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Bolton St Catherine's Academy

Bolton St Catherine's Academy
BELIEVE . STRIVE . CARE . ACHIEVE
Achieve

Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

At BSCA Primary we intend to implement an inspiring curriculum rooted in our shared vision and values so that our children may have our Trust’s vision: Life in all its Fullness

 

At BSCA we will be: skilled readers, confident authors, mathematicians, scientists, historians, geographers, musicians, artists, linguists, theologists, computational thinkers, athletes, designers and technologists. We are inclusive and diverse. 

To achieve this, we are committed to providing all our pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum that is ambitious for all. Through high quality teaching and well-planned lessons, children of all abilities will experience success, challenge and enjoyment across all subject areas. With our carefully designed curriculum (based on the requirements of the National Curriculum) and our school values, we aim to ensure that all pupils leave us with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes that they need to succeed in life. It is our goal for all our children to be confident learners who know more and remember more. Our curriculum engenders them with aspirations- they are the scientists, authors, historians etc of the future. 

The fundamental skills in English and maths are at the centre of our teaching and learning, however, we feel very strongly that children should be given every opportunity to learn about, explore and develop personal interests and have a passion for different subject areas that they, as individuals, enjoy. 

We want our children to thrive in an environment where they have a voice and know they are listened to. Mental health and well-being is important at BSCA and a range of strategies and support are offered to the school community. We ensure social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is central to our school ethos and is threaded purposefully throughout the school day. We want our children to be given opportunities to know what is happening in the wider world and be able to discuss them in a safe environment. 

It is our intention to create lifelong learners who have enthusiasm and curiosity. This is achieved by using an enquiry-based approach where learners are required to take an active role in their learning by thinking deeply, asking and answering questions and building knowledge. 

Our core curriculum: English, maths, science and computing follows the National Curriculum. Further information is found on the individual curriculum pages.  

Our wider curriculum is taught through Learning Challenges. It follows the programmes of study from the National Curriculum for History and Geography, Art, DT and Music. 

PSHE (Personal Development) is based on the SCARF programme. Physical Education follows the Head, Heart, Hands model of delivery and meets the National Curriculum aims. 

Religious Education is delivered using the Manchester Diocesan enquiry-based curriculum. 

 

Curriculum Implementation 

Our curriculum has been carefully built and the learning opportunities and assessment component knowledge for each year group crafted to ensure progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. 

Our curriculum is rooted in the branch of cognitive science: ‘Schema Theory’. Begun by Piaget, we base our curriculum and teaching and learning approach around developing knowledge and his theory that all knowledge is clustered in schemata. 

Schemas, or schemata, store both substantive (specific, factual content for the subjects- the ‘stuff’) and disciplinary knowledge (actions taken within a particular knowledge to gain knowledge e.g. in history using evidence to construct a claim). They are dynamic – they develop and change based on new information and experiences. Therefore, to use schemata in education, we activate prior knowledge, link new information to old information and link different schemata to each other. 

For example, in geography, to build geographical schemas, we know that students' schemas comprise of what they already know about a concept. Gradually they build up schemas of geographical information as experiences happen and new information is presented. They develop new schemas with the new learning and the old schemas are changed or modified. 

Developing rich, connected schemas in the minds of our children is a sure-fire way to be able to create, develop and embed knowledge. Once one branch of a schema has been forged, it acts as an arm which reaches out as a hook to welcome new knowledge.  

However, there are factors that can block the development of these schemata and cause cognitive dissonance, for example cognitive overload- where too much information is presented at once and knowledge is not transferred to long term memory and therefore learning does not take place. 

Our pedagogical approaches provide a range of opportunities for pupils to move learning from the short term to the long-term memory, resulting in mastery of the subject taught. By the time learners have left BSCA Primary, they will have mastered a range of both substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge through opportunities which are carefully planned, for progression and depth. 

How we do it: 

These are the key elements of our curriculum implementation to ensure rich, connected schemata are developed.  

