Slade Green Primary School Curriculum.pdf
Our Curriculum At Slade Green our curriculum is continually evolving and adapting in light of the needs of our children, which has enabled us to embrace the new National Curriculum. Our curriculum is broad and balanced giving the opportunity for every child to have access to the different areas of the curriculum. We recognise that each child will be at a different stage of development and hence the curriculum, which is planned by teachers, will reflect the diverse needs of the child. There are three key stages within Primary Schools. Each key stage refers to a different age range. These are as follows: Foundation Stage
4-5 year olds
Key stage 1
5-7 year olds
Key stage 2
7-11 year olds
Children across all key stages at Slade Green, are taught Literacy through Talk for Writing. Not only does Talk for Writing embrace the importance of a language rich environment in which to inspire our curious minds, but it also allows our teachers to embed the children’s learning through a creative and engaging context. Talk for Writing teaches our children the ‘key ingredients’ of all text types so that they are able to continue on their path to becoming life-long, independent writers. Our school’s phonics programme, Read Write Inc, is both stimulating and challenging. It teaches the skills of reading and encourages children’s thinking which creates enthusiastic, life-long readers who share in the joy of reading. Children in the Foundation Stage learn through teacher directed and child initiated play using the EYFS Curriculum. In Key Stages 1 and 2 we continue to build upon the good practice of the Foundation Stage by following ‘The Creative Learning Journey’ curriculum. This curriculum is DCFS and Ofsted approved and underpins, supports and improves children’s learning in the basic skills. The skills are grouped into the seven areas of learning taken from the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Thematic topic wheels address the skills to be covered using engaging and creative activities. To learn more about the ’The Creative Learning Journey’ please visit www.creativelearningjourney.co.uk
The Foundation Stage Curriculum Children learn about life through play based learning opportunities. They make sense of the world by seeing, hearing and feeling. Children naturally explore and investigate the environment around them. In our nursery and reception classes, we provide a happy and secure environment with a wide range of activities, challenges, materials and experiences. Children playing in such a stimulating environment are learning all the time, under the guidance of trained staff. In the Foundation Stage we follow the ethos of the main school, providing a positive and supportive environment for learning. Our play and learning activities follow the Department of Education Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, which covers seven areas of learning: These are:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication & Language
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design Each area of learning consists of Early Learning Goals, which can be achieved through smaller steps against ‘Development Matters’ statements. Children are observed as to their ‘Characteristics of Learning’. These are: Playing and Exploring - Engagement Active Learning – Motivation Creative and Thinking Critically – Thinking
THE SEVEN AREAS OF LEARNING Personal, Social and Emotional Development covers:
Making relationships
Managing Feelings and Behaviour Physical Development covers:
Moving & Handling:
Health and Self-care Communication and Language covers:
Listening and Attention
Understanding
Speaking Literacy covers:
Reading and Writing Mathematics covers:
Numbers
Shape, Space and Measure Understanding the World covers:
People and Communities
The World
Technology Expressive Arts and Design covers:
Exploring and Using Media and Materials
Being Imaginative
The Prime Areas:
Personal, Social & Emotional Development
Physical Development
Communication & Language Specific Areas:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts & Design Key Stage 1 and 2 Curriculum The Creative Learning Journey provides our children with the opportunity to study the following seven areas of the curriculum: ·
·
Mathematics
·
·
English
·
·
Communication and Language
·
·
Personal, Social and Emotional Development & Religious Education
·
·
Physical Education
·
·
Expressive Arts and Design (Music, Art, Dance)
·
·
Understanding The World (Science, DT, Humanities).
By following the ‘Creative Learning Journey’, teachers create exciting learning opportunities, encompassing all of the above areas that engage and motivate children, equipping them with transferable skills in all that they undertake. CLJ allows us to tailor our curriculum so that we can respond to topical events / news and create topical ‘Wheels’, such as ‘Going For Gold’ for the Olympics held in Rio De Janeiro in the summer of 2016 or ‘Mini Wheels’ such as ‘I have a dream…’ and ‘Sticking to the Code’.
