GLEDHOW PRIMARY SCHOOL

CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS

CONTENTS of CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS

1. KEY ELEMENTS

Principles and Procedures

Aims and Purposes

Values, Attitudes and Personal Qualities

2. ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES

Developing Skills

Understanding Concepts

Asking Questions

3. AN INTRODUCTION TO SUBJECTS

Subject Policies

Subject Perspectives

Time Management

4. AN INTRODUCTION TO PLANNING

The Practice of Planning

The Phases of Planning

The Process of Planning

Principles and Procedures

This document is an introduction to the School's Curriculum. It will be reviewed regularly and presented on such occasions to the Governors' Curriculum Committee.

A Rationale for the Curriculum

1.1 Education both reflects and influences human behaviour and plays a significant role in helping shape the nature of our society. It is necessary, therefore, for each school to devise a set of aims, purposes and values which might underpin the curriculum and support teachers and pupils as they seek to achieve the targets they have identified. The aims, values and skills which this school looks to develop are included below.

1.2 At Gledhow we firmly believe in equality of opportunity and consider that all pupils benefit from our approach to their education. The staff and governors have endeavoured to ensure that each child has access to a broad and balanced curriculum. In addition, the work undertaken is suitably matched to each pupil’s age, ability and interests.

1.3 In summary, these principles inform all aspects of teaching and learning and provide a starting point for curriculum planning. The curriculum so designed enables pupils to develop and apply the knowledge, skills and understanding that will help them become confident and successful learners.

Roles and Responsibilities

2.1 The Head Teacher takes overall responsibility for the curriculum and is assisted with its planning and monitoring by the Deputy Head Teacher and the Curriculum Manager.

2.2 Teachers as Subject Managers oversee specific areas of learning to ensure that each is implemented consistently and effectively, in line with the agreed policies.

2.3 Each Subject Manager is responsible for : managing and maintaining resources ; attending relevant courses and conferences and disseminating information to staff ; liaising with teachers and other managers to ensure coherence and progression ; monitoring teacher performance and pupil progress ; preparing reports for the Head Teacher and governors if required ; and planning, undertaking, and evaluating a course of action in line with the requirements of the School Improvement Plan.

2.4 Opinions regarding the curriculum are sought from parents through the Head Teacher's Forum, from pupils through class assemblies and School Council and from staff and governors at their regular meetings. Ideas and information are also acquired from courses or via the triangulation process and other assessment procedures.

Teaching the Curriculum

3.1 The Nursery and Reception Year follow national Foundation Stage guidelines, which embrace six areas of learning : Personal, social and emotional development ; Communication, language and literacy ; Mathematical development ; Knowledge and understanding of the world ; Physical development and Creative development.

3.2 Years 1 to 6 are taught the National Curriculum. The Programmes of Study for the subjects of the National Curriculum form the basis of the school’s curriculum planning.

3.3 The Religious Education curriculum is based upon the ‘Leeds Agreed Syllabus’. Parents may exercise their right of withdrawal from religious worship and instruction.

3.4 The school day amounts to 21 and a half hours of teaching time for pupils in Reception and Key Stage 1 and 23 hours for Key Stage 2. The curriculum is planned in such a way that it can be delivered in 36 weeks. This leaves two school weeks for curriculum enrichment, in the form of theme weeks, sports competitions and other similar celebrations.

3.5 Each year group has developed weekly, unit and long-term plans which are regularly monitored by the Curriculum Manager and Leadership Team.

3.6 All subjects are delivered to mixed ability classes throughout the school. The majority of the curriculum is delivered by the class teacher, but some subjects may be taught by specialist teachers.

3.7 Homework is set on a regular basis throughout the school and serves to link the school curriculum with learning at home. Mathematics and English homework is provided on line for all pupils in Key Stage 2.

3.8 Regular use is made of the school library and I.C.T suite and special resource areas such as the sensory room are also available. An extensive range of high quality book, I.C.T. and other audio-visual resources are used to supplement the Programmes of Study.

3.9 Further information can be found in additional curriculum files or within subject policies and specific schemes of work.

Special Provisions

4.1 Teachers plan to meet the needs of all abilities by ensuring learning is focused on the individual. The school has developed a model of intervention for children experiencing difficulties in Mathematics and English, based upon three ' waves ' :

Wave 1 : The effective inclusion of all pupils in a high quality daily Mathematics and English lessons (Quality First Teaching).

Wave 2 : Small group intervention - e.g. Booster classes, FFT, Talking Maths, Early Literacy support, Additional Literacy support, Further Literacy support, the Social Use of Language Programme (SULP), vocabulary and memory groups.

Wave 3 : Specific targeted intervention for pupils identified as requiring special educational needs support- e.g. FFT, Ruth Miskin Read Write Inc.

4.2 The governing body has an agreed policy for Sex and Relationship Education and the teaching of this area of learning forms part of the P.S.H.C.E. Programme of Study. Parents of pupils in Year 5 are given an opportunity to view the video which is used as the basis for the Year 5 Puberty Workshops. Those parents wishing to withdraw their children from these lessons are permitted to do so.

4.3 The staff and governors are keen that all pupils be provided with spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities both within the planned curriculum, as well as through the likes of current affairs, independent research and additional events and experiences. A record is kept of the opportunities provided for each year group.

4.4 A wide ranging programme of extra-curricular activities is offered to pupils at the start of each half term. Parents of children wishing to attend such activities are asked to sign a consent form. Teaching and non-teaching staff participate in the provision of extra-curricular activities at various stages during the year.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

5.1 ‘Assessment of learning’ is an integral part of the curriculum process. Teachers at this school assess outcomes in both core and foundation subjects. They then complete charts which reflect an individual’s performance across the Key Stages. In addition, each child has his or her own profile and tracking record for Mathematics and English which is available for parents to see within 24 hours of their request.

5.2 All work carried out by the children is monitored and evaluated. A school report is presented to parents annually in the summer term. Parents are invited to Parent Consultation Meetings each term. The Governing Body receives regular reports on pupil attainment, which is compared to the national picture in similar schools and to each pupil’s prior attainment.

5.3 ‘Assessment for learning’ enables teachers to set targets which reflect each individual pupil's skills, abilities and potential. All pupils receive targets in Mathematics and English, which are revised and reset in light of progress made.

5.4 The Governing Body, in consultation with the staff, sets targets in the autumn term for those pupils reaching the end of Key Stage 2 in the following academic year, using the evidence from on-going standards analysis.

Recognising Achievement

6.1 Achievement in any of the aspects of school life is an continuous process and is celebrated in a number of ways.

6.2 It may be in the form of verbal or written praise to develop self-esteem.

6.3 The school provides frequent opportunities for pupils to collaborate or to perform, for example on fieldtrips, in school teams or during short dramas and large-scale productions.

6.4 Achievement can also be rewarded by means of presenting pupils with credits, stickers or certificates, which may then be recorded on classroom charts.

6.5 Each pupil is attached to one of four ‘houses’. A pupil can achieve merits as a result of good deeds or performances on behalf of their house.

6.6 Congratulations assemblies, which recognise the wide-ranging skills and abilities of our pupils, are held every week.

6.7 Children's work and achievements are also celebrated in the form of displays throughout school. Such displays reflect the ethos the school and have make a significant impact upon its visual appearance.

6.8 Especially well-behaved and motivated pupils may be selected for 'Always Club' on a Friday afternoon, in recognition of them 'always doing the right thing'.

Reviewed 9/2014.

Aims and Purposes

A dynamic curriculum

1.1 The curriculum should appear vibrant and energetic; should excite and entertain and not just inform.

1.2 It should seek to develop independent learning, but also social interaction and cooperation.

1.3 It should emphasize personal development and well-being, such as the acquisition of self-esteem.

1.4 It should promote enquiry, encourage creativity and develop the imagination.

1.5 It should be subject to review and renewal and be forever evolving.

A customized curriculum

2.1 The curriculum should require that challenging and demanding tasks be set

2.2 and should give rise to high standards of work.

2.3 However, it should also be sufficiently adaptable as to cater for the needs of all abilities

2.4 so that each individual might achieve an appropriate level of progress

2.5 and that pupils can take pride not only in their own work but also the successes of others.

A connected curriculum

3.1 The curriculum should seek to extend knowledge, improve skills and develop understanding in equal measure.

3.2 It should focus upon basic literacy and numeracy, but not neglect more advanced intellectual, practical and social skills.

3.3 The curriculum should emphasize the links which exist between different subjects across a range of themes.

3.4 It should make use of local circumstances and personal experiences, yet also invite pupils to appreciate the lives and cultures of people in more distant places and from earlier times.

3.5 The curriculum should provide opportunities for out-of-school visits to locations associated with particular studies.

A curriculum for life

4.1 The curriculum should encourage curiosity and a desire to learn

4.2 and instil the belief that learning is a lifelong experience.

