Curriculum Overview
At Round Diamond, we provide a bespoke, inclusive curriculum, thoughtfully designed with our pupils in mind. It is centred around our values of responsible, determined and successful. We encourage determination when children face more challenging skills, knowledge and concepts as their learning is stretched and consolidated. The curriculum is pitched appropriately to ensure success for all children, while also providing progression and aspirational targets for children to strive for.
Our curriculum delivers a cumulative sequence of knowledge and skills, building upon prior knowledge from the previous term and year so that learning is regularly recapped to aid retention. We aim for our curriculum to teach children about other cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds through our choice of texts, topics and assemblies.
Our curriculum design and lesson structure is supported by the Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988). Our lessons focus on spaced learning and retrieval practice to reduce cognitive load and transfer learning from the working memory to the long-term memory. We value robust assessment, identifying children’s gaps in their learning. Our curriculum can then be adapted to ensure these are targeted and the building blocks for future learning are secured.
For learners in our school, consistency is key. From teaching to learning environments we aim to provide a seamless transition from Nursery to Year 6. Our curriculum is planned to instil a thirst for knowledge and new experiences, providing children with a range of learning opportunities which further develops the ‘whole’ child and nurtures their social, emotional, physical and creative sides. This prepares the children to be lifelong independent, resilient learners who are ready for the next stage of their education and lives.
An excellent understanding of our pupils’ cultural capital allows for a holistic approach that supports the progression of skills, while offering a broad and exciting curriculum. We strive to create valuable citizens who are successful and can contribute to their whole community.
Faculties
At Round Diamond, we have adopted a Faculty model where members of staff across Key Stages work collaboratively to support, monitor and evaluate the provision within their subject areas across the school. Each Faculty works alongside a link governor.
We have six Faculties:
- English (led by Ellie Conroy and Natalie Wain).
- Maths (led by Nicola McGregor and Kirsty Lamont).
- Science & Computing (led by Archie Taylor and Betsy Broad).
- Humanities (Music, History and Geography) (led by Anna Owen).
- Arts (DT, Art and MFL) (led by Cassie Clark).
- PE / RE / RSHE (led by Keely Causton and Martha Hall).
Curriculum Maps by Year
Open the year-group curriculum maps below.
Art and Design
Art
At Round Diamond, we follow the art curriculum from CUSP. This is a thorough and detailed curriculum which covers the key concepts and skills. The curriculum is organised into blocks with each block covering a particular set of artistic disciplines, including drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, 3D and collage.
Vertical progression in each discipline has been deliberately woven into the fabric of the curriculum so that pupils can revisit key disciplines throughout their primary journey at increasing degrees of challenge and complexity. In addition to the core knowledge required to be successful within each discipline, the curriculum outlines key aspects of artistic development in the Working Artistically section. Each module will focus on developing different aspects of these competencies. In each module, children also learn about a range of artists and styles.
The aim of our art curriculum is to ensure that children’s own experiences will result in them being able to use, discuss and evaluate the visual elements of art confidently in their own learning.
We value art as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum; we believe it provides opportunities to develop and extend skills, giving children the chance to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.
In the Early Years, we focus on identifying resources and their uses and exploring individual expression through open ended learning.
Design and Technology
The CUSP design and technology curriculum is organised into blocks with each block covering a particular set of disciplines, including food and nutrition, mechanisms, structures, systems, electrical systems, understanding materials and textiles. Vertical progression in each discipline has been deliberately woven into the fabric of the curriculum so that pupils revisit key disciplines throughout their primary journey at increasing degrees of challenge and complexity. The design and technology curriculum at Round Diamond aims to provide children with opportunities to learn about and apply a range of processes needed to design and make successful products.
Across KS1 and KS2, the children make their own product designs which require increasing technical skill and in the Early Years, we focus on teaching children to identify resources and their uses.