Handwriting The skill of handwriting needs to be taught. The foundations are laid from a very early age through the development of gross and fine motor skills. The handwriting policy at Slade Green is based on a style that is quick and easy to learn. It should be neat, legible and fast. Children should eventually develop the ability to produce letters without thinking. An automatic style releases the brain to concentrate on other ideas, i.e. spelling, grammar, syntax, style and content. We follow Collins Primary Focus Handwriting Scheme. Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural SMSC threads through all curriculum areas. Opportunities are given to develop children and staff; spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. The importance of children enjoying and engaging with their learning, the ability to reflect and form opinions, the desire to aspire and the resilience to do this are nurtured across the community. Slade Green is proud of its diversity, respecting and celebrating the cultures that form our school family. Our school also follows ‘The Rights Respecting Curriculum’ based on Unicef Rights of the Child. Children are aware of their rights and how they can respect the rights of others. Health Education Towards the end of KS2 the class teacher will discuss sex education and relationship issues in particular relating to growing and adolescence, with parental support. Parents will have the right to withdraw their child. Religious Education Within the classroom, religious education lessons are planned by teachers and reflect the Bexley RE syllabus. Pupils are encouraged to develop moral, spiritual, cultural and social dimensions of this subject. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education lessons, although we hope that all our parents appreciate the value in allowing their child to take part in Religious Education lessons. Parents who do wish to withdraw their child should make an appointment to meet with the Head Teacher.
Swimming All year 4 pupils are given the opportunity to attend swimming lessons throughout the academic year. The children take a coach to the Erith Leisure centre to attend weekly lessons. Spellings Below are copies of the spelling appendix guidance from the DfE. These are a guide to the types of words and sound patterns that pupils need to follow, rather than an exhaustive list of specific words. Homework for Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage pupils may use these, as well as their RWI sounds. Key Stage 2 Pupils' spelling lists may include words from these lists as well as vocabulary met in class. Modern Foreign Languages All Key Stage 2 pupils are taught Spanish by a qualified Spanish Teacher. Children learn basic and conversational Spanish in weekly lessons.
4-5 year olds
Key stage 1
5-7 year olds
Key stage 2
7-11 year olds
Children across all key stages at Slade Green, are taught Literacy through Talk for Writing. Not only does Talk for Writing embrace the importance of a language rich environment in which to inspire our curious minds, but it also allows our teachers to embed the children’s learning through a creative and engaging context. Talk for Writing teaches our children the ‘key ingredients’ of all text types so that they are able to continue on their path to becoming life-long, independent writers. Our school’s phonics programme, Read Write Inc, is both stimulating and challenging. It teaches the skills of reading and encourages children’s thinking which creates enthusiastic, life-long readers who share in the joy of reading. Children in the Foundation Stage learn through teacher directed and child initiated play using the EYFS Curriculum. In Key Stages 1 and 2 we continue to build upon the good practice of the Foundation Stage by following ‘The Creative Learning Journey’ curriculum. This curriculum is DCFS and Ofsted approved and underpins, supports and improves children’s learning in the basic skills. The skills are grouped into the seven areas of learning taken from the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Thematic topic wheels address the skills to be covered using engaging and creative activities. To learn more about the ’The Creative Learning Journey’ please visit www.creativelearningjourney.co.uk
The Foundation Stage Curriculum Children learn about life through play based learning opportunities. They make sense of the world by seeing, hearing and feeling. Children naturally explore and investigate the environment around them. In our nursery and reception classes, we provide a happy and secure environment with a wide range of activities, challenges, materials and experiences. Children playing in such a stimulating environment are learning all the time, under the guidance of trained staff. In the Foundation Stage we follow the ethos of the main school, providing a positive and supportive environment for learning. Our play and learning activities follow the Department of Education Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, which covers seven areas of learning: These are:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication & Language
