Our Curriculum Content

Phonics and Spelling At Tinsley we follow the ‘Read Write Inc.’ scheme in FS, KS1 & the New to English classes.This scheme aims to build children’s speaking and listening skills in their own right as well as to prepare children for learning to read by developing their phonic knowledge and skills. It sets out a detailed and systematic programme for teaching phonic skills for children with the aim of them becoming fluent readers by age seven. In FS1 children start working on learning phonics by playing various games where they have to listen for and identify sounds. By the end of FS1 those children who are ready are taught specific sounds using cued articulation. Children are assessed at the end of every half term and placed in a group according to their phonic knowledge/ability.

 

From Year 2 onwards we also use the ‘Read Write Inc.’ spelling programme. This contains a range of materials and resources including:

• knowledge of the history of spelling and the English language
• a range of suggested strategies, approaches, and activities to help improve and practise spelling
• a collection of spelling learning objectives and teaching focuses
• programmes for Years 1 to 6 which draw on the learning objectives and teaching focuses.

In addition, in Key Stage 2  we have Read, Write Inc phonics intervention sessions to help any children who need further support in this area.

Spelling and Phonics Policy 2021-22

Reading

We are passionate about reading at Tinsley and our children develop their skills from a very early age. Reading development is a core focus in everything we do and we have purchased online schemes such as ‘Bug Club’ in order to help to encourage children to read in and out of school by competing to win book prizes. We also have a number of volunteers who regularly come in to school to listen to children read. Every year we celebrate World Book Day whereby a famous author visits school to share a book with the children. As part of this, children also come dressed as their favourite book character. During the week, children have an independent reading book which they can read at home and to their class teacher or teaching assistant. Any reading they do with an adult is recorded in their reading diary and once the book is finished they complete a reading journal activity in order to demonstrate how well they’ve understood the text. They also take part in whole class and small group reciprocal reading sessions where as a class they study a novel developing their skills in predicting, clarifying, questioning and summarising.

Reading Policy 2021-2022

Our approach to writing is based on Talk for Writing which supports children to explore, through talk and guided practice, the thinking and creative processes involved in being a writer. It is embedded at every phase of the teaching sequence which is structured to include teacher talk, supported pupil talk and independent pupil talk.

We believe that Talk for Writing is an approach that goes beyond the development of children’s general speaking and listening skills – it allows children to explore the processes involved in being a writer, and extends oral rehearsal so that it becomes a draft for their written pieces. The approach supports the children to move from talk into writing.

Writing Policy 2020-2021

Intent

The 2014 National Curriculum for Maths aims to ensure that all children:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of Mathematics
• Are able to reason mathematically
• Can solve problems by applying their Mathematics

At Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy, these skills are embedded within Maths lessons and developed consistently over time. We are committed to ensuring that children are able to recognise the importance of Maths in the wider world and that they are also able to use their mathematical skills and knowledge confidently in their lives in a range of different contexts. We want all children to enjoy Mathematics and to experience success in the subject, with the ability to reason mathematically. We are committed to developing children’s curiosity about the subject, as well as an appreciation of the beauty and power of Mathematics.

Implementation

The content and principles underpinning the 2014 Mathematics curriculum and the Maths curriculum at Tinsley Meadows reflect those found in high-performing education systems internationally, particularly those of east and south-east Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China. These principles and features characterise this approach and convey how our curriculum is implemented:

• Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in Mathematics.
• The large majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace.

Differentiation is achieved by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support and intervention.

• Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons and resources to foster deep conceptual and procedural knowledge.
• Practice and consolidation play a central role. Carefully designed variation within this builds fluency and understanding of underlying mathematical concepts.
• Maths Mobs sessions throughout the week ensure concepts and skills are revisited on an on-going basis to further develop fluency and help our pupils commit key facts to their long term memory.
• Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge and assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention, so that all children keep up.

To ensure whole school consistency, progression and sound teacher subject knowledge, we use the Inspire Maths scheme and further supplement the teaching and learning with resources from White Rose Maths, iSeeMaths and the NCETM (National Centre for the Excellence of the Teaching of Mathematics). The school is also engaged on an on-going basis with the DFE funded Maths Hubs programme which continues to ensure that staff at all levels understand the pedagogy of the approach. In line with the mastery approach, we follow the mastery 6-part-lesson-structure model across both KS1 and KS2. Lessons begin with ‘Review and Do’ where a review of prior learning on the concept taught takes place and key vocabulary is reviewed/introduced for the concept. A ‘Hook’ is then introduced, which is a question that all children can  access and discuss with their Kagan partners to stimulate their thinking about the concept and learning that will take place in the lesson. ‘Initial Practice’ then takes place, which involves teaching through the children’s work or looking at a worked example with the children (miming or another technique can be used here). The session then moves onto ‘Refining of the Technique’ which is a mixture of teacher taught and child-led discussion where ping-pong style activities take place. Here children will use their concrete resources and pictorial representations to develop their fluency and understanding while drawing on and making connections with prior learning. ‘Practice’ then takes place where children complete independent tasks (variation). Learning is monitored closely and children are moved on to differentiated, deepening tasks where appropriate. Finally a ‘Review’ briefly summarises the learning that has taken place and children will have the opportunity to demonstrate progress made. Mathematical topics are taught in sequential, progressive blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time. Each lesson phase provides the means to achieve greater depth, with more able children being offered rich and sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks, within the lesson as appropriate.

