At Derwent Primary School we believe all children have an entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. We recognise the diverse needs of our students whilst also recognising the need for them to have access to the basic skills and knowledge.
Our curriculum aim is to:
- Broaden their aspirations, knowledge, skills, understandings and experiences
- Actively promote British values
- Promote a lifelong love of learning
- Equip children with the skills and knowledge for their transition to secondary school
- Help children become healthy and active.
Our curriculum reflects the needs of our community, our local area and national priorities.
At Derwent Primary School staff work together to do our best to make sure that all children:
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• To ensure that all pupils receive their full entitlement to the whole curriculum through teaching of a high standard.
• To provide a relevant challenging curriculum in which pupils will be encouraged to reach their maximum potential.
• To provide a stimulating and vibrant curriculum and environment that will not only motivate children but also encourage them to understand the purpose and enjoyment of learning.
• To provide an environment where children apply their knowledge, skills and understanding with confidence whilst developing their ability to investigate and problem solve through discussion, prediction and evaluation.
• To encourage children to respect and value other cultures and beliefs and ultimately to become caring, confident and educated members of a multi-faith, multi-cultural society.
• To develop positive attitudes and an awareness of the needs, strengths and qualities of others in order to work, share and grow socially and emotionally, spiritually and morally, physically and intellectually.
• To involve parents in their children’s education and encourage strong links between home and school.
Children in our two year old provision (Little Learners) are given the opportunity to play and explore the world around them both indoors and outdoors. Their learning is focused on the Prime Areas of Learning. They are supported by staff to develop their Personal, Social and Emotional skills. This includes learning to play alongside others and make relationships, learning to follow routines and understand boundaries. They are also encouraged to begin to be aware of the feelings of other people. They are also supported with language development. Staff model vocabulary and provide many opportunities for children to listen to others and to express themselves. This is done through sensitive interactions when children are playing and through singing and story groups. There is also an emphasis on Physical Development. Children are provided with many opportunities to develop their gross motor coordination (big movements such as climbing, riding bikes, throwing and catching, dancing with ribbons, running and making big movements with paintbrushes and chalks.) They are also given the opportunity to develop their fine motor coordination (smaller movements such as being able to fill a small container with a spoon, thread a bead, holding a knife, fork or spoon, completing a jigsaw, cutting with scissors and making a pattern in glitter with a finger.) There is also a strong emphasis on Health and Self Care. Children are taught to become more independent in putting on their own coat, going to toilet and washing their hands.
In Nursery the children continue to develop many of the skills that they have developed in Little Learners. They continue to learn through play and exploration both indoors and outdoors. They have access to continuous provision – paints, sand, water, computers, construction, reading material, role play areas and small world etc. The children are expected to take part in small group activities where they are encouraged and supported in developing their maths and literacy skills. The children learn how to count and recognise some numbers. They also learn about shape. The children are encouraged to make marks and talk about their mark making. The children also begin Phase 1 of Letters and Sounds which enables the children to develop their listening skills and ability to distinguish and respond to different sounds in the environment. The children continue to develop their skills in the Prime Areas of the curriculum.
In Reception (F2) the children take part in larger and sometimes whole class teaching sessions. They continue to build on previously learnt skills and experiences. They begin Phase 2 of Letters and sounds and begin daily phonics lessons to learn about the letters of the alphabet and the sounds made by the letters. They quickly develop their reading skills and by the end of the year many are confident readers and writers. They continue to build their maths skills and begin to problem solve using addition and subtraction methods. They also learn about 2 and 3 dimensional shapes and patterns. Children in Reception continue to learn through play and have access to continuous provision to enable them to develop their ideas through art and design, role play, small world. The children are now expected to become more independent and take responsibility for daily learning tasks called ‘Mr Must Dos’, these enable the children complete reading, writing, and maths tasks linked to recently taught skills. They take part in weekly PE sessions where they are encouraged to get dressed and undressed independently. The children continue to have daily access to our outdoor learning environment.
Key Stage 1 plan a creative curriculum that emcompasses the Year 1 and Year 2 national curriculum. Also it enhances pupil’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural experiences in school. We strive to ensure that pupils have excellent experiences that nurture their EYFS learning and also prepares the pupils for a successful Key Stage 2 career.
From Year 3 upwards pupils follow the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum and study all subjects. A modern foreign language (French) is introduced in Key Stage 2.
Year 3 children go to swimming lessons once a week, throughout the year.
See our Long Term Plan for our wider curriculum.
Y1 & Y2 KEY STAGE 1 2017-2018 _ Long term plan
Y3 & Y4 2017 – 18 Year 3 and Year 4
Y5 & Y6 2017 – 18 Year 5 and Year 6
If you would like to find out more about our curriculum – please come into school and ask to speak to our KS Leaders:- EYFS – Mrs Bates, KS1-Miss Dickson, KS2- Mrs Armstrong.
Early years and Key Stage 1 children follow ‘Letters and Sounds’ phonics scheme and ‘Oxford Tree’ reading scheme
Websites to support parents with early reading and phonics:
www.theschoolrun.com
A subscription based website.
www.booktrust.org.uk
A website that focuses on encouraging parents and others to read to their children.
http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/home/reading-owl/expert-help/the-year-1-phonics-screening-check
This part of the Oxford Owl website gives parents lots of the Year 1 Reading Check.
Foundation stage:
A book to share at home as often as children wish.
Year 1:
Children are expected to read at home and practise sight words
Year 2:
Children are expected to read at home, learn weekly spellings and practise sight words
Year 3 and Year 4:
Children are expected to read at home, learn weekly spellings and complete sentence work.
Years 5 and 6:
Children will be given spellings on a Monday, maths number facts on Wednesday and literacy or numeracy activities will be given on Friday.
Derwent Primary School is non-denominational. RE and assemblies are in accordance with Derby City ‘Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education’.
Health and Drugs Education is taught throughout the school: children also have sex education and relationships are taught throughout the school.
We have adopted a new ‘Mastery Maths’ scheme called ‘Maths No Problem’. It is proving to be a great hit with the teachers and pupils alike. It is a highly structured approach to Maths and is designed to deepen understanding.
Maths- No Problem is a comprehensive series that adopts a spiral design with carefully built up mathematical concepts and processes adapted from the Maths mastery approaches used in Singapore. The concrete, pictorial abstract approach forms an integral part of the learning process through the materials developed for this series.
To find out more about how this new series aids your child’s mathematical development, please follow the link below.
If you would like to find out more about our curriculum – please come into school and ask to speak to a Key Stage Leader.
