Click on a link below to find out more details of the subject curriculum:

Art and Design

Computing

Design Technology

Early Years

English

Forest School

Geography

History

Maths

Modern Foreign Languages

Music

PE

P.S.H.E.

Religious Education

Science

For curriculum overviews, please visit Curriculum.

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School, we value DT as an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School we aim for the pupils to become autonomous and creative problem solvers, as individuals and as members of a team. The subject affords opportunities for them to develop their core skills of resilience, reciprocity, reflectiveness and resourcefulness. In DT, pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.

All children:

• follow the Programme of Study for the National Curriculum
• work with a range of materials and components to make products. These include textiles, food, construction kits (including electronics) and sheet materials.
• design and make good quality products.
• produce work using a variety of materials and processes.
• acquire creative and technical skills.
• formulate opinions about designs
• evaluate their designs and products.
• communicate their ideas orally and visually.
• develop an interest in D & T.
• are encouraged to think for themselves
• develop and use the language/vocabulary of D & T, to observe and record information

Personal, Social and Health Education (P.S.H.E) help to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.

All Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum contributing fully to life in school and the community. In doing so they learn to recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly responsible for their own learning. They reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. They also find out about the main political and social institutions that affect their lives and about their responsibilities, rights and duties as individuals and members of the community. They learn to understand and respect common humanity, diversity and differences so that they can go on to form the effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning.

• To value ourselves as unique human beings capable of spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical growth and development.
• To value others for themselves. We value relationships as fundamental to the development and fulfilment of ourselves and others, and to the good of the community.
• To value truth, freedom, justice, human rights, the rule of law and collective effort for the common good.
• To value the environment, both natural and shaped by humanity, as the basis of life and a source of wonder and inspiration.

Jigsaw Overview

PSHE Letter to whole school

We live in a multi-cultural, multi-faith society and at Aycliffe Drive Primary School we will prepare children to be well-rounded, active participants of this community by giving them knowledge and understanding of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and where appropriate, non-religious beliefs. We will spend more hours teaching Christianity in accordance with national guidelines. We will foster an ability to understand how these religions influence individuals, communities, society and the world.

Through RE, Aycliffe Primary School aims to provide opportunities for children to:

• develop their knowledge and understanding of, and their ability to respond to, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and non-religious beliefs
• explore issues within and between faiths to help them understand and respect different religions, beliefs, values and traditions and understand the influence of these on individuals, societies, communities and cultures
• consider questions of meaning and purpose in life
• learn about religious and ethical teaching, enabling them to make reasoned and informed judgements on religious and moral issues
• develop their sense of identity and belonging, preparing them for life as citizens in a multi-faith society
• develop enquiry and response skills through the use of distinctive language, listening and empathy
• reflect on, analyse and evaluate their beliefs, values and practices and communicate their responses
• link the teaching of R.E. with Philosophy and PSHCE

R.E. does not seek to enforce religious beliefs on children or to compromise the integrity of their own beliefs by promoting one religion over another.

The RE syllabus is relevant to all pupils and respects the personal beliefs of all communities. If parents/carers would like to discuss the RE curriculum further, please contact the school office to make an appointment with the RE lead. After consulting with the RE lead, if parents wish to withdraw their child from areas of RE, please email admin@aycliffedrive.herts.sch.uk for a response from Mrs Atkinson (Head Teacher).

RE Skills Progression Grid

KS1 Spring Religious Education Medium Term Plan

LKS2 Spring Religious Education Medium Term Plan

UKS2 Spring Religious Education Medium Term Plan

Links to British Values in RE

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School, we believe that music is an essential part of a balanced education for all children.

It:

• is a powerful, unique form of communication and is a vehicle for self-expression
• is an integral part of all cultures, past and present
• develops concentration, perseverance, co-ordination and memory
• promotes co-operation, a sense of group identity and togetherness
• increases self-discipline and creativity, sensitivity and fulfilment
• can inspire and motivate

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School, we recognise music as something that develops the whole child by providing a practical, co-operative and enjoyable experience, which every pupil can access at some level. We aim for all children to be given the opportunity to:

• enjoy music that they create themselves
• have the chance to develop musically at their own level and pace
• develop understanding and knowledge of music through making, listening to and responding to a wide range of musical styles from different times and cultures;
• provide activities that develop musical concepts and skills sequentially
• listen to a variety of music (recorded or played live) on a daily basis
• perform musically to a wider audience, e.g. class assemblies, school productions and choir excursions
• be inspired to develop a life-long appreciation of the subject.

• provide children with a broad music education, which includes performing, composing, listening, reviewing and evaluating music e.g. through our “Take One Tune” projects
• make singing a part of every child’s school life through all the key stages
• give every child in key stage 2 the opportunity to learn an instrument through whole class ensemble teaching (Ukulele – Year 3 and 4)
• offer opportunities for progression, making musical instrument tuition available for those who desire it

KS1 Spring Music Medium Term Plan

LKS2 Spring Music Medium Term Plan

UKS2 Spring Music Medium Term Plan

Music Vocabulary Progression Curriculum Plan 2023-2024

Music Skills Progression Grid

A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features, at different scales, are shaped, interconnected and change over time. (National Curriculum 2014).

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School, we aim to provide pupils with experiences which enable them to develop their own geographical skills, including fieldwork opportunities and locality studies.

We strive to enable pupils to consider the moral, social and cultural aspects of their studies in geography, and to encourage a sense of awe and wonder about the world.

We believe that geography can foster a sense of responsibility for our environment and that our pupils should be encouraged to think about the quality and vulnerability of our environment and the contribution they could make towards its sustainability.

