Religious Education is at the heart of our Catholic curriculum and is taught for 10% of curriculum time. Throughout the year, this is enriched further through Catholic Social Teaching and Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSE), using Lighting the Path, You, Me and PSHE and Life to the Full. Parents and carers are consulted about our RSE provision, and the curriculum is shared with families so that they understand what children will be learning and can support this at home. Together, these areas help children to deepen their faith, understand Catholic teaching and explore how we are called to live out our faith in our everyday lives.

Prayer and worship are an important part of every week. Children take part in three class worships each week, alongside a whole-school Celebration of the Word, which focuses on the Sunday Gospel, and a Key Stage worship, which explores our Virtues to Live By across the year. Class worship may respond to the Church’s liturgical calendar, Holy Days of Obligation, Scripture or themes chosen by the children themselves. As children move through school, they are given increasing opportunities to prepare, participate in and lead prayer and worship.

Each Monday, one class visits our parish church for Mass, giving every class opportunities across the year to worship alongside our parish community.

You can visit our Collective Worship page to explore our Annual Plan of Provision (APOP), progression in prayer and worship, and the prayers we aim for every child to know by the end of each Key Stage.

As a Catholic school, we are privileged to support our children through important milestones in their journey of faith. Children prepare for First Reconciliation in Year 3 and First Holy Communion in Year 4. In Year 6, children celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation, with preparation sometimes beginning during Year 5 depending on the dates of the celebration.

Our children are supported by school, their families and our parish as they prepare for these special moments, helping them to understand that each Sacrament is part of a lifelong journey of faith.

To find out more about our children’s sacramental journey, preparation and celebrations, please visit our Sacraments page under Catholic Life.

We are committed to developing confident, fluent and legible writers who take pride in the presentation of their work. Handwriting is taught and practised regularly using the PenPals handwriting scheme, with children receiving clear, consistent instruction from the very beginning of their time at school.

Children are taught the importance of good posture, correct pencil grip and accurate letter formation, building strong foundations for handwriting from an early age. Through regular practice and carefully sequenced teaching, children progressively develop a fluent, legible and increasingly joined handwriting style.

By the end of Year 2, children are expected to have developed a legible and partly joined handwriting style, providing them with the foundations they need to write with increasing fluency and confidence. As children progress through the school, they develop greater consistency, speed and stamina in their handwriting. 

We want children to develop handwriting that enables them to communicate their ideas effectively while taking pride in the quality and presentation of their written work.

Handwriting is taught through a combination of whole-class, small-group and individual sessions, three to four times each week. Where additional support is needed, targeted interventions are provided, including letter formation and fine and gross motor activities. Through this tailored approach, we ensure that every child is supported to develop the skills, confidence and stamina to become a successful and independent writer.

Useful handwriting documents can be found on the English subject page, under the handwriting section. 

For children who are continuing to access the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme, home reading books are carefully matched to the sounds and words that children have been taught in their current phonics group.

Each week, children take home a book that is closely matched to their current stage of phonics. This means that children can practise the sounds and words they have already learned and experience success when reading independently.

The book will have been read and practised in school, allowing children to develop their decoding accuracy, confidence and fluency before sharing the book at home. When reading at home, we encourage children to reread the book to develop fluency, expression and intonation.

Children may also take home additional reading books to encourage reading for pleasure and shared reading with family members. Together, these books provide opportunities for children to practise their phonics, build fluency and develop a positive love of reading.

How families can support at home

We encourage parents and carers to:

• Listen to your child read their RWI book regularly.
• Encourage your child to use their phonic knowledge to decode unfamiliar words.
• Celebrate their success and confidence as they become more fluent.
• Talk about the story and characters to develop understanding and enjoyment.
• Encourage rereading, as this helps children to develop accuracy, fluency and expression.

Our aim is for every child to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader, with strong phonics knowledge providing the foundations for lifelong reading.

The Phonics Screening Check is a statutory assessment that takes place nationally during the summer term in Year 1. It helps teachers to assess how well children can use their phonics knowledge to decode and read words.

During the check, children read 40 words aloud to a familiar adult. The words include a mixture of real words and carefully designed pseudo-words, sometimes called “alien words”. The pseudo-words ensure that children are using their phonics skills to decode unfamiliar words rather than recognising them from memory.

