Curriculum
We are passionate about teaching an ambitious, creative and knowledge-rich curriculum. Our children are given opportunities to practise, discuss and develop their knowledge and skills through a wide range of subjects. Children are encouraged to reflect on what they have learnt and on how their knowledge and skills can be applied to different subjects and real life situations.
Our academy vision and values lie at the heart of our curriculum.
Teaching and learning takes place through a range of exciting topics, which encourage an enquiry-based approach. Across our curriculum, high priority is given to ensuring excellent levels of reading and comprehension. We ensure core academic subjects such as English, maths and science are given sufficient weighting. However, we are also proud of our provision for the arts, humanities, physical activity, technology and languages.
Our aim is to provide the children with a relevant and enjoyable experience which can extend and nurture their curiosity about the world in which they live. We place a great emphasis on questioning, communication and observation, and also on meaningful links made between subjects to ensure learning has a shared context.
Our Subjects
- English
- Maths
- Science
- Geography
- History
- PE
- RE
- Art
- Music
- Design & Technology
- Computing
- PHSE & RSE
- Languages
English
We are passionate about reading and believe that confidence in reading ‘is one of the main resources we have for showing children what words can do.’ (Barrs and Cork, 2001). Our priority is to promote a life-long love of reading which will in turn support children on their journey to becoming confident writers and ‘allow them access to the full curriculum on offer.’ (Ofsted 2019)
Quality texts lie at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that ‘It is through being immersed in quality literature that children begin to realise the power of words and imagination in making stories come alive.’ (Meek, 1998). The wide variety of texts we use across each year group not only underpin children’s learning in reading, writing, speaking and listening, but enhance and underpin learning across the wider curriculum.
Our Curriculum Intent for English
With these aspirations, our intent for the English curriculum is:
- To ensure that all children make sufficient progress to meet or exceed age-related expectations
- To enrich children’s reading experiences through immersing them in quality literature
- To ensure children are able to read easily, fluently and with good understanding
- To provide consistent and progressive phonics teaching in the early teaching of reading
- To promote reading for both pleasure and information
- To enrich children’s vocabulary
- To develop understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
- To ensure children are able to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
- To ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills
- To develop an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage through the celebration of quality texts across a range of genres, including a balance of old and new classic texts, poetry, non-fiction across the curriculum, stories, rhymes and new and popular authors
- To set ambitious expectations for reading at home
Phonics
We follow the Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programme (SSP) Read Write Inc.
Read Write Inc., is a whole-school literacy programme for 4-11-year-olds. It is designed to create fluent readers, confident speakers and willing writers. This takes place Monday-Friday for all children in Early Years and key stage 1 and Monday-Wednesday for key stage 2.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Our current curriculum highlights the importance of children's grammar, punctuation and spelling knowledge. The below booklets will be helpful to support their learning.
Reading
Our wonderful and supportive PTA funded a book band scheme for the whole school. The wide range of exciting and engaging books are colour coded relevant to their level- beginning at lilac and ending at black. This will make it easier for you to understand and track your child’s reading progress. Please do note that the colours are matched to suggested year groups and this may differ depending on your child's requirements.
We want the children to enjoy these books, but please ensure they are well looked after and returned for a swap once they’ve been read.
Maths
From Early Years right through to Year 6, the children are taught to be fluent mathematicians who show great reasoning and problem solving skills.
Our Intent for the Maths Curriculum is:
- To ensure all pupils are fluent mathematicians who are confident in the fundamentals of mathematics through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time. In order that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
- To promote mathematical reasoning by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
- To solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
- To encourage a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about mathematics.
- To develop links between maths and other curriculum areas such as science, computing or P.E.
- To make sure that all children leave the academy as confident mathematicians.
Our Implementation of the Maths Curriculum:
We take a concrete - pictorial - abstract approach to maths lessons. The children are first introduced to new concepts throughout concrete, physical resources before moving onto to pictorial, visual representations to further solidify the children’s understanding. Finally, the children will be introduced to abstract ideas on paper where they can apply their knowledge throughout a range of fluency, reasoning and problem solving activities.
The Impact of our Maths Curriculum
We believe that every child has the potential to become a confident and successful mathematician. During their time here, the children will develop their fluency and learn how to reason and problem solve effectively and efficiently. Using these skills to solve real life problems will help them succeed with mathematical challenges in the future. We help children develop the tools they need so they are ready for the challenges of secondary school and beyond.
