Curriculum
We firmly believe that when children are provided with an exciting, enjoyable and relevant curriculum that is designed to meet their learning needs, they will engage fully as learners and make the best possible progress. Our curriculum is constructed around the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage for the Reception class, and of the National Curriculum for Year 1 onwards.
Central to our provision is a carefully structured teaching programmme that will secure the development of basic skills in English and Mathematics. We then aim to provide a range of exciting contexts for our pupils to use and apply their skills in creative and interesting ways across all areas of the curriculum. We are currently reviewing and developing the way this is structured to ensure that we deliver statutory requirements in a stimulating and memorable way which enables all children to take an active part in their own learning. We are also keen that our curriculum should acknowledge the attributes of our local area.
LEARNING IN THE RECEPTION CLASS
The Reception Year is the third and final year of the Early Years Stage, which begins when children attend playgroup. We are fortunate that we have a playgroup on site, because this makes it possible to establish close links between the two groups to ensure a smooth transition into school. We are able to take account of information provided by the playgroup about the children's development when planning their learning in the Reception class.
There are six areas of learning in the Early Stage curriculum:
1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development
2. Communication, Language and Literacy
3. Mathematical Development
4. Knowledge and Understanding of the World
5. Physical Development
6. Creative Development
These areas of learning are seen as inter-dependent, and at Berkeley Primary School we place particular emphasis on the importance of good personal, social and emotional development, because we recognise that this underpins success in all the other areas.
The Reception classroom is set out in a way which will encourage the children to extend their learning in all areas through play, and they are given opportunities to plan their own activities as well as participating in those that are directed by the teacher.
LEARNING IN YEAR 1 TO YEAR 6
Year 1 can be seen very much as a transition year, when teachers will skillfully build on the successes of the Reception Year and move gradually towards a more formally constructed curriculum that meets the requirements of individual subjects as appropriate for each year group.
The development of the curriculum from Reception through Key Stages 1 and 2 can be summarised as follows:
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RECEPTION |
KEY STAGE 1 |
KEY STAGE 2 |
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Personal, Social and |
Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship |
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This includes Sex |
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Communication, Language |
English |
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Mathematical Development |
Mathematics |
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Knowledge and |
Science |
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Physical Development (as |
Physical Education |
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Gymnastics |
Gymnastics |
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Creative Development |
Art and Design |
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Modern Foreign |
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The subjects indentified in bold type are known as 'core subjects'; these are the ones which are assessed in the Statutory Assessment Tasks/Tests(SATs) at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.
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1 Swimming is not a statutory requirement in KS1, but is provided during the school year for Years 1 to 6 at Berkeley Primary School.
2 Modern Foreign Languages is not yet a statutory requirement in KS2, but Spanish is currently provided at Berkeley Primary School.
OVERVIEW OF CURRICULUM SUBJECTS
ENGLISH
This is taught daily. We attach great importance to the systematic teaching and acquisition of English skills because we believe they are of central importance in enabling children to access the rest of the curriculum.
Speaking and Listening - the four areas of speaking, listening, group discussion and drama are developed for a variety of purposes both in English and in other subjects.
Reading - reading is taught in a variety of ways, primarily in a dedicated session with small groups of pupils of similar ability. There is a strong emphasis on the acquisition of phonic skillls in the early stages. Children are given many opportunities to practise and apply their reading skills: this includes taking books home. For further information about the way reading is taught, please request a copy of our reading booklet, and look out for parents' information sessions which we run every year.
Writing - children are systematically taught spelling, handwriting and sentence construction skills, and how to apply them to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction writing for different purposes and audiences.
MATHEMATICS
This is also taught daily. Basic skills are taught and practised regularly, and children develop their knowledge and understanding of maths through practical activity, exploration and discussion.
They learn to use and apply mathematics in the areas of number, algebra, shape and space and data handling; we encourage the development of mathematical language for talking about methods used, and for explaining their reasoning when solving problems. We are committed to developing children's confidence in the use of mental calculation strategies.
SCIENCE
Children are encouraged to observe, explore and ask questions about living things, the material world and physical phenomena, developing a more sophisticated understanding of scientific concepts as they progress through the school. They engage in practical activities that give them opportunities to investigate, collect evidence, and draw conclusions by constructing fair tests. They learn to communicate their ideas in a vaiety of written and spoken ways.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (I.C.T.)
ICT is delivered as a discrete subject in our ICT suite, providing the opportunity to learn and practise a range of ICT skills.
It is also used extensively in the classroom as a teaching tool. through our interactive whiteboards and digital projectors. We are continually reviewing our provision of this constantly-changing medium, and are currently focusing on the integration of ICT in other curriculum areas.
HISTORY
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History begins with developing an awarenesss of different aspects of people's lives in the recent and more distant past, and how they compare with the present; children also find out about significant people and events. As they progress, they increase their knowledge and understanding of characteristic features of particular periods in our history. There is an emphasis on using different sources of information to investigate the past.
GEOGRAPHY
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Through an enquiry approach using maps, photographs and hands-on experiences, the children investigate both the local area and localities which are further afield. They develop their understanding of places and how they are shaped by human activity.
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY (D.T.)
Children develop their DT capability through designing and making a range of products and evaluating how successful they have been. They are given the opportunity to work with a variety of materials and are taught to work safely with a range of materials and equipment.
ART & DESIGN
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We provide opportunities for children to experience and enjoy a wide range of art, craft and design activities. They are encouraged to express creative ideas through a range of different media and are introduced to the work of different artists.
MUSIC
Music is taught as a class subject, where children learn to perform by singing and playing tuned and non-tuned percussion instruments, and are given opportunities to compose their own music from a variety of stimuli. They also listen to different types of music and learn to evaluate them.
There are also opportunities for the whole-school music-making in weekly singing practise, and as part of the Christmas and summer productions.
Children may also join the school choir or recorder club, and there are opportunities for bass, woodwind, keyboard and guitar tuition, subject to availability. These instruments are taught individually or in small groups, and incur a tuition fee. Further details are available from the school office.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (P.E.)
P.E. covers a range of indoor and outdoor activities that are designed to promote children's development of physical skills, coordination and body control. Games, gymnastics and dance are taught in both key stages, and in Key Stage 2 children also undertake athletics. Swimming is taught to Years 1 to 6 throughout the year.
All children are expected to take part in P.E. lessons unless they are medically unfit, in which case we request that a letter is sent to the class teacher.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (R.E.)
R.E. is taught in accordance with the Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus. It has a Christian bias, but also includes the study of different aspects of other religions.
If parents wish to withdraw their children from assembly or from R.E. lessons, they are asked to discuss this with the Head Teacher. Alternative arrangements are made for children in these circumstances.
The school has had close links with St. Mary's Church, Berkeley over many years. The school's nativity plays have been held here and enjoyed by both children, parents, staff and members of the local community.
PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION and CITIZENSHIP (P.S.H.C.E.)
P.S.H.C.E. covers a very wide range of knowledge and skills for life. It plays a crucial role in helping children to develop confidence, self-reliant and responsible individuals who make a contribution to their community. The children learn the basic rules for keeping themselves healthy and safe, and for behaving well. They are encouraged to develop an awareness of their own and other people's feelings and views, and of how their choices and behaviour can affect others. They also learn social skills and strategies for resolving arguments and dealing with bullying.
In Year 5 and 6, P.S.H.C.E. includes Sex Education, which is taught as part of a continuous theme of health education.
- Growing and changes at puberty
- Development of a baby
- Labour and birth
- Preparing for and caring for a baby
- Sexual intercourse and contraception
- Family units
Parents are invited to a preliminary meeting to view the material and resources to be used, and to discuss the content of the programme.
If parents wish to withdraw their child/children from sex education lessons, they should contact the Head Teacher. Alternative arrangements are made for children in these circumstances.
MODERN LANGUAGES
Although it is not yet statutory to provide foreign language tuition, we currently teach Spanish in Years 3 to 6. Spanish lessons are delivered by a qualified native Spanish speaker, and take place once a week. The lesson content is lively and has a strong oral focus, with lots of repetition to encourage the children to engage in conversation. Some written work is provided to reinforce the children's learning.
SPIRITUAL, MORAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
These aspects of learning are sometimes referred to as the 'hidden curriculum' because they are absorbed (often incidentally) through the daily experience of school and the attitudes promoted there. We are committed to upholding a strong and positive ethos which we achieve by putting into practice the values taught in our P.S.H.C.E. lessons.
Our daily assemblies (either as a whole school, in key stages or in classes) encourage children to reflect on a range of values for life, such as honesty, courage, and justice. We constantly try to raise the children's awareness of their role both as an individual and as a member of the school community, and regularly celebrate success and achievement of all kinds.
We also raise children's awareness of issues beyond their immediate experience, by involving them in raising money for different charities throughout the year. We develop their understanding of different cultural traditions through visits to museums and art galleries, and through inviting visiting artists and performers to work in the school. There are also opportunities for children to perform in local arts festivals.