High quality instruction: 

Based on Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction: 

  • Present new material using small steps (chunk it up) 
  • Provide models (I do) 
  • Provide scaffolds for difficult tasks (modelling, checklists. Writing frames, anticipating errors and misconceptions) 
  • Ask questions 
  • Check for student understanding 
  • Guide student practice (We do) 
  • Obtain a high success rate 
  • Independent practice (You do) 
  • Daily review 
  • Weekly and monthly review 

 

Retrieval practice- 

The Education Endowment Foundation states: 

Intentionally creating a schema can be compared to trekking through an overgrown forest. Teachers are the axe wielders who navigate the new learning and create the pathways. As we provide high quality instruction, these paths become clearer.  

Sometimes, the insistent weeds begin to creep onto the pathways and children ‘forget’ the knowledge. Recognising and addressing this forgetting is crucial. It is the optimum time for teachers to deliberately retrieve that knowledge and cut down that weed clearing the pathway even further.  

Retrieval practice is the strategy of recalling facts, concepts, or events from memory in order to enhance learning. The act of retrieving something from your memory actually strengthens the connections holding it there, making it more likely that you'll be able to recall it in the future. 

We use: 

  • Low stakes quizzing - to support learners’ ability to block learning and increase space in working memory, for example, in history we use our Retrieval Roulette as a starter to the lesson  
  • Knowledge organisers- a summary of the key facts and essential knowledge that pupils need about a unit of work or a curriculum subject. 
  • Pre- teaching- laying the foundations by teaching specific knowledge, vocabulary and concepts before the lesson 
  • Over learning- revisiting learning outside of the lesson to address misconceptions and embed learning 
  • Check-in points during the lesson- to make sure children have understood the learning so far in the lesson and so are ready to move on 
  • Working walls in English and Maths- displaying learning from last lesson, last week etc 
  • Visuals- dual coding for example, word and picture, mind maps, spider diagrams, displaying key questions in each area of learning  

  

Reducing cognitive overload 

BSCA Way- essential learning and behaviour routines have been identified that take place regularly in the classroom and school environment. They reduce cognitive load because they are delivered in the same way to the children every time leading to automaticity. The principle is that the children carry out these learning habits automatically thus allowing them to focus more on their learning.  

Developing vocabulary 

Essential vocabulary is identified and taught explicitly across the curriculum. This is tier 3 subject-specific and children are encouraged to speak like a historian, geographer etc throughout the lessons  

Dual coding- combining words and visuals such as pictures, diagrams, graphic organizers, and so on. By providing two different representations of the information e.g. both visual and verbal, helps students understand the information better 

Enquiry Based Approach 

A cycle of lessons, within an enquiry, for each subject, which carefully plans for progression and depth. A challenging ‘big’ overarching question for pupils to engage with, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate. A series of further enquiry questions for the children to answer to build their knowledge in order to answer the lead question.  

Cross curricular approach 

  • Applying reading and writing skills as often as possible 
  • Applying maths learning as often as possible  
  • Adding to schemas- helping to make clear connections with other learning and therefore strengthening learning in the long-term memory for example between history and geography  

Trips, Visits and Visitors 

Enriching our curriculum- arranging trips and visiting experts who will enhance the learning experience. 

 

Curriculum Impact 

As our vision and values state- 

We believe learning is the key which opens the door to a whole life of opportunities. As a family, at the heart of our local community, we care for each other. Together, we continually strive for excellent teaching which inspires engaged and motivated learning. 

BELIEVE in ourselves 

STRIVE to reach our goals 

CARE for each other and the world 

ACHIEVE all of which we are truly capable 

  

With these as our central tenets, everything we do is with our children in mind and our staff’s strong relationships between pupils, parents and one another creates an atmosphere for learning which is conducive to success, enjoyment and engagement.  

The outcomes of our curriculum can be seen around the school. Children in classrooms are engaged in their learning, enjoy their learning and want to find out more. They show pride in their performance and develop understanding and learning to a deeper level. Work is completed to high standards and our children become rounded and interested individuals and we celebrate this at every opportunity: on our walls, on our socials and in our assemblies.  

Our curriculum is carefully planned for progression; it is designed to be challenging and relevant to our pupils, it begins with their local identity and builds upon their prior knowledge and understanding. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making the expected amount of progress required and are therefore working at the expected standard for their year group.  

The secure foundations of our vision and values result in children becoming life-long, curious learners who are more than ready to take opportunities to extend their horizons. They are the future- the authors, mathematicians, scientists, historians, geographers, musicians, artists, linguists, theologists, computational thinkers, athletes, designers and technologists to come.  

They will have life in all its fullness. 

For more information about our curriculum, please contact school - 01204 332533 or email: primary@boltonstcatherinesacademy.org.uk   

 


 Curriculum Overviews

EYFS

 

Year 1

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 1 History What was life like when our grandparents were children?  Who were L S Lowry and Peter Bruegel? Did the great fire make London better or worse?
Geography Our School Why can't a meerkat live in the North Pole? Where do the wheels on the bus go?
Art Colour Chaos Nature Sculptures LS Lowry
DT Moving Pictures - Traditional Tales Our Fabric Faces Sensational Salads
Music Nursery Rhymes Nativity Chime Bars Chime Bars Sounds of Nature Assessed Performance
Science Everyday materials Seasonal Changes: Autumn and Winter Animals including humans Seasonal Changes: Spring and Summer Plants
Computing Computer Skills
DL /  IT 
Word Processing
IT 
Painting
IT 
Programming Toys
CS / IT 
Programming with Scratch Jr
CS

Using and Applying
IT 
Online Safety
DL 
PD Me and My Relationships Feelings
Getting help
Classroom rules
Special people
Being a good friend
Valuing Difference Recognising, valuing and
celebrating difference
Developing respect and
accepting others
Bullying and getting help
Keeping Safe How our feelings can
keep us safe – including
online safety
Safe and unsafe touches
Medicine Safety
Sleep
Rights and Respect Taking care of things:
Myself
My money
My environment
Being My Best  Growth Mindset
Healthy eating
Hygiene and health
Cooperation
Growing and Changing Getting help
Becoming independent
My body parts
Taking care of self and
others
RE God - What do Christians believe God is like? Incarnation - Why does Christmas matter to Christians? Creation - Who made the world? Salvation - Why does Easter matter to Christians? Islam - Who is Muslim and how do they live? Gospel - What is the good news Jesus brings?
Longitudinal How can you create patterns using leaves in the style of William Morris - Science/ Geography noticing changing seasons - drawing and printing How can we make a winter landscape - drawing - Science/ Geography noticing changing seasons How can you use art to show the changes of spring - drawing and collage - Science/ Geography noticing changing seasons What would a summer field look like (Van Gogh)  - drawing (oil pastels/ range of media) = Science/ Geography noticing changing Seasons
PE Invasion (FMS Football) Net/Wall/Court (FMS Dodgeball) Gymnastics/Dance Invasion (FMS Netball) Striking/Fielding (FMS Rounders) Athletics

Year 2

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 2 History How did the first flight change the world? Why is Samuel Crompton remembered? Who were the greatest explorers? Neil Armstrong and Christopher Columbus.
Geography What would Emma Jane find exciting about our town? Where would you prefer to live: England or Africa? Why do we love to be beside the seaside?
Art Portraits Fabricate Landscapes and Cityscapes
DT Fabric Bunting Pirate Paddy's Packed Lunch Problems Dips and Dippers
Music Renaissance Nativity Chime Bars Chime Bars Ringtones and Alarms Assessed Performance
Science Uses of Everyday Materials Animals including humans Plants Living Things and Their Habitats The Environment
Computing Preparing For Turtle Logo
CS 
Programming Turtle Logo and Scratch
CS 
Computer Art
DL 
Using the Internet
DL /  IT 
Presentation Skills
DL / IT 

Using and Applying
IT / CS 
Online Safety
DL 
PD Me and My Relationships Bullying and teasing
Our school rules about
bullying
Being a good friend
Feelings/self-regulation
Valuing Difference Being kind and helping
others
 Celebrating difference
People who help us
Listening Skills
Keeping Safe Safe and unsafe secrets
Appropriate touch
Medicine safety
Rights and Respect Cooperation
Self-regulation
Online safety
Looking after money –
saving and spending
Being My Best  Growth Mindset
Looking after my body
Hygiene and health
Exercise and sleep
Growing and Changing Life cycles
Dealing with loss
Being supportive
Growing and changing
Privacy
RE God - What do Christians believe God is like? Incarnation - Why does Christmas matter to Christians? Judaism - Who is Jewish and how do they live? Salvation - Why does Easter matter to Christians? Gospel - What is the good news Jesus brings? Creation - Who made the world?
PE Invasion (FMS Handball)/ Tag Rugby Net/Wall/Court (FMS Dodgeball) Gymnastics/Dance Net/Wall/Court (FMS Tennis) Striking/Fielding (FMS Rounders) Athletics

