HILLINGDON PRIMARY SCHOOL

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1 HILLINGDON PRIMARY SCHOOL We want everyone at Hillingdon Primary School to be happy, caring and independent. Our school is a place where we learn together, doing our best to achieve success. Curriculum Policy Aims: In line with the National Curriculum and DfE guidelines, the curriculum at Hillingdon Primary School is devised in order to implement the school s aims that children: be happy, safe, confident, responsible and independent in a secure, stimulating environment which provides positive opportunities for success for all ages, races, genders and abilities enjoy acquiring knowledge, skills and abilities in all areas of the curriculum - cognitive, physical, social, emotional, creative and spiritual, with particular emphasis on language and number skills take increasing responsibility for his/her learning within a stimulating, structured environment where expectations are high develop, through a variety of learning experiences, creativity, problem-solving skills, the ability to make informed choices and the enthusiasm for discovery that will remain the basis for future learning have respect and care for everyone in the school community, and to recognise and value his/her own contribution and that made by others to its general well-being develop an increasing appreciation, understanding, respect and tolerance for other people and for the physical environment, both locally and in the wider world. The school environment is influenced by and reflects the curriculum, in that: every child is special and deserving of the very best that everybody involved in their education can give success is recognised and rewarded adults consistently act as good role models, co-operate with each other and support school policies adults are given the opportunity to develop themselves, both professionally and personally parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their child s education in partnership with the school. The curriculum is planned in order to teach a core set of skills which we believe will help fulfil the above aims: To be able to read a range of texts fluently for a variety of purposes To be able to write legibly and with a satisfactory standard of spelling, syntax, punctuation and usage To be able to communicate confidently in speech and in writing To be able to listen attentively and with understanding To be able to gather and use information in a variety of ways, with some element of discernment To be able to apply computational skills with speed and with accuracy To be able to use and apply mathematical knowledge at home, school, work and the wider community. To be able to observe, discriminate and classify information or objects in order to be able to identify characteristics such as pattern and order To be able to master basic scientific investigations To be able to investigate, ask questions, analyse and solve problems Page 1 of 5

2 To be able to develop awareness of self and sensitivity towards others, acquiring a set of moral values To be able to distinguish between fact, opinion and bias To be able to recognise and make a judgement about prejudice, discrimination and inequality To be able to learn about geographical and historical aspects of the local and wider environment and the links between different communities around the world To be able to make a contribution to society and understand that self-esteem and value can be enhanced through actions within and for the community To be able to make informed decisions about the factors that create a healthy lifestyle physically, emotionally and mentally To be able to use and be aware of the effects of changing technology and be safe when using it To be able to appreciate, experience and develop skills in various art forms, including drawing, sculpture and music To be able to generate ideas, create a design, construct, share and evaluate in the context of design technology. Equal Opportunities and Race Equality Our curriculum reflects both the school policy on equal opportunities and on race equality. The curriculum is designed to ensure that every pupil achieves their full potential. Reference should be made to the Equal Opportunities Policy which is available on the school website. Reading Across the School: Reading is taught in two strands: phonics and reading for pleasure. The Read, Write, Inc. scheme is used to teach phonics in reception, year 1 and, where necessary, in year 2. The aim is to have all children reading fluently by the age of 6. Freshstart and other interventions are employed for older pupils who struggle with reading. Pupils are taught in ability groups during RWI sessions. Once pupils have finished the scheme they participate in lessons based on the literacy framework. Pupils on the scheme are assessed regularly to ensure that quick progression is made. To develop a love of reading, various strategies are employed in the classroom to promote reading from a range of texts, genre and cultures. Each year group has 15 key texts which are read to pupils by the class teacher. Class libraries offer a range of literature appropriate to the reading abilities of the pupils in that class. Regular timetable slots are created to enable pupils to engage in uninterrupted reading. Guided reading sessions occur 3 times a week and are used to develop pupils understanding of texts and the layers of meaning within a text. Coverage At Hillingdon Primary School we are required to implement the National Curriculum, provide religious education, sex education and collective worship. Each of these has their own policies which are available on the school website. In order to adapt the curriculum for the community with which the school is set, it has three strands that are woven together in order to fulfil the aims set out above: 1. The core subjects of English, maths, science and ICT 2. The Picture This! curriculum which is an engaging thematic curriculum initially inspired by works of art. Units of cross curricular work are devised, inspired by the art work. The topics enable pupils to develop their skills in the foundation subjects art, DT, music, geography and history. The curriculum is mapped across the year groups to ensure that the requirements of the national curriculum are fulfilled. 3. The Healthy HPS curriculum which links together physical education, healthy eating and the wider issues of living a healthy life. They are branded under the titles Healthy Body (physical activity in PE lessons, extra curricular clubs and out of school)., Healthy Mind (the development of effective learning behaviour in order to develop self esteem, pride in Page 2 of 5

