Curriculum Subjects

A broad, ambitious curriculum

At North Mead, children study a broad and ambitious curriculum designed to build knowledge, develop skills and help pupils understand the world around them.

Each subject has its own carefully sequenced curriculum. Learning is planned so that pupils revisit important knowledge, build on what they already know and become increasingly confident and independent as they move through school.

Our curriculum is designed around a simple question: What do we want children to know, understand and be able to do by the time they leave North Mead?

Our subjects

Children study the full range of curriculum subjects.

Art and Design	Children develop confidence in drawing, painting, sculpture, print, textiles, mixed media and other creative processes. They study artists, designers and artistic traditions and learn to develop, refine and evaluate their own ideas.
Computing	Children learn to use technology confidently, creatively and safely. The curriculum develops understanding of computer science, information technology, digital literacy and online safety.
Design Technology	Children learn to investigate, design, make and evaluate products for real purposes and users. Their learning includes structures, mechanisms, textiles, food, electrical systems and increasingly technical design processes.
English	English develops children’s ability to communicate, understand and express ideas. Our English curriculum includes: · reading · writing · spoken language · vocabulary · grammar and punctuation · spelling · handwriting English is taught explicitly and is also developed across the wider curriculum.
French	From Key Stage 2, children learn French. They develop confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing while building vocabulary, grammar and understanding of another language and culture.
Geography	Geography helps children understand places, people, environments and the connections between them. Pupils develop knowledge of the local area, the United Kingdom and the wider world alongside increasingly sophisticated map, fieldwork and geographical enquiry skills.
History	History helps children understand the past and how it has shaped the world in which they live. Pupils develop chronological knowledge and learn to think as historians by using evidence, considering cause and consequence, identifying change and continuity, and exploring historical significance and interpretation.
Mathematics	Our mathematics curriculum develops secure understanding, fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. Children learn to make connections between mathematical ideas and apply their knowledge with increasing accuracy, confidence and independence.
Music	Music gives children opportunities to listen, perform, sing, compose and develop their understanding of musical language. Children experience music from different times, places, traditions and cultures while progressively developing their own musical knowledge and skills.
Physical Education	PE develops physical competence, confidence, teamwork and healthy participation. Children experience a broad range of physical activity, including games, gymnastics, dance, athletics and swimming.
PSHCE	PSHCE helps children develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. It includes learning about: · relationships · health and wellbeing · safety · citizenship · economic understanding · personal responsibility · preparation for life beyond school
Religious Education	RE gives pupils opportunities to explore religions and worldviews, ask important questions and develop understanding of beliefs, practices, traditions and different ways of understanding the world. Children learn to discuss ideas respectfully and consider similarities, differences and different perspectives.
Science	Science helps children understand the natural and physical world. Pupils build knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics while developing the skills of scientific enquiry, observation, investigation, comparison, measurement and explanation.
Topics	Our Topics page shows how selected humanities and creative subjects are brought together across the year. The topic curriculum includes learning from: · History · Geography · Religious Education where appropriate · Art and Design · Design Technology · Each topic is built around an enquiry question and retains clear subject-specific knowledge and progression. Children encounter 36 carefully sequenced topics across Years 1–6, moving from questions about belonging and place in Year 1 to increasingly complex historical, geographical, cultural and creative enquiries in Year 6.

Building knowledge over time

Our subject curricula are designed so that learning does not consist of isolated activities.

Children:

Retrieve what they already know
→ Learn and understand new knowledge
→ Practise important skills and ideas
→ Apply their learning
→ Reflect on what they have learned

This reflects our whole-school Learning Loop: Retrieve → Teach & Model → Practise → Apply → Reflect

As children move through North Mead, they encounter increasingly sophisticated knowledge, vocabulary, concepts and disciplinary thinking.

Vocabulary matters

Every subject has its own language.

Teachers deliberately introduce, explain and revisit important vocabulary so that children can:

understand increasingly complex ideas
speak confidently about their learning
read subject-specific texts
explain their thinking precisely
make connections between new and previous learning

For pupils learning English as an additional language, visual support, modelling, repetition and carefully planned language development help make the curriculum accessible without reducing ambition.

Inclusive curriculum

Our ambition applies to every child.

Teachers adapt teaching and provide appropriate support so that pupils with SEND and other additional needs can participate meaningfully in the curriculum.

This may include: