The basic curriculum for all Primary schools in England consists of Religious Education, three ‘core’ subjects: English, Mathematics and Science, and seven ‘foundation’ subjects: History, Geography, Art, Music, Physical Education, Design Technology and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In addition to these compulsory subjects, we also teach Personal, Social and Health Education.

The curriculum is divided into stages, starting with the Foundation Stage Curriculum

(Nursery and Reception classes) followed by Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6).

When children move to their secondary school they will study Key Stages 3 and 4 before entering the Sixth Form.

What is studied in each subject is set out in the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum also sets out expectations and children’s progress is assessed against these expectations each year. At the end of Key Stage 1 (the year they turn 7) the children’s attainment in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Mathematics and Science is assessed by their teachers. A National Curriculum level is then reported to parents. At the end of Key Stage 2 (the year they turn 11) the children sit the SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) in English and Mathematics. The children are also assessed by their teachers (Teacher Assessment). National Curriculum levels in each of these subject areas are then reported to parents.

All parents are fully informed about their child’s progress in their end of year Annual Report as well as through formal, and informal, discussions with their child’s class teacher.

In Key Stage 1 (the Infants) the children are taught for 22½ hours each week, and in Key Stage 2 (the Juniors) for 23½ hours. Children are taught in a variety of groupings: with the rest of their class, in smaller groups and sometimes individually if this is appropriate.

English, often termed ‘Literacy’, is the most important core subject our children study because it spans the whole of the curriculum. There are three areas: Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing.

The basis for our English teaching is the Primary National Strategy, which sets out a framework for teaching both English and Maths.

Speaking and Listening is to do with communication skills. It includes giving and listening to instructions, listening to opinions and expressing points of view, discussing, debating and explaining with confidence and fluency.

Reading is much more than speaking the words on a page. It means comprehending not only the facts but the implications of a text. Reading should be a life-long resource and pleasure to our children. We aim for them to be enthusiastic and independent readers. 

Writing is a skill that, possibly more than any other, is thought of as a measure of education. We encourage our children to use their skills in a wide variety of contexts, aiming for accuracy in spelling, punctuation syntax and vocabulary, while expressing themselves creatively.

Mathematics is taught through the daily ‘Numeracy’ lesson and is based on the Primary National Strategy referred to above. This way of teaching Mathematics puts great emphasis on oral work: number facts are committed to memory, and mental arithmetic and problem solving are developed before formal methods of recording are learned. Our aim is for children to become mentally agile and confident in their ability to use their mathematical knowledge.

In Science, the third core subject of the National Curriculum, children learn to investigate and record their findings in a way that will form the basis for scientific learning later in their school careers.

Information and Communication Technology is an important subject of the curriculum at St. Mary’s and we have excellent facilities for computer work. Our ICT room was re-equipped in 2006 and all of our classrooms are networked. All classes from Reception (F2) to Year 6 are equipped with interactive whiteboards. During each year the junior classes make use of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea’s City Learning Centre to extend the curriculum (‘Green Screening’ workshops, animation workshops, etc)

The Arts: Music, Art and Design Technology are taught as separate subjects and come together, often in combination with other subjects, in performances and displays of the children’s work. We have excellent educational links with the Royal Academy of Music and the Wigmore Hall, with regular workshops and visiting musicians. We also enjoy individual teaching in school, on a private basis, for: bassoon, clarinet, saxophone, flute, violin, viola, piano and guitar. Children are encouraged to perform for the school, both in assemblies and our ‘Musical Extravaganza.’ Music is also supplemented through many free clubs in school, including: choir, orchestra and ‘music maestro.’ All Year 3 pupils are also taught how to play the recorder.

Personal, Social and Health Education includes teaching on human development, both physical and emotional. Children receive teaching about the human body up to the stage of puberty. Safety and citizenship are also important aspects of this subject.

 Physical Education. In common with other inner-city schools, our Physical Education programme is constrained by the space and time we can use.

Fortunately, we are able to use the facilities provided by Westminster City Council for swimming lessons within easy travelling distance of the school.  We also take advantage of offers we receive from various sports bodies and organisations to provide coaching for our children. Recently these have included cricket and tennis.

The children use the school playground and hall for games and dance.

In recent years we have held an annual Sports Day for the whole school in Regents Park in the Summer Term.

We aim to supplement the curricular opportunities for sports by providing after-school clubs that children can join for a small fee. These vary from term to term, but recently they have included: football, basketball and dance.

The school has been awarded ‘Sportsmark’ and ‘Activemark’ in recognition of our high quality PE.

We believe that physical health and fitness are very important to a child’s all-round well-being. All classes start the day with gentle exercise, following a programme called ‘Activate.’

 It is important that parents support us by ensuring that their child has his or her PE kit in school at all times.

Humanities is a term which covers History and Geography, which are taught throughout the school. There are certain topics in both subjects to be studied each year, but the scope of Humanities is much wider than these two subjects. It links them to many other aspects of the children’s learning, including: citizenship, current affairs and, especially, Religious Education.

We are very fortunate that our situation in central London enables us to make their studies more relevant by visits to museums, galleries, historical sites and other places of interest.

Children also study the local area, which is rich in historical, geographical and multicultural interest, during walks in the neighbourhood to observe and record.

The Humanities curriculum aims to encourage children to understand their world and to make connections so that they begin to acquire habits of scholarly thought and life-long interests in the world and its past.  

Modern Foreign Languages

All of our junior classes learn Spanish and have been doing so since September 2007. Specific lessons are taught by a specialist teacher and class teachers are encouraged to follow these lessons up during the week. 

Religious Education

Besides Christians, we have children at St. Mary’s who belong to most of the great World Faiths, and also those who belong to none.

The belief which unites us is that peace, co-operation and unselfishness are values learned in the earliest years of a child’s life, and it is only by creating a place for children where these ideals are lived out that we can hope to build a better society. As Christians we adhere to the teachings and life of Christ to provide the moral guidance and example that we wish for our children. We therefore teach our children to give to those in need, to forgive those who hurt them, to care for others at their own expense, to share those things provided for their use and to be just and truthful in their daily lives.

We believe that this code is acceptable to people of goodwill, whatever their faith or creed. We recognise, however, that unless parents sincerely affirm these teachings, we have no power to influence our children for good.

Religious Education is taught as a classroom subject in which children learn about religious themes and ideas, and about the faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Religious teaching also takes place at other times such as in assemblies and in the study of other subjects where it is relevant.