Primary Curriculum

Early Reading

At Kettering Buccleuch Academy we aim to create a stimulating environment in which children are actively encouraged to enjoy books, and are motivated to want to read independently. We strive to ensure that our children become successful, fluent readers by the end of Key Stage One. We believe that this is achievable through high quality, discrete teaching of phonics. Our children should read effectively for different purposes, across all subjects, and acquire the key phonics skills and understand the rules governing the structure of language.

Reading

At Kettering Buccleuch Academy (Primary) we know that English is a fundamental life skill. English develops children’s ability to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of purposes. Children are enabled to express themselves creatively and imaginatively as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama, as well as of non-fiction and media texts. Children gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Children use their knowledge, skills and understanding in speaking and writing across a range of different situations. We aim for our children to write as readers and read as writers. The Reading Journey is underpinned by the ethos of the teacher being the reading expert. This enables children to be immersed by high-quality text, not having a roof put on their learning because of their reading age.

Writing

To teach the skills of writing in KS1 and KS2 at Kettering Buccleuch Academy (Primary), we use a genre driven approach which covers a balance of non-fiction and narrative. To ensure that the children enjoy and progress in English, we use engaging, interesting texts and topics to inspire our units of work.  When children start in year 1, a rotation of activities is used up to Christmas while children’s independence is still being developed.  Each year group has an overview of genres to be taught in each term which is followed to ensure adequate coverage.

Gov.uk National Curriculum

Click here to see our Secondary English curriculum

At KBA, we believe that being a confident and able mathematician is essential in ensuring that our pupils are given the best life chances possible. We understand that maths is vital for making sense of the world around us by seeing patterns and making connections. Our goal is that our pupils develop a curiosity about maths, which is seen, most importantly, as a matrix of skills and knowledge. In maths, we teach to mastery. This ensures that no child is left behind. If a concept is not understood, we reteach it but in a different way.

At KBA, we have adopted the White Rose Maths curriculum. 

Gov.uk National Curriculum

Click here to see our Secondary Maths curriculum

The principal focus of science teaching is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. In the Early Years they will be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice.

They will develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time for example planting bulbs, noticing patterns in nature, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using written and visual resources or by asking another person. They will learn simple scientific language which they will use in their written work as well as when share their ideas during class, home and topic talk. 

Click here to see our Secondary Science curriculum

The curriculum is enriched by children bringing in learning from home, participating in end of term Expos, visiting educational and natural areas of interest, visitors to school demonstrating and sharing their knowledge and skills and having the opportunity to participate in after and before school activities that are either organised by the academy or by local groups and organisations.

We are committed to having a balanced and fair curriculum. We believe that our pupils should be exposed to ideas and concepts that may challenge their understanding to help ensure that pupils learn to become more accepting and inclusive of others. Challenging concepts will be delivered in a way that prevents discrimination and instead promotes inclusive attitudes. We will also respect the right of parents to withdraw their children from classes which pose conflicts to their own beliefs.