Year 3

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 3 History Who First Lived in Britain? Which significant events have happened in Bolton in the past?  How can we rediscover the wonder of Ancient Egypt?
Geography What makes the Earth angry?  What is the UK Like? Which Mediterranean country would you visit? 
Art Autumn British Art Bodies
DT Juggling Balls Mechanical Posters Edible Garden
Music Baroque Come Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Glockenspiel Glockenspiel - Composition Games / Storytelling Assessed Performance
Science Forces and Magnets Rocks Animals including humans Plants Light
Computing Presentation Skills
IT 
Word Processing Skills
DL / IT 
Drawing and Desktop Publishing
IT / DL 
Internet Research and Communication
IT / DL / CS 
Programming Turtle Logo and Scratch
CS

Using and Applying
IT 
Online Safety
IT 
PD Me and My Relationships Rules and their purpose
Cooperation
Friendship (including
respectful relationships)
Coping with loss
Valuing Difference Recognising and
respecting diversity
Being respectful and
tolerant
My community
Keeping Safe Managing risk
Decision-making skills
Drugs and their risks
 Staying safe online
Rights and Respect Skills we need to develop as
we grow up
Helping and being helped
Looking after the
environment
Managing money
Being My Best  Keeping myself healthy
and well
 Celebrating and
developing my skills
Developing empathy
Growing and Changing Relationships
Keeping safe
Safe and unsafe secrets
RE Creation and Fall - What do Christians learn from the creation story? Incarnation/God - What is the trinity?  Gospel - What kind of world did Jesus want? Salvation - Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’?  People of God - What is it like to follow God?  Hinduism - What does it mean to be Hindu in Britain today? 
PE Invasion (football) / Tag Rugby Dodgeball/Dance Gymnastics Gymnastics/Dance Hockey/Cricket (Striking and Fielding)  Athletics

Year 4

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 4 History What happened when the Romans came to Britain? Why should gunpowder, treason and plot never be forgotten? What would you have done after school 100 years ago?
Geography Why is Manchester a cool place to live? Why are mountains so marvelous? What would you see with a ticket around the world?
Art Fruit and Vegetables European Art and Artists Insects
DT Battery Operated Lights Let's Go Fly a Kite The Great Bread Bake Off
Music Brass (BMS - WOPS) Musicianship Brass (BMS - WOPS) Musicianship Brass (BMS - WOPS) Learning to Play Brass (BMS - WOPS) Learning to Play Brass (BMS - WOPS) School Band Brass (BMS - WOPS) School Band 
Science Sound States of Matter Animals including Humans Electricity Living Things and Their Habitats
Computing Scratch Questions and Quizzes
CS 
Word Processing
IT 
Programming Turtle Logo
CS 
Animation
IT 
Communication and Collaboration & Using and Applying
IT 
Online Safety
DL / IT 
PD Me and My Relationships Healthy relationships
Listening to feelings
Bullying
Assertive skills
Valuing Difference Recognising and
celebrating difference
(including religions and
cultural difference)
Understanding and
challenging stereotypes
Keeping Safe Managing risk
Understanding the norms
of drug use (cigarette
and alcohol use)
Influences
Online safety
Rights and Respect Making a difference
(different ways of helping
others or the environment)
Media influence
Decisions about spending
money
Being My Best  Having choices and
making decisions about
my health
Taking care of my
environment
My skills and interests
Growing and Changing Body changes during
puberty
Managing difficult
feelings
Relationships including
marriage
RE  Creation and Fall - What do Christians learn from the creation story? Incarnation - What is the trinity?  Gospel - What kind of world did Jesus want?  Salvation - Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’?  Kingdom of God - When Jesus left what was the impact of Pentecost?  Judaism - How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jews?  
PE Invasion (handball) / Rugby  Net/Wall/Court (Dodgeball) Gymnastics/Dance Net/Wall/Court (Tennis) Striking/Fielding (Rounders) Athletics