We aim, wherever possible, to link learning to other curriculum areas such as mathematics, science, computing and art. When leaving us in Year 6, we hope our children will consider themselves innovators with the ability to manage risks exceptionally well and to manufacture products safely and hygienically.
Computing
Computing Curriculum Map
Computing Vocabulary Progression
During their time at Round Diamond, we guarantee our pupils have the knowledge and understanding of the benefits of the digital world while ensuring they know how to use the internet in a socially responsible way. We prepare our children for the world of modern technology by splitting our computing learning into three key areas: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy.
E-safety is interwoven throughout to ensure our children are equipped to stay safe online, both at home and in school.
Our ambitious and enquiry based curriculum promotes high aspirations for all learners. Children are given opportunities to responsibly and successfully use a range of computing equipment including laptops, tablets and Beebots. Children are taught a variety of skills, including creating and debugging algorithms, creating digital content for multiple users, and improving their word processing abilities. Many units taught are in project form which allow for skills to be built up over time, resulting in a high-quality final outcome.
Children leave us in Year 6 as competent and safe users of technology with an understanding of how technology works. Our pupils will be fully equipped with the right knowledge, skills and understanding to be ready and confident for the next stage of their education and beyond.
Computing in Action
The school has an extensive amount of computing equipment, including two whole class sets of laptops, a class set of iPads, iPads designated for Early Years as well as digital microscopes, digital cameras and BeeBots to support learning across other curriculum subjects. We also have a suite of designated SEN laptops to support individuals who require additional help such as access to Clicker 8 to support their learning. All classrooms are equipped with an interactive screen and digital visualiser to enhance the learning opportunities. Each home class has an E-Safety display to ensure children are aware of how to keep themselves safe online as well as a termly assembly to raise the awareness of E-safety among pupils.
In Early Years, computing learning is shared on Tapestry and is included among the Child Initiated Learning activities on offer. Key Stage 1 learning is shared in class books found outside the classroom while in Key Stage 2, children save the majority of their learning on Google Classroom.
Early Years
At Round Diamond, we believe that each child has the competency to flourish, regardless of background, circumstances or needs. Children who enter our EYFS begin their lifelong learning journey of becoming independent, energised learners who thrive to reach their full potential through sustained engagement.
Our Early Years provision is organised by highly skilled and experienced leadership who work collaboratively with parents and carers to ensure a valuable partnership is formed and a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered. Early Years staff adapt their teaching opportunities to match the needs of all children and this is achieved through both encouragement and challenge.
Children have a variety of opportunities to develop their resilience and make good or better progress throughout their time in Early Years. Individual children’s progress is tracked through consistent, continuous formative assessment across all areas of their development.
We embed a positive attitude to school and a love of learning for our children through the delivery of our robust Early Years curriculum and stimulating environment. Children are encouraged to be curious, confident individuals across all areas of their learning.
Children’s interests are followed through language and play within a vocabulary rich environment. This provides children with the social and emotional resilience to support their continued learning journey. Children leave our Reception ready for the next stage of their education.
The Seven Areas of Learning
Physical Development
Physical activity is vital to children’s all-round development. Throughout the school day, children engage with a variety of gross and fine motor experiences.
During PE and Child Initiated Learning, children develop their gross motor skills to support them in developing healthy bodies, their strength, agility, balance, spatial awareness and social and emotional wellbeing.
Fine motor control and precision activities are provided for children as soon as they enter the classroom during ‘busy fingers’. These activities support children with their hand-eye coordination, in preparation for early literacy and repeated and varied opportunities using small tools, with feedback and support from adults. By doing this, children are able to develop proficiency, control and confidence.
Literacy
It is paramount that children develop a lifelong love of reading within our setting. Children are provided with an abundance of rich language comprehension opportunities and they are taught to read words through our robust reading curriculum.
Our children begin their language comprehension journey in their very first moments of Nursery. Our skilled adults take the time to talk with children about the world around them, share a variety of stories and non-fiction books, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together as part of the daily routine.
Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. This is achieved through our chosen phonics programme, Essential Letters and Sounds, and supported by our daily literacy lesson in Reception.
At Round Diamond, children develop their writing skills from their first days at school. In Nursery, children can explore a wide range of mark making tools that support them in being able to give meanings to their marks and then into the transcription of writing, focusing on spelling, handwriting and composition as they continue their literacy learning journey into Reception and beyond.
Communication & Language
This area underpins all seven areas of learning and development in the Early Years and the interactions in our setting are paramount in our children’s language and cognitive development.
Throughout the school day, children have quality conversations in a language-rich environment with both adults and peers. Adults tirelessly comment on what children are interested in or doing, and echo back what they say, remodelling where needed or with new vocabulary added to extend children’s learning. This allows practitioners to build children’s language effectively.
In Early Years and beyond, children are read to daily and we endeavour to engage them actively in stories, non-fiction texts, rhymes and poems. Following this, we then provide our children with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words from our reading in a range of contexts. This is achieved through conversation, storytelling and role play. These opportunities are then followed by individual, in the moment, sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate. This, in turn, allows children the opportunity to thrive in our text-centred curriculum.
Expressive Art & Design
Our children have regular, daily opportunities to engage with the arts through both Child Initiated Learning and adult-led teaching. This enables them to explore a wide range of media and materials and develop their cultural awareness through discrete teaching sequences.
The quality and variety of what children see, hear, repeat and participate with allows children to self-express, enhance their vocabulary and communicate through the arts at a greater level.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
At Round Diamond, we know that children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives, and is fundamental to their cognitive development.
Children have strong and supportive relationships with adults and we support children in learning how to understand their own feelings and those of others. This includes supporting children to manage their own emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persevere and to understand the boundaries of having to wait for what they want at times.
Through adult modelling and guidance, children learn how to look after their bodies and this is supported by their interactions with other children. They learn how to make good friendships, cooperate and resolve conflicts peaceably, providing them with a secure platform at school and in later life.
Understanding the World
In our Early Years setting, we guide children in making sense of their physical world and the community they live in.
We know that the frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks to meeting important members of society such as police officers. We begin providing children with the opportunity to explore, comment and observe the world around them from their very first days with us. Children have free-flow Child Initiated Learning time both inside and outside, are encouraged to share their personal experiences openly between home and school via our online learning journeys, observe seasons and their changes daily and on termly walks in the local area with different family members, and experience visitors such as vicars and firefighters to enhance their knowledge, understanding and cultural capital.
In addition, children listen to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems to foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world. This continues to allow us to build on important knowledge, extending their familiarity with words and enriching their vocabulary to support later reading comprehension skills.
Mathematics
Maths is paramount in our learning environment. Children in our Early Years develop a strong grounding of numbers so that they have the building blocks to excel mathematically.
We endeavour for all children to be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers. Children have frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding, supported by the use of manipulatives and an understanding of mathematical vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built.
Children also have rich opportunities to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. At Round Diamond, we foster an ethos of positive attitudes and interests in mathematics by looking for patterns and relationships, spotting connections, ‘having a go’, talking to adults and peers about what they notice and not being afraid to make mistakes, simply learning from them instead.
ENGLISH
Literature Overview
English Sequence
The English Curriculum
At Round Diamond Primary School, we believe that it is every child’s entitlement to become a fluent reader, articulate speaker and competent writer.
We aim to inspire an appreciation of high quality texts through our rich, multi-cultural literature spine. This enables our children to experience a range of diverse texts. Children at Round Diamond are encouraged to develop a keen interest in reading and therefore develop a lasting habit of reading widely and often. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. Our ambitious English curriculum supports this by providing purposeful opportunities for reading, writing and discussion; this curriculum has been carefully mapped by CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership) and is closely monitored by the English Faculty to ensure a full, balanced and progressive curriculum is taught.
