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Key Stage 2 Curriculum
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Key Stage 2 Curriculum

YEAR 3 – YEAR 6

We encourage children to strive in all areas of education. This is achieved by offering a broad and balanced curriculum that follows the National Curriculum and ISEB curriculum.  It is tailored to the needs of each child whilst ensuring every child is challenged and supported in their learning.

The children are taught mainly by their class teachers. Art, Drama, French, Latin, Music, PE and Science are taught by specialist teachers.

Art:  Children have one hour of art each week, taught by a specialist teacher. The children look to develop their art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture. Children create a sketch book of their work and their final art piece is displayed in school. Through the art curriculum the children learn about artists, architects and designers in history. Click the link to find out more about the art lessons.

Design & Technology:  Through project work children undertake background research, review design criteria, plan and create prototypes of products, make products to develop their practical skills and techniques and finally evaluate their work. In year 3 – 6, children describe the purpose of products, create a design specification, model ideas using prototypes and patterns, use a range of tools and materials to create products, apply a range of finishing techniques, follow safety and hygiene procedures, critically evaluate the quality of their design and manufacture.

Digital Literacy & Computing:  Digital literacy is embedded throughout school life and teaching. All teachers teach children to become digitally competent and develop IT skills. The computing curriculum is varied and constantly adapted to meet new technology. Using technology safely, respectfully and responsibly is a common theme across the school. Children learn computing skills through key concepts: Citizenship (e.g. esafety, copywriting), Interacting and Collaborating (e.g. online communication), Producing Digital Content (e.g. using a range of text, image, sound and animation software) and Data and Computational Thinking (e.g. algorithms, programming). Microsoft SharePoint and Teams are used to link work in school with homework and to celebrate great work across the school. Click here to find out more about our digital literacy provision

Drama:  A part time Drama teacher works with the children to enhance their performance skills. The children learn how to develop their voice, add emotion to their performance and write scripts. Drama is ideal for children tgain experience of language, co-operation and problem solving. Drama is also incorporated into other subjects, including English, PSHE, RE and history through role-play, acting out a scene or story and using video recording and editing to create a high quality record of their work. Throughout the year, each child performs in a production to parents. Click the link to find out more about our drama lessons.

English:  English is taught in explicit lessons, as well as being embedded throughout the school week. The curriculum provides opportunities for speaking and listening, spelling, grammar, writing comprehension, handwriting, reading and comprehension.  Our aim is for all children to develop a love of reading, guided reading occurs every day in the classroom and is set for homework. In addition, children are encouraged to read their own independent reading book. Speaking and listening opportunities are provided throughout the year to ensure children can communicate confidently. These include: year group and key stage debates, spelling competitions, presentations to parents, assemblies. For more information on our English curriculum please click here.

Humanities:  These lessons encourage children to use a range of geographical and historical skills to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. In geography the curriculum focuses on: places, their locations and patterns; processes, including environmental change; and the concept of sustainable development. In history children consider the causes and consequences of historical events, comparing the differences between ways of life at different times. The children focus on the eras from Pre-Roman Britain to the Vikings, they explore Early Civilisations around the world and undertake case studies on a local history study and more recent British history, such as The Battle of Britain.

Languages (French and Latin):  French builds on the children’s learning from year 2 and continues to be taught by a specialist teacher. Children learn to explore the patterns, sounds and spellings of the language, they are encouraged to engage in conversations, ask and answer questions, express opinions and respond to those of others. Through key stage 2 they broaden their vocabulary and learn basic grammar structures and how these are similar to or differ from English. In addition to French, children in year 6 learn Latin, which lives on in many languages we speak today.  The children follow the Minimus scheme of work. Click the link to find out more about the language lessons. 

Mathematics:  The mathematics planning ensures each concept is covered termly and reviewed each term at a greater depth. The mathematical concepts covered are: number and place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions, decimals and percentages, measurement, geometry – properties of shape, position and direction, statistics and problem solving. In year 5 & 6, the children also cover the topics ratio and proportion and algebra. To develop a child’s understanding, mathematics is taught through both written and practical-based activities, we use Numicon to support number understanding. Children are set for maths to ensure they cover the curriculum at the correct pace. For more information on our mathematics curriculum please click here.

Music:  All children have an hour of music lessons a week, taught by a specialist teacher, in which they sing, learn the recorder, explore percussion instruments, compose and listen to music. The children learn about staves and other musical notations, explore the history of music and experience music from many traditions and composers. Many children also have individual instrument lessons; the skills developed in these lessons are used throughout the rest of the school day and help develop each child’s personality. The children are also given opportunities to perform in assemblies and school productions. Click the link to find out more about the music lessons.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE):  Through the PSHE curriculum children learn how to live in the wider world, develop health and wellbeing and relationship skills. We give children the opportunity to explore attitudes, values and beliefs to develop the skills and strategies to manage issues that may arise in their lives. The lessons promote resilience, courage, core values, understanding emotions and relationships, the ingredients for success, explore attitudes, values and understanding and tackling bullying. Opportunities to develop a sense of the value of money are also created outside the classroom with real life scenarios, such as charity fundraising events and the school fair.

Physical Education:  All PE lessons are taught by specialist trained teachers, in a co-educational environment encouraging the children to enhance their physical skills and knowledge of the sports they play. There is an emphasis on competitive sporting activities and all our children have the opportunity to put their learning into practice in our weekly fixtures. The pupils are taught a variety of sports which help to develop different skills. Sports include athletics, cricket, dance, football, gymnastics, hockey, netball, rugby, swimming and tennis. Educational visits are organised by the sports department to support and further enhance the children’s learning and experiences in sport. Click the link to find out more about our PE lessons.

Reasoning: Through explicit reasoning lessons children develop a deeper understanding of the strategies they can use to solve a variety of challenges. As well as being able to solve written challenges both on paper and online, we develop children’s verbal explanations to enable them to justify their approach. Children are exposed to verbal, non-verbal and spatial activities. Our reasoning lessons link to all other curriculum subjects, for example our development of language in English or spatial awareness in Design and Technology.

Relationships & Health Education (RHE):  RHE is delivered as part of the PSHE curriculum to promote pupil wellbeing. Children develop a variety of skills including the value of respect, love and care, self-respect and empathy for others. It is taught in the context of trusting, stable and loving relationships and at appropriate stages. In year 3 & 4, children look at positive relationships and stereotypes, the main differences between boys and girls (including an overview of body parts) and learn about the difference between acceptable and unacceptable physical contact. In year 5 and 6 children are taught explicit Relationships and Sex Education lessons to understand the value of respect and love, manage their emotions and learn about physical development, including puberty (year 5 & 6) and reproduction (year 6).

Religious Education:  We recognise that learning about, promoting tolerance for and respect of different faiths is important. The religious education curriculum extends children’s knowledge and understanding of world religions. The curriculum includes: belief and values, the significance of key leaders, worship and sacred places, religious symbols and expression, celebrations and festivals, inspirational people and religion, family and community,

Science:  Science is a core subject and is taught by a specialist teacher in our science laboratory. In year 3 and 4 children receive 1.5 hours of science a week, this is increased to 2 hours in year 5 and 6. The lessons encourage curiosity, interest in and enjoyment of science. Children make links between different areas of science, undertake investigations, use their knowledge and ideas to explain the applications of science and develop an awareness of science in our environments. Children are given opportunities to learn about the world and become curious about the world. Topics stem from the subjects Biology, Chemistry and Physics and include states of matter, living things and their habitats, light and electricity. Click the link to find out more about the science lessons.