Click on each of the subject headings below for more information.
Our core aim at Glenfrome is for children to write with enjoyment and confidence knowing they have the skills to have a go and foster a love of writing over time. In order to achieve this, our writing strategy includes carefully choosing specific texts that allows pupils to develop their knowledge and capacity to appreciate literature which grows over time. The chosen texts will broaden pupils’ horizons whilst allowing them to appreciate the richness of the English language. We also use a range of other exciting and engaging stimuli to inspire children’s writing, whilst having a clear audience and purpose for each unit. To help children to build on their prior knowledge, we use retrieval practice to help children to recall known knowledge from their long-term memory in order to help the children to be successful in each lesson. A variety of real examples linked to the genre being taught will be used to guide children to the intended outcome. Specific features will be identified so that children have a good understanding of the genre which will help them to keep to the genre form.
Teachers will share their thoughts out loud during the important modelling part of the lesson to ensure that children understand what makes successful writing. Time for discussion will be built in at this stage with children joining in with shared modelling whereby they can add to the teacher’s modelled example. Part of the strategy will be to have steps to success, predominately formulated by the teacher with key knowledge to encourage clarity ready for independent writing. Prior to writing independently, ALL children will be given time to discuss the context of the writing so they are confident in the subject matter and, from there, they will be able to work with a partner to check understanding and further develop their ideas. As the writing process begins, regular teacher and peer feedback will be given. Please refer to marking and feedback policy.
At Glenfrome, our aim is to foster a lifelong love of reading and an appreciation and enjoyment of literature. Our goal is to ensure that Every Child is a Reader by the age of 7. We achieve this by ensuring that all children receive systematic phonics teaching following the Essential Letters and Sounds programme, in line with the expectations in the National Curriculum from the beginning of reception. We will support children to develop reading strategies and skills: accuracy, fluency, understanding and response to texts. We encourage and facilitate children to read a wide range of texts; fiction, non-fiction and poetry, using the banded books, the library and ICT.
See our dedicated Reading page for more info and resources
At Glenfrome Primary School we use a synthetic programme called ELS. A Synthetic phonics approach allows us to teach children to read and write. It teaches children how sounds are represented by written letters. Children will build an understanding of the relationship between the sounds they can hear and say (phonemes) and the written sounds (graphemes). Children are taught to read words by blending these sounds together to make words. For example, they will be taught that the letters ‘m-a-t’ blend together to make ‘mat’. In Reception and Year 1, Phonics is taught daily as it acts as the foundation to get children reading and writing successfully.
See our dedicated Phonics page for more info and resources
Phonics Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
At Glenfrome, we follow the White Rose Maths programme to teach children mathematical concepts through small systematic steps. Children will be introduced to new concepts using physical resources and have the chance to manipulate these resources and discuss key points to develop conceptual understanding. Over time pupils begin to use pictorial methods to complete different calculations be fore being taught more formal written methods. The methods used at Glenfrome can be found within our calculation policy on the policies page.
We aim to help children to develop a strong sense on number from the beginning of their education at Glenfrome, as this enables pupils to become more fluent in harder calculations in Key Stage 2 and beyond as they do not need to focus on the underlying addition, subtraction, multiplication or division facts. In Early Years and Key Stage 1, pupils have daily Mastering Number lessons which expose them to many different representations of number and key mathematical concepts. In Key Stage 2 we follow this with continued practice of arithmetic skills and also introduce daily times tables sessions which support children in developing their rapid recall of their multiplication facts.
See our dedicated Maths page for more info and resources
The Glenfrome science curriculum is one that fosters curiosity and encourages students to explore the world around them by asking questions and seeking answers. Through hands-on experiments, interactive lessons, and real-world examples, students are inspired to understand why things happen the way they do. Whether observing plant growth, investigating simple machines, or experimenting with water, children are guided to make connections, think critically, and discover the wonders of science with excitement and wonder.
In alignment with the school ethos, teachers are expected to refer to our list of BAME and female scientists to reflect the diversity of the scientific community throughout history and also our school. We study different scientists as part of our working scientifically cycle, which involves a cycle of planning, carrying out and reviewing investigations. This approach not only sparks their curiosity but also lays the foundation for lifelong learning and exploration.
At Glenfrome, we are proud to offer a dynamic and engaging Art curriculum based on the Access Art scheme. Our art program encourages creativity, exploration, and self- expression, providing students with the opportunity to work with a wide range of materials and techniques. Through the Access Art framework, children develop their skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, and design while also learning about the work of artists from various cultures and periods.
