About our school

Our Curriculum

Our Approach

At HPS there are many elements that underpin and shape our curriculum. Through the work of our curriculum teams we are able to provide a broad curriculum which ensures a balance of pastoral and academic opportunities. Each area is guided by staff from across the key stages and is rigorously crafted and adapted to suit the needs of our learners. The children are empowered to direct changes and projects which help to shape their school life. Meaningful links within the wider community are built through a number of charity based initiatives driven by the children.

To ensure children have equal opportunities to access learning both at home and at school and to enhance their future opportunities in an increasingly digital world, we provide KS2 children with individual devices and embed the use of technology across all areas of learning. Through our cross phase Crafternoon sessions, we promote outdoor learning and collaborative craft based projects embodying our value of Teamwork.

The Learning Environment is excellent. Spaces have been carefully planned to inspire pupils, enabling learning to take place in calm, bright and spacious areas. The school is very well resourced including an extensive range of IT equipment and books.

Phonics & Reading

At Huntingdon Primary School, we follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme. Children in Reception are taught to read and spell words using Phase 2 and 3 GPCs, and words with adjacent consonants (Phase 4) with fluency and accuracy. Children make a strong start in Reception: teaching begins in the second full week of the Autumn term. Children in Year 1 review Phase 3 and 4 and are taught to read and spell words using Phase 5 GPCs with fluency and accuracy. We teach phonics for 30-40 minutes a day. In Reception, we build from 10-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible. Each Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become fluent readers.

We teach children to read through reading practice sessions three times a week. These are taught by a fully trained adult to small groups of approximately six children. The children use books matched to the children’s secure phonic knowledge and are monitored by the class teacher, who rotates and works with each group on a regular basis.

CURRICULUM PRINCIPLES: We strive to develop the children as independent learners who are curious, resourceful and resilient.

H.P.S. Learning Strategy

Pedagogical Priorities

Our strategy is based on close monitoring over time of how children at our school learn best and what they say about learning.

We have also undertaken a range of research into studies about teaching and learning, particularly the work of Guy Claxton, Barry Hymer, Carol Dweck and Stephen Heppell and undertaken work with consultants and professionals from other educational settings, to produce learning systems relevant to our school and our context.

Our Learning Framework

Download our learning framework which talks about how the curriculum is built in each area of learning.

PSHCE

Download our PSHCE Curriculum Overview showing the curriculum topics for each year group over the school year.

Our Commitment

Skills Based: learning will be planned to make sure the children develop a wide range of skills across all subjects.

First Hand Experiences: learning will be through first hand experiences and practical opportunities. Where possible this will include visits in the locality and further afield. We will also try hard to invite interesting visitors into school.

Learning will be Purposeful: different subjects will be linked together in ‘real life’ situations. Learning will Promote School Values.

Learning will be Visual: teachers will use visual resources and objects to engage children in learning

H.P.S. Assessment 

Learning Journeys

Children at H.P.S. have their own learning journey booklets, which they record progress in and self assess their understanding and learning. View the booklet for each year group here:

Ultimately, we aim for children to leave our school with the self-belief that they have the capacity to achieve and be successful.

School Outcomes

We have a statutory duty to display pupil outcomes data:

You might also like to view the performance tables for England and the table for Huntingdon Primary School.

Swimming

 The percentage of pupils within the year 6 cohort for the 2022/23 academic year who can:

  • Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres and Use a range of strokes effectively is 79.36%
  • Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations 17.46%  (This figure is included within the 79.36%)     
  • 20.64% of children can swim 10 meters.