The Curriculum

 In its widest sense the term curriculum covers all the experiences offered to a child, with a view to ensuring the maximum possible development of his/her personal qualities and abilities. We endeavour to encourage such development by creating a warm, caring environment, based upon consideration for others, and by presenting a programme of activities which, while giving a thorough grounding in basic work, will also allow the child to progress creatively, socially and emotionally. National Curriculum guidelines are held by each member of staff in their Staff File. Our curriculum is designed at every stage to promote racial harmony between those of different races, cultures and creeds and to provide equal opportunity for all, regardless of differences in race, sex, religion or social or economic “class”. The following criteria are used in framing the aims, objectives and content of the curriculum of this school:

(a) The National Curriculum is planned and developed as part of a continuum for all children and students from 3-18 years including those with special educational needs;

(b) the curriculum seeks to match the stages of development of individuals rather than their chronological ages;

 (c) The curriculum is essentially practical, thus reflecting the evidence of research combined with the collective body of experience amongst educationalists that affirms that children and students learn most effectively when all the senses are used and when tasks are seen by them to be relevant to their daily lives both now and in the future. Our definition of the curriculum can best be given in the words of the Taylor Report — “A New Partnership for Schools” — H.M.S.O. 1977; “Our preferred concept of the school curriculum effectively comprehends the sum of experience to which a child is exposed at school.

” A Framework for the Curriculum”

The framework for the school’s curriculum is based on five needs of a child:

(a) A child needs to communicate with other people in order to: — establish and develop personal relationships — order and control thinking — interpret and express ideas, impressions and experiences.

(b) A child needs to develop an awareness of self and an understanding of the need for the care and protection of the mind and body.

 

(c)   A child needs to understand the immediate environment in order to develop: — empathy with the world in which they live — an appreciation of the forces and influences that affect their lives — a knowledge of one’s own role in the environment — an understanding of distant environment in time and place.

(d)   A child needs to be creative and to appreciate the creative expression of others.

(e) A child needs to be helped to interpret experience and to consider ultimate questions concerning meaning and value of life. Each need is met by all the elements of the National Curriculum that are described in the following section. Within each element the children are given many and varied opportunities to learn a wide range of skills, concepts and bodies of knowledge according to their experiences, interest, aptitudes and varying stages of development.

ELEMENTS OF THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

English, Mathematics, History, Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T.), Science, Design and Technology, Music, Geography, Physical Education (including Health and Safety Education), Religious Education, Art and Design, Personal, Social and Health Education (P.S.H.E.).

ENGLISH

Oral Communication: The development of language is at the heart of all learning. We aim to give the children the skills necessary to express themselves with clarity and purpose, in an interesting manner and using a varied vocabulary.

Reading: We aim to give the children the skills required to read, both for personal enjoyment, and for information. Parents will be asked to hear their children read every night, and to indicate that this has been done in a School Reading Diary.

Written Language: We aim to give the children the skills and opportunity to present their ideas, information and impressions in a variety of written forms and with clarity.

Literature: We aim to give the children the opportunity to experience a wide range of literature, trying to achieve a balance between poetry, prose, novels, short stories and plays. The part played by parents here, in reading to their children, preferably every night, is very important. Children of the Lower School age range, and beyond, will benefit from stories that are regularly read to, and discussed with them, by parents. Drama: We aim to give the children the opportunity to express themselves through movement, role play, and a variety of forms of dramatic interpretation.

MATHEMATICS

Our aims in Mathematics derive from the basic premise that Mathematics is all around us, and is, therefore, of immediate interest and practical value to children. We provide a graded progression through, and try to develop an appreciation of number, space, shape and dimension. We teach metric units of measurement, and the children would be helped immeasurably if parents would endeavour to do the same at home.

