Curriculum Information

Speaking and Listening – Good listening habits are essential and time is devoted to helping the acquisition of these. We develop children’s understanding of the spoken word, encouraging them to express themselves effectively and confidently. Role-play is particularly encouraged and areas are regularly changed.

Reading – Our children are taught to read using a wide variety of literature; this includes fiction, non-fiction and books from a broad range of structured reading schemes such as Oxford Reading Tree and Storyworld. From the earliest stages our children derive great pleasure from sharing books and listening to stories. Our aim is that they clearly identify themselves as readers who find pleasure in books. We provide a lively reading environment and the children are encouraged and supported by structured and sensitive teaching. The children’s individual needs and interests are catered for, and all children are encouraged to borrow books from the school library. We welcome parental involvement and children are encouraged to take books home daily. We welcome “Rotary Readers” from Aylsham Rotary Club who come into school each week to listen to children read and talk about the books they have read.

Writing  – Children need to learn to write for a variety of purposes. Opportunities are provided for different kinds of writing, such as imaginative writing, descriptive writing, recording of observations, discussions and events. We aim to encourage the children to develop confidence in themselves as independent writers. Talk for Writing is an important skill that the children learn to enable them to know what they want to write about. Considerable importance is attached to the teaching of spelling and handwriting skills. An example of the style of handwriting (including letter formation) used by the school is available as a John Bear Handwriting mat for parents to use at home.

The children are taught phonics, the sounds letters make, every day and at the end of Year One the children are assessed.

We use the Jolly Phonics and Letters and Sounds schemes.

There are lots of ideas and information in our Phonics Booklet which will help you support your child.

Here is a link to our John of Gaunt Phonics YouTube channel with helpful videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_fjhlwtr3meI01BfjIXcg

Please click on the presentation below for more details about the teaching of phonics.

We aim to develop the foundations of mathematical thinking by use of language, observation and first hand experience. Therefore much of our early work is of a practical nature, related to everyday life, when the children are shopping, weighing, measuring, telling the time or handling shapes. As the children gain confidence and understanding in the use of these mathematical skills, they move on to recording their work. Emphasis is placed on mental calculations. The progress is carefully monitored in accordance with the National Curriculum. We use a variety of mathematical games to reinforce children’s learning and to enable them to acquire skills and concepts with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Each week the children take home a maths challenge to complete at home.

There are lots of ideas and activities in our Helping your child at home with maths booklet.

We encourage the children to investigate the wonderful world around them by developing skills, knowledge and understanding through investigation and observation.

We place high importance on developing children’s methods of enquiry and systematic scientific thinking through practical activities both indoors and outdoors. Every year we enjoy a science themed week which families are invited to come along and join in with investigations and experiments.

When questions arise on this subject they are answered suitably and sensitively, according to the level of understanding of our young children.

Each classroom is equipped with a mini suite of computers and an Interactive Smart Board. There is also a bank of 16 Learn Pads which are available to use in classrooms. Computing is embedded across the curriculum and the children enjoy cameras, videos and programmable toys. The children in Key Stage 1 are taught by a specialist computing teacher, who helps to develop their skills in writing, graphics and using the Internet safely. The children are always supervised when using the Internet.

Religious Education is taught in accordance with the agreed Norfolk Syllabus.

During our mainly Christian assemblies emphasis is placed on humanitarian and moral issues, such as tolerance, honesty and concern for others. We have regular visitors from our local community who come and lead our whole school assemblies. Children are given an appreciation of the multicultural society in which we live. Parents who wish to withdraw their children from Religious Education or the devotional part of our assemblies are invited to discuss the matter with the Headteacher.

The opportunities for this subject include working with a wide variety of materials such as paint, collage and clay. During design and technology lessons, the children enjoy making moving pictures, puppets, castles and vehicles. Design and technology projects include vehicles, moving pictures and a sewing project. The children work on individual projects as well as collaborative activities, some of these are on display within our school grounds. Design and technology is also a feature of our popular Family Learning Days.

The children are taught by a specialist music teacher, who develops singing and creative music making skills. The children also listen to a broad selection of music from different eras and cultures. The children enjoy performing in the local community at the Community Carol Concert in Aylsham Parish Church and at The Aylsham Care Trust.

Pupils develop an interest and thirst for knowledge of the past through our history curriculum.  We look at events within the pupil’s living memory and those beyond, that are significant nationally or globally.  We aim to relate each event to a chronological time line.  We try to link our history through our topics and include significant individuals and/or events, from different historical periods (for example Neil Armstrong and The Great Fire of London).  We also learn about history within our locality (e.g. Horatio Nelson).  We use artefacts, photographs, visits, stories and role play to inspire the children.

We want to inspire the pupils to find out more about the world around them.  We look at their locality, the United Kingdom and the world as a whole.  We also study a small area of the United Kingdom with a contrasting non-European country.  We want them to understand locational and place knowledge, as well as human and physical geography.  We try to link our geography to our topics.  We use key vocabulary, visits, maps, atlases, globes, compass directions and fieldwork to develop the pupil’s interest and understanding in geography.

A specialist PE teacher works with the children every week using our hall and spacious grounds. PE includes games, gymnastics and dance. Each day the children join in Activate sessions which stimulates their brains and keeps them fit and healthy. Parents are invited to a Sports Day and a Family Fun Event which are held during the Summer Term.

The majority of this work spreads across the curriculum, although weekly Circle Time allows each class to focus on aspects such as class rules, behaviour and broader issues that affect the school and wider world. The school follows SEAL (Social Emotional Aspects of Learning) programme which includes units of work such as New Beginnings, Changes and Good to be me.