PRIMARY CURRICULUM

Core Subjects 

• English 
• Mathematics 
• Science 
• Arabic 
• Islamic Education for Muslim students 
• Moral, Social and Cultural Education 

Foundation and Specialist Subjects 

• Ecoliteracy 
• Art 
• Computing 
• Music 
• Physical Education 
• Modern Foreign Languages in Key Stage 2 

Specialist teachers contribute across many areas of the curriculum, giving students access to subject expertise as they progress through Primary.

Arbor’s Primary Ecoliteracy Curriculum develops students’ knowledge and understanding alongside the capabilities they need to examine relationships between people, communities and natural systems and consider how they can respond. 

From Year 1 to Year 6, the curriculum brings together three elements: 

Six core concepts build age-appropriate knowledge and understanding of Climate Science, Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Climate Justice, Resilience Building, Post-Carbon Economies and Sustainable Lifestyles. 

Four capability domains – Cognition, Emotion, Action and Connection – guide the development of eight age-appropriate Arbor Capabilities in the Primary years. These help students think critically and systemically, consider different perspectives, collaborate, respond to challenges and take informed action. 

Six character virtues provide a framework for developing and reflecting on the character strengths that support learning, relationships and responsible action. 

These elements provide a developmental framework for Ecoliteracy across the Primary years, connecting knowledge with the capabilities and qualities students develop as they learn about the world around them.

Project-based learning is an important part of Arbor’s Primary curriculum. Students complete three term-long projects each year, each structured around a central inquiry question. 

Project Launch 

Each project begins with an experience that introduces the subject and establishes the central question. 

Inquiry Process 

Students develop relevant knowledge and skills through explicit teaching, research, discussion, practical investigation and first-hand experience. 

Guiding questions allow students to examine the subject in greater depth and draw on different areas of the curriculum. 

Project Landing 

Each project concludes with an outcome through which students apply and communicate what they have learned. 

This might include a presentation, exhibition, performance, designed product, shared experience or form of action. 

Project objectives may draw on science, history, geography and other subjects, allowing students to see how different disciplines can contribute to the examination of a shared issue.

Key Stage 1 provides a managed transition from Foundation Stage into more structured subject learning. 

Teachers continue to use practical activities, play, discussion and direct experience while establishing secure foundations in reading, writing, mathematics and scientific understanding. 

Students learn to follow routines, communicate their ideas, work with others and take increasing responsibility for their learning. Outdoor environments and specialist spaces provide additional settings in which students can investigate ideas and apply new knowledge. 

English in Key Stage 1 

English teaching develops early reading, writing, vocabulary and spoken language. 

Systematic phonics instruction helps students recognise letter and sound relationships, decode unfamiliar words and develop increasingly fluent reading. Shared and guided reading enable students to discuss texts, develop comprehension and encounter a widening range of vocabulary. 

In writing, students learn to compose sentences, organise ideas and communicate for different purposes. Oral rehearsal, discussion and engagement with high-quality texts support the development of both content and technical accuracy. 

Mathematics in Key Stage 1 

Students develop secure foundations in number, calculation, shape, measurement and mathematical reasoning. 

The concrete-pictorial-abstract approach introduces new concepts through objects and practical work, followed by visual representations and, finally, mathematical symbols. 

Discussion, practical application and problem-solving help students understand relationships between numbers rather than relying only on memorised procedures. 

Science in Key Stage 1 

Science introduces students to systematic observation, investigation and the use of evidence. 

Students study living things, habitats, the human body, everyday materials and physical processes through practical activities and direct experience. Arbor’s biodomes, gardens and outdoor spaces allow students to observe plants, animals and environmental systems first-hand. 

Students learn to ask relevant questions, make predictions, describe observations and use their findings to develop explanations.

During Key Stage 2, students build on the foundations established in Years 1 and 2. Subject knowledge becomes more detailed, texts and concepts become more complex, and students work with increasing independence. 

Teaching continues to use practical and visual approaches where these support understanding, while increasingly requiring students to reason abstractly, evaluate information and communicate more developed conclusions. 

By Year 6, students are accustomed to working across a range of subjects, managing longer pieces of work and applying their knowledge with greater independence in preparation for Secondary School. 

English in Key Stage 2 

Students develop greater fluency, comprehension and precision in reading and writing. 

They read an increasingly broad range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, examining vocabulary, making inferences, retrieving information and evaluating how writers communicate meaning. 

The VIPERS framework supports six key reading processes: 

• Vocabulary 
• Inference 
• Prediction 
• Explanation 
• Retrieval 
• Summarising 

Writing becomes more sustained and sophisticated. Students learn to adapt vocabulary, structure and style for different purposes and audiences while developing greater control of spelling, punctuation and grammar. 

Mathematics in Key Stage 2 

The concrete-pictorial-abstract approach continues in Key Stage 2, with students moving increasingly towards abstract representation and independent reasoning. 

Students develop their understanding of number, calculation, fractions, decimals, percentages, geometry, measurement and statistics. As they progress, they encounter more complex, multi-step problems and explain the reasoning behind their methods. 