3 achievement and a set of skills that prepare pupils for their lives ahead), Healthy Soul (the importance of mental health and well being, through feeling safe, confident and able to call on a variety of people or strategies for help and support.) RE is taught in blocks of work also inspired by a painting linked to a particular faith or religious theme; however links are made to the Healthy Soul title. Foundation stage: The nursery and reception curriculum is based on the Department for Education s Early Years and Foundation Stage statutory framework. This sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding which young children should have acquired by the end of the academic year in which they reach the age of five. The curriculum is organised into three prime areas of learning and development and 4 specific areas: Area of Learning and Development Aspect Prime Areas Personal, Social and Emotional Development Physical Development Communication and Language Specific Areas Literacy Making relationships Self- confidence and self-awareness Managing feelings and behaviour Moving and handling Health and self-care Listening and attention Understanding Speaking Reading Writing Mathematics Numbers Shape, space and measure Understanding the World People and communities The world Technology Expressive Arts and Design Exploring and using media and materials Being imaginative Key Stage 1 and 2: Literacy and Numeracy are taught using the National Frameworks for these subjects. Foundation subjects (music, art, history, geography and DT) are taught using a thematic, skillsbased approach, usually based on painting. This forms the Picture This curriculum PE is taught discretely, though links are made to the termly theme where appropriate. The school aims to provide 3 hours of physical activity, including two hours of timetabled PE lessons. We appreciate the value of both being involved in sport for exercise and for learning to deal with competition in a non-threatening environment. The religious education curriculum follows the outline set by the Borough of Hillingdon s SACRE. Should parents wish to withdraw their children from this part of the curriculum they may do so by contacting the Headteacher. The School has no affiliation to any specific religious denomination. Reference should be made to the RE policy for more information. PSHE is linked to the Picture This unit and to the SEALS resources. Page 3 of 5

4 Delivery: Teaching and Learning: Through a variety of teaching and learning strategies, teachers seek to engage children in their learning, helping them to identify their areas for improvement, show them how to improve and help them to evaluate their success. Subjects are taught in blocks, allowing children to become absorbed in a particular curriculum area. Skills are taught in a progressive, coherent manner, each year building on the previous one. This process is made explicit to pupils. A variety of strategies are used to develop collaborative and independent learning and to extend pupils problem solving capabilities. This includes the use of the TASC Wheel (Thinking Around a Social Context), which provides a process for solving problems. Use of ICT: ICT is taught discreetly using the school s own scheme of work. It is expected that ICT skills will be used across the curriculum using a variety of media and software. This is outlined in the ICT scheme of work. The curriculum is constantly reviewed in order to ensure that as far as possible the technology used in school matches that used at home. Literacy and numeracy across the curriculum: Opportunities are planned across the curriculum to ensure that pupils are able to develop their literacy and numeracy skills in different situations. Learning Behaviour: Our curriculum is designed to ensure that children develop the skills they need to become confident, self motivated learners, who can engage with and solve challenges innovatively. It is designed to ensure that children develop the vital lifelong attributes: Resilience sticking at something, despite problems, Resourcefulness using resources to find solutions Reciprocity/Relationship working with people effectively Reflection - evaluating and making improvements Inclusion: The curriculum is adapted for pupils with Special Educational needs. Strategies are employed to ensure that all pupils are challenged in line with their ability. Where necessary, Individual Education Plans are created for pupils who need more targeted support. (see Special Needs Policy for more information.) Planning: Thorough planning is expected from all staff to ensure that the curriculum is delivered in meaningful way which challenges pupils and helps them to fulfil their potential. Learning objectives and success criteria are explicit as are strategies used to adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs, whether lower ability or Gifted and Talented. Marking: Marking is part of the dialogue that exists between teacher and pupil. It is our policy that work is marked regularly both during and after a task is completed. We see marking as a positive and constructive activity and not merely a record of what is right and what is wrong. The marking policy is available for consultation. Homework: Homework is a crucial element of the Home/School partnership. It gives parents the opportunity, from the outset, to support their children in their learning whilst enabling them to reinforce the work covered at school. There are varying tasks which are set to include learning tables and spellings, sharing reading books and also topic work. Some of the work will be of an investigative nature, in which other members of the family may wish to become involved. Parents who support their children with homework tasks provide a powerful reinforcement of the status of School and of their child s work and education. Assessment: Assessment is an integral part of the teaching learning process and is separated into two strands formative and summative. Pupils are highly involved in assessing their own progress and determining the next steps for their learning according to clear success criteria and targets. Assessment is made using the APP in maths and literacy; the school has its own assessment procedures for all other subjects. Page 4 of 5

5 SATS: As well as ongoing assessment procedures, Hillingdon Primary School conducts annual assessment tests in the Summer Term. In May, usually the second week, the School holds both its Scholastic Assessment Tests (SATs) and its internal Annual Progress tests. It is therefore vital that all children are present at School during this week. We will give parents notice of the actual dates as early as possible each year. The results are reported to all parents and go towards national league tables. We use this information to set initial targets for the start of each academic year and also to monitor progress year by year. The results of all assessment are used to inform decision making concerning curriculum developments and deciding curriculum drivers for the following academic year. Collective Worship Academies must provide daily collective worship for all registered pupils (apart from those who have been withdrawn from this by their parents) in accordance with their funding agreement. This may be provided within daily assembly but the distinction should be made clear. The head teacher is responsible for arranging the daily collective worship after consulting with the local governing body. Daily collective worship must be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character. The precise nature will depend on the family background, ages and abilities of the pupils. Reference should be made to the Collective Worship policy for further detail. Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) Sex and Relationship Education takes place throughout the school at a level appropriate for the age being taught. The Sex and Relationship policy lays out the purpose and delivery of SRE in the school. It also addresses the issue of withdrawing pupils from these lessons. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES, REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE RANGE OF POLICIES FOUND ON THE SCHOOL WEBSITE. Reviewed: Jan 2015 Reviewed by the Curriculum Committee on 13 th January 2015 Date for next review: Autumn 2015 following implementation of New National Curriculum Ratified at FGB level on 3 rd February 2015 Signed: Date: Miss Janet Bramwell Chair of the Governing Body Page 5 of 5