At St Anne Line Catholic Infant School and Nursery, we strive to instil a lifelong love of learning, with Christ at the centre of all we do. Guided by our motto, “En Magna Constantia” – In Great Constancy, we nurture pupils who remain steadfast in faith, hope, and perseverance, always striving to reach their God-given potential.

Our school is a place where the emotional, spiritual, physical, academic, social, moral, and cultural development of every child is valued. Childhood is sacred—a time to be filled with awe, wonder, joy, and discovery.

We are proud to be a Catholic learning community, where every child is recognised as a unique and cherished child of God. Inspired by the life of St Anne Line, we encourage courage, compassion, and commitment in the face of all challenges.

Our curriculum is rooted in our Catholic identity and Gospel values:

• Love: We show love to others, just as Jesus taught us.

• Learn: We grow in knowledge and wisdom, guided by curiosity and wonder.

• Pray: We find strength and stillness in prayer, knowing God walks with us.

These values are intentionally simple, memorable, and meaningful, brought to life across the curriculum through Scripture, RE, worship, and role models.

Through these values, we aim to develop children who are:

• Creative, curious, and confident

• Reflective, resilient, and respectful

• Rooted in faith and ready for the world

At St Anne Line, we believe that a high-quality curriculum is:

• Purposeful, sequential, and coherent, building on prior knowledge and skills

• Enquiry-led (for History, Geography, Science, Computing, Art & Design and DT, in KS1) encouraging children to ask questions, investigate, and make sense of the world

• Book-linked, using high-quality texts to provide context, inspiration, and meaningful connections across subjects

• Grounded in Strong Foundations, prioritising the essential knowledge, skills, behaviours, and attitudes that prepare children for lifelong learning

Our curriculum nurtures:

• Foundational skills: Reading, writing, communication, mathematics, and scientific thinking

• Executive function and self-regulation: Working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control

• Character development: Perseverance, resilience, creativity, responsibility, and moral understanding

Our approach ensures children:

• Build strong, transferable knowledge and skills across all subjects

• Develop curiosity and critical thinking through enquiry questions in all lessons

• Learn through high-quality, purposeful books that connect directly to units of study

• Are well prepared academically, socially, and spiritually for the next stage of their education

Our curriculum starts from what children already know. Teachers:

• Identify starting points quickly

• Build on prior learning

• Teach new knowledge in small, carefully sequenced steps

We use the model → practise → apply approach across subjects to ensure learning is secure.

EYFS Approach

In the EYFS, our curriculum has a strong synergy between the three Characteristics of Effective Learning and the foundational knowledge required for Key Stage 1. We blend a play-based pedagogy with structured, adult-led teaching. Play is purposeful and planned with clear intent, and adults extend learning through skilled interaction. Play supports and reinforces explicit teaching, ensuring children develop curiosity, independence, and essential skills that provide a solid foundation for future learning.

KS1 Model

In Key Stage 1, learning is carefully scaffolded through subject-specific knowledge taught within creative and cross-curricular themes, supported by high-quality resources and environments that promote independence and resilience. Units are:

• Book-linked, providing context and inspiration for enquiry and learning

• Enquiry-led, with an overarching unit question and lesson-specific enquiry questions to stimulate curiosity, critical thinking, and reflection

• Progressive and sequential, revisiting knowledge and skills to ensure deep understanding and confidence

Strong Foundations in Practice

We prioritise foundational skills that are explicitly taught, practised, and revisited across the school:

• Reading and phonics

• Writing and transcription

• Number and calculation

• Communication and language

• Self-regulation and executive function

Adults model high-quality talk, vocabulary, and reasoning, supporting oral rehearsal and confidence before writing. This ensures children develop strong language skills alongside subject knowledge.

Enquiry-Led and Book-Focused Curriculum

Across all foundation subjects (Science, Art, D&T, History, Geography), learning is:

• Enquiry-led, promoting exploration, questioning, and problem-solving

• Linked to high-quality texts, which provide context, inspiration, and purpose

• Practical and meaningful, with opportunities for first-hand experiences, reflection, and application

Learning is hands-on and cross-curricular, connecting to RE, PSHE/RSHE, Maths, and English, ensuring pupils make meaningful links across subjects while developing both academic knowledge and life skills.

We enhance our curriculum through:

• Outdoor learning, trips, and visitors

• Themed weeks (e.g., Arts Week, Science Week)

• Collective worship, liturgies, and Masses

• Pupil voice opportunities (School Council, charity projects)

• Clubs, music, PE, and extra-curricular opportunities

• Faith-linked and cross-curricular projects that bring enquiry questions and book-linked learning to life

We measure impact across three key areas:

Emotional Development

• Children are happy, secure, and confident

• Positive personal development and relationships

• Parents report positively on children’s wellbeing and confidence

Social and Spiritual Growth

• Behaviour is exemplary; children show integrity, kindness, and respect

• Pupils live out Love, Learn, Pray daily

• Reflection and prayer are central to school life

Academic Achievement

• Children achieve highly across the curriculum

• Progress is strong for all groups, including SEND and disadvantaged pupils

• Strong foundations ensure children are well-prepared for the next stage of education

In Practice, This Means:

• Calm, structured classrooms with clear routines

• Purposeful play and explicit teaching

• Strong foundation skills secured before new learning is introduced

• Learning sequences linked coherently from Reception to Year 2

• Units enriched by enquiry questions and high-quality books

Our Curriculum Goal

We aim to create learners who think creatively, question deeply, and explore the world with curiosity and wonder. Our bespoke curriculum ensures:

• Knowledge is progressively sequenced and revisited

• Skills and understanding are built using Strong Foundations principles

• Enquiry questions and book-linked units provide purpose, context, and inspiration

• Children develop into confident, independent learners who will make a positive contribution to society