FULBRIDGE SCHOOL

Unlocking Potential. We believe that if we give them the roots children will grow wings and fly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curriculum Plan

2007 - 2008

Fulbridge School

 

 

The School Curriculum Plan outlines the rationale behind our approach to learning and teaching in the curriculum. It outlines our beliefs and the thinking behind our creative approach.

 

 

• Introduction
• School Priorities
• Current Initiatives
• Broad and Balanced Curriculum
• What is important in our school?
• Creativity
• Physical, Emotional and Academic Literacy
• Schemata
• The Fulbridge Way
• Curriculum Plan
• Assessment

 

INTRODUCTION

‘We want to develop a modern, world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future’ (QCA)

The curriculum should be treasured. There should be real pride in ‘our’ curriculum: the learning that we decide should be set before our young learners. Teachers, parents and the wider community should all see the curriculum as something that they embrace, support and celebrate. Most of all, young people should relish the opportunity for discovery and achievement that our curriculum offers to them.

 We want children to be independent, determined, collaborative and effective learners. An independent learner is some one who is autonomous, self-reliant, self-confident, self-motivated and self-sufficient and a collaborative learner is someone who can co-operate, work successfully with others, communicate well, question and is a good team player. We wish children to become life-long learners and to pursue their learning out of school.

In other words we want children who can question what they are doing, what the teacher is doing and talk about their learning.  An independent learner persists in the face of challenge, assesses and reviews their own learning as well as being involved in the planning of their learning, with regard to what to do next and how to do it.

The young learners must take responsibility for their learning, apply their learning in a variety of situations and be allowed time to think and reflect upon their learning. They must understand, know and describe the purposes for their learning. As well as having such independent learning skills the young learners need to be able to apply these abilities into collaborative situations whilst showing empathy and support to the needs of the other learners in their group. We want children who:

Ø      Push back boundaries; go beyond limits

Ø      Live on the edge

Ø      Achieve perfection

Ø      Are brilliant but unpredictable

Ø      Appeal to some but upset others

Ø      Have big ideas and their own agenda

To achieve this we need staff who: see the big picture and talk about it, make learning deep and profound, recognise that every moment matters, resist institutional habits, make learning happen everywhere, know it has to change, stretch it to fit the child and most of all make learning irresistible.

 

We want teachers of whom the children say:

“Meeting him/her changed my life for the good; I am a better person for meeting them.”

 

SCHOOL PRIORITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT:

The main school priorities for improvement are as follows:

1. Improve Standards and Achievement particularly in Mathematics and Writing       

2. Develop our more creative and innovative curriculum (curriculum focus on science)

3. Improve Attendance 

4. Develop dance throughout the school with a focus on the CARA project in Year 1.

Maintenance Priorities: (addressed by Curriculum Teams)

5. Review and develop our assessment and planning  procedures

6. Monitor the provision for Ethnic Minority children particularly new arrivals

7. Develop the school as a Learning School (focus on Higher Order Thinking)

8. Monitor and evaluate the coverage of science throughout the school

9. Implement the provision of 2 hours of PE including the introduction of 3x10 minute sessions and developing the SAQ, Sensory Circuit and Jabadeo initiative

10. Continue to ensure high quality of provision in ICT (Curriculum/Admin’/Equipment)

 

The most effective, meaningful and long lasting experiences in learning take place when the learner is both emotionally and physically engaged in the learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A CREATIVE SCHOOL AIMS TO BROADEN BOTH TEACHERS’ AND CHILDREN’S THINKING, TO DEVELOP PUPILS CONFIDENCE AND GENRERALLY TO SHAKE THINGS UP! CREATIVITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT HAVING BEAUTIFUL DISPLAYS OR MESSY ART ROOMS. IT IS ABOUT EMPOWERMENT. IT IS ABOUT FEELING SAFE ENOUGH TO TAKE RISKS. IT IS ABOUT RAISING STANDARDS AND TEACHING CHILDREN KEY SKILLS ACROSS ALL AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO BE CREATIVE. IT IS ABOUT MAKING CONNECTIONS OFTEN BETWEEN UNLIKELY THINGS. IT IS ABOUT HELPING EVERY CHILD TO GAIN NEW AND WIDER VIEWS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THEMSELVES   Too much prescription and children’s development is stifled, too much freedom and that development becomes chaotic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amongst the current initiatives the school is involved in to help achieve the school priorities are:

