Curriculum

Art at Lincoln Minster encourages imagination and creative thinking. Pupils explore a range of media, learn from renowned artists, and express their individuality through hands-on projects that build both skill and confidence.

Year 1

• Food, Glorious Food: Collage, weaving, and Kandinsky-inspired colour studies
• If You Go Down to the Woods: Emily Carr tree paintings and observational drawing
• A Knight in Shining Armour: Paul Klee oil pastels, castle and shield design
• Splish! Splash! Splosh!: Seascapes, collages, and sea creature sculptures using found materials

Year 2

• Early Man: Self-portraits, cave art, Stone Age jewellery
• Toy Story: Shoe dolls, Christmas calendars, and festive crafts
• China: Lanterns, fans, calligraphy, decorated plates or vases
• Significant People: Exploring techniques of famous artists

Year 3

• Egyptian painting
• Greek design and architecture
• Viking art and design

Year 4

• Watercolours and shading
• Roman clay tiles and repeating patterns
• Japanese silk painting

Year 5

• Single-point perspective
• Silk screen printing and watercolour study
• Digital poster design

Year 6

• William Morris and Victorian art
• Lino cutting
• Independent world art study

Our Computing curriculum combines creativity and critical thinking with essential digital literacy.
Pupils learn to code, design, and communicate using technology that connects classroom learning with the wider digital world.

Year 1

• Basic keyboard and mouse skills
• Giving instructions and following directions
• Drawing and painting using digital tools
• Sorting and presenting information

Year 2

• Basic programming and algorithms using programmable toys
• Creating pictures and animations
• Adding text to photographs
• Using and creating databases

Year 3

• Touch typing and combining text with graphics
• Algorithms and LOGO programming
• Introduction to Scratch coding
• Manipulating sound and creating digital art

Year 4

• Touch typing and repeating patterns
• PowerPoint presentation design
• Scratch coding and branching databases
• Creating digital newspapers

Year 5

• Game creation and debugging
• Complex searches and data analysis
• Graphical modelling, spreadsheets and animation
• Digital music production

Year 6

• Website design and layout
• Game development and testing
• Eco research project
• Digital video production and editing

Design & Technology fosters innovation, imagination, and practical problem-solving.
Pupils design, make, and evaluate their creations, understanding how thoughtful design improves everyday life.

Year 1

• Food, Glorious Food: Class scarecrow construction, bread making, food plate design
• If You Go Down to the Woods: Christmas card creation and simple sewing
• A Knight in Shining Armour: Designing and building castles
• Splish! Splash! Splosh!: Creating moving pirate figures

Year 2

• Early Man: Building shelters and Stone Age tools
• Toy Story: Designing toys using wheels and axles
• China: Designing and making a Chinese New Year project
• Significant People: Exploring food technology

Year 3

• Investigating levers and making a shadoof
• Greek architectural design and temple construction
• Viking longhouses

Year 4

• Designing cams and moving animal models

Year 5

• Timber cutting and electric circuits
• Designing and constructing electric cars

Year 6

• Designing acrobats
• Creating Victorian toys

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 lies at the heart of communication and creativity.
Through literature, performance, and writing, pupils develop clarity, imagination, and confidence in expressing ideas.

Key Stage 1 Weekly Provision

• 8 English lessons (single and double sessions)
• Weekly spelling and grammar focus
• Guided reading and independent reading
• Regular handwriting practice
• Speaking and listening opportunities

Year 1

• Food, Glorious Food: Familiar stories, instructions, and poetry
• If You Go Down to the Woods: Traditional tales, letters, and story retelling
• A Knight in Shining Armour: Menus, recipes, riddles, and poster writing
• Splish! Splash! Splosh!: Poetry, adventure writing, and play scripts

Year 2

• Early Man: Fact files, creative writing, and instructional texts
• Toy Story: Explanation texts, fictional writing, and seasonal poetry
• China: Research, news scripts, and traditional tales
• Significant People: Studying authors and writing in their style

Year 3

• Farming in Lincolnshire / Walk Like an Egyptian: Story writing, poetry, comprehension
• The Mayans / Saving the Rainforest: Persuasive and non-fiction writing
• How to Train a Viking: Adventure stories, play scripts, and poetry

