Curriculum
Our Curriculum Statement
At Wymeswold C of E Primary School we aim to provide the children with a curriculum which is broad, well balanced and above all stimulates the children to learn.
In addition to acquiring skills and knowledge we aim to help the children to grow in confidence and maturity so that they can enter secondary school, and later, adulthood with the ability to pursue wholeheartedly, academic social and cultural activities.
We deliver programmes of study that meet the National Curriculum requirements issued by the DfE. We follow the new National Curriculum 2014 for the appropriate year groups.
This National Curriculum comprises of core subjects:
English, Mathematics, Science and foundation subjects: History, Geography, Design and Technology, Art, Music, Physical Education (PE), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Religious Education.
The teaching of Religious Education is statutory in all schools. It is taught as a subject outside the National Curriculum but following the Leicestershire Diocesan Agreed Syllabus.
We provide French lessons within curriculum time for Key Stage 2.
We place great emphasis on Numeracy and English as these underpin many of the other aspects of the taught curriculum. To enable children to see the relevance of these frameworks, and engage them fully in the learning process, opportunities are regularly sought to apply many of the skills to real life situations.
This programme is regularly reviewed to ensure compatibility with new directives or to make necessary improvements to the existing programme of work. There is now a great deal of emphasis in the use of ICT and, in particular, computer skills to enhance the learning in all the subjects of the curriculum. We are continually looking to use a variety of computer programs and equipment to supplement the diverse nature of the curriculum. Through the ICT subject we aim to teach a progressive set of skills that enable all the children to become competent and confident users of ICT.
We seek to create opportunities for children to experience and excel in a range of activities that enhance and extend National Curriculum. Children have opportunities both inside and outside the classroom; day and residential trips, a variety of sporting events, visiting speakers and much more. We also have excellent after school clubs.
When children leave us at the end of Year 6, they should be equipped with the full range of skills that enables them to become lifelong learners.
English
The English Curriculum is delivered following the National Curriculum programmes of study for the relevant year groups. The Early learning Goals are followed to ensure continuity and progression from the Foundation Stage through to the National Curriculum.
Please follow this link to view the New National Curriculum programmes of study, where you can see what will be taught for all year groups in English:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335186/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_English_220714.pdf
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
The Four Strands of Speaking and Listening: Speaking; Listening; Group Discussion and Interaction, and Drama permeate the whole curriculum. Interactive teaching strategies are used to engage all pupils in order to raise reading and writing standards. Children are encouraged to develop effective communication skills in readiness for later life.
READING
The opportunities, organisation and provision for the teaching and learning of reading are as follows:
• Shared reading
• Guided reading
• Independent reading
• Phonics – using the ‘Letters and Sounds’ progression and LCP resources.
• Resources – A book banded reading scheme operates across the school which comprises of a range of different schemes. Children work their way through the colour coded books and then become free readers.
• Links to parents – Each child has a reading record book which logs books they have read and comments about their reading. Parents and teaching staff write in this book.
• Library- Each child has access to the school library and is welcome to borrow books.
• Class books: Stories are read to the children on a regularly throughout the school.
• Reading at home : Children are encouraged to read at home every day this is given high priority. Reading Pro has recently been indtroduced to ensure that our older children are reasing suitably challenging texts.
WRITING
Children are given many opportunities to write and to learn to develop their writing skills including:
• Phonics and spelling: Daily 20 minutes Letters and sounds sessions in Key stage 1 classes. We use the LCP phonics scheme of work.
• Emergent writing: In Reception and Key Stage One children are given daily opportunities to write freely within a particular genre and across the curriculum. This gives them the opportunity to become emergent writers.
• Shared Writing : Within each teaching sequences shared writing is a key part.
• Guided Writing/Independent Writing: Each teaching sequence ends with an opportunity for guided and independent writing. There are also frequent opportunities for independent writing throughout the other curriculum areas.
• Extended writing: Throughout the term there are opportunities for extended writing. On a termly basis samples of these extended writing outcomes are used for assessment purposes.
• Handwriting: We use cursive script, that is introduced as soon as the children start to write in EYFS.
• Spelling : Children from Years 1 to 6 are given lists of spellings each week to learn at home. These are based on their phonics groups (KS1) or developmental ability (KS2). Children may be tested through weekly tests as well as how well they are applying their spelling knowledge when they are writing independently.
Work is marked and assessed in line with the Marking and Response policies and teachers regularly meet to moderate levels across the school and with other groups of schools.
Work is assessed regularly against age related expectations set out in the National Curriculum. The findings of the assessment are used to inform planning to help the teaching and learning process.
Continuous assessment of pupil progress is done with the senior leadership of the school and these assessments are used to provide targets for learning for individuals and groups of pupils.
If you would like more information about our curriculum please come to the school office where you can talk to a member of staff about our curriculum.