In the EYFS and Year 1, we ensure that our children receive high quality phonics teaching every day through our chosen phonics scheme ELS (Essential Letters and Sounds). Following this, children in Year 2 have frequent ELS spelling sessions to allow them to spell confidently in an embedded teaching sequence. In Key Stage 2, children continue to make good or better progress and are ready to leave Round Diamond as aspiring readers who can read and spell words with fluency and confidence.
Within this, we have embedded a love of reading into our whole school vision. Children are read to often and are encouraged to read daily for pleasure at home. Individual reading is recorded electronically via Boom Reader for each child in Reception, Year 1 and those accessing phonetically decodable books in year 2 and beyond to showcase children’s individual reading learning journey.
From Years 2-6, children attend ‘book club’ where their reading habits are closely monitored by the class teacher and English Faculty.
Children are equipped to leave us in Year 6 at the expected level, or above with an enthusiasm for English and high aspirations for themselves.
Phonics - Essential Letter and Sounds (ELS)
At Round Diamond, we are determined that every child will learn to read well quickly. Therefore, we have implemented Essential Letters and Sounds as our chosen systematic, synthetic, phonics programme.
The aim of ELS is to get all children to read well, quickly, teaching children to read by identifying the phonemes (the smallest unit of sound) and graphemes (the written version of the sound) within words and using these to read words.
All members of staff are trained to teach ELS to ensure that we have an expert team of reading teachers led by our English faculty lead. As an English team, we regularly meet to review our practice and to practise teaching together. This ensures that all children receive high-quality first teaching every day.
Reading
At Round Diamond, children are immersed into an ambitious reading curriculum that allows depth and breadth of literature study through heritage texts, carefully selected authors and texts and themes relevant to the children of today. In addition to these texts, children are immersed in core poems that are studied in detail by each year group.
Each day, children are exposed to diverse literature experiences through cohesive learning approaches that progress from Years 1- 6. They are explicitly taught core reading strategies and then given daily opportunities to apply these reading strategies, whilst continuing to build on their conceptual fluency.
The reading spine followed has been carefully mapped by CUSP to prepare children for the future demands and provide children with the opportunity to leave Round Diamond as confident and fluent readers.
Writing
The writing curriculum is planned by CUSP to ensure that each text type is studied twice, progressively in every year group.
During each unit of teaching, children are taught the explicit skills needed during isolated writing encounters before participating in an extended writing session which follows a well planned cycle consistently throughout Years 1-6. Thus allowing for teachers to assess children's writing for any gaps and then plan these gaps into future teaching, allowing key concepts that children are not yet secure with to be revisited.
Writing skills will be taught following the below teaching structure within each lesson:
1. Retrieval and rehearsal of key knowledge / concepts
2. Direct instruction of key concepts to learn
3. My turn of modelled examples of how to use the learning
4. Our turn of shared practise
5.Y our turn of independent writing for the child
6. Application in an extended text form.
Learning intentions, success criteria and personal targets will also be used so that all children are appropriately challenged and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them.
Spelling Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG)
Discrete spelling sessions are taught from Years 2-6. We use CUSP spelling to deliver a systematic and agile spelling curriculum that is both balanced and progressive. Cusp spelling works on the unpinning principles of: exploring spelling concepts, pattern seeking, engagement with print, systematic revisiting, zooming in on word composition and meaning as well as highlighting common errors.
Punctuation and grammar concepts are taught within our writing curriculum. They are highlighted within the knowledge organiser for the writing unit, taught discretely within the writing sequence and feature in the assessment of the final writing outcome.
French
French LKS2 Knowledge Progression
French UKS2 Knowledge Progression
At Round Diamond, we believe that the learning of a language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our children. The core language taught here is French and our planning has been designed to cover all the components of the Programme of Study and to promote progression of the key language skills through interesting and useful subjects.
