CURRICULUM
Introducing our Foundation Stage
Our
school has 48 part time places split into 24 in the morning and 24 in the
afternoon. The session times can be
found later in this prospectus. The
staff consists of one Foundation Stage co-ordinator, one full- time teacher,
two part-time teachers, two job share nursery nurses and one full-time
educational Teaching assistant (ETA). As
the need arises an ETA is also available to support individual children with
Special Educational Needs. The nursery
nurse course at
Beginning
Foundation Stage is a big step for both parent and child to take. We aim to provide a welcoming environment in
which your child feels happy and eager to learn. Parents also need to feel secure in the
knowledge that their child will have the best possible care. We aim to develop each child's potential
through educational experience whilst at the same time developing their
confidence, self-esteem and independence.
We are therefore developing the whole child as well as their pre-school
academic performance. The foundation
Stage is organised to encourage the children to visit a variety of activities
whenever they choose during the sessions and gain experience when they are ready.
Planned into the day are several short teaching sessions to develop
children’s listening and responding skills. This way they will have fun
whilst they are learning and want the fun to continue.
Fruit
is freely available during the session each day, a charge of £1 is made for
filtered water per term and is returned to Aqua Aid to develop water pumps in
other parts of the world, and a small charge is made for ingredients to fund
baking sessions. These are used as an
educational as well as a social experience.
Sessions
are carefully planned and monitored as Early Learning Goals under the headings
of:
Creative
Language
and literacy
Mathematics
Knowledge and understanding of the
world
Personal and social
Physical
Topics
are chosen in a two-year cycle to ensure the progression and development
throughout the key stage. Part-time and Full-time classes come under the
umbrella title of the Foundation Stage. Children within this stage have the
opportunity to work alongside each other during some parts of the day. Other times of the day allow for more
structured activities to take place in specific groupings. Quality outdoor play is an important aspect
of our Foundation Stage provision. It
offers extensive outdoor activities covering all aspects of the Foundation
Stage curriculum.
National
Curriculum
English
Language is the
means of learning throughout the school curriculum. It is essential that opportunities be created
to develop children's learning through language, about language and as users of
language, in all curriculum areas.
English covers many aspects of the curriculum, its constituent parts -
speaking and listening; drama, reading and writing are often bound
together. We believe that we give the
children opportunities to develop each of these inter-related aspects. Children come to our school with a background
of language, which we are able to build on by providing opportunities to extend
and develop their use of English. It is
important to remain aware of the uniqueness of each individual child. The child's growth in the areas of social,
emotional, intellectual and physical development is our concern.
We believe that
it is important for children to understand others, first through their ability
to listen and follow meaning, then to read with interest, understanding and
enjoyment. We emphasise the enjoyment of
language, responding to stories, sharing books chosen by the children and
purposeful writing and talking. Through
this enjoyment we seek to raise standards.
All children in
the school receive Literacy teaching daily.
This is delivered in a variety of ways and particularly in Foundation
Stage, will be spread throughout the day.
Mathematics
All children
throughout the school receive daily Mathematics teaching comprising of mental
agility sessions, whole class teaching sessions, group activities and a plenary
sessions. We believe that Mathematics is an integral part of the educational
process, which should enable individual children to develop their own potential
in all curriculum areas. We feel that
the Mathematics curriculum should enrich the children's aesthetic and
linguistic experience and should be both discrete and topic related, thereby providing
them with means by which they can explore their environment. We endeavour to give the children the
opportunities to acquire mathematical skills and understanding of concepts
through firsthand experiences and to consolidate their learning through
investigation, discussion, and problem solving with relation to real life
problems and ultimately through recording.
We also
endeavour to develop a positive attitude towards Mathematics and to maintain
and increase the child's confidence. We
aim to make Mathematics an enjoyable and interesting area of study with scope
for developing logical thought and the ability to discuss and explain
mathematical activities. Children are
encouraged to relate their Mathematics learning to the real world.
Science
We believe that
science should involve the child in the learning process through first hand
practical experience, working towards a recording system appropriate to the
child's developmental stage. Children
are encouraged to hypothesise, test predictions and evaluate outcomes. We provide relevant scientific activities
involving questioning, experimentation and discovery. Children are encouraged to communicate their
ideas, devise experiments and attempt to give explanations or find solutions to
problems based on their exploration and observations. They are encouraged to interpret information
gathered and make deductions from it. We
also make available relevant books, videos and photographs to enable children
to broaden their knowledge, and we offer opportunities for them to apply the
knowledge gained in a variety of situations.
Whilst any activities are being carried out, we expect the children to
be aware of the safety procedures. Our
science policy is constantly reviewed to enable children to develop enthusiasm,
curiosity, a sense of awe and wonder for nature, the natural world and all
natural phenomena; as well as a keen interest in everything that is
manufactured and engineered.
Sex and
Relationships Education
Sex and Relationships
education is offered through the Healthy Schools programme and PSHCE. Relevant
discussions may take place in class at an appropriate level. Questions of a sexual nature as asked
naturally by the children are dealt with sympathetically and sensitively by the
teachers. Everyday health matters are
constantly brought to the attention of the children by the class teacher. The
emphasis is placed very strongly on the development of relationships within a
caring environment.
Design
Technology
We believe that
through Design Technology the children learn to plan, make, modify, identify,
collect data, select and predict by using a variety of technological equipment
and computer hardware and software.
A thematic/cross
curricular approach to learning is particularly evident in Design Technology as
it is an integral part of our whole curriculum.
There is a discrete element where specific skills and concepts need to
be taught.
Through Design
Technology we hope to encourage the children to develop a selection of
approaches to problem solving and have opportunities for collaborative
work. We feel that the children need to
be able to select and use resources efficiently, with due regard for safety of
self and others.
Information
Communication Technology
We believe that
it is essential for all pupils to gain confidence and capability in using
I.C.T. to prepare them for later life.
The use of I.C.T. should extend and enhance learning across the whole
curriculum. Children should be
encouraged to use their own initiative, reasoning and investigative
skills. I.C.T. should be presented in
practical contexts, which are relevant to the child's experiences. Children must be given the opportunities for
hands-on experiences. We will ensure
that all children develop an awareness of I.CT. as an essential tool for
communication and control. Interactive
white boards are installed in all classrooms and ‘hands-on’
opportunities are offered to parents to update their own skills.
Humanities
Children are
offered a broad and balanced Humanities curriculum, which enable the children
to develop a coherent and relevant view of the world. The learning process is based on the process
of enquiry using first-hand experiences and a range of sources as
evidence. This provides a framework
which enables children to gain the knowledge to understand and the skills to
interpret the world and related global issues.
Music
Music is sound
and sound emerges from all living things and from the elements in our
environment. Therefore we are surrounded
by sounds which children learn to explore and to imitate. We try to ensure that music is pleasurable
and a source of enjoyment to all children in one form or another and it is an
integral part of our school curriculum.
We value all contributions and achievements by children who are
encouraged to investigate all manner of sounds, to listen, to compose, to
perform and also to be silent. We
encourage their appreciation of others by listening to music from different
countries and cultures, modern music and music from the past. It is our intention to develop their
performance skills using all available instruments including voice.
Physical
Education
The school meets
and exceeds the statutory requirement of 2 hours high quality P.E. each week in
our upstairs hall or in the outside environment. We promote physical competence and develop an
awareness of the beneficial effects physical activities have. P.E. provides the children with opportunities
to develop their independence by allowing them to take responsibility for their
own actions, choosing their own movements, making decisions and planning
ahead. It allows the development of
problem-solving skills, use of initiative and knowledge of how to handle
equipment skilfully and safely. The development
of physical confidence can contribute to the establishment of high
self-esteem. Through participation in a
wide range of activities such as dance, games and gymnastics children begin to
develop their confidence and ability.
They learn to work co-operatively, to share space and resources, to
discuss their work and to encourage and be encouraged by others. They become aware of their role as a member
of a group.
The school has extended
its extra curricular access in a variety of disciplines for P.E. as a direct
result of involvement with the School Sport Partnership, often in partnership
with the Junior school. Workshops run by
professional sports people are organised to develop interest and excitement and
involvement.
Provision of
Sport
Children follow
national curriculum guidelines for P.E., which include the teaching of early
games skills. Children are encouraged to
work towards improving their own performance in games. The development of outdoor play facilities
has enabled the school to offer greater opportunities for physical development.
Art
By its nature
Art is child-centred. We feel that it
allows the children to observe, record, explore, analyse, remember, re-iterate,
and make collections of objects so increasing our resources and in this way
encouraging curiosity about the physical and natural environment. Children work individually, in pairs, in
groups or as a class. They describe what
they are doing and why and plan to make changes if they are needed. The school environment both inside and
outside is important. We stimulate and
interest the children visual and aesthetically.
We encourage group responses in a variety of media in both 2D and 3D
work. Children are encouraged to
evaluate work by famous artists from a variety of cultures.
Religious
Education
Following
consultations with other schools in Kirklees and our own pyramid schools,
particularly
Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship
Education (PSHCE)
PSHCE is the aspect of the curriculum that raises
pupils’ confidence and self-esteem by reminding pupils and teachers of
the importance of respecting everyone as an individual and appreciating
effort. It offers an especially
supportive climate for learning. The subject provides a foundation for
acquiring the skills needed to learn and grow up at ease with oneself. It increases pupil motivation and deepens
their understanding through providing relevant opportunities for
‘real-life’ learning. PSHCE
improves pupils’ ability to reflect on and become responsible for their
own learning, and reduces the chances that pupils’ education will be
interrupted or impaired, for example, by upset at separation from parents or
the fear of bullying.
Collective
Worship
The school is
not affiliated to any Religious organisation. There is a daily act of
collective worship, which is broadly Christian in content. Collective Worship provides the opportunity
to recognise, affirm and celebrate the values and ethos of the school and that
of the wider community. We believe that worship should reflect the whole school
curriculum and contribute to the spiritual, moral and cultural development of
the children. Parents considering exercising their right to withdraw their
child from this aspect of school life should consult with the Head Teacher and
the class teacher. Alternative provision
will be made to ensure their child receives adult supervision in a learning
environment.
Brougham Road,
Marsden, Huddersfield, West
Telephone: 01484 222583
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