Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to progressively develop pupils' knowledge and skills over time. Key subjects and themes are revisited at various stages, with clear connections to prior learning made explicit. Where appropriate, cross-curricular links are also established, helping students understand how different subjects relate to one another.
Click here to see what your child will be learning about this term, and about our end of year expectations in English and Maths:
Year 1 Summer 2025 Year 2 Summer 2025
For the 2024-2025 academic year, please see the whole-school curriculum maps from here:
Year Three and Four Curriculum
Read more about our individual subjects here:
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Art
Art
Art
Intent
At Hermitage, we believe that all children should have inspiring, rich and varied experiences through the art curriculum. We want to create opportunities for pupils to explore many different aspects of making, helping pupils and teachers understand the ways art connects us with our past, helps us embrace the present, and empowers us to shape our future. By exploring why art is relevant to all our lives, we aim to make certain that pupils feel entitled to develop their creativity, and understand their place in the world as creative, confident beings.
We encourage all children to be able to take pride in their creative abilities but also to reflect, refine and edit their artwork. We focus on describing and responding to different works of art as well as creating their own artwork. Ultimately, our aim is for our children to make links between their artistic learning and other curriculum areas by being creative and reflective learners.
Implementation
Our art curriculum is organised into 3 main themes, which recur throughout the pupils' time at school. These are: Drawing and Sketchbooks; Surface and Colour and Working in Three Dimensions. Within each of these areas, the children explore learning that builds progressively year on year.
We follow the Access Art curriculum which is knowledge-rich, and pupils learn a wide range of skills, developing understanding and showing clear progression through exploring the units.The knowledge and understanding pupils will build will go far beyond technical and factual knowledge. The Access Art curriculum balances declarative knowledge with experiential knowledge, building self-knowledge and nurturing traits in learners which will hold them in good stead whichever direction their learning takes them.
In the EYFS, children learn through exploring different materials, finding out how they can be used, being willing to have a go, choosing ways to do things, making links and being imaginative. Our children are encouraged to respond to art and use this as a stimulus to create their own creative pieces.
In Key Stage 1, children record their learning in folders and sketchbooks. They often use artists and artwork as their stimuli and explore how to use different media before creating their own works.
In Key Stage 2, sketchbooks are used to record their learning journey in Art. Where appropriate to the intended outcome, we encourage children to draft and redraft by reflecting on their creative pieces. Artists and History of Art is explored as children learn about different influences, movements and styles.
The Hermitage Curriculum is supported by a series of “Talking Points” resources, carefully curated to introduce teachers and pupils to a wide variety of artists, designers and craftspeople from across the world. We also juxtapose contemporary artists with more traditional artists, giving children the opportunity to look afresh at artists you may already study. We study artists, designers and craftspeople not so we can make copies or pastiches of their style, but so we can learn from the way they see the world.
Each unit is a ' pathway' which follows a learning sequence. Pathways aim to connect Pedagogy-based resources and activity-based resources on AccessArt, together with external links to websites which explore chosen artists/themes, to form a flexible structure which teachers can navigate easily. Pathways follow tested pedagogical approaches and help build teacher understanding in addition to providing progressive projects.
Each pathway tells a story / forms a journey, for both teacher and pupil. Each pathway follows a particular format which promotes excellent teaching & learning: - Warm-up: Artists: Activity: Crit / Reflection - Artists: Materials: Activity: Crit / Reflection - Challenge or Brief: Artist: Activity: Crit / Reflection
Click here to read more about our Art Intent, Implementation and Impact. Or click here to read our Art Curriculum Overview.
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Computing
Computing
At Hermitage, we understand that the demands of the digital world will require more than just the development of high-level ICT skills. Children also need to develop 'computational thinking'. They need to be able to solve problems, design systems and understand the limits of human and machine intelligence.
Computing at Hermitage is a practical subject in which problem-solving, collaboration and creativity are encouraged. Whether it be children in the Early Years learning to program 'Blue Bots; or children in Years five and six getting to grips with Python, we aim to make Computing a useful and exciting subject that is "both visceral ('it works!') and intellectual ('thats so beautiful')
We follow the 'Switched on Computing' scheme of work, which ensures that our pupils make steady progress through revisiting key skills each year, enabling the children to gradually develop their understanding and use of coding and programming; word-processing skills; using computing to create different forms of social media and to collect and interpret data. Each year, we teach the importance of e-safety, providing pupils with the skills they need to stay safe online. You can read our curriculum overview here: Computing Curriculum Overview. Or view our 'Computing at Hermitage document here.
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Design and Technology
Design and Technology
DT at Hermitage
Intent
At Hermitage, we intend that our children should master Design and Technology to such an extent that they can go on to have careers within Design and Technology and make use of design and technology effectively in their everyday lives.
