We 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 'Letters and Sounds' Phonics scheme, and a variety of reading schemes including Oxford University Press, Collins and Rigby. This is a daily session and then application becomes evident as the children approach their reading and written work.
We follow a No Nonsense 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
Herons' Worship will take place this Friday, 22nd June. All welcome in church from 9am.
12 Jun 2018
12 Jun 2018
10 Jun 2018
04 Jun 2018
21 May 2018
29 Mar 2018
29 Mar 2018
28 Mar 2018
28 Mar 2018
10 Mar 2018
Thank you to everyone for their amazing efforts for World Book Day.