Nightingale Curriculum
Why, What, and How We Teach at Nightingale Primary School
At Nightingale, our curriculum is guided by three key principles: Why we teach, What we teach, and How we teach. These principles ensure that all our lessons are purposeful, inclusive, and designed to inspire a love of learning in every pupil.
Why We Teach
Our mission is to foster curiosity and prepare pupils to become confident, thoughtful, and engaged learners. We aim to provide a strong foundation in core skills, while nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities that will serve our children throughout their lives.
What We Teach
Our curriculum is broad, ambitious, and carefully designed to cover core academic subjects as well as a variety of foundation subjects. Each subject is crafted to ensure depth and breadth of learning.
- Maths: We follow the Maths Mastery Big 5 Ideas, focusing on developing fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving. This is supported by resources like Maths No Problem, White Rose, and IXL.
- English: Our approach integrates English with cross-curricular learning, using high-quality core texts that link with subjects like History, such as Stone Age Boy (Stone Age in History) and Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (World War II).
- Science: Pupils explore topics ranging from forces and magnets to living things and habitats. Our focus is on hands-on experiences, investigations, and inquiry-based learning that help children understand the world around them.
- History: We teach history through a mix of storytelling, research, and real-life connections. Our history lessons span topics like the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, and World War II, giving children a deep sense of time and place.
- Geography: Our geography lessons teach pupils about map skills, human and physical geography, and the comparison of different countries. Pupils explore climate zones, rivers, mountains, and the impact of natural resources on global economies.
- Modern Foreign Languages (MFL): Spanish is taught in Key Stage 2, focusing on speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Lessons incorporate songs, videos, and scaffolded learning to ensure children develop language confidence.
- Art and Design: Pupils engage with a variety of materials and techniques to express creativity. Projects often link to themes from history, science, or geography, enabling cross-curricular enrichment.
- Physical Education (PE): We emphasise physical fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship. PE lessons include a range of activities from team sports to individual fitness challenges.
- Music: Our music curriculum includes learning to play instruments, sing, and understand musical concepts. Pupils also participate in performances and explore music from various cultures and historical periods.
How We Teach
We use a combination of proven teaching strategies, hands-on learning, and technology to engage all learners.
- Maths: Lessons are structured using Maths No Problem for core learning, Number Talks for developing fluency, and TT Rockstars for times tables practice. Pupils use digital tools and concrete manipulatives to deepen their understanding.
- English: Our approach to English combines core literacy skills with engaging texts that connect to other areas of the curriculum. This helps pupils contextualise their learning and fosters a love of reading.
- Science: Science lessons incorporate experiments, practical investigations, and sensory experiences, ensuring that children not only learn scientific facts but also develop the skills to think and work scientifically.
- Geography: Through project-based learning, fieldwork, and the use of digital maps, pupils learn geographical skills and apply them to real-world contexts. We focus on both local and global geographical studies.
- History: We use a cross-curricular approach where history connects with other subjects like English and Art. Our Jigsaw pedagogical approach—combining Constructive, Collaborative, Reflective, and Inquiry-Based Learning—helps pupils become curious historians.
- MFL: Spanish lessons use interactive methods such as role-play, singing, and conversation practice, following a progression that builds on pupils' understanding over time.
To explore our curriculum and teaching methods more, please click here.