Practical resources and visual models remain available where helpful, while students are increasingly expected to recognise relationships, select efficient strategies and apply knowledge in unfamiliar contexts. 

Science in Key Stage 2 

Students extend their knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics while developing a more systematic approach to scientific inquiry. 

They investigate topics including living organisms, the human body, classification, adaptation, materials, forces, light, sound and electricity. 

Students learn to plan investigations, identify and control variables, take measurements, record results and evaluate evidence. They are increasingly expected to use scientific vocabulary precisely and explain whether their findings support their predictions. 

Reading underpins learning across the Primary curriculum. 

Reading in Key Stage 1 

Students develop early reading through: 

• Systematic phonics instruction 
• Shared and guided reading 
• Vocabulary development 
• Reading comprehension 
• Regular opportunities to read for pleasure 

Reading in Key Stage 2 

Students continue to develop fluency and comprehension through high-quality texts, structured reading instruction and the Accelerated Reader programme. 

Regular library visits, reading events, recommendations and access to a broad range of texts help students develop their individual reading interests. 

Families are encouraged to read with their children, discuss books and model regular reading at home. The school recommends reading at home at least four times each week. 

Moral, Social and Cultural Education helps students understand the history, culture and values of the UAE alongside wider questions of identity, community and responsibility. 

Students examine moral principles, cultural heritage, civic life and the responsibilities people hold towards one another. They discuss different perspectives, consider the consequences of decisions and learn about their role within the communities around them. 

In Year 1, Positive Education supports the development of values and behaviours including respect, responsibility and consideration for others. The formal Moral, Social and Cultural Education curriculum begins in Year 2. 

Arabic is taught to all Primary students, with provision differentiated for native and non-native speakers. 

Islamic Education is provided for Muslim students in accordance with UAE Ministry of Education requirements. 

Through these subjects, students develop language knowledge alongside their understanding of the culture, history and traditions of the UAE. 

Arbor’s seven learning skills provide students and teachers with a shared language for discussing how students approach their learning. 

Self-management 

Taking responsibility for learning, behaviour and wellbeing through organisation, independence, perseverance and reflection. 

Collaboration 

Working effectively with others towards a shared goal by listening, contributing and accepting shared responsibility. 

Communication 

Expressing ideas clearly through speaking, listening, discussion and presentation. 

Explorative play 

Learning through discovery, experimentation, investigation and hands-on experience. 

Creativity 

Generating ideas, making connections and approaching tasks in different ways. 

Critical thinking 

Analysing information, considering evidence and making informed judgements. 

Research and inquiry 

Investigating questions, evaluating information and developing supported conclusions. 

These skills are embedded across subject lessons, projects, enrichment, leadership experiences and reflection activities. 

All students access a broad and ambitious curriculum, with teaching adapted to provide an appropriate balance of support and challenge. 

Arbor’s Seeds of Growth model describes four increasing levels of cognitive demand: 

• Knowledge and recall: Developing core knowledge, vocabulary, facts and procedures. 
• Skills and concepts: Applying knowledge, explaining ideas, making predictions and solving familiar problems. 
• Strategic thinking: Comparing, justifying, evaluating and drawing evidence-based conclusions. 
• Extended thinking: Analysing, synthesising, designing and connecting learning across subjects and contexts. 

The model helps teachers plan for increasing depth, complexity and independence rather than simply assigning students more work. 

Assessment is an ongoing part of teaching. Teachers establish what students already know, monitor their understanding and respond throughout the learning process. 

Evidence may include: 

• Classroom observations 
• Questioning and discussion 
• Independent work 
• Project outcomes 
• Standardised assessments 
• Teachers’ professional judgement 

This information is used to address misconceptions, adapt explanations, provide additional support and introduce further challenge. 

Standardised assessment in Primary includes: 

• CAT4 assessments in Years 4 to 6 
• GL PASS 
• National Group Reading Test in Years 2 to 6 
• Arabic Benchmark Tests 
• Year 1 Phonics Screening Check 
• GL Progress Tests in Years 3 to 6 
• Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check 

Families receive digital reports through Zenda at the end of each term and are invited to a Parent-Teacher Conference each term. 

Some students benefit from provision beyond the adaptations made within everyday classroom teaching. 

The Thrive Team works with teachers and families to create personalised pathways for: 

• Students of Determination 
• Accomplished Learners 
• English Language Learners 
• Students requiring targeted academic, developmental or wellbeing support 

Provision may include classroom strategies, targeted intervention, language support, curriculum extension or an individual learning plan. Plans are developed collaboratively and reviewed regularly.

The Arbor Enrichment Experience gives students access to activities across seven strands: 

• Arbor Competes 
• Arbor Explores 
• Arbor Inquires 
• Arbor Inspires 
• Arbor Performs 
• Arbor Creates 
• Arbor Extends 

Opportunities may include sport, performing arts, academic extension, outdoor education, design, leadership, community service and competition. 

Primary learning also includes curriculum-linked visits, fieldwork and residential experiences. Year 2 students take part in an on-site overnight experience, followed by progressive off-site residential opportunities from Years 3 to 6.