Beenham Primary School's Curriculum 

At Beenham Primary School, our curriculum is built on a deep belief that every child is known, valued and capable of remarkable growth. All who work here are ambitious for our children. We expect the highest quality in our relationships, work and behaviour and we pride ourselves on having an outstanding understanding of each child as an individual. We design our curriculum so that every learner can thrive, feel safe and be happy, because we know that wellbeing sits at the heart of meaningful learning. We want our children to become successful learners who are curious, motivated and courageous. They are encouraged to explore, question and take risks, understanding that mistakes are a vital part of learning. Our aim is to nurture a genuine love of learning that continues into their next educational chapter and throughout their lives.

Please see attachments at the bottom of this page to see the Whole Curriculum Overviews for each class.

Our Curriculum Approach

From Reception to Year 6, our curriculum is organised into coherent units led by enquiry questions. These questions act as the driving force behind each unit, giving learning purpose, direction and relevance. Every enquiry question is rooted in either history or geography, creating a strong disciplinary foundation. These core subjects then connect across writing, science and the wider foundation subjects, ensuring that children build knowledge in a meaningful, interconnected way.

Teaching is supplemented with rich opportunities for children to explore key learning in ways that matter to them. They apply prior knowledge, develop new skills and make connections that deepen understanding. This approach ensures that learning is active, purposeful and anchored in real experiences.

Coherence, Progression and Depth

Our curriculum is deliberately sequenced so that children revisit, strengthen and extend learning throughout their time with us. Concepts, vocabulary and skills are introduced, revisited and built upon in carefully planned steps, enabling children to secure strong foundations before moving on to more complex ideas. By linking writing units directly to the enquiry question, children develop the contextual understanding needed to write with clarity, authenticity and purpose. Their science and foundation subject learning enriches their writing, supporting them to use technical vocabulary confidently and to communicate their understanding with increasing sophistication.

Our Definition of Learning

At Beenham Primary School, we believe that learning is the process by which children acquire and assimilate knowledge, concepts, skills, values and attitudes that help them make greater sense of the world.

Our curriculum is designed to support this process in a way that is ambitious, inclusive and rooted in the belief that every child can succeed.

Here at Beenham Primary School, we provide a broad and balanced curriculum based around the Kapow Curriculum.

Pedagogy

Our pedagogy is built on a clear, evidence‑informed model of teaching that helps children understand how to learn as well as what to learn. It is rooted in psychological principles and inclusive practice, ensuring every child can access learning, make progress and feel successful.

We focus on selecting and sequencing the right ideas, building a calm and purposeful learning culture, securing children’s attention, communicating new concepts clearly, and encouraging pupils to think deeply. Through ongoing feedback and opportunities to consolidate learning, children develop strong learning habits.

This approach supports all learners. By teaching the processes of learning explicitly, children become independent, resilient and consistently strengthen their skills as learners.

Our curriculum will be taught through a pedagogy that:

• enables children to reflect on and evaluate their learning
• enables and fosters children’s natural curiosity
• promotes problem-solving, creativity and communication
• excites, promotes and sustains children’s interest.

Kapow 

What is Kapow?

We chose the Kapow schemes for most of our foundation subjects as it has a clear and sequential programme which enables children to develop deep knowledge and understanding. The programme is progressive and provides a structure for teachers, enabling them to plan high quality lessons with a consistent approach across the school.

On the Subject pages you will find Knowledge and Skills Progression Documents as well as National Curriculum Maps to show how each of the subjects links to the National Curriculum which is the basis, nationally, for all children's learning.

Please follow this link to see the National Curriculum for primary aged children in England 

Should you wish to have any further information about the curriculum taught in school, then please contact Miss McBean the Headteacher. 

 

Fundamental British Values and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Curriculum 

Our curriculum will give children the opportunity to understand:

• Tolerance and respect - To respect and tolerate the opinions or behaviour of others
• Individual liberty - Be free to express views or ideas
• Rule of law - Learn that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable for their actions and behaviour
• Democracy - Be part of a system where everyone plays an equal part

 

• Spiritual - Explore beliefs, experience and faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity and reflect on experiences
•   Moral - Recognise right and wrong and respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues and offer reasoned views
•   Social - Use a range of social skills to participate in the local community and beyond; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict
•   Cultural - Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain’s parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity

Well-being
Our curriculum fully incorporates our 6 school values and will give children the opportunity to:

• build respectful and CARING friendships
• recognise that people are good at different things
• develop self-esteem, RESILIENCE and confidence in their abilities
• work INDEPENDENTLY and in COOPERATION with a range of groups
• reflect and take RESPONSIBILITY for their learning in the classroom and beyond
• follow their own interests and be CONFIDENT in who they are
• learn how to respect themselves and others.

Pupil voice

Our curriculum will give children the opportunity to:

• express their opinions on a range of different topics and issues
• contribute to planning their own learning
• explore ways of becoming an active citizen
• take part in democratic activities across the curriculum
• make choices about things that are important to them
• take part in age-appropriate discussions
• say what they like and dislike about their learning
• make a positive contribution to the school and local community.

Knowledge Organisers and Home Learning

We provide our children with Knowledge Organisers (useful summaries of learning) for each project and many other subjects. They add to these each year they are in school and are encouraged to go back and use them to review prior learning and to make links in learning and to help them to remember what they have learnt.