4.3 The curriculum should in large part focus upon the skills, knowledge and understanding required for everyday life when schooldays have ended.

4.4 It should seek to develop individuals who are well-rounded, resourceful and self-confident

4.5 and should endeavour to ensure that pupils become responsible and reliable adults who are able to make a positive contribution to society.

Values, Attitudes and Personal Qualities

Values, attitudes and personal qualities can be viewed from several different perspectives :

(a) Those values, attitudes and qualities which may be associated with the development of the individual.

(b) Those which concern our relationships with family members and friends.

(c) Those which might be linked with communities and cultures which are further afield and which may be considered 'different'.

(d) Those which relate to the environment, more especially the relationship between the human and natural world.

Valuing Ourselves

1.1 The curriculum should ensure that pupils grow and develop not just physically and intellectually, but also spiritually, morally and socially.

1.2 The curriculum should promote personal qualities such as honesty, fairness and duty, as well as encouraging self-respect, self-discipline and the acceptance of responsibility.

Valuing Relationships

2.1 The curriculum should make pupils aware of the benefits of a happy and healthy lifestyle and illustrate how human beings can work together peacefully and cooperatively.

2.2 It should address diversity in a positive manner and emphasize respect and concern for the beliefs and feelings of others.

Valuing Communities

3.1 The curriculum should educate pupils in the ways they might fulfil their duties as c citizens and encourage respect for the rule of law and the democratic process.

3.2 It should help pupils appreciate their local community and feel valued as part of that c community.

Valuing environments

4.1 The curriculum should focus upon the use and misuse of the world around us in order to help pupils appreciate its beauty and importance and the need to protect and preserve it.

4.2 Pupils should be encouraged to develop a responsible attitude towards maintaining a sustainable environment for future generations.

Developing Skills

Developing skills, asking questions and improving conceptual understanding are attributes and competencies which embrace the whole curriculum and serve to bind its various elements together.

Listed below are a series of investigational and thinking skills which have a role to play in the planning and teaching of subjects taught in this school.

PROCESSING AND COMMUNICATING

1. Locating and gathering2. Observing and examining3. Matching and comparing4. Sorting and classifying5. Ordering and sequencing6. Analysing and interpreting7. Deducing and inferring8. Recalling and applying9. Selecting and organising10. Drawing conclusions

REASONING AND REFLECTING

1. Explaining situations2. Generating ideas3. Hypothesising and predicting4. Thinking imaginatively

5. Thinking laterally6. Appreciating and Empathizing7. Forming opinions8. Making decisions9. Assessing and evaluating10. Suggesting improvements

Understanding Concepts

Another essential attribute is the ability to understand and make use of the terminology associated with –but not necessarily exclusive to – specific subjects.

What follows is an example of how conceptual knowledge and understanding can be developed during the course of teaching the Year 4 History unit, Journeys of Exploration.

CONCEPT AREA OF INVESTIGATION

Categorical

Time When was the first circumnavigation of the worldcompleted ?

Methodological

Similarity / Difference How were the dangers faced by Columbus different from those faced by Livingstone ?

Continuity / Change How did the world map change as a result of journeys of exploration ?

Cause / Consequence Why did explorers go in search of a North-East Passage ?

Substantive

General / Values and Beliefs Why did people in the past think the world was flat ?

Specific / Open Why did explorers seek trade routes to the East ?

Specific / Closed Why did explorers use an astrolabe on their journeys of

exploration ?

Asking Questions

Effective questioning encourages pupils to think more deeply and to share their thoughts and ideas with others. Good teaching ensures that pupils are exposed to a range of different types of questions.

For example, questions might be ‘closed’ : Where did the event take place ? or ‘open’ : Who do you think might have been responsible ? The chart below links different skills with examples of questions teachers might ask.

Locating and gathering Can you find out what happened ?

Recalling and applying Can you remember who was involved and make use of what you know about them ?

Explaining situations Can you explain why they did it ?

Observing and examining Can you describe what is happening in this picture of the event ?

Matching and comparing Can you list the similarities and differences between this and other pictures of the event ?

Ordering and sequencing Can you put this series of events in chronological order ?

Sorting and classifying Can you work out which people were in favour of what happened and which were against it ?

Analysing and interpreting Can you use the data you collected to identify a trend ?

Hypothesising and predicting Can you suggest what might happen in the future ?

Forming opinions Can you say what you think about what happened ?

Generating ideas Can you propose an answer to the problem ?

Making decisions Can you suggest which course of action should be taken ?

