Curriculum Overview

Tell me and I forget, 
teach me and I may remember,
involve me and I learn.

Benjamin Franklin

In reception our curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage One and Two it follows the National Curriculum.

The curriculum at Barton Park has been designed to provide children with high-quality, rigorous and engaging learning opportunities. Enquiry and creativity are central to our curriculum and these principles are underpinned by a solid foundation in reading and a focus on developing oracy and vocabulary. 

Early reading is strong at Barton Park and given the highest priority, as reading is the key to all other learning. Phonics is taught using Read Write Inc from Reception to Year 2. When a child is a fluent reader, they move on to Master Readers. This follows a mastery approach to whole class reading comprehension and appreciation. 

To support excellence in writing, In 2024-25 we are partnering with the Story Museum and Talk for Writing in order to develop our work on oracy, which we know will lead to greater engagement in writing as well as improved outcomes for all children. Alongside our work on oracy and developing a love of language and stories, high quality programmes and daily practice will support children’s ability to master the ‘mechanics’ of writing: spelling, grammar and handwriting. 

Maths is taught using White Rose, a well respected mastery approach, and in Early Years and KS1 we use the Mastering Early Number programme, to give children confidence and achieve fluency in basic number skills before progressing to the KS1 programme of study.

Our wider curriculum is designed to build on each child’s natural curiosity and help them become enquiring, resilient and confident learners, able to communicate their ideas to both peers and adults. Our enquiry approach is built around the principle of greater learner involvement in their work; it fosters children’s curiosity and supports them in developing mastery of each subject through independent enquiry and deep thinking. 

At Barton Park Primary we adopt a subject specific curriculum to ensure excellent coverage of History, Geography, Science, Art and Design Technology. We use a question as the starting point and each theme is supported by a quality text to enrich English study. 

Computing, Music, PE, MfL (languages in KS2) and RE are taught as discrete subjects within weekly slots. PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) supports all of our work and play in school and is central to children’s growing understanding of themselves within their world. A weekly circle time and values assembly ensures children gain a practical and deep understanding of our school’s values, wider British values, and how they can embody those values in and out of school. 

Our long term curriculum maps are revised regularly, to ensure we are making use of local, national and international events as well as responding to our changing cohort of children.

Inclusion and SEND

At Barton Park Primary School, we believe that all children are entitled to receive a high-quality education regardless of their needs or disabilities. Through quality first teaching, careful planning and adaptive teaching where necessary, we aim for all children to access the curriculum and develop their  independence as learners.  For more information, see our Inclusion pages.