Year 5

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 5 History Was the Anglo-Saxon period really a dark age? Where did all the mills go? What did the Greeks do for us?
Geography Why should the rainforests be important to all of us? I'm a Year 5 Pupil Get me Out of Here What would it be like to explore Easter Europe?
Art Ancient Greece South and Central American Plants and Flowers
DT Marbellous Structures Programming Adventures Super Seasonal Cooking
Music Classical Silent Night (as a round) Glockenspiel Glockenspiel - Composition (Bandlab or Avid) TV Adverts and radio Assessed Performance
Science Properties and Changes of materials Earth and Space Forces Living things and habitats Animals including Humans
Computing Scratch: Developing Games
CS 
Flowol
CS 
Radio Station
IT 
Internet Research and Web Design
IT 
3D Modelling: Sketch Up
IT

Using and Applying
CS / IT 
Online safety
IT / DL 
PD Me and My Relationships Feelings
Friendship skills,
including compromise
Assertive skills
Cooperation
Recognising emotional
needs
Valuing Difference Recognising and
celebrating difference,
including religions and
cultural
Influence and pressure of
social media
Keeping Safe Managing risk,
including online safety
Norms around use of
legal drugs (tobacco,
alcohol)
Decision-making skills
Rights and Respect Rights, respect and duties
 relating to my health
 Making a difference
 Decisions about lending,
borrowing and spending
Being My Best  Growing independence
and taking ownership
Keeping myself healthy
Media awareness and
safety
My community
Growing and Changing Managing difficult
feelings
Managing change
How my feelings help
keeping safe
Getting help
RE Creation and Fall - Creation and science: conflicting or complementary?  Incarnation - Was Jesus the Messiah?  Islam - What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?  Salvation - What did Jesus do to save human beings?  Kingdom of God - What kind of king is Jesus?  Gospel - What would Jesus do? 
PE Invasion (football) / Tag Rugby Net/Wall/Court (Dodgeball) Gymnastics / Dance  Invasion (Netball) Striking/Fielding (Cricket)

Athletics

Year 6

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 6 History Were the Vikings always vicious and victorious? Why should we remember the Maya? How did Britain change from William the Stone Age to William the Conqueror? 
Geography Why are rivers important to humans? How is our world changing? What's so special about the USA?
Art Wildlife Birds The Seaside North American
DT Automata Animals Felt Phone Cases Global Food
Music Romantic / 20th Century O Come All Ye Faithful Glockenspiel Glockenspiel - Composition (Bandlab or Avid) Film Scores Assessed Performance
Science Light Living Things and Their Habitats Electricity Evolution and Inheritance Animals and Humans
Computing Scratch: Animated stories
CS 
Spreadsheets
IT 
Kodu Programming / BBC Microbit (new 2025)
IT / CS 
Online Safety &
Using and Applying
(1 lesson) 
Using and Applying
Project – Game Product
IT / CS 
Film-Making
IT / CS 
PD Me and My Relationships Assertiveness
Cooperation
Safe/unsafe touches
Positive relationships
Valuing Difference Recognising and
celebrating difference
Recognising and reflecting
on prejudice-based bullying
Understanding Bystander
behaviour
Gender stereotyping
Keeping Safe Understanding
emotional needs
Staying safe online
 Drugs: norms and risks
(including the law)
Rights and Respect Understanding media bias,
including social media
Caring: communities and the
environment
Earning and saving money
Understanding democracy
Being My Best  Aspirations and goal
setting
 Managing risk
Looking after my mental
health
Growing and Changing Coping with changes
Keeping safe
Body Image
Sex education
Self-esteem
RE Creation and Fall - Creation and science: conflicting or complementary?  Incarnation - Was Jesus the Messiah?  God - What does it mean if God is holy and loving?  Salvation - What difference does resurrection make to Christians?  Hinduism - Why do Hindus try to be good?  People of God - How can following God bring freedom and justice? 
PE Invasion (handball) / Tag Rugby Hockey / Dance Dodgeball / Gymnastics Net/Wall/Court (Tennis) Striking/Fielding (Rounders) Athletics/Orienteering & Bikeability