Curriculum

Curriculum Letters 2007 - 2008
Topic	Date	Word Version	PDF Version
Foundation	Spring 2008	click here	click here
Key Stage 1	Spring 2008	click here	click here
Class 2	Spring 2008	click here	click here

Content and Organisation of the Curriculum

The curriculum to which each child is entitled has been laid down by the National Curriculum which provides a thorough framework to ensure the development of your child as he/she moves through the school. The basic requirements under the National Curriculum include Religious Education together with the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. The school follows the guidelines laid down for the National Literacy and the National Numeracy Strategies. There are additional Foundation subjects; Art and Design, History, Geography, Music, Physical Education and Design and Technology and ICT.

In addition to the above, the school curriculum also addresses cross-curricular issues such as Personal and Social Education, Health, Equal Opportunities and Multi-cultural education. Comprehensive policy statements and schemes of work may be viewed at the school, as can National Curriculum and Local Authority curriculum documents.

Although the National Curriculum describes subject areas, your child will not necessarily be taught in subject lessons. Where appropriate the curriculum may be taught in an integrated or thematic way, this provides meaningful and relevant contexts to support a mix of various subject skills and objectives. The majority of teaching time in a week is given over to the three core subjects, although care will be taken to ensure that the other subjects receive adequate emphasis, using a wide range of resources including our immediate surroundings and the local area.
For children in the Reception year learning is centred around a Foundation curriculum based on Early Learning Goals in six areas; Personal, Social and Emotional development; Communication, Language and Literacy; Mathematical development; Knowledge and Understanding of the World; Physical development and Creative development.

The National Curriculum incorporates various attainment targets, which will provide standards against which your child's progress will be assessed. The school will report the results of these assessments to you. The overall purpose of this process will be to monitor progress, identify strengths and weaknesses, and to give staff and parents indicators for a pupil's future work.

Subjects

English
Reading This is probably the most important skill that a child will learn. It is not only a source of pleasure, but also a primary means of obtaining information. Parents are encouraged to help their children by listening to them read and reading to them. Our children are given opportunities during the school day for quiet reading and are also encouraged to take home books for pleasure.

The children also have the opportunity to use the school library.

Writing Children need to write as a means of communication, as a way of clarifying their thoughts and as a method of recording their opinions and ideas. Various types of writing are introduced to the children thus enabling them to select the most appropriate for the task in hand. However, we do stress the importance of good spelling, sound grammatical structure, neat handwriting and quality presentation, and all children follow the school policy in these areas.

We make full use of the Primary National Strategy to teach the skills of reading and writing in a very focussed way.

Speaking and listening skills The importance of speech is not underestimated. We recognise the need for children to express themselves clearly and the importance of acquiring a wide vocabulary to enhance understanding and confidence to express themselves both verbally and in writing. Listening skills are also practised and the children are given the opportunity to use their skills in a wide variety of ways, such as drama, poetry, discussions, etc.

Mathematics
We believe that mathematics should be relevant and applicable to the needs of children and to their future role in society. We follow the guidelines laid down in the Primary National Strategy and in daily lessons children are taught the basic concepts of mathematics, including tables. These are practised by applying them to realistic situations. Children spend time on a range of activities and tasks, with lots of mental maths, an emphasis on mental strategies and familiarisation with numbers. They work individually, in pairs, groups and as a whole class.

The use of Maths games, investigations, problem-solving and practical activities consolidate the learning. In this way children can accomplish not only the correct solutions, but can use their understanding to apply it to other problems of the processes involved, thus being able to meet new situations with confidence based on a sound knowledge and understanding of mathematical skills.

Science
Children are given the opportunity to explore, experiment and discover in order to understand the world in which they live.
We study science through a series of topics, such as electricity, forces and materials, and develop the skills of observation, comparison and analysis. They come to understand the concept of "a fair test". The children learn to record the findings of their investigations in a variety of ways.

RE
RE throughout the school is taught in accordance with the local authority's agreed syllabus using a multi-faith approach, whilst reflecting the importance of the Christian Ethic and the way we behave towards one another.

Collective Worship
Assemblies are held daily, and are either whole school or class based. Stories are shared which promote a knowledge and understanding of the diversity of the world values of caring for our world and each other. Besides prayers, songs and times for reflection they give opportunities to celebrate achievements both in and out of school.

Parents who wish to withdraw their child from Collective Worship and RE, may do so by informing the Headteacher in writing.

ICT
The school has a computer suite and is well provided with a range of computers, printers, listening centres, tape recorders, floor robots etc. and all children make full use of these as an integral part of everyday work. Work covers many areas such as word processing, control technology, graphics, database work, simulations or adventures.

Each class has an interactive whiteboard to support Teaching and Learning across the curriculum and they are fully used to enhance and provide visual support to learning.

Foundation Subjects

The Arts
The school provides numerous opportunities for children to undertake a wide range of arts related activities. In practical art and craft activities we encourage children to develop their own abilities using a wide range of different media, and to plan, execute and evaluate their work. As well as original work the children will also undertake studies based upon the work of famous artists, the interpretation of music or moods, etc.

The school also encourages children to express their thoughts and ideas using a range of methods; writing, poetry, dance, drama and movement. The school actively encourages visits from authors, artists, theatre groups etc. in order that all children may experience a wide range of different cultural activities.

There is a strong tradition of involving all the children in Annual pantomimes and Plays. We find that many individual children gain huge self esteem from taking "centre stage" in these activities.

Humanities - History, Geography and DT
We use a thematic approach to teach these subjects. In History children develop an understanding of the past and a sense of chronology with the use of first hand and secondary sources of evidence.

In Geography children are taught skills and concepts through studying contrasting localities, both local and further afield. We are fortunate in having an interesting and attractive local environment. All children go out of school on visits related to their topics. Visitors and outside speakers are an important element of our curriculum provision.

We aim to make much use of the outdoor environment, indeed younger children are learning out of doors as much as in!

In DT children are taught techniques and skills needed in order to plan, design and make simple products which include the use of food and textiles.

Music
All children study music from simple rhythms and rhymes to composing and performing. We encourage the children to listen to a wide range of music. A specialist music teacher is employed to teach the KS2 children.

PE
We employ a specialist sports coach to do a range of PE activities with the children. The village playing field provides ample space for netball, rounders and other sports. Contact with other schools is achieved through various friendly matches, leagues and tournaments, e.g. football, with practice for this taking place after school at the playing field. The school has an excellent reputation of achieving high standards in local leagues.

All children attend the Strode swimming pool in Street for at least two terms per year, with supervision and instruction provided in small groups. Most children reach a high standard before the end of KS2, and are awarded Amateur Swimming Association badges and certificates. The school currently holds the local Small Schools gala Cup.

We hold an annual sports day in the summer term and often host the Area Sports for Small Schools.

Special Educational Needs

We welcome pupils with any kind of disability into our school and an accessibility plan is in place. All areas apart from one classroom are accessible to wheelchairs, with ramps in place as appropriate. Changes would be made to the class organisation so a pupil of any age would not be disadvantaged. We have disabled toilet facilities with an adjoining shower. Full use is made of visual prompts and signs to assist with access.
We feel that our strong personalised approach to children's individual needs would enable any child, including those with a disability, to thrive at Cossington.

Many children, at various times in their education will require assistance with some aspect of their learning. The SEN teacher and assistants operate a system of support either within the class, or outside when appropriate. This enables children to take a full part in class activities. Support may be individual or within a small group, either following specific programmes as identified in their Individual Educational Plan, or by using literacy and numeracy support materials. If we have any concerns about a child we contact parents. Equally if you have any concerns, do not hesitate to contact the class teacher in the first instance.

If further support is needed, outside agencies are contacted, such as additional staffing and the school may apply for funding to provide resources to meet individual children's needs.

More Able Children

Teachers provide for Gifted and Talented these children through planned extension activities within the class and enrichment opportunities throughout the school.
Throughout the year Crispin School provides specialist activities for gifted and talented children. The County also offers day and residential courses.

Sex and Relationships

Sex education arises naturally out of the core Science curriculum and is therefore taught through the schools cross-curricular approach. The focus of the topic may be `Ourselves' or may be `My Body'. Should the subject arise within normal lessons it will be dealt with sensitively and appropriately. Older pupils consider ideas about sex and relationships at an appropriate level before transferring to their Secondary school. Parents are fully informed about the issues covered, and have the opportunity to withdraw their children if they feel the approach is not right for them.

Homework

The school provides opportunities for the children to do work at home to support learning in the classroom. There is a homework policy which outlines the rationale for this and use of homework in school.

Children at Cossington are often involved in a large range of out of school activities, therefore the guidelines for time spent on homework and time given for completion reflect this.

The following time allocations have been recommended:

Key Stage 1	1 hour a week (reading, spellings, other literacy and number work)
	A daily homework might take the following format: 5-10 minutes reading activities
	About 5 -10 minutes other activities to include word level work, number bonds. counting, mental practice, early times tables, finding out, playing games.
Key Stage 2	1.5 - 2 hours a week (Literacy and Numeracy as for Years 1 and 2 with occasional activities in other subjects)
	A daily homework might take the following format: Reading activities to include silent reading, talking about the book, character settings etc. Other activities to include word work, times tables, mental maths, researching a topic, playing games, work related to topics, completion of work. During particularly busy weeks of the year, e.g. Concerts, Christmas, residential visits, homework will not be set.