Our children will be taught Design and Technology in a way that ensures progression of skills, and follows a sequence to build on previous learning.
Our children will gain experience and skills of a wide range of formal elements of design and concepts of technology in a way that will enhance their learning opportunities, enabling them to use design and technology across a range of subjects to be creative and solve problems, ensuring they make progress.
Implementation
We follow a broad and balanced Design and Technology curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. Our Design and Technology scheme of learning ensures a clear progression of skills and covers all aspects of the Design and Technology programme of study in the National Curriculum and the Early Learning Goals (Physical Development; Expressive Arts and Design: Creating with Materials; Understanding the World, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development). Where possible, we make cross-curricular links with DT so that learning is heightened and meaningful. For example, after Years 1 and 2 have learnt about ‘How have toys changed’ in history, they then use textiles to design their own puppet. In Years 3 and 4, whilst children are learning about the Ancient Egyptians, they use textiles to create their own Egyptian collar. Also, in year 5 and 6, children design a ‘Steady Hand Game’ to embed their knowledge and understanding of circuits in science.
Our DT curriculum is accessible for all learners, including children with additional needs, although activities may be adapted to ensure that all pupils are engaged in learning.
All classes study a DT unit every term, for one hour a week. Children’s work, including photographs, will be recorded in their DT books and this evidence will then be used to support formative and summative assessment.
Impact
At Hermitage, our children enjoy and value Design and Technology and know why they are doing things, not just how. Our children will understand and appreciate the value of Design and Technology in the context of their personal wellbeing and in career opportunities, including the creative and cultural industries.
Progress in Design and Technology is demonstrated through regularly reviewing and scrutinising children’s work, to ensure that progression of skills is taking place. This is achieved through the following monitoring:
Looking at pupils’ work and outcomes, especially over time as they gain skills and knowledge.
Observing how children perform in lessons.
Talking to pupils about what they know.
The Design and Technology curriculum will also contribute to our children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. This would be seen with students being able to talk confidently about their work, and sharing their work with others.
Click here to view our 'DT at Hermitage' document or here to read our 'DT Curriculum Coverage Document'.
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English - Reading and Phonics
English - Reading and Phonics
Reading at Hermitage
Intent
At Hermitage we believe that the teaching of reading is one of our most important duties as a school. It is at the very heart of our curriculum and key to children’s success in learning and well-being. We strive to ensure that children develop a passion for reading and make excellent progress, reading fluently and with meaning, able to express their ideas and opinions with confidence, developing language acquisition through high quality texts.
We believe the teaching of reading is integral to a child’s understanding and appreciation of the world around them; a platform that allows our children to see beyond what they know, share in cultural experiences and develop the vocabulary they need to effectively express themselves.
Our reading curriculum strives to foster a lifelong love and habit of reading. We cultivate the behaviours that they will need to be discerning readers as they read frequently and widely using self-regulation strategies and discussion.
We deliberately choose texts that represent a range of different lives, experiences and cultures so that children can both see themselves reflected in the books that they read, and can also develop an understanding of lives and experiences which are different to their own.
Our reading curriculum is accessible for all learners, including children with additional needs. In year 2 and upwards, where the approach is to use one core text with the class, some pupils may require adapted texts to ensure full engagement and to develop their reading skills. Our consistent whole school approach to the teaching of reading will ensure that we close any gaps, enabling the highest possible number of children to achieve well.
Implementation
We teach reading through a carefully organised and robust curriculum. Our curriculum ensures that the Early Learning Goals linked to reading and the National Curriculum Programme of Study are covered for each year group.
English Lessons
Across the school, English lessons are taught through a core text (see English Curriculum map) and children develop their comprehension skills through engaging with the texts through a variety of ways, including drama strategies, retellings and debating, whilst hearing quality texts read aloud every day.
Phonics
In EYFS and Year 1, our children follow The Partnership Phonics Programme, which is a comprehensive systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programme to teach word reading and spelling successfully. High quality phonics is taught every day for 20-25 minutes and children learn the following phases:
In Nursery children learn phase 1 phonics.
In Reception children learn phases 2, 3 and 4 phonics.
In Year 1, children deepen their phonics knowledge through phase 5 sounds.
In Year 2, during the autumn term, children revise phase 5 sounds to consolidate their reading and spelling proficiency.
Children who are falling behind, are identified quickly and have catch-up interventions to support progress. Children who did not complete, and/or pass the PSC at the end of year 1 will need to continue with the phonics programme.
Lessons follow this structure:
Children use sound mats to support them with remembering the sounds for each GPC.
