Curriculum Overview

The pupils at Trinity Church of England Primary School enjoy a curriculum which promotes their spiritual moral, cultural, mental and physical development in conjunction with our school values, as well as preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

Our Curriculum is designed to narrow the gap for disadvantaged children, enriching and challenging all and promoting a sense of belonging for all. Our curriculum is designed to reflect all children’s achievements, culture and politics, thus making it truly broad and balanced. We view knowledge as a right for all, and equality of opportunity to a knowledge rich curriculum is key to enabling social engagement and our children to flourish.

The National Curriculum forms one part of our Curriculum which also includes the ‘hidden curriculum’, or what the children learn from the way they are treated and expected to behave. We recognise that pupils should be challenged in their schooling; learning from failures and celebrating successes. We intend for our curriculum to be empowering, enabling pupils to develop their interpersonal skills, creativity and independence.

We undertake a daily act of collective worship and teach religious education to pupils at every key stage.

The importance of books and literature are at the heart of every lesson, enabling children to become confident and enthused lifelong readers. We have designed and implemented our curriculum around quality texts and topics which link to statutory curriculum expectations, and also excite and engage children. Teachers use creative teaching approaches to deliver high quality and enriching learning experiences. The sequences include cross-curricular links so that quality literature and knowledge based learning is at the heart of our curriculum. Reading is taught through the Sounds-Write phonics scheme and the Power of Reading. We aim to ensure our children are exposed to a vocabulary rich curriculum in all subject areas with an emphasis on enquiry led learning promoting active engagement and opportunities to continuously apply previously learned knowledge. For the teaching of mathematics, we use the White Rose Maths scheme which emphasises the maths for mastery approach and develops a long-term and adaptable understanding. Problem solving is at the root of each lesson and the children develop their mathematical fluency through an inclusive approach where every child achieves.

 

The Trinity Curriculum 

Our whole school vision and Christian Values underpin our enquiry based curriculum, designed to ensure all children are confident, successful learners. We keep in mind how children can ‘shine like stars’ to reach their full potential. 

Through effective delivery of the curriculum, our children feel safe and nurtured, respected and included, healthy and active as we hold firmly to our Christian Values of Love, Respect, Courage, Trust, Justice and Hope.

We organise learning so that:	Through effective implementation of:
All children are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum	Language, Literacy and Communication Mathematical Understanding Religious and Moral Understanding Scientific and Technological Understanding Physical Development, Health and Well-being The Arts Historical, Geographical and Social Understanding
Core skills are applied across the curriculum	Reading, Writing and Communication Maths Computer Literacy
Learning is enriched through…	Lessons, Learning Environments, Positive Relationships, Educational Visits and Visitors, Collective Worship, Multi-Cultural Themes, Learning Outside the Classroom, Learning within the Local Community and Special Events
Learning will be delivered through the development of…	Vocabulary, Critical Thinking, Memory, Collaboration and Discussion, Creativity, Independence, Respect and Resilience
Extra-Curricular Opportunities	Music Lessons, Booster Groups, Sports and Gymnastics, Drama
Skills, attitudes and beliefs will reflect…	Positive Mental Health and Well-being

We achieve our curriculum aims and monitor impact through the evaluation of:

• Teacher Assessment
• Data Analysis
• Learning Walks
• Moderation (internal and external)
• Pupil Voice
• Parental Feedback
• Community Engagement

While always considering:

• The next endpoint (unit, term, year, key stage, school journey)
• Statutory Assessments

 Curriculum Content and Progression 

 

Our Curriculum outlines the intent for all subjects, how we will implement them, and how we will measure the impact. 

Our progression documentation has been planned to show clearly the journey of learning that a child makes from EYFS, through Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2.  This journey enables both teachers and children to understand the sequence of their learning and how what they are doing now builds on what they have already learnt, and will feed into what they will need to know.  Building vocabulary is a key part of learning and is built on throughout the child’s time at Trinity to equip them for future learning.