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

We emphasise at all times the primacy of first-hand experience, and aim to give all children the opportunity to experience the historical and geographical aspects of their own environment in that way. We also try to extend that environment by arranging outside visits whenever possible, and to make them more aware of their own heritage by acquainting them with other countries, cultures and people.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

We try to give a balance of experience across the various aspects of the physical curriculum, including gymnastics, dance and games. We aim to help the children to know their own potential physical ability and to take full advantage of this, both as an individual, and as a member of a group. Children have a regular swimming lesson with us at the Thrapston Pool during the last two years in school.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The school follows the County’s Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in Northamptonshire, published in 1994. A copy of this is available in school for parents to consult on request. There is a collective act of worship or Assembly each day. Parents have the right to ask that their child be excused from attendance on such occasions, and/or from religious education lessons.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

We aim to give the children an awareness of the need to care for their own bodies through healthy diet, healthy personal habits, and through an awareness of the causes of sickness and health. We also aim to teach them to apply the knowledge and skills of safety education in the home, at play, and on the roads, as well as in school. There is no formal programme of sex education. However, reference to sexual matters may be made incidentally, as a result of the natural interest which young children show in the birth of babies or animals. All questions are answered truthfully and in a way which is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding.

 

SCIENCE

We aim to provide a curriculum which encourages children to adopt a scientific approach to learning and to acquire the skills of observation, recording, forming hypotheses, testing, investigating and forming conclusions in their explorations of the natural and man-made environments.

ART/CRAFT/DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

We aim to give the children the skills and opportunities to express themselves in a variety of media and forms by which they may develop aesthetic awareness and appreciation and satisfy their natural urge to be creative.

MUSIC

We aim to provide the children with opportunities through which they may be able to participate in singing and music making and learn to appreciate a range of forms and styles of music.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with Special Needs are helped by members of staff and classroom assistants to follow individual programmes of work prepared by our Special Needs Co-ordinator.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

We aim to give the children the skills to take full advantage of technological developments which will assist them in their learning, e.g. computers, calculators.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

A number of clubs are held by teachers for the Year 4 children after school. These may vary from term to term, but usually cover such subjects as Sports, Gymnastics, Craftwork and Dancing. Parents of children involved will be informed by letter when clubs are to be held after school. They will be asked to confirm in writing that they agree to their child staying to the club, and that they are aware that he/she will be late home, or will need to be collected later than usual, on those evenings. Children from Year 2 onwards can join lunchtime Recorder Clubs should they so wish.

Prince William School, Oundle, provide native French and Spanish speakers to teach French and Spanish in a lunchtime club activity from year 1 to year 4. A small charge is payable by children attending this club.

School Organisation

School Organisation School Sessions are: Morning 4-7 Yrs. 8.55am — 12 o’clock 8-9 Yrs. 8.55am — 12.05pm Afternoon 4-9 Yrs. 1.00pm — 3.00pm It is very important that children should not be sent, or brought, to school until 8.45am at the earliest, at which time a teacher will be on duty to look after them, on their appropriate playground. We ask parents to wait in the playground areas when bringing their children to, and collecting them from school. Children should not be in the school building before 8.55am unless the weather is bad. At the end of the day children will dress for going home themselves, with help from the teachers where necessary, and will then be sent out to their parents in the playground areas. The children know that if the person collecting them is not there, they must return to class and wait for them.

Uniform: We encourage all children to wear school uniform and school P.E. kit. It helps to promote a sense of identity with the school, and competition over the quality and style of clothes is avoided. Some items of uniform are available from the school office. A detailed list of items of uniform is given in the loose leaf section of this booklet.

Possessions: We request that large satchels and bags are not brought to school, as space is limited. A drawstring bag for P.E. kit is all that is required and these can be purchased from school. It would also save a great deal of everyone’s time if all items which your child wears, or brings to school, are clearly marked with his/her name. If anything is lost, it may be found in the lost property box which is kept in the non-fiction library. Children should not bring toys or items of value to school.

Meals: Children are welcome to bring their own packed lunch or to have a hot school lunch. Parents who feel that their personal circumstances warrant the provision of free school meals should contact the school for further details. Children going home for lunch should be collected at 12 o’clock and return for 1pm. No child will be allowed to leave the school premises unaccompanied at lunchtime without the written consent of his/her parents.

