If you can't find the information you need by clicking on the documents below please contact the school and we can provide you with all the curricula information you need. Better still, book in to come and visit and see the awesome learning first hand. You will be wowed by our stunning art, our fabulous music and the wide range of PE and extra-curricular activities that also take place. Honestly, we rock...
Our curriculum is inclusive and accessible for all pupils. You can find more information on how we comply with the Equalities Act and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Regulations 2014 by clicking the link below...
Welcome to our curriculum
At Cotmanhay Junior School we deliver an effective curriculum based on the National Curriculum. Our curriculum is rich in knowledge to ensure learning develops over time and children retain information in their long-term memory. Our students experience a wide breadth of study, leaving Key Stage 2 with an ambitious body of knowledge that prepares them for their next phase of education.
It is vital that our children reach their potential in reading, writing and maths. We know that if children leave primary school with a strong reading ability they are more likely to succeed at secondary education and beyond. Our school has a strong reading culture. Pupils who need to catch up with phonics are helped to do so through use of the Little Wandle Rapid Catch Up synthetic phonics scheme. Pupils with more complex SEND needs may access the Little Wandle SEND Programme. Reading pervades all subject areas but dedicated time is given to pupils reading to themselves or to an adult. Adults will also read quality texts to their class. The school focusses on improving pupils' reading fluency, stamina and ability to understand age-related texts.
All children learn to write through Talk for Writing. This scheme enables children to imitate the language they need for a particular topic orally, before reading and analysing it, and then writing their own version.
White Rose Maths is a high-quality scheme which supports the teaching of maths mastery. Learners are fully supported through accessing concrete equipment and use of visual models to support understanding. Confident learners will be challenged through exposure to unfamiliar problems, development of reasoning skills and by exploring multiple ways to manipulate numbers and solve problems.
Our curriculum is engineered to allow key concepts to be explored in a wide breadth of topics which increase pupils’ knowledge of the world. This is important in improving cultural capital.
The physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of every pupil in our care is essential in our school culture and the curriculum. Our established Jigsaw program delivers weekly high-quality PSHE sessions. Pupils learn about healthy eating and fitness and have an age appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. It is important to us that our children are confident in staying safe from abuse and exploitation, and they have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe in person and online.
Assessment
We assess maths and reading using tests which produce a standardised score for each pupil termly. Writing is assessed by class teachers. For those pupils who are working below the ability range of the tests, we use teacher assessment with knowledge of the Key Stage 1 curriculum and Derbyshire's Formative Footprints (below the level of the KS1 curriculum) to ascertain small steps in progress. Foundation subjects are teacher assessed in order to evaluate the knowledge and understanding pupils have gained against expectations. Assessment information is used by subject leaders to evaluate progress and drive improvement.
Curriculum feedback
Feedback from the children is used to reshape and modify the curriculum in order to maintain its quality and relevance.