Appreciating and empathizing Can you see the advantages and disadvantages of taking that course of action ?

Assessing and evaluating Can you judge the value of the different sources of information you have used to investigate this problem ?

Drawing conclusions Can you pull the different threads of the investigation together to arrive at a solution ?

Suggesting improvements Can you recommend what might be done to prevent a similar problem arising again ?

Subject Policies

There are more than twenty school policies which relate to aspects of the curriculum. Subject policies cover the core and foundation areas of learning. Other policies link closely-related subjects together, such as the ‘Arts’, or focus upon specific features of larger studies, for example ‘Drugs Education’. Some policies may, like ‘Homework’, embrace the whole curriculum.

Each subject of the School Curriculum has its own statement of policy. These statements generally follow the structure outlined below :

An Introduction

This section reveals the nature of the subject : what it is about and why it is important.

Aims and Purposes

This section builds upon the aims of the National Curriculum and of the School Curriculum, which are then expressed in a more subject-specific way.

Objectives and Outcomes

This section may refer to National Curriculum objectives or to those of other schemes and strategies. It will illustrate how learning objectives embrace all levels of ability and make clear how pupils are to make progress.

Planning the Curriculum

This section describes how a subject is organised and how subject time is managed. It identifies focus areas and outlines the criteria for the selection of content. It shows how links are made with other subjects and between units in the same or in different age ranges. Each policy will include a long-term plan for that subject.

Teaching and Learning

This section considers a range of teaching methods and approaches and may also list resources available to teach that subject. It will stress the importance of equal opportunities and illustrate how the teacher caters for a wide range of abilities. It will signal special needs requirements and identify multi-cultural and gender issues which may arise. It may include information concerning health and safety, if this is necessary and about parental involvement, if this is appropriate.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

This section seeks to define what assessment is for, what form or forms it might take and how pupil progress should be recorded. It will describe how the teacher reports back to his or her pupils and to the parents of pupils.

Monitoring and Reviewing

This section looks at the different ways in which a subject may be observed and the teaching of that subject evaluated. It calls for the regular reviewing of the suitability of planning and teaching strategies; of the appropriateness of resources, of written tasks and of assessment exercises.

Subject Perspectives

In simple terms, Subject Perspectives are 'ways of looking' at different areas of learning within the curriculum. They determine the purpose and focus of each unit of work and provide criteria for the selection of content, as well as a structure for the assessment of activities undertaken. Each subject has three perspectives :

ENGLISH Narrative Texts Non Fiction Texts Poetry

MATHEMATICS Calculations Number Facts and Relationships Measures, Shape and Handling Data

SCIENCE Life Processes and Living Things Materials and their Properties Physical Processes

I.C.T. Keyboard skills Research Presentation

HISTORY Headline History Everyday Experiences Past into Present

GEOGRAPHY Human Effects Physical Features Big Issues

D.T. Materials, Objects and Structures Pneumatics, Mechanisms and Electrics Food Technology

ART AND DESIGN 2D Images The 3D Effect Digital Media

P.S.H.C.E Ourselves and Others Healthy Living Good Citizens

R.E. Teachers and Leaders Ceremonies and Celebrations Belonging and Beliefs

MUSIC Listening and appraising Making Music Performing Together

P.E. Working as a Team Individual Pursuits Performing Arts

M.F.L. Speaking and Listening Reading and Writing French Life and Culture

Time Management KS1

The recommended amounts of curriculum time to be devoted to specific subjects are listed below. Teachers follow these recommendations as closely as possible when planning their timetables.

TEACHING TIME 22 HOURS

5 x 4 hours 40 minutes, minus 4 x 20 minute Assembly time.

SESSION BREAKDOWN

SESSION 1 8-55 ...... 10.05

SESSION 2 10.05 …... 10.25 School Assembly (except Tuesday)

SESSION 3 10-40 ...... 11.55

SESSION 4 1.00 ....... 1.55

SESSION 5 2.10 …….. 3.10

SUBJECT TIME ALLOCATION

ENGLISH 480 Minutes

MATHEMATICS 300 Minutes

SCIENCE 120 Minutes

ICT 60 Minutes

PE /GAMES 90 Minutes

HIST/GEOG 90 Minutes

ART/DT 90 Minutes

RE/PSHCE 45 Minutes

MUSIC 45 Minutes = 22 HOURS

Time Management KS2

TEACHING TIME 23 HOURS

5 x 5 hours, minus 2 hours Assembly time.

