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Curriculum Maps

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 

Literacy

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.

KS1 Phonics and Reading Schemes

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

Handwriting

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

Mathematics

 Calculation-Policy Jan 2017 

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

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.

Humanities

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.

Spring Term Learning Maps:

Robins' 

Wrens' 

Swifts' 

Kingfishers' 

Swallows' 

Owls' 

Herons' 

Curriculum Enhancement

  • P.E. Multi-skills / Alternative Sports - Primary Sports  
  • Drama/Music - Mrs Pearse and Mrs Osborne
  • ICT - Mr Harris

    

SATs 

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

Announcement

Thank you for coming along to 'Meet the Teacher' on Tuesday. 

Most clubs have started this week.

SIAMS Outstanding School Inspection

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 enjoyed...

Open Garden

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.

Uplyme Horticultural Show

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...

YR6 Waterpark Trip

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!  Thank you to al...

Poppy Art

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 Remembrance Sun...

Butterflies

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...

SIAMs Press Release

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 inspection by the Church of England Educa...

Robins' Ugly Bug Ball

03 Jul 2018

The children dressed up as creepy crawlies for the Ugly Bug Ball.  When they danced, played bug games and ate bug food (satsuma snails, celery slugs and strawberry ladybirds...

Swallows' Topic - 'What lies beneath'

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...

Wrens' & Swifts' Fossil Hunting

03 Jul 2018

Uplyme & Lyme Regis Cricket Information

22 Jun 2018

Bugfest Robins' & Year 3

21 Jun 2018

Clean Air Day 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...

Sports Day

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 and tha...

Enterprise Day

12 Jun 2018

Year 6 Sailing Day

12 Jun 2018

Herons enjoyed learning how to sail at Portland. The children worked in pairs to sail the boat together and really enjoyed the experience. Thank you to Mrs Pellow and Mrs Ha...

Lyme Bay Marine Visit

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...

Uplyme Fete 2018

10 Jun 2018

Congratulations to the winners of the colouring competition Seth and Maisie, who were crowned Fete Prince and Princess and opened the Uplyme Fete.

The Story Boat has arrived!

04 Jun 2018

The children have been very excited to see the Story Boat arrive this morning. Traditional wooden boatbuilder, Gail McGarva, holds the workshops inside the magical and ench...

Residential News

21 May 2018

Our journalists report... ‘After we arrived at PGL, we met our instructors. We then found out which our rooms were and who we were sharing with. After setting up our rooms, w...

Swifts' & Wrens' Class

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 song in Heb...

Eggperiments in Swallows' Class

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 focusing o...

The Storyteller- Martin Maudsley

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 we had...

School Journalists

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 multipl...

New books- thanks to the Readathon!

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...

New School Update

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...

School Journalists

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 Swifts' Class...

Our Spiritual Space

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 will continue...

Traffic Trial

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 visibility j...

New Clubs list

24 Apr 2018

Summer Term Clubs List 2018

Year 1 Trip to the Spacedome

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...

Celebrating our differences and Autism Awareness Week

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 Cate Edm...

Our Easter Service

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.   2018Easter Service

Decorated Eggs

29 Mar 2018

Year 6

29 Mar 2018

Today we made juice from different fruits grown in South America.  These were fruits like grapefruit, pineapple, lemon and mango.  We had to use our maths skills to scale up...

Year 2 Visit to Dunster Castle

28 Mar 2018

Year 2 Gardening

28 Mar 2018

Storytime

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 the...

Fire Safety Visit Year 2 & 5

26 Mar 2018

Thank you to Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service for their 'Staying Safe' visit.

Celebration & Ethos Worship

26 Mar 2018

Robins' Class Worship

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 singing and danc...

Triumph for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

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 enthusiastic....

Wren's trip to Seaton Wetlands

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 opportunity to...

Teddy Bear Outing

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 Robins!...

Spring Concert

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 solo sing...

Thrills at the Theatre

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 commended for...

PTFA Springo Bingo

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 all ch...

South Africa- helping where we can

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

WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT OUR NEW WEBSITE TO YOU!

10 Jan 2018

Please bear with us as we ensure that pages are updated and content transferred across.   

Happy New Year

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 list wil...

Carols round the Tree

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.

Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day

15 Dec 2017

Thank you to everyone for taking part in our Christmas Jumper Day.  We raised over £110 for Save the Children.

B Sharp at The Hub

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.

Uplyme Village Hall Christmas Fayre

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 in Ch...

Sports' Day

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 events are...

Owls' Class

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!

Year 6 Kenway Cup Tournament, Colfox

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 good...

Spring Concert

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 parent, who sum...

Swimmers Support Superbly!

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 of you for...