Curriculum

The Curriculum

We aim to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, which caters for the needs of all our children. We use first-hand experiences wherever possible as the starting point for our teaching. The National Curriculum subjects taught are: Core subjects - English, Mathematics, Science, ICT and RE. Foundation subjects - Design Technology, Geography, History, Art, Music, PSHCE and Physical Education.

Literacy skills are used through all areas of the curriculum. We use the National Literacy Strategy to inform our planning.

Reading

We have a structured approach to the teaching of reading. We use a wide range of reading materials including big books and teaching methods to help children to learn to read in a way which meets their needs.

We have a plentiful supply of attractive published books to encourage children to want to become readers. We also teach phonics (i.e. the sounds represented by the letters) and we help children to learn whole words and to develop a wide sight vocabulary. We acknowledge and value the important role played by the family supporting children’s reading development - by reading to them and listening to them read. We like children to share books with the family both in school and at home. Research indicates that children who share books at home are more successful in their reading. Children can bring books home whenever they wish. All we ask is that you return them promptly.

Writing

Writing is an integral part of all areas of the curriculum. Children are involved in writing for many different purposes and in different ways. We place an emphasis on helping children to become ‘good spellers’ and to develop a fluent handwriting style. Big Write lessons encourage our pupils to use skills they have learned in Literacy Units and agree upon their next writing targets.

Maths

Maths is taught in throughout the school using the National Numeracy Strategy to inform our planning. Through a variety of methods and resources which enable children to understand the practical uses of Maths in real life. We strive hard to ensure that the children understand their maths learning as well as making it engaging for all.

Science

Science is taught through active involvement in practical work. We aim to develop children’s understanding and skills as they progress through school. They are involved in investigating in order to find out about the variety of life, materials and physical processes. We encourage the children to use a questioning approach to the world they live in.

IPC

Do you remember your primary school days? Do you remember doing topics, and learning all about Vikings, or rivers? At Seven Hills Primary, we follow a similar system. We use the ‘International Primary Curriculum’, which is a topic based, cross curricular approach to learning.

Each IPC unit begins with an ‘Entry Point’ which is a session planned to provide impact and excitement, so the children are eager to learn more. This may involve dressing up, drama, art, building something, writing, making a visit or having a visitor, so keep an eye out for information on your child’s newsletter, it will give you ideas on how to get involved, or how to help your child research their topic.

IPC units are planned on a two year ‘rolling programme’ and are sorted into 3 ‘Mileposts’, that just means years 1 and 2, years 3 and 4 and years 5 and 6 are covering the same themes. Each unit may have a different focus, and these are planned through each school year to make sure that there is coverage of history, geography, art, design technology, music, science and international studies.

IPC was developed so that four main aims can be achieved,

To help children learn about the world around them
To help children develop personal skills
To help children develop an international mindset, alongside awareness of their own nationality

To do these in ways that take into account up-to-date research on how children learn, and how they can be encouraged to become life-long learners.

Religious Education

We aim to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and physical development of our children. We encourage the children to understand and respect the culture and religion of others. We want our children to respect themselves, other people and the environment. We have collective worship daily, and religious education is taught in class.

Parents who wish to withdraw their child from the Religious Education curriculum may do so by arrangement with the Head Teacher. Children will be expected to join a parallel class and work on aspects from the curriculum excluding Religious Education.

Gifted and Talented

In our school we aim to provide a curriculum that is appropriate to the needs and abilities of all our children. We plan our teaching and learning in such a way that we enable each child to reach for the highest level of personal achievement. This policy helps to ensure that we recognise and develop the needs of those children in our school whom have been identified as ‘gifted’ and ‘talented’.

Definitions

The term ‘gifted’ refers to a child who is achieving higher than the expected levels for their year.

The tem ‘talented’ refers to a child who excels in one or more specific fields, such as sport, music or art, this may include activities such as dance or sports that the child does out of school.

The identification is ongoing and begins when a child joins our school. Children undergo baseline assessment within reception class. As the children progress through school they are regularly monitored to ensure that they are achieving expected progress.

Gifted and talented children are placed on a register each year, which is passed up to inform their next teacher. This register is continually under review and often updated.

Teachers plan to offer challenge to gifted children, and have challenge areas in the classrooms to encourage children to be independent learners.

We offer a range of extra-curricular activities for our children. These activities offer more able children the opportunity to further extend their learning. Opportunities include a range of sporting, maths, art, music, and language clubs, which identified children will be guided towards.

Learning is also enriched through regular homework activities linked to the work being undertaken in classes. This offers the opportunity to set extra learning at the level of individual children. Learning logs are another great way for the children to ‘show off’ their individual talents and learning styles, as well as being good fun!

Physical Education

The emphasis in our Physical Education programme is on individual effort and achievement and on the development of personal skills, which enable children to work as part of a team when necessary. We have wide variety of P.E. equipment, which is used to help children to develop the skills they need in games, gymnastics and dance.

Sporting Activities

We consider sport to be an important aspect of school life. Our PE policy gives details of all physical education activity available. In summary this includes:

swimming in Yr 4

an entitlement set out in the National Curriculum orders

out of school activities

residential, outdoor pursuit experience for Yr 5/6 pupils

inter-school competitions

swimming gala

co-operative multi-activity sports days

We believe that good habits should be nurtured and developed throughout a child’s time with us.

Swimming

Year 4 children attend Morley Leisure Centre weekly (excluding the first and last week of each term).

Outdoor Education

As part of our Outdoor Education programme we offer our Year 5 children the opportunity to have a residential visit to an Outdoor Education Centre. In accordance with our charging policy the children are required to pay some of the cost of the visit which is kept to a minimum amount.

Personal, Social Health and Citizenship Education

We place an emphasis on promoting healthy minds and bodies and equipping children with skills to live together peacefully. This aspect of the curriculum is very much integrated into our every day teaching and will often be seen as ‘how’ we teach. We group children to promote socialisation whilst also sometimes grouping different levels of ability.

We feel it is important for children to acquire skills such as listening, respecting and understanding in order to promote self-confidence and self-esteem which in turn helps the children in their relationships with each other, and in their academic attainment. Circle Time is introduced to all of our children and gives each child an opportunity to listen to others and be listened to.