SESSION BREAKDOWN

SESSION 1 8-55...... 9-25

SESSION 2 9-25...... 10-25

SESSION 3 10-40...... 11-10 School Assembly (except Tuesday)

SESSION 4 11-10...... 12-10

SESSION 5 1-00...... 2-00

SESSION 6 2-10...... 3-10

SUBJECT TIME ALLOCATION

ENGLISH 7 hours

MATHEMATICS 5 hours

SCIENCE 2 hours

P.E./GAMES 2 hours

HIST/ GEOG 2 hours

ART/ D.T. 2 hours

PSHCE/ RE 1 hour

I.C.T. 1 hour

MUSIC 30 minutes *

M.F.L. 30 minutes = 23 HOURS

* plus 30 minute weekly Music assembly

The Practice of Planning

1. Planning is undertaken :a. annually, when each year group provides a long-term plan.b. every half term, when each year group produces a medium-term plan.c. every week, when each year group completes their short-term planning.

2. Each long, medium or short-term plan has adopted the general principles outlined earlier. Set alongside one another, these plans indicate where the curriculum as a whole and individual subjects in particular have come from and are going to. They represent a curriculum which is balanced and coherent and ensures pupils make progress in a consistent and purposeful way.

3. The curriculum as designed is subject-orientated, though cross-curricular links are encouraged. ‘Associate’ subjects are thematically linked and support each focus subject as and when appropriate. ‘Independent’ subjects may occasionally contribute to theme-based learning, but more generally stand alone.

4. Units of work generally cover a period of six weeks. But not every subject of the National Curriculum is taught within each of these periods. Some subjects - for example, History and Geography - rotate. This allows pupils and teachers to focus upon a narrower range of subjects at any one time and encourages more detailed investigations of subject matter.

5. Opportunities are taken to extend the curriculum beyond statutory requirements through the use of the school grounds and local area or in the form of residential and other educational visits. The school also extends regular invitations to visitors who offer their expertise in a variety of different ways. The activities provided by after-school clubs

further enrich the curriculum. One week in the autumn term and units of work in the spring term are specifically devoted to fostering ties with our partnership school, Summerfield in Durban, South Africa.

6. It should be noted that planning documents are not set in stone. All forms of planning are frequently adjusted as circumstances change and new thinking moves the curriculum forward.

The Phases of Planning

There are three phases to this school’s curriculum planning.

1. THE CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

These six documents represent the long-term plans for the year groups within Key Stages 1 and 2.

Each document takes the form of a framework or grid which provides an outline of the themes to be covered across the academic year.

2. THE SUMMARY SHEET

The Summary Sheet is a form of medium-term planning.

Each sets out the areas of content to be covered by each subject taught within a particular unit of work.

Units of work generally cover a period of six weeks.

3. THE WEEKLY REVIEW AND LESSON PLAN

Each Review is an example of short-term planning for a specific week in a unit’s programme of study.

There are separate documents for Mathematics, English and for the remaining subjects of the curriculum.

Lesson plans provide more detail about what is to be taught within a specific period. However, they are not required for every lesson.

The Process of Planning

1. The Weekly Review seeks to link unit objectives with activities and the assessment of outcomes.

2. Each should indicate what teachers intend to do during the course of one week and also reveal what they actually did.

3. Whereas longer-term planning may be considered rigid, a short-term plan can be much more flexible. For example, teachers may choose to tackle aspects of the Summary Sheet in a different order than the one outlined ( other than when it is important that a unit proceeds chronologically ). They may choose to place greater emphasis on one aspect and spend less time on another. Or teachers may decide to combine elements together.They may choose to go off at a tangent. If, for example, they wish to spend more time on a weakness they have identified. Or if they wish to follow up anything the class finds especially interesting.

4. However, all short-term plans should include :a. a ‘to’ statement, indicating an objective for each individual lesson.b. a ‘can’ statement, indicating what the outcome should be at the end of the lesson.c. a brief summary of activities undertaken. These should describe what is planned by way

of an introduction ; how the main or ‘core’ part of the lesson will develop ; and then how the lesson should be extended and / or brought to a conclusion.

d. There should also be space for comment in the form of ‘notes’ which might include : what was not attempted or completed ; how well the lesson went and how it might be improved next time ; how less able and more able pupils were catered for ; resources that proved to be particularly valuable.

5. Excepting Mathematics and English, lesson objectives should only be taken from those listed on the school website under FSA. Some subjects have fixed outcomes, others do not.Where there are fixed FSA outcomes these should also be included in plans.

6. The more detailed lesson plans aforementioned should follow a similar format.