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I accept the use of cookiesWe give children a broad and balanced curriculum that provides rich, stimulating learning experiences enhanced through first hand experiences, visits and visitors. We make great use of the local area to tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of the children. We provide a curriculum that develops children academically, physically, socially, and spiritually based in a strong Christian foundation. Our enrichment teachers provide expertise in their field, giving the children the best possible learning experiences.
We use the National Curriculum programmes of study as the basis for the children’s learning. We follow a rolling programme using a topic based approach that links different areas of the curriculum. Each aspect of the subject is then differentiated to meet the needs of the children. We provide a curriculum map each term showing the learning planned in all aspects of the curriculum.
We reflect and review our curriculum topics regularly, ensuring variety and interest for our children.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum
Our aim at Mrs Ethelston’s is to promote high standards of language and literacy by embedding our teaching of spelling, reading, grammar and writing across the whole curriculum. This allows us to maximise exposure to these skills and enables the children to consolidate their learning in a range of ways. We plan our literacy units of work to closely match our creative topics thereby providing purposeful and engaging opportunities for the children to write. We facilitate this learning by sharing with the children a wide range of high quality texts and genres to expose the children to a substantial variety of writing styles and authors.
We strive to develop a passion for reading and use this as a tool to unlock interests and topics. We publically promote reading for pleasure through our new library space, celebrating World Book Day, D.E.A.R challenge and a sponsored readathon.
Where possible, teaching of reading and grammar is interwoven into literacy sessions so that the skills can be embedded alongside writing. In some classes separate skills sessions are also taught to support understanding in these areas. Discussions, debates, presentations, drama and other speaking and listening activities are also used so that all learners can explore the themes and ideas of texts and genres in a variety of ways.
The children are really proud of their literacy work and this is celebrated through displays, sharing work with other adults and children, and as part of our collective worships.
In KS1 we use The Early Reading Programme to teach phonics, and a variety of reading schemes including Jelly and Bean, Oxford University Press, Collins and Rigby. This is a twice daily session and then application becomes evident as the children approach their reading and written work.
We follow Westover Green spelling programme, investigating spelling patterns and rules, and the key words for each yeargroup. Spelling patterns and rules are taught and weekly tests take place in KS2.
As children move into key stage two, we also use an Accelerated Reader programme to develop comprehension skills and aid in assessment of individual children. This tests children on books they have been reading.
Spellings Years 1-6 08.06.17.109440383.pdf
Spelling-support-for-parents (1).pdf
Complex Speed Sounds Chart 20.06.17.109526573.pdf
Year 1 and 2 Common Exception Words.109526725.pdf
English Glossary - Explanation of Terminology 08.06.17.108474459.pdf
Early Reading Strategies 2017.pdf
We ensure that children form their letters correctly as they progress through their reception year. As they continue through year one and into year two, cursive handwriting is taught. Eventually the aim is for all children to have neat, legible, well-formed handwriting, with correctly proportioned ascenders and descenders. Children may earn a pen licence each year when they prove they can maintain this neat style consistently. Handwriting is taught in all years, using handwriting books. The children are expected to transfer this into their other books.
Handwriting Policy Sept 2017.pdf
Please click here to view the ways in which we teach calculations. Although these are shown in year groups, this is a guideline and every child is at a different stage in their own development. Your child may be a stage further ahead, or may still be relying on methods they have learnt previously. It is important that children have a breadth of knowledge, therefore, rather than moving ahead to the next year group, they may broaden their knowledge and skills in other ways, for example through problem solving, missing number calcualtions or investigations.
Science stimulates and excites children’s natural curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them, as well as satisfying their curiosity for knowledge.
Through scientific activities, we aim to encourage children to be curious about what is happening around them and to develop a positive and practical approach to scientific learning. We also hope to instil a sense of enjoyment. Our children are encouraged to question and discuss science-based issues that may affect their own lives and the future of the world.
Pupils also have the opportunity to develop their practical scientific methods, processes and skills through a range of scientific enquire, to answer questions they have generated. They are taught how to recognise and control variables where necessary and can use a range of scientific equipment with accuracy and precision to help them to gather data and results.
Many of our investigations start by the children making a rational prediction and considering things, such as how we will ensure fair or reliable testing throughout. Finally the children will present their findings in a conclusion whether this is in an oral or written form allowing them to evaluate their findings further.
We aim to develop the children’s geographical and historical understanding through engaging and meaningful topics. We strive to develop the children’s engagement
with geographical and historical knowledge with an understanding of how the past impacts upon the present. The children’s historical and geographical enquiry skills
are developed through evaluation of evidence, logical thinking and working systematically to ask and answer questions.
In History the children in Key Stage 1 are taught to consider changes within living memory, events beyond living memory and the lives of significant individuals in the past. In Key Stage 2, children develop their sense and understanding of chronology through local, British and world history.
In Geography Key Stage 1 children are taught about their local environments, to be able to name and locate the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and to be able to name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans. The children in Key Stage 2 are taught about places in the United Kingdom, wider world and how places relate to each other.
Please contact us if you have any questions or worries about SATs in year 2 or year 6. Some information is available here.
Information_for_parents_-_2017_NCTs_at_the_end_of_key_stages_1_and_2_v4_PDFA.pdf
Please note: Owls' Worship will now take place THIS Friday 8th Feb. Swallows' will take place on Fri 15th Feb.
06 Feb 2019
On Tuesday we had a fantastic day celebrating Chinese New Year. The whole school enjoyed a variety of activities from drama and food-tasting to crafts and dance. Lunch was a wonderfu...
01 Feb 2019
On a very chilly afternoon Axminster Primary School hosted the Acorn Academy Year 5/6 Netball Tournament with Axminster coming out on top and winning the event. In POOL A we had M...
18 Jan 2019
21 Dec 2018
I was incredibly proud of all the children who took part in the Carols by Candlelight Service on Thursday evening. The singing was beautiful and the instrumentalists were fantastic. It was...
21 Dec 2018
21 Dec 2018
18 Dec 2018
Thank you to the PTFA members and staff (and any other helpers!) who put up the Christmas Tree this week. It is a beautiful tree from Holly Hill Nurseries. Thank you to them for kindly donating...
23 Nov 2018
Today in Year 6's maths lesson, we were creating our own school flag using the area and perimeter skills that we learnt this week. It was enjoyable because you actually were able to design your own cr...
22 Nov 2018
16 Nov 2018
12 Nov 2018
Last Sunday, the House Captains and some members of the Ethos Committee made us extremely proud, representing Mrs Ethelston's at the Remembrance Service. Following the presentation of the wreath...
12 Nov 2018
As part of the wider community, the House Captains took part in a ceremony in Axminster, where wreaths were laid and one of our Year 6 children read a prayer for the fallen in front of the variou...
11 Nov 2018
William from Owls' class visited Ypres and Tyne Cot last weekend. He laid a wreath made by the school in front of the Devonshire Regiment plate, which include some of the soilders who serve...
06 Nov 2018
Thank you to everyone who entered the Trench Cake Competition, we had so many amazing cakes! They were all judged on appearance and taste by The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Michaela Ellis and Ian...
29 Oct 2018
29 Oct 2018
15 Oct 2018
Please click here here to view information about our open days.
12 Oct 2018
Children from year six had a very exciting week, participating in their Bikeability Cycling course, levels one and two. Well done to all of them and thank you to the team who ran the course over...
05 Oct 2018
The Rotary Club kindly donated dictionaries to all of our Year Six pupils. Grateful thanks to them, the children were thrilled with them.
05 Oct 2018
Well done to all the children that took place in the Summer Reading Challenge!
02 Oct 2018
Welcome to all our new children in Robins' class.
17 Sep 2018
On Tuesday 11th September, we were honoured to be visited by the Archdeacon Christopher, who came to meet the children and present us with a special certificate for our outstanding SIAMs. He enj...
20 Jul 2018
Our Open Garden was a huge success and raised £68, which will be used in the school garden next year. Thank you to everyone who helps in the garden, especially Jo Williams.
20 Jul 2018
Thank you to all the children for their amazing entries in the Uplyme Horticultural Show, well done to the winners: Aurora, Elizabeth, Rufus, Talullah, Harry C, Alexie, Georgia, Andrew, Rhea, Sasha, L...
20 Jul 2018
Herons' Class have had an action-packed week, having visited a waterpark, tried a variety of new sports and there is a sleepover tonight for them as part of their leavers' activities! ...
16 Jul 2018
For the centenary of the end of the First World War, Uplyme Church are planning a big installation and art exhibition in the church.The exhibition will be put on for the week preceding Remembranc...
10 Jul 2018
Robins, Wrens, Swifts, Kingfishers and Swallows were incredibly excited to see some butterflies hatched by Robins, Swifts and Kingfishers today. It was a wonderful reminder of our core value, Celebrat...
06 Jul 2018
Mrs Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy Rated as “Outstanding” & “Remarkable” in recent inspection. Mrs Ethelstons’s CE has been graded as Outstanding in a recent i...
03 Jul 2018
03 Jul 2018
Last Tuesday, Swallows' class had a special visitor. Our visitor works as an undersea diver in the oil industry. He spoke to us about his experiences about what lies beneath. We were amazed to hear t...
03 Jul 2018
22 Jun 2018
21 Jun 2018
21 Jun 2018
Key Stage 1 have been learning about Clean Air Day and how we can help prevent air pollution. Wrens' and Swifts' took to the playground to investigate if we had clean air or polluted air according to...
18 Jun 2018
What a fantastic Sports Day! Well done to all the children for taking part with such enthusiasm. Well done to the winning House - Hardy. Thank you to Mrs Timbrell for organising the event an...
12 Jun 2018
12 Jun 2018
Robins, Wrens and Swifts were very lucky to have a visitor form Lyme Bay Marine to tell us about some of the life in our local bay. The children especially enjoyed the live crab and lobster!{! gallery...
12 Jun 2018
10 Jun 2018
04 Jun 2018
21 May 2018
18 May 2018
Swifts and Wren's were both very lucky on Monday afternoon to have a visit from Mr Singer who told them lots of different things about Judaism. The children particularly enjoyed learning a s...
18 May 2018
Swallows' Class have been designing experiments to establish what types of drinks cause tooth decay. They have looked at the different types of variables to ensure their tests are fair and focus...
09 May 2018
On Tuesday we welcomed Mr Martin Maudsley into all our classes for his storytelling workshops. The response was overwhelmingly positive- more information and photos to follow! "On Tuesday w...
04 May 2018
Year 4 This week, in topic, we have been learning about Mary Anning. We were given factual pieces about her and we used these facts to make a little booklet. In maths, we have been revising mu...
29 Apr 2018
Miss Lyons has met this week with all the children that took part in the sponsored Readathon last term. The PTFA have kindly contributed money towards this and now we have a considerable amount to spe...
29 Apr 2018
The Landscape Concept Plan for the new school was introduced to the staff last week by Gyles Morris the landscape architect and outdoor learning specialist who is advising our school trust. The staff...
27 Apr 2018
Year 1 Wrens' Class In Maths we have been using doubles, halves and quarters. I like PE because we run around and I like Maths because we get to learn exciting stuff. Lily Year 2 Swift...
25 Apr 2018
You may have noticed the area by Swifts' Class is beginning to look much more cheerful. This is our Spiritual Space, where classes and children can go for some peace and reflection. We wil...
25 Apr 2018
Please give us feedback about our trial at the beginning of the school day- Dropping Off in the Morning- TWO WEEK TRIALFrom next week, we will trial having a member of staff in a high visibil...
24 Apr 2018
Summer Term Clubs List 2018
23 Apr 2018
We learnt that the sun is one million times bigger than Earth. The sun is a star and there are some stars bigger than the sun and some stars smaller than the sun. The sun's light reflects on the moo...
