Our School Curriculum
Aims
At Kelvin Grove we have high expectations for EVERY child. Through our curriculum, we motivate, engage and inspire our children. We believe no barrier is insurmountable and all children should reach their full potential. We aim for all our children to leave our school as valued members of the community, modelling our school values of:
Aspiration
Community
Compassion
Enjoyment
Perseverance
Positivity
Respect
Community
To achieve these aims, our curriculum is designed to:
- Provide the children with new experiences,
- Be practical and develop children’s skills,
- Focus on communication and be language rich,
- Give the children opportunities to investigate and explore,
- Be exciting and stimulating, motivating the children to learn,
- Be knowledge rich alongside a clear progression of skills,
- Develop children’s interpersonal skills.
We work as a diverse, vibrant community, Achieving Success Together.
Curriculum Lead: Mr Hutton
Being able to lead the curriculum here at Kelvin Grove is a huge honour for me. Having the opportunity to develop subjects, work closely alongside subject leads and most importantly, ensure our pupils are receiving a high quality curriculum – allowing them to find their spark.
I love this quote as it shows learning is a continuous journey; the more we seek, challenge and question the more we learn.
“The ocean of knowledge is profound and the deeper you dive, the more insight you will gain from it.”
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum
Children in our Nursery and Reception classes follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. The curriculum is designed to create learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interests of each child. The overarching principle is to recognise that every child is a unique child who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Working in partnership with children and their families we aim to develop independence and the ability to forge positive relationships. Our learning environments are both stimulating and challenging. They provide unlimited possibilities for children to develop explore, have fun, play, express themselves and develop into happy, confident individuals.
prime areas
Communication and Language
We provide a rich and stimulating environment which encourages children to develop their skills and confidence to express themselves: and to speak and listen in a range of situations. Role play, retelling of stories and play are essential in acquiring these skills.
Physical Development
We provide endless opportunities for our children to be active, developing their coordination, control and movement skills.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We support children in developing their social skills and how to manage their feelings. Children learn to share, take turns and respect others. All children are seen as unique individuals with special qualities that make them who they are.
Specific Areas
Literacy
Through our literacy program children learn to links sounds and letters in order to read and write. Our core phonics program in Reception is Read Write Inc Phonics.
Mathematics
Through a range of highly practical activities children develop early mathematical skills including counting, number recognition, ordering numbers and describing shapes. Our core Mathematics program throughout early Years is Numicon.
Understanding the World
Children are encouraged to talk about their own lives both past and present and to identify/observe similarities and differences between living things, places and the environment.
Expressive Arts and Design
Children are encouraged to experience and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques. They are positively encouraged to express themselves through art, music, dance and role-play.
Key Stages 1 & 2
This curriculum is based on the National Curriculum (2014) and covers the following subjects;
- English
- Maths
- Science
- Computing
- Art
- Design and Technology
- History
- Geography
- Music
- Physical Education
- Religious Education
- PSHE/Citizenship
- French (KS1 & KS2)
All classes from Year 1 are taught these subjects. The work the children undertake has been planned by the class teachers and HLTAs (Higher Level Teaching Assistants) and is based upon schemes of work prepared by the subject co-ordinators. The class teachers plan the work with their year group colleague to ensure continuity across the year group/phase.
At the start of every term you will be sent written details of the curriculum your child will be studying and any trips or visits planned for the class. If you have any relevant skills or knowledge and can help with any class work the class teacher would always be pleased to hear from you.
core subjects
English
English is taught in blocks with a focus on a specific genre/ text type, e.g. newspaper accounts, narrative writing and non-chronological reports. Every term each class also undertakes a book study with “Take One Book”.
At Kelvin Grove we use a synthetic phonics programme called Letters and Sounds to teach our children to read. Synthetic phonics is the ability to convert letters or groups of letters into a sound and blend the sounds to make words. Please follow the link below for further information.
Mathematics
Mathematics is also planned in units of work and teachers follow the White Rose Hub long term plans, through our Powermaths programme, to fulfil the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and ensure continuity and progression throughout school.
Science
In Science we deliver the statutory curriculum through half term units of work.
Key scientific skills and concepts are taught through a variety of topics.
Computing
At Kelvin Grove, we have developed a bespoke Computing curriculum, to compliment our topic based approach to learning and ensure specific knowledge and skills are taught, to equip our pupils for the rapidly changing technological world in which we live.