Our children in KS2 access quality first teaching of French by their class teacher in order to adequately prepare them for KS3. French lessons are taught weekly, enhancing children’s skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. In Year 3, French begins with the basics – the teaching of simple words and phrases – and progresses to understanding conversations and longer texts in Year 6.
Our curriculum also promotes inter-cultural understanding and pupils have many opportunities to learn about cultural similarities and differences between the UK and French speaking countries. We aim to help Round Diamond pupils develop a love for language and to help establish the building blocks for language learning beyond Key Stage 2.
Children in the EYFS and KS1 are introduced to MFL through exploring other cultures and languages informally where appropriate. We believe that learning another language gives children a new and broader perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand both their own culture and those of others.
Geography
Geography Curriculum Overview
Geography EYFS Overview
Geography Disciplinary Knowledge
The geography curriculum at Round Diamond is designed to develop our children’s curiosity and fascination about the world through our substantive concepts and disciplinary knowledge. We are committed to providing children with opportunities to investigate and make enquiries about their local area of Great Ashby and Stevenage so that they can develop a meaningful sense of who they are, their heritage and what makes our local area special.
Through high quality teaching and a progressive curriculum, we develop essential characteristics of geographers within our children. The curriculum design builds up children’s use of geographical vocabulary and enables them to communicate their findings effectively. In the Early Years, we focus on the world around us and changes we see throughout the year. In KS1 we focus on local geography, moving further afield in KS2.
Our aim is that our children will leave us with a genuine interest in geography. In this ever-changing world and with a high percentage of children within Round Diamond having English as an additional language, the study of geography will deepen their knowledge of the places and people across the world and encourage them to explore, ask questions and undertake new experiences both now and in the future.
Substantive Concepts and Disciplinary Knowledge
Substantive concepts refer to the key concepts that we want the children to learn throughout our geography curriculum. These include:
- Place knowledge
- Locational knowledge
- Human and physical
- Geographical skills and fieldwork
These have been purposefully planned throughout the curriculum from Early Years to Year 6. Pupils make more sense and deeper understanding of the substantive concepts and knowledge by using what they know through disciplinary knowledge.
Disciplinary knowledge refers to how children can 'think like geographers'.
- Place and space
- Scale and connection
- Physical and human
- Environment and sustainability
- Culture and diversity
Within EYFS, geography is taught through our theme lessons and within our child initiated learning. The children are given opportunities to learn the earliest geographical skills through exploration, awe and wonder.
History
History Curriculum Overview
History EYFS Overview
History Disciplinary Knowledge
The history curriculum at Round Diamond inspires pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past through substantive concepts and disciplinary knowledge. The progressive nature of the curriculum equips our pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps our children to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups.
Our history curriculum aims to excite our children and allows them to develop their own skills as historians. We start in the Early Years and KS1 by encouraging children to learn about their own history. We regularly reference timelines and ensure key periods are sequenced chronologically, allowing children to refer back to and build on their prior knowledge.
We strive to encourage our children to be active learners with a respect for historical evidence and give them the ability to make critical use of it to support their arguments. Our aim is that they leave us in Year 6 immersed in and inspired by history, able to take responsibility and make the best life choices learning from the past.
Substantive Concepts and Disciplinary Knowledge
Substantive concepts refer to the key concepts that we want the children to learn throughout our history curriculum. These include
- Community
- Power
- Knowledge
- Democracy
- Invasion
- Civilisation
- Community
These have been purposefully planned throughout the curriculum from Early Years to Year 6. Pupils make more sense and gain a deeper understanding of the substantive concepts and knowledge by using what they know through disciplinary knowledge.
Disciplinary knowledge refers to how children can 'think like historians'.
- Chronology
- Cause and consequence
- Change and continuity
- Similarity and difference
- Evidence
- Significance
Within EYFS, our history learning is intertwined within our theme lessons and within our child initiated learning. Each EYFS classroom has a class timeline from birth. The children add their experiences each month as they occur to build their understanding of time and chronology.
