As Jesus welcomes and values children, we at St Michael’s aspire to welcome and value all members of our community. We believe that this welcome and value provides opportunities for all to succeed. Matthew 18: 2-5

 

At Coningsby St Michael’s C of E Primary School, our curriculum is child centred and designed to ensure every learner can reach their full potential. It reflects our vision, and the principles of the Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust (LAAT): excellence, encouragement, equity, and inclusion. We aim to provide a rich, broad, and balanced curriculum that nurtures every child academically, socially, and spiritually.

Our Curriculum:

Our curriculum is carefully structured to ensure that both substantive knowledge (the key facts, concepts and content within each subject) and disciplinary knowledge (the skills and thinking processes that allow pupils to work like historians, scientists, artists, and geographers) are built upon progressively throughout a child's school journey. Each subject is carefully sequenced to revisit and deepen prior learning, enabling pupils to make meaningful connections and apply their understanding in increasingly sophisticated ways. Assessment is integral to this process, and we use a range of formative and summative approaches to check understanding, identify gaps and inform next steps. This ensures that learning is secure and that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education. Our assessment model values progress over time and celebrates mastery, while also supporting those who need additional help through targeted interventions.

Reading and Phonics:

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum because it unlocks access to all areas of learning. We are committed to ensuring every child becomes a confident, fluent reader through a systematic approach using Read, Write Inc for early phonics and decoding. This is a structured approach to early reading and writing. The programme builds strong foundations in phonics, enabling children to decode words accurately and develop comprehension skills. As children progress, we immerse them in a rich diet of high-quality texts that span a range of genres, cultures, and subject disciplines. These texts are carefully chosen to inspire curiosity, deepen knowledge and provide many meaningful contexts for learning. Our approach ensures that reading is not confined to English lessons but woven throughout the wider curriculum. In history, geography, science, and the arts, pupils engage with authentic, challenging texts that build subject specific vocabulary and comprehension. This text led approach supports critical thinking, enables children to make connections across subjects, fostering a love of reading and learning.

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education):

Alongside academic development, we embed the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values are woven through our curriculum and school life; helping children to understand diversity, embrace difference, and develop respect for each other. We aim to prepare children to thrive as responsible, compassionate citizens in modern Britain.

Unconditional Positive Regard:

Central to our approach, is Unconditional Positive Regard. This means we value every child as a unique individual worthy of respect, and capable of success. We believe that every pupil, regardless of background, ability, or circumstance, deserves to feel safe, respected and supported. Our staff build strong, trusting relationships that foster confidence and self-belief, creating an environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities to develop and grow. Through this ethos, we nurture resilience, empathy, and a sense of belonging, ensuring that every child feels empowered to achieve their full potential.

Enrichment:

Enrichment and cultural capital are integral to our curriculum. We believe that learning extends beyond the classroom, so we provide a wide range of opportunities that broaden horizons and deepen children's understanding of the world. Our offer includes after school clubs that nurture talents and interests, themed experience days that bring learning to life, and visits from external specialists who deliver inspiring workshops. Educational trips allow people to engage with real world context, connect with our local heritage and explore other diverse cultures. These experiences enhance academic learning but also build confidence, curiosity, a sense of belonging, and prepare children to thrive as active citizens in modern Britain.

Forest School:

Outdoor learning is an essential part of our curriculum that provides our children with rich opportunities for exploration, creativity and connection with nature. Our Forest school sessions are led by a fully accredited Forest school leader. Our forest school provision goes beyond outdoor play it is a purposeful approach that nurtures resilient problem solving and teamwork. These experiences encourage collaboration amongst pupils fostering trust and shared responsibility. They also offer moments of reflection and all, deepening our spiritual understanding and appreciation of God's creation. Through outdoor learning, our children develop confidence independence while engaging with activities that strengthen their sense of belonging and community.

Inclusion and SEND:

We champion inclusive practise throughout our school, ensuring that every child can access a curriculum tailored to their needs. Our approach includes carefully planned adaptations and personalised support, so all learners regardless of ability and background can thrive. We are proud to have a dedicated centre, which reflects our commitment to equity of offer and specialist provision for pupils with additional needs. The SEND Hub provides targeted intervention and expert guidance in a nurturing environment, where every child feels valued and supported. Through collaboration with families and external professionals we ensure that our inclusive ethos is lived out in every classroom. We recognise that every child learns differently, so we use a range of adaptive strategies, resources, and interventions to ensure all pupils can access and succeed within our curriculum. This includes the use of manipulatives and widgets that are used to create visual scaffolds and representations that help pupils grasp abstract concepts. Alongside classroom adaptations, we implement targeted interventions to address specific learning needs. These include small groups and 1-2-1 sessions focused on phonics, reading fluency, core skills in maths, programmes for speech and language development, fine motor skills and social communication. Interventions are carefully planned, monitored, and reviewed to ensure impact and alignment with our progressive curriculum model. Our approach is proactive and inclusive, and interventions are not seen as separate from the curriculum but as an integral part of enabling every child to thrive.

Pastoral and Family Support:

We place the highest importance on the emotional well-being of our peoples and their families. Our pastoral offer is comprehensive and tailored to meet individual needs, that ensure every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn. We provide access to a wide range of therapeutical interventions including Lego therapy, sand play therapy, mindfulness sessions, dog therapy and emotional regulation. Our ELSA (emotional, literacy, support assistant) works closely with children to develop resilience, self-awareness and coping strategies. We also use innovative approaches such as ‘feeling detectives,’ to help children understand emotions effectively. For pupils who need sensory input to regulate and focus, we offer sensory circuits as part of their daily routine. These interventions alongside strong partnerships with families create a nurturing environment where every child can succeed. Our commitment to pastoral care reflects our belief that well-being is a foundation for success and happiness in school and beyond.

Christian Distinctiveness and Spirituality:

Our curriculum is rooted in Christian values and reflects our identity as a Church of England school. Daily worship is central to school life, providing opportunities for prayer, reflection and spiritual growth. Collective worship is inclusive and inspiring, drawing on biblical teaching and themes that connect to our vision of Believe Aspire and Succeed. Children are actively involved through our church school council, which help shape worship and ensures that children have a voice in how faith is lived out in school. Christian distinctiveness is also woven through our curriculum using text links and experiences that explore faith, morality and spirituality. Children engage with Bible stories and texts that encourage reflection and discussion. Experiences to our parish church, and participation in key Christian festivals and links with the wider faith community deepen our understanding and celebrate our shared values. We nurture a sense of belonging and spiritual development across school. Spirituality is practised daily in every class. It is explored through reflection, discussion, and creative experiences, and celebrated as an integral part of our school life.

Community Links:

Community is at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that strong relationships within, and beyond our school enrich learning and nurture a sense of belonging. A partnership with families, the local RAF community, and our parish church, create opportunities for shared experiences, mutual support, and collective celebration. These connections help pupils understand their place in the wider world, foster respect, empathy and responsibility. We engage with our local heritage and embrace diversity; we prepare children to thrive as active citizens in modern Britain while remaining rooted in the values that unite us. We actively involve parents in the life of our school, inviting them to join us in celebrating learning and success, and share in the key Christian events throughout the year. These opportunities strengthen the partnership between home and school and ensure families feel valued and connected to their child's educational journey.