Key Stage 1 & 2

At Greenfields, we provide an inclusive and engaging English curriculum. The development of children’s language is crucial to their success across the curriculum. We want all children to be excellent communicators, to listen actively and to speak with confidence. At Greenfields, children are helped to develop a love of reading and to become skilful and imaginative writers. During all lessons across the school, children have the opportunity to develop their spoken language capabilities and improve their listening skills through a wide range of activities.

Reading

Reading is taught within our Teaching Sequences for English, but also through Guided reading 4 times per week. In KS1 all pupils are heard read at least once a week and in Key Stage 2 where necessary.

Writing

Writing is taught within the Teaching Sequence for English. Children begin units by writing shorter incidental pieces, building up to a longer, extended piece towards the end. Pupils are taught to edit and improve their work for technical and language improvements. Non-negotiables are integral to each piece of written work; children are aware of the minimum expectations for completing a piece of work.

• Essentials Writing Overview (618.96KB)
• Handwriting Formation and Ditties (191.63KB)

Phonics

Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) is our chosen Phonics programme. The aim of ELS is ‘Getting all children to read well, quickly’. It teaches children to read by identifying the phonemes (the smallest unit of sound) and graphemes (the written version of the sound) within words and using these to read words.

Children begin learning Phonics at the very beginning of Reception and it is explicitly taught every day during a dedicated slot on the timetable. Children are given the knowledge and the skills to then apply this independently.

Throughout the day, children will use their growing Phonics knowledge to support them in other areas of the curriculum and will have many opportunities to practise their reading. This includes reading 1:1 with a member of staff, with a partner during paired reading and as a class.

Children continue daily Phonics lessons in Year 1 and further through the school to ensure all children become confident, fluent readers.

We follow the ELS progression and sequence. This allows our children to practise their existing phonic knowledge whilst building their understanding of the ‘code’ of our language GPCs (Grapheme Phoneme Correspondence). As a result, our children can tackle any unfamiliar words that they might discover.

• Handwriting Formation and Ditties (191.63KB)
• ELS Phonics Programme Information (524.96KB)

Mathematics is a core curriculum subject and consists of the following areas: Number, Measurement, Geometry, and Statistics (from Year 2). These aspects are underpinned by the key skills of Working Mathematically — the way children are able to think mathematically, use their knowledge flexibly to solve problems, see patterns and adapt what they already know to new situations.

At Greenfields, we use the CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach which embeds a variety of strategies to support the children’s understanding. Our aim is to ensure that all children become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics and can reason mathematically. Daily fluency sessions ensure the children revisit and maintain core learning from the previous year or term.

We use termly Diagnostic assessments which identify gaps for each cohort, groups of children and individuals. Teachers use these assessments to plan future learning and ensure gaps are filled to enable the children to achieve at a higher level of mathematics.

Science is the third core subject and is divided into three areas: Life Processes and Living Things; Materials and their Properties; and Physical Processes. As in mathematics these areas are linked through the element of Scientific Enquiry. The teaching of science is dependent on investigation and children are taught to ask questions, find ways to answer these questions or prove their ideas and interpret and explain what they have found out.

• Science Progression of Skills — Working Scientifically (191.95KB)
• Science Progression of Skills — Knowledge (179.72KB)
• Science Long Term Overview (17.02KB)
• Science Curriculum Statement (562.83KB)

Computing underpins all subjects within the national curriculum. Children use technology throughout the school and although this is mainly linked to working with computers, they use a wide range of additional equipment. Children learn the necessary computing skills in lessons but then apply them across the curriculum for research, presenting their work and increasingly through the internet to extend their learning. Online safety is taught discretely through computing but additionally during PSHE lessons and whole school sessions such as e-safety day.

• Computing Assessment and Progression of Skills (109.39KB)
• Computing Curriculum Statement (443.30KB)
• Computing Long Term Overview (54.83KB)

The PSHE curriculum aims to help children to develop into active and responsible citizens of the future. They learn about health issues, practise their decision-making skills, and develop respect for themselves and others. They have the opportunity to participate in decision making through the School Council and older children are encouraged to take responsibilities across the school as House Captains, Eco-Councils, play leaders and peer mediators.