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design Each area of learning consists of Early Learning Goals, which can be achieved through smaller steps against ‘Development Matters’ statements. Children are observed as to their ‘Characteristics of Learning’. These are: Playing and Exploring - Engagement Active Learning – Motivation Creative and Thinking Critically – Thinking
THE SEVEN AREAS OF LEARNING Personal, Social and Emotional Development covers:
Making relationships
Managing Feelings and Behaviour Physical Development covers:
Moving & Handling:
Health and Self-care Communication and Language covers:
Listening and Attention
Understanding
Speaking Literacy covers:
Reading and Writing Mathematics covers:
Numbers
Shape, Space and Measure Understanding the World covers:
People and Communities
The World
Technology Expressive Arts and Design covers:
Exploring and Using Media and Materials
Being Imaginative
The Prime Areas:
Personal, Social & Emotional Development
Physical Development
Communication & Language Specific Areas:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts & Design Key Stage 1 and 2 Curriculum The Creative Learning Journey provides our children with the opportunity to study the following seven areas of the curriculum: ·
·
Mathematics
·
·
English
·
·
Communication and Language
·
·
Personal, Social and Emotional Development & Religious Education
·
·
Physical Education
·
·
Expressive Arts and Design (Music, Art, Dance)
·
·
Understanding The World (Science, DT, Humanities).
By following the ‘Creative Learning Journey’, teachers create exciting learning opportunities, encompassing all of the above areas that engage and motivate children, equipping them with transferable skills in all that they undertake. CLJ allows us to tailor our curriculum so that we can respond to topical events / news and create topical ‘Wheels’, such as ‘Going For Gold’ for the Olympics held in Rio De Janeiro in the summer of 2016 or ‘Mini Wheels’ such as ‘I have a dream…’ and ‘Sticking to the Code’.
Handwriting The skill of handwriting needs to be taught. The foundations are laid from a very early age through the development of gross and fine motor skills. The handwriting policy at Slade Green is based on a style that is quick and easy to learn. It should be neat, legible and fast. Children should eventually develop the ability to produce letters without thinking. An automatic style releases the brain to concentrate on other ideas, i.e. spelling, grammar, syntax, style and content. We follow Collins Primary Focus Handwriting Scheme. Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural SMSC threads through all curriculum areas. Opportunities are given to develop children and staff; spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. The importance of children enjoying and engaging with their learning, the ability to reflect and form opinions, the desire to aspire and the resilience to do this are nurtured across the community. Slade Green is proud of its diversity, respecting and celebrating the cultures that form our school family. Our school also follows ‘The Rights Respecting Curriculum’ based on Unicef Rights of the Child. Children are aware of their rights and how they can respect the rights of others. Health Education Towards the end of KS2 the class teacher will discuss sex education and relationship issues in particular relating to growing and adolescence, with parental support. Parents will have the right to withdraw their child. Religious Education Within the classroom, religious education lessons are planned by teachers and reflect the Bexley RE syllabus. Pupils are encouraged to develop moral, spiritual, cultural and social dimensions of this subject. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education lessons, although we hope that all our parents appreciate the value in allowing their child to take part in Religious Education lessons. Parents who do wish to withdraw their child should make an appointment to meet with the Head Teacher.
Swimming All year 4 pupils are given the opportunity to attend swimming lessons throughout the academic year. The children take a coach to the Erith Leisure centre to attend weekly lessons. Spellings Below are copies of the spelling appendix guidance from the DfE. These are a guide to the types of words and sound patterns that pupils need to follow, rather than an exhaustive list of specific words. Homework for Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage pupils may use these, as well as their RWI sounds. Key Stage 2 Pupils' spelling lists may include words from these lists as well as vocabulary met in class. Modern Foreign Languages All Key Stage 2 pupils are taught Spanish by a qualified Spanish Teacher. Children learn basic and conversational Spanish in weekly lessons.
