targeted Yr 5/6
• West Ham Football Foundation – Targeted Yr 5/6
• Lunch time activity groups - Girls in all age groups
• High Performance Groups - G&T
• Saturday Football - All age groups
• Girls Football in Schools - FA Shooting Stars
• “A Chance to Shine” cricket coaching - Year 5
• “Essex Rugby” Rugby coaching - Year 3
• “East London Hockey” Hockey coaching - G&T
• OT morning programs - All age groups
• Year 5/6 Fencing – Low activity children
• Daily mile – All year groups
• Girls Yoga - Year 5
• Olympic Go Sketch - Year 6 girls
• Sandringham Sports Leaders - Year 6

To prepare our students for inter school competition and events we also run an extensive cross-age sports program. Students from KS2 lead events for the younger age groups, involving one to one partner work or organising and refereeing competitive games. Our year 6 Sports Leaders regularly meet with our Sports Coordinator to help deliver playtime programs, prepare and deliver our school sports days and work as ambassadors for our school when involved in events or initiatives run by outside agencies, such the West Ham Football club, Langdon Sports Partnership and England Hockey and Tennis Association.

Students at Sandringham show great enthusiasm and enjoyment when engaged in our physical education program, consistently reaching levels of attainment at or above the national requirements for their age. They understand the importance that fitness and sport has on their physical and mental health.

Exposing children to a broad range of sports, transferable skills and disciplines adequately prepares all students for a happy, healthy life while creating pathways, social opportunities and a deep understanding of how their body and mind works as their education progresses. We support the learning-powered approach and place emphasis on a growth mindset which creates a learning environment that promotes challenge while giving the students opportunities to reflect on their learning and that of their peers.

Progression of Skills - PE

At Sandringham Primary School, we believe that art should be central to a well-rounded education. We provide a range of integrated experiences, carefully planned to fit in with units of learning, which give a dynamic focus for the pupils’ learning.  All children participate in art lessons at Sandringham, whether it is in their classroom with their class teacher, or in the purpose-built art room with a specialist teacher. The children use sketchbooks to record their experiences and inspirations, in order to develop ideas and to show progression in their artistic ability. We encourage children to learn both in small groups and individually to produce work in two and three dimensions.

A wide range of artists are studied through our core art offer. The artists we focus on have been carefully selected dependent on the unit or learning being studied within the classroom.  Cultural diversity is celebrated through our art and artists and children are encouraged to share their own artistic preferences.

Artists studied include:

• Chris Ofilli
• Frank Bowling
• Lubaina Himid
• Claude Monet
• Van Gogh
• Paul Klee

Children are given opportunities to experiment and discover different materials, methods and skills within the classroom.  Groups also take part in educational visits to galleries and exhibitions such as the Tate Modern, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Henry Moore Foundation where workshops are often part of the experience.  The school also belongs to the Bow Arts Consortium which shares ideas and workshops between Newham schools and supports professional artists work with children on a range of major projects.  These have included willow weaving, textiles and metalwork projects that are permanently exhibited around the school.  Many children have also taken part in Arts Award Projects using a range of materials and skills such as ceramics, mould making and sculpture.  

From an early age, children are encouraged to ‘get their hands dirty’ through play, paint and experimenting.  Art skills such as shading, cutting, and sculpting are increased as children progress through the school, always creatively analysing and trying out new ideas.  Mistakes are seen as stepping stones to improvements in work and not as a setback.

Progression of Skills - Art

Animation is an exciting and popular activity that we are fortunate enough to offer as part of our curriculum.  Animation at Sandringham gives all children the chance to discover and develop new and existing skills in technology, creative thinking, literacy, visual art and communication, collaboration, oracy and group problem solving. Although stop-motion animation is our main focus, some projects can include other elements such as music making, video and sound recording and other digital media.

Every child from Reception to Year 6 has the opportunity to take part in at least one 6-week film making project during their school year.

From the beginning, children enjoy an introduction to the history and principles of simple animation, before learning how to create short animated sequences or a film for themselves. They learn how to use animation software and audio-visual devices to experiment with basic and more advanced techniques of animated film making.

Children have access to a dedicated animation studio where they can use specialist equipment and collaborate in small groups to develop a broad range of skills and experience.

Through our animation curriculum, children have taken part in a number of projects including:

• Making a musical advert for a chocolate bar.
• Retelling Ancient Greek myths, animating mythological creatures and learning about the work of legendary animator Ray Harryhausen.
• Making information films about our emergency services, London transport and recycling.
• Creating animation with a space theme using iPads and making space soundscapes using GarageBand.
• Making animated films about Hamlet and one with a circus theme using silhouette puppets, and learning all about the work of animation pioneer Lotte Reiniger.
• Creating an animated Autumn firework display using leaves and berries.
• Providing impressive school-wide resources for teaching about Growth Mindset and Philosophy for Children (P4C).

Children have the opportunity to share the films they have made within school as well as on the school website. Our children are very proud of their achievements and enjoy sharing their learning with others.  

Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing and communicating effectively is a vital life skill. Through all learning, Sandringham children have opportunities to develop their oracy skills in order to become articulate, thoughtful and effective speakers. Children are able to deepen their knowledge of oracy through carefully planned opportunities for talk, in a learning environment which enables all children to have their voice heard and feel valued.

Our Approach
Oracy is taught through all learning at Sandringham, as well as explicitly in drama lessons.

• Pupils develop their oracy skills in discussions, debates, presentations as well as through exploration of key texts, with a focus on using correct terms and grammar.
• We provide genuine opportunities for pupils to take part in critical discussion, giving them the tools, they will need to contribute to society in the future.
• Pupils develop their understanding of the value of effective listening.
• Pupils are given opportunities to develop their creative flair through performance and presentation.
• Children are taught the key skills of oracy at an age-appropriate level, using our oracy framework.

EYFS
In Early Years, children learn through play, where modelling of spoken language is vital to enable children to find their voice. We encourage children to grow their confidence through play, by allowing children the opportunity to explore independently and alongside their peers. Children in EYFS are given structured opportunities, through stories and material resources, to think and ask questions, helping them to articulate their thought process of the world around them. Children talk in pairs to encourage vital early learning of oracy skills, such as eye contact, expressing themselves and speaking with confidence.

Years 1-6
Children develop a secure knowledge of the four strands of oracy (Physical, Linguistic, Cognitive, Social and Emotional), based on appropriate progression through the key stages. They learn a range of specific technical terminology and are supported to use this accurately and precisely across the curriculum in their everyday learning. Children are given opportunities to apply oracy skills through all learning. They use their oracy skills to articulate their understanding of a topic, to present findings in creative ways, and to discuss and debate their learning.

Impact
The curriculum at Sandringham will support children to develop the essential skills needed to succeed in the oral transactions of life. They will be ready for the next part of their journey in education, with confidence and the ability to articulate themselves thoughtfully. Through the physical strand of oracy, children will present themselves with considerable poise.

Children will choose appropriate vocabulary and techniques to respond and plan effective talk. Children will think critically and listen to others with purpose, and will be ready to engage in conversations which will ultimately shape the society in which they live.

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 talents as musicians.  Pupils are given the opportunity to develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon. 

Our vision

Our vision is to enable children from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument; to make music with others; to learn to sing; and to have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence. Music teaching starts in the early years, both in and out of school, in both formal and informal settings.  At Sandringham, we strive to offer quality music education to every child in order to inspire our pupils and give them learning opportunities they may not normally encounter in their everyday lives. The children are exposed to a wide range of musical genres and are encouraged to learn about music history as part of the National Curriculum and in their extra-curricular music activities.

Our approach

• Every child at Sandringham engages in quality music education. The curriculum extends from Nursery to Year 6. 
• Pupils participate in weekly singing assemblies and a one-hour curriculum music lesson with a Music specialist teacher. 
• From Year 4 pupils are offered the chance to enrol in one-to-one peripatetic music lessons in a number of instrumental styles. 
• Sandringham Primary School works closely with Newham Music to ensure quality teachers deliver tuition. 
• Children are also offered the chance to take music exams in their chosen instrument and work towards gaining music medals.
• Our pupils are offered the opportunity to work with professional musicians where possible.  
• Pupils are exposed to musical genres from both within and outside their cultural backgrounds and heritage.

Music benefits the wider life of the school. We have a choir and aspire to have an orchestra or large-scale ensemble. We continue to work in partnership with Newham Music so that children are provided with the opportunities to develop their musical creativity and interest.

Progression of Skills - Music

We offer children the opportunity to learn Spanish with the intention that they become aware of the importance of being able to communicate in a modern foreign language. We want children to understand how a modern foreign language can act as a gateway to new learning and wider opportunities throughout their lives such as; socially, academically and in the world of work. We want our children to confidently use colloquial Spanish in everyday situations that they may encounter in the UK or abroad, including: greetings, numbers, the weather, ordering food in a restaurant, names of places and asking and giving directions. We also want children to be able to express and articulate some aspects of their wider school learning, which is why, as much as possible, links between the wider curriculum and the MFL are made. There is also a cultural intent which is for pupils to become aware of the origins and development of the Castilian language. This includes traditions and culture; celebrations and festivals; geography; art and culture in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries.

Opportunities to develop excellent oracy in Spanish are facilitated in lessons and outside the classroom. All aspects of oracy are considered and children have become very confident at self-critique and constructive peer critique. A dedicated Spanish role play area contains resources and props for children to develop conversations through games and activities. Children participate in whole school events including, international evenings, school musicals, international schools exchange and trips abroad. Spanish is taught as a Modern Foreign Language from Daycare to year six. Daycare, pre-school and nursery children receive a 15 minutes lesson a week in which they learn songs with actions and basic vocabulary. The Spanish syllabus for the rest of the school includes the four main MFL skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The curriculum shows clear progression in skills; developing children’s depth of understanding as they move through the school.