Mathematical Vocabulary
Our pupils gain more and more confidence and proficiency in mathematical mastery as they move through our academy. Building strong mathematical vocabulary underpins strong progress in our curriculum and we start building this from the first day they join us.
Calculation Policy
Our progression in calculation policy has been written to meet the requirements of the national curriculum for the teaching and learning of Mathematics. It is designed to give a consistent and smooth progression of learning in calculations from EYFS through to Year 6.
Science
Science Curriculum Statement
We want to prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific world. We want our children to foster concern and care for our environment and help them develop a growing understanding of scientific ideas. We aim to achieve this through our exciting curriculum map, which promotes a cross curricular and creative approach to learning. Our academy follows the programmes of study from the national curriculum that specifies what to teach in each year group.
Our Curriculum Intent for Science
With these aspirations, our intent for the Science curriculum are:
- To promote children’s curiosity about the world around them and to enable them to answer scientific questions about their world.
- To encourage children to ask and answer questions and to solve problems so they can begin to understand the uses and implications of science today, and for the future.
- To develop scientific knowledge and understanding through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
- To develop the skills of investigation, including observing, measuring, predicting, explaining, communicating and evaluating.
- To develop the use of computing in investigating and recording.
- To develop the use of scientific language, and enrich their vocabulary to support their understanding of the world around them.
Science is a core subject in the national curriculum. The programmes of study for each year group describe a sequence of knowledge and concepts. Our intent is for children to develop a secure understanding of the knowledge and concepts, as well as developing positive attitudes. ‘Working ccientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group, so children are equipped with a range of scientific skills.
Children in the Foundation Stage are taught the science elements of the Foundation Stage document through the Early Years Curriculum: Understanding the World.
Lindfield Laboratory
We offer children the opportunity to take part in our exciting Lindfield Laboratory club. We aim for this to further inspire children in the world to science. Children have investigated crime scenes, planned and carried out experiments and even collected data for the scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology.
Geography
Geography Curriculum Statement
Geography is a foundation subject within the national curriculum. Through our curriculum map we adopt a creative approach fostering links with other curriculum subjects such as science, history and English, to make the children’s learning both exciting and meaningful. Our academy follows the programmes of study from national curriculum that specifies what to teach in each year group.
Our Curriculum Intent for Geography
With these aspirations, our intent for the Geography curriculum are:
- To help children acquire and develop the skills and confidence to advance their geographical understanding.
- To develop an understanding and use of geographical language to communicate their understanding of the world around them.
- To stimulate the children’s interest in and curiosity about their surroundings.
- To nurture a sense of wonder about the world.
- To understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.
- To develop the children’s knowledge, to encourage a sense of responsibility for the environments and people of the world we live in, so they will think about how it can be improved and sustained.
- To develop a sense of place and identity by learning about the United Kingdom and its relationship with other countries.
The programmes of study for geography are separated into ks1 and ks2. Our intent is for children in each key stage to foster their locational knowledge, build a greater understanding of place, learn about human and physical geography and develop geographical and fieldwork skills.
Early Years explore geographical themes and content through the ‘Understanding of the World’ strand of the EYFS curriculum. This involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
Implementation of Intentions
Our geography curriculum is underpinned by a broad range of stimulating topics designed to bring learning to life with the use of key texts, studies of our locality, mapping, school trips, studies of natural phenomena and different regions of the world. Building on strong links with the national curriculum, we foster an enquiry-based approach to children’s learning about understanding the physical and human aspects of our world.
Our medium term plans set out our termly topics developing geographical themes, making links with other curriculum subjects such as history, RE, art, science and English, where possible. These are identified on year group learning journeys. Geographical units taught across the academy are mapped out on our long term planning, with a planned progression of skills that ensures children consistently develop skills and knowledge, building on previous years and ensuring challenge for all.
History
History Curriculum Statement
History is an exciting and engaging part of our Academy’s curriculum and that a high-quality history education will help our pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding about Britain’s past and that of the wider world.
We promote the learning of History through cross-curricular activities and an enrichment programme of visits, visitors and workshops, designed to awaken and inspire our pupils’ inquisitiveness about the past.
Through the study of history, pupils will also develop the key skills of enquiring and posing questions, thinking critically, considering evidence and evaluating arguments. We hope that these skills will support pupils to reflect on the constant process of historical change and the diverse nature of societies and relationships, equipping them as global citizens to face the challenges of their lifetime.
Our academy follows the programmes of study from national curriculum that specifies what to teach in each year group.
Our Curriculum Intent For History
With these aspirations, our intent for the history curriculum are:
- For children to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world.
- To provide opportunities that stimulate children’s curiosity to know more about the past.
- For children to appreciate history in a chronological context.
- For children to be encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement.
- To begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
- To develop the use of historical language, and enrich their vocabulary to support their understanding of the world in the past.
Children in the Foundation Stage are taught the historical elements of the Foundation Stage document through the Early Years Curriculum: Understanding the World.
Implementation of Intentions
Teachers bring the history curriculum to life and engage children through a range of exciting topics and a variety of stimuli, including key texts, studies of famous historians, historical artefacts and events, theatre workshops and school trips. As a staff, we maintain strong links to the National Curriculum and incorporate an enquiry-based approach to children’s learning about key historical events and people.
We develop our medium term plans drawing on historical themes in the termly topics, making links with other subjects wherever possible, including: art, science, RE, English and geography. Links are made to termly themes and other curriculum subjects where appropriate, and these are identified on a termly Learning journey. Long-term plans identify individual historical units taught across the year group phases. A planned progression of skills built into the history curriculum, means that the children are increasingly challenged as they move through the school.
History is promoted through our school with “learning through stories” weeks, where a text is used to inspire learning across the curriculum, with key focus areas including history. Children’s work is celebrated through high quality displays and assemblies. The local area is also fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes.
PE
Curriculum Intent for PE
We intend to teach our children to understand the importance of physical activity, health and well-being. We aim to give the children the fundamental skills that they will need and the ability to apply these skills to both individual and team games. We believe that not only should children have the physical skills but also the ability to be resilient, recognise their areas of development and take pride in their achievements.
Our Implementation of the PE Curriculum
We aim to do this through implementing and delivering an engaging and inclusive PE curriculum across the academy that inspires children to succeed in physical activity. All children take part in two hours of PE each week. We deliver the Real PE scheme which is a unique, child centred approach and includes challenge and support for every child. We focus on the development of agility, balance and coordination, healthy competition and cooperative learning. Children are taught transferable skills and values such as personal challenge, team work and social skills.
Our children are given many opportunities to take part in physical activity each day which are included in their daily learning. We have taken an active approach to learning and as a result of ‘The Childhood Obesity Plan’, we now include The Daily Run into our school day; an initiative that we have adopted to encourage pupils to increase the amount of physical activity they participate in daily.
We provide opportunities for all children to engage in extra-curricular activities before, during and after school, in addition to competitive and non-competitive sporting events. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also well-being.
The Impact of our PE Curriculum
- All of our children are given the opportunity to participate in physical activity every day.
- Whole school celebration and rewards have encouraged children’s participation in sport and as a result, the profile of physical activity has been raised.
- Staff feel confident in teaching PE due to ongoing career professional development sessions throughout the year.
- Children have many opportunities to take part in competitive and non-competitive sporting events.
- Children have become more aware of their areas of development and are more confident in finding ways to improve their performance.
Active 30:30
We are committed to helping children live a healthy and active lifestyle. The Government Childhood Obesity Plan has set out the ambition for all children to achieve 60 minutes of physical activity every day, with schools being responsible for delivering an additional 30 minutes of exercise a day on top of their 2 hours of PE sessions each week.
Lindfield has been dedicated to increasing the enjoyment of physical activity and incorporating this within lessons, playtimes, and after school activities.
RE
Religious Education Curriculum Statement
Part of the broad, balanced curriculum here at Lindfield is the teaching of religious education (RE). We believe that all children, from any faith or culture, should feel welcomed into the school community and this is fostered through the learning and exposure to a variety of religions and worldviews.
Our academy follows the Discovery RE scheme of work, which fosters an enquiry-based approach to our RE learning.
Our Curriculum Intent for RE
With these aspirations, our intent for the RE curriculum are:
- To know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews.
- To express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions.
- To gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and worldviews.
- To respect ideas, religions and worldviews which may differ to our own.
- To have opportunities to gain cultural capital both within school and in the local community.
Through our curriculum, we hope for children to develop a secure understanding of the knowledge and concepts surrounding RE as well as developing positive attitudes to cultures and beliefs which vary from their own.
Implementation of Intentions
The school follows a curriculum created by ‘Discovery RE.’- this scheme of work ensures that we are teaching about a multitude of religions that are revisited throughout the key stages to enable a progression of learning across the school.
In Early Years the children spend time exploring the religions of Christianity and Judaism in the first two terms. The children think about the celebrated festivals in the Christian calendar, linking this to the celebrations in Judaism. The final term brings this together with exploring special stories and places of a multitude of religions.