Impact

The school has a supportive ethos and our approaches support the children in developing their collaborative and independent skills, as well as empathy and the need to recognise the achievement of others. Children can underperform in Mathematics because they think they can’t do it or are not naturally good at it; however, our curriculum addresses these preconceptions by ensuring that all children experience challenge and success in Mathematics by developing a growth mindset. Regular and ongoing assessment informs teaching, as well as intervention, to support and enable the success of each child. These factors ensure that we are able to maintain high standards, with achievement at the end of KS2 well above the national average and a good proportion of children demonstrating greater depth.

Maths policy 2021-22

Mathematical Mastery in EYFS 2022-23

We have adopted the White Rose Calculation policy to develop progression in calculation strategies. White-Rose-Calculation-Policy

Each year group studies at least two history units and two geography units each academic year. This ensures that pupils develop a strong understanding of both the past and the world around them. 

Educational visits and enrichment opportunities are considered a vital part of both historical and geographical learning across the school. Wherever possible, pupils are given opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom through visits to museums, heritage sites, local landmarks and places of geographical interest.  

For geography units, fieldwork and first-hand experiences allow pupils to observe physical and human geography, explore how places have changed over time and understand how people interact with their environments. In history, these experiences enable children to engage directly with artefacts and expert knowledge, helping them to develop a deeper understanding of historical events. 

HISTORY 

The school’s history curriculum is based upon the Primary National Curriculum. Long-term planning is carefully structured so that history units are taught in a broadly chronological sequence, enabling children to develop a clear understanding of the narrative of Britain’s past and how different periods and events connect over time. By revisiting earlier learning and building upon it as they move through the school, pupils are able to place new knowledge within a wider historical framework and strengthen their sense of historical chronology.  

GEOGRAPHY 

Similarly to the history curriculum, the school’s geography curriculum is based upon the Primary National Curriculum. Long-term planning in geography is split into two main categories: Physical Geography and Human Geography. It teaches an understanding of places, environments and the factors that affect them. Through their work in geography, children learn about their local area and they compare their life in this area with other places in the world. They learn how to draw and interpret maps and they develop the skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem-solving. Through their growing knowledge and understanding of human geography, children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the physical world and enables them to recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of mankind. 

At Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy, science lessons provide an opportunity for children to work practically through investigations and experiments. Across each year group, we cover a variety of topics ranging from living things and their habitats to evolution and inheritance. Practical investigations are a priority, as this type of work enables children to develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, while fostering a sense of curiosity about the world around them.

As a school, we are keen to integrate the use of ICT into our science lessons and will often use laptops or iPads to record the findings from our experiments in a range of creative ways. This not only enhances engagement, but also helps children build valuable digital literacy skills. We also ensure that each of our science lessons explores one of five enquiry skills: comparative and fair testing; research using secondary sources; pattern seeking; observing over time; and identifying, classifying and grouping.

Each year during National Science Week, we hold a science fair where children from each class showcase a new and exciting project that they have been working on. This event provides a fantastic opportunity for pupils to share their learning with peers, staff, and families, while celebrating their achievements and inspiring a lifelong interest in science.

Art

At Tinsley, our core aim in teaching art is to nurture and develop every child’s natural creativity, enabling them to confidently explore, experiment, and express their ideas artistically. We strive to ensure that all children see themselves as artists, valuing their own unique perspectives and cultural identities, while engaging with a diverse range of artistic styles, traditions, and influences.

By using the Kapow Primary scheme of work, we ensure high-quality, sequenced lessons that build knowledge and skills over time, covering key areas such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and design. This approach allows children to revisit and deepen their understanding, while also introducing them to a broad range of artists and creative practices. Through a carefully structured and progressive curriculum, we support pupils in developing both their technical skills and their imaginative thinking.

Design and Technology

Our aim in teaching Design and Technology is to equip pupils with the practical knowledge, skills, and understanding they need to thrive as future citizens in an increasingly technological and complex world. We want children to become confident problem-solvers, innovators, and critical thinkers, who can apply their learning to real-life situations.

