Curriculum

Here is a brief overview about the curriculum at our school. At the heart of everything we do is a belief that children should leave Greenfields with strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, so that they are well-prepared for the next phase of their education. You will find full information about how each of these crucial subjects is taught below.

All children at Greenfields Primary School and Nursery follow a broad, knowledge-rich curriculum in geography, history, science, art, design and technology, music, and computing. The curriculum has been designed by curriculum specialists from across the Trust. The schools follows local SACRE guidance for religious education (RE) and the Jigsaw programme for PSHCE, that fully complies with DfE requirements for September 2025. Our teachers bring lessons alive, ensuring children go on an adventure whilst travelling along their learning journey, including planning a wide range of enrichment activities (please see the Enrichment page).

We are especially proud of our Music programme, and you can find more information about how we are a 'Singing School' below.

To find out more about what each year group is learning by subject each year, please click on the curriculum overviews at the bottom of this page.

mdp greenfields.docx

Reading and Phonics

The ambition that all children at Greenfields learn to read well and develop a love of reading is at the heart of our reading curriculum. We work hard to make sure that children start learning to read fluently right from the start in Nursery.

It is important to everyone at Greenfields that early reading, especially the phonics skills that support children to become independent readers, is taught well and that children develop a love of reading.

We narrow the gap between Greenfields’ children’s attainment in Phonics and the attainment in Phonics nationally. The percentage of children at Greenfields achieving the expected level of development at the end of Year 1 in Phonics has improved sharply since 2012, and usually more children at Greenfields pass the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check than children in other schools nationally. We aim for all of our children to be on their way to being fluent readers by the end of Year One.

All members of staff who teach phonics have been thoroughly trained to use the Read, Write Inc scheme and receive weekly training and updates to ensure that they are teaching ‘at the top of their game’.

All children at Greenfields are involved in a daily half-hour session that teaches either Phonics or higher-level and more complex spelling strategies. All children are fully assessed once a term and placed into groups across the school (KS1 and 2) appropriate to their level. Phonics lessons are fun, highly engaging and most importantly move the children’s phonic learning on rapidly and effectively.

In order to make sure that children use their phonic skills in their reading immediately, the school uses Read, Write Inc scheme books for guided, group and individual reading practice.

Additional support for children in phonics is provided during the week, particularly for children who are new to English and those who experience specific difficulties with reading and writing.

Talk 4 Reading

Children learn to read each and every day at Greenfields, continuously through the curriculum, and directly taught during specific reading sessions.

The approach we use is called Talk 4 Reading and takes place daily throughout the school. Talk 4 Reading, is an approach to reading which is based on whole class reading and in-depth questioning and investigation so children develop the skills to read ever more complex and challenging texts. Teachers have access to a range or class novels which have been carefully selected tor each year group, and Talk 4 Reading is delivered using whole books and extracts from a carefully designed spine of texts that run from Nursery to Year 6 so that every child develops a love of a wide-range of familiar, and not-so-familiar books.

Talk 4 Reading is a well-researched method used to develop learners’ reading skills, promote higher order thinking, develop listening and talking, and ensure access to the curriculum for all learners.

Home Reading

Children are expected to practice their reading frequently, so that they can develop their fluency and enjoyment of reading. Every child will take home a reading book that is well-matched to their developing reading and phonics skills, and there is good access to a wide range of books to take home to read for pleasure, virtually (in e-libraries) and in real life. The school has a virtual Reading Log, for families to note how often their children are reading at home, that is accessible via QR code.

Phonics

EYFS Phonics Video

Year 1 Phonics Video

Effective Maths and Big Maths

At Greenfields, we use a Mastery approach to the teaching of Maths: a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject.

To achieve this, we have reduced the amount of mathematical topics taught discretely, in favour of taking longer over each topic and making explicit links with other mathematical skills and areas of the curriculum.

To deliver Mastery, the Maths teaching sequence comprises three clear strands:

FLUENCY – rapid and accurate recall and application of facts and concepts from the age-related section of the Maths Curriculum;

APPLICATION – the ability to use learnt concepts and skills to solve puzzles and real life situations, to respond to conjecture and test hypotheses;

REASONING – the ability to explain mathematical thinking. This is integral to the development of conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.

At Greenfields Primary School, Effective Maths is our mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics. It is a comprehensive framework for ensuring high quality maths teaching.

Children develop mastery of age-related concepts and skills through:

procedural and conceptual understanding
variation
mathematical patterns, relationships and connections

To reach Greater Depth in Mathematics, all age-related tasks are linked to a built-in challenge activity .As children complete each task, it is expected that they explain their thinking, deepening their understanding at their own level. This could take the form of annotations, sentences, diagrams, taught strategies or written calculations.

Foundation Subjects

All foundation topics are planned using the DRET Primary Core Knowledge Curriculum resources.

This is a knowledge-based curriculum that provides children with the all knowledge, skills and understanding to give them a flying start in right from Nursery to the time when they are 'secondary ready' and leave Greenfields to continue their journey in education. Teachers are provided with the planning and resources that help them to deliver the essentials of the CKC curriculum, adding their own unique twists to inspire and engage all learners.

Music at Greenfields

At Greenfields, we believe music should be at the heart of school life. As part of the David Ross Education Trust, we share the vision of broadening horizons by ensuring that every child experiences high-quality opportunities in the arts.

Curriculum Music

All pupils take part in a rich and inclusive music curriculum, supported by the DRET Music Programme. Our teaching is built on the Model Music Curriculum and uses approaches such as Kodály to help pupils develop key musicianship skills from the very start of their school journey. In addition, every child takes part in Daily Music — short, regular sessions that embed rhythm, pitch, and musical understanding in fun and accessible ways.

Enrichment opportunities

Whole-class instrumental learning is central to our offer:

Year 5 pupils take part in whole-class clarinet lessons.

We also work in partnership with NMPAT (Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust) to provide peripatetic lessons in piano, guitar, violin, and drums. Instruments are available for loan, ensuring access for all.

Performance is a key part of school life. Highlights of the year include:

Our whole-school Unison House Singing Competition

The annual Singing Safari

Seasonal celebrations such as Harvest, the Nativity and Christmas shows

End-of-year concerts and leavers’ performances

Specialist tuition

The David Ross Education Trust believes in 'broadening horizons'; ensuring that children across the school experience high-quality arts and sports tuition. . Alongside this, we offer a range of musical activities within the curriculum and specialist instrument teaching.

We work closely with NMPAT, the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust, and welcome teachers in to instruct whole classes to play Samba drums, stringed and wind instruments. We are delighted that from 2018-19, colleagues from Voices Foundation will be supporting the development of an elite choir for the Trust.

For individuals with a keen interest in pursuing their musical ambitions, we subsidise music lessons: for a small cost we also offer tuition in guitar, drumming and violin.

Specialist sports tutors support our After School Enrichment Clubs. As well as seasonal sports like tennis and cricket, Greenfields Primary School offers Karate year-round training for budding martial artists.

More information, including how to enrol for music tuition can be accessed by contacting the School Office.

David Ross Education Trust and British Values

The Trust supports the promotion of British Values within its schools, and understands the importance of preparing our pupils for success in a modern Britain and beyond.

A heavy reliance is placed upon broadening horizons for each and every child and this includes developing the core skills of tolerance, respect, teamwork, resilience and building self-esteem. These are all values and qualities that we feel are relevant in order to play a full and meaningful role in society, and are promoted via our extensive house system that lends itself to cultural and sporting competition, democratic principles, social mixing, the development of greater pastoral care and enhanced PSHE

Click here to find out more about British Values at our academy