Curriculum - Foundation
Science
We encourage an enquiring mind, an understanding of the world around us and aim to develop the pupils’ scientific skills through first-hand experiences. Lessons are presented in a practical, relevant context. Pupils solve problems by making close observations, planning, predicting, fair testing and recording their findings in a systematic way. We hope also to foster responsible attitudes towards the environment and all living things.
We follow our own scheme of work for Science and use resources from a wide variety of sources to help implement the scheme.
Information and Communication Technology
ICT prepares children for using technology in our rapidly changing world. Children use ICT tools to find, explore, analyse and present information.
Through focussed ICT lessons and cross curricular themes we place emphasis on developing the children’s skills in:
- Finding things out
- Developing ideas and making things happen
- Exchanging and sharing information
- Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses
We have a dedicated ICT suite of 15 PCs for use by all pupils. Additionally, we have a trolley of laptops, which can be circulated around the school, and other hardware to support the curriculum, such as control technology, digital cameras and camcorders, data loggers and floor robots.
In addition, all classes have interactive whiteboards, PCs and supervised, filtered access to the internet. Access to email is provided for KS2 pupils by RM easymail.
Our ‘e safety’ policy is available to look at in the office and all pupils and parents are required to sign our ‘acceptable use of ICT’ document on entry.
Geography
Geography provokes and answers questions about the natural and human world. It develops knowledge of places and environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps, and a range of problem-solving and investigative skills both inside and outside the classroom. Geography is an important link between the natural and social sciences and is a focus within the curriculum for understanding and resolving issues about the environment.
At Courtney Primary School teaching geography is increasingly being taken outside the classroom to gain a ‘hands on’ experience of geography. This ranges from fieldwork in the school grounds to residential visits to different parts of the UK.
International Links
We have a very strong link with Rajala Primary School in Kuopio, Finland. Pupils from Courtney are twinned with children in Finland and write letters/emails to them. In 2009 children from Rajala came to visit and performed a concert with Courtney children.
Music
Music is essentially a practical subject. The curriculum encourages pupils to sing, compose and use percussion instruments in order to develop their creative skills. Through active listening, pupils' awareness and understanding of different periods, styles and genres are developed. The school provides pupils with plenty of opportunities to enjoy making music through learning to play an instrument and singing with choirs.
The school enjoys concerts given by musicians visiting the school. We also work well with our cluster primary and secondary schools by collaborating to put on bi-annual Christmas concert at the Colston Hall.
Music lessons are offered, for a small cost, to KS2 pupils in violin, keyboards/piano, flute and clarinet.
Art
Art is for most pupils a natural form of expression and a source of great pleasure. We encourage pupils to develop their creative and imaginative talents through learning skills and techniques and using a variety of materials and tools.
Pupils also learn to appreciate works of art and use artistic language to describe paintings, sculptures and other artefacts.
Design Technology
We provide our pupils with opportunities to work with a variety of materials such as wood, clay, textiles and food. They are helped to develop skills that enable them to plan, design, make and evaluate.
Food Technology provides opportunities to learn about diet, nutrition, food safety and hygiene, food preparation and cooking as well as where food comes from. We are very lucky to have a purpose built kitchen for children in our new school.
Physical Education
We are rightly proud of our PE provision. We aim to develop agility, coordination and confidence through physical activity. All pupils have two hours of physical activity a week. Dance, gymnastics, swimming, games and athletics are taught. We encourage a competitive spirit while recognising the value of cooperation, fair play and team work. We participate in a range of competitions against other schools in a variety of activities, such as Pop Lacrosse, Multi-skills, Tri-Golf, Basketball, Network, Football and Tag Rugby. With this we have provided short term clubs to all ages after school through sports coaches. We work well with the Grange Sports college to share resources and expertise.
Pupils in KS2 all go swimming for a block of 10 weeks at Longwell Green swimming pool. The vast majority of pupils can swim well over 25 metres on exit from Courtney.
There is an annual Sports Day held in the summer term.
Throughout KS2 children are given the opportunity to do their cycling proficiency certificate.
Modern Foreign Languages
French is taught by a qualified teacher and a native speaker. This means that the pupils can learn about French culture as well as French language. We begin French in year 1 and continue through to year 6. In the early stages we concentrate on speaking and listening skills to help with pronunciation, adding in reading and writing from year 3. We follow the QCA Key Stage 2 scheme of work, moving from basic personal information right up to looking at other French-speaking countries in year 6.
Personal, Social, Health Education and Citizenship
PSHE and Citizenship helps to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active and responsible citizens.
Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, including circle time, contributing fully to the life of their school and communities. In doing so they recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly responsible for their own learning. They reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. They find out about the main political and social institutions that affect their lives and about their responsibilities, rights and duties as individuals and members of communities. They learn to understand and respect our common humanity, diversity and differences so that they can go on to form the effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning.
At Courtney Primary we also follow the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Programme which is an explicit, structured, whole-curriculum framework and resource for teaching social, emotional and behavioural skills to all pupils.
Our School Council helps pupils to understand about local democracy.
Health Education
Many aspects of looking after ourselves are covered in the school's curriculum as well as the programmes of study in the Science National Curriculum Framework.
We aim to give pupils a greater understanding of themselves by covering aspects of diet, hygiene and exercise.
Sex Education
Sex Education forms part of the Health Education in school and the Science curriculum. Year 5 & 6 pupils will study Sex Education and Relationships within a moral, family orientated framework.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from Sex Education and should contact the Headteacher if they wish to do so.
The School's Sex Education Policy is available from the School Office on request.
