At Windmill Primary, we are committed to ensuring that all children learn to read as a key life skill and become lifelong readers.  Reading is prioritised on our timetable as we recognise this as a gateway to all learning.

As a Read Write Inc. school, we use this recommended synthetic phonics scheme as our approach to teaching early reading, which begins from every pupil’s first day in school. 

Alongside our phonics approach, reading is celebrated daily through class story and reading for pleasure sessions. Following on from phonics children will be intorduced to the skills required for reading comprehensio through the Schofield and Sims complete comprehension progreamme. In KS2 the children are taught through the Ashley Booth Reading programme, where children’s understanding and comprehension is developed. A love of reading is promoted through high-quality texts from a variety of authors throughout the school. 

Our English Subject Lead is: Miss. B. Cooper

Our Phonics Lead is: Mrs. C. Wetherell

We believe that knowledge, understanding and the successful application of the English language is a fundamental life skill; it develops children’s ability to communicate their experiences, desires and knowledge effectively and successfully. Throughout our school, we aim to nurture and develop independent writers through purposeful, engaging and developmental lessons which link to our rich and stimulating creative curriculum work.

During our Talk for Writing lessons, we support our children to express themselves creatively and imaginatively, as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama; as well as non-fiction and media texts. Our children also gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins and use their knowledge, skills and understanding across a range of different situations. The daily talk for writing lessons are linked to the current national curriculum objectives. The units of work begin with a cold write which is an independent piece of writing to assess previous understanding and knowledge. The children then repeat this task at the end of the unit as a hot write. This showcases the progress and learning that have taken place across the unit.

Our English Subject Lead is: Miss. B. Cooper

The teaching of maths is taught using White Rose Maths, which teaches the children, through each year group, to progress through the National Curriculum logically and in a way that supports teaching for mastery. 

White Rose Maths helps children develop their conceptual understanding of mathematics by using concrete objects, pictorial representations and abstract thinking. This inclusive approach is based on the principles of cognitive psychology and child development. The curriulum has been deisgned to provide children with a solid foundation in mathamatics.

This program is not just about teaching maths, it is about developing mathematcial thinking skills. The aim of this program is to ensure that students are able to think mathematically and solve problems with confidence.

"Our aim is for young mathematicians to become:

• Confident and able to recall and apply mathematical knowledge in different contexts
• Able to explain their methods and thinking processes and apply skills in context
• Fluent in different areas of maths
• Efficient in applying problem-solving and reasoning skills
• Independent thinkers
• Making number work fun Maths
• Aware of the Maths/ concepts/ process they are doing"

Our Maths Subject Lead is: Mrs. B. King

Across the school, we teach Science using the CUSP curriculum, which pays close attention to guidance provided by the National Curriculum sequence and content. Our ambitious Science curriculum has the intention of increasing children’s ability to think scientifically, enriching children’s vocabulary and wider view of the world, and putting what they learn into practice.

The following core concepts underpin our teaching of Science and we strive to weave these concepts into each unit we teach:

• Identifying and classifying
• Pattern making
• Research
• Observing over time
• Fair and comparative testing

The methodology for teaching Science at Windmill Primary School is to provide opportunities for children to develop their questioning skills, ignite curiosity and to widen their knowledge of the world and how it works. We want our children to respond proactively and positively to problem solving challenges and strive to learn more about the “how” and “why” of the world around us and beyond. We recognise that ‘our children are the future’ and they need to be equipped with the necessary skills to take risks, become resourceful, innovative, and questioning in order to become capable citizens.

We also recognise that Science encompasses a broad range of subject knowledge and draws on disciplines from the wider world such as mathematics, engineering, computing and geography. We believe making these curriculum connections are essential components that help to engage and connect our children with the opportunities Science provide.

By the time our children leave Windmill Primary they will have the skills, knowledge and experience to have a level of independent thinking to carry through to their future education and into their lives beyond the classroom.

Our Science Subject Lead is: Mrs. N. Hanzlik

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Emotional) curriculum at Windmill Primary, is taught using the scheme SCARF

What's in Whole-school SCARF?

Whole-school SCARF builds on the SCARF values of Safety, Caring Achievement, Resilience and Friendship, with a comprehensive and flexible toolkit to help strengthen your school's approach to pupil and staff mental wellbeing.  SCARF toolkit will help keep children in our school safe, mentally well, ready for learning and able to develop the skills needed to grow into caring, respectful citizens who can achieve their full potential.

SCARF lessons meet the Relationships Education and Health Education requirements as set out by the DfE.

Our PSHE Subject Lead is: Miss. K. Catlin

At Windmill Primary we consistently promote children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development helping them to have a greater understanding of their place in the world, and their rights and responsibilities to other people. We follow the Northamptonshire agreed syllabus 2018-2023.

The purpose of RE is to develop religious literacy and is taught as a distinct academic subject. The essential outcomes for RE are therefore related to the knowledge and understanding of religion and worldviews and are rooted in a multi-disciplinary understanding of the subject. This provides a balanced diet ensuring that pupils are seeing religion and worldviews through different lenses, and places RE within a strong, and well-established academic tradition.

At Windmill Primary, we want to promote religious understanding and respect and to challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping. We enable our pupils to appreciate their own and others’ beliefs and cultures, helping them to develop a clear understanding of the significance of religion in their own area as well in the world today.

