Aspiringto Shine for Jesus
Start The Journey

Curriculum Overview

At Ainsdale St John’s, we ensure our children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.

Subject champions have a clear progression of knowledge and skills from EYFS up to Year 6.

Reading is valued highly. This journey starts with the use of Read, Write, Inc.

Developed by Ruth Miskin, Read Write Inc. Phonics is a high-impact phonics programme that transforms reading and writing for every child. Read Write Inc. Phonics is for children learning to read in Reception, Year 1 and 2, and for struggling readers in Years 3 and 4.

Once the children have developed strategies to read we then use Pathways to Read.

Pathways to Read is a brand-new programme designed to equip pupils with key skills to move them through the reading process towards becoming competent and fluent readers. To support this approach resources are linked to high-quality texts. Pathways to Read ensures engaging and purposeful reading lessons.

The units are used thematically alongside the award-winning programme Pathways to Write to encourage a whole school curriculum approach with the opportunity for topics to link across all year groups. Both programmes complement one another. 

In maths, we use a mastery approach based on White Rose small steps planning. All children move through age appropriate objectives with access to concrete resources to support in understanding abstract approaches. Reasoning and problem-solving activities are given to provide challenge for all.

We encourage all of our children to take part in a broad and balanced curriculum. However, parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious education and/or collective worship.

We teach the British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values are taught in a range of ways including through weekly Picture News sessions, RE and PSHE lessons and the use the No Outsiders planning. The values are also included in our thinking around our ASJ Ambassadors pupil leadership teams and key events in the year such as anti-bullying and parliament week.

Our new 'ASJ Way' supports our curriculum vision as we aim to give our children as many opportunities as possible to Aspire to Shine for Jesus.

With God's help we can achieve anything and we aspire to be the best that we can be.

We shine like a beacon of light within our community with an open door so that all feel welcome.

Our special family (school, church and community) follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

To support our 'ASJ Way' we have 3 core Christian values: Courage, Community and Compassion.

Our ASPIRE Curriculum

From our ASJ Way vision, we created our ASPIRE curriculum:

Achieve through resilience and perseverance

Show respect for Christian and British values

Promote high expectations for all

Inspire lifelong readers

Revisit knowledge and skills to embed learning

Encourage a love of learning

Our Curriculum Objectives

Our whole school curriculum overview sets out the units of work for each year group (EYFS to Year 6) and each half term (Autumn 1 through to Summer 2).

Our half termly curriculum overviews share the objectives that will be taught within the units of work.

PSHE at ASJ

Music at ASJ

To find out more about our curriculum you can contact our curriculum lead, Mrs Horsley, via the school office at [email protected] or, alternatively, Dojo your child's class teacher if it is related to their current learning in class.

To find out how we will ensure children with a disability can access our curriculum, view our accessibility plan on our SEND Support page.

Let's Connect

Ainsdale St. John's CE Primary School

Sandbrook Road, Ainsdale, Southport, PR8 3JE

Mrs McCaughrean|Office Administrator

To arrange a 1:1 tour with the headteacher, Lorna O’Brien, please contact the school office

Let's Connect