Sequences of lessons are planned carefully within each topic area using supporting schemes of work which ensure breadth and depth. By following the progression documents, subject leaders have built a sequence of lessons for each specific topic or area. Overviews and summaries shared with parents and carers termly to enable them to support the learning.

We measure the impact of learning through both formative and summative assessment. Each lesson includes revision of prior learning and vocabulary, and key vocabulary for the upcoming lesson.  Throughout, children are questioned informally through an activity or game to ensure the knowledge has been retained and remembered.  

Year group curriculum overviews show the areas and topics of focus for each term:

Nursery Curriculum Map.pdf

Reception Curriculum Map.pdf

Year 1 Curriculum Overview.pdf

Year 2 Curriculum Overview.pdf

Year 3 Curriculum Overview.pdf

Year 4 Curriculum Overview.pdf

Year 5 Curriculum Overview.pdf

Year 6 Curriculum Overview.pdf

Trinity ARP Chislehurst Curriculum.pdf

Trinity ARP Orpington Curriculum.pdf

 

Subject Overviews

English

English teaching at Trinity CofE Primary School will ensure that children develop a love of the English language while developing their speaking and listening, reading and writing abilities. 

Trinity English Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Reading Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Writing Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Spoken Language Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Speaking and Listening

Children are taught to become confident speakers and attentive listeners.  At Trinity children across the school are encouraged to collaborate with each other in lessons.  This encourages confidence and develops purposeful talk.  We also have a fortnightly lesson called Big Talk, where children are taught skills to help them articulate their ideas and broaden their use of vocabulary.

Phonics and Reading

Children will develop a love of reading through an exposure to high quality texts, as well as a well-structured phonics scheme, Sounds Write that teaches them to read independently at a rate that is perfectly matched to them individually. They will be taught phonics, through EYFS, Key Stage 1 and into Year 3. This provides them with the skills needed to blend sounds for reading and segment words for writing. It will enable children to read phonetically decodable books independently, to develop confidence and fluency. They will study a wide range of both fiction and non-fiction texts in Guided Reading and English lessons. Children will be taught how to develop key comprehension skills including prediction, summarising, retrieval and inference. A child’s reading level is monitored closely and appropriate books are sent home for daily reading, which we view as an absolute necessity.

Writing

Children will learn to write fluently and coherently for a range of audiences. Spelling lessons as well as grammar and punctuation lessons are taught weekly, but these areas are viewed as a priority across the curriculum.  Teachers work tirelessly to support each child with their personal misconceptions in order to move them forward quickly. Pupils are also expected to develop their handwriting in weekly lessons as the presentation of their written work should be of a high standard. Pupils are taught how to write in the cursive style and are encouraged to start joining their letters from an early age.  Every child in Key Stage 2 strives to achieve a pen licence which enables them to complete all their written work in a blue pen from that day forward.

Maths 

Maths Intent

Mathematics teaches children how to make sense of the world around them by developing their ability to calculate, reason and solve problems.
Mathematics is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.
At Trinity C of E Primary School, we value a maths curriculum that is creative and engaging, whilst developing the necessary skills to make them ‘deep thinkers’. Our children are given the opportunity to acquire mathematical skills that can be recalled quickly and transferred and applied within different contexts, as well as making rich connections across other subjects.
Implementation
To enable our pupils to achieve their potential within maths, we use White Rose Maths which allows us to deliver a mastery approach to teaching and learning mathematics. Through the use of this scheme – coupled with quality first teaching – we aim to meet and exceed the higher expectations set out in the 2014 National Curriculum.
This scheme focuses on the use of fluency, representation and structure, mathematical thinking and variation into our lessons, whilst using small carefully planned steps in order to achieve a solid understanding of each concept. We constantly challenge and support our pupils and create a positive mindset where all pupils believe they can achieve within all areas of maths.
Impact – What is the impact of our curriculum?
· Quick recall of facts and procedures
· The flexibility and fluidity to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics
· The ability to recognise relationships and make connections in mathematics
· Confidence and belief that they can achieve
· The knowledge that maths underpins most of our daily lives
· Skills and concepts that have been mastered.

