Intent
At Southville Primary School, we are dedicated to inspiring and supporting every child, ensuring they feel valued, engaged, and empowered to achieve their full potential. Our curriculum is ambitious, well-rounded, and carefully designed to meet the needs of all learners. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity, with teaching practices tailored to support every child, including those with special educational needs, disabilities, and English as an additional language. Our core values of connection, courage, imagination, and care are at the heart of everything we do.
How have we designed our wider curriculum?
How Our Curriculum Works
Each term, children fully immerse themselves in a specific topic or area of focus, which is made up of two main ‘driver’ subjects (Science, History, Geography, Art and Design, or Design and Technology). These subjects are taught clearly and separately, but connections between them are made when relevant to enhance and deepen the learning experience.
Key Features
Every unit of learning is designed to provide a rich, context-driven experience that engages children in exploring the world around them. By including Local Anchor Points, children connect with local history, geography, culture, or natural features, deepening their understanding of how local events and places are part of a larger global picture. Visits and Visitors further bring learning to life, offering real-world experiences, such as meeting professionals or exploring new places. Units are enriched by connecting to Key People, inspiring children and adding meaningful context.
Each unit is driven by a Key Driver Question that sparks curiosity, encourages critical thinking, and promotes problem-solving. Essential Disciplinary Knowledge and Skills are emphasized to deepen subject understanding and set a foundation for children to begin their journey toward becoming experts in each area. Key Vocabulary is introduced to support learning, helping children articulate their ideas with confidence and clarity. Each unit includes, and often culminates, in Key Outcome(s) where children apply their knowledge, often sharing and reflecting on what they have learned.
Our curriculum aligns fully with National Curriculum objectives, meeting all key learning goals while remaining flexible and responsive to the unique needs and interests of Southville children. Each year, we actively monitor, review, and refine our approach to continually improve the quality and impact of our curriculum, ensuring it serves the evolving needs of our community.
Progression and Sequencing
We carefully design the curriculum to help children build knowledge and skills step by step, sparking curiosity and ensuring they retain knowledge of key themes and concepts over time. From Nursery to Year 6, each unit connects to prior learning and prepares children for future lessons, with clear progression across year groups. Teachers introduce new concepts in small, manageable steps, building on what children already know, while providing challenges that help deepen their understanding and encourage them to apply what they have learned in new situations. Teachers dedicate time to guiding children through the learning journey of each ‘key driver’ subject, helping them understand the context of individual lessons and how they connect to the main key question. This approach encourages children to reflect on the importance and relevance of their work, which is essential for fostering a sense of investment and engagement. We also make meaningful links within and between subjects, helping children see how their learning connects across different areas and real-life situations.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We have collaborated with partners from Representation Matters, as well as from CARGO, to ensure our curriculum development aligns with our commitment to equity, diverstiy, and inclusion. These discussions have been instrumental in embedding key elements in our curriculum. We have carefully selected people, places, and stories that reflect the diversity of our global community, drawing on CARGO Classroom resources where appropriate to enhance our units of work. These elements are integrated into the curriculum in a way that helps children gradually develop the awareness, empathy, and knowledge needed to challenge misconceptions, biases and inaccuracies that can underpin racist views. For example, in Key Stage 1, children explore continents, migration, and locations like Jamaica, which is then built upon in Years 3 and 4 through a deeper understanding of slavery in ancient societies. By Years 5 and 6, this foundation enables children to engage meaningfully with the significance of events like Windrush, St Paul's Carnival, and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Through this approach, we are also equipping children with the skills necessary to engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives.
This work, alongside our annual programme of assemblies, is part of our ongoing commitment to develop globally minded children who embody our school values and are equipped with the knowledge to challenge discriminatory opinions, language and behaviour. We will continue to refine and strengthen these approaches going forward.
What resources or schemes do we use to support and supplement planning in each subject?
Our curriculum is enriched by carefully chosen resources and schemes, each designed to support high-quality, engaging learning experiences across all core and non-core subjects. In Maths, we use the ‘White Rose’ framework with a PAD (Practice, Apply, Deepen) planning approach, complemented by daily ‘Number Sense’ sessions for KS1 and Year 3 and a mastery approach for teaching times tables in KS2. Phonics and Early Reading are guided by the ‘Little Wandle Letters and Sounds’ programme, with tailored interventions for the bottom 20% of learners to ensure targeted support. For early readers, phonically decodable books are provided from 'Little Wandle E-Books', ‘Bug Club’ and ‘Oxford Reading Tree’, supplemented by weekly library visits and engaging end-of-day story sessions.
In KS2 Reading, ‘Destination Reader’ supports our comprehension work, with six core texts and follow-up templates that standardize and enrich comprehension strategies. Writing combines the narrative techniques from ‘The Write Stuff’ with a structured approach to non-fiction, using WAGOLLs (What A Good One Looks Like) to break down key features and explicitly teach spelling, grammar and punctuation. Each year group has an age-appropriate '5 Star Sentences' poster, focusing on handwriting, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary objectives expected in all writing across the curriculum. These sentences are central to our feedback process, allowing staff to consistently reinforce expectations and provide regular '5 star edit' opportunities during extended writing tasks. Spelling is reinforced through Little Wandle (Year 2) and Spelling Shed (KS2), with targeted daily ‘Nessy’ interventions for children who require extra support. Grammar instruction is woven seamlessly into daily writing lessons, supported by resources from ‘Spelling Shed’. Handwriting begins with Little Wandle for early letter formation in EYFS and Year 1, progressing to cursive in Year 2 with ‘Teach Handwriting’ and the achievement of a Pen Licence for KS2 students.
Computing is delivered through the ‘Purple Mash’ platform, which provides a consistent structure across year groups. MFL benefits from the expertise of a specialist French teacher, following a bespoke curriculum using rich resources like ‘Culturéteque’, ‘High-Five French’, and ‘BabelZone’, and enhanced by immersive experiences, including cultural days, visits from French-speaking teaching assistants, and class performances for parents. In PE, ‘Real PE’ and ‘Bristol Sport’ are core components, with additional opportunities for children to participate in local clubs, competitions, and Bristol Schools Sports Leagues.
The RE curriculum, based on the 'Mystery, Awareness, Value' syllabus, is enriched by trips, visitor interactions, and assemblies that celebrate diverse festivals. PSHE, using the ‘Jigsaw’ framework, is reinforced by weekly assemblies led by senior leaders that foster our school values. Finally, Music is delivered through Sing Up Music and Bristol Beacon’s instrument programs, with classes on ukulele, recorders, and steel pans, and a supplement of peripatetic lessons in Year 5.
Each of these resources and approaches contributes to a cohesive, immersive, and supportive curriculum that ensures all children can thrive and develop across all subjects. Each subject has its own comprehensive content overview clearly outlining what is taught and when, alongside progression documents detailing the specific skills and knowledge developed at each stage. Subject leaders ensure that all units are thoughtfully sequenced, coherent, and carefully build on prior learning, progressively enhancing children’s abilities. This approach leaves children engaged, excited about every subject, and very well-equipped for future opportunities.
Implementation
How do we support all children with their learning?
Environment
We create a supportive and safe environment where children feel valued, respected, and motivated to learn. By building strong connections, we help children understand and manage their emotions, which includes using the language of Zones of Regulation. The classroom setup is carefully considered, with minimal clutter and regular updates to working walls to support children’s current learning.
Providing Challenge for All
We set high expectations and foster a 'Growth Mindset’, teaching children that abilities improve through effort and perseverance. Teachers use engaging strategies to ensure every child is actively involved in lessons, helping them build resilience as they overcome challenges. Our lessons are carefully designed to encourage problem-solving, with tasks that support children in explaining their reasoning and gaining a deeper understanding of the material.
Curriculum Design
Our curriculum is designed to be interesting, relevant, and connected to children’s lives. We focus on teaching children about their rights, responsibilities, and how different people, places, and ideas have shaped the world. Lessons are exciting and practical, giving children the opportunity to get ‘stuck in’ and apply their learning to real-life situations. We make links across subjects, helping children see connections and build a broader understanding of the world around them.
Teaching for Impact
We focus on teaching key ideas and knowledge, ensuring children master the basics before moving on to more complex concepts or applying what they have learned. Lessons promote critical thinking, regular practice, and revisiting key information to reinforce learning and make sure it ‘sticks’. Our carefully planned progression and sequencing build a strong foundation, supporting long-term understanding and preparing children for the next stage of their learning.
Planning and Delivery
We plan lessons that help children become independent learners. We break down learning into small steps, using clear explanations and models and then provide lots of opportunities to practise. Support is gradually removed as children become more confident and able to apply their skills.
Assessment and Feedback
We regularly assess children's understanding through questioning, quizzes, activities, and assessments. Feedback highlights areas for improvement, encouraging children to review and refine their work in real time. Mistakes are viewed as valuable learning opportunities, and we support children’s progress through constructive verbal feedback or by adjusting future lessons to address key areas for development and the next steps in their learning.
Reading and Oracy
We focus on helping children become fluent readers who enjoy reading. Phonics and comprehension skills are taught systematically, with extra support and intervention for those who need it. We also encourage speaking and listening, using group discussions and questions to develop these skills, and teach children new vocabulary to help them express themselves confidently.
How do we adapt our practice to support all children?
We are committed to providing inclusive education by adapting teaching methods to support each child’s unique needs, including neurodivergent learners and children with English as an Additional Language (EAL). We adjust the pace of lessons, simplify complex tasks, and break activities into manageable steps, presenting clear, essential information. Visual aids, structured routines, and multi-sensory approaches enhance understanding and make learning accessible and engaging.