• PSHE Long Term Overview (411.68KB)
• PSHE Curriculum Statement (545.96KB)

Relationship and Sex Education is part of the PSHE curriculum from Foundation Stage to Year 6. The youngest children begin by thinking about families and simple differences between boys and girls. Children in Year 4 have sessions to consider changes at puberty. In Year 5 they learn about same sex relationships and diversity. In Year 6 we cover sexual intercourse and the birth of a baby. Children’s questions are answered sensitively, honestly and in as much detail as is appropriate to the age and stage of development of the individual.

All materials are available for parents to view. As of September 2020, these lessons are statutory, therefore parents cannot withdraw their children from them.

All our children have access to two hours of PE each week plus the opportunity to take part in clubs and after school activities. Dance, gymnastics, outdoor adventurous activities including our Forest School, and games are taught in both Key Stages while swimming is taught in Key Stage 2.

We want the children to take part in and enjoy sport and physical activity; we also want them to be aware of the importance of physical activity and sport in leading a healthy lifestyle. The children have the opportunity to participate in competitive leagues and take part in Festivals through the Schools Sports Partnership.

During the Summer Term, the school holds a Sports Week in which the children experience a wide range of activities and the older children organise and support activities for younger children.

The school follows the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus of Religious Education 2017–2022. RE is taught through eight key themes, in which children explore different religions and develop their understanding of Christianity. Children are also encouraged to explore their own personal and critical responses.

• RE Long Term Overview (431.27KB)

In geography children learn about their local area, the UK and the wider world. They learn to use maps and atlases to gain an understanding of where places are on a local and global scale. They learn about physical features that change places and environments such as rivers and mountains. Throughout their studies they are encouraged to develop an appreciation, understanding and respect for the lifestyles and cultures of other peoples and to acquire a feeling of responsibility for the care of our planet.

• Geography Assessment and Progression of Skills (594.14KB)
• Geography Curriculum Statement (451.61KB)
• Geography Long Term Overview (407.00KB)

Children study aspects from local, British, European and world history looking at why things happened and how changes in the past affect us today. They consider historical evidence and how this should be interpreted as well as making links between events and how these have changed societies and belief systems. Literacy, ICT and aspects of mathematics are integral to the teaching of history and enable children to develop the correct vocabulary and an historian’s viewpoint.

• History Long Term Overview (26.08KB)
• History Curriculum Statement (534.18KB)
• History Assessment and Progression of Skills (579.94KB)

At Greenfields, we aim to provide our pupils with a range of musical experiences and opportunities to support their understanding of the subject. Our curriculum is delivered by the teachers using the Charanga programme. Pupils explore musical vocabulary through a variety of pieces and develop their skills in singing, composing and listening and appraising. All pupils have the opportunity to perform musically through yearly class assemblies and concerts. Pupils in Year 4 learn to play the Ukulele and from Year 2 upwards, pupils are given the opportunity to learn the violin.

• Music Overview (234.49KB)
• Music Development Plan 2025-26 (121.08KB)
• Music Development Overview (69.01KB)
• Music Curriculum Statement (434.40KB)

Art and design gives children the opportunity to develop their imagination and creativity. Throughout they are taught to observe carefully and develop a range of techniques such as collage, painting, drawing and printing. The work of artists and designers from different cultures and times is used to highlight different styles, approaches and methods which the children can then apply to their own work.

• Art and Design KS2 Vocabulary (545.76KB)
• Art and Design KS1 Vocabulary (548.02KB)
• Art and Design Assessment and Progression of Skills (169.06KB)
• Art and Design Curriculum Statement (448.50KB)
• Art and Design Long Term Overview (65.50KB)

Children are taught how to use a variety of tools, techniques and materials to produce quality products. They are given time and guidance to plan and design their product to match the purpose. They plan and develop ideas, evaluating the results to make improvements in their designs and to think critically about what could have been done differently.

• DT Long Term Overview (66.39KB)
• DT Curriculum Statement (547.92KB)
• DT Assessment and Progression of Skills (256.52KB)

At Greenfields Primary School, we believe that the learning of a language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils. It helps them to develop communication skills, including key skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The children’s knowledge of how language works will be developed and extended. The linguistic skills gained will assist and lay foundations for further language learning. Learning another language gives children a new and broader perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others.

• French Curriculum Statement (451.66KB)
• French Long Term Overview (391.31KB)