06 Apr 2018
During the final week of term, we spent a week looking at what makes us all unique and special. This was part of National Autism Awareness week. The children enjoyed a worship from Reverend Cat...
01 Apr 2018
The children, staff, parents and friends came together on Thursday to celebrate this important time of year. Children of all ages took part and the singing was beautiful. 2018East...
29 Mar 2018
29 Mar 2018
28 Mar 2018
28 Mar 2018
28 Mar 2018
The year 6 children have spent some time drafting, editing and writing up their stories, based on the Great Kapok Tree. The younger children in Robins' and Wrens' thoroughly enjoyed listening to...
26 Mar 2018
Thank you to Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service for their 'Staying Safe' visit.
26 Mar 2018
25 Mar 2018
Well done to Robins' Class for their very first class worship this week. They were brave and shared with us a story they have been learning about bears. We were also treated to some singin...
22 Mar 2018
What a phenomenal performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from Kingfishers' and Swallows' Class. The children were amazing in their acting roles, superb at their singing and so enthusia...
21 Mar 2018
Wrens Class had a superb visit to Seaton Wetlands. The children really enjoyed their trip and they were able to catch a variety of under water creatures when pond dipping. They had the opportuni...
19 Mar 2018
Robins' Class visited the Teddy Bear Museum in Dorchester this week. They took their furry friends along to meet the veterans, and thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the park as well. Well done...
19 Mar 2018
What a superb musical extravaganza the Spring Concert was. The show featured performances by all year groups on violins, cornets, guitars, ukeles, piano and more! Along with some fantastic...
14 Mar 2018
Herons' Class went to watch Wicked. Swallows' and Kingfishers' Classes went to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, picking up tips for their upcoming production! All classes were comm...
12 Mar 2018
Thank you to all parents and children who came to support the PTFA on Friday at Springo Bingo. We raised £125 which will go towards this years fundraising cause of Enrichment which will benefit...
28 Feb 2018
In February, we were asked if we might donate some exercise books to a school in Cape Town, South Africa. Mrs Es.pub.pdf
10 Jan 2018
Please bear with us as we ensure that pages are updated and content transferred across.
04 Jan 2018
Happy New Year to all Pupils, Parents and Carers of Mrs Ethelston’s,There will be no newsletter this week as we have had such a short week.Clubs will commence from 15th January. The new clubs li...
15 Dec 2017
Many thanks to all the parents that joined us for our last event this year - Carols round the Tree, and many thanks to Irve Davis-Griffiths.
15 Dec 2017
Thank you to everyone for taking part in our Christmas Jumper Day. We raised over £110 for Save the Children.
05 Dec 2017
Well done to all the Mrs E's children that took part in the B Sharp 'Out of the Box' on Friday evening. A fantastic performance at the Hub and also lovely to see some old pupils performing too.
04 Dec 2017
Thank you to the members of Mrs Ethelston's Choir that performed at the Christmas Fayre on Saturday. There will be another chance to hear them sing at the Carols by Candlelight on 14th December...
18 Jul 2017
Thank you so much to everyone for the tremendous support for Sports' day today. Special thanks to the staff and helpers, particularly to Mrs Timbrell for the hours of organisation. These e...
18 Jul 2017
Year 5 have been learning about the Olympics. We learnt how to compete in the long jump (which is different to today) and will be writing explanation text to explain how to be successful!
18 Jul 2017
Thankfully the rain held off, which enabled the football team to attend Colfox Academy for Kenway Cup knockout tournament. Well done to them for battling against some very good teams and showing...
18 Jul 2017
This week we enjoyed a fantastic Spring Concert at the church. These occasions make me so very proud of the children, staff and school. The contributions were stunning and to quote a paren...
18 Jul 2017
Well done to all our swimmers who travelled to Dorchester Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre on Friday. The team supported each other magnificently at quite an overwhelming event! We are proud o...