Curriculum Rationale 2025–2026

Intent

Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive, and rooted in our Catholic ethos. It is designed to nurture pupils who are curious, reflective and compassionate citizens, ready to contribute positively to the world around them. Through our mission and values, we encourage every child to ‘live wisely, think deeply and love generously’, drawing on Catholic social teaching and a strong understanding of our Liverpool community context. We want every child to develop resilience, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

Reading and Early Reading

Reading is the cornerstone of our curriculum. We teach early reading through a validated systematic synthetic phonics programme taught with fidelity each day. Decodable books are carefully matched to each child’s phonics knowledge and daily practice ensures rapid progress for all pupils. We place strong emphasis on developing fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, ensuring all pupils can access the full curriculum. For pupils who fall behind, immediate keep-up sessions and targeted interventions are provided.

Adaptive Teaching and Inclusion

Our curriculum maintains high ambition for every pupil, including those with SEND or who are disadvantaged. Teachers use adaptive teaching – through scaffolds, pre-teaching of vocabulary, small-step modelling, and guided practice – to ensure all pupils access and succeed in the intended curriculum. Subject leaders and the SENDCo monitor provision to guarantee equity of access and progress for all. Staff expertise is developed through regular professional development and coaching, ensuring that adaptive practice and scaffolding are embedded across the curriculum.

Curriculum Sequencing and Disciplinary Knowledge

Each subject is carefully structured so that pupils build knowledge and skills over time. Substantive knowledge – the key facts, concepts, and content – and disciplinary knowledge – the ways pupils think and work as subject specialists – are clearly mapped from EYFS to Year 6. Retrieval practice and spaced review are built in to help pupils remember more and make connections across subjects. Progression is carefully designed from Early Years to Key Stage 2 so pupils revisit key concepts in greater depth and apply learning in new contexts.

Implementation

Our curriculum is implemented through well-sequenced, subject-specific teaching supported by clear planning frameworks. Teachers use evidence-informed strategies, explicit instruction, modelling, questioning, and opportunities for collaborative learning. Cross-curricular links are made where meaningful to deepen understanding, but subject integrity is maintained. Our approach is grounded in evidence-informed practice to ensure consistency and high-quality teaching across the curriculum. Ongoing subject leader development and collaborative planning enable coherence from class to class and year to year.

Assessment for Learning

Assessment is purposeful and proportionate. Formative assessment is used daily to check understanding, address misconceptions and inform immediate next steps. Summative assessment provides a periodic view of attainment and progress. Leaders analyse outcomes to identify trends and adapt provision, avoiding unnecessary data collection. Assessment outcomes are used to inform teaching, identify next steps and guide leadership evaluation, creating a shared picture of pupil learning across the curriculum.

Education Continuity

In the event of disruption to on-site education, our Education Continuity Plan ensures that pupils continue to access the full curriculum through digital platforms and high-quality home learning materials. SEND pupils receive appropriate adaptations and support to maintain progress and wellbeing.

Impact

We measure the impact of our curriculum through a combination of pupil outcomes, pupil voice, and the quality of work in books and lessons. Regular monitoring – through lesson visits, book reviews, and discussions – ensures the intended curriculum is taught and learned. Leaders and governors use this information to evaluate effectiveness and plan further improvement. We also evaluate pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development, character, and sense of belonging, recognising that success is measured not only in outcomes but in the person each child becomes.

Equal Opportunities

We promote self-respect and respect for others, valuing the diverse backgrounds and cultures within our community. Resources are selected to represent a wide range of voices and perspectives, avoiding stereotypes and reflecting modern Britain. We actively promote belonging and representation so that every pupil sees themselves reflected in what they learn and aspires to achieve without limitation.

Our curriculum is our promise to pupils and families: that every child who leaves Our Lady and St Philomena’s will do so equipped with the knowledge, skills, faith and confidence to thrive in the next stage of their education and in life.