We aim to inspire our children to think critically, develop their artistic abilities, and express themselves confidently. The art lessons are designed to be fun, hands-on, and engaging, allowing each child to explore their unique artistic voice. Our approach fosters a love of creativity and ensures that everyone can enjoy and succeed in the creative process.
We aim to give children a range of experiences in computing to help equip our children for our modern, digital world. Alongside termly Online Safety sessions, we want to ensure our children are equipped to meet the demands of an ever-changing technological world and be able to use technology positively, responsibly and safely. We aim to develop computational thinking, communication and problem solving skills through our computing curriculum. We use the ‘Teach Computing’ and ‘Project Evolve’ schemes to support our teaching of computing. Computing is often taught as a discrete lesson but can be cross curricular where relevant.
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They work in a range of relevant contexts using research to develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups. They generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design and evaluate both existing products and their own designs. As part of our rich curriculum, children will also understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.
Within our geography curriculum, children experience high-quality teaching that inspires pupils to be curious and interested about the world and its people. Our aim is to develop our pupils’ knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, natural and human environments to gain a deep understanding of the Earth. We have chosen topics and places to study based on children’s backgrounds and interests so that their learning is relevant and interesting to them. As fieldwork is so vital to geography understanding, we ensure that this is carried out in most topics and we utilise many aspects of our local environment so that our children understand that geography is all around them. In their locality, they will think like a geographer by developing their knowledge in context.
At Glenfrome Primary School, we aim to deliver an outstanding History curriculum that nurtures a deep understanding of the past and its significance, fosters a love for learning, and equips our pupils with the skills and knowledge to become thoughtful and responsible citizens. Through our History curriculum, we aim to inspire curiosity, develop critical thinking skills, and promote diversity and inclusivity, ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to engage with a range of historical topics and perspectives.
As part of our foreign language curriculum at Glenfrome, we teach French to children from years 3 to 6. We follow the national curriculum using a scheme of work called ‘Language Angels’ which provides a very visual and interactive way of teaching. Children learn vocabulary, as well as sentences within which to place these new words, so that they can share mini conversations with each other and are able to read and write basic sentences.
We also collaborate with the Bristol-Bordeaux twinning programme and host a French teaching assistant for two weeks every year. They spend time across the school introducing children to information about French life as well as basic French vocabulary. As a school with a rich multi-cultural community, we also use other means to celebrate the different languages and cultures within our community and the wider world including holding an annual international day event where everyone is invited to celebrate their home or heritage languages and countries.
At Glenfrome we are members of Bristol Beacon Music. This includes our curriculum, ukulele lessons in Year 3, instrument lessons and various joint schools’ events through the year. In the Summer term we have a delightful concert where the whole school showcase their skills!
Additionally, we are hugely lucky to have Kirby who offers drumming lessons for children across the school. Towards the end of the year there is a very rousing drumming concert where children demonstrate their drumming and teamwork skills.
At Glenfrome, Physical Education (PE) is a subject which aims to provide all our pupils with a well-rounded and inclusive curriculum that promotes physical fitness, builds confidence, and instil a lifelong love for physical activity. It is taught twice a week, usually with one indoor session and one outdoor session. We follow the PE Hub Scheme which offers a huge range of sports for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. These sports include: tag rugby, football, badminton, tennis, gymnastics and many more. Children also have the opportunity to partake in Outdoor Adventurous Activity (OAA) through forest school and outdoor sessions.
Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) aims to give pupils the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding they need in order to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active and responsible citizens. At Glenfrome we encourage our pupils to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. They learn how society is organised and governed, and experience the process of democracy in school through the school council, Eco Council and House Captain elections. We provide opportunities for them to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a positive member of a diverse multicultural society. We teach Personal, Social, Health Education as a whole-school approach, using the Jigsaw Programme, which offers us a comprehensive, carefully thought-through Scheme of Work which brings consistency and progression to our children’s learning.
Our vision for RE comes from our school vision and follows our local agreed syllabus Awareness Mystery Values’. This insures our children’s learning reflets their local community and real-life experiences. In RE, we want our children to ask questions and wonder about religion as well as to explore and celebrate their own and other people’s beliefs. Children aim to answer a big question’ linked to the different faiths that they are studying. This will involve learning about the beliefs and practices of religions and reflecting on their personal response to the big question. We try to ensure that children have the opportunity to visit places of worship for as many of the faiths taught as possible. At Glenfrome we believe it is important for children to consider their own ideas and world views when looking at different faiths whilst also gaining an understanding of how other people’s beliefs may shape their lives. Through this, we enable our children to become confident, reflective, spiritual and morally aware people who can play a role in shaping modern Britain.
The national curriculum primary programmes of study and attainment targets
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