Year 4

• Magic and Mystery of India: Stories from other cultures and persuasive writing
• Dig Deep: Stories set in imaginary worlds and non-fiction explanations
• The Nature of Life: Newspapers, recounts, and poetry

Year 5

• An Eye on London: Significant authors, imagery, and persuasive writing
• In the Extreme: Myths, legends, and performance poetry
• Into the Unknown: Narrative and film writing, dramatic conventions

Year 6

• Eureka!: Shakespeare, narrative short stories, discussion writing
• We’ll Meet Again: Report writing, biography, and autobiography
• Our Global Village: Journalistic writing and poetry performance
• Vive la France!: SATs preparation, narrative quests, and non-fiction design

Geography at Lincoln Minster inspires curiosity about our planet and its people. Pupils learn about diverse environments, cultures, and global challenges through hands-on study and local fieldwork.

Year 1

• Food, Glorious Food: Farming and food origins
• If You Go Down to the Woods: Mapping and local studies
• A Knight in Shining Armour: Castle locations and features
• Splish! Splash! Splosh!: Oceans and seaside environments

Year 2

• Early Man: Stone Age homes and settlements
• Toy Story: Victorian homes and communities
• China: Geography and culture of China
• Significant People: Famous explorers

Year 3

• Farming in Lincolnshire
• Ancient Egypt and The Mayans
• Rainforests and conservation
• Viking settlements and OS map skills

Year 4

• Silk, Saris, and Spice: Trade and culture in Asia
• Terrific Transport and The Nature of Life
• Rivers, water cycle, and world geography

Year 5

• An Eye on London: Urban geography
• Go With the Flow: Rivers and waterways
• In the Extreme: Climate zones and biomes
• Active Planet: Volcanoes and earthquakes

Year 6

• Eureka!: Coastal features and erosion
• We’ll Meet Again: Local study of Lincoln and Lincolnshire
• Vive la France!: European geography and culture

History brings the past to life through storytelling, research, and exploration. Pupils discover how past events shaped societies and develop analytical skills through hands-on investigations.

Year 1

• Farming in the past and changes within living memory
• Castles: Lincoln and Tattershall
• Famous pirates: Henry Morgan and Anne Bonny

Year 2

• Early Man and Stone Age life
• Lives of Victorian children
• Ancient China and early explorers

Year 3

• History of Lincolnshire
• Ancient Egypt and The Mayans
• Life of a Viking

Year 4

• Celts, Romans, and Anglo-Saxons

Year 5

• The Tudor and Stuart periods
• Mayan civilisation
• Exploration from the 16th century to modern day

Year 6

• Crime and punishment through history
• World War II: the Home Front and Battle of Britain
• Victorian innovation and the Titanic
• Class systems and equality

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 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

• Weekly library sessions for all pupils
• Resources promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
• Reading challenges, author events and book fairs
• Independent and guided research opportunities

Mathematics at Lincoln Minster School is taught to inspire confidence, logical thinking, and a genuine enjoyment of problem-solving.
We aim to ensure every child believes they can succeed in mathematics through practical exploration, reasoning, and real-life application.

Year 1

• Symmetry, direction, and position
• Length, height, weight, and coordinates
• Number and place value to 100
• Introduction to 2D and 3D shapes
• Problem-solving and sequencing activities

Year 2

• Number, addition, subtraction and simple fractions
• Measurement: time, length and money
• 2D and 3D shape properties and symmetry
• Statistics: pictograms and block graphs
• Multiplication facts for 2, 5, and 10

Year 3

• Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Time, fractions, money and measurement
• Geometry: lines, angles and symmetry
• Times tables and problem-solving

Year 4

• Four operations with larger numbers
• Fractions, decimals and rounding
• Angles, perimeter and symmetry
• Area, time and co-ordinates

Year 5

• Written and mental calculation methods
• Factors, multiples and prime numbers
• Fractions, percentages and decimals
• Measure: time, angles and capacity
• Geometry: properties of shapes and reflections
• Statistics: line graphs and interpretation

Year 6

• Numbers beyond millions, ratios and algebra
• Fractions, percentages and decimals
• Converting units and calculating area and volume
• Geometry: 2D and 3D shapes, translation and reflection
• Preparation for SATs with a focus on reasoning and problem-solving

Music at Lincoln Minster School is joyful, collaborative, and inclusive.
We nurture a lifelong love of music by offering opportunities to perform, compose, and explore a diverse range of musical styles.

