Thurlstone Primary School – Curriculum Intent Statement

At Thurlstone we provide, and hold dear, so much more than a traditional academic education. Children and families who become part of our community can expect to benefit from a holistic education which promotes human values which make good, well rounded people who they are. To be a fully effective member of today’s society requires a well-developed set of principles in a wide range of areas as detailed above.

General Principles:

Our curriculum will give children the opportunity to:

• experience the challenge and enjoyment of learning
• see clear links between different aspects of their learning
• explore the breadth and depth of the national curriculum and beyond
• develop and demonstrate their creativity in a variety of contexts
• learn within a coherent and progressive framework
• develop a rich and deep subject knowledge
• develop new skills through a variety of interesting contexts
• understand the purpose and value of their learning and see its relevance to their past, present and future
• develop values which enable them to be effective and happy world citizens.

At Thurlstone Primary School, we believe that oracy — the ability to communicate effectively through speaking and listening — is a crucial skill that supports both academic achievement and future success. We aim to weave oracy throughout all areas of learning so that every pupil develops the confidence, clarity, and respect needed to express themselves and engage with others. A clear progression of oracy skills is mapped across the school, ensuring that children have structured and meaningful chances to strengthen their communication in every subject.

Our Oracy Framework is shaped around three core strands: Talk in the Early Years, Talk for Learning, and Talk for Life. Together, these strands provide a strong foundation for developing children’s communication abilities in different settings, nurturing both their educational progress and personal confidence.

Vocabulary:

At Thurlstone Primary School, we have developed a carefully planned and structured approach to identifying and mapping key vocabulary across the curriculum. This progressive approach ensures that pupils build a strong linguistic foundation, enabling them to take part in meaningful discussions, express their ideas clearly, and fully access the breadth of the curriculum. Each subject area has identified the essential vocabulary that children will encounter and use throughout their time at Thurlstone, ensuring consistency and depth in language development.

Performance Opportunities

At Thurlstone Primary School, we are committed to giving our pupils a wide range of opportunities to perform and share their voices with growing confidence. Whether presenting persuasive speeches, performing poetry, or sharing work with classmates, parents, and the wider community, we aim to nurture every child’s ability to speak with clarity, confidence, and pride. Through these experiences, pupils learn to express themselves effectively and appreciate the power of their own voice.

At Thurlstone Primary School we will teach our children to:

• write fluently and with interesting detail on a number of topics across the whole curriculum.
• use their imagination which makes readers engage with, and enjoy their writing.
• develop their vocabulary and knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.
• produce well-organised and structured writing, which includes a variety of sentence structures.
• develop excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well presented and punctuated, spelled correctly and neat.
• develop a love of writing and an appreciation of its educational, cultural and entertainment values.

We follow a Mastery approach to English through the programme ‘Pathways to Write.’ Units of work are delivered using high quality texts and children in all year groups are given varied opportunities for writing. Skills are built up through repetition within the units, and children apply these skills in the writing activities provided.  Many opportunities for widening children’s vocabulary are given through the Pathways to Write approach and this builds on the extensive work we do in school to provide our children with a rich and varied vocabulary.

Please click on the documents below to see what objectives are covered in each year group. More detail can be found in the curriculum class plans.

Overview of objectives EYFS

Overview of objectives Y1

Overview of objectives Y2

Overview of objectives Y3

Overview of objectives Y4

Overview of objectives Y5

Overview of objectives Y6

Spelling in YR, Y1 and Y2 is taught through Rocket Phonics.

We also use Pathways to Spell in KS2. Please click on the documents below to see what we teach in each year group:

Y3 and Y4 Spelling Objectives

Y5 and Y6 Spelling Objectives

At Thurlstone Primary School children will learn to read with confidence, fluency and understanding, providing them with the skills required to achieve a lifetime of enjoyment through reading.

Children routinely read in school independently, in guided groups, with partners and in shared class sessions. Children

Every day our children have the opportunity to listen to adults and other children read high quality and varied texts.

THURLSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WILL HAVE

• confidence and positive attitudes to reading through access to a wide range of literature
• Extensive knowledge through having read a rich and varied range of texts.
• The motivation to read for both study and for pleasure.
• Excellent phonic knowledge and skills.
• Knowledge of an extensive and rich vocabulary.
• Excellent comprehension skills, which enable children to analyse what they read and to participate in discussion and debate about texts.
• good home/school partnerships.
• Effectively support those children who require additional support with their reading.
• Fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.

We make every effort to ensure our children are exposed to a wide range of high quality texts, both as part of their literacy lessons and during their daily story times.

OUR KEY AUTHORS

• Malorie Blackman
• Roald Dahl
• Julia Donaldson
• Philip Pullman
• Katherine Rundell

We also use Fred’ Teaching. Fred’s Teaching Reading is a highly effective approach that helps children develop strong literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. By using clear, structured phonics methods, it enables pupils to quickly build confidence in decoding words and understanding texts. The program encourages active participation, helping learners to stay motivated while making steady progress at their own pace. As a result, children not only improve their reading accuracy and fluency, but also develop a genuine enjoyment of reading that supports their learning across all subjects.