As with art, we use the Kapow Primary scheme of work to ensure a well-structured, progressive curriculum that builds knowledge and skills over time. The scheme supports pupils in developing key areas such as mechanisms, structures, textiles, food technology, and electrical systems, while also embedding essential skills like problem-solving, resilience, and creativity. Lessons are carefully sequenced to allow children to revisit and deepen their understanding, ensuring secure and meaningful learning.

At Tinsley Meadows, we highly value physical education and sports as one of the ways of learning about teamwork, the importance of competition and how to enjoy physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. Every child at Tinsley Meadows receives two hours of high quality PE lessons a week, some being taught by a specialist PE teacher. Throughout the year each year group is given the opportunity to experience a specialist sport through either curriculum lessons or lunchtime / after-school clubs. Some of the sports and physical activities children are introduced to, during their time at our school, include: athletics, team games, cricket, dodgeball, dance, swimming and football. To further enhance and widen pupils’ sporting opportunities, we have forged links with many external sporting organisations. Here are just a few examples:

• As members of the Arches School Sports Partnership, the school receives access to city-wide competitions for children, a range of coaching activities and specialist training for staff.
• Y5 children take part in swimming lessons booked through the Sheffield LA which take place every week. Tinsley staff support the swimming instructors so the children can work towards achieving National Curriculum levels and developing their understanding of water safety.
• Coaches from Ruggereds and Soccereds visit the school to provide 6 weeks of rugby and football coaching with KS1 and KS2 children.
• Our Year 6 pupils are all provided the opportunity to master the skill of riding a bike through Cycle North’s bike ability scheme.
• To inspire our children, this year we have had a visit from gold medal winning Paralympian – Oliver Hynd.
• This year we have taken part in the Sheffield Schools Skipathon, with over 60 year 4 children taking part in a skipping festival at the EIS.
• We have established school cricket and football teams who have begun competing against local schools.

 

Our school is fortunate to have a dedicated sports hall as well as a large outdoor playing area. The sports hall is always occupied with sporting activities and clubs every lunchtime and after school, including : sports clubs, This Girl Can, cricket club, quidditch, football, archery and  den building.

 

Every year, we hold whole school sports activities in the summer term so every child in school can take part in various different sporting activities. This helps with raising awareness of how to lead a healthy lifestyle and in celebrating PE & Sports at Tinsley Meadows. Furthermore, our commitment to PE and Sports has been recognised through achieving the Gold Schools Sports Award.

PE Policy 2021-22

PE and Sports Curriculum Map 2021-22

Long Term PE and Sports Plan

The school believes that Religious Education should provide a contemporary study of religion, preparing children for later life. The school bears in mind that Christianity is the largest faith within the UK, however we value and celebrate all other religions. We enjoy celebrating significant religious events, such as Eid and Christmas.  Respect, tolerance and understanding for the beliefs of others is promoted as part of the curriculum.

Please note: Families have the right withdraw their child/children from all or part of the RE curriculum. Please contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the Principal if you wish to discuss this further.

PSHE Policy 2021-2022

PSHCE Overview 2020-21

RE Policy 2026

Philosophy for Children (P4C) Policy 2022-23

At Tinsley Meadows, we have a number of different languages spoken and we celebrate these different languages throughout our school. Learning a foreign language allows pupils to develop transferable skills and language learning skills whilst also increasing awareness of different countries and cultures.

Children learn Spanish through Language Angels from Year 3 to Year 6. There is an emphasis on speaking and listening with aspects of written Spanish throughout the programme. Children learn to talk about various topics including their family, their home, school life and ordering food in Spanish. Children in Year 4 study the topic of Spain in their geography lessons to further immerse themselves in the language.

At Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy, we recognise that almost every aspect of school life now involves some form of technology. Therefore, through the teaching of computing, we aim to equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills, and understanding they need to participate confidently and safely in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Our computing curriculum is carefully designed in line with the primary National Curriculum and focuses on three key strands: computer science, information technology, and digital literacy. Through computer science, pupils develop an understanding of how digital systems work and build their skills in programming, learning to design, write, and debug algorithms. In information technology, children learn to use a range of digital tools to create, organise, store, and present information effectively. Digital literacy ensures that pupils understand how to use technology safely, respectfully, and responsibly, both in school and beyond.

We enable children to find, explore, analyse, exchange, and present information in a variety of meaningful contexts. They are encouraged to think critically about the information they encounter, developing the ability to question its reliability and use it in an effective way. E-safety is embedded throughout the curriculum, ensuring that pupils understand how to protect themselves online and make informed choices when using digital technologies.