Curriculum

We have school policy documents and schemes of work for various areas of the curriculum. These are reviewed regularly and take into account County guidelines and the National Curriculum documents. They are available for parents to see if they wish. The National Curriculum consists of 4 key stages. Infant children work within key stage 1 and junior children within key stage 2. Reception children work towards the Early Learning goals, which lead to the National Curriculum. Formal assessment takes place at the end of each key stage ( Years 2 & 6).

We believe that the curriculum consists of all the learning opportunities provided by a school. This includes not only lessons, but out of school activities and all the attitudes, values and styles of behaviour promoted and supported by the school.

English

We believe that every child should have a firm foundation in English.

Click here to view the Literacy Support Leaflet

We encourage children to develop the ability to listen attentively and with understanding and to talk clearly and confidently (in all areas of the curriculum), using a wide vocabulary.

We believe children should read fluently, accurately and with understanding, for pleasure and enjoyment as well as for knowledge and information. We teach children to read accordingly to the daily National Literacy Strategy.

We are convinced that parents make a valuable contribution to the progress their children make as they are learning to read. We therefore actively encourage children to take books home and hope you will use the home reading record to tell the teacher how your child is getting on at home.

We have a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books in our two libraries, which children use extensively. They learn how to use the Dewey system so that they can find their way around the public library.

Throughout the school children are encouraged to record their experiences in a way suitable to their age and ability. A variety of stimuli, including poems and stories, arouses children's imagination and encourages them to write.

A range of computer software is available to support this area of the curriculum.

We encourage children to develop a legible, joined cursive style of handwriting and to aim for high standard of spellings.

 

Maths

  We aim to equip children with the skills and confidence to think for themselves in mathematics.

We implement the National Numeracy Strategy, which stresses the importance of mental methods of calculation and delays the introduction of formal recording until children can manipulate numbers easily. Children have a variety of mathematical experiences. These experiences include number work, mental arhtimetic, money, time, shape, area, measurement and volume. Use is made of calulcators and computers.

Science

  We aim to encourage children to use their natural curiosity in scientific investigations.

Children learn scientific skills through taking part in a wide variety of practical activities. Our the years we have developed our grounds to include the copse and conservation area and we make frequent use of these outside environments in our scientific work. The close position of the school, to both the town centre and the open countryside, provides the children with many opportunities to learn from first hand experience. We also arrange visits to the nearby Hams Hall Environmental Centre.

 

Information Technology

  We believe that, in this technological age, it is essential that children become computer literate.

We have at least one computer in each classroom and classes also have access to the ICT suite which was completed in 2002. Children learn to use language masters, tape recorders, video recorders and our video camera. This equipment enables us to provide a variety of experiences across the curriculum. The quality of work produced by children is very impressive.

 

Design Technology

  We want children to design, make and evaluate using a variety of  materials.

Work in technology becomes increasingly complex and detailed as children gain more advanced skills and learn to solve problems. They work on all aspects of technology, including food, construction, textiles and control technology. We have the sunshine room which incorporates a food technology area, so that children can learn to cook in hygienic conditions. Where possible we link work in technology with other areas of the curriculum.

 

History & Geography

At Key Stage 1 these subjects are usually part of our topic work. As children move through Key Stage 2, the subjects become more discreet but we try to link topics wherever possible. Works includes studying the local environment, both in the present and the past, map work and use of artefacts. Coleshill provides use with a rich source of local history and geography and children often make short trips in the area to further their knowledge. Children gradually extend their knowledge by studying  other areas at home and abroad. Visitors and visits to a variety of places help bring the subjects alive.

 

Physical Education

We have a wide range of apparatus which children use to help them develop their control, co-ordination, mobility and flexibility. Our curriculum include gymnastics, games, atheletics, swimming, dance and drama. Extra coaching in games lessons is provided by North Warwickshire County Council Leisure Services. Although swimming is not compulsary at Key Sage 1 we beleive that this is important to introduce children to this activity at an early age.