Years One and Two build upon this teaching as the children look in more depth at what Christians believe - the children take time to ask ‘big questions’ and make connections across religions. The children also learn about Judaism in Year One and are introduced to Islam in Year Two.
Key stage 2 builds upon the learning of Christianity, Sikhism, Judaism and Islam with the addition of Hinduism in Year Three. The children are encouraged to think critically and ask questions of a religion as each half term focuses on a ‘big question’.
These religious topics have been chosen specifically from the ‘Discovery RE’ scheme to support and make links with our topics as part of the creative curriculum.
We also have a weekly ‘community’ assembly in which local faith groups come to talk with the children. These include several local churches and other organisations.
The impact of this learning
By the end of ks1 children will be able to: |
By the end of ks2 children will be able to: |
---|---|
|
|
Art
Curriculum Statement for Art
As art forms an integral part of the curriculum, we wish to inspire, engage and challenge pupils by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own works of art. As they move up through the school, children will build on their skills and develop an understanding of art and design over different times and cultures. We want to give children the opportunity to explore and develop their own creativity, seeing themselves as artists.
Our academy follows the programmes of study from national curriculum that acts as guidance on what skills children should develop.
Our Curriculum Intent for Art
With these aspirations, our intentions for the Art curriculum are:
- For children to produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
- To support children in becoming proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
- To develop skills that allow children to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
- To gain important knowledge about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Implementation of Intentions
Teachers bring the art curriculum to life and engage children through a range of stimuli, including: key texts, famous artists and artworks, pieces of music and illustrations. We develop our medium term plans drawing on artistic themes in the termly topics, making links with other subjects wherever possible, including: history, science, RE, English and computing.
While there are opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each teaching unit, the planned progression built into the art curriculum means that the children are increasingly challenged as they move through the school. Links are made to termly themes and other curriculum subjects where appropriate and these are identified on the termly curriculum maps. Long-term plans identify individual art units taught across the year group phases.
Children’s work is shared and celebrated consistently throughout the school through high quality displays, open afternoons and whole-school ‘arts week’ exhibitions, community parade days and local art festivals ensuring that our artwork is celebrated as part of the community too.
The use of sketchbooks is embedded in our teaching of art as it promotes self-directed learning and demonstrates to children how their learning in art can be creative and is seen as a process which can lead to exciting outcomes. This focus on the ‘journey’ of a piece of art helps children see that the process is as important as the outcome.
Art is promoted through our school with 'learning through stories' weeks where a text is used to inspire learning across the curriculum, with key focus areas including art. Themed weeks and 'role model' weeks have seen artists and illustrators from the community work alongside children, modelling good practice and inspiring children to consider careers in the arts.
Art is further promoted through links with the local secondary school which provides a brilliant enrichment opportunity for children with a talent for art. We regularly schedule workshops and art afternoons where children experience new techniques taught by a teacher with specialist skills.
We also offer a fantastic after school art club run by a local artist, which provides children with an extra-curricular opportunity to further develop their skills and knowledge.
The impact of this learning will be:
ks1 | ks2 |
---|---|
By the end of their time in ks1, children will be able to:
|
By the end of their time in ks2, children will be able to:
|
Music
Music Curriculum Statement
At Lindfield Primary Academy, we want to engage and inspire the children by immersing them in a wide range of quality musical pieces.
We aim to achieve this through our exciting curriculum map, which promotes a cross curricular and creative approach to learning. Our topics encourage children to make links with other subjects such as PSHE, P.E., computing and history. Our academy follows the programmes of study from national curriculum that specifies what to teach in each year group.
Our Curriculum Intent for Music
With these aspirations, our intentions for the music curriculum are:
- For children at Lindfield to be able to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.
- Children will learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others and have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.
- Children will understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated and understand the technical terms: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
Implementation of Intentions
Following a music scheme called Charanga which allows the pupils to become engaged in the music curriculum. It brings together great music, modern pedagogy and the latest educational technology. It supports all aspects of music in school including the new music curriculum.
Each year group also has taken inspiration from the BBC Ten Pieces project which is an exciting initiative for schools led by BBC Learning and BBC Performing groups. The aim is to open up the world of classical music to a new generation of children and inspire them to develop their own creative responses using a variety of art forms, digital art, animation, performance poetry, dance or movement and composition.
Within music lessons the children have access to djembe drums, xylophones and glockenspiels which allows them to find the rhythm within a song and play along. This also means that children can have a go at improvising and composing alongside the music they are studying in the lesson.
