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 planned teaching, children progressively develop a fluent, legible and increasingly joined handwriting style.

By the end of Year 6, our aim is for every child to be able to write fluently, legibly and confidently, sustaining a high standard of handwriting for prolonged periods of time and across a range of subjects and purposes. 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. 

At St Nicholas Catholic Primary School, we want every child to develop into a confident, fluent reader who loves reading. Once children have completed the Read Write Inc. programme, we use our reading assessments to help them choose books that are appropriately challenging while still allowing them to explore their own interests.

How do we choose the right books?

Children who have moved beyond Read Write Inc. have their reading fluency assessed using the Salford Reading Test. This assessment gives us a reading age, which is then used to identify an appropriate Lexile range for each child.

A Lexile range helps us to identify books that are suitably challenging for each child – not too difficult and not too easy. This supports the development of vocabulary, comprehension, confidence and reading fluency.

Choosing a book

Children can choose their take-home reading book from a range of school reading spaces, including:

•  Their class library
• Reading nooks and reading spaces
•  The school Lending Library

Our class libraries are organised by Lexile range so that children can make independent choices within their reading range. Children are encouraged to explore different genres, authors and types of books and to develop their own reading preferences. 

Reading for pleasure

Although books are matched to a child's Lexile range to support appropriate challenge, reading should also be enjoyable. We want children to develop a lifelong love of books and to discover authors, genres and stories that interest them.

Children are encouraged to talk about the books they are reading, recommend books to others and explore a wide range of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics and graphic novels. Our approach aims to combine appropriate challenge with choice, enjoyment and independence.

If your child is receiving bespoke phonics support will bring home a phonics reading book matched carefully to their current phonics level. This gives them the chance to practise the sounds and words they are learning in school and build confidence and fluency. 

At St Nicholas, we believe vocabulary is fundamental to learning. 

Our core vocabulary is explicitly taught, practised and revisited within each subject, helping children develop secure subject knowledge and use key language confidently. Alongside this, children encounter exposure vocabulary through reading, discussion and learning across the curriculum.

Each half term, subject vocabulary progression maps are shared with families, showing the core vocabulary children are learning and how this develops across the school. You can find these at the bottom of our class page. Use the diagram below to explore how we build vocabulary from exposure to secure, independent use. 

Physical Education (PE)

Our PE days are:

Wednesday and Friday

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.

Learning, Spellings and Homework

At the beginning of each half term, parents and carers receive a Learning Leaflet outlining the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary 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 5: Nell Bank 

In Year 5, we have the opportunity to take part in a two-night residential visit to Nell Bank, in the beautiful Ilkley Moors, during the spring term. During our stay, children take part in a range of exciting activities, including orienteering, den building, Custard Crossing, Nellbanian Mountains, Adventure Play and Rollerball. The residential is a fantastic opportunity for children to develop independence, confidence, resilience and teamwork while learning outside the classroom. Children work together to solve problems, take on new challenges, support one another and develop a greater appreciation of the natural environment. Most importantly, it is a chance for our Year 5 pupils to try new things, make memories and grow in confidence as they enjoy an exciting experience together.