Curriculum
Curriculum Statement
To try is to achieve, to achieve is to grow!
Staff make every effort to enrich the education experiences of our children.
Our topic-related curriculum is planned to be not only educational but also enjoyable and fun for both pupils and staff. We consider the interests of our children and promote the use of hooks and outcomes to stimulate engagement, provide meaningful opportunities and a love of learning.
The school day is carefully planned to ensure children gain maximum benefit through an irresistible curriculum that inspires children and captivates their curiosity. Our staff have a wealth of experience and knowledge and lessons are alive with involvement and challenge for all. Children demonstrate an interest and a keen approach to learning and this is encouraged through the carefully planned curriculum that provides opportunities for learning, one area to impact on another.
The foundation stepping stones to a successful education lie in the acquisition of basic skills. Without these skills, children will not make the educational progress that is expected of them. At Fleet Infant School, we place great emphasis on learning basic skills. Children will be taught, and are expected to learn mental maths, as well as calculation methods for the four rules of number. With this knowledge we challenge through problem solving and reasoning, asking children to demonstrate those acquired skills independently and confidently. Children are taught phonics, through the use of a bespoke systematic synthetic phonics programme alongside basic spelling rules and reading skills. Our reading scheme provides a variety of texts to challenge the pupils and provides them with opportunities to imagine, learn and enjoy. When beginning to read, children read books linked to their phonic ability therefore supporting fluency and success. Writing is led through our stimulating topics; this ensures that children are able to use knowledge to produce imaginative, lively and entertaining pieces of work. Our aim is that when pupils leave Year 2 they will be highly numerate, literate, with a real joy for learning, and ready for the challenges of Year 3.
This year our children are accessing outdoor learning a on a regular basis to support the children's well-being. In autumn 2022, this outdoor learning will become a fully fledged Forest School.
Visits are arranged for all classes and include such experiences as trips to the Living Rainforest, the Titanic exhibit, Winchester Science Centre to name a few. We also welcome visitors into the school and enjoy a farm visit, a Chinese New Year workshop and a storyteller. We are fortunate to have extensive school grounds and these enhance our curriculum by providing opportunities for exploration and real life experiences.
We want your child to engage, enthuse, enjoy and excel by providing them with a meaningful environment that allows them to explore and learn whilst becoming confident and independent thinkers, prepared and inspired for life in the modern world.
At Fleet Infant School all class teachers are responsible for providing a curriculum that is suitable for all pupils in the class, including those with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) with support from the SENCo. We have high expectations for all pupils and are committed to ensuring our curriculum complies with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. Our inclusion statement emphasises the importance of providing an inclusive learning environment for all pupils including those with SEND. Additional information on this can be found in our Special Educational Needs Information Report and Equalities Policy.
Top Tips to Help Your Child's Learning at Home (from the KS1 curriculum evening)
Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception)
In the Early Years Foundation Stage there are seven areas of learning and development that shape educational programmes in early years settings, including the Reception year at infant schools. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas are:
- communication and language;
- physical development; and
- personal, social and emotional development.
There are also four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are:
- literacy;
- mathematics;
- understanding the world; and
- expressive arts and design.
All areas are delivered through a balance of adult led and child initiated activities and we work closely as a team to provide opportunities for children to learn through carefully planned, purposeful play in both the indoor and outdoor environment.
Effective learning builds on and extends what children know and can already do therefore, our planning is informed by observations we have made of the children in order to understand and consider their current interests, experiences, development and learning needs.
Key Stage 1 - Years 1 and 2
In Key Stage 1 we use a variety of teaching and learning styles including whole class, group activities, paired and individual work. This allows us to cater for the individual needs of the children very effectively.
We follow the statutory National Curriculum which is composed of: English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, History, Geography, Music, Physical Education and Art. Religious Education is taught using Hampshire guidance. Each subject has a clear intent and is implemented in a logical and systematic way. It is sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before and pupils can work towards clearly defined end points.
We ensure that our curriculum is well sequenced, creative, stimulating and meaningful to our pupils by linking the different subject areas together into half termly or termly, themed topics. An overview of this is sent out to parents at the beginning of each term. Staff work closely together to plan a scheme of work that ensures coverage of the National Curriculum and activities are planned in detail to ensure work is carefully matched to pupils’ abilities, enabling the development of skills, knowledge and understanding.
We have themed weeks and visitors to support learning whenever possible to further enhance the curriculum e.g. Arts Week based around the theme of Remembrance; Fire of London drama workshop, book week etc.
Marking and Feedback Policy
Home Learning
All children are expected to read daily at home with an adult to ensure that they make good progress. This is in addition to practising spellings and mental maths skills. The details of how this is managed by each year group can be found in the curriculum booklet. Maths challenges will also be sent home to develop and reinforce mathematical thinking.
As well as these daily activities your child will be asked to complete topic related home learning activities on occasion which are then celebrated and shared in school.
End of Key Stage 1 Assessments and Testing
Teacher assessment of children is an on-going process which takes place throughout the year in all year groups. At the end of Key Stage 1 it is these teacher assessments which will be used to decide whether children have reached Age Related Expectations. To support this process, children in Year 2 will sit statutory tests in Maths, Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation.
Online Safety
We hold a bi-annual Online Safety day where children, parents and staff receive information about how to keep safe when using the internet. Alongside this the school has termly e-safety assemblies to keep this very important issue at the forefront of the children's minds. In addition, families must sign up to an Acceptable Use Policy in order to access the school's log in for curriculum support materials. There is more information on our Internet Safety page.