In line with statutory requirements, the new Curriculum was launched in September 2014, coinciding with the introduction of the new National Curriculum in England.
Curriculum Aims, Vision and Intention
At South Stanley Infant & Nursery School, our curriculum is carefully planned and continuously evaluated to ensure that all children are able to get the most from their time in our school.
Through our curriculum, we want children to be able to make as much progress as possible and leave our school with a developing set of skills which ensure that they can be successful in the next stage of their educational journey, in their community and when engaging with the wider world.
We aim, through our curriculum, to ensure that our children develop pride in themselves, in their school and in their community and, as citizens of the world, develop understanding, respect and tolerance for communities that may differ from their own. Our curriculum is planned to develop children’s resilience, to develop their sense of responsibility to themselves and others and to foster a positive mind-set. We want our children to recognise fairness and know that they have a voice and are listened to.
Our curriculum is planned to include opportunities for children to extend their knowledge, to develop understanding of the vocabulary required to access the curriculum and have opportunities to put their knowledge into context through their own hands on experiences. Visitors and visits also enrich the curriculum by providing opportunities to give meaning to learning undertaken and provide opportunities to enrich our children’s experiences.
Basic skills are at the heart of what we do. Reading fluency and enjoyment, mathematical fluency and confidence, oral vocabulary development and social skills development, such as good manners, and being able to work cooperatively, have high priority in our curriculum and contribute to our children’s success across the whole curriculum.
Our approach to the National Curriculum
At South Stanley Infant and Nursery School we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The Curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development.
It includes not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum, but also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. Our curriculum also includes the social aspects that are essential for life-long learning.
At South Stanley Infant and Nursery School British Values is very central to our curriculum. For more information about how we embed British Values into the heart of our school, please click here: British Values Information For Parents
Curriculum Plans – What our children learn in each academic year
Our Curriculum Plans provide an overview of each area of learning our children will undertake for every half term. These include the topics we are working on, the learning that will be covered and the types of activities we will be taking part in. To view our Curriculum Plans and Topic Maps click on the relevant link below:
- EYFS Nursery and Reception (Class 1 and 2)
- Key Stage 1 (Class 3, Class 4 and Class 5)
Phonics & reading in school
From the very beginning of our Reception year we start teaching the children how to read and write. Our aim is to develop confident and fluent readers and writers through a consistent and well-established approach. At South Stanley Infant and Nursery School we use a phonic programme called Sounds-Write, a linguistic phonics programme that teaches the children that letters are used for spelling sounds. We therefore, when teaching, talk about sounds, not letters.
‘Blending’ to read and ‘segmenting’ to write are the key skills we emphasise throughout our phonic teaching. In Reception children are taught the sound-spellings (sound and letter correspondences, which Sounds-Write refers to as the Initial Code) for the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. We reinforce that sounds need to be said very precisely. For example, when we see the spelling <m>, we say /m/ and not ‘muh’. The children initially use their knowledge of sound-spellings (code) to ‘blend’ to read words with two or three sounds in them by saying the sounds and listening for the word. They quickly move onto reading more complex words, such as those with four and five sounds e.g. ‘lamp’ and ‘crisp’. After each word is ‘blended’, it is also written using the skill of ‘segmenting’, reinforcing the sound-spelling correspondences. The children are also taught to read and write polysyllabic words from the summer term in Reception and throughout Key Stage 1, applying their phonic knowledge of sound-spellings (code) to read these more complex words.
In Year 1 and Year 2, the children are taught spellings for sounds that use two and more letters e.g. that <ow>, <oa> and <oe> represent the sound /oa/ in ‘slow’, ‘boat’ and ‘toe’ (which Sounds-Write refers to as the Extended Code). When reading, they continue to ‘say the sounds, read the word’, looking for the spelling patterns they have been taught to help them read new and less familiar words. Throughout Key Stage 1, as in Reception, writing the words that have been read is a fundamental part of each phonics lesson.
Throughout the Sounds-Write program the children undertake a variety of activities using relevant materials in a meaningful context that support their developing abilities to blend and segment. There is challenge when appropriate, within the level of their development, and high expectations are upheld throughout.
To support children’s learning at home, word mats are regularly sent to enable the children to practice blending and segmenting using the sound-spellings (code) that they have been taught.
With repeated exposure to consistent teaching, daily opportunities to learn new code and to practice blending and segmenting we support our children to become confident, fluent readers and writers.
If you have any further questions about Sounds-Write, our approach to phonics or how to help at home, please see a member of staff.
Reading at home
We use Sounds Write and Dandelion matched reading books for our home reading books which are carefully matched to our phonics scheme. Books that are sent as home readers have been read in school the previous week to ensure children begin to feel confident in their reading. Once children become fluent with their reading in Year 2, they may bring home additional books that are not Sounds Write or Dandelion readers.
We have adopted a ‘repeat reading’ approach to reading where children are encouraged to build up their ability to read words automatically and as such develop their confidence as readers by repeated exposure to a text. Information about our approach to repeat reading is in the inside of your child’s home reading record book.
You can support your child by giving them as much practice as possible at home (at least three times per week) reminding them to ‘say the sounds, read the word’.
At South Stanley Infant and Nursery School we believe that reading at home is a great way of helping and supporting your child to develop their reading skills but also a lovely opportunity for you to spend time with them developing their love of reading.
Reading at home is such an important part of your child’s learning. We would encourage families to read with their child as often as possible. Remember, it doesn’t always have to be a school book; a magazine or football program – we encourage children to read for pleasure! We regularly share links to our ‘Lisa’s Library Reads’ on our Facebook page where Lisa the Librarian suggests books for the children in our school and keeps them in the library just for us!
Reading Cloud Challenge
To encourage your child to read at home to you every night we have developed a Reading Cloud reading challenge in school. Every time they read at home and you sign the home reading record book they will move along our reading clouds. Every Tuesday afternoon, your child will receive a reward to celebrate their achievement of reading for the previous week (Tuesday to Tuesday). We do understand that it is not always possible to read every night but as a school we do expect your child to read at least three times a week and five times if possible.
Homework
We cannot underestimate the contribution homework makes to your child’s development. Not only this, but parental or family involvement in homework inspires and motivates our children to achieve. We encourage you to help with homework and welcome you at our Homework Clubs. This is a fantastic opportunity to share in their learning and gain a greater understanding of what they are working on in school.
Reception homework is sent out every Thursday and should be returned to school by the following Tuesday.
Key Stage 1 homework is sent out every Thursday and should be returned to school by the following Tuesday.
Sharing your child’s WOW moments
We know our children achieve amazing things at home as well as school and encourage parents to share them with us. We greatly value our parent’s voice.
Children will bring WOW cards home with them which parents and families are invited to write details, no matter how big or small, about their child’s WOW moments at home. This could be anything from eating all of their meal, to trying new foods, helping to tidy up to a sporting achievements, independently tying their laces to overcoming a fear. Whatever it is, we want to hear from you so we can celebrate in school.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
At South Stanley Infant & Nursery School, we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The Curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development. Further information can be found in our SEND Information Report.
If you would like to discuss your child’s SEND needs please contact the school.
Remote Learning
Click here to access our Remote Learning Policy.
For more information about our Curriculum
To find out more about the Curriculum we follow please do not hesitate to contact you child’s class teacher or our Main Office on 01207 232445.
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