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School we believe history to be the study of people in the past and how their actions have affected our lives today. The past influences all aspects of our lives. It shapes the customs and beliefs of the communities to which we belong. History can help children to make sense of the world in which they live and help them develop a sense of identity.

Good practice is demonstrated by children being actively involved in study of the past, using a range of sources of information, asking questions such as ‘How do we know?’ and making progress. Our aims at Aycliffe Drive Primary School are that all children:

• To be able to link real events and places with sources and artefacts which are still in evidence around us from the past.
• To develop a sense of chronology through sequencing events and objects.
• To study people from the past and how their actions have affected our lives and the wider world today.
• To look at the customs and beliefs of the community we live in which will help develop their social understanding and self-awareness.
• To ensure that children will have the opportunity to study the history of their local area and understand their moral and social values.
•  To learn about significant aspects of history within an appropriately scaled time line.
• To be able to talk about abstract terms such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarities and differences.
•  To make sure there are opportunities for children to use different methods of enquiry.
•  To make sure children are learning how to frame their own questions and allow children to create structured accounts.
•  Children will need the opportunity to learn historical terminology for example, empire, civilisation, parliament and peasantry.
• Derive enjoyment and a sense of achievement through their work.

At Aycliffe Drive Primary School, we value art, craft and design highly as they allow our pupils to be at their most creative. We also value the opportunities art, craft and design afford for developing the core learning skills of resilience, resourcefulness, reciprocity and reflectiveness.

In line with the national curriculum, we believe; ‘a high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape out history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation

The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Aycliffe Drive Primary School also aims for pupils to:

• learn through tactile and sensory experiences
• learn to use their imagination in designing and producing artwork
• develop ways of recording observations, including in sketchbooks which they keep throughout the school
• develop ways of communicating in visual form to express ideas and feelings
• Learn through cross curricular links
• Participate in whole school projects such as take one picture

Art Skills 2023-2024

Aycliffe Drive believes that physical education, experienced in a safe and supportive environment, is a vital contributor to a pupil’s physical development and well-being. A broad and balanced physical education curriculum is intended to provide for pupils’ increasing self-confidence in their ability to manage themselves. Progressive learning objectives, combined with varied teaching approaches, provide stimulating, enjoyable, satisfying and appropriately challenging learning experiences for all pupils. The selection of suitably differentiated and logically developed tasks will help pupils, irrespective of their innate ability, to enjoy success and be motivated to further develop their individual potential and take part in lifelong physical activity.

A balance of individual, paired and group activities; in co-operative, collaborative and competitive situations, aims to cater for the strengths and needs of every pupil. These activities, experienced within a broad physical education curriculum, aim to promote a broad base of movement knowledge, skills and understanding. They are also intended to develop the pupil’s ability to work independently and to respond appropriately and sympathetically to others, irrespective of their age, gender, cultural or ethnic background.

The activities offered and the teaching approaches adopted seek to provide pupils with opportunities to develop their creative and expressive abilities, through improvisation and problem-solving. Pupils are encouraged to appreciate the importance of a healthy and fit body, and to begin to understand those factors that affect health and fitness.

Whilst retaining its unique contribution to a pupil’s movement education, physical education also has considerable potential to contribute to much wider areas of learning. It is considered important that physical education is integrated into the whole school’s planning for the development of pupils’ communication, numeracy, PSHE and ICT skills.

• To develop skilful use of the body, the ability to remember, repeat and refine actions and to perform them with increasing control, co-ordination and fluency (acquiring and developing).
• To develop an increasing ability to select, link and apply skills, tactics and compositional ideas (selecting and applying).
• To improve observation skills and the ability to describe and make simple judgements on their own and others work, and to use their observations and judgements to improve performance (improving and evaluating).
• To develop an understanding of the effects of exercise on the body, and an appreciation of the value of safe exercising (knowledge and understanding of fitness and health).
• To develop the ability to work independently, and communicate with and respond positively towards others (working alone and with others).
• To promote an understanding of safe practice, and develop a sense of responsibility towards their own and others’ safety and well-being (applying safety principles).

When children leave Aycliffe Drive, we aim for them to be Digital Creators, Communicators and Citizens. They will see Computing as an integral aspect of all areas of their learning. They will have a broad set of skills to support and enhance their learning, therefore providing them with life skills in preparation for an ever growing digital world.

The Computing Programme of Study has been developed to meet the requirements of the New Curriculum (2014). It combines a number of skills from the old curriculum and introduces a larger focus on programming, simulations and modelling.

It is divided into three strands; Digital Creator, Digital Communicator and Digital Citizen.

• Ensure ICT is incorporated into all areas of the National Curriculum, in a variety of contexts.
• All pupils are extended in each area of the ICT Curriculum so that they reach their full potential.
• Pupils appreciate the relevance of ICT in our society, and that they see ICT as an essential tool for learning, for communication, for finding information and for controlling and understanding their environment. Pupils will be given opportunity to describe, illustrate, interpret, predict and explain using technological language and conventions.
• Children are encouraged to use their own initiative, imagination, reasoning and investigative skills to solve problems using ICT.
• Pupils learn to work individually and collaboratively.
• Children will have discrete programming lessons during which they will write code for a purpose.
• Pupils have a heightened awareness of ICT through its use in all areas and by all members of the school.
• Every child receives equal opportunity to develop their ICT capability (using tools and information sources effectively, developing practical applicable skills).
• Teaching is enhanced through the effective implementation and use of ICT equipment.
• Pupils derive enjoyment, confidence and a sense of achievement from their use of ICT.

Aycliffe Computing Skill Progression

UKS2 Computing Cycles