Year 1

• Singing and performing in concerts and productions
• Exploring sound and rhythm using classroom percussion
• Introduction to notation through class recorder pieces

Year 2

• Singing in concerts and assemblies
• Tuned and untuned percussion work
• Developing recorder skills and musical vocabulary

Year 3

• Singing and rhythm exercises
• Recorder and tuned percussion performances
• Listening and appraising using musical terminology

Year 4

• Singing and rhythm work with world rhythms
• Keyboard skills and basic composition
• Appraising and performing using notation

Years 5–6

• Classroom music lessons exploring musical genres
• Composition, performance, and appraising work
• Participation in vocal workshops, percussion, and orchestra
• Opportunities for individual instrumental tuition

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

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHEE) supports pupils in developing confidence, empathy, and responsibility.
Our curriculum promotes wellbeing, resilience, and values that prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Programme Themes

1. Health and Well-being
2. Relationships
3. Living in the Wider World

Key Learning

• Respect and tolerance of others
• Rights, responsibilities and democracy through the School Council
• Rule of law and mutual respect through class and community rules
• Charity, citizenship and leadership opportunities

Science encourages curiosity, experimentation, and discovery.
Our pupils develop understanding through practical investigations and hands-on learning, exploring the world with questioning minds.

Year 1

• Seasonal changes and weather patterns
• Light and dark, materials, and forces
• Floating, sinking, plants, and animals

Year 2

• Habitats and classification
• Human and animal biology
• Materials and their uses
• Plant growth and movement

Year 3

• Rocks and soils
• Light and shadow
• Forces and magnetism
• Skeletons, muscles and healthy living

Year 4

• States of matter
• Sound and electricity
• Digestive system and living things

Year 5

• Properties of materials
• Earth and space
• Forces and life cycles
• Reproduction in animals and plants

Year 6

• Circulatory system and classification
• Electrical circuits
• Adaptation and evolution
• Light, inventions and applied science

Spanish lessons immerse pupils in language through conversation, culture, and creativity. Lessons are fun, fast-paced, and focus on practical communication and cultural appreciation.

Year 1

• Greetings and numbers to 20
• Fruit, food, likes and dislikes
• Phonics, festivals, and traditional tales

Year 2

• Numbers to 30 and body parts
• Celebrations and festivals
• Animals, Mexican toys, and Spanish stories

Year 3

• Greetings and classroom language
• Spanish-speaking countries
• Healthy eating and cultural stories

Year 4

• Fruits, colours and animals
• Family, hobbies and habitats
• Numbers, dates and phonics

Year 5

• Buildings in Madrid and London
• Time, weather and directions
• Places in town

Year 6

• Likes, dislikes and opinions
• Picasso and Spanish art
• The Spanish Civil War and school life
• Personal information and conversation

Sport plays a central role in developing teamwork, determination, and lifelong healthy habits.
Every pupil takes part in a wide range of physical activities, gaining skills, confidence, and resilience both on and off the field.

Key Stage 1

• Gymnastics, dance and ball skills
• Hockey, netball, football and tennis
• Athletics, basketball, and striking and fielding games

Key Stage 2

• Gymnastics, dance, athletics and ball skills
• Team sports: rugby, hockey, football and netball
• Summer sports: rounders, cricket and tennis
• Volleyball and badminton
• Competitive fixtures from Year 3 onwards

Religious Studies helps pupils understand the beliefs, values, and traditions that shape communities locally and globally.

Lessons promote respect, reflection, and curiosity, encouraging pupils to think deeply about faith and philosophy.

Key Stage 1

• Christianity: beliefs, celebrations and places of worship
• Learning about another world faith or belief system
• Exploring diversity and the role of religion in the community

Key Stage 2

• Deeper study of Christianity and other major world religions
• Exploring meaning, truth, and ethics
• Understanding how beliefs influence actions and identity