Curriculum

OUR CURRICULUM

Our curriculum supports us to create a rich, diverse learning environment in which children are able to explore a broad range of interests relevant to themselves, our community and beyond.  

Aims and Objectives 

We aim to help pupils to: 

• acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life in a rapidly changing world; 

• use language and number skills effectively; 

• understand the world in which they live, and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations; 

• develop lively, enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally, and to apply themselves to tasks, and physical skills; 

• appreciate and understand religions and moral values and show tolerance for other races, religions and ways of life; 

• appreciate human achievements and aspirations; 

 Implicit in our view of the curriculum is the fact that we believe everything that goes on within the school, whether inside or outside the classroom, forms part of the curriculum.

Reading

At Aveley Primary we believe that all children should have every opportunity to develop a true love of reading. 

The opportunities, organisation and provision for the teaching and learning of reading are as follows:

• Whole class reading
• Independent reading
• Phonics – Read Write Inc Phonics
• Resources – Read Write Inc books, or book banded reading scheme (Oxford Reading Tree) that operates to Level 20. Children are also free to choose from a wide range of texts. Reading materials include fiction and nonfiction, comics, annuals, digital texts, audio texts. Every classroom has a well-stocked reading area, as well further resources available for lending from our library bus. 
• Links to parents – Each child has a reading record book which logs books they have read and comments about their reading. Parents and teaching staff write in this book.
• Class books: Stories are read to the children on a daily basis throughout the school.
• Reading at home: Children are expected to read/share books at home every day.
• Children have access to online reading platforms - Oxford Owl/RWI - EYFS & KS1                                   
• Reading comprehension skills are taught weekly during a dedicated comprehension lesson, often based on  age-appropriate quality texts.

Writing

At Aveley Primary we believe that all children should enjoy and feel confident about writing. The teaching of writing is taught across the curriculum using engaging and purposeful prompts; a variety of genres and written using different mediums. 

Our curriculum closely follows the aims of the National Curriculum for English 2014 to enable all children to: 
 
● write clearly, confidently, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences 
● use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas 

● acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language 
● are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate. 

These aims are embedded across our English lessons and throughout the wider curriculum. 

English lessons are linked to a range of engaging resources and stimuli including high quality texts, current events, our  topics, artwork, videos and/or music. Children are taught to express their ideas by writing in a range of forms: fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, with the teaching of grammar embedded throughout the lessons.   

Handwriting is modelled and taught, first through the Read Write Inc programme and then adopting a cursive formation as the pupils are ready. 

Weekly Talk Topics are shared across the school community to encourage discussion and develop speaking and listening skills. The Talk Topics are also a way to expose the children to new vocabulary, alongside using a daily word taken from the shared class story and a challenge word from Vocabulary Ninja or Morning Challenge. 

Phonics

• Synthetic phonics are taught systematically in Early Years and Key Stage 1 using the Read Write Inc. scheme    Parent videos are available here.

Ruth Miskin Parents’ Page:    https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/parents/

For further information you can also view:

Ruth Miskin You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDe74j1F52zSCiOMSn3zQDSzgu9TrbQ1c

Ruth Miskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miskin.education

Free e-books for home reading: http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Reading/

Maths

We follow the National Curriculum for mathematics. Teachers prepare mathematics lessons using a range of resources following the whole school calculation policy. Problem-solving and reasoning strategies are taught and practised throughout. 

Science: Pupils explore Science in a variety of ways, which includes whole days dedicated to the subject. Our lessons are prepared following our own personalised schemes of work.

Religious Education: RE lessons are based on SACRE, the locally-agreed syllabus.

History: Pupils explore, discover and investigate developments from British, European and World History, following our own personalised schemes of work.

Geography: Pupils develop knowledge, skill and understanding related to people, places and environments at different scales in the UK and overseas, following our own personalised schemes of work.

Computing: Computing lessons are based on the Purple Mash scheme. 

Physical Education: PE lessons in gymnastics, dance, games and athletics are based on the Val Sabin schemes of work. Swimming is taught by specialist teachers at the Ockendon Academy.

PSHE/SRE: PSHE is taught using the curriculum from the PSHE association. It includes both health education and relationships education. Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) is taught in all years using resources from the FPA.

Music: We follow the Charanga Scheme for all year groups. The children will perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians. The children in Y3 and Y4 also have the opportunity to learn how to play the Ukulele.

Art: In art the children explore the history of artists and a range of mediums. Pupils learn about visual, tactile expression and communication. 

Design and Technology:  Pupils' lessons combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social and environmental issues, functions and industry. 

MFL: We mainly follow the Rigolo scheme for Years 3 to 6 to ensure that we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes.