Curriculum

Curriculum

At Hadlow Primary School we pride ourselves on our personalised, purposeful and engaging curriculum that we offer to our pupils. We have a creative curriculum with termly topics that are explored in all year groups throughout the school. These topics intertwine all English, History, Geography. Art and Design and Music learning, with key objectives taught through cross-curricular opportunities. Maths, Computing, Science, PE, RE, French and PSHE are taught discreetly but efforts are made to these to the topics whenever meaningful links arise. Our curriculum begins from the moment the children set foot in the school grounds and every learning opportunity is maximised. We aim to develop inquisitive, engaged and life-long learners through the curriculum that we provide.

The six topics are:

Term 1) Our World, Our Home

Term 2) Time Travel

Term 3) Imagination- The Muscle Of The Soul

Term 4) The Land That Time Forgot

Term 5) A Little Magic Can Take You A Long Way

Term 6) Around The World In Seven Weeks

Within these topics, each class has a particular focus for the term. All children celebrate the end of the topic together in a 'Fabulous Finish'. 

English Curriculum

At Hadlow Primary School we aim to provide an environment where children can learn to communicate efficiently, effectively and with enjoyment through printed and written English. In support of our aims, English is taught everyday in each classroom. We want to develop real writers who record for a purpose and an audience. Our writers will edit, revise and redraft their work like true authors with our support and guidance. We will build on your child's existing skills and develop them in partnership with you by encouraging independent home learning that re enforces what is being taught in class. 

Every opportunity is taken, from the time your child enters school, to expose them to an attractive and stimulating array of books to develop a love and enthusiasm for reading. Your child should come to enjoy reading for its own sake, and to turn willingly to books as sources of pleasure and information.

Daily Phonics/Spelling and Guided Reading sessions are taught across KS1 and KS2, as well as discreet spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting lessons.

Phonics and Spelling

At Hadlow Primary School we follow the FFT Success for All Phonics Programme. Phonics is a way of teaching children to read quickly and skilfully. Children are taught how to recognise the sounds each individual letter makes and to identify the sounds that different contributions of letters make such as ‘sh’ and ‘oo’. Children are taught to read by breaking down words into separate sounds or ‘phonemes’. They are then taught how to blend these sounds together to read the whole word.

Research shows that when phonics is taught in a structured way, starting with the easiest sounds and progressing through to more complex sounds, it is the most effective way of teaching children to read. It is particularly helpful for children aged 4‐7. Almost all children who receive good teaching of phonics will learn the skills they need to tackle new words. They can then go onto read any kind of text fluently and confidently and for enjoyment.

In EYFS and KS1 we teach Phonics daily for 30 minutes followed by a Shared Reading lesson lasting between 15 and 30 minutes.  Once the children are secure with their Phonics (in Year 2 and beyond) the children move on to a spelling focus, which is also taught for 20 minutes a day across the school. 

Maths Curriculum

Work in mathematics begins in the reception class with an emphasis on experience and practical work in order to establish concepts basic to your child’s future mathematical growth. It is our aim that your child should experience success and excitement in their maths so that they develop a positive attitude to the subject. Attention is also given to mental arithmetic, as it is in this form that most people need to use mathematical skills in every day life. Multiplication tables are very important in this respect and we will expect your child to master them. Apart from work done in maths lessons, your child will also meet the need to use mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum. This will provide your child with a broader base and help them to appreciate the relevance of mathematics to the real world.

Science Curriculum

We aim to ensure that through science your child will develop their knowledge and understanding of the natural and physical world in which they live. Scientific knowledge will be taught through schemes of work and include topics focusing on plants and animals, their own bodies, weather and the environment, materials forces and energy, colour and light, sound, electricity and magnetism. Scientific skills are taught through varied practical activities and will involve observation, measurement, prediction and problem solving. In science we aim to encourage your child to develop an enquiring mind coupled with a concern and respect for resources, the environment, fauna and flora.

Computing Curriculum

To teach computing we are currently using the Kent Scheme which focuses on Digital Literacy, IT and Computer Science.

We also run Espresso coding.

In Key Stage 1 your child will be taught to use ICT equipment and software to communicate and handle information, support their problem solving, recording and expressive work.

In Key Stage 2 your child will be encouraged to extend their range of ICT tools for communication, investigation and control.

Religious Education Curriculum

We aim to provide a wide and balanced curriculum, which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils. It prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

Religious Education is of a broadly Christian nature with the opportunity to experience the traditions of other cultures and beliefs. We emphasise care and respect for others and their property.

Social and moral issues are considered in assemblies which are held every day.

Whole school assemblies take place on two days each week. One of these assemblies is used to celebrate the successes of the children. The school is also fortunate to have good links with the village church, and has a weekly assembly led by the vicar from this parish. Separate key stage assemblies are held twice a week.

Parents have a legal right to withdraw their children from Religious Education and assemblies, and those wishing to do so should contact the Head Teacher.

History Curriculum

The primary history curriculum is taught over 3 terms.

We cover all the main curriculum topics of British history and Ancient Civilisations with a strong emphasis on chronology, and using sources and artefacts to build up historical knowledge and enquiry skills.

Topics covered by year group are: 

EYFS - Me and my family, Living memory, toys from the past

Year 1 - History of the Home, London past and present, Kings & Queens

Year 2 - Streets through time, Dive into the Decades (20th century), Castle and Queens 

Year 3 - Stone Age to Iron Age in Britain, The Tudors, Ancient Sumer and Indus Valley

Year 4 - Roman Britain, Ancient Egypt and British monarchs & Empire

Year 5 - Anglo Saxons & Vikings, Ancient Maya, Victorian Britain

Year 6 - World War I & II, Ancient Greece, Shang Dynasty

Our teachers are passionate about teaching history and find many creative ways to engage the children in this interesting and important subject. 