 

Out door and adventurouse activities form part of the National Curriculum. Junior classes visit Hams Hall where they participate in orienteering activities. Children in year 5 and year 6 have the opportunity to visit the Manor Adventure centre in Shropshire to take part in adventure activities.

School sporting aims and provision

Members of staff organise a variety of extra curricular activities. These include football, netball, rounders, golf, crafts, recorder and choir. We also have an annual sports day for both the infants and the juniors.

 

Religious Education/Collective Worship

The school is an Aided Church of England school. We have daily acts of worship, which are an important part of the school day. We have regular achievement assemblies so that good work and caring behavior can be recognised. You are always welcome to join us. Rev. Parker (Vicar of Coleshill) regularly takes assemblies and we visit church for special services at various times of the year.

As a church school, Christianity is the basis of our religious education, with the Christian principles of care and concern being shown in our daily life. We encourage children to care for the environment and for others in the community. Children are also made aware of other faiths.

Our RE policy takes account of the Birmingham Diocese guidelines and the County Agreed Policy. Parents are entitled to withdraw their children from RE and/or collective worship and should make arrangements with the Headteacher if they wish to do so.

 

Sex Education, Special Needs & Play Activities

We have a sex education policy agreed by the Governors. Children's questions, if they arise, are dealt with sensitively. There is a planned programme for children in years 4 and 6. Parents are invited to view the materials used. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from these lessons, should they so wish, but not from the sections relating to the National Curriculum.

Special Needs

If we find that any child has a learning difficulty in an area of the curriculum, we contact parents and take the appropriate action. We call on various local authority agencies to help us, according to the Special Needs Code of Conduct.

Play Activities

We believe that play is essential for a children's development. We have excellent well-equipped play areas. Children play in home corners, and with sand and water. We make good use of bricks and construction toys. We structure play to develop children's skills attitudes and concepts across the curriculum areas and, in the Reception class, according to the Early Years' learning goals. In this way we believe that children learn the essential social skills to become 'good learners'.

 

Music & Art

Music

All children have music lessons where they learn to sing, compose and perform what they have composed. We have an exciting range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments. We aim to develop children's creativity, understanding and enjoyment of the music of our own and other cultures.

We offer recorder lessons for children from year 2 upwards and the junior children are also able to participate in keyboards, guitars, violin, brass or woodwind instruments. Unfortunately there is a charge for these lessons and in some cases a waiting list may apply. Please enquire at the office.

Art

Throughout the school children are taught to use a variety of media through 2D and 3D work. This enables them to express themselves creatively and have fun! Studies are also made of the work of other artists and of art in different cultures.

 

Citizenship

Even before the DFEE advice on Citizenship, we had built it into our curriculum throughout the school, running alongside our Personal and Social Education Programme. By looking at other cultures as well as our own, we aim to breakdown cultural barriers and encourage children to become good citizens. At the same time we are able to have a lot of fun!

 

Community Links

As part of our citizenship programme we try to foster close links with the community. Children (and parents) support us by giving up their time to sing or dance at various local venues, such as the Town Hall Christmas Fair and the Library garden party. We invite local elderly people into the school and visit those at Orchard Blythe who cannot get out. This helps children to think of others as well as themselves. To this end, children are involved in many fund-raising activities for charity, some school based and some which groups of children suggest themselves. This usually involves a great deal of fun as well as helping good causes.

 

Homework

We encourage children to take home books to read or to share with you. As children get older there is an increasing amount of set homework which includes spellings and tables, as well as tasks in various subjects. We fell that this helps prepare children for secondary school, where homework is a way of life. There are set time limits for homework and parents are encouraged to get in touch if children are taking too long to do the tasks or are having difficulty. We do not want homework to become a nightmare! We have a homework policy and parents are asked if they wish their children to take part in the homework programme.