 

Discipline: We aim to establish a well-ordered environment in which self-discipline and a consideration for other people will be developed. School rules are kept to an absolute minimum, but sanctions are sometimes required. These would take the form of withdrawal of privileges, and if problems continued to occur, the parents of the child concerned would be invited to school to discuss them. Corporal punishment is not used in the school in accordance with the Education (No.2) Act 1986. A copy of our Behaviour Policy is included in your Pupil Information Folder.

Pupil’s Welfare: Children sometimes fall ill during the day and let us know if thi8s number changes at school, or, indeed, they may have an accident requiring either first aid or medical treatment. In either event we would need to contact parents and it is, therefore, essential that when you enrol your child, you give the secretary a telephone number where one or both parents can be obtained during the day and let us know if this number changes. We regret that we are unable to keep or administer medicines to children at school. (Inhalers for asthma are an exception to this and can be left with the teacher for a child to use as required). In the interests of safety and hygiene, we ask that dogs should not be brought anywhere onto the school site, and that between 8am and 4pm, parents do not drive their cars onto the school site.

Medical Provision: The School Nurse can be contacted by ringing Thrapston Clinic on 733975 or Oundle Clinic on 273327. During the term in which a child is 5 years old he/she is medically examined at school by the Nurse, and parents are invited to attend. During that term the child is also tested for hearing and vision. During the term in which a child is 8 years old he/she is checked again for hearing, vision, height and weight. All children have a dental check-up each year. All parents receive a copy of a leaflet on how to treat hair when infected by head-lice, which is a national problem. It is the responsibility of parents to check their children’s hair regularly. If your child is infected please keep him/her at home for treatment. The best way to overcome the problem is to comb the hair daily with the special combs for this purpose which we sell in the school office. Homework: When children are beyond the early stages of reading they will be asked to take their school reading book home to read some of it to Mum and/orDad. A Reading Record Book will be provided in which parents can note the pages which have been read. Please also note, and discuss with your child, words which he/she finds difficult to read, and words which he/she does not understand. Parents should also discuss with their children stories read, characters met, and morals learned from the stories, as this leads to greater understanding and development of language. As appropriate in Years 2, 3 and 4, children are asked to learn multiplication tables and spellings.

 

Grouping of Children: The school caters for children aged 4-9 years, in their Year Groups, i.e. 4-5 Years (Reception), 5-6 Years (Year 1), 6-7 Years (Year 2), 7-8 Years (Year 3) and 8-9+ Years (Year 4). The nursery caters for children aged 3-4 years. Children usually transfer from us to King John Middle School, Thrapston, at the age of 9, and from King John Middle School to Prince William School, Oundle, at the age of 13.

OPEN ACCESS TO RECORDS

As children are admitted to school we open a file on them. The folder, which will be added to and reviewed annually, will also be passed to the child’s next school. The folder will hold the following information:- 1. Name, Address, Date of Birth, Doctor etc. 2. Information concerning the child’s personal circumstances. 3. Reports and Records of the child’s achievements. Please note that it is our policy to provide open access to all records of pupils. Parents may, therefore, if they wish, ask to see their children’s records by appointment with the Head teacher. Records will be confidential to all except those who have a rightful access to them.

EDUCATION (No.2) ACT 1986 Governors’ Annual Report to Parents and Annual Parents’ Meeting.

As a result of the 1986 Education Act, Governors are required to give an Annual Report to Parents and to hold an Annual Parents’ Meeting when the Report will be discussed. A copy of the Report together with details of the time and date of the meeting taking place is sent to parents at least two weeks before the meeting.

INSURANCE — PERSONAL ACCIDENT

Parents should be aware that there is no universal personal accident cover for school children. They are, therefore, encouraged to take out insurance on an individual basis should they require such cover for their children.

General Note: The information provided describes the school and its policy at the time of going to print, and will apply also to the next academic year unless indicated to the contrary. Further details on specific points can be obtained from the school. Information on the following can be found in the loose-leaf section at the back of this booklet: Governors Admission Policy, Teaching and non-teaching staff, Rates of unauthorised absence Items of uniform, Government test results, School holiday dates, Policy on charging for school visits, Teaching Time and School Plan.