Coombe Road Primary School

Coombe Road Primary School

Every child, every family and every moment matters.

Milner Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 4BP

admin@coomberoad.brighton-hove.sch.uk

01273 077130

Our Curriculum

Curriculum video

"Leaders have implemented a curriculum where children learn knowledge in a sequenced way. This helps children to access further knowledge." Ofsted, 2023

Curriculum INTENT

Linked to our values, we want all our children to feel successful in an environment where they are respected, nurtured and encouraged to seek opportunities and demonstrate their excellence in whatever form this takes.

Curriculum drivers

Our curriculum drivers underpin the aims of our curriculum:

Whole School Curriculum

At Coombe Road Primary School we have developed the curriculum to cover the range of skills and knowledge contained within the National Curriculum. Parents looking at our subject webs will see at which points in the school their children will be meeting the skills, knowledge and experiences.

A parent and carer guide to the National Curriculum can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. This document highlights the major focus for each year group.

Throughout our curriculum, we aim to enhance the spiritual, moral, cultural and social development of our children through discrete teaching, embedding it in other subject areas and through discussions and assemblies.

We want our children:

  • to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, to inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values;
  • to have a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them;
  • to use imagination and creativity in their learning;
  • to be willing to reflect on their experiences;
  • to have the ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England;
  • to understand the consequences of their behaviour and actions;
  • to show interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and to be able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues;
  • use a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds;
  • to show willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively;
  • to show acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs;
  • to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain;
  • to show understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others;
  • to show understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain;
  • to have knowledge of Britain's democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain;
  • to show willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities; and
  • to show interest in exploring, improving understanding of, and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity.

For reading and phonics click here.

For subject policies click here.

For our curriculum video click here.

Pedagogy

You can find our teaching and learning policy below:

ART & DESIGN

At Coombe Road we encourage our pupils to ‘make their mark’; through skills based teaching, nurturing and encouraging the development of individual styles and by widening their experience of art in the local community and wider world.

We engage, inspire and challenge our pupils with a curriculum that is built into topic based learning.  Whilst also teaching skills to experiment, invent and create, we encourage pupils to critically evaluate, analyse and form their own opinions of art.  

In KS1, pupils develop art & design skills and through KS2 they improve and master these skills.

At both key stages our pupils learn about artists, architects and designers throughout history.  They are studied as a source of inspiration and their techniques replicated. We also look at how art contributes to our social and emotional development.

Our curriculum is further enhanced through art days, pupil exhibitions and projects in the local community.

Ms K Folley,  Art & Design Lead

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 Art & Design Intent_20-21_KF.pdfDownload
 ART AND DESIGN Progression_21-22_KF.pdfDownload
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COMPUTING  

At Coombe Road, we provide children with a wide range of computing experiences, including learning how to code, which will support them in becoming confident digital practitioners with the ability to be resilient, reason logically and work collaboratively to problem solve.

We have built on existing Early Years practice to develop a range of code experiences right through KS2. These include programming languages like Scratch and HTML which allow children to design and create games or control robots and equipment; and build websites, respectively.

We believe it is of utmost importance to teach pupils to be responsible for their own safety when using the Internet and other technologies. With this in mind, we include an e-safety module in every year group.

We are continually looking at how to develop our current technologies at Coombe Road in order to prepare our children for the world of technology that awaits them.

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 Computing Intent_20-21_AW.pdfDownload
 COMPUTING Progression_21-22_JAu.pdfDownload
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DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

Design and Technology is an exciting, practical and deeply creative subject.  Children are taught to design solutions to real problems and use cross-curricular subject knowledge such as mathematics, science and computing.  Children are taught to plan, design and make a range of objects throughout their school career.  These include a Victorian mobile pier, a pop-up box and an ancient Egyptian shaduf.  Through engaging with design and technology, children develop a deep understanding of design in society, appropriate material use and are taught to take risks and innovate.

Ms K Folley,  Art & Design Lead

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 Design & Technology Intent_20-21_KF.pdfDownload
 DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Progression_21-22_KF.pdfDownload
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ENGLISH

At Coombe Road, our English curriculum includes the teaching of speaking & listening, reading, writing, spelling and handwriting. From their earliest experience at our school through to the end of Year 6, the children are exposed to a wide variety of first-hand experiences and a broad range of text types to engage, inspire and stimulate their imaginations. We believe that these rich experiences provide children with opportunities to develop their language skills and give them "...stuff to write about!"

These experiences can take a multitude of forms, some of which are; an educational visit or visitor, a stunning start (usually in fancy dress), a problem to solve, drama-based activities e.g. role-play or interviewing a book character, or practical activities e.g. cooking to support writing instructions.

As part of our daily timetable, we teach discrete English, phonics, handwriting and spelling sessions. We also plan daily guided and individual reading opportunities, reading comprehension tasks and computer-based activities.

