Foundation Subjects
Art and Design Technology
We follow The National Curriculum for Art and Design. We aim to ensure that all pupils produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences. We teach children to become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques. We ensure they are able to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design. We allow children to explore art, as well as finding out about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Geography
We believe that Geography is an essential part of our school curriculum and ensure that children develop their knowledge of Geographical enquiry, Physical Geography, Human Geography and Geographical Knowledge. These areas will cover the human and physical processes, which shape them, and the people who live in them. Skills developed through Geography help pupils make sense of their surroundings and the wider world.
History
Children are given opportunities to learn and develop an interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. We teach children a sense of chronology, and, through this, they develop a sense of identity, and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. Thus, they learn to value their own and other people's cultures in modern multi-cultural Britain and, by considering how people lived in the past, they are better able to make their own life choices today.
Music
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. Our music education engages and inspires children to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As children progress, they develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon. All children participate in practical musical activities, which include rhythm, pitch, and notation work.
We have a variety of percussion instruments and children are encouraged to use them in creative music making and in performances. Additional lessons are provided during the school day for pupils wishing to learn the Piano. These lessons are given by specialist music teachers and a charge is made for tuition and the hiring of instruments. Details of these charges are available from the school office
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)
Learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education fosters pupils’ curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. Teaching enables pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language.
Modern Foreign Languages Intent
Physical Education
Children at our school engage in PE lessons for approximately two hours per week. This includes class swimming sessions, gymnastics, dance, games, rock climbing, horseriding, tennis lessons and athletics. The sessions are planned to be seasonal and age dependent and take advantage of our school and local village facilities.
PE lessons include the teaching of skills as well as competitive games that allow children to practice and apply their skills. All children are encouraged to be active at playtime and lunchtimes during the day, including the daily mile every Tuesday and Thursday where children, parents and teachers all participate in a walk through our lovely local countryside. Boxes of equipment that encourage active play are available every playtime. These include skipping ropes, stilts, bats and balls. Classes also use our new trim trail and play football and cricket.
We understand the importance of physical activity and sport to the overall well-being of every child and are committed to raising participation rates and achievement for all our children
Physical Education Curriculum Intent
Computing
Our computing education equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which children are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, children are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
PSHE
At Withington C of E Primary School our aim is for our children to feel that they are an integral part of the wider community. We aim to equip children with essential skills for life. We intend to develop the whole child through carefully planned and well-resourced lessons which develop the knowledge, skills and attributes that children need to protect and enhance their wellbeing. They will learn how to stay safe and healthy, build and maintain successful relationships and become active citizens, responsibly participating in society now and in the future. The programme of study is a spiral curriculum to develop knowledge, skills and attributes, where prior learning is revisited, reinforced and extended year on year. Our school culture will prioritise physical and mental health and wellbeing. PSHE lessons will support vulnerable children to achieve by raising their aspirations and empowering them to overcome barriers they face.