At St Nicholas Catholic Primary School, children are prepared for the check through their daily Read Write Inc. phonics lessons, regular assessment and carefully targeted support. The check is completed individually in a calm, supportive environment and is presented as a normal phonics activity so that children do not feel worried or under pressure.

Parents and carers will be informed of their child’s result in the end-of-year report. Any child who does not meet the expected standard in Year 1 will receive continued phonics teaching and support and will complete the check again in Year 2.

Families can support at home by listening to their child read regularly, practising the sounds and words sent home, and encouraging them to use “Special Friends, Fred Talk, read the word” when they encounter an unfamiliar word.

Our Phonics Lead is Mrs Doherty. If you have any questions about phonics, Read Write Inc. or the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact Mrs Doherty, who will be happy to offer further information and support.

Our PE days are:

Tuesday and Thursday,

Children should come to school wearing their full school PE kit on their allocated PE days. Please ensure that all items of clothing, footwear and other belongings are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

PE is an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum. Lessons are carefully sequenced so that children revisit, practise and build upon their knowledge, skills and vocabulary over time.

Throughout the year, children experience a range of activities designed to develop:

• balance, coordination and agility

• fundamental movement skills

• strength, flexibility and stamina

• throwing, catching and ball control

• teamwork and cooperation

• confidence, resilience and perseverance

• an understanding of rules, safety and fair play

• positive attitudes towards physical activity and healthy lifestyles

PE lessons may take place indoors or outdoors, depending on the activity and weather. Children should therefore come appropriately dressed for the conditions.

We are committed to ensuring that every child can participate successfully in PE. Appropriate support, adaptations and reasonable adjustments are provided according to children’s individual needs.

For safety, earrings and other jewellery must not be worn during PE lessons, and long hair should be tied back. Children are expected to participate unless there is a medical reason preventing them from doing so. Please speak to your child’s class teacher if you have any questions or if your child requires additional support to participate.

At the beginning of each half term, parents and carers receive a Learning Leaflet outlining the key knowledge and skills that children will be learning across the curriculum. A copy of the current Learning Leaflet is uploaded to this class page.

Children also receive an individual Homework Leaflet at the beginning of each half term. This explains the homework expectations and identifies the learning platforms that have been selected for each child to focus on during that half term. As this leaflet is personalised to meet each child’s learning needs, it is sent directly to families and is not uploaded to the class webpage.

Each week, all children will receive:

• a Big Maths activity, designed to practise and consolidate important mathematical knowledge and skills

• a spelling practice activity, linked to the spelling focus children are currently learning

A half-termly spelling overview is also sent home at the beginning of each half term. Spellings and spelling practice are carefully matched to children’s current learning needs; therefore, spelling overviews are not uploaded to the class webpage. If you require another copy of your child’s spelling overview, please ask their class teacher.

Regular practice at home helps children to remember key knowledge, develop fluency and become increasingly confident and independent learners. Thank you for supporting your child with their learning.

Every child receives an individual login sheet containing their usernames and passwords for the online learning platforms they use. Please keep this sheet safe so that your child can access their learning activities at home.

If you require another copy of your child’s login details, please contact the school office or speak to your child’s class teacher.

Year 1 Forest School

Children in Year 1 take part in weekly Forest School sessions every Thursday, led by Rose, a qualified teacher from Born of the Forest. The sessions take place within our school grounds and build upon the outdoor experiences and skills children develop in Reception.

During Forest School, children develop their confidence, independence, communication and problem-solving skills. They are encouraged to make choices, work collaboratively, persevere when activities are challenging and take increasing responsibility for themselves, their equipment and the natural environment.

Activities may include:

• observing and identifying plants, trees, habitats and seasonal changes

• den building and outdoor construction challenges

• completing cooperative problem-solving activities

• using natural materials creatively and purposefully

• learning simple knots, joining and building techniques

• using selected tools safely under close adult supervision

• developing balance, coordination and physical stamina

• caring for the natural environment

• managing appropriate risks within clear safety boundaries

• explaining their choices and reflecting upon their learning

Forest School supports learning across the curriculum, particularly in science, geography, design and technology, art and physical education. It also helps children to develop resilience, perseverance, teamwork, leadership and respect for the natural world.

Children should come to school wearing suitable Forest School clothing every Thursday. Sessions take place in most weather conditions, so children should be prepared to get muddy and take an active part in outdoor learning.