The primary curriculum at Lotus Academy is organised through a combination of discrete subjects and curriculum units which cover History, Geography, Art and DT.  Units of work are mapped over a 2 year cycle (year 3 / 4 and year 5 / 6).  Pupils also access swimming over the course of the year which is timetabled alongside P4A, so that pupils access either swimming or P4A at different points throughout the year.  The primary curriculum follows an adaptation of the National Curriculum with a ‘stage not age’ approach. 

In year 3 and 4, learning features elements of the Early Years curriculum to fill in the gaps of the developmental milestones that pupils are missing, focusing around co and self-regulation and social skills.  This is done through elements of continuous provision and play based learning.  (Pupils who continue to need to access this in year 5 and 6 are able to do so on an individual basis through personalised plans.  This offer may be needed for pupils who join the school in year 5 or 6.)  The main focus in year 3 and 4 is to enable pupils to develop a love of learning, a sense of responsibility, independence and the ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships.  Pupils have access to sensory circuit every morning and at different transition points throughout the day on an individual basis.  This continues into year 5 and 6, with an increase in time spent on formal learning.  Pupils develop a love of reading through a focus on developing a reading rich environment with high quality texts.  Pupils develop a love of writing through engaging experiences and lessons which focus around pupil ownership of their work with an authentic audience.  Pupils often join the school disillusioned with learning, particularly reading and writing, so the core aim remains to be to promote a love of learning that will continue through the school.  The Read, Write, Inc phonics scheme is used to support pupils to develop early reading skills and Essential Writing is used for English lessons.