For neurodivergent children, we offer extra processing time, use tailored materials, and minimize distractions. Strategies like regular check-ins, praise, and supportive feedback help them feel connected and acknowledged. Movement breaks and sensory circuits are also used and are beneficial for supporting focus, self-regulation, and physical well-being, especially for children who need extra sensory input. For EAL learners, we focus on developing language skills by celebrating multilingualism and providing visual resources, bilingual dictionaries, and buddy systems. Tools like survival language aids, dual-language books, and engaging activities foster language growth. We collaborate closely with Better Bilingual to enhance our teaching and learning approaches.
We create Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for identified children, outlining specific learning goals, strategies, and support to meet their academic and social needs. Using the 'Assess, Plan, Do, Review' cycle, IEPs are reviewed and shared with parents in terms 1, 3, and 5, with support from the SENDCo and Deputy SENDCo. Our dynamic, child-centered approach reflects our commitment to thoughtfully supporting each child’s learning and development.
How do we provide effective feedback?
We believe that effective feedback should be immediate, clear, and genuinely helpful for both children and teachers. Feedback is given mainly in real-time and is often verbal, helping children understand and act on guidance straight away without feeling overwhelmed. Teachers assess progress as lessons unfold, allowing for flexible planning that meets each child's needs without the need for teacher written comments. A red pen is used by children to show improvements made after feedback, fostering a positive learning culture that values growth, resilience, and accountability. This approach encourages children to take ownership of their learning by actively reviewing and refining their work.
Our feedback approach follows a structured "Feed-Up, Feedback, Feed-Forward" process to support children’s growth and independence.
- Feed-Up (Before the Lesson): This phase helps children understand their learning goals. Teachers set clear, age-appropriate objectives, plan high-quality instruction that builds independence, and use examples to guide feedback.
- Feedback (During the Lesson): During this phase, children receive real-time feedback to help them see their progress. Teachers refer to success criteria, praise specific efforts, and encourage peer and self-assessment to build confidence.
- Feed-Forward (After the Lesson): This phase focuses on next steps. Teachers review work and adapt future lessons to address misconceptions, using tasks to reinforce learning before moving forward.
This feedback cycle fosters a supportive learning environment that values clarity, growth, and reflection.
How do we reinforce learning and inspire curiosity beyond the classroom?
We aim to support children’s learning at home in a way that is manageable and engaging. For Early Years (EYFS), daily reading is encouraged; we suggest reading their Bug Club or Little Wandle e-Book with someone at home and discussing characters, events, and predictions. Daily read-aloud sessions, where a family member reads to the child for around 10 minutes, also provide valuable bonding time and help foster a love for stories. Phonics practice aligns with the weekly focus in class, and there are optional ideas for extending learning related to the current topic.
In Key Stages 1 and 2 (KS1 and KS2), we encourage daily reading for 20-30 minutes, with children bringing their book and reading record in on their DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) day. Weekly maths practice focuses on reinforcing skills learned in class; younger children work on Number Facts, while older children concentrate on times tables or, for Year 6, complete questions that consolidate the week’s learning. Spelling or phonics practice is based on the weekly list, and activities on Spelling Shed are available as an additional resource. Each term, a menu of topic-related activities is provided, allowing children to choose one optional activity to complete weekly, encouraging them to explore their current learning focus in depth and in a creative way.
Impact
How do we analyse, monitor and demonstrate the impact of our curriculum?
To ensure our curriculum is effective and continually improving, we regularly assess and monitor children’s progress. We use a variety of methods, including questioning, group discussions, and activities that help us understand how well children are learning and allow us to adapt our teaching. We also collate pupil voice. Feedback is immediate and constructive, helping children improve and build on their learning.
Summative assessments are carried out three times a year in core subjects. Results are tracked to ensure all children are supported, and progress is monitored through a combination of assessments, observations, and work reviews. These assessments help us see if children are on track with age-related expectations, and the data is reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team and shared with the Governing Body to guide short term and longer term improvements and action plans.
End-of-key-stage assessments, along with specific checks like phonics screening and multiplication tables checks, ensure children are meeting key learning milestones. We regularly review books and lesson plans to make sure the curriculum is well-sequenced and responsive to feedback. Pupil Voice activities encourage children to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their progress.
Governors and external moderators, including those from other schools and the Local Authority, provide valuable feedback to help us improve our curriculum. Through these processes, we aim to support every learner in achieving their best outcomes.
Curriculum Unit Overview
What is taught and when?
Click on the unit title to view the Medium Term Plan. New units will be added each term as our curriculum evolves and develops.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | |
| Reception | Superhero Me | The Deep, Dark Wood | ||||
| Year 1 | My School | The Victorians | ||||
| Year 2 | 4500 Miles Away | Fire! Fire! | ||||
| Year 3 | Savage Stone Age | What The Romans Did For Us | ||||
| Year 4 | Splash! | Awesome Ancient Egyptians | ||||
| Year 5 | New York, New York! | Out Of This World | ||||
| Year 6 | Bristol Street Art | Mysterious Mayans |
For more information about our curriculum, please contact the school office.