Curriculum: Primary

Overview

In Middle School we understand the importance of a well-rounded, fulfilling curriculum to adequately prepare our pupils for the next stage of their education. We are constantly reviewing our teaching and learning practices to ensure that we are in-line with current UK standards.

Writing
Writing is an integral part of all areas of the curriculum. Children are involved in writing for many different purposes and in different ways. We place an emphasis on helping children to become ‘good spellers’ and to develop a fluent handwriting style. Within Middle School the children build upon their bank of vocabulary, spelling and grammar skills to enable the quantity and quality of writing to continue to develop. We are very conscious about allowing children to become independent, successful writers with their own style and flair and this is celebrated within class and during assemblies. Celebrating success and building confident writers is high on our agenda and this is seen throughout the department.

Reading
We strive to develop a love for reading in our children. Since the introduction of the new curriculum in 2014 there are higher expectations for children in reading. We have many strategies to improve your child’s reading throughout their time in Middle School, these include: the children being heard reading regularly by their class teacher, children taking home their reading book and a library book on a weekly basis. In addition, our reading scheme is organised into sections that get progressively more challenging in order to maintain your child’s motivation and extend their reading ability and understanding.

Maths
Three main aims of the Primary Maths Curriculum are at the heart of everything we do, these are:
Fluency in the fundamentals of mathematics so that pupils develop conceptual understanding, and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
Reasoning mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
Problem Solving by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Science
Science is taught through active involvement in practical work. We aim to develop children’s understanding and skills as they progress through school. They are involved in enquiry based learning to find out about the variety of life, materials and physical processes. We encourage the children to use a questioning approach to the world they live in.

Geography
We want to inspire children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and its people in a way that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching equips pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and environments, along with the Earth’s physical and human processes. The children should be able to use and interpret a range of resources such as maps, diagrams, globes and aerial photographs.
We teach geography through topics such as the Coasts, Titanic and the Rainforests. These topics are usually taught through a cross-curricular approach and often incorporate writing skills, art and drama.

History
We want to inspire children’s curiosity about the past and that of the wider world. We aim for our teaching of history to equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement. We firmly believe that history helps children to understand the complexity of people’s lives and the process of change. They will develop skills of historical enquiry, will gain perspective by placing their own knowledge into historical context and be able to use a range of different evidence.
We teach history through topics such as the Romans, Ancient Greece and the Stone Age. These topics are usually taught through a cross-curricular approach and often incorporate writing skills, art and drama.

Music
The essence of Music at ESF is to create a topic-based, cross-curricular approach to support children’s learning.
A steady progression plan has been created, both within each year and from one year to the next, ensuring consistent musical development.
The scheme of work ensures that we are fulfilling the aims for musical learning stated in the 2014 National Curriculum.
We include many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing and composing activities, which enables understanding of the context and genre.
We also offer a wide range of clubs throughout the year including Middle School Choir, Ukulele Club, Boomwhacker Club and Year 5 and 6 have the opportunity to learn the Trumpet and Trombone.

Art
We believe that art is an integral part of our curriculum. Engaging in the creative arts helps to develop the whole child- mentally, physically and emotionally. We strive to stimulate creativity and imagination in our students through our exploration of a range of subjects, media and art forms. Art is taught as a specialist lesson as well as being incorporated into some other curriculum lessons because we believe that learning does not happen in isolation. Some of the key art skills we develop in Key Stage 2 includes observational drawing, the ability to use a range of basic painting techniques, understanding of textiles and developing basic sewing skills as well as the ability to effectively select and use different art media for a variety of purposes. We are passionate about Art Education!

Physical Education
Physical Education at ESF is an integral part of the total education programme. It contributes to the development of the individual student in many ways: positive self-image, teamwork and cooperation, participation and communication, leadership, strategic thinking, game rules, hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, spatial awareness and physical fitness.
In PE, we strive to provide high-quality learning experiences for all students in a safe and fun environment, and ensure that all learners experience success and growth. All students will have the opportunity to progress at a rate suited to their ability.
The varied units covered in Middle School include athletics, basketball, benchball, capture the flag, dance, football, gymnastics, speed stacking, swimming, table tennis and unihockey.