Curriculum

At Heronsgate School, we believe that learning should be child centred, tailored to reflect the unique needs and aspirations of every pupil. Guided by our Heronsgate Values, we strive for excellence in achievement, behaviour and mutual respect. We follow guidance set out in the National Curriculum. Information on the National Curriculum can be found here: National curriculum in England: primary curriculum - GOV.UK

We nurture independent, articulate thinkers—learners who are confident, curious and empowered to realise their ambitions. Through collaboration with schools in the Heron's Partnership, we enrich our educational community and share best practice.

Curriculum Intent

At Heronsgate School, we aim to foster a lifelong love of learning through a connected and sequential curriculum. It is our aim to motivate and interest children and to provide a clear purpose for their learning.

We embrace the statutory requirements of the national curriculum while offering a wide range of extra-curricular activities to ensure a broad and balanced educational experience. Our curriculum is thoughtfully structured to promote:

• positive, responsible citizenship
• collaborative learning and teamwork
• deep understanding through connected learning

At Heronsgate, every child is supported to reach their full potential—academically, socially and emotionally. The curriculum celebrates diversity and utilises the skills, knowledge and cultural wealth of the community while supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

For more information about each subject, please click on a subject below.

Enriching the Curriculum

At Heronsgate, we offer a wide range of experiences and opportunities to bring learning to life. We believe that school is about so much more than learning how to read and write, and we endeavour to provide opportunities that spark interests and passions in areas pupils may not have considered. This is achieved through:

• Technology: We embrace modern tools and are currently embedding iPads throughout the school.
• Assemblies: PSHE and SEAL-based assemblies allow pupils to investigate and explore British values and protected characteristics. These sessions foster essential skills such as tolerance, diversity, self-belief and resilience. RE visitor assemblies include regular visits from the Bridgebuilder Trust and celebrations of a wide range of religious festivals, including Diwali and Eid.
• Clubs: Heronsgate School is proud to offer a comprehensive extra-curricular programme for all pupils who wish to participate. Clubs cover a variety of themes and topics—gardening, chess, art, calligraphy, various sports and Latin. Extra-curricular offerings vary each term, and timetables are provided to parents at the start of every term, detailing all available clubs and registration information.
• Sporting opportunities: Pupils attend numerous events throughout the year, including the Netball League, Boys’ and Girls’ Football Leagues, Rounders League, Milton Keynes Swimming Gala, Milton Keynes Athletics, cross-country and gymnastics competitions. In school, we partner with MK Breakers to provide basketball opportunities for both girls and boys.
• Trips and visits: A variety of educational visits and excursions are planned each year to enrich the curriculum. For example, Year 5 pupils visit Hampton Court as part of their Tudors topic, while Year 3 pupils explore Flag Fen.
• Residential visits: Residentials provide pupils with opportunities to learn new skills and overcome challenges in a safe, supportive environment. We run two residential visits:
  • Year 4 – Irthlingborough (summer term)
  • Year 6 – Staffordshire (spring term)
• Music and musical events: All pupils at Heronsgate experience a broad range of musical activities—performing, composing, listening and appraising. Year 4 pupils receive brass lessons, and we hold a weekly singing assembly. Throughout the year, our choir prepares for cross-partnership events and a trip to Birmingham for Young Voices. We also participate in events run by the music hub, including the Milton Keynes Music Festival, MK Brass Festival and MK Strings Festival. Pupils who learn an instrument perform regularly both in school and across the city. Rock Steady sessions take place weekly, offering another platform for pupils to shine.
• Active citizenship: Our student council meets weekly, with elected representatives sharing their class’s views and experiences. We participate in the trust Youth Parliament to represent the school on a wider stage. Lunchtime leaders, known as Mental Health Champions, also support safe and engaging playtimes.

Curriculum Implementation

Year groups use the Cornerstones Curriculum learning projects and personalise them to the context and needs of our pupils. Our curriculum is carefully planned to enable pupils to make connections, ensuring that substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills are taught and applied across different subjects.

Teachers schedule review lessons for retrieval practice, and formative assessments identify and address misconceptions. We continually review the relevance of our content and the purpose behind each lesson.

National requirements and school priorities are mapped at whole-school level, after which individual year groups plan specific sequences for their pupils.

The curriculum is underpinned by the school’s Core Values—Friendship, Trust, Honesty, Happiness, Positivity, Respect, Responsibility, Equality, Kindness and Teamwork. Each month, one value is emphasised across the curriculum and in assemblies. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils and their understanding of society’s core values are woven throughout every aspect of learning.

It is our belief that the curriculum should:

1. Be ambitious.
2. Place reading at its heart, ensuring all pupils read with fluency and confidence.
3. Allow for progressive learning, building on skills and knowledge as pupils move through the school.
4. Teach both explicit and implicit vocabulary.
5. Encourage pupils to be inquisitive.
6. Be inclusive, particularly for those with the greatest needs (for example, EAL and SEND).

Impact

Aside from reading, writing and mathematics, which are taught daily, other subjects are delivered weekly or through themed weeks. Attainment and progress are assessed continuously throughout the academic year. Ongoing assessment and the comparison of work over time in mathematics and English enable teachers to identify where pupils are achieving or exceeding expectations, where further support is required, and to inform future planning.

For information relating to specific subjects, please click on the links below: