SKETTY PRIMARY SCHOOL
Be the Best You Can Be
CURRICULUM POLICY
Planning,Teaching and Learning Policy
The following policy documents are a result of much discussion by the staff on the issues relating to the education of the children in our care. This policy has been presented to Governors for approval and will be regularly monitored, evaluated and reviewed.
Planning
Teachers are fully aware of the need for careful planning and evaluation. Detailed consideration is given to the needs of the children when identifying themes to implement the skills based curriculum. Planning is therefore considered in terms of:
- Overview of themes
- Long Term Plans ( schemes of work)
- Mid Term Plans ( Termly outlines for skills and range)
- Short Term Plans ( Weekly plans on skills and range to be covered)
The views of the children are also at the heart of the planning process. Therefore there should be a degree of flexibility within each theme year on year.
Planning is completed by staff in year group teams with staff working together to share expertise. Where possible the planning completed by the teaching staff will attempt to develop skills across the curriculum and this will allow subjects to be taught in a cross curricular fashion. It is the aim of the school to develop children’s key skills across the curriculum as well as developing subject specific skills.
These factors are outlined in the weekly planning. The weekly planning highlights:
- Skills taught
- Activity
- Skills across the curriculum
- Differentiation
- Assessment
- Evaluation
Planning is always available to subject leaders to consider progression and continuity across the key stage.
We believe that all good teachers need to be flexible and take advantage of any opportunity in the life of the school/class/child that may provide stimuli to learning. Therefore it is sometimes beneficial to deviate from ‘the plans’.
Teaching and Learning
This policy outlines the aims of the school and how teachers, children, parents, governors and support staff contribute towards the aims of the school.
At Sketty Primary School our aims are:
- To help develop and encourage self esteem and confidence in all children.
- To nurture a positive attitude to learning in all children.
- To provide all children with a broad, balanced, relevant curriculum in line with National Curriculum expectations.
- To ensure high standards of behaviour throughout the school.
- To help develop a spiritual and moral awareness in children with due regard for themselves, for others and for the world in which they live.
- To preserve our own cultural identity in Wales whilst at the same time promote an understanding of and a respect for cultures and creeds different from our own.
- To develop the skills necessary to become lifelong learners and have the ability to fully contribute to society.
Teachers work towards these aims by:
-Creating an environment that is conducive to learning and in which children feel secure, safe and confident.
-Providing equal opportunities for all abilities.
-Ensuring that the children’s interest is engaged.
-Providing a variety of teaching and learning strategies.
-Providing opportunities for children to develop independent learning skills.
-Building on each child’s prior knowledge.
-Discussing and setting achievable targets with the children.
-Expecting the children to be active participants in their learning.
-Valuing all contributions made by the children and having high expectations.
-Providing clear learning objectives.
-Evaluating, assessing and appraising with the children.
-Planning a challenging and interesting curriculum for all.
Children work towards these aims by:
-Arriving each day on time.
-Bringing the right equipment to school.
-By caring for one another.
-Wearing school uniform when it is needed.
-Asking questions if, they do not understand and, to get better at something.
-Speaking to an adult if they are upset or worried.
-Completing and returning homework and reading books or words.
Parents’ work towards the school aims by:
-Making sure your child arrives in school on time.
-Takes as little time off as possible.
-Shows respect and consideration for others. Bullying is unacceptable and will be dealt with firmly.
-Making sure that your child comes equipped for the school day wearing the correct uniform and bringing everything they need for lessons.
-Ensuring your child has a positive attitude towards learning and is ready to listen and learn.
-Completes all home tasks on time.
-Tell the school if there are any problems or worries.
-Helping your child with reading, multiplication tables and spelling.
-Demonstrating their trust in the school by allowing their child to grow increasingly independent and more responsible as they progress through the school.
Governors work towards the school aims by:
-Maintaining an environment, which promotes and secures good teaching, effective learning, and high standards of achievement, good behaviour and discipline.
-Determine, organise and implement the curriculum and its assessment, and monitor and evaluate in order to identify and act on areas for improvement.
-Promote effective teaching of the key skills across the curriculum.
-Through liaison with the headteacher, monitor and evaluate achievement of all pupils in order to set and meet challenging and realistic targets for improvement.
-Develop effective links with the community, including business and industry, to extend the curriculum and enhance teaching and learning.
-Create and maintain an effective partnership with parents to support and improve pupils’ achievement and personal development.
Support staff work towards the school aims by:
-Assist the teachers in their various curriculum duties both in and out of the class.
-Ensure equipment used by the children is clean, available and in good order.
-Prepare children’s work for display.
-Develop play equipment, help prepare resources, overlays, worksheets and apparatus for the children they support.
-Carrying out individual programmes and contribute to record keeping and future planning e.g. I.E.P’s and Review meetings.
-Assist on school visits.
-Give physical assistance to disabled children.
-Support children within the classroom sometimes within a group of other children.
Strategies for Teaching for Learning
-The curriculum is organised into themes whereby year groups plan learning opportunities on a thematic basis. Wherever possible we try to establish links between areas of the curriculum.
-The requirements of the National Curriculum are addressed through these themes with an emphasis on key skills.
-A variety of teaching and learning styles are used to engage the children – group work, paired or individual tasks and whole class teaching.
-Children with identified special needs are supported by the relevant agencies.
-Pupils with special needs are withdrawn for extra support by the special needs teacher or receive support in class.
-I. E. P. ’s are written to address the children’s targets.
-Differentiation occurs to support, consolidate and extend all areas of teaching for learning in order to allow all children to reach their potential.