Reading Progression – Whole School

Reading Spine – whole school

Year 3 medium term plan

Year 4 medium term plan

Year 5 medium term plan

Year 6 medium term plan

Read Write Inc. is a structured and widely used literacy programme designed to help children learn to read quickly and confidently. It focuses on systematic phonics, teaching pupils how sounds are linked to letters, alongside developing reading fluency, comprehension, and writing skills. Through engaging activities, partner work, and carefully matched reading books, children build accuracy and confidence at their own pace. The programme also supports speaking and listening, ensuring a well-rounded approach to early literacy and a strong foundation for future learning

Whole School Science Curriculum Plan

At our school, our motto—Grow Together; Learn Together; Feel Loved—shapes every decision we make about teaching and learning. Our science curriculum, delivered through Kapow Primary, is a powerful example of how we bring these values to life in the classroom each day. We want children not only to understand scientific ideas but to develop the curiosity, confidence, and sense of wonder that help them grow into thoughtful, questioning young people.

Kapow’s carefully sequenced curriculum ensures that children build knowledge step by step, revisiting and deepening key concepts as they move through school. Lessons are designed by subject specialists and include clear explanations, engaging videos, hands‑on investigations, and opportunities for children to apply their learning in real‑life contexts. This structured approach means every child can access high‑quality science teaching, regardless of their starting point, and teachers can focus on supporting pupils to think like scientists—observing, predicting, testing, and evaluating.

Science at our school is also about connection: connecting ideas, connecting learning to the world around us, and connecting with each other. Kapow’s emphasis on practical exploration encourages teamwork, communication, and shared problem‑solving, helping children truly Grow Together as they investigate questions and discover answers side by side. Through these collaborative experiences, pupils learn to value each other’s ideas, celebrate different strengths, and develop resilience when faced with challenges.

We also want every child to Feel Loved—to feel safe, supported, and confident enough to take risks in their learning. Kapow’s clear lesson structure and inclusive resources help teachers create a nurturing environment where children feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and trying again. This sense of belonging and encouragement is at the heart of our approach to science and underpins the progress children make.

Ultimately, our goal is for children to Learn Together in a way that inspires a lifelong interest in the world around them. Whether they are exploring habitats, investigating forces, or learning about the human body, Kapow’s curriculum helps pupils see science as exciting, relevant, and full of possibilities. By combining expert content with our school’s caring ethos, we ensure that every child experiences science as a subject that sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and nurtures a deep love of learning

Please click on the link to see the whole school curriculum overview:

Whole School Curriculum

History

HISTORY THEME OVERVIEW

WHOLE SCHOOL HISTORY PROGRESSION DOCUMENT

Geography

GEOGRAPHY THEME OVERVIEW

Whole School Geography Progression Plan

Spanish

KS2 Spanish Curriculum Overview Sept 23

Design Technology

DT Long term curriculum plan

Computing

Whole School Computing Overview

Art

Whole School Art Overview

Art Curriculum Progression Overview

Whole School Artist Overview

myHappymind and myHappymind+

We are proud to be a of myHappymind school!
As a whole school programme grounded in science and dedicated to building positive mental wellbeing, myHappymind helps children understand how their brains work and creates a culture that
helps to build children’s resilience, confidence, and self-esteem. myHappymind also teaches the children how to self-regulate and manage their emotions in stressful times, allowing them to be their
very best selves!
The myHappymind programme is based around the following modules:

• Meet Your Brain: Understanding how your brain works and how to ensure we look after it so that we can manage our emotions and be at our best. Growth mindset is a key part of this too.
• Celebrate: Understanding your unique Character Strengths and learning to celebrate them. This is a fantastic module for building self-esteem.
• Appreciate: Understanding why gratitude matters and how you can develop gratitude as a habit. Gratitude is key to well-being and resilience and we’re all about making it a lifelong strategy!
• Relate: Understanding why positive relationships matter and how to build them. We’re focussed on the building blocks of good relationships and friendships.
• Engage: Understanding how to set meaningful goals that matter and how to stay resilient in times of challenge. This module is all about building self-esteem and resilience too.

If you would like to know more about the Parent App that accompanies the programme, you can find out more by clicking on the link below:

https://myhappymind.lpages.co/myhappymind-parent-app-introduction/

PSHE and myHappymind+

myHappymind is a mental health and well-being programme to support children in learning habits to support their own mental health. It does also cover all the mandatory objectives from the DfE Relationships Education Curriculum and also around 70% of the PSHE objectives.

RSE

The teaching of Sex and Relationship Education is now compulsory in Primary schools. Here is some useful information for parents:
RSE primary schools guide for parents

Real P.E.

We are passionate about the teaching of P.E. Click on the link to find out about our whole school Real P.E scheme.

PE. Curriculum Overview

Long Term Plan (with End Points) 2023 24

Core Real PE – Progression of Skills

Foundation Stage Curriculum Map

Y1 Curriculum Map

Y2 Curriculum Map

Y3 Curriculum Map

Y4 Curriculum Map

Y5/6 Curriculum Map

Fundamental Movement Skills Progression of Skills

Real Gym:

Real Gym – progression of skills

Real Gym FS2 Map

Real Gym Y1 Map

Real Gym Y2 Map

Real Gym Y3 Map

Real Gym Y4 Map

Real Gym Y5/6 Map

Real Dance:

Real Dance – progression of skills

Real Dance FS2 Map

Real Dance Y1 Map

Real Dance Y2 Map

Real Dance Y3 Map

Real Dance Y4 Map

Real Dance Y5/6 Map

Sparkyard Music

Our Musical School

Music Curriculum

School Music Development Plan

Religious Education

We use Discovery R.E to support the teaching of Religious Education across the school.

Whole School RE Overview (1)

Discovery RE Information for parents

Discovery RE and British Values

At Thurlstone Primary School we aim to provide our children with opportunities to develop through a broad, balanced and rich curriculum which is tailored to meet their needs within the context of the community in which they live.

As a result it is our intention that children will leave Thurlstone:

• With resilience
• With lifelong learning skills essential for adulthood
• With independence
• As empathetic, responsible citizens who care about our planet
• With an appreciation of the wider world and it’s cultures
• With a strong moral purpose and respect for others
• Happy and healthy in both mind and body

We believe childhood to be a happy, investigative and enquiring time in our lives, where there are no limits to curiosity and there is a thirst for new experiences and knowledge.

We aim to grow our wonderful little ‘Rockets’ into ‘Great Explorers’ who are ready to take on the world.

EYFS Vision 2026

Strong Foundations document Jan 26

EYFS Intent statement

British Values in the Early Years

At Thurlstone, the mental health and wellbeing of our whole school community is central to everything we do. Guided by our motto — Grow Together; Learn Together; Feel Loved — we are committed to creating an environment where every child feels safe, supported, and valued. Our approach ensures that children not only develop academically but also grow emotionally, socially, and personally.

Through our PSHE curriculum, myHappymind, we equip children with the knowledge and skills they need to understand their feelings, manage their emotions, and build positive relationships. myHappymind teaches pupils how their brains work, how to develop resilience, and how to cultivate a positive mindset — all of which help them thrive both in and beyond the classroom. This aligns closely with our belief that children learn best when they feel secure, confident, and loved.

A happy and healthy learning environment enables children to become successful, resilient learners with strong self-esteem. Across our curriculum, children have regular opportunities to:

• learn how to respect themselves and others

• build and maintain respectful friendships

• follow their own interests and express their individuality

• work confidently in a range of groups and settings

• recognise and celebrate that everyone has different strengths

• reflect on their learning and think mindfully

• learn in a peaceful, supportive environment

• develop self-esteem and confidence in their abilities

• understand and manage intense feelings, and support others to do the same

• develop empathy and compassion

• access highly skilled Thrive Approach practitioners who support their emotional needs

• benefit from a whole‑school Thrive ethos that nurtures emotional wellbeing

Together, myHappymind and the Thrive Approach help us fulfil our promise that every child at Thurlstone will Grow Together; Learn Together; Feel Loved. By prioritising wellbeing alongside academic learning, we ensure that our children develop the confidence, emotional literacy, and resilience they need to flourish — both now and in the future

Pupil Wellbeing Policy

Click on the link below to see how we promote staff wellbeing at Thurlstone.

Promoting Staff Wellbeing

We believe every child deserves an exceptional education—one that opens doors not only to academic success, but to a rich and fulfilling life beyond the classroom. For us, “outstanding” means giving children the chance to discover who they are and who they might become. It means igniting passions—whether that’s as a dancer, musician, stage designer, landscape artist, actor, conductor, or even a mountain climber. The possibilities are endless, and that sense of possibility is exactly what we strive to nurture.

By immersing children in vibrant, meaningful experiences, we encourage them to dream boldly, to aim high, and to explore widely.

We enrich our curriculum by:

• Providing opportunities for outdoor learning that spark curiosity and independence
• Welcoming parents and carers to share in children’s learning journeys, achievements, and memorable moments
• Hosting specialist curriculum days and themed weeks that bring learning to life
• Building strong partnerships with external organisations (including the police) to broaden real-world understanding
• Offering a wide range of on-site and off-site trips linked to subjects and topics
• Enabling Year 6 pupils to attend Crucial Crew, where they develop essential life skills
• Giving children the chance to experience both large- and small-scale theatre productions
• Encouraging participation in musical performances of all sizes
• Inspiring creativity through visits to high-quality art galleries
• Providing access to diverse sporting experiences across a range of venues
• Offering a two-day outdoor and adventurous residential trip that builds confidence and resilience
• Delivering a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs designed to engage and inspire as many pupils as possible

Through these experiences, we don’t just educate—we empower children to see the world as full of opportunity, and themselves as capable of achieving extraordinary things.

Click here to view a selection of photos and images which provide a flavour of personal development and enrichment opportunities at Thurlstone Primary school.

British Values at Thurlstone Primary School

Our enrichment offer

Personal Development Plan- Life Skills Curriculum

Reception Life Skills