Across the school, we endeavour to make links between our English teaching and the wider curriculum. For example, writing diary entries as Samuel Pepys during the Great Fire of London, or researching and debating current affairs to encourage the use of persuasive language. Alongside discrete English teaching, children are given every opportunity throughout the school day to practise and embed their literacy skills; for instance, writing and delivering a speech for the house captain nominations or reading Remembrance Day poetry during a whole-school assembly.

The National Curriculum clearly states that teaching the English language is an essential, if not the most essential, role of a primary school. At Coombe Road, English teaching is a priority and we recognise that this is cross-curricular and a constant through-out school life and beyond.

Mr R Milsted (Writing), Ms K Folley & Mrs C Burcombe (Reading, phonics, spelling & handwriting)

"children talk about books with enthusiasm and read a wide range of literature." Ofsted, 2023

FRENCH

French is taught to children from year 3 to year 6 by class teachers. It is taught through song, games, stories and role-play, making the learning as fun and interactive as possible in order to engage and motivate all learners.

The children learn useful words and phrases, often linked to their foundation subject lessons to provide context for their language learning. They also learn to describe themselves and their families, and conversational language.

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 MFL Intent_20-21_JAu.pdfDownload
 MFL Progression_21-22_JAu.pdfDownload
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GEOGRAPHY

At Coombe Road we strive to provide our children with high-quality geography education that will inspire them and encourage a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people.

Through geographical enquiry, the children learn about both human and physical features that make up their local area and surrounding settings. Our broad curriculum enables children to have the opportunity to explore different cultures, environments, people and landscapes whilst reflecting on diversity.  

We are constantly working to raise children’s awareness of their roles and responsibilities in relation to their environment through School Council, assemblies, world awareness days and through links with our PSHE curriculum. In doing this we make cross-curricular links to support a creative and practical learning experience.

Miss T Fay, Geography Lead

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 GEOGRAPHY SUBJECT PAGE 21-22.pdfDownload
 GEOGRAPHY Progression_21-22_PH.pdfDownload
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HISTORY

History is taught within our creative and exciting subject webs allowing for a deeper understanding and for cross curricular links to be made. Children enjoy the stimulating and engaging lessons which are enriched by visits, visitors and historical artefacts. Children are then able to develop their historical thinking skills through critical and reflective investigation.

Mrs T Tribe, History Lead

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 History Intent_20-21_JAl.pdfDownload
 HISTORY Progression_21-22_JAl.pdfDownload
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MATHS

curriculum Intent

At Coombe Road Primary School, we teach our children how to make sense of the world around them by developing their ability to calculate, reason and solve problems. We want our children to recognise and understand relationships and patterns in numbers in the world around them

Our children have access to high quality lessons that are both challenging and enjoyable. We provide a variety of mathematical learning opportunities, which enable them to make the connections needed to enjoy greater depth in learning.

We also ensure that our children are confident mathematicians who are not afraid to take risks. We fully develop independent learners with inquisitive minds who have secure mathematical foundations and an interest in self-improvement. 

IMPLEMENTATION

  • Daily maths lessons are planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before. Teachers follow the White Rose maths schemes of work
  • Where appropriate, we incorporate the key structures and ‘small steps’ approach to lessons in line with our maths mastery training.
  • We invest in Times table Rockstars to boost the children’s enjoyment of learning multiplication facts. Each child has their own account and can compete with other pupils around the school.

National Curriculum times tables expectations

The National Curriculum times tables expectations are:

  • Year 1 – To Count in multiples of 2,5,10
  • Year 2 – To Recall multiplication & division facts for x2,x5,x10
  • Year 3 – To Recall multiplication & division facts for x3,4,8
  • Year 4 - To Recall multiplication & division facts up to 12x12
  • Years 5 and 6 – To Recall multiplication & division facts up to 12 x 12

Our units of work are structured using the headings as they appear in the National Curriculum:  

  • Number and Place Value 
  • Addition and Subtraction  
  • Multiplication and Division  
  • Fractions (including decimals and percentages)  
  • Ratio and Proportion  
  • Measurement  
  • Geometry - properties of shapes  
  • Geometry - position and direction
  • Statistics  

Our children are encouraged to physically represent mathematical concepts. Objects and pictures are used to demonstrate and visualise abstract ideas, alongside numbers and symbols: 

  • Concrete – children can use concrete objects and manipulatives to help them understand and explain what they are doing 
  • Pictorial – children then build on this concrete approach by using pictorial representations, which can then be used to reason and solve problems 
  • Abstract – with the foundations firmly laid, children can move to an abstract approach using numbers and key concepts with confidence.

 

The main aim of all lessons is to develop children’s knowledge, understanding and skills, applying these to a variety of contexts. One of the key elements in lessons throughout the school should be on developing the children’s mental calculation strategies alongside developing the children’s written calculation strategies.