ASSESSMENT, TESTING AND REPORTING
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We believe that successful learning depends on knowing what has already been achieved and what the next steps should be; therefore we keep very careful records of the progress made by all our pupils to help us plan lessons that will meet their needs, and to make sure that, as far as possible, they are achieving appropriately for their age. Evidence for these records is gathered in a variety of informal ways, for example, from day-to-day marking or conversations with individual pupils, and, on occasion, from more structured testing.
There are certain points in your child's school career when statutory testing is required, although the nature of these tests varies according to age. One of these occasions is the 'On-entry Baseline Assessment', which provides the Reception class teacher with a well-rounded picture of the stage of development each child has reached. Evidence for this is gathered by observing children carrying out their normal school activities, and from the information provided by pre-school groups. We also offer parents the opportunity to talk to the Reception teacher individually about their children during the first week of the Autumn term. Throughout this early assessment period, the children are totally unaware they they are being 'tested'!
At the end of Year 2, a similar statutory assessment period occurs, and the Year 2 teacher will spend considerable time throughout the year pulling together a bank of evidence of the children's achievements in English, maths and science, in order to make an informed decision about the National Curriculum levels they have reached. These levels are endorsed by short tests or tasks (known as SATs), which are delivered in a very informal way; again, the children are usually unaware that this is anything other than part of the normal school routine.
At the end of Key Stage 2, Year 6 pupils sit the statutory tests (SATs) which are carried out under test conditions and are externally marked. This is the culmination of the work done throughout they key stage, and success does not depend only on the Year 6 teacher or curriculum. We also use a similar style of end-of-year tests in Year 3, 4 and 5, although it is not statutory to do so; we find them useful for supporting our own record-keeping in keeping track of children's progress, and showing us and them where they need to improve.
Throughout your child's time at Berkeley Primary School we endeavour to keep you well-informed about the progress he/she is making. We hold two parents' evenings a year, and issue an annual report at the end of the summer term, which you are welcome to discuss with your child's class teacher. Additional appointments may be made to meet teachers at any time of the year, should you have particular questions or concerns that you wish to discuss. There may also be occasions when your child's teacher initiates a meeting with you.
All records are confidential, and will only be seen by the child's parents, class teachers, and the Head Teacher of a prospective school.
Please refer to the Results page for information about our SATs results in 2007
HOMEWORK
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Homework is set by the class teachers to reinforce what has been taught in class, and to give children an opportunity to practise their skills and share their learning with you. It also provides you with an opportunity to support your child.
The amount and nature of homework set depends on age. Your child will bring home reading books on a regular basis; there will also be spellings to learn, and a maths task. In addition to this, activities related to topics being studied in class may be sent home.
Further detail about homework, and guidance for how you can best support it, will be provided by your class teacher, if you are ever unsure about the purpose of a task or what is expected, please do not hesitate to ask.
It is not our policy to set work for children who are taken out of school for term-time holidays.
SPECIAL NEEDS
At Berkeley Primary School we recognise that all our pupils are individuals with different strengths and needs. From time to time, however, we identify children who have particular learning needs that are not being met through the normal curriculum. We have different ways of providing support for children with both learning and behaviour needs; this may be through providing appropriately differentiated work or adult support, or by giving the opportunity for additional work in a small group.
Sometimes it is necessary to place pupils on the Special Educational Needs register: this will always be discussed with parents in the first instance, and they will be fully involved in the process of setting and reviewing targets for the Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The progress of these children is closely monitored and we liaise regularly with outside agencies such as the Educational Psychology Service for advice and guidance.
As a requirement of the Disability Discrimination Act, we have an Accessibility Plan and a Disability Equality Scheme in place. Part of our ongoing action plan is to take the necessary steps to meet the particular needs of all pupils with special needs. If you or your child is likely to require additional support of any kind, please talk to the Head Teacher in the first instance about how we need to make provision to meet the identified needs.
Please contact us if you would like a copy of our Special Needs Policy, Accessibility Plan or Disability Equality Scheme.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
At Berkeley Primary School we provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities throughout the year, because we believe that they offer children a different learning experience, as well as an opportunity to gain new skills and benefit socially. Our clubs generally take place at lunchtimes or after school, and will change according to the time of year. There is a good selection of sporting activities, such as hockey, netball, football and rugby, which provide the children with opportunities to play matches against other schools. We also have a choir and recorder groups, an I.C.T. club and a healthy eating cookery club, to name but a few.
Some of our clubs, such as judo and board games, are run by external providers, and incur a small fee.
You will be given information about clubs at the start of every term, and your child will be asked to sign up for those he/she wishes to attend. We ask that once a commitment has been made, you encourage your child to attend regularly.