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At St Matthew’s Church of England Primary School, the curriculum is designed to engage, inspire, motivate and challenge our pupils.  It allows the pupils to:

•             develop their interests in the world around them

•             develop their love of learning

•             build resilience

•             become creative, critical thinkers

•             apply their skills and knowledge to a range of contexts

 

We aim high for our children and want them to be aspirational for themselves so that they can have successful futures, confident to work hard and have opportunities to try things they may not have tried before.

Our curriculum is underpinned by our core values: Aim High, Encourage, Have Faith. In terms of our curriculum this means we:

Aim High – We have high expectations for all our children. We have created a curriculum that challenges, inspires and enables every child to reach their full potential.

Encourage – We foster a supportive learning environment where curiosity, resilience and collaboration are nurtured.

Have Faith – Christian values are at the heart of our curriculum. Children are supported to develop respect, self-esteem and confidence to enable them to flourish and become successful lifelong learners.

 

Curriculum subjects

Our broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum follows the National Curriculum. We follow the Southwark Diocese Board of Education (SDBE) syllabus for Religious Education and our Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) teaches children to make informed decisions about the challenges, risks and situations they may face, in an age appropriate way.

 

In English, we use the Literacy Tree, a comprehensive book-based thematic approach, to immerse our pupils in rich texts to ignite imagination and creativity. Our mathematics curriculum aims to develop confident and capable mathematicians, and is supported by White Rose Maths Premium and NRICH Resources.

 

We use Learning Journey’s to connect the foundation subjects and Science, enabling children to make meaningful connections across areas of learning. This cross-curricular learning develops pupil’s depth of learning and could include science, art and design, computing, design and technology, geography, history, languages, music, PSCHE, Physical Education and Religious Education.

 

Outdoor Learning - Our vast grounds are used to enhance both curriculum learning and enrichment opportunities, including our onsite Forest School. Pupils benefit from outdoor learning experiences that support academic development, mental wellbeing, physical activity and space for personal reflection. Through these opportunities, pupils develop confidence, resilience and independence, supporting their personal development as well as their enjoyment of learning.

 

We have a strong enrichment programme including trips, curriculum workshops, cultural and religious experiences, a full programme of sporting events, and visiting authors. These experiences are an important part of our curriculum, bringing learning to life, while supporting children’s academic progress and personal development. Our enrichment offer includes: Activities Weeks, performing arts productions, residential trips to High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre, camping at Otford Manor, Bluebell Railway, Stone Age and Anglo Saxon days, Southwark Cathedral, theatre trips to see the English National Ballet and the National Theatre, Science Museum, National Trust properties, Tate Modern, Pudding Lane, Riverboat trips, a full programme of inter and intra-school sporting events and festivals, and so much more.