Our Curriculum

CURRICULUM INTENT

We aim to deliver a curriculum that:

is engaging, exciting and challenging
is underpinned by our school values, aims and mission statement
develops children’s creativity and ability to problem solve
fosters a growth mindset approach to learning
prioritises reading to allow pupils to access the full curriculum
ensures mathematical fluency and confidence in numeracy
provides opportunities for cultural capital with regular visits and visitors that support learning & aspirations
is broad and balanced with cross curricular links
has clear progression in skills and knowledge
celebrates our differences and diversity
prepares children for their future – whatever that may be!

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

The school is organised into 9 classes which includes a morning and afternoon nursery. In addition, we provide 8 full time Nursery places.

At Morden Primary, our school curriculum includes all learning and other experiences that our children take part in.

Nursery and Reception children work on the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum which is statutory. Outdoor learning is a key element of this experience. Click here for further information on the Early Years and Foundation Stage Curriculum.

In Years 1-6, the National curriculum subjects are taught through a topic based approach. However, not all subjects can be linked to an over-arching topic and are therefore taught discretely. Click Here for further information on the National Curriculum

We are developing and enhancing our outdoor learning provision including regular use of our yarning circle and fire pit. A highlight of each half term is the allocated Fire Pit/Yarning Circle day where children experience mindfulness and outdoor activities on a different theme. The oldest children are responsible for building, lighting and managing the fire throughout the day.

We believe curriculum enrichment and enhancement is essential for supporting our school motto “Learn, Achieve, Enjoy”. Each class participates in regular visits to enhance the curriculum and develop children’s cultural capital by visiting museums, art galleries, zoos and churches amongst other places.

Ever seeking to engage and excite our children, we have many focused enrichment weeks. We hold an annual Book Week, Maths Week, Aspiration Week, Arts Week, Anti-bullying Week, Science Day, Cultural Week (PLT led) and French Café day.

Sporting activities are important to children’s health and well-being. We encourage daily active learning breaks linking to mindfulness activities to support healthy bodies and healthy minds. We have an annual Sports Day and participate in many of the borough’s inter-school PE tournaments. Daily sports activities are offered both at lunchtime and after school. We have the Gold Sportsmark award.

Morden children have many opportunities to showcase their performing arts skills and talents. The children perform in nativities in EYFS and KS1 and a carol concert for KS2. KS2 audition, rehearse and perform in a summer musical. Our Y6 children also sing to the elderly visitors from FISH when they deliver the annual food hampers during Harvest. Annually we participate in the Winter Wonderland celebrations in Wimbledon where our children sing and dance for the public. We also participate in singing and dancing in Sutton town centre to raise money for St Raphael’s hospice. We offer RockSteady lessons available for children where they can learn to play the electric guitar, drums or keyboard and form a band that performs a concert at the end of each half term. In the Autumn & Spring terms each class performs a class assembly to their parents.

Phonics is taught explicitly in EYFS and KS1. We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised as our SSP (systematic synthetic phonics program). This links with a comprehensive Early Reading Scheme produced by Collins Big Cat.

In Years 2-6 we teach Reading using a Whole Class Reading (WCR) approach implementing the gradual release of responsibility model (I do- we do- you do). High quality texts are used to enhance topics throughout the school.

We use a mastery approach to maths from Reception to Year 6. Reception-Year 4 use resources from Power Maths, White Rose and NCETM (National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics). We work closely with the SW London Maths Hub with a Teaching for Mastery approach to maths.

RE is taught using the Merton’s agreed SACRE (Standing Advisory council of Religious Education programme.) Our PE curriculum is developed from the MSSP (Merton School Sports Partnership) scheme of work. French is taught using the French Primary Project. Our website provides further information on our approach to the delivery of Maths and Literacy. Our prospectus provides an overview of how the other subject areas are taught at Morden Primary. Click here to view our prospectus.

For PSHE we use the statutory Relationships & Health Education material. Morden was an early adopter school and introduced the new curriculum in 2019. We have a school council that is led by class council representatives who meet regularly to address and discuss ideas they have to help continually improve our school.

Pupil Voice is essential at Morden and as such, we have introduced a PLT (Pupil Leadership Team) from September 2019. The PLT comprises of a Head Girl and Head Boy, Deputy Head Girl and Deputy Head Boy; Y6 House Captains (who lead the 5 hummingbird teams); Y5 Sports Leaders and our School council members. PLT regularly meet with the Senior Leadership team to share their ideas for school improvement.

Each of our classes has a clearly mapped long term and medium term plan which details the skills and knowledge progression in each subject area – see the Long Term and Medium Term Plans for specific year group information. Individual subject learning leaders have created progression documents and subject stories for their subject areas. See the Subject tabs for this information.

The impact our curriculum is having on standards of teaching and learning:

The curriculum at Morden is designed to enable a wide range of engagement, not only within class but in providing out of class opportunities to ensure children develop themselves as learners and we encourage each child to be as independent as they can be.

Results at the end of Statutory Key Stage 2 Assessments show an upward trajectory trend.

Questionnaires to the pupils, parents and staff allow us to regularly review and assess the impact that the curriculum is having. We have had many positive responses from the children to this effect:

“I like the school just the way it is.” (Y4)
“The teachers in my class constantly help me to be a good student.” (Y6)
“It’s fun because we go on trips and adventures.” (Year 4)
“I like Rocksteady, mathematics and getting my times table badges.” (Y2)

Following a recent parent survey (July 2019), we received acknowledgement that we continued to be successful in our approach to learning:

100% state that visitors and parents are made to feel welcome
98% state their child likes school
97% state behaviour is managed well by staff
97% there is a broad and varied curriculum catering for a wide range of needs
“My child is interested in books and storytelling thanks to the work of the school.”
“There is a strong commitment from the staff to children. They go above and beyond.”
“There is always something great going on – lots of activities – the school is a buzz of fun learning activities.”

Staff responses in a May 2019 survey were equally positive:

“Our school has a high emphasis on pastoral care with lots of things in place to support it.”
“The Leadership Team are approachable and supportive and help ensure we have a work life balance.”

At Morden Primary, the development of the whole child is our focus. All our staff are trained on attachment and trauma to support vulnerable children. Our safeguarding procedures were deemed to demonstrate “exceptional pastoral care” in Ofsted September 2018.

Whether it’s pastoral, academic, sport, science or the performing arts, the child is at the core of everything we do.