A mathematical concept or skill has been mastered when a child can show it in multiple ways, using the mathematical language to explain their ideas, and can independently apply the concept to new problems in unfamiliar situations and this is the goal for our children.

Trinity Maths Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Maths Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Religious Education 

Rationale: Why do we teach RE?

RE is at the core of our distinctive provision.  Religious education in our school should enable children to develop RE specific thinking and skills, as well as help educate for dignity and respect encouraging all to live well together.  Such an approach is offered through a commitment to generous hospitality, being true to our underpinning faith, but with a deep respect for the integrity of other religious traditions (and worldviews) and for the religious freedom of each person.

Church of England Vision for Education: Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good. (The Church of England Education Office, 2016)

Our RE curriculum enables pupils to acquire a rich, deep knowledge and understanding of Christian belief and practice.  The curriculum engages and challenges pupils through the exploration of core concepts and questions, with meaningful and informed dialogue with a range of religions and worldviews. There are opportunities for pupils to explore foundational texts, beliefs, rituals, and practices and how they help form identity in a range of religions and worldviews.  Our RE curriculum goes beyond a sociological study of religious phenomena and introduces our pupils to a range of relevant disciplines including theology, philosophy and the human and social sciences. Progress enables pupils to develop confident religious literacy.

The RE curriculum is intrinsic to the outworking of our Christian vision in enabling all pupils to ‘shine’. In addition, the RE curriculum contributes to British values and spiritual moral social and cultural development.   Learning activities provide for the needs of all pupils, and pupil develop a wide range of skills including enquiry, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and reflection.   We provide a safe space for pupils to explore their own religious, spiritual and/or philosophical ways of seeing, living and thinking, believing and belonging. They have opportunities to engage in meaningful and informed dialogue with those of all religions and worldviews. 

Our curriculum that enables progress through ordered and sequential learning developing both knowledge and skills, with a structure for implementation and provision and a process for evaluating impact. 

Aims and objectives 

Trinity is caring, inclusive and focused on ‘excellence for all’. ‘Only our best will do’ and we keep in mind how we can ‘shine like stars’ as we hold firmly to our Christians values: love, respect, courage, trust, justice and hope.

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.  (Phil 2:15-16)

As stated in the Church of England Statement of Entitlement for Religious Education, our school aims for all pupils:

• To know about and understand Christianity as a diverse global living faith through the exploration of core beliefs using an approach that critically engages with biblical text. 

• To gain knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews appreciating diversity, continuity and change within the religions and worldviews being studied. 

• To engage with challenging questions of meaning and purpose raised by human existence and experience. 

• To recognise the concept of religion and its continuing influence on Britain’s cultural heritage and in the lives of individuals and societies in different times, cultures and places. 

• To explore their own religious, spiritual and philosophical ways of living, believing and thinking. 

Planning the progression model

The core concepts fit into a spiral curriculum, whereby concepts are revisited and explored in more depth as pupils move through the school. These are explored through key questions, however, and so are not applied exclusively — links and connections will be made between concepts during units.

 

Trinity RE Overview 2022-2023.pdf

RE Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Science 

Science and engineering are vitally important industries in the modern world. Even if children do not become scientists or engineers they will grow up in a world that requires scientific literacy and critical thinking skills. Science is all around us and helps children to make sense of the world.

At Trinity Church of England Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science and strive to maintain a high profile for Science within our school. Our desire to empower and motivate children to develop a lifelong love of science is reflected in our curriculum, and our nurturing learning environments.

A scientist observes, questions, creates hypotheses, experiments, records data, and then analyses that data. All children can be scientists by following their own natural curiosity, and at Trinity Church of England Primary, teachers help to build and reinforce these skills so that children are able to thrive and achieve.