Click here to view our 'Book Choice' document, here for our 'LETTA Trust Daily Decodable Reading Planning Guidance', here for our ' Reading at Hermitage Intent, Implementation and Impact' document, here for our 'THEP Phonics Sounds' and here for our 'English Curriculum Map'.
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English - Writing
English - Writing
How We Choose Books
We put a lot of care and attention into book choice for our English curriculum. We know just how powerful books can be for developing children’s understanding of the world around them, for helping them to feel like they are seen, heard and valued in society and for developing a lifelong love of literature.
Diversity of representation is particularly important to us. Our children engage with texts from a wide range of authors and that represent diverse lives, cultures and experiences. We want children to understand the rich tapestry of unique lives that make up our society and believe that books can be a powerful tool in developing this.
Throughout their time at Hermitage Primary School, children will engage with books that may reflect aspects of their own lives, experiences and cultures. We have deliberately chosen books with our setting and context in mind: for example, we include many books on our curriculum that explore theme of migration such as Beegu in Y1/2, The Last Garden in Y3/4 and Windrush Child in Y5/6. We also deliberately include books which focus on or feature London in the knowledge that this is a common shared experience for all of our children. For example, children explore A Walk in London in Y1/2, Our Tower in Y3/4 and The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries in Y5/6.
We also include books that feature common experiences that all children are likely to encounter such as feeling afraid, making difficult choices, managing friendships and persevering towards goals. We believe encountering these themes in books prepares children for the challenges of real life. These themes may be addressed implicitly or explicitly across a range of contexts. For example, themes of feeling afraid are explored in a range of contexts through Ruby’s Worry in Reception, The Bear Under the Stairs in Y1/2, Escape from Pompeii in Y3/4 and in Boy in the Tower in Y5/6.
We ensure that our books offer wide representation of racial diversity, both in terms of authors as well as characters and significant historical figures that feature in texts. This racial diversity is weaved into the texts that children encounter over the course of their time in primary school so that they develop a deep understanding of our richly diverse society.
We also ensure that our books offer a good balance of gender representation within authors, characters that are featured and significant figures that are explored. The wide range of characters and significant figures that children encounter help to counter gender stereotypes; they read about girls, boys, women and men who demonstrate all kinds of qualities and experience all kinds of emotions.
We believe a good book should inspire questions, prompt discussions that go beyond the text and provoke children to think critically about the world around them. For example, in Y1/2 children ponder the question ‘What are dreams?’ through the text If All the World Were…; in Y3/4 children consider if someone can be both quiet and strong through Cinderella of the Nile, and in Y5/6 children explore the question of what it means to be truly free through The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries.
We seek to make links between texts used in English with wider curriculum subjects where such links are mutually beneficial to support learning. For example, in Reception ‘Seasons Come, Seasons Go’ supports learning about the weather; the picture book Beegu supports History learning in Y1/2 on What is it like here?; in Y3/4 the text Escape from Pompeii supports learning on Volcanoes in Geography, and in Y5/6, children explore The Odyssey to align with their History focus on the Greeks.
Children encounter a wide range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts throughout their time at Hermitage Primary School and encounter classic literature as well as more contemporary books. They will read significant authors as well as lesser-known writers and will engage with picture books (including wordless picture books), graphic novels, chapter books and novels. All books provide opportunities to engage with rich literary language and to develop vocabulary.
By the time children leave Hermitage Primary School, they will have built a rich literary repertoire and a love of reading inspired by that wide range of high quality texts they have engaged with.
Click to read which books we use to teach English (Writing) at Hermitage: English Writing Curriculum. You can also click here for our 'Writing Intent, Implementation and Impact' document or here for our 'Handwriting' document.
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French
French
At Hermitage, the love for languages is embedded across the curriculum from Reception to Year Six. One of our key aims for languages at Hermitage Primary School is for pupils to develop a deep interest in - and appreciation of - other cultures. Through weekly French lessons, pupils develop their communication skills, focusing on acquiring strong speaking and listening skills in the younger year groups and progressing to reading and writing simple French in Years Five and Six.
Our curriculum progressively develops pupils' French language skills, with key words and phrases revisited and applied in different, increasingly complex, scenarios. We use stories, songs, poems and other short texts to develop pupils' language learning skills and strategies. In addition to developing pupils' language skills, we also teach pupils about French culture, language and traditions, celebrating key events throughout the year and offering pupils the opportunity to visit France on a school residential when they reach Key Stage Two.
Click here to view our French Intent, Implementation and Impact document.
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Geography
Geography
Geography at Hermitage
Intent
Our Hermitage Geography Curriculum aims to inspire pupils to become curious and explorative thinkers with a diverse knowledge of the world. We want pupils to develop the confidence to question and observe places, measure and record necessary data in various ways, and analyse and present their findings. Through our programme of study, we aim to build an awareness of how Geography shapes our lives at multiple scales and over time. We aim to encourage pupils to become resourceful, active citizens who will have the skills to contribute to and improve the world around them.