• The Oasis Creative Curriculum initiative.
• Development work with QCA
• A network of schools looking at dance through CARA funding and action research.
• The Intensive Support Programme run by the LA.
• The Excellence in Cities initiative which focuses on attendance, behaviour, exclusions and standards.
• Jabadeo action research
• SAQ initiative

Broad and Balanced Curriculum

At Fulbridge School we value a broad and balanced curriculum so that we can help pupils to experience a well rounded education but equally we see Literacy, Numeracy, Science and ICT skills as the means to success that will enable all children to access the wider curriculum. The five outcomes of Every Child Matters are central to everything we do. We also recognise the importance of Art, Drama, Dance, Music and PE in improving a child’s performance in core curricula subjects as well as the value they hold in themselves. Extra curricula clubs are an essential part of a child’s education.

Our school is a school where attainment and SATS results are not an end in themselves but simply a step on a journey through education.  We are a school where not being able to do something does not denote a lack, but a striving. Ours is a school where not being able to do something is not seen as a failure but simply as a step along the way.

Van Gogh said, “I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.”

 

AIMS FOR THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM:

1. …. we have high quality teaching throughout the school.
2. …. the children acquire a love of learning.
3. …. a richer curriculum, with breadth, balance and depth and a focus on direct experience.
4. …. a way of making more imaginative use of environment and the community to bring learning to life.
5. …. a belief in doing less better.

What do we believe in?

¨      I hear and I forget……I see and I remember…… I do and I understand.

¨      If you always do what you have done, you will always get what you have got. (Change is the one constant thing in education!!)

¨      A school curriculum needs to be meaningful, exciting, fun, enjoyable, challenging, creative and innovative.

¨      In our school we must be committed to developing the whole child and to developing their educational and curricular experience beyond the class room. The school needs to create a holistic and experiential environment as children learn most effectively when they are motivated and what motivates children is the same as what motivates us….relevance, experiences and opportunities that will be of benefit to us, which will help to improve our own lives. Too many children engage in education because they have to and not because they want to. We must as a school further improve the self-motivation of pupils so that they can become independent, collaborative and effective learners. We want our children to really engage in their learning.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN OUR SCHOOL?

¨      Moral, Spiritual, Social, Emotional and Cultural Education.

¨      Every Child Matters agenda

¨      Personal, Social and Health Education.

¨      An understanding of the world we live in through first-hand experiences.

¨      Assessment for learning.

¨      Children knowing what they need to do next to improve

¨      Learning to Learn / Higher Order Thinking

¨      SEN, EAL and G&T provision.  

¨      ICT

¨      Children that are literate and numerate.

¨      Children are extended and challenged.

¨      A sense of humour.

 

Our aim is to maximise the imaginative potential within foundation subjects, using carefully selected themes for practical work and experiential learning. Science, history and geography provide the context for art, music, dance and drama. Practical experience provides the motivation to write, talk and draw. Teachers work on developing the skills of pupils within a secure context of pupil engagement in their learning. This is not an attempt to turn back the clock – to swing the educational pendulum back to where it was before the Literacy Hour – but a careful attempt to reconcile the need for structured teaching with the importance of direct experience.

 

“Imagine the programme of study in a school as the ingredients in a salad. The way you put them together to create the salad is the crucial bit in making it appetising. There is nothing to say that a school has to offer 40 minutes of tomatoes, followed by 40 minutes of lettuce, followed by double onions.

 The challenge for schools is to work out which ingredients need to be taught separately, so that children quarry learning in real depth; which ingredients need to be taught by the drip-feed method for a few minutes every day; and which can be taught jointly.” 

(Mick Waters, Director of QCA, February 2007)

 

The aspiration is to have a school where teachers are so excited about their teaching and the learning experiences they offer children that they could talk about it all day. We want children to be excited and empowered so that we tap into each child’s potential in what ever area their intelligence lies. We must aspire to transform the experiences which children have in their schools.

 

Creativity

 

Creativity is imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value.

 

Always involves thinking or behaving imaginatively

The imaginative activity is purposeful; that is, it is directed to achieve an objective

The processes must generate something original

The outcome must be of value in relation to the objective

 

Creativity is an essential human attribute which should lie at the heart of learning. It is the ability to face uncertainty and respond to complex challenges with energy, enthusiasm, imagination and resourcefulness.

Creativity must be at the centre of children’s daily educational experience. It is a move away from a knowledge-based curriculum towards one which values the development of creative capacities in young people; it is a paradigm shift in educational thinking.

Risk and challenge are the essential ingredients of such a curriculum approach.

Creativity is about five broad behaviours:

1. Questioning and challenging
2. Making connections and seeing relationships
3. Envisaging what might be
4. Exploring ideas and keeping options open
5. Reflecting critically on ideas, actions and outcomes

 

We need to pursue an approach to learning that opens up genuine creative thinking processes, rather than simply using the arts to illuminate or enliven a curriculum area. We need to create creative skills in the children not simply make learning more memorable. We want children to have memorable experiences but we also want children to observe, classify, hypothesise, experiment, interpret, draw conclusions from evidence and recognise patterns in events and learning. We need to ensure that the memorable experiences we offer children, in stimulating and real contexts encourage such creative skills and habits.

 

Creativity is a standards raising agenda but not simply in terms of test scores, creativity in itself is a high value outcome.

 

 

 

A Creative School is a school that:

• has remodelled the curriculum using the collective expertise of all the staff.
• designs creative opportunities throughout the curriculum.
• creates good conditions for learning.
• introduces new teaching and learning strategies that excite the children and teachers.
• creates a curriculum that suits their children and the learning environment that is available to them using what their locality has to offer to provide a curriculum based on first hand experiences.
• provides children with opportunities to widen their experiences through the use of visits to places of interest, role play and visitors to school that offer expertise and experiences that the school may not be able to offer.
• develops new organisational structures to allow us to maximise the learning potential within our school.
• improves the school environment and pupil behaviour to help children overcome their emotional and learning difficulties.
• makes creativity a vital and integral part of every child’s experience of school.
• allows children to complete sustained pieces of research which allows them to express their findings through writing, graphs, pictures, dance, drama and other media. Such research opportunities surprise, energise, enthuse, encourage imagination and enterprise on the part of both the teachers and the pupils.
• encourages children to think creatively as opposed to seeing learning as the transference of knowledge, to use strategies to encourage higher order thinking.
• sees learning as a process rather than an end.
• allows children to do less better
• realises that the only meaningful way to boost children’s chance in life is to enable them to drive their own learning.
• aims to make children into enquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk takers, knowledgeable about themes of global importance, principled, caring, open minded, well balanced and reflective. In other words a school that strives to develop citizens that are fit and prepared to meet the challenges of the 21^st century.

 

We want Children to be Academically, Emotionally and Physically Literate.

Academically Literate:

An Academically Literate person is able to reason, communicate well, negotiate, evaluate, can think rationally, ask questions – has an enquiring mind, be creative and innovative, mastered the key skills in Literacy, Numeracy and ICT, can solve problems and make a  difference for the better. This person wants to improve their own learning and performance.

 

Physically Literate:

A Physically Literate person recognises the importance of following a healthy lifestyle. They are active and understand the value of activity and they eat less better.

They are physically literate in movement, skilful and competent in sport and dance as well as articulate about their learning.

A physically literate person shows good balance, flexibility, agility, control, coordination, fluency, harmony, precision, endurance, spatial awareness, variations in strength and an ability to control changes in speed.

A person who is physically literate moves with poise, economy and confidence in a wide variety of challenging situations, anticipating movement needs and responding appropriately.

Research shows that physically literate people achieve better academically and emotionally.

Emotionally Literate:

An Emotionally literate person is emotionally developed with respect to themselves, others and the community that they are part of. They are happy in themselves, considerate of others and are willing to consider the greater good  and align their own needs with those of the community - with respect to their community or the organisation that they are part of (eg: school). Such a person wants to make a difference for the better and can distinguish right from wrong.

