Our Curriculum

At Hethersett VC Primary School, we believe in a curriculum that is broad, balanced and valued across all subjects.

This approach equips children with the knowledge, skills and creativity required to thrive in every area of learning and prepares them for life in a rapidly changing world.

Our curriculum is designed to:

• Recognise prior learning, provide first-hand experiences and build resilience
• Develop interpersonal skills, encourage creativity and foster critical thinking
• Promote purposeful learning, enjoyable experiences and coherent progression
• Nurture curiosity, independence and a lifelong love of learning

Every child is seen as unique, valued and celebrated within our school community. We underpin learning with knowledge, skills and values, providing enrichment opportunities that make childhood happy, investigative and full of curiosity.

Our Christian values of wisdom, compassion, responsibility, truthfulness and friendship are woven throughout school life. These values help children become reflective, caring and responsible citizens who are prepared for learning, life and future success.

Our Curriculum Approach

Our curriculum is structured around carefully planned termly themes that provide meaningful contexts for learning across the foundation subjects.

At the heart of our curriculum are three core concepts:

Systems - Understanding how things work and how parts fit together.

Connection - Recognising relationships between people, places, events and ideas.

Change - Exploring how things develop, adapt and evolve over time.

These concepts are revisited throughout a child's journey through school, enabling pupils to build understanding over time. Learning begins with concrete and familiar experiences in Key Stage 1 and develops into increasingly sophisticated, abstract and evaluative thinking by the end of Key Stage 2.

Conceptual Progression

Key Stage 1

Children explore simple, observable ideas rooted in their immediate experiences.

• Systems: seasons, habitats, materials
• Connection: family, school and local community
• Change: growing, weather and past versus present

Lower Key Stage 2

Children develop understanding of interaction, interdependence and cause and effect.

• Systems: rivers, ecosystems and the human body
• Connection: settlement, trade and communication
• Change: environmental and historical change

Upper Key Stage 2

Children engage with more complex and global concepts.

• Systems: global, physical and societal systems
• Connection: networks, conflict and influence
• Change: adaptation, legacy and long-term change

Teaching and Learning

Subjects are taught explicitly and maintain their own disciplinary knowledge, skills and methods of enquiry. Themes are used to support meaningful connections between subjects rather than drive content.

Teachers:

• Highlight natural links between areas of learning
•  Reinforce key vocabulary and concepts
• Encourage pupils to make connections across the curriculum
• Maintain the integrity of individual subjects

This enables pupils not only to recall knowledge, but also to understand, apply and evaluate it in different contexts.

Entry and Exit Points

Every curriculum theme begins with an Entry Point and concludes with an Exit Point.

Entry Points

Entry Points are immersive experiences designed to spark curiosity, create excitement and provide a meaningful purpose for learning.

Children may encounter:

• Artefacts
• Visitors
• Role-play experiences
• Classroom transformations
• Real-life challenges
•  Mystery events

These experiences create a shared starting point and motivate pupils to engage in the learning journey ahead.

Exit Points

Exit Points celebrate learning and provide pupils with opportunities to share their achievements with a real audience.

This may include:

• Exhibitions
• Presentations
• Performances
• Showcases
• Demonstrations
• Community events

These celebrations allow pupils to reflect on their learning, take pride in their achievements and understand the purpose and value of what they have learned.

Children leave Hethersett VC Primary School with confidence, independence and a genuine love of learning. They are equipped to make informed decisions, think critically, evaluate their own learning and become lifelong learners.

Find out more about what your child learns by exploring our curriculum subjects below.