Our programme of study encourages the following:
A strong focus on developing both geographical skills and knowledge.
Critical thinking, with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse evidence.
The development of fieldwork skills across each year group.
A deep interest and knowledge of pupils’ locality and how it differs from other areas of the world.
A growing understanding of geographical concepts, terms and vocabulary.
Our Geography programme aligns with the National Curriculum and enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets. For EYFS, the activities allow pupils to work towards the ‘Understanding the World’ Development Matters statements and Early Learning Goals, while also covering foundational knowledge that will support them in their further geography learning in Key Stage 1.
Implementation
Our Geography Curriculum covers the four attainment strands listed below:
Locational knowledge
Place knowledge
Human and physical geography
Geographical skills and fieldwork
There is a clear progression of skills and knowledge within the four strands across each year group. Our Progression of skills and knowledge shows the skills taught within each year group and how these develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage. Geographical key concepts are woven across all units rather than being taught discretely.
We follow a spiral curriculum, with essential knowledge and skills revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Locational knowledge, in particular, will be reviewed in each unit to coincide with our belief that this will consolidate children’s understanding of key concepts, such as scale and place.
EYFS units provide a solid foundation of geographical skills, knowledge and enquiry for children to transition successfully onto Key Stage 1 Geography learning, whilst also working towards the
Development Matters statements and Early Learning Goals. These units consist of a mixture of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
Cross-curricular links are included throughout.
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History
History
History at Hermitage
Intent
Our Hermitage History scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to be curious and creative thinkers who develop a complex knowledge of local and national history and the history of the wider world. We want pupils to develop the confidence to think critically, ask questions, and be able to explain and analyse historical evidence.
Through our scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of significant events and individuals in global, British and local history and recognise how things have changed over time. History will support children to appreciate the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups. Studying History allows children to appreciate the many reasons why people may behave in the way they do, supporting children to develop empathy for others while providing an opportunity to learn from mankind’s past mistakes. Our History scheme aims to support pupils in building their understanding of chronology in each year group, making connections over periods of time and developing a chronologically-secure knowledge of History.
We aim to develop pupils’ understanding of how historians study the past and construct accounts , as well as growing the skills to carry out their own historical enquiries.
In order to prepare pupils for their future learning in History, our curriculum aims to introduce them to key substantive concepts including power; invasion; settlement and migration; empire; civilisation; religion; trade; achievements of humankind; society and culture.
Hermitage’s History scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National Curriculum. For EYFS, the activities allow pupils to work towards the ‘Understanding the World’ Development Matters statements and Early Learning Goals, while also covering foundational knowledge that will support them in their further history learning in Key stage 1.
Implementation
The Hermitage History Curriculum emphasises the importance of historical knowledge being shaped by disciplinary approaches, as shown in the model below. These strands are interwoven through all our History units to create engaging and enriching learning experiences which allow the children to investigate history as historians do.
Each six-lesson unit has a focus on chronology to allow children to explore the place in time of the period they are studying and make comparisons in other parts of the world. In EYFS, children explore the concept of history by reflecting on key experiences from their own past, helping them understand that they each have their own histories. Then, they engage in activities to compare and contrast characters from stories, including historical figures, deepening their understanding of how individual lives fit into broader historical narratives. Units focus on each of the history-related Development Matters statements (Understanding the World, and Past and Present) and consist of a mixture of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
Children will further develop their awareness of the past in Key stage 1 and will know where people and events fit chronologically. This will support children in building a ‘mental timeline’ they can refer to throughout their learning in Key stage 2 and in identifying connections, contrasts and trends over time.
In Key stage 1 and 2, units are organised around an enquiry-based question and children are encouraged to follow the enquiry cycle (Question, Investigate, Interpret, Evaluate and conclude, Communicate) when answering historical questions.
Over the course of Hermitage’s History curriculum, children develop their understanding of the following key disciplinary concepts:
Change and continuity.
Cause and consequence.
Similarities and differences.
Historical significance.
Historical interpretations.
Sources of evidence.
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MathematicsMathematics
Maths
Intent:
At Hermitage, we know that a strong grasp of mathematics is essential to ensure that children have the skills and knowledge that they need to succeed in life and have a foundation to understanding the world. We aim to help children develop a curiosity about the ways number, shape and space work. This will help the children to enjoy reasoning about the structures, patterns and relationships they observe. We want them to become enthusiastic and courageous learners who can raise questions about mathematical ideas and persevere to solve maths problems, take risks and learn from mistakes. We also want children to understand the importance of mathematics in everyday life and know that it is critical in subjects such as science, technology, and computing.
Implementation:
Knowledge and Skills Progression
We know that to do all this, we need and have a coherent curriculum that helps the children to realise the connections between concepts within and across year groups. This curriculum enables the children to develop a vast amount of knowledge and skills - a strong sense of number and fluency in calculation. This curriculum provides the children with opportunities to think mathematically, experience a variation across concepts and procedures and visit varying representations and structures.
In Athena class, the children engage with a non-subject specific and bespoke curriculum which exposes the children to number, shape and space through the five areas of the engagement model. In Globe class, the children work towards achieving Pre-Key Stage one standards. They engage in subject-specific study with their focus being on areas of maths such as 1:1 correspondence, naming numbers 1-5 and copying and continuing patterns. We use manipulatives and pictorial representations help the children to gain a better understanding of abstract concepts. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the children develop an understanding of numbers to and beyond 20 and master spatial reasoning skills across shape, space and measure. The children do this by the use of both continuous and enhanced provision that provides the children with the opportunity to use organised manipulatives on a daily basis. We develop early language by creating a setting that encourages our youngest learners to be curious, have great models of language and continuous interaction between learners and adults.
Throughout Key Stage One and Two, daily maths lessons are based on White Rose Maths Schemes of work. Teachers also pay attention to the core concepts outlined in the DfE’s Ready to Progress Criteria in their planning. The White Rose schemes support a mastery approach to the teaching and learning of maths. The schemes have number at their heart, promote depth before breadth and develop fluency, reasoning and problem solving. Children build competence in new concepts by following the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach which aids automaticity. Regular assessment of the children’s attainment and progress help teachers adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all children. SEND children are supported through adapted activities and support which helps them to achieve the objective. Children across the school are supported in their development of maths at home using Mathletics enabling them to continue to practise their skills outside of school.
Click here to read our Maths Progression Map and here to view our EYFS Mathematics Progression document.
MusicMusic
Music forms a key part of our curriculum at Hermitage. We are a percussion specialist school which means external tutors teach African drumming for EYFS to Year 2, Glockenspiels for Years 3 and 4 and Steel Pans for Years 5 and 6.
Pupils learn how to recognise and repeat a rhythm, to read simple notation and to perform in an ensemble.
Each term culminates in a Festival of Music, where students enjoy singing and playing their instruments together.
In addition to their weekly lessons, Key Stage 2 pupils work with a professional musician to compose and perform their own songs on a theme, learning about an era of musical history to create songs in a particular style.
It is incredible to witness each student's progress in expression, clarity and confidence from regular performances!
Click here to see our 'Music Intent, Implementation and Impact' document.
Physical EducationPhysical Education
Hermitage PE Curriculum
Intent
At Hermitage, we aim to ensure that all of our pupils are encourage to lead healthy, active lives and that they spend a good proportion of their day being physically active. We offer them the opportunity to engage in competitive sports and activities and aim to help them to develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities.
We want our children to enjoy PE and to understand the importance of living an active lifestyle. We want our children to enjoy PE and to understand the importance of living an active lifestyle. We recognise that there has been an increase in the number of pupils who are obese, particularly since the pandemic (Nuffield Trust) and also that many of our pupils fall into two categories of risk - our school includes 65% Asian pupils (26% of Asian pupils were found to be obese in Nuffield Trust’s 2023 survey compared to 23% of pupils nationally) and 39% of our pupils are classed as deprived (32% of 11-year-old children living in the most deprived areas were found to be obese, compared to 23% nationally.) We recognise that the vast majority of our pupils live in homes which do not have access to private outside space and many of our children are not given sufficient opportunities to play outside. We are lucky to have a large playground and two halls, in a pleasant, unpolluted environment. As such, we want to give our pupils the chances to be outside which they may not be offered at home!
In addition to their bi-weekly PE lessons, we aim to offer our pupils a variety of additional opportunities to pursue active lifestyles. We do this through lunchtime and after school clubs and optional activities where pupils are able to choose from participation in a range of different sports and games. In addition, we participate in a number of inter-school sports competitions, including boccia, football and hockey.
Our promotion of healthy lifestyles in complemented through our provision of free school lunches, cooked on-site, which were recently recognised (Summer 2024) as winners of the Tower Hamlets ‘Best Kitchen’ award. Pupils are offered a wide range of food through a tri-weekly rotating menu, which offers a wide range of healthy options to meet all dietary requirements. Healthy lifestyle are further encouraged through our cross-curricular links to science and PE and through participation in the Eco-Schools programme; gardening, cookery and cycle safety lessons.
Implementation
In the Early Years, physical development is taught on a daily basis as part of the continuous provision, ensuring that children are provided with rich, varied opportunities to grow and develop their physical skills. Our Physical Development Curriculum, aligned with the LETTA Trust, outlines key milestones, goals, and activities tailored to support children’s physical growth from early childhood through to Year 1. This curriculum focuses on the development of both gross motor skills and fine motor skills, as well as health and self-care, and extends to educational activities across Physical Education, PSHE (Personal, Social, and Health Education), and Design and Technology.
Each section of the curriculum provides clear expectations for physical development across different terms—Autumn, Spring, and Summer—while setting specific goals for each stage of development, from nursery and reception levels to the Early Learning Goals (ELG) and Year 1 outcomes. In addition to this daily approach to physical development, pupils also benefit from weekly PE sessions based on the Complete PE scheme that cover broad skill areas, such as body movements, hand-eye coordination, footwork, and team games. These sessions provide a structured yet engaging environment for children to develop both physical competence and confidence.
This approach seamlessly transitions into Key Stage 1 and 2, where we continue to use the Complete PE scheme of work to teach PE from Years 1-6. The scheme provides detailed plans to ensure progressive and comprehensive coverage of skills. In the Early Years and Key Stage 1, pupils begin to develop their physical abilities through broad skill-based areas, such as ‘Hands’, ‘Feet’, and ‘Invasion Games’. These units focus on building coordination and teamwork.
As pupils progress into Key Stage 2, they build on these foundational skills and develop a deeper understanding of specific sports and games, including rounders, tag rugby, football, and handball. Additionally, pupils have the opportunity to explore and enhance their skills in dance, athletics, and gymnastics, which are integrated into their PE curriculum throughout both Key Stage 1 and 2. This ensures a structured progression in their physical development, with increasingly complex activities and a broadened understanding of various physical disciplines.
In the Athena Unit, our bespoke provision for children with autism, physical development is embedded within a non-subject specific curriculum that is tailored to meet the unique needs of each pupil. Drawing from the Engagement Model, we provide opportunities for pupils to explore physical activities through five key areas: exploration, realisation, anticipation, persistence, and initiation. This approach allows pupils to engage at their own level and pace, fostering individual growth and development. Physical activities are designed to be sensory-rich and motivating, supporting the children’s engagement with both their bodies and the environment.
Pupils in the Athena Unit are taught and assessed using a developmental approach based on the birth-to-5 model, ensuring that their progress is tracked in relation to their specific developmental stages. The bespoke curriculum emphasises flexibility, personalisation, and tailored support, enabling all pupils to access physical development in ways that are meaningful and appropriate to their individual needs. By incorporating sensory exploration and purposeful movement within the framework of the Engagement Model, we ensure that physical development is not only a key focus but a deeply integrated part of each pupil's learning journey.
We use the Complete PE scheme of work to teach PE from Years 1-6. The scheme uses detailed plans to ensure progressive and comprehensive coverage. In the Early Years and Key Stage One, pupils begin to develop their skills through broad skills based areas, including ‘Hands’, ‘Feet’ and ‘Invasion Games.’ In these units, pupils develop their co-ordination and team playing skills. In Key Stage Two, pupils build on these skills and develop their understanding of how to play specific games, including rounders, tag rugby, football and handball.
Click here to read our PE Curriculum Overview.
PSHEPSHE
Intent
At Hermitage Primary School, we teach Personal, Social, Health Education as a whole-school approach to underpin children’s development as people, and because we believe that this also supports their learning capacity.
The Jigsaw Programme offers us a comprehensive, carefully thought-through Scheme of Work which brings consistency and progression to our children’s learning in this vital curriculum area.
The overview of the programme can be seen on the school website.
This also supports the “Personal Development” and “Behaviour and Attitude” aspects evaluated under the Ofsted Inspection Framework, as well as significantly contributing to the school’s Safeguarding and Equality Duties, the Government’s British Values agenda and the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) development opportunities provided for our children.
We want all of our pupils to have the skills and knowledge required to navigate the challenges of the modern world. In addition to the formal PSHE lessons, we embed our expectations through our core values :'Caring, Clever, Courageous and Creative' and our school motto: All Different; All Equal. Hermitage strives to be a fully inclusive school and we want to teach pupils that everyone is welcome in our school community.
Implementation
To ensure progression and a spiral curriculum, we use Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, as our chosen teaching and learning programme and tailor it to children’s needs. The mapping document: Jigsaw 3-11 and statutory Relationships and Health Education, jigsaw-3-11-and-rshe-overview-map.pdf (windows.net), shows exactly how Jigsaw and therefore our school, meets the statutory Relationships and Health Education requirements. We include the statutory Relationships and Health Education within our whole-school PSHE Programme.This programme’s complimentary update policy ensures we are always using the most up to date teaching materials and that our teachers are well-supported.Our PSHE policy is informed by existing DfE guidance:
Jigsaw covers all areas of PSHE for the primary phase including statutory Relationships and Health Education. The table below gives the learning theme of each of the six Puzzles (units) and these are taught across the school; the learning deepens and broadens every year. You can read the full curriculum overview by clicking on the link at the end of this column.