Each class has a 15-minute Fluency starter at the beginning of each Maths lesson, Currently, the whole school is focusing on table facts. We also believe in active learning, and have regular maths focused ‘Brain Breaks’ using BBC Supermovers. 

 

EYFS

All children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have daily opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding, primarily through play, to meet the needs of Development Matters. The two strands of Mathematics taught in the EYFs are Numbers and Shape, and Space and Measure. 

 

IMPACT

At Coombe Road School we expect that by the end of Y6 our children: 

  • become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics  
  • reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations; and
  • solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication. 

 

 Ms M Reeves, Maths Lead

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 Maths Skills Progression_20-21_MR.pdfDownload
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MUSIC

At Coombe Road music is about participating in a creative, fun and inclusive curriculum. Children are encouraged and motivated to participate, and discover and develop a wide range of musical techniques.

To enhance the musical experience, visiting musicians such as 'Create Music', offer the children a chance to experience and play a wide range of instruments - and through the Brighton and Hove Music Service, we are consulting parents on teaching a range of lessons, including violin and guitar.

Our teachers use the Kapow Primary Music Scheme. It is first and foremost to help children feel that they are musical and to develop a life-long love of music. We focus on developing the skills, knowledge and understanding that children need to become confident performers, composers, and listeners. Our curriculum introduces children to music from all around the world and across generations, teaching children to respect and appreciate the music of all traditions and communities.

The National Curriculum mapping document shows which of our units cover each of the National Curriculum attainment targets as well as each of these strands within it.

The progression of skills document shows the skills that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop year on year to ensure attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.

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 Music Progression.pdfDownload
 National-Curriculum-mapping-Music.pdfDownload
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PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH & ECONOMIC EDUCATION (pshe) & RELATIONSHIPS & SEX EDUCATION (rse)

Through our PSHE curriculum we aim to enable pupils to develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to keep themselves safe, mentally & physically healthy and prepared for life as happy and responsible global citizens.

Our curriculum is built on the guidance from Brighton & Hove Agreed Syllabus, using the Jigsaw Scheme of Work. The curriculum but is adapted so we can respond to and meet the needs of our pupils. We aim to nurture the emotional health of our pupils whilst also involving children in school citizenship.

Circle Time and 'reflection' is integral to our curriculum. This is a whole school approach where we aim to improve social skills, foster positive relationships, encourage positive behaviour and develop a caring and respectful school environment. 

Our overview can be found here.

Mrs A Williams, PSHE/SMSC/RSE Lead

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 PSHE_RSE Intent_20-21_VP.pdfDownload
 PSHE_RSHE Progression_21-22_AW.pdfDownload
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Please click here to see more information in our dedicated PE and sports page.

Mr R Milsted & Mr P O'Connor,  Sports Leads

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 PHYSICAL EDUCATION SUBJECT PAGE 21-22_RM+PO'C.pdfDownload
 PE STRIKING & FIELDING GAMES Progression_21-22_RM PO'C.pdfDownload
 PE INVASION GAMES MULTI-SKILLS Progression_21-22_RM PO'C.pdfDownload
 PE NET AND WALL GAMES Progression_21-22_RM PO'C.pdfDownload
 PE ATHLETICS Progression_21-22_RM PO'C.pdfDownload
 PE GYMNASTICS YOGA Progression_21-22_RM PO'C.pdfDownload
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SCIENCE

Our aim in science is to foster and develop a sense of awe and wonder in the world around us. Children are exposed to a variety of practical experiences, where they learn to investigate for themselves. Our teaching aims to elicit children’s prior knowledge, challenging misconceptions and building a new, deeper understanding. Children are afforded the opportunity to use a range of enquiry based and investigative skills, such as: observation and prediction, fair testing, pattern seeking and research. Children are then taught to draw conclusions from their findings. 

Ms J Watson, Science Lead

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 Science Intent_20-21_JW.pdfDownload
 SCIENCE Progression_21-22_JW.pdfDownload
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

At Coombe Road we use a comprehensive scheme of work, Discovery RE, which links with the Brighton and Hove agreed syllabus. This gives our children opportunities to:

  • develop their knowledge and understanding of the nature of religious beliefs and practices and the importance of these in the lives of believers
  • explore those aspects of human experiences which give rise to spiritual awareness and fundamental issues about beliefs and values.

RE is always taught in the context of our school values and valuing, respecting and celebrating all faith groups.

Mr P O'Connor, RE Lead

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 Religious Education Overview_20-21_POC.pdfDownload
 Religious Education (by Religion) Overview_20-21_POC.pdfDownload
 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Progression (Jigsaw)_POC.pdfDownload
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Guide for parents

A guide for parents and carers can be found below:

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 New National Curriculum - A Guide for Parents.pdfDownload
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