Our school boasts two wonderful choirs and an orchestra club for years 3-6.
There are a wide range of West Sussex County Council music lessons, a link to which can be found on our useful links page
The Impact of this Learning will be:
ks1 | ks2 |
---|---|
By the end of their time at Lindfield children will be able to:
|
By the end of their time at Lindfield children will be able to:
|
Design & Technology
Our Curriculum Intent for Design and Technology
Our children develop skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms and food and are actively encouraged to think about issues such as sustainability and enterprise. With these aspirations, our intent for the design and technology curriculum is:
- To develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
- To build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
- To critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
- To understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Implementation of Intentions
Teachers provide a range of design tasks and challenges that develop children’s creativity and encourage them to think about important issues. Our medium term plans develop designing and making skills, technical knowledge, cooking and nutrition with purposeful projects relating to a termly theme or topic. The skills learned through each design and technology project are often closely linked to other subject areas; knowledge about the properties of materials supports children’s work in science and measuring accurately supports their learning in maths. We have planned for a steady progression in skills throughout the academy and children are continuously building on and developing skills and knowledge acquired in previous years.
Design and technology is promoted through our school with a range of visits and exciting themed days. The Year 5 Greek day gives children opportunities to use their knowledge of levers and linkages to create theatre sets with moving scenery. Year 6 inspire their children to create stable, structures with an entire day of collaborative shelter building outside and the Reception children have a wonderful day at a local farm finding out where foods come from.
Children throughout the school are introduced to a range of significant individuals in the world of design and technology. Year 4 learn about seasonality through the work of Jamie Oliver and Reception look at cars designed by Ian Callum before designing and making their own vehicles. Our annual 'role model' week provides a fantastic opportunity for children to understand the world of design and technology as they meet chefs, engineers, nutritionists and Fairtrade workers from the local community.
The Impact of this Learning will be:
By the end of ks1 children will be able to: | By the end of ks2 children will be able to: |
---|---|
|
|
Computing
Computing Curriculum Statement
We want to prepare all our children to contribute positively to our rapidly changing and increasingly digital world. By highlighting and exposing children to the breadth of technology around them, we aim for them to understand how it has shaped the modern world and begin to inspire children to imagine what they could do in the future.
Our Academy follows the programmes of study from the national curriculum which specifies what to teach in each key stage. From this, our engaging curriculum map promotes a cross-curricular and creative approach to teaching computing. Our topics and other subjects provide meaningful and relevant contexts and opportunities for regular application of technology.
Our Curriculum Intent for Computing
It is our intent for all children to achieve personal success in using a range of technology confidently, competently and safely. In order to achieve this, they will
- Know how to use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; including keeping personal information private, recognising acceptable / unacceptable behaviour and how to report concerns about content or contact.
- Design, write, and debug programs to accomplish specific goals; working with variables and various forms of input and output.
- Develop computational thinking; using logical reasoning to analyse a problem and plan out solutions; and decomposing them into smaller parts.
- Use search technologies effectively and be discerning in evaluating digital content.
- Understand how computer networks operate and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.
- Select use and combine a variety of software on a range of devices to design and create a range of content, including colleting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
Implementation of Intentions
Lindfield Primary Academy follows the Purple Mash scheme of work which covers the whole primary curriculum with a clear structure of progression building on children’s previous knowledge. It uses resources embedded within the platform which allows pupils to save, combine and import content which can be shared across the school safely.
The scheme is supplemented by additional lessons on computer networks; and the use of Spheros and BeeBots when creating computer programs.
Our team of Digital Leaders have completed the Childnet course on E-Safety and regularly lead assemblies to reinforce important messages taught through the curriculum. They have been trained to support peers who may have concerns regarding E-Safety and provide an excellent insight into current trends enabling staff to target teaching effectively. We also participate in Internet Safety day, making good use of yearly themes to raise the profile of different aspects of E-Safety. This message is reinforced with parent workshops where advice on keeping children safe online are given in addition to a regular feature in our fortnightly newsletter. In addition to the Purple Mash E-Safety lessons, further learning takes place as lesson ‘starters’ to maintain its profile.
We take part in Computer Science Week every year, during which parents who work in the world of technology are invited to share their role with the children. This is a fabulous opportunity for pupils to learn more about science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) opportunities and provide inspiration for possible career paths as well as further embedding our links with the community.
In addition to classroom computing learning, the Academy’s after-school provision also includes weekly STEM club run by an external company, Next Thing Education.