At Hermitage Primary, we allocate 1 hour per week to PSHE in order to teach the PSHE knowledge and skills in a developmental and age-appropriate way.
These explicit lessons are reinforced and enhanced in many ways:
On Mondays, we have a 'values' assembly, where pupils learn about the core values through stories and the celebration of special events. On Wednesdays, we have a 'festivals' assembly, where pupils learn about key festivals celebrated by people of different faiths around the world. On Fridays, we have a 'celebrations' assembly, were we come together to celebrate our Stars of the Week, Attendance cup winners and special achievements. We aim to ‘live’ what is learnt and apply it to everyday situations in the school community.
Class teachers deliver the weekly lessons to their own classes.
Relationships Education
Relationships Education in primary schools covers ‘Families and people who care for me’, ‘Caring friendships’, ‘Respectful relationships’, ‘Online relationships’, and ‘Being safe’.
The expected outcomes for each of these elements can be found further on in this policy. The way the Jigsaw Programme covers these is explained in the mapping document: Jigsaw 3-11 and Statutory Relationships and Health Education.
Whilst the Relationships Puzzle (unit) in Jigsaw covers most of the statutory Relationships Education, some of the outcomes are also taught elsewhere in Jigsaw e.g. the Celebrating Difference Puzzle helps children appreciate that there are many types of family composition and that each is important to the children involved. This holistic approach ensures the learning is reinforced through the year and across the curriculum.
Health Education in primary schools will cover ‘Mental wellbeing’, ‘Internet safety and harms’, Physical health and fitness’, Healthy eating’, ‘Drugs, alcohol and tobacco’, ‘Health and prevention’, ‘Basic First Aid’, ‘Changing adolescent body’.
Whilst the Healthy Me Puzzle (unit) in Jigsaw covers most of the statutory Health Education, some of the outcomes are taught elsewhere in Jigsaw e.g. emotional and mental health is nurtured every lesson through the Calm me time, social skills are grown every lesson through the Connect us activity and respect is enhanced through the use of the Jigsaw Charter.
At Hermitage Primary School, we believe children should understand the facts about human reproduction before they leave primary school so we teach Sex Education in Year Six.
We define Sex Education as understanding human reproduction. We teach this in Year 6, as part of the 'Changing Me' unit of work in the Summer Term. Whilst all pupils will take part in the lessons on puberty, parents have the right to withdraw their child from the lessons on Sex Education. A letter will be sent prior to teaching Sex Education in Summer 2 and parents will be invited to email the office, should they wish to withdraw their child from these lessons, which will take place over the course of one day
Impact
The efficacy of our PSHE programme of study is largely observed through the positive interactions which take place between pupils, their peers and staff on a day-to-day basis. We are very proud of our children's positive attitudes, good manners and considerate behaviour. Where issues do arise, we arrange additional input for individuals and classes with our learning mentor; meet with pupils and parents and adapt the programme of study to include additional lessons to address pupils' misconceptions, as needed. We are regularly complimented on our pupils' excellent behaviour and attitudes and are proud to work in such a calm and happy school.
Click here to read our 'PSHE Curriculum Overview', here for our PSHE Overview Map, here for our 'PSHE overview map with working at statements', or here<
Religious EducationReligious Education
At Hermitage Primary School, we follow the Tower Hamlets syllabus for RE using Jigsaw RE, supplemented with additional trips, events and visits.
Jigsaw RE is an enquiry-based scheme of work, covering the principal world faiths and humanism in a progressive way from Nursery to Year 6. Throughout the school, RE learning is organised around the Tower Hamlets themes of 'Believing,' 'Expressing' and 'Living.' In the early years, the learning is closely matched to Development Matters to contribute meaningfully to your child’s holistic development. Throughout all the enquiries, the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is carefully considered.
Each enquiry lasts for half a term and begins with a “big” question such as “What is the best way for a Christian/Jew/Muslim etc. to show commitment to God?” The children then start discussing the theme of the enquiry (in this case, commitment) from their own experience. What have they shown commitment to? Brownies? Cubs? Their sporting team? Playing an instrument?
Only when the children fully understand the concept they are considering do they then move on to investigating what the people following the studied religion or worldview believe about it. They will spend approximately 3 lessons on this, learning in a variety of ways, so they can adapt their responses and come to a measured conclusion. Weekly learning is broken down into component aspects of the topic, which fit together to build pupils' understanding over time.
