At St Mary's, our curriculum is driven by our Christian vision and the values of Confidently Me, Belonging Together and Challenged to Contribute. We provide a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that is carefully designed to develop the whole child academically, socially, emotionally, physically, morally and spiritually.

At the heart of our curriculum is a commitment to ensuring that all pupils acquire a very strong foundation in all subjects that includes substantive knowledge (the important facts, concepts and content of each subject) and disciplinary knowledge (understanding how experts think, work and create knowledge within a subject). Through high-quality teaching, pupils learn not only what to know, but how to think like a scientist, historian, geographer, artist, mathematician or writer. This enables them to develop deeper understanding, critical thinking skills and the ability to apply their learning in meaningful ways.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced so that knowledge, skills and understanding build progressively from year to year. Teachers have strong subject expertise and use evidence-informed pedagogy to ensure pupils know more, remember more and can do more over time. This coherent progression supports all learners, including those who are disadvantaged and those with additional needs, to achieve success.

Whilst many subjects are taught discretely to ensure depth, rigour and clear progression within each discipline, purposeful links are identified across the curriculum. Each year group plans meaningful cross-curricular opportunities that help pupils make connections between areas of learning, deepen their understanding and see the relevance of their knowledge in a wider context. These connections enhance learning without compromising the integrity of individual subjects.

We actively promote confident and independent learners. Through approaches such as Building Learning Power and our Great Learners Project, pupils are taught to be resilient, reflective and resourceful. They embrace challenge, develop a growth mindset and gain the strategies needed to persevere and succeed.

We foster a strong sense of belonging and inclusion, underpinned by our Christian ethos. Pupils develop positive relationships, strong moral values and respect for others. Our focus on wellbeing supports pupils to feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

Our curriculum is further enriched through purposeful opportunities to contribute beyond the classroom. Educational visits, visitors, outdoor learning, extra-curricular activities and residential experiences provide authentic contexts for learning, broaden cultural capital and raise aspirations. These experiences encourage pupils to think critically, act responsibly and play an active role within their school and the wider community.

As a result, pupils leave St Mary's as knowledgeable, skilled and reflective learners who are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They are confident in who they are, understand their place within the world and are equipped to make a positive contribution to society.

On the individual subject pages of this website, parents and visitors can explore our Curriculum Overviews and Progression Documents. These documents illustrate the carefully planned journey that pupils take through each subject, showing how knowledge, skills and understanding develop progressively across the school. As part of our ongoing curriculum development work, some Curriculum Overviews are currently being updated and may contain areas that are still under review. This reflects our commitment to continually refining and strengthening the quality of education we provide for every child.