Maths
At Round Diamond, we provide opportunities for all children to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop their fluency, problem solving and reasoning skills. Our aim is that all learners are equipped with the knowledge to solve ever more challenging mathematical problems. We promote a curriculum which is accessible to all and will maximise the development of every child’s ability.
Our mathematics curriculum is carefully mapped out by White Rose Education and is sequenced to promote long-term learning. Our curriculum delivers a sequence of knowledge and skills that builds on prior knowledge from the previous term so that learning is regularly recapped to aid retention and allow children to embed learning in their long-term memory. Our curriculum organisation and lesson structure is supported by the Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988).
We believe all children can achieve in maths and teach for secure and deep understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures through manageable steps within learning journeys. We value robust assessment for learning to identify gaps and misconceptions. Daily fluency sessions are carefully planned to develop automaticity in key number facts.
Challenge is embedded through tasks that develop fluency, problem-solving and reasoning skills, and are adapted to children’s needs to ensure our maths curriculum is aspirational to all children. Across year groups, children build their understanding through mathematical resources and pictorial representations. With these foundations embedded, children move on to an abstract approach using symbols, numbers and key concepts. Our aim is that by the end of Key Stage 2, all children will be able to use an efficient written method for each operation with confidence, accuracy and with understanding to apply their knowledge to a range of problem solving and reasoning contexts.
Through our maths curriculum, we want all children to enjoy maths and to experience success in the subject, with the confidence to reason and problem solve mathematically in a range of contexts.
Leaders have used White Rose to map out long-term and medium-term plans that are followed from Years 1-6 to ensure full coverage of the curriculum and that knowledge and skills are built upon and recapped across the year. In Early Years, leaders follow Master the Curriculum to inform their long-term and medium-term plans.
Progression of skills is clearly mapped for teachers to know what has come before and what will come next in children’s mathematical understanding.
Mastery
Mastery is a teaching and learning approach that aims for pupils to develop a deep understanding of mathematics. Mastery of a mathematical concept means that a child can use their knowledge of the concept to solve unfamiliar problems in a range of contexts, and undertake complex reasoning, using the appropriate mathematical vocabulary. Our approach aims for pupils to have mastered the fundamental facts and concepts of mathematics for their year or key stage so they are ready to move confidently on to their next stage.
The Structure of a Lesson
A typical lesson in Years 1 to 6 will be structured as follows:
Fluency (about 15 to 20 minutes) whole-class learning to rehearse, recall and develop fluent mathematical skills. Each week, children from Years 3-6 have two fluency sessions on times tables, one session on addition and subtraction facts, one session addressing misconceptions and one session recapping prior learning. Mastering Number is followed within Reception - Year 2 to develop a firm understanding and fluency with number facts.
The main teaching activity includes teaching input and adapted pupil activities – work as a whole class, in groups, in pairs or as individuals. Each lesson begins with some retrieval practice called ‘Connect’ where children recap learning from the previous year, weeks and lesson. Key vocabulary for the lesson is also introduced and taught before the main teaching input.
A plenary working as a whole class to address misconceptions and identify progress. Also to be used to summarise key facts and to make links to other learning as well as giving the children the opportunity to self-evaluate their learning. Mini plenaries may be used throughout a lesson to revisit, consolidate and share next steps in learning.
Within EYFS, mathematics is developed through learning experiences that will be represented throughout the indoor and outdoor provision. In Nursery, a discrete maths lesson is taught weekly, with activities linked to this lesson planned into the environment. In Reception, maths is taught daily, beginning with Mastering Number and progressing into the main lesson where children use a range of concrete resources and pictorial representations to aid their mathematical understanding. Mathematical understanding is developed through stories, songs, games, imaginative play, child-initiated learning, and structured teaching. As pupils progress, they will be encouraged to record their mathematical thinking in a more formal way.
From Years 1-6, teachers follow a times table progression grid to develop children's fluency and recall of multiplication and division facts. The teaching of times tables follows a progressive teach, practise, retrieve and assess approach so that times table facts are firmly embedded for fluency and understanding.
Each week, the children have a Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) session within their maths fluency time. TTRS is also accessible at home and weekly certificates are awarded in assembly for a range of reasons such as: most coins earned, most minutes played, biggest improvement in accuracy and studio speed.
Music
Music Curriculum Overview
Music School Development Plan
At Round Diamond, we follow the CUSP music curriculum which links with many of the other subjects in our school. Core areas of study include singing, listening and appraising, composing and improvising and instrumental performance. These are built cumulatively throughout the curriculum to ensure that all pupils develop their engagement with, and knowledge of, music over time. This includes a focus on learning to play a range of instruments confidently.
Music has a strong emphasis on the language that pupils need to explore their own musicality. This is carefully and deliberately planned so that pupils revisit and embed this knowledge over time. Clear structures allow pupils (and teachers) to direct their cognitive attention to the core content in each block.
As with all CUSP subjects, knowledge notes are used to support instruction and the revisiting of new concepts. This strong focus on cognitive science provides the framework for pupils to deepen and broaden their knowledge of music and become confident, inspired musicians.
Our music curriculum has a strong focus on supporting pupils to meaningfully develop their understanding of other cultures and issues that impact on the wider global community. For this reason, there is a specific emphasis on teaching pupils about music that originates from a wide range of cultures, traditions and time periods, including those that are both similar and different to pupils’ own experience of music in modern Britain
Becoming a Musician
Throughout the year children are exposed to specific elements that develop children's musicality. These include:
- Pitch
- Duration
- Rhythm and pulse
- Tempo and dynamic
- Timbre
- Texture
- Structure
PE
We believe in inspiring all pupils to participate and express themselves through physical activities and we place great importance on feeling safe and secure at all times while looking at ways to develop a healthy lifestyle.
We build on the knowledge and skills necessary for mental, social and physical wellbeing, through meticulous planning and teaching which focuses on spaced learning, with ample opportunities for retrieval practice. We aim to use physical education to teach the children to have confidence, perseverance and to develop self-discipline.
Pupils at Round Diamond participate in high-quality PE lessons and sporting activities. We incorporate a variety of sports to ensure our children develop high levels of self-esteem, tolerance and appreciate their own and others’ strengths and areas for development. We provide opportunities for all children to engage in extracurricular activities in addition to competitive sporting events.
These opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed our school values. We teach our children how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team, understanding fairness and equity of play to embed lifelong values to support their mental and physical wellbeing.
In EYFS, the children learn fundamental movement skills such as jumping, galloping, skipping and hopping. These skills improve gross motor coordination. The children are also educated to become more aware of what happens to their body when they exercise. Coordination is developed through practising skills such as rolling, kicking, bouncing, throwing and catching. In gymnastics, the children are introduced to rolling, jumping and making shapes with their bodies. In dance, they copy and repeat actions and begin to use the music to move in time.
How to Support Your Child at Home
- Watch sport on TV and discuss professional sportspeoples strategies and techniques.
- Play sport alongside your child, eg playing football in the park.
- Do 30 minutes of physical exercise everyday (this could include walking to school).
Religious Education (RE)
RE KS1 Curriculum Overview
RE KS2 Curriculum Overview
We start learning about religion in the Early Years, exploring real life experiences, moving from the known and familiar to the unknown as the curriculum progresses. The children first learn to identify similarities and then differences in religion.
Across the Key Stages, the six major religions are covered as the pupils make links between them, while being exposed to a range of cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds. At all times, children are respectful in their learning journey which is linked to our British Values, personal development and school values.
Our aim is to develop global citizens who can learn both about and from world religions, while respectfully discussing and sharing their personal views. We believe that RE both supports and strengthens our aims in every aspect of school life and we recognise the importance of delivering a vast and enriching curriculum. Our caring ethos and the value which we place on the development of the whole child, spiritually, morally, socially, culturally and intellectually, is reflected in the RE curriculum.