In Week 5, they will complete an activity which can assess their learning, by answering their “big” question. The assessment activities are child friendly and can be answered in a variety of ways, as long as the child can justify their view with the knowledge they have gained throughout the enquiry. This demonstrates the level of critical thinking that the children can apply – a valuable skill for them throughout the school curriculum.
The final week in every enquiry gives the children time to reflect on what they have learnt about the concept and apply to it their own lives, allowing them to form their own beliefs and identity. For example, learning that Sikhs share their food with all who attend has taught me ... about sharing that I would like to take forward with me. These lessons are often very creative and children have opportunities to make items to express themselves in ways other than just writing. In this way, children with different and no religions are encouraged to draw parallels between their own beliefs and those of other people and to reflect upon the type of person that they wish to be.
Jigsaw RE gives schools a choice of which religions to teach in different year groups. At Hermitage, we wanted to ensure that pupils learnt about both Abrahamic (monotheistic, believing in one God) religions and Dharmic (polytheistic, believing in multiple Gods and Goddesses) religions, as well as about Humanism. As such, pupils learn about common themes and elements of religion and how they relate to their own lives in the Early Years (such as 'What makes people special to me and others?) before progressing to learn about Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma) in Years 1 and 2. In Key Stage Two, this knowledge is built upon and developed, with children investigating aspects of religious practice and interpretation of key stories in Years 3 and 4. Understanding is consolidated in Years 5 and 6 through a recurrent theme of how people from different religions show commitment to God. In Key Stage Two, the range of religions studied is expanded to include Buddhism, Sikhism and Humanism.
In addition to the Jigsaw RE units, we help pupils to understand variation within religions by arranging visits to places of worship and inviting visitors in to talk to the pupils about their beliefs. Throughout our teaching, the emphasis is on our school motto of 'All Different: All Equal.' We believe that learning about a wide range of different religions contributes to our pupils' understanding of equality and acceptance in our multi-cultural society.
Click here to read our 'RE Policy', here for our RE Curriculum overview and here for our 'Subject Leader Questions' document.
ScienceScience
Science at Hermitage
Intent
Through the study of science at Hermitage, our children will develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena and an understanding of how the scientific community contributes to the past, present and future.
Our curriculum aims for pupils to develop a complex knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics but also adopt a broad range of skills in working scientifically and beyond. The scheme of work is inclusive and meaningful so all pupils may experience the joy of science and make associations between their science learning and their lives outside the classroom. Studying science allows pupils to appreciate how new knowledge and skills can be fundamental to solving arising global challenges.
The curriculum aims to encourage critical thinking, empowering pupils to question the hows and whys of the world around them.
Our science curriculum promotes:
A strong focus on developing knowledge alongside scientific skills across biology, chemistry and physics.
Curiosity and excitement about familiar and unknown observations.
Challenging misconceptions and demystifying truths.
Continuous progression by building on practical and investigative skills across all units.
Critical thinking, with the ability to ask perceptive questions and explain and analyse evidence.
Development of scientific literacy using wide-ranging, specialist vocabulary.
This science scheme of work supports pupils in meeting the Early Learning Goals for Understanding the world (The Natural world) and the end of key stage attainment targets set out in the National curriculum.
Implementation
To meet the aims of the National curriculum for science and the Early Learning Goals, our scheme of work incorporate the following key strands:
Scientific knowledge and understanding of:
Biology: living organisms and vital processes;
Chemistry: matter and its properties;
Physics: how the world we live in ‘works’.
Working scientifically: processes and methods of science to answer questions about the world around us.
Science in action: uses and implications of science in the past, present and for the future.
Hermitage’s Science scheme is a spiral curriculum, with essential knowledge and skills revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. A range of engaging recall activities promotes frequent pupil reflection on prior learning, ensuring new learning is approached with confidence. The Science in action strand is interwoven throughout the scheme to make the concepts and skills relevant to pupils and inspiring for future application.
Each unit is based on one of the key science disciplines: biology, chemistry and physics. The National curriculum content has been grouped into six key areas of science to show progression throughout the school:
Plants
Animals, including humans.
Living things and habitats.
Materials.
Energy.
Forces, Earth and space.
Pupils explore knowledge and conceptual understanding through engaging activities and an introduction to relevant, specialist vocabulary. ‘Working scientifically skills’ are integrated with conceptual understanding rather than taught discretely to provide frequent but relevant opportunities for developing scientific enquiry skills. The programme of study utilises practical activities that aid in the progression of individual skills and provide opportunities for full investigations. Children receive weekly science lessons which last between one and half to two hours.
You can also view our progression documents here: