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Curriculum

The Bishop Henderson Curriculum 

Children are taught within the framework of the National Curriculum, ensuring progress and development throughout the school.  At Bishop Henderson School we provide a creative, engaging and relevant curriculum that achieves high standards and gives our children a solid foundation for becoming global citizens.  

Our Art, Computing, DT, Geography, History  curriculum centred around  3 types of knowledge: 

  1. Substantive Knowledge
  2. Disciplinary Knowledge
  3. Substantive Concepts in History

But what does this mean?

  1. Substantive Knowledge

Substantive knowledge is the core facts key to the understanding of any particular  enquiry. This could be that the Romans successfully invaded Britain in 43AD or that Madrid is the capital city of Spain. 

 

2. Disciplinary Knowledge

Disciplinary Knowledge is where the children think like a historian or a scientist, geographer etc. It is a skill set applied across the discipline of a particular enquiry.  Using History as a context, tt makes us think and ask questions such as:

a) How do we know about history?

b) How can we trust our sources?

c) How long ago was this period of history in relation to other events?

d) Why do we consider this a particularly significant event?

 

3. Substantive Concepts 

These are the big ideas of themes that can be applied to various  concepts of a particular area of study. These need to be built upon one another over time in order for the children in to gain the best idea of these big ideas.

Though based on the National Curriculum using objectives from Science, History, Geography, Art & Design, Design & Technology and Music, the Bishop Henderson Curriculum weaves in an enquiry-led approach that enables teachers to inspire learners with local people, places and stories relevant to the school's locality. This structure also provides opportunities to respond to the ever-changing world.

Finally, we also use our curriculum to underpin our school Christian values of Courage, Creativity and Compassion. When learning about a concept, the children will explore that they or others can demonstrate the three school values in the context of their enquiry. 

If you would like more information regarding our curriculum, please contact Mr Lane via office@bishophenderson.co.uk

Bishop Henderson Curriculum Intention and Values 

English

Reading and Phonics 

We have fidelity for the phonic scheme Unlocking Letters and Sounds (ULS) throughout the school.  All children are tracked and, where appropriate, ULS  interventions are used to ensure the progress of all children.  

Puffins Nursery use ULS delivery of phase 1 activities including, environmental sounds, musical instruments and listening and memory games.  Through activities and sharing books oral blending, alliteration, prodosy, rhythm and rhyme are all explored and practised. 

In Reception and Key Stage 1, reading books are well matched to the ability of the children whilst they are working within the phonic phases.  These books are  phonically decodable with the expectation that the books are read at least three times encouraging fluency.  There are also guided reading session where  new vocabulary is introduced, blending skills are taught and practised, focus is put on particular sounds or common exeption words and comprehension skills are built on.  

Key stage 2 have a vast bank of reading books they can access and they take part in daily class guided reading.  Again this gives the teachres the opportuity to teach needed skills and track the progress of individual children.  

Children's preception of reading  and  opportunities of reading for pleasure is of great importance to us.  Our PTA's kind contributions and various grants we have accessed have allowed us to invest not only in decodable books but also in high quality fiction and non fiction books for our library.  All children are able to borrow books from the library to take howm and share with their families. All children are read to at least once a day during a class reading time, and older children have allocated times where they are able to read individually.  

 

Maths

Knowledge Organisers

Bishop Henderson Curriculum Overviews 

Curriculum Overview from a scheme

 

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