Trinity Church of England Primary School aspires to provide excellent opportunities for Science so that children can:

• Make meaningful links between classroom learning and the real world in order to develop their understanding of Science
• Develop scientific literacy and critical thinking skills by designing and carrying out their own investigations
• Make progress; growing and fulfilling their potential regardless of their circumstances
• Nurture their curiosity by asking ‘big’ questions, developing and encouraging awe and wonder and a sense of curiosity in the natural world.

To achieve this, we use the Rising Stars Science scheme, which provides teachers with everything they need to plan and deliver an exciting and thorough curriculum. This scheme is supplemented by our own outdoor learning curriculum, which utilises the extensive grounds around Trinity, allowing children to pose questions and investigate their own ideas. At Trinity our Science lessons highlight the learning in other curriculum areas, such as English, Maths and computing. Children are encouraged and supported to use skills from these subjects in Science.

Trinity Science Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Science Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Art and Design 

At Trinity Primary School, we believe that a high quality art, craft and design education will engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to participate in, experiment with, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. The children learn to improve their mastery of art and design techniques by learning about colour, form, texture, pattern and different materials and processes. Through their active participation pupils will learn to explore their imagination, generate ideas, acquire skills and apply judgement. They learn to recognise the achievements of artists, designers and craftspeople from many different times and cultures.     By enriching the children’s personal expression, cultural understanding, creative and practical responses we can promote imaginative risk taking providing solutions to our material, emotional, social and virtual worlds.

At Trinity Primary School the youngest children in Nursery are encouraged to use mark making to explore colour and line and learn how they can be changed. They are encouraged to express feelings through their art and mark making and capture experiences and responses with a wide range of media. This is further developed in Reception, where children begin to create simple representations of events, people and objects, choosing particular colours and textures for their purpose. As the children progress through school, art experiences are built upon so the children can make decisions about their approach to different challenges. We use sketchbooks to help children to develop their ideas and to show and assess progression in their artistic ability. Drawing skills are used to support many other subjects and as such are very important aspects of how the children record their knowledge visually, so these skills are valued throughout the curriculum. 

Trinity Art Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Art and Design Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Computing 

At Trinity C of E Primary School, we believe that every child should have the skills for life that they need. As we move through the 21^st century our children need to be evermore computer literate and fully trained and ready for a digital age.  Through our computing curriculum, we will prepare our pupils to be autonomous users of technology by providing them with the experience and training they will need for secondary school and life beyond. We provide cross-curricular opportunities to take advantage of all the digital resources that are available to enhance learning, gain a deeper understanding and look at subjects in new and dynamic ways. We actively ensure that digital literacy is open to all backgrounds and promote diversity and inclusion in our teaching. Through computational thinking, our students will be trained to problem solve and become ever more creative. Critical thinking is an important part of coding; however, pupils will take away essential skills that can be used in many areas of education and life. At the heart of our teaching is e-safety. We ensure every child knows how to act safely when online, be cautious and considerate and knows when to seek adult advice. Our content also helps them understand their responsibility as a digital citizen and as a member of Trinity’s wider community. 

Trinity Computing Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Computing Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

PSHE and RSHE

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) aims to enable our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society.

PSHE lessons do this by teaching pupils to understand how they are developing personally and socially, while developing the skills and knowledge needed to develop fully as individuals and as members of families and social and economic communities.  Through these lessons pupils learn how to become responsible for the health of their bodies, minds and relationships.

From September 2020, the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) aspects of PSHE education are compulsory in all schools

In Nursery and Reception, our youngest children develop their Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) through a play-based curriculum. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. Children are supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modelling and guidance, they will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and manage personal needs independently. Through supported interaction with other children, they learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably. These attributes will provide a secure platform from which children can achieve at school and in later life.

At Trinity, in KS1 & KS2, the PSHE and RSHE curriculum is taught using the SCARF scheme of work from Coram Life Education delivered under the strapline, ‘Helping Children Make Healthy Choices’. SCARF is an acronym for Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship and aims to help our children remember some of the core ideas we are nurturing in PSHE lessons. SCARF is also a whole-school approach to promoting behaviour, safety, achievement and wellbeing. It takes a spiral approach, gradually revisiting topics at a deeper level at each key stage or year group, whilst rehearsing, emphasising and embedding the essential skills and attributes young people need to manage their lives, both now and in the future. It provide pupils with a relevant, age appropriate and broad curriculum.

Essential PSHE key skills and knowledge the children will develop are:

• What is meant by a healthy lifestyle
• How to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing
• How to manage risks to physical and emotional health and wellbeing
• Ways of keeping physically and emotionally safe
• How to manage change, including puberty, transition and loss
• How to make informed choices about health and wellbeing, and where to get help with this
• How to respond in an emergency
• To identify different influences on health and wellbeing
• How to develop and maintain a variety of relationships, within a range of social and cultural contexts
• How to recognise and manage emotions within relationships
• How to respond to risky or negative relationships, including bullying and abuse
• How to respond to risky or negative relationships and ask for help
• How to respect equality and diversity in relationships
• About respect for themselves and others, and the importance of responsible actions and behaviour
• About rights and responsibilities as members of families, other groups and citizens
• About different groups and communities
• To respect equality and diversity, and how to be a productive member of a diverse community
• About the importance of respecting and protecting the environment
• About where money comes from, keeping it safe, and the importance of managing it effectively
• The part that money plays in people’s lives
• A basic understanding of enterprise

Trinity PSHE Overview 2022-2023.pdf

PSHE Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Design and Technology 

Here at Trinity CE Primary School, we believe that Design and Technology should offer all our pupils the chance to use creative thinking and design with a defined purpose and tangible outcome. Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in a process of designing and making. They work in a range of contexts through our topic based approach which allows for cross curricular links to be made. 

Through the study of Design and Technology pupils acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as Mathematics, Science, Engineering, computing and Art. Pupils learn about becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Trinity DT Overview 2022-2023.pdf

DT Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Modern Foreign Language 

At Trinity all children are taught weekly lessons in French throughout Key Stage 2 by a French specialist, using the resources and units of work from Lightbulb Languages, in addition to other resources. In Years 3 and 4 children acquire basic skills and understanding of French with a strong emphasis placed on developing their speaking and listening skills along with phonics work. These will be embedded and further developed in Years 5 and 6, alongside reading and writing, gradually progressing onto more complex language concepts. When children leave Trinity, they will have some knowledge and a natural curiosity about other countries and cultures and an understanding that, in a multi-lingual society it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language.  They will be engaged and prepared to continue language learning at Secondary School.

Trinity French Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Trinity MFL Progression Map 2022-2023 

Geography 

At Trinity, we believe that students need a global awareness that includes familiarity with different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles in order to understand and address global issues. Geography can help students understand these issues as it has an important role in instilling personal attributes and developing globally minded pupils. We aim to encourage curious, interested learners who seek out and are able use new information to develop and deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills. 

An understanding of geography is essential to understanding our place in the world, understanding that the world we live in now, is connected in many ways and how we are an integral part of it. Geography can not only inspire curiosity and fascination about the world and its people but also nurture our children’s inquisitive thinking and questioning skills.

Three essential learning and innovative skills can help students for confronting the challenges of tomorrow: Creative thinking, problem solving and collaboration skills. These skills are what we aim to teach our children. 

In Reception, children are first exposed to geography as they explore the environment around them through the use of their outdoor area and our amazing school grounds. Children are encouraged to draw, write and talk about what they see, their experiences of a place and how things may change during the course of a year.

In Key Stage 1 we use geography to inspire a fascination about the world, where children start to understand where we are, in the context of our earth. They also begin to look at our local area, explore our wonderful school grounds, learn to draw and read maps. Children gather a knowledge of basic geographical vocabulary that refers to human and physical features. They also learn about weather and present their own wonderful weather forecasts to their class. Our children also love to compare our country and its features to other areas and countries.

In Key Stage 2, geography helps students to better develop a global awareness and gives them opportunities to be creative and innovative. Geography equips pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, natural and human environments through the study of Europe as well as North and South America and through the study of settlements and land use. It also gives children a deeper understanding of the earth’s key physical and human processes through the study of mountains, rivers and volcanoes. Children are also given opportunities to interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems.

