Curriculum

Art nurtures imagination, creativity and personal expression. Pupils explore a wide range of media and techniques, study the work of significant artists, and communicate ideas through hands-on projects. Through drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media, pupils learn to experiment, refine skills and respond thoughtfully to the world around them.

Reception

• Artistic effects to express ideas and feelings
• Self-portraits using different mark-making tools
• Textured dragon pictures using techniques such as textured paint
• Mixing colours to paint a butterfly
• Recreating pictures from The Extraordinary Gardener using different tools and materials

Year 1

• I Am an Artist: primary colours and colour mixing
• Paper sculpture
• Natural art inspired by Andy Goldsworthy

Year 2

• Exploring why we make art
• Cave art using pastel techniques
• Making clay jewellery
• Calligraphy using brush techniques; creating fans and lanterns
• Exploring colour and tone: tints, shades and tones
• Creating portraits
• Water-themed artwork using wax resist, watercolour and collage

Year 3

• Art inspired by the school environment
• Clay work linked to fairy tales
• Mythology: creating friezes

Year 4

• Designing and making clay pumpkins
• Tropical rainforest watercolours
• Artwork based on personal favourite things

Year 5

• Illustration techniques
• Journeys: art inspired by movement and travel

Year 6

• Creating artwork using recycled materials
• Exploring displacement through the work of refugee artists
• Global connections: examining how the British Empire influenced art

Computing helps pupils understand technology, develop digital creativity and learn to use computers safely and responsibly. Pupils gain experience in programming, media creation and handling information.

Reception

• Digital foundations and exploring technology

Year 1

• Computing systems and IT around us
• Programming A
• Creating digital music

Year 2

• Digital photography
• Robot algorithms
• Pictograms

Year 3

• Connecting computers
• Sequencing sounds
• Branching databases

Year 4

• The internet
• Repetition in shapes
• Data logging

Year 5

• Sharing information
• Selection in physical computing
• Flat file databases

Year 6

• Communication and collaboration
• Variables in games
• Webpage creation and spreadsheets

Design & Technology develops creativity, problem-solving and practical skills. Pupils learn to design, make and evaluate products using a range of materials and techniques.

Reception

• Christmas decorations
• Early planning and making skills

Year 1

• Fruit salads and healthy eating
• Picture frames

Year 2

• Pop-up books
• Mechanisms and linkages

Year 3

• Wooden car models
• Wheels and axles

Year 4

• Pouches and sewing
• Pulleys and cams

Year 5

• Moving toys
• Hat making

Year 6

• Cooking and nutrition: salads, bread
• Structures: aqueducts

Drama develops self-expression, confidence, and collaboration.
Our pupils take part in a range of performances, from class productions to major plays, being encouraged to find their own voice on stage.

Across the Preparatory School

• Participation in school plays and smaller performance pieces
• LAMDA examinations from Year 1 in Verse, Prose, Acting, and Devised Performance
• Co-curricular drama clubs available for all pupils

English builds confident readers and writers who can communicate clearly, creatively and with purpose. Pupils engage with rich texts, develop fluency and use writing to express ideas across genres.

Reception

• Early phonics and blending
• Writing simple words and sentences

Year 1

• Poetry and story retelling
• Developing sentence structure
• Character and plot
• Instructions and recounts

Year 2

• Narrative writing
• Descriptions, fact files and letters
• Drama and story innovations

Year 3

• Diaries, instructions and playscripts
• Mythical writing and character work
• Creating new chapters for novels

Year 4

• Discussion texts and narrative techniques
• Quest stories and balanced arguments

Year 5

• Dual-purpose writing
• Biographical and autobiographical texts
• Newspaper reports and viewpoint writing

Year 6

• Creating atmosphere in writing
• Persuasion, discussion and narrative
• Author studies and mystery writing
• Poetry and SATs preparation

Enrichment activities broaden pupils’ experiences, build teamwork and introduce new sports and skills.

Reception

• Exploring early movement, teamwork and play-based physical skills

Year 1–6 Michaelmas

• Rugby and hockey, with separate girls’ and boys’ sessions

Lent (Years 1–6)

• Football and netball
• Lacrosse

Trinity (Years 1–6)

• Cricket, rounders, stoolball and kabaddi

Geography encourages pupils to develop curiosity about the world, exploring places, environments and cultures through maps, fieldwork and first-hand investigation. Pupils learn how people interact with their surroundings and how physical and human processes shape our planet.

