‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.’

Psalm 32:8

As you enter our school you will be met with the feeling of happiness, warmth and excitement. The children are engaged in their learning and enjoy discussing their challenges with peers and adults alike.

At Wateringbury, we obviously focus on learning, but we also have the well-being of our whole community at the centre of all we do. We are a nurturing school where everyone cares about everyone, and we are often complimented on the family feel in our school which is based on strong relationships.

Curriculum Intent

Our thematic, concept curriculum aims to provide our children with the ability to be independent, creative, resilient and reflective learners as well as effective, enthusiastic and confident team workers.

Wateringbury CE Primary School follows the National Curriculum and places reading at its core.  Establishing an early love for reading is fundamental to achievement in all subjects and our library and books are at the hub of school life.  We are privileged that our school is situated in such wonderful grounds with stunning natural resources around us such as the river and woodland. We value the environment and feel passionate about its management, and so features heavily in our school's curriculum.

Our overall aim is to ensure that all children leave Wateringbury not only prepared for the next step of their school career but to be caring, confident and resilient students who thrive on challenge.  They will embrace global issues and be well prepared for the world beyond education.

Curriculum Implementation

The aim of our curriculum is for children to learn and to remember more; through carefully considered retrieval practices of curriculum concepts, robust planning and with an emphasis on feedback.  Our children are given opportunities to take accountability for their learning by knowing how to mark their own work and the work of others in a constructive way.  Our children know the importance of extending and actively using a widening vocabulary.

​Our children ask questions to extend and challenge their thinking and the thinking of others with confidence and adapt their ideas accordingly. They actively listen to others.

​The exploration of new skills and experiences help to nurture resilience, curiosity and creativity and a strong sense of personal development is encouraged in everyone.

Key Themes of Our Curriculum

We have chosen 6 key themes that will thread through the children’s learning journey from EYFS to Year 6. Using reoccurring themes will help children to build a deeper understanding with concepts, ideas, knowledge and vocabulary being revisited in different contexts. Understanding happens when knowledge is well-connected and well-organised.

Our themes are:

Leadership	Exploration & journeys	Innovation & progress	Care & protection	Creation & creativity	Diversity

Using geography, history and English as the backbone of the curriculum through these themes allows us to make strong links with our local community (transport, the river, farming WWII, etc). Other subjects may also link with the overarching theme, where the link can deepen the children’s knowledge through meaningful learning connections. 

Each of these themes has key words associated with it that the children will learn as they go through the school alongside subject specific technical vocabulary. Regularly revisiting the themes and language gives children the opportunity to build a deeper understanding of their significance and meaning.

We have chosen high quality texts to enhance our theme.

Our Christian Values

Our key themes link closely with our Christian values.

Respect	Courage	Resilience	Love	Joy	Forgiveness

 Significant Figures

The children will learn about significant figures from within living memory and the past. Chosen for the qualities they demonstrate which enhance our themes and demonstrate our Christian values in action. They stand as role models for the staff and children in our school.

Leaders	Explorers	Innovators	Carers	Creators	Figures of faith
We have RESPECT in their leadership and use them as example of how we should lead others with RESPECT.	We appreciate their COURAGE in the face of challenges and look to have COURAGE in our own lives.	We are inspired by their RESILIENCE and try to show RESILIENCE in new situations.	We are encouraged by the LOVE that they show towards their cause and try to show LOVE towards others.	We see the JOY that they take in creating something new and hope that we can find the same JOY in our own creations.	We follow in their footsteps of faith and FORGIVENESS. We look for guidance in how we can be more FORGIVING.

Our Themes and Vocabulary  

Language acquisition is important in order to gain a deep understanding of subject area. Each of the themes has key words that we want the children to understand and use correctly by the end of Year 6.  

Leadership  (inc. monarchy and conflict)	Exploration & journeys	Innovation & progress	Care & protection	Creation & creativity	Diversity
monarch  ruler  conflict  power  responsibility   authority  direct  command  reign   rule  democracy  tyranny   dictator  icon	explore  discover  research  navigate  invade  investigate  search  quest  venture  travel  expedition  voyage  settle	innovate  transform  change  revolution  modernise  design  produce  invent  advance  initiative   development   improvement	health  love  compassion  defend  conserve  preserve  support  environment  protect  sustain	beginning  nature  original  establish  formation  generate  imagine  conception  foundation  construct   ingenuity  individual	variety  distinct  culture  tolerance  discriminate  difference  similar   society  recognition  divergent  equality