We aim for our children to be able to hold a balanced and well-informed conversation about religion and belief which is underpinned by a deep respect for all. In order to fulfil this purpose, we provide a balance of theology, philosophy and human/social sciences within our RE lessons. As a result of the accumulation of essential knowledge, pupils’ cultural capital and religious understanding will be substantial and will provide a secure foundation that will enable them to succeed in the next stage of their education.  We want them to know how religious education promotes tolerance and combats prejudice, producing positive citizens, preparing them for adult life, employment and life-long learning.

Our RE Subject Lead is: Mrs. L. Cramphorn

PE at Windmill Primary, is taught through the PE Hub.  

The PE Hub is designed to support the development of skills and physical literacy within sports. It is fully aligned to the National Curriculum and focuses on the development of agility, balance and coordination, healthy competition and cooperative learning.

In EYFS the children will be focusing on; body movement, which looks at balance and managing their own body, manipulation and coordination, which looks at sending and receiving objects and coordinating different body parts in a variety of activities, cooperation and problem solving, which looks at working in teams to sort objects and make shapes together, and speed agility travel, which looks at changing direction at speed through both choice and instructions.

KS1 will focus on developing their skills through a variety of different activities. This allows the children to be ready to learn specific sports once they are in KS2.

KS2 will continue the development of skills, as well as using their previous skills to play a variety of sports. Some sports continue in all year groups so that the skills can build over the years and other sports will be using skills that they have learnt in a previous sport to further their development.  

Our PE Subject Lead is: Miss. N. Anniwell.

 Throughout the school, children explore how Computing both affects and helps us on a daily basis. This enables them to develop their digital literacy and, computational thinking and creativity. It also helps them to understand the ever-evolving world we are part of and provides them with skills that will one day enable them to change it.

We do this by developing their skills in multiple areas:

• Computer Science – where pupils are taught about how digital systems work, the principles of computation and how to put this into practice through programming. We do this using various programs such as Scratch and Python and by using programmable toys and devices.
• Information Technology, multimedia and word processing – using programs such as Microsoft Office (Word, Publisher, PowerPoint etc.) and devices such as laptops and iPads to develop everyday skills.
• Digital media – using computing software and hardware to create videos, music, art etc.
• Data management – using programs such as Microsoft Excel to create spreadsheets, tables and graphs.
• Online safety – making sure that the children develop their understanding of the digital world and what they need to do to be safe. We do this both in individual classes and as a whole school.

Our Computing Subject Lead is: Mr. D. Smith

Our History curriculum will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. At Windmill Primary the teaching of History will equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Our History Subject Leads are: Mrs. K. Langley

The Geography curriculum, at Windmill Primary, will equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world will help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

Our curriculum is structured to introduce and revisit knowledge, following the principles of instruction, guided by understanding how the memory works and cognitive load theory.

Our Geography Subject Leads are: Mrs. A. Butcher

Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern, line and shape and tone using   different materials and processes. Children become involved in shaping their environments through art and design activities. They learn to make informed judgements and aesthetic and practical decisions. They explore ideas and meanings through the work of artists and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art throughout history, and different cultures, they can explore the impact and how it contributes to the culture and creativity of our nation. The appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enriches all our lives.

Our Art & Design Subject Leads are:  Mrs. N. Gridley

Design and Technology is an exciting and creative subject which allows pupils to use their imagination and creativity while at the same time teaching practical skills and problem solving. Pupils will design and make products to solve problems which are relevant to their own and others’ needs. They will make links with other subject areas such as mathematics, science, computing and art. By taking risks they will learn to adapt and modify their designs, which they will then evaluate, providing valuable experience which will be taken forward to future projects.

High quality Design and Technology education provides opportunities to inspire and encourage those who will go on to be future innovators and who will make an impact on the world around them.

Our Design & Technology Subject Leads are: Mrs. H. Randall

We believe that Music increases emotional well-being and confidence. At Windmill Primary we recognise the importance of Music and the positive effect that it can have on children’s relationships. Developing a love for music from different places helps the children to gain a greater understanding of the world and develop their vocabulary. We aim to provide a sense of enjoyment and give opportunities for the children to develop a positive attitude that inspires them to develop a love and appreciation of music. From the beginning, children develop skills in singing, composing and improvisation.  We give opportunities to perform solo and group pieces in class, in assemblies and in seasonal productions, in order to encourage and celebrate individual talent and to foster confident performers. There is an opportunity for each child to play a tuned or un-tuned instrument to gain experience in making music.

Our Music Subject Lead is: Mrs. J. Cox

Learning a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils. It is vital to helping them become a global citizen and appreciate the language, culture, religion and people of another country; appreciating their similarities and differences. Furthermore, it helps pupils to develop their communication skills, including key skills of speaking and listening, extending their vocabulary and developing their knowledge of how language works.

Though teaching a foreign language at Windmill Primary we aim:

• To foster an interest in language learning by introducing children to another language in a way that is enjoyable and accessible to all;
• To stimulate and encourage children’s curiosity about language;
• To support oracy and literacy, and in particular develop speaking and listening skills. In turn this will encourage positive relationships in which children are confident to practise and improve their developing language skills.
• To help children develop their awareness of cultural similarities and differences and provide a vehicle for multi-cultural understanding; extending their knowledge and understanding of the world.
• To lay the foundations for future language study.

At Windmill Primary, the pupils learn the French language 

Our Languages Subject Lead is: Mrs. R. Tracey