Curriculum Statement – Moresby Primary School 2015-16
Key Principles
At Moresby Primary school we believe in providing children with a broad, balanced
curriculum which both provides first hand experiences and builds on children’s prior
knowledge. Through the core subjects of English, Maths, Science, ICT, Physical
Education and Religious Education, alongside the wider arts, design and humanities
subjects, we develop children’s abilities, interests and potential, and prepare them
for the next stage in their lives. We deliver the 2014 National Curriculum.
We use a range of teaching strategies that take into account the ways in which
children learn in order to foster engagement, motivation and creativity. Key
principles within our curriculum are collaborative learning, Assertive Mentoring and
our values system.
Collaborative Learning
Our school motto is “Together Everyone Achieves More” as we place collaborative
learning at the heart of our curriculum. By giving the children opportunities to work
and get along together, they develop the social skills and understanding that will be
vital to them throughout their working and home lives.
We use Kagan structures and SelectorTools software in order to encourage pupils to
work together, and to positively engage with their learning. While we provide plenty
of opportunities for independent working, we believe that the children achieve
more by giving them chances to discuss their learning in lessons and assemblies, so
they can share ideas and learn from each other.
Assertive Mentoring
The Assertive Mentoring system helps us to deliver a highly personalised English and
maths curriculum. With highly accurate pupil-level reading, writing, spelling and
maths APP-style assessment data, we are able to deliver the learning experiences
every child needs in order to make the greatest possible progress.
Crucially, the children own their data. One-to-one “mentoring” meetings between
each pupil and their class teacher through the year follow our key assessment
points, enabling them to explore what is going well, and where improvements could
be made. Focused learning interventions can be agreed, and achievements are
celebrated.
The children can access their data in their classroom every day, and can use it to
support their learning.
School Values
We have a system of fifteen values, which was first adopted in 2013. We focus on
one value for a month at a time across school through assemblies where we discuss
examples of each value. The children can earn awards for demonstrating them
during our weekly celebration assemblies.
Our list of values changes over time through discussion and a democratic process
involving all of the children. After spending 15 months working our way through our
initial list, three new values were chosen – appreciation, respect and trust – to
replace others that the children didn’t feel really reflected our school. The current
full list is:
Hard work
Enthusiasm
Determination
Appreciation
Friendship
Self-control
Respect
Confidence
Loyalty
Alertness
Trust
Personal best
Co-operation
Action
Team spirit
The values support our collaborative learning approach (team spirit, co-operation,
appreciation, respect and friendship) and also our use of Assertive Mentoring (hard
work, determination and personal best).
We often use our values as a starting point when discussing and promoting
the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and
mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Organisation
We teach the full range of core and foundation subjects, and organise in different
ways for different lessons. For the majority of lessons, the children work in one of our
four age-based classes – nursery and reception in our Early Years class, Years 1 and 2
in Class 1, Years 3 and 4 in Class 2, and Years 5 and 6 in Class 3. However, the
children work in ability groups for the following lessons each week:
- Phonics (daily)
- Spelling (four lessons of 20 minutes)
- Grammar (one 60 minute lesson)
- Reading comprehension (one 60 minute lesson)
- Maths Key Skills (one 60 minute lesson)
Aside from the phonics lessons, which reception take part in, these sessions apply to
years 1 to 6.
We believe that the children benefit from the best of both worlds: they get well
focused learning in ability groups, and the advantage of learning alongside – and
from – their social group in their class.
Currently the nursery is open each morning, and for one afternoon. For the other
afternoons, reception, Year 1 and Year 2 operate as a single class.
Subjects
English
Children build their phonics skills through the Letters and Sounds system. In the Early
Years class, they are taught the fundamentals of reading and writing through a
range of methods that help them to be ready for moving to Key Stage 1. Role play
and child-initiated activities sit side by side with structured, adult-led sessions.
In Key Stage 1 and 2, phonics teaching continues for as long as necessary, while the
children benefit from the Assertive Mentoring assessment system as their reading and
writing develop over time. By making clear to the children exactly where they are
up to, and what they need to do to improve further, the pupils take ownership of
their learning. Most lessons are delivered by a teacher and a senior teaching
assistant, which helps us to provide appropriate challenge for all children.
Big Writing and the accompanying Talk Homework play a big part in giving the
children the opportunity to develop their writing composition through a longer lesson
on Friday mornings.
During each week, the children have dedicated spelling lessons, in which they learn
primarily through the Word Study method. We have started using Ultimate Spelling
software to give further opportunities to support practice through playing ICT based
games at school and at home.
There is also a focused grammar lesson in which the children practise the key skills
they need to secure at their stage of learning.
Maths
In the Early Years class the children are taught about number, shape and space in
accordance with the EYFS Framework. They are given the opportunity to explore key
concepts through free play and through adult-led activities.
From Year 1 to Year 6, the children have four one-hour lessons per week in their class.
