Our Curriculum

Welcome to our curriculum page.

Our ambitious and evidence-informed curriculum

At John Wilkinson Primary School and Nursery, our curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that all children develop secure foundational knowledge, build understanding cumulatively over time, and are fully prepared for the next stage of their education and for life beyond school.

Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and evidence-informed. It is rooted in the belief that every child, whatever their background or starting point, can succeed — and in the remarkable place we call home. We sit in the Ironbridge Gorge, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and carry the name of John ‘Iron-Mad’ Wilkinson; the inventive, hands-on, rooted spirit of that heritage runs through everything we teach. We prioritise strong foundations in reading, writing, spelling, mathematics and spoken language, recognising that these are the essential gateways to wider learning and future success.

Learning is deliberately sequenced so that new knowledge builds purposefully on what has come before. Pupils are supported to know more, remember more and connect their learning, enabling them to apply their understanding with increasing confidence, independence and sophistication as they move through the school.

Vocabulary development, language-rich classrooms, high-quality texts and purposeful talk sit at the heart of our curriculum — not only in English but across every subject. Through carefully chosen texts, explicit vocabulary instruction and structured opportunities for discussion, pupils develop the language they need to think deeply, articulate ideas clearly and access the full curriculum.

Strong knowledge foundations and curriculum design

Our curriculum is cumulative and coherently structured to ensure that pupils develop deep, secure knowledge rather than fragmented understanding. Key concepts are identified carefully within each subject and revisited through planned opportunities for retrieval, application and elaboration, supporting long-term retention.

In subjects such as science, history and geography, pupils build understanding over time by revisiting core ideas and concepts with increasing depth and complexity. Subject-specific vocabulary and disciplinary knowledge are taught explicitly, enabling pupils to make meaningful connections within and across subjects and to understand how knowledge is created and applied. Wherever we can, we draw on our extraordinary local history — the Gorge, its ironworks, its china and its tile — to give this knowledge real, tangible roots.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, learning is built on strong foundations in communication and language, early reading, early mathematics and personal development. High-quality adult interaction, purposeful play and structured teaching ensure children develop the foundational knowledge and habits that prepare them confidently for Key Stage 1.

Each subject has clearly defined progression and end points, ensuring pupils build secure understanding and are well prepared for future learning.

How our curriculum is taught

High-quality teaching is central to the success of our curriculum. Our teaching is underpinned by agreed whole-school approaches, shared systems and consistent lesson structures. This provides coherence for pupils and ensures that valuable curriculum time is not lost to constantly learning new routines or approaches.

Because pupils are familiar with how learning is structured, cognitive effort is focused on learning new content rather than working out expectations or processes. This allows pupils to engage confidently and independently, maximising learning time and supporting strong progress.

Within these agreed approaches, teachers retain professional agency. Teachers use their subject knowledge and understanding of their pupils to adapt delivery, respond flexibly to need and bring learning to life, while maintaining fidelity to our curriculum intent.

In English, teaching sequences are carefully designed to develop spelling, transcriptional accuracy, grammatical understanding and purposeful composition. Spelling is taught explicitly and systematically so that pupils understand patterns, rules and word origins and can apply this knowledge confidently in their writing. Pupils work towards clear, precise targets — particularly in vocabulary choice, sentence construction and the overall effectiveness of their writing — and are taught explicitly how to improve.

Across the curriculum, talk is used deliberately to deepen understanding. Oracy is taught and practised through discussion, explanation and debate, enabling pupils to rehearse ideas, use subject-specific language accurately and build confidence in expressing their viewpoints.

Assessment is used thoughtfully to support learning. Teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding during lessons and across teaching sequences, adapting instruction where needed so that pupils are supported appropriately and challenged to think deeply.

Reading is a cornerstone of our curriculum. Systematic phonics teaching enables pupils to become fluent, confident decoders. High-quality texts are used across subjects to build background knowledge, expose pupils to ambitious vocabulary and deepen understanding, ensuring that reading supports learning well beyond English lessons.

