The Curriculum

We aim to develop a happy and relaxed atmosphere where learning takes place through a broad and balanced curriculum. We would wish to achieve the highest potential with each individual, recognising that children enter school with differing experiences and learn at different rates. We place a significant emphasis on learning through direct experience.

Language plays a fundamental part in the learning process as it opens-up all areas of the curriculum. Communication, in all its forms, is the basis of our work with the children. We encourage the children to listen, to respond to others, and to talk about what they are doing in all areas of the curriculum.

Throughout the school, work is carefully structured so that knowledge, skills and concepts can be built upon in line with the Early Learning Goals (for our youngest children), the National Curriculum, and the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, together with Local Education Authority and school curriculum policies.

“An outstanding curriculum provides pupils with an extensive range of learning experiences, planned effectively to meet their needs”. Ofsted Inspection Report, May 2008.

Curriculum Development

As a developing school, we constantly evaluate the curriculum by taking part in staff meetings, after school courses, professional training days and residential conferences. Members of the Governing Body play an active role in Curriculum Development and Monitoring the Curriculum. We aim to keep you, the parents, informed of all curriculum developments.

Foundation Stage (Early Years) Curriculum

The Foundation Stage Curriculum has six areas of learning:

• communication, language and literacy
• problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
• personal, social and emotional development
• knowledge and understanding of the world
• creative development
• physical development

For children in the reception year, the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum is a continuation of the activities and tasks introduced at pre-school, or nursery. It is based on structured play and practical activities, leading eventually to recorded tasks.


The National Curriculum

The National Curriculum applies to all children, between the ages of five and sixteen attending State Schools, in the following areas:
 

Our broad school curriculum also includes Religious Education, Personal, Social and Health Education, Citizenship, Environmental Education and Drama.

The Curriculum Subjects

English

We recognise that speaking, listening, reading and writing are interdependent. In speaking and listening, we aim to develop each child’s understanding of the spoken word. Great emphasis is therefore given to teaching children the skills they need to communicate effectively and to enjoy our rich language to the full.

Our aim in reading, is for children to become independent readers who read for meaning and enjoyment. We provide a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books drawn from reading schemes and story books, which encourage children to develop reading strategies and information retrieval skills. The main reading scheme is the Oxford Reading Tree. The children are encouraged to take a range of books home to share with their parents and carers.

In writing, we encourage each child to convey meaning in clearly and carefully written language, so that they are aware of the purpose and the ‘audience’. We frequently use drama, stories, poems and personal experiences as the basis for writing. We teach handwriting (cursive script), spelling and grammar in a highly structured way so that each child develops the necessary skills to produce work of which they are proud.

A daily dedicated literacy lesson is carefully structured to ensure a balance of whole class and ability group teaching. During literacy sessions, work covers class (shared) and group (guided) reading and writing tasks. We also teach phonics, spelling, vocabulary, handwriting and grammar during the hour. The Literacy Hour is gradually introduced to our youngest children, as they start Badshot Lea, and gives a focus for literacy teaching throughout the school. Books chosen for the Literacy Hour cover a range of subjects, fictional stories and informative texts.

Drama is an integral part of English. It encourages self expression and confidence and helps children explore the feelings of others, becoming more aware of themselves and the world around them.

Mathematics

We aim to engage our children in mathematical activities that give a clear understanding of the basic skills and concepts in numeracy. A daily dedicated mathematics lesson with an emphasis on direct teaching through practical activities, helps to foster a positive attitude towards numeracy. The children will be encouraged to think logically, calculate mentally, investigate through a variety of real situations, collect data and record information using concrete apparatus and computers. They will learn to count, read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond, use algebra and work on shape and space.

Science

We aim to introduce each child to science by giving them the opportunity to observe, discover and learn more about the world around them. By providing starting points and activities which stimulate their interest and harness their natural curiosity, we aim to increase their awareness of living and non-living things and to promote a sense of responsibility for the care, maintenance and safety of all living things and places.

To think independently and critically, to experiment, to predict possible outcomes of investigations, to test their findings fairly and to record appropriately, will be among the skills taught. We will endeavour to provide a foundation for future exploration by broadening their scientific knowledge and understanding, and by promoting the importance of science and technology to both themselves and society.

Information Communication and Technology

ICT teaching offers children the opportunities to:

• develop IT capability, including their knowledge and understanding of the importance of information and how to use it;
• develop their hardware and software skills;
• apply their IT capability to support their use of language and communication, and their learning in other areas;
• explore their attitudes towards ICT, its value for themselves, others and society, and their awareness of its advantages and limitations;
• use the Internet under strict adult supervision.

Design and technology

In Design and Technology the children are asked to formulate practical solutions in response to a need. This encourages the children to develop their planning and design skills and then to critically evaluate the end product. As the children become older they will be encouraged to go one step further and adapt and modify their designs in light of their evaluation. We aim to give all the children the opportunity of exploring a range of materials in the design and making of artefacts, working with natural and manufactured materials, and using simple hand tools.

History

History is concerned with the child’s own environment. It is essentially about people and their development over time. Skills learnt in History are applicable to everyday life and are essential to children’s understanding of the modern world. Using artefacts, pictures, photographs, graphs and people’s recollections, the children are helped to understand how the world has developed and changed. Children’s sense of moral awareness, citizenship and personal identity can be fostered by History. Children need exciting materials to learn with and history is exciting because it is about real life, human adventures and stories, often about famous people and their exploits.

Geography

Geography is concerned with the study of places, and the people who live in them. Learning about geography helps children make sense of their surroundings and the wider world. By exploring the local area, children are able to observe their surroundings and develop an increasing awareness of geographical terms.

Art and Design

Through Art and Design, children are provided with the opportunity to record feelings and express creative imagination. They will be encouraged to develop skills in using a wide range of tools, media and processes, providing them with a unique way of understanding the world. Children will begin to appreciate and interpret the artistic work of others, past and present.

Music

Our children are encouraged to sing in a group, play simple instruments and ultimately compose and perform music using the body, voice and both tuned and un-tuned instruments. They will experience diverse musical heritage and a variety of other musical traditions through dance and listening to music.

Physical Education

We aim to encourage the children to become aware of their own body, to develop spatial awareness and to refine gross and fine motor control and co-ordination. Children are given the opportunity to develop a wide range of simple movements in a variety of activities with and without equipment and are encouraged to improve their performance.

Personal, Social, Health Education and Citizenship

In a happy and relaxed atmosphere our children are encouraged to develop personal moral values, respect, tolerance, appreciation and an understanding of others’ needs. We place great emphasis on co-operation within and beyond our school community helping children to develop acceptable social life skills. We aim to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding that our children need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.

Religious Education

In Religious Education we take account of, and build upon, the experiences of our children, in order to familiarise them with the Christian tradition.

Christianity is taught throughout the school. In line with Surrey County Council Policy for Religious Education, children in year one are introduced to aspects of Judaism, whilst children in year two learn about the Islamic faith.

Daily assemblies are non-denominational, but they are broadly of a Christian nature. We develop attitudes of respect, concern, honesty and compassion. We also promote a positive awareness that we live in a multi-cultural society. In each assembly there will be a short time for collective worship.

Parents may withdraw their child from either Religious Education or School Assemblies, and therefore Collective Worship, on denominational grounds.

Should you prefer your child to be withdrawn, please make your wishes known, in writing, in order that we may make appropriate arrangements for the care of your child during Religious Education lessons, Assemblies and Collective Worship.

Sex Education

The Governing Body has agreed the following policy statement:

The Governing Body considers that a formalised Sex Education programme is inappropriate for children at Badshot Lea Village Infant School. Therefore Sex Education will not be taught.

The full Sex Education Policy Statement is available for you to read, on request.

Homework

We view sharing activities at home as a valuable experience for both children and parents. All children will be encouraged to take part in homework activities. They will regularly bring books home to share with, and read to, parents, other members of the family and carers. In addition, spelling lists will be sent home and, on occasions, numeracy activities. Details of how you can encourage your child at home will be available when your child starts school, through workshops and regular curriculum newsletters. We hope you will enjoy sharing homework activities with your child.

Visits and Activities

During the course of the year a number of educational visits and activities are arranged for the children. The visits and activities are organised to compliment the work being undertaken by the children and all contribute significantly to the broad curriculum offered at Badshot Lea Village Infant School. In accordance with legislation, educational visits and activities, organised by the school, must be funded either by the school or, through voluntary contributions from the parents. We hope that you will feel able to support the visits and activities arranged by the school when we ask for voluntary contributions towards the cost.

No child is ever excluded from a visit or activity on financial grounds.

A full copy of the Governing Body’s policy on charging for school visits and activities is
available on request.

Extra Curricular Activities

We aim to provide our children with appropriate activities beyond the National Curriculum, including visits, visitors, themed weeks, sports and clubs both during the school day and after school. We also take part in local community events and activities.

Currently we enjoy the following extra curricular clubs in Years One and Two

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