Wychbold First and Nursery School
Curriculum Statement
At Wychbold First and Nursery School we believe in providing children with a broad, balanced curriculum which both provides first hand experiences and builds on children’s prior knowledge. Through both our ‘Creative Curriculum’ and the statutory subjects of English, Maths, Science, ICT, Physical Education and Religious Education we develop children’s abilities, interests and potential in order to prepare them for the next stage in their lives. We use a broad range of teaching strategies that take into account the ways in which children learn in order to foster engagement, motivation and creativity. The school delivers the National Curriculum 2014.
Literacy:
Our approach to teaching literacy across the school is supported by the principles of ‘Talk for Writing’, an approach developed by Pie Corbett. It enables children to imitate the key language they need for a particular topic orally before they try reading and analysing it. Through a range of activities that help them rehearse the tune of the language they need, followed by shared writing to show them how to craft their writing, children are helped to write in the same style. Children are given the opportunity to extend their writing and apply their knowledge and skills throughout the whole curriculum.
We have adopted the Read, Write Inc. system of teaching phonics this year using high quality resources and a systematic approach to developing pupil’s phonic skills. Every morning our pupils are taught in homogenous groups to ensure the focus is tailored to the needs of each pupil. Speed sounds, blending and decoding are mastered through guided reading books that are perfectly matched to the phonic ability of the group.
Numeracy:
We have recently been applying the principles of Singapore Maths in our daily lessons to strengthen the breadth of knowledge and application of skills for our pupils. Through an anchor task, pupils are challenged to solve a problem using their current knowledge and then supported and challenged to apply new strategies to extend and embed their learning.
Every numeracy lesson has an element of mental calculation to ensure they can confidently and quickly recall key number facts. Children are given regular opportunities to apply their understanding through the use of word problems set in a real context.
Science:
Science is taught as a key focus of the Discovery Themes or as a stand alone lesson to ensure coverage of the National Curriculum. First hand practical experience is paramount as is the teaching of scientific key skills. Children are encouraged to be independent and collaborative scientific investigators by their involvement in exciting practical investigations.
In Science pupils observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and physical processes. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair. They use reference materials to find out more about scientific ideas. They share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts and tables.
Computing:
Children at Wychbold access a broad range of ICT resources and learning opportunities. They have access to and use a bank of high spec laptops, networked PCs, control technology and some iPads. We regard ICT as embedded into teaching and learning across the school. ICT skills are taught through key lessons and applied in all subject areas, in a broad range of contexts. Children’s home learning is supported and challenged through access to Purple Mash.
Physical Education:
P.E. is a high priority at our school and we aim to support all pupils to be active and healthy. Children are taught a minimum of 2 hours of high quality P.E each week with the expectation through playtime and lunchtime programmes and after school activities that most would achieve at least 3 hours of physical activity. We work in partnership with Worcester Warriors Rugby Club and West Bromwich Albion Football Club to offer specialized sports coaching combined with PSHE themes. In collaboration with our Droitwich Cluster of schools and local partners we attend a range of festivals including Dance and Bell Boating.
The children in Key Stage 2 have a block swimming placement in the summer term each year.
Religious Education:
We follow the Worcestershire agreed syllabus for R.E teaching across the school. The Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for REwas published in 2010 .
Religious Education, unlike subjects in the National Curriculum, is determined at a local level. The Agreed Syllabus, setting out what pupils must be taught, is created by the Agreed Syllabus Conference and is administered by the local Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE).
Religious Education in this syllabus encourages pupils to:
Understand what is meant by ‘religion’ and engage with the range of beliefs, practices and values they will thereby encounter.
This primary aim can be broken down into other important aims as follows:
• Develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religious traditions represented in Great Britain;
• Gain an understanding of the ways in which beliefs influence individuals, societies, communities and cultures in a global community;
• Acquire a capacity to engage in a search for meaning and purpose in order to enhance their own spiritual and moral growth;
• Discover opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development;
• Reflect upon their pursuit of a set of moral values which will be a guide to their behaviour;
• Develop a positive attitude towards people who hold beliefs different from theirs;
• Consider how their own experiences can contribute to reflection on the fundamental questions of human existence;
• Acquire investigative and research skills in order for them to make reasoned judgements about religious issues;
• Develop and apply their cross-curricular skills to the study of religious beliefs and practices;
• Promote a willingness to challenge religious, racial and cultural stereotyping and prejudice;
• Encourage, support and promote good relationships within and between families, communities and religions.