The phonics scheme we use is Little Wandle (Letters and Sounds Revised).

The reading books are carefully aligned to the phonics scheme and children throughout the school make use of appropriate book banding to support systematic reading development.  In addition, they also choose an additional book to promote reading for pleasure. 

Inclusion, equity and ambition

Equity sits at the heart of our curriculum design — and it is one of our core PACE values. All pupils access the same ambitious curriculum, with adaptations and support planned carefully to ensure learning is accessible without lowering expectations. This includes targeted scaffolding, pre-teaching of vocabulary, thoughtful use of resources and timely additional support where needed.

We are committed to raising attainment for disadvantaged pupils through high ambition and high-quality teaching. Pupils are set aspirational yet realistic targets, informed by secure assessment and professional judgement. Progress is monitored closely, ensuring pupils make strong progress from their individual starting points and receive support or challenge at the earliest opportunity.

Pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged are supported to succeed academically, socially and emotionally, enabling them to engage fully with the curriculum and thrive alongside their peers.

Curriculum intent: our drivers and values

Our curriculum reflects our belief — shared with The 3-18 Education Trust — that every individual is in a great school, and it celebrates the distinctive heritage and identity of John Wilkinson. It is driven by four curriculum drivers, the Four C’s, drawn from the inventive, hands-on, rooted spirit of John Wilkinson himself, which shape what our pupils learn:

• Communication – developing rich language, vocabulary and confident talk so pupils can share ideas, listen respectfully and express themselves clearly across every subject
• Creativity – nurturing imagination, original thinking and inventive problem-solving, and the confidence to try what has never been done
• Craft – developing high standards, precision and genuine pride in finished work, in writing as much as in art and design
• Community – developing a strong sense of belonging, responsibility and contribution, with learning rooted in our remarkable place, our heritage and our people

These drivers sit alongside our core PACE values — Passion, Ambition, Curiosity and Equity — which shape who our pupils become. Together, they ensure pupils develop strong character, moral purpose and a sense of responsibility alongside academic success.

Enrichment and curriculum depth

Our enrichment programme is deliberately aligned to the curriculum and designed to strengthen academic outcomes rather than sit alongside learning. Enrichment experiences deepen understanding, broaden background knowledge and create meaningful contexts for applying learning.

We are extraordinarily fortunate in where we are. Each of our classes is named after a real place on our doorstep, and each follows an enrichment journey rooted in that place — from riverside exploration and welly-walks along the Gorge in the Early Years, to pottery and blue-and-white china inspired by the Caughley and Coalport works, forest school and habitat study at the Haycop nature reserve, Tudor history at Benthall Hall, a local history study at Birch Meadow, and a leadership and legacy project on Wilkinson and the Industrial Revolution in Year 6. Learning here is something our children can see, touch and walk to.

A particular focus is placed on developing oracy and vocabulary through enrichment. Opportunities such as performances, assemblies, visits, visitors, debates and curriculum-linked projects enable pupils to rehearse language, encounter ambitious vocabulary and articulate their ideas with confidence. This strengthens comprehension, retention and engagement across the curriculum.

Impact: how we know our curriculum works

We know our curriculum is effective because pupils can retrieve and apply key knowledge, explain their thinking clearly and make meaningful connections across their learning. Pupils use subject-specific vocabulary accurately, engage confidently in discussion and demonstrate resilience and independence as learners.

Leaders monitor curriculum impact through lesson visits, work scrutiny, pupil voice and review of assessment information, ensuring teaching remains consistently strong and the curriculum achieves its intended outcomes.

Pupils leave John Wilkinson as confident readers, articulate communicators and motivated, curious learners with high aspirations for themselves and others. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education and — as part of a family of schools spanning ages 3 to 18 — ready to continue their journey with confidence, equipped with the knowledge, skills and character to make a positive contribution to their community and to change their world.

Find out more

Further details about what your child will learn in each subject can be found on our subject pages. If you have any questions, please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact the school office.