They display the qualities of self-control, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability, self motivation, can accurately read group dynamics and relationships, listens well, can initiate and manage change and can work with others towards a shared goal.

This person wants to improve their own learning and performance as well as that of others.

 

 SCHEMATA:

Every person – child and adult (or organisation) has their own schemata.

 

Our own schema is formulated on the basis of the life experiences that we have had. Our schema interprets for us what others say or do, it is unique to us and determines our view of the world. As a consequence the experiences that both parents and teachers give their children are of the utmost importance. The broader and more varied a persons experiences are the richer their own schema will be and so they will interpret and create in a more innovative way, their imagination will be more vivid. The more accurately a child can observe, the more varied the skills they have and the more complete their mastery of them is then the more creative and imaginative they will be.

 

If a life is lacking in experiences then that person’s schema will be an impoverished one and their imagination will have little or nothing to draw upon. At school we must compensate for the lack of experiences some children have had through a carefully thought out and experience rich curriculum.

 

As a school we have had a rich and varied menu of experiences. The National Curriculum, Literacy and Numeracy Hours, the QCA guidance, Ofsted Inspections, Special Measures and HMI Inspections, ISP, Inset, Oasis courses, input from many advisors etc etc. We needed all these experiences to enable us to now be in the position to become an even better school and to deliver a truly creative curriculum. The schools schema allows us now to move forward. It is our schema and we can now interpret the curriculum in a way that suits us and our young learners and it will be an interpretation that is unique to Fulbridge as no two schema’s are the same.

On the basis of all our experiences let us imagine what kind of curriculum we can offer, what we will do if we know we cannot fail!

Once decided we must put the needs of the school schema ahead of our own personal schema’s and follow ‘The Fulbridge Way.’

 

 

THE FULBRIDGE WAY;

SCHOOLS NEED TO BE MORE ABOUT:

”LEARNERS LEARNING RATHER THAN TEACHERS TEACHING”

 

‘If schools are to raise standards, a major focus must be on the promotion of learning for all. If attainment is to rise, the quality of learning needs to be the focus.’

Our Rituals and Routines support our behaviour policy and are central to our philosophy of creating and supporting a more creative curriculum.

• Photographs of children on doors or nearby.
• High profile book corner
• Resource centre – same in every class.
• We teach in Learning Zones, not class rooms.
• We play music during the day to calm the children or reflect the mood we want in the Learning Zone at a given time.
• We refer to lower achievers and higher achievers, not low and high ability.
• All Learning Zones display a timetable for the day, each morning on a specific whiteboard, pictorial if necessary (due to need of EAL or SEN children)
• Emphasis on first hand experiences and role play (we need a role play areas available to children in all year groups).
• We avoid using worksheets, SEN and EAL learners are the least likely to learn through this approach. Worksheets are not effective learning tools compared to the alternatives. Worksheets would be a good way to punish if excluded from one class to another.
• We are positive to all in school, we do not shout or use any form of sarcasm.
• We are facilitators not teachers, and children are young learners.
• We always explain why we are doing something to the Young Learners   eg: ”This will help you with……. your reading / spelling / concentration” etc. Never just introduce water, brain gym, a learning objective etc without explaining why we do it. “We are listening to this music because it helps you with your concentration / will inspire you..” etc
• All young learners will have three 15 minute sessions of R&S a day. No other strategies for basic reading/spelling/writing skills are used alongside R&S.
• Young Learners also use RM Maths at least 3 times a week.
• The principles of interleaved and distributed learning are applied to the way we teach basic skills in both Literacy and Mathematics.
• Good relevant use of ICT is very important for our school, power point presentations, internet, knowledge box and interactive whiteboard technology.
• All learning zones monitor the moods of the young learners so that the young learners can indicate (at the start of the day, after break or after lunch) if there is something concerning them.
• At the end of each day there is a time for reflection on that day focusing on what went well and what could have been better. Music is played in the background (eg: ‘What have you done today to make you feel proud’) and the session finishes with a silent reflection or prayer. No child is left out of this session for any reason.
• Our school is a ‘clutter-free’ environment. Learning Zones should be set up with young learners in mind not facilitators. Minimum of furniture, maximum space, no teacher desks. Built in cupboards / cupboards in corridors for teacher resources.
• Carpet sessions and talking to children are kept to a minimum time as little learning takes place in this environment.
• Each year group needs a Home Corner/Role Play area in or outside the Learning Zone.
• Display: 3D, adult and child created with emphasis on children’s work, expanding into corridor with year group working together. Rolls of backing paper not sheets on display boards.
• If we have a good idea we share it across the year group/school.
• Zero tolerance with respect to the issues below:

