English Writing

We have high ambitions for all pupils at Eldon Primary School to become competent readers and writers. We aim for our children to develop a love of reading, writing and discussion. One of our priorities is ensuring that all children are competent readers, and that they enjoy reading for pleasure. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and who can use discussion to communicate and further their learning. We believe that all pupils should be taught the key skills and techniques to be able to communicate effectively in their writing. Our ambitious writing curriculum ensures pupils build upon prior knowledge to master writing and develop their ideas. 

The English national curriculum (2014) intends to ensure that all pupils:  

• Acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.   

• Appreciate our rich and varied language heritage.  

• Write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.  

• Use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas.  

• Are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate 

At Eldon Primary we endeavour to create a love for literacy. We want every child to leave our school with the skills of an excellent writer who has the ability to write with fluency and able to embed basic skills in order to widen their knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. This will allow them to develop their writing so they are able to articulate, communicate and organise their ideas for the intended audience and purpose. 

• That they have an author’s voice.  

• They think about the impact they want their writing to have on the reader and know how they will achieve this.  

• Children have a sophisticated bank of vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.  

• They can structure and organise their writing to suit the genre they are writing and include a variety of sentence structures.  

• Children are able to display excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well presented, punctuated, spelt correctly and neat.  

• Children are able to re-read, edit and improve their writing so every piece of writing they produce is to the best of their ability and better than the last.  

Throughout their time at Eldon Primary, children develop their skills by exploring a whole range of different genres, with a focus on exploring a range of models of excellence and using these to guide the drafting and editing process. It is important to note that we not only develop a real enjoyment of writing in English lessons but in all subjects across the curriculum. We expect the highest standards of writing every time a child writes in any subject. 

The Talk for Writing initiative at Eldon Primary School will be driven by the Eldon Writing Strategy to ensure smooth implementation and act as a facilitative model to ensure fidelity and raise standards in writing across school.

English Reading

At Eldon Primary School we believe that the teaching of reading is integral to a child’s understanding and appreciation of the world around them; a platform that allows our children to see beyond what they know, share in cultural experiences and develop the vocabulary they need to effectively express themselves. Our reading curriculum strives to foster a lifelong love of reading.  We cultivate the behaviours that they will need to be discerning readers as they read frequently and widely using self-regulation strategies and discuss what they read. This curriculum is delivered through synthetic phonics, a linked approach to shared and guided reading, home reading, reading across the curriculum, regular opportunities for independent reading and hearing quality texts read aloud every day. All of these are essential components as they offer the range of opportunities needed to develop fluent, enthusiastic and critical readers.  

It is important that children are motivated to read at home regularly; when their reading opportunities increase, so does their fluency and stamina which in turn increases their enjoyment of reading. Therefore, the link between children’s motivation to read and reading for pleasure is reciprocal. Furthermore, we know that reading pleasure is beneficial not only for not only reading outcomes, but for wider learning enjoyment and mental wellbeing. Thus, we work hard to foster a love of independent reading and build communities of engaged readers. We understand the significance of parents and carers in supporting their children to develop both word reading and comprehension skills so we endeavour to build a home-school partnership which enables parents and carers to have the confidence to support their children with reading at home. Reading is at the very heart of our curriculum. We are committed to promoting a love for reading and not only giving children opportunities to read in English lessons, but in the wider curriculum too. 

Our aims for reading are to: 

• Instil children with a love of reading that lasts for their lifetime, share with them an enthusiasm for children’s literature and help children to recognise the value of reading as a life skill. 

• Encourage children to become enthusiastic and reflective readers by introducing them to good quality books, from a variety of cultures and in a range of different styles and formats. 

• Develop our children’s understanding of a variety of text types including non-fiction, fiction, poetry and drama. 

• Develop children’s confidence, fluency, and independence when reading for different purposes. 

• Develop children’s abilities to reflect on and have an interest in what they have read and the language and punctuation choices made by the author. 

• Use drama and role-play, where appropriate, to immerse children in the text. 

• Ensure our children have sound phonic awareness and use a phonics first approach to reading. 

• To read widely across the curriculum. 

By the time our pupils leave Eldon Primary School, we envisage that they will be competent readers who can recommend books to their peers, seek out books from a range of different genres including poetry and engage in discussion about authorial choices or impact on the reader. Once our pupils have unlocked the key to reading here with us at Eldon, it is our intention that they will be able to apply their reading skills in order to access any subject in their secondary education and beyond. 

PHONICS

At the Eldon Primary School, we believe that all our children can become fluent readers and writers. This is why we teach phonics through Read, Write, Ink, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We start teaching phonics in Nursery and follow the Read, Write, Ink progression throughout KS1. This ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.

As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read. At Eldon, we also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.

MATHS

At Eldon Primary School, we aim to provide a curriculum which equips learners with a conceptual understanding of the fundamentals of Maths which will prepare them for their next stage of learning and adult life. We have a strong emphasis on the Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA) approach where pupils are supported to develop their understanding of conceptual ideas using concrete resources and pictorial representations before moving on to more abstract concepts. 

We expose children to varied fluency in order to practice the fundamentals of Maths and retrieve knowledge rapidly. This allows them to apply the knowledge to increasingly complex reasoning and problem-solving questions. We encourage children to develop justification using mathematical language, make rich connections and persevere in seeking solutions. 

We have chosen to follow the White Rose Maths scheme of work. This allows progression across the school and ensures that children are covering the skills required by the National Curriculum. Each year, we build upon the skills and knowledge used previously so that children are provided with the foundation they need to further their maths education. 

Maths Software at Eldon. 

In order to help support the pupils’ learning, we use Times Tables Rock Stars. The children can log onto this system at home to further their learning in their own time.  
The creators of Times Tables Rock Stars have produced a platform called NumBots. NumBots is an online game which will significantly improve a child’s recall and understanding of number bonds and addition and subtraction. These are critical foundations in maths and will have a significant impact on our EYFS and KS1 children. 

SCIENCE

At Eldon Primary school, in conjunction with the aims of the National Curriculum, our Science teaching offers opportunities for children to: 

• Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 

• Develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of Science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them. 

• Be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.  

• Use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner.

• Develop a respect for the materials and equipment they handle with regard to their own and other children’s safety. 

• Develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery.  

Our school aims to encourage learning through investigation, with an emphasis on first-hand experience.

PSRHE

At Eldon, our PSHE education, including statutory Relationships and Health education, as recommended by the DfE, provides a framework though which key skills, attributes and knowledge can be developed and applied. This promotes positive behaviour, good mental health and wellbeing, resilience and achievement, helping children to stay safe online, develop healthy and safe relationships, making sense of media messages, challenging extreme views and having the skills and attributes to negotiate and assert themselves now and in the future.

The school’s PSHRE provision supports the school’s aims of developing confident citizens and successful learners who are creative, resourceful and able to identify and solve problems. The social and emotional development of pupils is embedded throughout the entire school’s curriculum and culture. The school has a powerful combination of a planned thematic PSHE program, built around a spiral curriculum of recurring themes, designed to:

1. Give pupils the knowledge and develop the self-esteem, confidence and self-awareness to make informed choices and decisions;

2. Encourage and support the development of social skills and social awareness;

3. Enable pupils to make sense of their own personal and social experiences;

4. Promote responsible attitudes towards the maintenance of good physical and mental health, supported by a safe and healthy lifestyle;

5. Enable effective interpersonal relationships and develop a caring attitude towards others;

6. Encourage a caring attitude towards and responsibility for the environment;

7. Help our pupils understand and manage their feelings, build resilience and be independent, curious problem solvers;

8. Understand how society works and the laws, rights and responsibilities involved.

We know there is a proven link between pupils' health and wellbeing, and their academic progress. Crucial skills and positive attitudes developed through comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Economic education are critical to ensuring children are effective learners.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

At Eldon Primary School, Physical Education is viewed as an integral part of every child’s education. High-quality PE supports pupils to develop physical competence, health-related fitness, confidence, resilience and a positive attitude towards physical activity. 