MFL Curriculum

Modern Foreign Languages is taught in KS2.

Our School's language is French and we teach this from the Rising Stars French curriculum.

Topics covered include:

-         Simple greetings (bonjour, au revoir)

-         Basic conversation (what is your name? How old are you? Are you ok? Yes, No etc)

-         Numbers from 1- 50

-         Birthdays, Christmas,

-         Months of the year and days of the week

-         Body parts

-         Colours

-         Animals

-         Travel

-         Weather

SRE

As part of our on going PSHE provision, we teach Sex and Relationship Education lessons in term 6 of each year group. We use the Jigsaw scheme of work, supplemented by other materials in Year Six. Please read the information on our Sex and Relationship education lessons. If you have any questions or queries, please speak to Mrs Lissenden or Miss Hooper.

Home Learning

At Hadlow Primary School, we make our home learning relevant, purposeful, but most of all fun!

Children in Year 1-Year 6 have home learning journals in which to record their home learning. Home learning tasks for the whole term are given out at the beginning of a term and children can choose which they want to complete each week. These are a combination of personal targets, talk time and creative tasks. This gives parents a good idea of what tasks are coming up, so that resources and support can be provided. It also gives the children a chance to speak to their Teachers and Teaching Assistants if they are stuck for ideas or struggling with a particular piece.

We always encourage Parents to support their child with the initial ideas, planning and research but that the child independently completes the finished product. We want to see what they can do!

Children should be spending no more than 30 minutes an evening on their home learning and no more than 1 hour in total. We ask that home learning is returned to school on Wednesday. It will then be marked and given out again on a Friday. If a child does not complete their home learning, they may be asked to catch up with this during the school day.

Each night children are expected to read their reading book. Our reading scheme is a combination of Oxford Reading Tree and 'real' texts. The pages that have been read should be recorded in the reading journal. The reading journal needs to be brought into school every day for the teacher and teaching assistant to monitor reading and the texts that are being read. When reading is missed, children will be asked to read with an adult at some point during the school day.

Children will also be given spellings each week. These will need to be practiced and learnt for a spelling test the following week.

If there is ever a reason why your child has not been able to complete their home learning or reading, please inform the class teacher or teaching assistant as soon as you can and we will do our best to support your child with what they have missed in school.

With parents as partners and on going support at home, our children are guaranteed to reach or even exceed their potential!

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that every child can experience, learn and achieve whatever their ability, age, disability, gender, race, religion or culture. Parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns they might have in relation to the above with their child’s class teacher in the first instance. Every effort will be made to adapt how we offer aspects of our curriculum if necessary. We are sensitive to children’s protected characteristics and also make every effort to ensure that all school resources reflect our commitment to equal opportunities for all.

If you have any questions about our curriculum please contact the school office.

At Hadlow Primary School we pride ourselves on our personalised, purposeful and engaging curriculum that we offer to our pupils. We have a creative curriculum with termly topics that are explored in all year groups throughout the school. These topics intertwine all English, History, Geography. Art and Design and Music learning, with key objectives taught through cross-curricular opportunities. Maths, Computing, Science, PE, RE, French and PSHE are taught discreetly but efforts are made to these to the topics whenever meaningful links arise. Our curriculum begins from the moment the children set foot in the school grounds and every learning opportunity is maximised. We aim to develop inquisitive, engaged and life-long learners through the curriculum that we provide.

The six topics are:

Term 1) Our World, Our Home

Term 2) Time Travel

Term 3) Imagination- The Muscle Of The Soul

Term 4) The Land That Time Forgot

Term 5) A Little Magic Can Take You A Long Way

Term 6) Around The World In Seven Weeks

Within these topics, each class has a particular focus for the term. All children celebrate the end of the topic together in a 'Fabulous Finish'. 

Home Learning

At Hadlow Primary School, we make our home learning relevant, purposeful, but most of all fun!

Children in Year 1-Year 6 have home learning journals in which to record their home learning. Home learning tasks for the whole term are given out at the beginning of a term and children can choose which they want to complete each week. These are a combination of personal targets, talk time and creative tasks. This gives parents a good idea of what tasks are coming up, so that resources and support can be provided. It also gives the children a chance to speak to their Teachers and Teaching Assistants if they are stuck for ideas or struggling with a particular piece.

We always encourage Parents to support their child with the initial ideas, planning and research but that the child independently completes the finished product. We want to see what they can do!

Children should be spending no more than 30 minutes an evening on their home learning and no more than 1 hour in total. We ask that home learning is returned to school on Wednesday. It will then be marked and given out again on a Friday. If a child does not complete their home learning, they may be asked to catch up with this during the school day.

Each night children are expected to read their reading book. Our reading scheme is a combination of Oxford Reading Tree and 'real' texts. The pages that have been read should be recorded in the reading journal. The reading journal needs to be brought into school every day for the teacher and teaching assistant to monitor reading and the texts that are being read. When reading is missed, children will be asked to read with an adult at some point during the school day.

Children will also be given spellings each week. These will need to be practiced and learnt for a spelling test the following week.

If there is ever a reason why your child has not been able to complete their home learning or reading, please inform the class teacher or teaching assistant as soon as you can and we will do our best to support your child with what they have missed in school.

With parents as partners and on going support at home, our children are guaranteed to reach or even exceed their potential!