Creative Curriculum:
Our Discovery Themes encompass a skills based approach to learning through Geography, History, Art and Design Technology. Each theme is carefully planned to ensure the progression of key skills in a 2 year rolling programme to ensure pupils develop all key skills in each year group. EYFS access the skills from the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework.
Curriculum themes are always set within a real context and end with a clear outcome for the learning. This may include pupils being Zoo Keepers or tour guides in a Rainforest. The theme may end in an open afternoon or class assembly but all these provide a focus for the learning. Visitor or visit experiences may provide the children with a ‘hook’ to initiate a topic or that further enhance the children’s knowledge and awareness of the topic. These may include the Space Centre in Leicester or British History Museum, London to view Egyptian artefacts. By seeing and doing the children are able to articulate and absorb the knowledge and skills that are imparted to them.
We enable our pupils to succeed through challenging tasks and activities that encourage them to take risks. We develop their ability to think independently, enabling them to transfer their learning to all aspects of their life; preparingthem for the future. We actively teach the skills needed to be a successful learner and reward these regularly.
Music:
In Early Years and Key Stage 1, music including singing may be taught within the Discovery Theme where appropriate or as a standalone lesson. In Key Stage 2 we engage the services of Worcestershire Youth Music to teach the children an instrument. This could include clarinet, trumpet, violin or drums.
At Wychbold we want all our children to enjoy this creative subject and develop their own tastes and creative flair.
Modern Foreign Languages:
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) is taught in Key Stage 2 and we have chosen to teach our children French. Our Key Stage 2 teacher attended an intensive French Language course, travelling to Niemes to study for a week and be immersed in the language. Our pupils enjoy learning through a range of topics and have hosted a French café to support our charity coffee morning.
Early Years Foundation Stage:
At Wychbold First and Nursery School, we believe that children in the EYFS need to experience a wide variety of first hand, practical learning opportunities to enable them to develop to their full potential. We aim to provide a secure, enjoyable and caring educational environment where each and every child feels valued. We ensure continuity between Nursery and Reception so that children can build on skills already developed and follow routines that flow with their needs and with which they feel safe and confident throughout their Early Years, in preparation for their future years in school.
“Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.“(Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2012)
We will:
Provide a happy, caring, secure environment where children feel valued;
Build on what our children already know and can do and provide new and exciting experiences that challenge, develop and stimulate their thinking;
Provide a rich and stimulating and aesthetically pleasing learning environment that is committed to raising standards;
Develop parents as partners, parents are a child’s first educator we aim to ensure parents are involved in their child’s learning;
Promote self esteem and independence through praise and celebration of achievements;
Ensure that no child is excluded or disadvantaged;
Offer a structure for learning that has a range of starting points, matches the needs of all children and provides opportunity for learning both indoors and outdoors;
Deliver a curriculum that supports, fosters and promotes children’s:
-social skills;
-attention skills, persistence and a positive attitude to learning;
-language and communication;
-mathematical skills;
-knowledge of the world;
-physical development;
-creative development.
Which encompass the Early Learning Goals.
Our school has been recognised for the hard work and dedication of all stakeholders in many aspects of school life and curriculum work. We have achieved the Basic Skills Quality Mark, Healthy Schools and Silver Eco Schools Award.
In recognition of the changes to the curriculum in September 2014 subject leaders have been looking at the changes for their subject area and have mapped where skills and knowledge remain the same, move to a different year group or are new. Some staff have attended locally and regionally provided CPD events to ensure they are clear about the changes. Changes will be disseminated to the whole staff through whole staff INSET.
Equal Opportunities:
The school ethos recognises that equal opportunities encompass gender, nationality, ethnicity, culture, disability, age, sexuality, religion and special educational needs. Children are all treated fairly and are given equal opportunity to take part in activities across the whole school curriculum. Equality is an important part of the planning and teaching of all lessons. When planning work for children with special educational needs we give due regard to information and targets contained in the children’s Individual Education Plans (I.E.P’s). We have high expectations of all children and we believe that the principles of equality underpins work and life through the school.
SMSC:
SMSC permeates through the whole curriculum and is embedded in the work that we do. Our school values of unity, responsibility, fairness, gratitude, honesty and courage are reinforced through our assemblies and all adults and pupils model their behaviour on these. Our PSHE and Philosophy for Children lessons embed an awareness and understanding of the skills needed to be a good citizen and promote a clear connection between our school values and British values.