Reception

• Understanding the World: exploring places and environments in familiar contexts
• Early geographical enquiry through observation and play

Year 1

• Here I Am: local area, where we live, simple maps and plan views
• Routes and directions, journeys to school
• Human and physical features in the local environment
• Local fieldwork study

Year 2

• Mini Mappers: mapwork and features of the United Kingdom
• Comparison with Brazil and contrasting localities
• Investigating world trade
• Improving the environment

Year 3

• The UK: capital cities and contrasting areas
• Urban, rural and coastal environments
• Hot and cold deserts, volcanoes and rainforests
• North America and the water cycle

Year 4

• Global study: Kenya and world maps
• Comparing rural and urban Kenya with the UK
• Rivers, seas and oceans
• Europe: geographical features and countries

Year 5

• Earth processes: earthquakes and settlements
• Climate patterns around the world

Year 6

• Global geography overview
• Independent geographical enquiry project

History enables pupils to understand how people lived in the past, why events happened and how the world has changed over time. Through enquiry, timelines and sources, pupils develop perspective, curiosity and an appreciation of human stories.

Reception

• Understanding the World: family history, school life and changes within living memory

Year 1

• My family history and personal timelines
• Victorian school life and toys
• Finding out about the past using different sources

Year 2

• Stone Age life, survival and early humans
• Ancient Egypt: rulers, beliefs and daily life
• Maya civilisation: chronology, city states, beliefs and food

Year 3

• Romans in Britain: society, army, legacy
• Local history study and museum visit
• Titanic: social class, sources and causes of the disaster

Year 4

• Great Fire of London: causes and impact
• Vikings in Britain: raids, Lindisfarne, settlements and farming
• Early Islam: origins and achievements
• Ancient Greece: city states, democracy, battles and the ancient Olympics

Year 5

• World War II: causes, impact on civilians, evacuation and the Blitz
• Explorers and significant journeys
• Crime and Punishment, including a Victorian local study
• Dambusters and local wartime history

Year 6

• Anglo-Saxons: society, settlement and culture
• Quest for knowledge in exploration
• British Empire: India, South Africa and migration
• Windrush and British civil rights movements

Our Learning Support Department ensures every child reaches their full potential, providing tailored help for those who need additional guidance or challenge.
The department works closely with teachers and parents to support learning across the curriculum.

Support Provision

• Dedicated SENCO for EYFS, Key Stages 1 and 2
• 1:1 and small group sessions for targeted support
• Technology-assisted interventions for specific learning needs
• Close liaison with speech and language and occupational therapists
• Individual education plans with regular review and parent communication

Our school library is the heart of literacy development, providing a welcoming space for reading, research, and exploration.
It promotes a love of books and supports every area of the curriculum.

Provision

• Regular access to the library
• Resources promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
• Reading challenges, author events and book fairs
• Independent and guided research opportunities

Mathematics develops fluency, logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Pupils build a secure understanding of number, calculation, shape and measure, progressing through concrete, pictorial and abstract learning.

Reception

• Sorting, matching, comparing and pattern
• Numbers to 10, subitising, early addition and subtraction
• Shape and spatial awareness

Year 1

• Place value within 10
• Addition and subtraction
• Shape
• Place value to 20 and 50
• Measurement: length, height, mass and volume

Year 2

• Place value, addition and subtraction
• Money and multiplication
• Length, height, mass and capacity
• Fractions, time and statistics

Year 3

• Place value and number operations
• Multiplication and division
• Fractions
• Measurement: length, perimeter, mass and capacity

Year 4

• Place value and efficient written methods
• Fractions and decimals
• Area, perimeter and statistics

Year 5

• Fractions, decimals and percentages
• Multiplication and division
• Perimeter, area and volume
• Ratio, algebra and statistics

Year 6

• Fractions, decimals and percentages
• Area, perimeter and volume
• Shape and position
• Negative numbers and converting units

Music enables pupils to express themselves creatively, explore sound, perform with confidence and understand musical traditions. Through singing, instrumental work and composition, pupils develop listening, notation and performance skills.

Reception

• Exploring vocal and body sounds
• Listening to music and identifying patterns
• Playing with dynamics, pitch and tempo

Year 1

• Nativity songs
• Sol-fa and rhythm patterns
• Copying rhythms and simple melodies

Year 2

• Nativity songs
• Weather-themed compositions
• Introducing notation and recognising instruments

Year 3

• Nativity songs
• Performing with partners using multiple instruments
• Class band activities

Year 4

• Nativity songs
• Understanding and notating rhythms
• Samba and world rhythms

Year 5

• Elements of music: structure, dynamics, tempo and timbre
• Programme music composition
• African drumming

Year 6

• Rhythm and notation
• Popular music and technology
• Performing four-chord pop songs

Outdoor Learning is an essential part of life at Lincoln Minster, allowing pupils to learn, explore, and problem-solve in the natural environment.
Lessons encourage resilience, teamwork, and environmental awareness.

Programme Highlights

• Weekly outdoor learning sessions from Reception to Year 2
• Forest School activities: den building, natural crafts, and fire pit cooking
• Exploration of nature through art, science, and geography
• Strong links with the Muddy Puddle Teacher brand and 150 Hours Outside initiative
• Achieved Platinum Green Tree School Award

Phonics underpins early reading and writing development.
Through engaging, structured lessons, pupils master the sounds of English and become confident, fluent readers.

Programme Overview

• Daily phonics lessons in Key Stage 1
• Teaching of all 44 English phonemes
• Segmenting and blending sounds to read and spell
• Personal phonics resource packs to support home learning

PSHE supports pupils’ wellbeing, character and personal development. Through discussions, stories and real-life scenarios, pupils learn to build relationships, stay safe, manage feelings and make responsible choices.

Reception

• Understanding feelings and relationships
• Routines, independence and perspective-taking

Year 1

• Keeping safe: road safety, fire safety
• Friendships and relationships
• Being responsible

Year 2

• Hazard awareness
• Feelings: worry and anger
• Safety at home and outside
• Healthy living

Year 3

• Being kind and responsible
• Cycle safety
• Healthy living and smoking education
• Age-appropriate information on puberty

Year 4

• Water safety
• Healthy living and alcohol awareness
• Jealousy and anger
• Online safety

Year 5

• Bullying, body language and friendships
• Healthy habits and hygiene
• Grief and emotional regulation
• Making friends online

Year 6

• Age-appropriate information on conception and puberty
• Responsibility and independence
• Online safety and digital behaviour
• British values, acceptance and inclusion

Science nurtures curiosity and investigative thinking. Pupils explore the natural world, test ideas, observe changes and learn how scientific processes explain everyday phenomena.

Reception

• Exploring animals, plants, materials and seasonal change

Year 1

• Plants and trees
• Seasonal changes and weather
• Materials

Year 2

• Living things and habitats
• Materials and their uses
• Animal needs and health

Year 3

• Skeletons and nutrition
• Rocks and soils
• Light and shadows

Year 4

• Sound
• Electricity
• States of matter

Year 5

• Earth and space
• Forces
• Properties and changes of materials

Year 6

• Circulatory system
• Light: reflection and refraction
• Evolution and inheritance
• Physical and chemical changes

Spanish enables pupils to develop early language skills, confidence in speaking and understanding and an appreciation of Hispanic culture. Learning includes phonics, vocabulary, conversations and simple grammar.

Reception

• Greetings and feelings
• Numbers to 10

Year 1

• Greetings, feelings and phonics
• Numbers to 15 and age
• Months and seasons

Year 2

• Dates and birthdays
• School equipment and gender
• Animals, plurals and telling the time

Year 3

• Fruit, colours and opinions
• Festivals and celebrations
• Pets and descriptions

Year 4

• Body parts and illness
• Sports and hobbies
• Towns, regions and directions

Year 5

• Home and family
• Free time activities
• Instruments
• Ordering food

Year 6

• Holiday vocabulary
• Countries and transport
• Future tense for holiday plans

Physical Education promotes health, confidence and teamwork while developing coordination and physical skills across a wide variety of sports. Pupils learn to challenge themselves, collaborate and enjoy active lifestyles.

Reception

• Gymnastics and dance
• Ball skills

Year 1

• Ball skills
• Gymnastics and dance
• Hockey and tag rugby

Year 2

• Ball skills
• Gymnastics and dance
• Hockey and tag rugby

Year 3

• Fitness
• Badminton
• Rugby
• Hockey

Year 4

• Rugby
• Hockey
• Fitness
• Squash

Year 5

• Hockey
• Rugby
• Fitness
• Badminton

Year 6

• Rugby
• Hockey
• Fitness
• Dquash

Lent (Years 1–6)

• Football
• Netball
• Handball
• Basketball
• Cross-country (KS2)

Trinity (Years 1–6)

• Athletics
• Cricket
• Rounders
• Tennis

Religious Education helps pupils explore faith, belief and meaning. Pupils learn about major world religions, reflect on values and spirituality and consider how people express beliefs through traditions, rituals and stories.

Reception

• Special places and celebrations
• Exploring festivals such as Diwali, Christmas, Eid and Hanukkah

Year 1

• Belonging: baptism, Judaism and sacred texts
• Why Christmas matters to Christians

Year 2

• Creation stories and big questions
• Christianity: Bible stories and Easter

Year 3

• Moral decision-making
• Islamic beliefs and community

Year 4

• Poverty, justice and self-sacrifice
• Buddhism and suffering
• Diversity within Christianity

Year 5

• Jewish artefacts and Shabbat
• Worship and prayer in Christianity
• Hindu worship and celebrations

Year 6

• Islamic practice and diversity
• Jesus as Messiah in art and music
• Life purpose and philosophical questions