Through the teaching of Geography, we hope to, not only educate our children about key issues like climate and sustainability but also instil a keen love for enquiry and ignite a lifelong passion for taking responsibility for and protecting our world.

Trinity Humanities Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Geography Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

History 

At Trinity CE Primary School children explore their empathy, critical thinking and chronological understanding through their learning in their history lessons, so they can better understand the past and how it will shape the future.

In Key Stage 1 children will develop their awareness for the past. They will also learn about the significant people and events within our local area. In this Key Stage we will be looking back at the changes within living memory such as how shops and homes have changed as well as events beyond living memory such as the Gunpowder Plot and The Great Fire of London. The children will use comparisons to place events in a growing understanding of chronology.

In Key Stage 2 children will further explore and appreciate history and chronology. They will work on securing an understanding of British and local history as well as world history. Through their study of different breadths of historical topics our pupils will gain a greater understanding of the past and they will use critical thinking and cultural comparisons to build their chronological awareness.

In lower Key Stage 2 children will be focusing on areas such as prehistoric Britain, Roman Britain and Ancient Egypt whilst Upper Key Stage 2 will be looking at Anglo Saxons, Ancient Greeks and Mayans as well as more modern history such as World War 2 and the history of the Windrush and the people who came to Britain whilst aboard it. Children will look at connections and patterns over time and develop a good use of historical terms. There will be a big focus on children building their understanding through research, critical questioning as well as a large project at the end to show their new knowledge.

Trinity Humanities Overview 2022-2023.pdf

History Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

Music 

Music is an essential part of life. At Trinity we believe that children should have the opportunity to be immersed in different musical experiences. Children at Trinity are exposed to a wide range of musical genres, including classical. We feel that children should have the chance to develop their love for music through playing different instruments and we have a wide range of percussion instruments that are regularly used during music lessons. Children will also develop an understanding of how music is composed and have many opportunities to create their own. There are points throughout the year in which the school celebrates its musical talents. Through the music curriculum at Trinity, children will increase their self-confidence, creativity, and sense of achievement. These enriching experiences will allow students to gain an understanding and love of music that they can take with them throughout their lives.

Trinity Music Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Music Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

 Physical Education 

At Trinity Primary School we provide an inclusive, broad and balanced PE curriculum that ensures ALL children will benefit, whether through enhancing existing skills, learning new skills or being introduced to new sports, clubs, teams and organisations. We also ensure children understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and to equip them with the tools to do so through health and well-being education. Children must understand how to take care of themselves both physically and mentally in order to be successful as adults. We aim to fully deliver and build upon the aims of the national curriculum for physical education to meet the needs of our pupils.

 Trinity Indoor PE Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Trinity Outdoor PE Overview 2022-2023.pdf

Physical Education Progression Map 2022-2023.pdf

 Pupil Voice 

At Trinity Primary School, ‘Pupil Voice’ means a whole-school commitment to listening to the views, wishes and experiences of all children and young people; in other words: placing value on what children and young people tell school staff about their experiences. We believe that our children need to be provided with meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, views and hopes about their school, for example what is working and what needs to be improved. It is important that our children know that it is safe and that it is important for them to express their views about what happens at school. In addition, it is imperative that children know that what they say is valued and will be listened to and considered.

Article 12 in The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that, ‘Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously’ (UNICEF 1992). We strongly support this ethos at Trinity. The children at Trinity see democracy celebrated and practised in a variety of ways. We have an elected School Council which represents pupil voice in the school. The school has a tradition of a house system named after accomplished famous people from a range of backgrounds in England. As part of this system we also have House Captains and who act as representatives for their House in a range of contexts. Children regularly get opportunities to express their views in school through Pupil Voice sampling and questionnaires. In addition, we have elected Head Boys and Bead Girls who represent our students whilst perform important duties and representing the core values of our school.