The National Curriculum consists of Foundation Subjects including four core Subjects:
English ,Mathematics, Science, ICT and R.E.
The other Foundation Subjects are:
Art, Design & Technology, Geography, History,Music, Physical, Social and Health Education.
KEY STAGE 1 CURRICULUM
First, there is a settling down period when the new starter learns to move around confidently and to settle down to the school routine. The wide age-range is a considerable advantage, as the child assimilates traditions of learning and behaviour from the other children.
During Key Stage 1, we aim to lay firm foundations of literacy, numeracy and social training on which to build at a later stage. Early work at school is through active learning and 'structured play' experiences.
The children work individually or as groups and cover all the Foundation subjects. Science is taught through topic work and many of the other curriculum subjects are brought in to the topic work which spreads across the curriculum. However, it is necessary to plan separately for the Maths and English curricula as Maths is seen a s a linear subject which must be developed systematically. Maths is taught using the National Numeracy Strategy, supported by published materials.
In English the children cover story-writing, news, poetry, handwriting, phonetic work and reading. The reading scheme chosen will depend upon the individual needs of each child. The school operates a paired reading scheme, which encourages parents and children to enjoy reading together at home. Much emphasis is also placed upon the development of speaking and listening skills. The school follows the National Literacy Strategy.
KEY STAGE 2 CURRICULUM
As in Key Stage 1, the children work sometimes individually and sometimes in groups, depending upon the nature of the task. It is important for the children to learn to work independently and also to operate effectively in a group situation where they learn to co-operate and support each other's learning.
All the National Curriculum Foundation Subjects are covered and, as with the Key Stage I class, Science is approached through topic work and many other subject strands may be drawn into that topic. It is essentially taught as a very practical subject. The children are encouraged to design their own experiments and find solutions to problems. Design and Technology is often included in Science topic planning, as the solution of a science problem generally involves the designing and constructing of a device or machine. The children are challenged to hypothesize and predict outcomes, to devise fair tests and to record results logically.
Key Stage 2 Maths is also approached in a systematic and linear way and is presented using a variety of methods following the National Numeracy Strategy. This allows the children to develop sound mathematical concepts and computational skills and to progress at their own speed in a logical manner. Problem solving and investigation tasks allowthe children to extend theirwork and give individuals opportunities to pursue lines of enquiry as far as they are able. There is an emphasis on mental arithmetic.
English permeates the entire curriculum, but apart from its cross curricular presence, it is taught as a separate subject and follows the National Literacy Strategy. This includes group and silent reading, reference and dictionary work, creative writing and poetry, some formal grammar, spelling, handwriting, literature, speaking and listening skills and drama.
Geography and History are usually approached through topic work and as the aim is always to provide as many direct experiences as possible, visits form a vital and integral part of the Geography and History Curricula. | 