All of these lessons are delivered by a teacher and a senior teaching assistant, which
again is key to providing appropriate challenge to the children.
There is also a Maths Key Skills lesson every week, in which the children practise and
secure the skills that are essential at their stage of learning.
As in English lessons, the children benefit from the Assertive Mentoring system; they
understand exactly what they need to do to move their learning on.
Finally, there is a focused half-hour times table session each week, in which the
children practise the table(s) they are currently working on, get help from a teacher,
have homework set, and have their knowledge assessed.
Science
Again, the children benefit from Assertive Mentoring assessments in science.
Science is taught in each class every term, and our assessments ensure we cover the
whole science curriculum. Each class has age-appropriate science focus areas
which are covered in depth. First hand practical experience is paramount, as is the
teaching of scientific key skills.
In lessons pupils observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and
physical processes. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or
comparisons are fair. They use reference materials to find out more about scientific
ideas, and communicate their ideas using scientific language, drawings, charts and
tables.
We supplement the normal lessons the children have each week with dedicated
Science Days. These days focus particularly on practical science skills; having the
whole day to complete experiments enables the pupils to delve deeply into their
learning.
Computing
Computing is taught from Years 1 to 6 via the iCompute scheme of work. The
children have access to iPads, netbooks and PCs in order to program practically.
Learning has real outcomes as the pupils are expected to, and do, produce working
procedures and games. They are taught to think logically so they can accurately
organise the steps needed to generate the desired product.
Physical Education
PE is vital for the healthy development each child and so all of our pupils from
Reception to Year 6 have two hours of PE per week. For most of the year, this will be
comprised of a one hour games lesson (usually taught outdoors as long as the
weather permits) and a one hour indoor lesson focusing on either gymnastics or
dance.
For 10 weeks per year, children in Key Stage 2 have swimming lessons at the local
pool.
Qualified swimming teachers work alongside Moresby staff to deliver
personalised lessons in this vital area.
Each class will benefit from additional input from a qualified sports coach for
approximately two terms of games lessons during 2015-16.
Additional sporting activities are available after school. These are charged for as
part of our After School Care service.
In order to lend further meaning and enjoyment to PE lessons, we provide multiple
opportunities for the children to meet with, and compete against, peers from other
schools:
- We enter the Rock Challenge “J-Rock” competition during alternate years.
Every child in Key Stage 2 is encouraged to take part, and children in KS1 also
have the option to get involved. In 2014-15, we won the Cumbria
competition, and so took part in the northern national finals
- We work with other local small schools in order to provide a range of
competitions for our children where they can compete on a level playing
field. These cover different age ranges and involve boys and girls. As a group
of schools, we took the decision to give awards for performance and also
team spirit
- We take part in local competitions – most notably football, rugby and country
dance
Religious Education
We follow the Cumbria agreed syllabus for teaching RE across school. The current
version was revised in 2011 and provides a programme of study covering Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism.
The RE syllabus requires the exploration of questions and answers in the light of
human experience and authentic encounters with religions, using key questions to
develop and energize pupils' learning.
The Learning Challenge Curriculum framework is used to provide additional
challenge, ensuring the children are learning through a question-led approach.
Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Learning
SMSC permeates the whole curriculum primarily through our commitment to
collaborative learning. However, we also develop the children’s sense of right and
wrong, respect for and tolerance of difference, and self-understanding through
PSHE lessons and assemblies.
Humanities
Each class has either a History or Geography focus at all times, which is run on a biannual cycle. Therefore, across any two years each child will complete every topic
area. The core of these lessons is the building of historical and geographical skills,
knowledge and understanding. As with RE, we use the Learning Challenge
Curriculum framework in order to provide additional challenge, ensuring the children
are learning through a question-led approach.
Design Technology
We teach the full breadth of Design Technology through dedicated DT Days. These
days, which occur three times per year, ensure the children have an extended,
focused time that enables them to deeply engage with their learning. They develop
their practical projects collaboratively, moving from researching and practicing
techniques to making and evaluating finished projects quickly and with maximum
understanding.
Art
The children are taught to work through a variety of media, but most importantly are
given lots of opportunities to practice looking carefully at the world in order to
increasingly accurately sketch and paint. They are also exposed to the work of a
range of artists over time, to help them gain an awareness and build an
appreciation of the multitude of styles and media available.
Music
Music is taught according to Voices Foundation principles. Sol-fa is at the core of
this approach, and children are taught to use their voice as their first and most
important instrument. They have the opportunity to learn a broad range of songs,
from folk and traditional songs to rock; in English and other languages; choral and
solo. In music lessons in Key Stage 2, the pupils learn to play tuned percussion.
Modern Foreign Languages
We have chosen to deliver French as our modern foreign language at Moresby, and
children across Key Stage 2 have a weekly lesson. We use a variety of resources to
support the children’s learning, but most importantly they embed new vocabulary
through practice conversations. Kagan structures are frequently used in French
lessons.