Curriculum
St Louis Curriculum
Our curriculum has been developed to meet the national curriculum, and we have selected some of our programmes of study that we recognise to be challenging, age progressive and reflective of preparing children for their next key stage of study.
As a school of Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Trust, we aim to deliver outstanding educational, spiritual and moral outcomes for all children regardless of their faith or backgrounds within an ethos based on full inclusion, high expectations, innovation, outstanding teaching and learning, and a relentless focus on the needs and potential of every child. Our vision is that our school has a reputation for excellence in the local Newmarket community and beyond.
We work together to support the mental wellbeing of all our children and use our Gospel Values to teach children respect and care for one another and their world. We work to develop children’s independent learning skills, resilience and curiosity. We encourage children to aim high and to progress in their learning. Children are rewarded for their personal progress and achievement, recognising that children learn at a different pace.
Where children need support to make progress, we provide a range of educational and pastoral support. We focus on creating a safe learning space for children to feel welcomed, encouraged and supported to study. We believe that children need to make the best progress that they are able to achieve and so we aim to maximise opportunities for them to achieve their absolute potential through our approach.
We have worked hard to ensure the curriculum is relevant, robust and appropriate for all our children. Pupils are encouraged from an early age to evaluate their work and celebrate achievement. Learning outside the classroom is considered an important part of delivering the curriculum. We use our outdoor spaces to promote exploration and learning.
Our coherently planned and sequenced curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. This is adapted and developed for pupils with special educational needs. We believe that teaching staff need to be developed too to respond to the knowledge-rich curriculum that we teach.
When our children leave St Louis, we want them to be caring, confident and resilient with the independent learning skills that children need in future studies and careers. Working as a partner with Skillsbuilder helps us in boosting academic outcomes, perseverance and self-belief. We think everyone, at every stage of their lives, should have the opportunity to build the eight skills of listening, speaking, problem-solving, creativity, staying positive, aiming high, leadership and teamwork.
Core Curriculum
Our Core Curriculum is English (writing and reading), Maths and Science.
We use White Rose Maths developed to meet our children's learning needs. For English, we base our teaching on a CUSP curriculum for teaching reading and writing skills. We teach Science, our St Louis Science Curriculum is based upon the Primary Knowledge Science Curriculum.
Foundation Curriculum
We base our St Louis Curriculum on the Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC) to teach our knowledge and skills-based programmes of study in Geography, History, Design Technology and Art and Design. We embed a coherent, well-sequenced knowledge-rich curriculum that is challenging and comprehensive in its coverage. Comprehensive resources ensure that teachers consistently embed knowledge from Year 1 to 6 and that we continually develop the complexity of what we teach as learners progress through school, adapted by our staff to meet our student needs.
Our Foundation subjects are:
History, Geography, Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music, Science, Computing, PE, Modern Foreign language: French . French study is in KS2 but KS1 may enrol on the French-speaking Lunch Club.
Religious Education RE Curriculum
Religious Education at St Louis Catholic Academy is the cornerstone upon which our school thinking and aims are founded, and we endeavour to reflect our Gospel Values in all our actions and attitudes in our teaching and in our relationships with one another. In line with Bishops’ Conference recommendations, 10% of curriculum time is allocated to Religious Education. R.E. is taught as explicit lessons but is also embedded in other areas of the curriculum and day-to-day life of the school.
As a Catholic School, our faith and Gospel teachings permeate and enrich our school day, creating a calm space to learn, grow in independence and achieve.
Our Gospel Values are: responsibility, community and co-operation, humility, thankfulness, creation, tolerance, respect and reverence, justice, perseverance, hope, trust, service, truthfulness, generosity, tolerance, compassion, peace, courage, forgiveness, wisdom, happiness and friendship.
At St Louis, Personal social and health education (PSHE) is an integral part of learning that enables children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. It aims to develop the child’s understanding of how they are growing personally and socially and helps them to respond to moral, social and cultural issues that are part of their development. We use Tenten’s Life to the Full resources and our RE curriculum to support children to develop emotionally, gain confidence, nurture self-esteem and increase capacity to work collaboratively. We prepare children for active citizenship, to develop positive relationships and maintain healthy lifestyles.
Relationship Education became statutory for all primary schools from September 2020. At St Louis we use The Life to the Full Plus programme. This programme is based on ‘A Model Catholic RSE Curriculum’ by the Catholic Education Service which was highlighted as a work of good practice by the Department of Education. Therefore, we have confidence that the programme will be fit for purpose in supporting the growth and development of your child.
Promoting Mental Wellbeing
When children are well-supported emotionally, they are able to learn and progress. To help all children to achieve, we invest in pastoral wellbeing support across our school. All key stages have staff trained as Mental Health First Aiders and Drawing and Talking Therapists. We engage with a wide range of support services to ensure pastoral support. Our disadvantaged children, Young Carers and those learners needing mental health support access free clubs, wraparound care where needed, whilst some of our older learners attend Newmarket Pony Academy to participate in riding that supports their resilience and emotional wellbeing. We actively promote and provide support for Young Carers in partnership with Suffolk Family Carers.
