Our Curriculum Promise

Our children will leave Canonbury as confident, resourceful and respectful individuals who are ready to lead a successful life at secondary school and beyond.

Click on the image to read our curriculum promise:

Grow > Learn > Connect

We have organised the qualities and characteristics that form our Curriculum Promise into three areas of development for the children.

Grow: developing personal qualities, identity and social skills

Learn: building curriculum knowledge and skills and the characteristics of a lifelong learner

Connect: inspiring morals and values and a sense of spirituality

Our Curriculum Promise and the National Curriculum

In Key Stage 1 and 2,  our approach to and implementation of the National Curriculum is designed to support us in meeting our Curriculum Promise. Children learn the following subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Computing
• History
• Geography
• Music
• Art & Design
• Design and Technology
• Physical Education
• Religious Education
• Personal, Social and Health Education
• Modern Foreign Languages (Spanish)

Curriculum Topics

Each year group studies a topic over a term, or half term. The topics have History and Geography at the core and  provide opportunities to apply knowledge and skills from other subjects too. For example,  when learning about the Great Fire of London, Year 2 children learn about London in the past (History) and present (Geography), express their learning through drawings and pictures (Art and Design) , write diaries (English) and sing songs (Music).  A cross-curricular approach places the  learning in a meaningful context for the children and enables them to make connections between their knowledge and skills and the world around them. This helps them to know more and remember more of their learning. When planning topics, we ensure that the learning objectives  and teaching approaches combine to help children achieve  within the Grow > Learn > Connect areas of Our Curriculum Promise.

History

Children are taught to develop an awareness of the past, an understanding of how and why things change and how events shape the present and future in British and World History. They use a range of historical resources including artefacts, books, pictures and photographs. Children are encouraged to ask questions about the past and to discover more about their lives and surroundings as well as learning about what it means to be British.
History Intent CPS
History Progression Map CPS

Geography

In Geography, children are taught about their own and contrasting environments. They learn about how people live and economic factors concerning the environment, including the use of land and the effect of their actions on the world around them and the climate. They learn geographical skills such as to follow directions, map read and make their own maps. They carry out surveys in order to collect, analyse and present data.
Geography Intent CPS
Geography Progression Map CPS

Science

Children are taught scientific  knowledge, understanding and skills through investigation, observation and research. They use apparatus, books, charts, pictures and web-based resources to support them and communicate what they have found out in various ways.
Science Intent CPS
Science Progression Map CPS

Computing

We teach children to use computers  following the Islington scheme of work which includes programming and algorithms. We use a suite of Chromebooks, Widows laptops and ipads to learn specific  computing skills as well as to support learning in the wider curriculum.
Computing Intent CPS
Computing Progression Map CPS

Music

In Music, children are taught a range of skills and take part in singing in class, assemblies and choirs. In Years 3 and 4, they have whole class recorder lessons with a specialist teacher from the Guildhall School of Music. In Years 5 and 6 they have small group brass lessons with our Head of Brass, choosing a cornet or  tenor horn to keep and practise at home until they leave for secondary school. All children take part in musical performances to an audience at recitals in school and Christmas and Summer concerts at the Union Chapel.
Music Intent CPS
Music Progression Map CPS

Click here to go to the Music curriculum page for more information.

Art and Design

Children study Art and Design with a specialist teacher in our Art Space. They have opportunities to appreciate art in a variety of forms and styles and from a variety of cultures – this art is  often linked to their topics they are studying in class. They learn to use different art techniques and develop an awareness of shape, colour, texture and pattern as well as understand the properties of materials. Throughout their time at school pupils will visit art galleries and create their own work using a range of media.
Art and Design Intent CPS
Art and Design Progression Map CPS

Click here for more information and to see examples of art work by the children

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)

Our PSHE curriculum aims to inspire children to grow their personal attributes, learn how to stay healthy in mind and body and connect with others through positive relationships, including when they are ‘online’. Included in PSHE is Relationship and Sex Education (RSE), where children are taught key knowledge and skills in an age appropriate scheme of work devised by professionals at London Borough of Islington.
Personal, Social and Health Education Intent CPS
Personal, Social and Health Education Progression Map CPS
PSHE Curriculum Overview CPS

Physical Education (PE)

Weekly Sport and Athletics are taught by Team Kickstart, our specialist coaches, using our all-weather pitch, playground space and indoor halls. Meanwhile class teachers lead a weekly gymnastic or dance lesson. Children in Year 3 have swimming lessons which are taught in an intensive two-week block for maximum impact. All children have two PE sessions per week.

Click here to go to the PE page for more information.

PE Overview

Religious Education (RE)

Our scheme of work for Religious Education is based on the Islington agreed syllabus, which covers the world’s major religions. At Canonbury Primary School we value the diversity and wide variety of religious backgrounds represented by our staff and pupils. We reflect these traditions in our teaching and seek to promote high levels of understanding and respect.
Religious Education Intent CPS
Religious Education Progression Map CPS

Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)

From years 2-6, children have a weekly Spanish lesson with a specialist teacher. They build a knowledge of phrases and vocabulary they can use in contexts that they can relate to such as home and and school activities.  They remember language by oral rehearsal, role play, conversation and songs.

Spanish Whole School Overview
Spanish Intent Final CPS

Click here to go to the MFL page for more information.

Design Technology  – Cooking and Nutrition

At Canonbury, children are taught Design Technology and Cooking and Nutrition, in line with the national curriculum objectives and age-appropriate progression of skills. Each year, children will engage in a block of learning including either: Textiles, Mechanism and Cooking and Nutrition.

Design and Technology Intent CPS
Canonbury-School-Topic-overview-DT