Swearing

Fighting

Damaging school property

Stealing

Racism

Bullying

(Immediate loss of play or lunch time – class teacher or TA to supervise).

·         Correct school uniform is continually promoted by all staff, including school shoes.

·         All staff challenge/question absence and lateness. If late, lose playtime to catch up on the learning they missed.

·         We believe in routines and rituals. (Use of music, snack times, guidance in and out of Learning Zones and along corridors).

·         We are never late for our Young Learners as this means we do not care.

·         We lead the class along the corridors with a TA (if possible) at the back. We lead the children in and out of school at assembly, break, lunch and end of day. We constantly stop if there is not a single line and correct them. We stand in the doorway as the children enter until all the class is in. Do not line up outside the classroom.

·         Extra- curricular clubs are a very important part of a young learners learning.

·         All facilitators should look for opportunities to use physical activity and/or Brain Gym activities and make this part of normal practice. There is a daily physical activity session.

·         Art work should focus on mark-making not ‘white-washing.’ No pressure to finish their masterpiece in that session, it may take days or weeks! Work on it the following morning. Handwriting is another equally important starting point for improving hand, eye, brain co-ordination.

·         Quality in depth of work not quantity – ‘do less – better’.

·         We are working towards an integrated day and a move away from the whole class doing the same activity at the same time, whilst keeping an appropriate balance.

 

We use our common sense to address each individual situation we need to address.

 

 

We want children to be able to create, evaluate, analyse, apply, understand and remember.

As a school we refer children to the five R’s of reasoning, responsibility, resourcefulness, resilience and reflectivity as a way of measuring our success as learners. We recognise that to be most effective our brains need oxygen, love, nutrition and information. We have also identified that to be a good learner children need the following Life Skills: Cooperation, Common Sense, Friendship, Sense of Humour, Integrity, Caring, Courage, Perseverance, Initiative, Flexibility, Effort, Problem Solving, Curiosity, and Organisation.

 

To achieve this we use the vehicles of children being:

 Explorers, Inventors, Judges and Warriors

 

We want children to leave Fulbridge School as: ·      Confident Individuals who lead healthy and safe lives ·      Responsible Citizens who make a positive contribution to their community ·      Successful Learners who achieve, progress and enjoy their learning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRICULUM PLANNING

 

In Nursery and Reception we follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum, in Year 1 we follow the National Curriculum but teach it through a Foundation Stage approach and we follow the National Curriculum from Year 2 to Year 6. The Every Child Matters agenda is central to our planning as is inclusion.

We have three terms and for each term we have a topic theme. Our corridors reflect the theme of the topic and act as role play areas. All the learning, wherever possible revolves around events and experiences to which we attach a learning outcome and the learning is ideally cross curriculum and not subject specific.

Each topic has a curriculum emphasis. Topics are based around either Science, History or Geography and have a focus on either dance, drama or music. As science is a core subject it must feature in each topic so that the entire science curriculum is covered each year, appropriate to the age and ability of the children.