PHSE & RSE
PSHE Curriculum Statement
Teaching personal, social, health and economic (PHSE) education, we believe, is integral to providing a board and balanced curriculum. We believe that good quality PSHE education prepares children for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life, whilst also supporting the well-being of the children throughout their school career.
The Jigsaw PSHE scheme taught at Lindfield, covers many spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) issues that affect the children as they progress in their school career. Additionally, the Jigsaw scheme significantly contributes to the British values agenda through direct teaching of information and through the experiential learning the children take part in.
Our PSHE curriculum also will equip children with an age appropriate understanding of RSE (Relationships and Sex education), stretching from EYFS to Year 6. We believe that relationships education should teach the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other peers and adults.
Our Curriculum Intent for PSHE
With these aspirations, our intent for the PSHE curriculum are:
- To promote children’s moral, social, spiritual, cultural and physical development through a broad and balanced PSHE curriculum.
- To build a PSHE curriculum which builds an understanding of RSE. This will allow children to develop safe and healthy relationships now and in the future.
- To develop children’s self-confidence and self-esteem so they can be active and happy members of the school community.
- To provide children with opportunities for gaining cultural capital (either within school or in the local community).
- To understand factors which allow us to have a healthy lifestyle.
- To understand the importance of British values.
Our PSHE curriculum is planned to develop children’s wellbeing and help them grow into active, healthy, responsible and enterprising individuals.
Implementation of Intentions
The Jigsaw scheme is based upon a whole school approach to PSHE which is progressive and sequential. The scheme is structured into 6 half-termly units of work, mapped out like puzzle pieces. These comprise of the units; 'Being Me in My World', Celebrating Differences', 'Dreams and Goals', 'Healthy Me', 'Relationships' and 'Changing Me'. There are 6 Jigsaw puzzle friends for each year group. Every year group works on the same theme each half term. This enables the learning message to be reinforced through whole school activities, such as assemblies. In EYFS children work towards individual goals within each Jigsaw piece, such as ‘being a good friend’ and are awarded their own special ‘scroll’ certificates to celebrate this!
Mindfulness activities are key components of the Jigsaw PSHE lessons. The children reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling issues that are part of growing up. The Jigsaw PSHE lessons help the children develop their self-belief, realise their value and encourages them to become increasingly responsible for their own learning. In addition, the children develop understanding of their place within the wider community, and are taught how to resolve conflicts, develop collaboration skills and respect for others.
Languages
By introducing our children to different languages at an early age, we want to spark the children’s interest in languages and develop their understanding of other cultures in the world around them.
Our curriculum intent for Languages
With these aspirations, our intent for the languages curriculum is for all children to be able to communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing in another language. During their time with us, all children will develop their confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills so that they can:
- Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
- Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
- Write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
- Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.
Implementation of Intentions
We follow a languages scheme of work offered by the Primary Languages Network which cultivates and progresses children’s language learning through engaging games, songs, stories and activities.
Lessons are designed to provide children with opportunities for listening, speaking, reading and writing with a focus on building key vocabulary and phrases around familiar everyday situations and contexts.
Accompanying native speaker audio helps develop the accuracy of each child’s pronunciation. In order to consolidate the children’s language learning, especially the acquisition of new vocabulary, we use cross-curricular opportunities to provide regular practice for language retrieval and use in meaningful and relevant contexts.
Each year, we also celebrate the European Day of Languages. A special assembly is held to inspire our children and to celebrate the different languages spoken within our Academy, across Europe and the wider world. During the day, all children have the exciting opportunity to experience learning a new language or to take part in a language-based activity. Parents and carers, who are native speakers, are also invited into the Academy to enrich the children’s language learning by encouraging the use of practical conversational skills, reading stories, teaching traditional songs or sharing information about another culture.
La Jolie Ronde
La Jolie Ronde has been introducing languages into primary schools for over 25 years and offers a unique, structured and proven programme for children aged 3-11 years old which complements and enhances languages taught in the curriculum and provides a good grounding for future language learning. At this young age, children have an amazing ability to quickly pick up a foreign language.
The programme is designed to enhance the children’s learning skills and to challenge them, in order for them to excel at the language and develop their language skills to the highest level possible.
- An authentic accent for the children to pick up
- Small classes with children of similar age
- Conversation, grammar, games, role-plays, songs and stories
- Awareness of the foreign country, its geography and culture
- Weekly feedback on children’s progress and a termly newsletter
- Certificates on completion of the course.