Parents / carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE lessons. If you wish to withdraw your child, please inform the school in writing by emailing admin@rounddiamond.herts.sch.uk.
Experiences
Each year group is presented with an RE experience to support and enhance their learning. Experiences include local visits to places of worship and inviting guest speakers to school to run educational workshops.
EYFS
Within EYFS, RE is developed through purposeful, play based experiences and will be represented throughout the indoor and outdoor provision. The learning will be based on pupil’s interests and current themes in their core text, while focusing on the expectations from the Early Years Framework. RE understanding can be developed through stories, songs, games, imaginative play, child-initiated learning, and structured teaching.
How to Support Your Child at Home
- Explore and discuss different religions and celebrations.
- Talk about religious symbols and places of worship.
- Discuss the importance of learning about other religions and faiths.
RSHE
RSHE KS1 Curriculum Overview
RSHE KS2 Curriculum Overview
During their time at Round Diamond, children will encounter many of life’s challenges for the first time. We aim to provide pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to lead safe, healthy, and happy lives. A high-quality Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) education is essential for all pupils to reach their full potential, socially and academically.
Our broad and sequenced curriculum, which covers relationships, health and sex education, and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is planned to build on skills and knowledge from the Early Years to Year 6 through spaced learning and ample opportunities for retrieval practice.
It supports pupils to develop the skills needed to manage different influences and pressures, and experience and explore challenging situations in a safe environment. Our curriculum is carefully mapped to ensure full coverage and progression of the statutory elements for RSHE, as well as supporting and encouraging safeguarding.
We recognise that the world around us is constantly adapting and evolving, and understand the importance of equipping the children with the appropriate and respectful beliefs and values to allow them to be successful in opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
EYFS
Within the EYFS, RSHE is developed through purposeful, play based experiences and will be represented throughout the indoor and outdoor provision. The learning will be based on pupil’s interests and current themes in their core text, while focusing on the expectations from the Early Years Framework. RSHE understanding can be developed through stories, songs, games, imaginative play, child-initiated learning, and structured teaching.
How to Support Your Child at Home
- Explore and discuss different feelings with your child, focusing on how to regulate emotions.
- Discuss what to do in emergency situations.
- Talk to your child about staying safe online and what to do if they feel unsafe.
Science
Science Curriculum Map
Science Vocabulary Progression
At Round Diamond we believe science learning should be ambitious and awe-inspiring; promoting curiosity in our children and encouraging them to ask and find the answers to key scientific questions. During lessons, children learn how to observe changes and make links to the world around them through exciting, hands-on investigations, informed by lessons exploring a range of scientific theories.
Learning is planned carefully to build and connect previously taught concepts as part of a cumulative sequence of knowledge. In EYFS, science is embedded into the daily routines and can be seen through the way children learn about the world around them. Across the school, our CUSP learning modules give structure to our curriculum so that science can be taught consistently throughout the school. CUSP provides us with a knowledge-rich and impactful curriculum where our children are able to retain key vocabulary, concepts and ideas.
We strive to provide our children with an enriched science capital. We encourage trips and visits linked to science topics and carefully plan cross-curricular days to link science to other areas of the curriculum. We want our children to be responsible citizens who look after the planet for future generations. We work closely with STEM and the local science community to show our children the opportunities they may have for employment in the future. From this exposure, our aim is for all children to feel that they are scientists and capable of achieving success in their future careers.
Science Across the School
Each classroom has a science learning wall. As the children’s learning progresses throughout the topic units, these are updated with learning aids and key vocabulary to support the learning. In addition to this, science is showcased across the school through corridor displays, which allows children in all year groups to be exposed to key scientific concepts and vocabulary.
Supporting Science Learning at Home
- Science Fun at Home - Primary Science Teaching Trust.
- Find out how Explorify can support teaching science at home during school closures, periods of quarantine and home education.