Chorister Curriculum

At Chorister School, we seek to inspire a love of learning from the earliest years, building on each child’s natural curiosity, imagination and eagerness to discover. Small class sizes and caring, experienced staff ensure that every child is supported as an individual and encouraged to flourish.

Pre-Prep

Our Early Years and Key Stage 1 provision combines strong academic foundations with a rich and varied wider curriculum. Literacy and numeracy sit at the heart of the School day, alongside opportunities to explore science, outdoor learning, French and the creative arts.

Children enjoy a broad and engaging week that includes art, games, PE, computing, library visits and outdoor learning, giving them the chance to grow in confidence, creativity and independence. Music is also an important part of life at Chorister School, and from Year 1 pupils may begin individual instrumental lessons.

In Nursery and Pre-School, children are welcomed into a warm, stimulating and well-structured environment where learning through play and purposeful activity helps them settle happily into school life. In these early years, we focus on developing confidence, independence and a sense of joy in learning that will stay with them as they grow.

Year 2 – 6 Curriculum

The curriculum embraces the core subjects of English, Maths and Science, with great emphasis placed on developing reading, writing and mathematical skills.

Other subjects include History, Geography, ICT, RE, Art, French, Latin, Music, PE and Games.

At Chorister School, we recognise the significant positive impact that music lessons have on a child’s academic, social and emotional development, as well as on their wellbeing. We pride ourselves on the inclusivity of our music provision, the breadth of musical opportunities available to our children, and the support we offer to our most ambitious young musicians.

We take care to support and develop the individual musical interests and ambitions of every child, tailoring their education to nurture their skills, build their confidence and enable them to access a broad programme of music education.

Children are also able to audition to become a Chorister in the Durham Cathedral Choir, an exceptional musical experience that sees them singing in Cathedral services throughout the year.

From Year 3, the Games programme is enhanced by a range of sports in which children develop their skills and take part in competitive fixtures. All children take part in weekly swimming lessons and in our School Swimming Gala.

Sport

Sport

Pupils are introduced to a wide range of sports, ensuring every child has the opportunity to explore and enjoy physical activity before progressing into more specialist disciplines.

Our sports programme places a strong emphasis on team sports such as rugby,football, netball, cricket and hockey, while also encouraging participation in individual pursuits like dance, swimming, athletics and gymnastics. Additional sports, including tennis, are also offered, giving children even more opportunities to discover their interests and strengths. Beyond physical development, sport at Chorister School plays a vital role in supporting overall learning and well-being. It helps improve coordination, particularly hand-eye coordination, which is a crucial part of early cognitive development. Furthermore, physical education promotes healthy lifestyle choices and builds confidence, resilience, and teamwork.

Games, PE and Swimming are a popular and valuable part of the curriculum for every child. From Year 3 upwards, children begin to take part in regular competitive matches, which are keenly anticipated and enjoyed by pupils, staff, and parents alike. These fixtures nurture camaraderie and sportsmanship, while giving children the opportunity to represent their school with pride. At Chorister School, we recognise and nurture sporting talent. Children who demonstrate particular aptitude are given the opportunity to develop their skills through training and additional fixtures. We regularly play competitive matches against other schools across the region and, depending on ability, some pupils go on to represent the school at events and tournaments further afield. We are proud to see our pupils thrive not only in school sports but also beyond, with many going on to join local clubs, academies and county-level squads. Through this balanced and inclusive approach, every child is encouraged to find joy in sport, to challenge themselves, and to realise that, with the right support and mindset, their potential is truly limitless.

Music

Music

Enjoyment and self-fulﬁlment are at the heart of everything we do and we acknowledge the huge positive impact music lessons have on a child’s academic, social and emotional development and their wellbeing. We pride ourselves on the inclusivity of our music provision, the array of musical opportunities our children are able to experience and our support for the most ambitious of our musicians. Therefore, we encourage children to participate in musical activities and to take up individual music lessons wherever possible.

Currently 88% of pupils in Y3-6 take lessons in at least one instrument, and we have a flourishing musical environment, with 18 highly experienced Visiting Music Teachers, regular ABRSM exam sessions and cross-curricular opportunities touching
on a wide range of musical genres. In Pre-Prep, each child will develop conﬁdence in singing and playing solos on a weekly basis, and build a strong understanding of Melody and Rhythm through performance and notation games. Children will listen to a wide variety of live and recorded music and cement their understanding of musical vocabulary. They will be involved in weekly whole-school sing and beat sessions and assemblies, and take part in regular performances, singing and instrumental, throughout the year. They will also be given opportunities to watch and perform with other musicians, including our many talented older students. Opportunities available: Choir, Recorder Group, Violin Group, individual instrumental lessons, supported practice. Pupils in Years 3 – 6 have one class music lesson per week with a music specialist. We take care to support and develop musical interests and ambitions of every child, tailoring their education in order to nurture their skills and build their conﬁdence whilst enabling them to access a broad programme of music education. Pupils will develop their aural and theoretical understanding of
Melody, Rhythm and Harmony through games, songs and activities whilst developing instrumental skills. Singing in assemblies and services is considered very important, and weekly hymn practice develops a strong sense of togetherness and musical assurance. Children are given opportunities to take part in workshops and watch and perform with other musicians, often together with our senior musicians, including in regional competitions and festivals, with close ties with Durham Cathedral and Durham University enabling world-class experiences. Weekly activities available include: School Choir, Galilee Choir, Orchestra, String Quartets, String Group, Wind Band, Rock Band and Music Theory.

At Chorister School, we understand how busy our children and families can be, and also how important effective practice is for children’s enjoyment and practice. Therefore, we facilitate well-attended supported practice sessions throughout the day, including before and after school, which have seen a huge impact on children’s motivation, self-determination and musical progress.

Art & design

Art & design

Art

Art and Design plays an essential role in providing all pupils with a broad and balanced education. Pupils are taught by a specialist teacher, and all pupils have access to our beautiful Art Room. It is an exciting and inspiring space which provides the perfect environment for children to explore their imagination, creativity and individuality.

Pupils gain a range of visual, tactile and sensory experiences allowing them to understand and respond to their surroundings. These include:

drawing,
painting,
printmaking,
sculpture,
textiles,
ceramics,
collage
photography.

Importance is also placed on studying and experiencing the work of a wide variety of artists, designers and makers. Through studying art, craft and design from a range of cultures and times, pupils develop an appreciation for the richness and variety of the world in which they live. Pupils are encouraged to see themselves as artists and develop confidence in their own abilities. Exploration of a wide range of techniques and ideas allows all children to discover their individual strengths and interests, which
in turn fosters a sense of achievement and enjoyment.

STEM

STEM

Our Innovative STEM Curriculum Programme is a comprehensive and inclusive STEM programme designed specifically for our school. Developed by our STEM Leads to involve all children from EYFS to Year 6, the Programme incorporates a fusion of Science, Design and Technology, Maths and Computer Science to create a seamless and engaging learning experience. Our Programme aims to foster curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills in students, while promoting diversity, inclusivity and equality in STEM education.

Our Programme encompasses hands-on design projects, coding, robotics, a STEM week and a STEM fair, and promotes online safety and artificial intelligence (AI) awareness at each stage. It is designed to incorporate and extend from the National Curriculum in each area and complement topics covered in other subject areas.

Enrichment Programme