Through inclusive, well-sequenced and engaging PE experiences, pupils are supported to: 

• Develop fundamental and sport-specific movement skills 

• Understand the importance of physical activity for physical and mental wellbeing 

• Work collaboratively, demonstrate fairness and show respect for others 

• Develop self-belief, perseverance and a desire to improve 

Our aim is for all pupils to leave Eldon Primary School physically literate, confident movers, and motivated to maintain healthy, active lifestyles beyond primary education. 

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

At Eldon Primary School, Religious Education plays a vital role in developing pupils’ understanding of faith, belief, diversity and respect within our local community and the wider world. From January  2026, the school began implementing the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and this continues to be embedded across all year groups as part of a carefully planned, whole-school approach to curriculum development. 
 
The Lancashire syllabus provides a clear, progressive and knowledge-rich framework which supports pupils in developing substantive knowledge of religions and worldviews alongside disciplinary skills such as questioning, reflecting, comparing and evaluating. The structure of the syllabus ensures that learning builds cumulatively from Early Years through to Year 6, enabling pupils to revisit key concepts with increasing depth and sophistication. 
 
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children explore RE through Understanding the World, focusing on belonging, special people, celebrations and stories. These early experiences provide the foundations for curiosity, respect and awareness of difference. As pupils move into Key Stage 1, they begin to develop subject-specific vocabulary and knowledge about major world religions and beliefs. In Key Stage 2, this knowledge is extended further through deeper enquiry, comparison of faiths and critical thinking, ensuring clear progression in both knowledge and skills. 
 
Curriculum development has focused on creating coherent long-term and medium-term planning aligned to the Lancashire units. Staff are adapting and refining lessons to meet the needs of Eldon’s pupils, ensuring learning is inclusive, relevant and engaging. As implementation continues, monitoring, book scrutiny and pupil voice are used to evaluate impact and inform next steps. 
 
Assessment for Learning (AfL) is embedded throughout RE lessons. Teachers use questioning, discussion, retrieval activities and end-of-unit assessments to check understanding, address misconceptions and inform future planning. Individual pupil books provide clear evidence of learning over time and support accurate assessment of progress. 
 
Religious Education also makes a significant contribution to pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development. Through the exploration of beliefs, values and traditions, pupils develop empathy, respect and an appreciation of diversity. Opportunities for reflection, discussion and debate encourage pupils to consider their own views while understanding those of others, preparing them well for life in modern Britain. 
 
Overall, the implementation of the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus has strengthened consistency, progression and staff confidence in delivering high-quality RE. As a school, we view this as an ongoing process, and we remain committed to reviewing and refining our practice to ensure that all pupils receive a rich, challenging and meaningful Religious Education curriculum.

COMPUTING

We aim to provide a high-quality computing education which equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. At Eldon Primary School, we understand that it is essential for pupils to understand modern information and communication technologies, and for them to use these skills to become responsible, competent, confident and creative participants of an increasingly digital world. Technology is changing the lives of everyone. Through teaching Computing, we aim to equip children to participate in a rapidly-changing world that is controlled and transformed by technology. It is our intention to enable the children to develop the skills necessary to be able to use information in a discriminating and effective way. Our Computing curriculum should be relevant to the pupils’ lives and reflect the increase in computing, preparing children for a life where technology surrounds them

HISTORY

Our history curriculum is primarily based upon The National Curriculum. The Lancashire County Council thematic planning scheme of work underpins our creative curriculum and allows the children to make links between history and other subjects. Contrast between British and World history is given regularly and topics are ordered in a mostly chronological way throughout Key Stage 2. 

Through our creative curriculum, children understand history beginning with their own family, past and locality in order to gain a sense of their own identity, before developing an understanding of Britain and the wider world. Alongside knowledge and understanding of the past, our children develop historical enquiry skills and use these to place people and events in chronological order. Teachers provide opportunities for children to develop investigation skills by evaluating and examining evidence and use it as basis for making interpretations, constructions and representations of the past. Children develop broader transferable skills in critical thinking, questioning and debate, and an awareness of bias, authenticity and reliability. 

GEOGRAPHY

Geography is taught from EYFS to Year 6 and is structures to ensure clear progression in: 

• Geographical knowledge (locational, place, human and physical geography) 

• Geographical skills (map skills, fieldwork, enquiry) 

• Subject-specific vocabulary 

The curriculum is sequenced to that learning builds from: 

• Early awareness of place and environment in EYFS 

• To local, national and global place knowledge in KS1 

• To increasingly complex human and physical geography, skills, and evaluation in KS2 

Curriculum progression is set out in the Geography Curriculum Overview & Progression Map, which shows what is taught, when it is taught, and how learning builds year on year. 

ART

 At Eldon, we recognise the importance of nurturing children’s creativity.

We pride ourselves on the high expectations we set of every child and this is clearly reflected in the quality of artwork produced in school.

We facilitate and encourage children to take risks and be proud of their achievements and ideas. Art enables children to express their thoughts and ideas through a range of activities, processes and techniques. We want children to be excited and enthused by the work they produce.

 ‘Art teaches open-ended thinking and creates an environment of questions rather than answers.’

Art, craft and design embodies some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with knowledge and skills to experiment invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they are encouraged to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They are taught how art and design both reflect and shape our history and how these contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Art is an ongoing process through which all children are given opportunities to develop specific skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to work in different media, style and form. Art is considered as a vehicle for learning in all areas of the curriculum. 

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Design and Technology requires the application of skills and knowledge to solve practical problems in response to human needs. At Eldon Primary School, we teach Design & Technology to equip our pupils with the understanding to enable them to become future citizens in an increasingly technological and complex world. Our curriculum offers the opportunity to experience the processes and materials of technology and to enable pupils to appreciate quality and gain insight into the technology which surrounds them. Pupils should be able to understand how to think and intervene creatively to improve the world, combining knowledge and understanding with aesthetics, social and environmental issues, function and practical skills. 

MUSIC

At Eldon Primary School, we recognise that music has the power to inspire, motivate, and nurture creativity in every child. It plays a vital role in pupils’ personal development, helping them to express themselves, build confidence, and develop an appreciation of the diverse world in which we live. Through exploring music from different cultures, eras, and traditions, children gain a deeper understanding of society and the shared human experience.

Our broad and balanced music curriculum, aligned with the National Curriculum, enables pupils to:

• Perform, listen to, review, and evaluate music from a wide range of historical periods, genres, styles, and traditions, including the works of renowned composers and musicians.
• Learn to sing confidently and use their voices expressively.
• Create, compose, and improvise music independently and collaboratively.
• Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument, use technology effectively, and progress to higher levels of musical skill and understanding.
• Explore how music is created, produced, and communicated through the interrelated dimensions of pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure, and notation.

At Eldon, we aim for children to develop a secure understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a variety of musical styles and traditions. We encourage curiosity, open-mindedness, and respect for all forms of music, fostering an awareness of how music can enrich both individual lives and the wider community. Our goal is for every child to appreciate the value and importance of music and to use their knowledge, skills, and experiences to engage with it in meaningful ways.

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Foreign Language teaching became a compulsory part of the primary curriculum from September 2014. At Eldon we teach the Modern Foreign Language, French, at Key Stage 2.

We also encourage the use of basic conversational language at Key Stage 1, answering the register in other languages and saying greetings.

The learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for the children. They develop communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future language learning. They develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore differences and similarities between a foreign language and English.