The impact of the MFL teaching and learning is that pupils develop key skills that can be applied to the learning of any foreign language. Children also become ready to undertake the learning of a MFL at secondary school level very successfully, regardless of the language. The MFL syllabus approach ensures that children develop their cultural capital in a meaningful way as they become knowledgeable about topics that they would not have been exposed to outside the MFL curriculum. Our children express a willingness to learn Spanish and to put into practice what has been embedded in their learning through repetition, reinforcement and progression year on year.

Progression of Skills: Modern Foreign Language - Spanish

At Sandringham Primary School, PSCHE enables our children to develop those skills and attributes associated with well-rounded individuals. This includes, resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, working as a team and critical thinking in the context of three core themes: health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world. 

Our curriculum:

The PSCHE curriculum taught at Sandringham Primary school includes statutory and non-statutory content agreed by teaching staff, parents and school governors. Our effective PSCHE programme tackles barriers to learning, raises aspirations, and improves the life chances of all of our children. Our curriculum helps children and young people to stay healthy and safe, while preparing them for their future. Through teaching a comprehensive PSCHE curriculum, we effectively support our children’s mental and physical health by supporting our children to overcome potential barriers they may face.

Our approach is both culturally sensitive and proactive to ensure that we tackle difficult subjects with respect, compassion and empathy. We teach children that mental health is as important as physical health. We tackle many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up in this fast-moving technological age. By providing our children with opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities they learn to appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society. 

Through our PSCHE approach, children are encouraged to develop a sense of self-worth, understanding the importance of respecting ourselves and others. They learn about healthy relationships, belonging to a community and their place in the wider world. By establishing a sound understanding of themselves and others, at a young age we know that our children will go on to lead happy and healthy lives. 

Progression of Skills - PSCHE

We recognise the fundamental importance that spoken language plays in the development of reading and writing, and the skill of communicating effectively is one which will be vital for our children as they go through life. As such, we aim to provide extensive opportunities for them to develop their oracy skills. Philosophy for Children (P4C) sessions provide these opportunities for children to grow as articulate communicators who can speak confidently, as well as developing their active listening.

P4C also supports our focus on values and responsibilities. It allows our children to explore their own sense of what is right and wrong; affords them an appreciation that thinking differently to others is okay; provides an open space to discuss tolerance; and highlights and reinforces what democracy entails (in the form of class voting). 

Ultimately, we strive to ensure our curriculum is vibrant, engaging and relevant to our children. P4C undoubtedly ticks these boxes – the stimuli ever changing, and often linked to the wider topics of study; the enquiries entertaining, thought provoking and revealing and the questions to be discussed chosen by the children themselves. 

Through P4C lessons children will develop the 4C’s: creative, critical, caring and collaborative skills.

• Caring thinking – listening (concentrating) and valuing (appreciating)
• Collaborative thinking – responding (communicating) and supporting (building on each other’s ideas)
• Critical thinking – questioning (interrogating) and reasoning (evaluating)
• Creative Thinking – connecting (relating) and suggesting (speculating)

Each week, the whole school from Nursery to Year 6 all consider the same question, such as ‘If you could be any animal what would you be and why?’ We share our thoughts with each other and classes have the opportunity to post their thoughts on our school Thinking Fridays display for everyone to see.

Where appropriate, our P4C is linked in with the teaching of religious education. We follow the Newham locally agreed syllabus for religious education, which includes an enquiry-based approach to teaching RE. At the start of each term classes begin their new topics by exploring and questioning religious themes such as belonging, worship, prayer, identity and friendship. P4C supports our teaching and learning of RE by allowing our children the opportunity to investigate and offer reasoned views about moral and ethical issues in a safe and appropriate setting. 

Progression of Skills - P4C

Through our curriculum, we will foster a deep appreciation and recognition of different cultures and heritages. In order to promote equality and the inclusion of all ethnic groups, our diverse curriculum represents traditions, customs and beliefs from outside the school community as well as within.
During their time at Sandringham, children will be immersed in a curriculum which teaches the achievements of all cultures and celebrates the richness of the multicultural world that we live in.

Upon leaving Sandringham, children will:

Think:

• Racism is wrong, understand why it is wrong and know what they can do to fight it
• Learning about a wide range of peoples, histories and cultures is important

Feel:

• That Sandringham values all members of the community - we celebrate our similarities, differences and diversity
• Inspired to make the world a fairer and better place

Do:

• Treat others respectfully and openly, and embrace diversity
• Think critically about the world, ask questions and strive to learn more
• Be well prepared, informed citizens who are passionate about social justice

The use of technology across our curriculum

As the world becomes ever more reliant on the use of technology, we must reflect this in our approaches to teaching and learning. Throughout a child’s time at Sandringham Primary School, it is our responsibility to provide them with easy access to technology hardware and equip them with computing skills that enables them to:

• Think technology is another tool they can draw upon to deepen their understanding, broaden their knowledge and use in creative and purposeful ways
• Feel empowered in their decision to use technology to support their learning, wellbeing and to further their hobbies and interests
• Be autonomous in their decision making of when and how to use technology to support their learning across the curriculum.