Primary Curriculum

Intent Statement – Primary Curriculum at Freshsteps

At FreshSteps School, our primary curriculum is designed to provide a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment where every child is supported to rebuild confidence, develop essential skills, and achieve success both academically and personally. We recognise that many pupils join FreshSteps with gaps in their education, particularly within literacy, and therefore place a strong emphasis on developing reading, writing, handwriting, comprehension, spelling, grammar, and phonics skills as the foundation for all future learning.

Our intent is to deliver a broad, balanced, and highly personalised curriculum that supports pupils’ academic progress alongside their social, emotional, and personal development. Through practical, hands-on, and engaging learning experiences, we aim to ensure that all pupils are equipped with the key skills, knowledge, and resilience needed to transition successfully into secondary education and beyond.

In Key Stage 1, we prioritise phonics and early reading to develop pupils’ confidence and ability to access the wider curriculum independently. In Key Stage 2, we continue to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills through a flexible curriculum that adapts to individual learning needs, providing support where gaps exist while also challenging more able learners to reach their full potential.

Beyond the classroom, our curriculum is designed to develop the whole child. Through science investigations, cookery, art, sports, outdoor learning, and enrichment opportunities such as horse-riding, boxing, football, swimming, and multi-sports, pupils are encouraged to build confidence, teamwork, independence, and positive relationships.

Personal, Social, and Emotional (PSE) education is embedded throughout the curriculum to help pupils develop emotional wellbeing, self-awareness, resilience, respect for others, and an understanding of British values and the local community. We aim to create an inclusive and supportive environment where every child feels valued, motivated, and capable of succeeding.

Ultimately, the intent of our primary curriculum is to inspire pupils to enjoy learning, develop confidence in their own abilities, and gain the academic, social, and life skills needed to become successful, positive, and active members of society.