Curriculum

The Foundation Stage and Early Learning Goals

The Foundation Stage is the period of education from 3 to 5. Your child’s last year in the
foundation stage will be in our Reception class. It is called the foundation stage because
it gives children secure foundations for later learning.
The early learning goals cover the six main areas of young children’s development and
learning.

Personal, social and emotional development: Developing confidence and
independence while learning to concentrate and enjoy sharing as part of a group.

Communication, language and literacy: Communicating with one another and
developing skills in talking, listening, writing and reading.

Mathematical development: Using ideas about number, quantity, measurement, shape
and space.

Knowledge and understanding of the world: Investigating and beginning to
understand things, places and people around them.

Physical development: Improving control and co-ordination of their bodies while
learning to move and handle equipment.

Creative development: Finding ways to communicate by using colour, shape, sound,
texture, movement and stories.

During the foundation stage these areas of learning will be introduced in ways that are
suitable for young children, often through play. Teaching staff will build on children’s
existing skills and interests and on their play activities in order to help them learn.
Through play your child can develop:

· The confidence needed for learning;
· The social skills needed for personal development;
· The skill needed for writing.

Early experiences also affect children’s attitude to learning and create the basis for later
learning in school and beyond.

Key Stages 1 & 2

All children in Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6) are taught the
National Curriculum; this consists of Maths, English, Science, ICT, RE, Technology,
History, Geography, Art, Music and PE. The provision of this curriculum, together with
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE), aims to provide the children
with opportunities to develop the necessary skills, concepts and attitudes to relate to one
another and develop their own self-confidence. Through our curricular provision,
supported by our ethos and values, we aim to play an influential part in developing each
child’s ability to become a successful citizen in the global community.

Cross-Curricular Links
Where it is possible we try to make natural links between areas of the curriculum. This
gives the children the chance to utilise and further develop the skills, concepts and
attitudes they have learnt in one area of the curriculum to enhance the work in another
area.

Teaching Methods
To deliver the curriculum a range of teaching methods is used. These include whole
class teaching, group teaching and individual teaching. At all times learning objectives
are clear and the individual needs of all children are taken into consideration in each
lesson.

Religious Education
We follow the Leeds Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. This includes a study of
Christianity and other world faiths.

Year Groups	Religions Studied
Years 1 & 2	Christianity and Judaism
Year 3	Christianity and Hinduism
Year 4	Christianity and Sikhism
Year 5	Christianity and Islam
Year 6	Christianity and Buddhism

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from religious education. Anyone wishing to
do so should please contact the Headteacher.

Sex Education

The School Governing Body, in line with the national guidance and Education Leeds
expectations, have determined that sex education should form part of the school
curriculum and that consequently must be available to all children. As a general rule, the
school policy is that staff will attempt to deal honestly and effectively with children's
questions whenever and however they may arise. More specifically, sex education will
form part of a topic on the human body for the children in Years 5 & 6.

A child may be withdrawn from sex education if a parent so requests.

PE and Swimming
The children in Year 4 go swimming one session per week throughout the whole school
year.
(PE and swimming are part of the curriculum and every child is legally bound to take part;
if your child is unable to participate for medical reasons, a letter should be sent to school.)

Music
We work closely with Education Leeds ArtForms to ensure a broad music curriculum.
This includes small groups of musicians visiting school to perform and also members of
their staff working in school with the teachers and small groups of children.