 

YEAR GROUP	TOPIC TITLE	FOCUS AREAS
Reception	Autumn: Once Upon a Time Spring: Dear Zoo Summer: The Tiny Seed	N/A
Year 1	Autumn: Old MacDonald Spring: In my Imagination Summer: Swing back in Time	Science & Music Geography & Dance History & Drama
Year 2	Autumn: Jolly Postman Spring: What do people do all day? Summer: The Time Machine	Geography & Dance Science & Music History & Drama
Year 3	Autumn: Invaders and Settlers Spring: The Twits Summer: Oh I do like…seaside	History & Dance Science & Drama Geography & Music
Year 4	Autumn: Walk like an Egyptian Spring: Out of this World Summer: James and the Giant Peach	History & Dance Science & Drama Geography & Music
Year 5	Autumn: Myths and Mazes Spring: Champions Summer: Wish You Were Here	History & Dance Science & Drama Geography & Music
Year 6	Autumn: War Games Spring: Over the Hedge Summer: Chocolate	History & Drama Geography & Music Science & Drama

 

The Foundation Stage Curriculum

The Foundation Stage Curriculum emphasises learning through a process of exploration and play as these are vital learning tools for neurological development. Play and movement are essential to prepare children for creative rigorous thinking as they develop and grow.

Learning experiences should provide opportunities for learning through direct participation with sensation, movement, feeling and image experiences. Child led activities are set alongside the teaching of key skills in literacy and numeracy. Opportunities for movement play are integral to curriculum provision as they have a significant impact on a child’s overall development. Observation supports early identification and early intervention opportunities. The teaching of socially acceptable behaviour is vital. We recognise that all children are different and that one teaching style or belief does not fit all – learning will take place at the appropriate level for individual children’s needs. The aim of our curriculum is to build secure foundations for a child’s learning (academic, physical and emotional), their health and their well-being. Too much prescription and children’s development is stifled, too much freedom and that development becomes chaotic.

Higher Order Thinking

An essential part of our curriculum planning is based around catering for higher order thinking. In order to do this each topic has a Thinking Keys plan and we aim to incorporate Mind Maps, Thinking Hats and PMI’s as part of each topic. Awareness and consideration of Blooms Taxonomy and catering for different Learning Styles is also a priority in our planning and approach to the curriculum content. Children need to learn how to learn and to support this each class has a set of ‘Life Skill’ posters that we all refer to and use as measures of success in learning.

Literacy:

All writing and reading experiences are taught and applied through the topic theme with a literacy objective/focus and we do not follow a Literacy Hour format. Instead we teach three 15 minute Key Skills sessions each day focussing on writing, reading or spelling – one session on each every day.

Mathematics:

We teach Mathematics each day for 45 minutes as well as having a 10 minute ‘4 rules’ session and we base our teaching on the interleaved and distributed principles. One day a week focuses on ‘Using and Applying’ based on the topic theme when possible and the other days are based on a two week rota revolving around the following eight areas: weight and capacity (including calculations), money (including calculations), fractions, time (including calculations), length (including calculations), shape, number and data handling.

Science

Science is taught each term so that we cover the science curriculum every year. One of the topics has a particular science focus. Each year group has science focus areas, areas that will be covered in depth. First hand practical experience is paramount as is the teaching of scientific key skills. Children are encouraged to be independent and collaborative scientific investigators by their involvement in exciting practical investigations. Children are encouraged to be creative and make learning to be more relevant to themselves by designing their own experiments.

ICT

We teach the key skills of ICT once a week in the ICT suite, following QCA guidance. ICt is also used through the topic approach and integrated as an essential part of all curriculum areas.

Geography

We want young people to marvel at the beauty of natural landscapes, to understand why our environments are changing, and to appreciate how their actions can affect others far across the globe. Primarily though we want them to understand their own local areas and, when they travel, to ‘understand’ the places they visit, rather than just passing through. We learn about history through our topic approach, one term out of the three having a more intense geography focus.

History

History should fire pupils’ curiosity about the past in our local area, Britain and the wider world. We want children to consider how the past influences the present and how beliefs and cultures influence peoples actions. We want children, through history, to understand more about themselves and as citizens in our society. We learn about history through our topic approach, one term out of the three having a more intense history focus.

Art

Art concerns the expression of the individual through creative means. It develops ways of seeing the world and observing that which occurs around them. It develops spiritual values and contributes a wider understanding to the experience of life, which helps to build a balanced personality. Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. They provide a child with sensory activities in a unique way. We link our art and DT work to our local environment and our topic themes.

DT

DT takes children through a design journey where they use their creative skills to design and construct. We want children to consider the effect of design on their lives and how their designs/ideas may shape the future.

PE

If children are to make sense of the world and learning they must first learn to control their body.

We deliver two hours of PE each week. This is made up of either three 30 minute sessions or two 45 minute sessions and three 10 minute sessions. In addition to this we follow the Jabadeo programme in the Foundation Stage. We use sensory circuits and SAQ to improve children’s physical literacy and we also have a sensory room. A great deal of importance is placed on extra-curricula PE and Sport opportunities.

RE

We want to provide pupils with a rich insight into the wide variety of faith communities that exist in Peterborough so that we are developing in our children harmonious relationships between individuals and groups. The values and beliefs of the Christian religion be a particular emphasis as this is the predominant faith within our community. Within this context we strongly promote and celebrate the cultural and religious diversity that exists in our community. Re offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development. We want children to learn from the different religions, beliefs, traditions and values that exist in our community. We want to promote discernment and enable our children to combat prejudice. The best way to do this is to let the principles of RE to permeate all that we do, to integrate RE into our cross curricula, themed topic approach and seek out every opportunity to promote the values we prioritise in our school so that children become responsible citizens and confident individuals.

Assembly

We have two phase assemblies each week and every day finishes with Pause for Thought which is based in each Learning Zone. P4T has a time for reflection, covers a moral issue and finishes with a silent reflection or a prayer.

Rituals and Routines

The school has certain rituals and routines that we all follow to ensure continuity of approach and the creation of an emotionally safe environment. They are central to our behaviour policy and our outlined within our ‘Fulbridge Way’ guidance.

Themed Weeks

During the year we create themed weeks that focus on an area of the curriculum such as science, creativity or RE for example. These themed weeks will have a common theme of encouraging higher order thinking skills to complement the main focus of the week.

Music

Music is the most universal of all arts and it can change the way pupils feel, think and act. It should enable children to develop personal expression, reflection and emotional development. Music can increase self-discipline, creativity, aesthetic sensitivity and fulfilment. We integrate music into our topic approach, one term out of the three having a more intense music focus.

Dance

We integrate dance into our topic approach, one term out of the three having a more intense dance focus. We do not see dance as a part of the PE curriculum but rather with the arts as it is an opportunity to express yourself and to have the freedom to fail without retort. Dance develops spiritual values and contributes a wider understanding to the experience of life, which helps to build a balanced personality. It stimulates creativity and imagination.

Drama

We integrate drama into our topic approach, one term out of the three having a more intense drama focus. Drama is also about the freedom of the individual, the freedom of expression and the freedom to fail without retort. It helps to develop a wider understanding of life’s experiences, which helps to build a balanced personality. Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination.

PSHE and Citizenship

This curricular area helps to give children the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active and responsible citizens. This area is truly cross curricular and should permeate everything we do in school. We want children to be confident individuals and responsible citizens who recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly responsible for their own learning.

Assessment:

Assessment is all about assessing children’s learning all the time. Assessment is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.

Assessment is not just about testing in the core subjects it needs to address issues such as can a child conform and follow rules, can they relate to adults and other children, share, take part in discussions, contribute, listen, respond, reflect, think and so on? In today’s world these are key skills for success and we cannot measure them in a SATs test, yet we do in the child’s interests need to assess improvements in these areas.

Assessment aims to: provide effective feedback to pupils, actively involve children in their own learning, inform planning, improve pupil motivation and self-esteem and encourage pupils to assess themselves and understand what they need to do to improve.

Assessment involves the children in their learning, it helps them to understand what they need to do to improve so that they can self-assess. The whole idea of assessment is to improve the child’s self-esteem and to give them greater involvement in their own learning. It is important that children become responsible independent learners so that they take a lead in their own learning so therefore assessment is obviously a very effective way of doing this. Repeated testing does the opposite especially for the lower achieving children where it can lower their self-esteem.

Assessment must reflect the needs of children in our society in the 21^st century. The reliance we have had in summative assessment reflects a past age when we were most concerned in measuring general knowledge and IQ. Nowadays it is essential to take more account of the social and the individual processes that allows learning to take place. Assessment needs to reflect the way in which children learn.