Intent
At John Henry Newman Academy, our vision is to “Let Your Light Shine” (Matthew 5:16) by having the courage to contribute positively within our community, to celebrate our successes and differences, and to love and respect those around us. Rooted in our Christian values of Love, Courage, Celebration and Community, our curriculum is designed to help every child flourish academically, socially and personally.
We are committed to creating a school where everyone is a learner and where children are encouraged to recognise and develop their individual strengths, enabling their unique lights to shine. Our curriculum fosters deep curiosity, a love of learning and high expectations, empowering pupils to achieve excellence and preparing them for life in modern Britain.
Our curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious, enabling pupils to develop secure knowledge, understanding and skills across a wide range of subjects so they can achieve academic, technical, scientific, sporting and creative excellence. Through carefully sequenced learning, we build progressively on what pupils already know and understand, ensuring that all pupils can succeed and have the confidence to let their light shine in every area of learning.
Working in partnership with families, the parish and the wider community, we provide an aspirational and enriching curriculum that reflects our local context while widening pupils’ experiences and cultural capital, supporting them to discover who they are and how they can contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
Academy Expectations
To ensure high standards and consistency across the school:
- Every class has a class profile which reflects the individual strengths, needs and starting points of the pupils.
- Teachers plan learning around four key questions:
- What do you want pupils to learn, and why?
- How will you model and explain this learning clearly?
- What learning experiences will enable pupils to secure it?
- How will pupils demonstrate what they know and can do?
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All pupils are supported to follow LEARN, which underpins our positive behaviour and learning culture and ensures classrooms are calm, respectful and focused on learning.
- Listen carefully
- Enter the classroom ready to learn
- Aim for high-quality work
- Respect the rights of others
- Never call out; raise a hand politely
As part of Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, we share a commitment to Inclusivity, Empowerment, Community, Abundant Living and Service, which strongly aligns with our ethos and supports our mission to help every child let their light shine.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In Nursery and Reception, children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework, with learning shaped through responsive, in-the-moment planning. This ensures learning is purposeful, challenging and rooted in children’s interests, while supporting them to become independent, confident and curious learners.
The EYFS curriculum is structured around the seven areas of learning:
• Communication and Language
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development
• Maths
• Literacy
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive Arts and Design
Children are given opportunities to explore, enquire and take risks through practical, hands-on experiences, within a nurturing environment that values each child as unique and supports their early steps in letting their light shine.
Implementation
At John Henry Newman Academy, curriculum implementation is underpinned by high-quality teaching and adaptive practice, ensuring all pupils can access ambitious learning. Our approach to personalised learning enables teaching to be responsive while maintaining high expectations for all. Teaching builds deliberately on pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding, ensuring that new learning is meaningful, secure and retained over time.
All pupils are expected to engage with learning at the appropriate year-group standard. Teachers support this through:
- clear explanations and modelling,
- scaffolding and targeted support where needed,
- and opportunities for challenge and deeper thinking within lessons.
Assessment is used proportionately and purposefully to check understanding, inform teaching and refine the curriculum. Through effective feedback and learning conversations, pupils are supported to articulate what they know, build confidence and take ownership of their learning — enabling their light to shine more brightly over time.
Impact
As a result of our curriculum, pupils:
- develop secure knowledge and understanding across subjects,
- experience learning that builds coherently over time,
- demonstrate confidence, curiosity and pride in their learning and achievements,
- and leave John Henry Newman Academy equipped with the knowledge, character and values to let their light shine as they move on to the next stage of their education and beyond.
Curriculum Provision
Reading Schemes and Phonics
For information about our reading and phonics schemes (FFT), please click on our English or Phonics buttons above.