Curriculum

At Plaistow and Kirdford, we aim to inspire children in their learning through delivering a rich, broad and exciting curriculum based around the Early Years Curriculum for our Reception Class and The National Curriculum for Years One to Six.

The Foundation Stage

Children in the Reception year are in the Early Years Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum. The curriculum in this age group covers six areas of learning:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Communication, Language and Literacy

• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

• Knowledge and Understanding of the World

• Physical Development

• Creative Development

The learning is steered by the interests of each cohort, it is centred around themes and topics and over the course of the week children will experience a range of activities. Children will take part in guided, adult led activities, but they will also experience child led activities. Play is an essential part of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and our Early Years Team provide opportunities for play which is purposeful, planned and well-resourced to support children’s learning and development.

KEY STAGE ONE AND TWO

The National Curriculum is very full and we aim to make it as interesting and engaging as possible. By making links in their learning, children develop their skills and apply what they know. To support this, we make our learning as cross curricular as possible so that children are able to transfer their skills and knowledge across the curriculum.

Click each class to find out about what they are learning

• English

• Mathematics

• Science

• Computing

• Design Technology

• Geography

• History

• Art and Design

• Physical Education

• Music

• Religious Education and Collective Worship

• Personal and Social Development

• Forest School

Curriculum Enrichment

The curriculum is enriched and enhanced by first hand experiences in a variety of ways. Visitors to the school include storytellers, museum staff, and individual artists as well as theatre groups. Children have the opportunity to go on educational visits which include British Wildlife Centre, Battle Abbey, The Globe, Marwell Zoo and Newhaven Fort as well as visits to more local places of interest such as the River Arun, New Wharf Farm, Moor Farm and Littlehampton Beach.

Weekly Forest School sessions are provided for all children in Key Stage One by our Enrichment Teacher. These lessons are popular providing a new learning experience in an outside classroom. Key Stage Two classes are taught French and also have the opportunity to enjoy Forest Schools in the Autumn and Summer terms.

We offer a number of residential (overnight) events for Key Stage Two Children, all aim to develop children’s resilience, independence, problem solving and teamwork skills. In Year Three, children take part in an overnight “Campout” at school – children camp on the field in tents and go for a night hike through the nearby woods. In Year Five, children go to Holmbury St. Mary’s where they stay in a Youth Hostel before going on a six mile hike to Leith Tower the following day. In Year Six, take part five-day trip to Little Canada on the Isle of Wight which provides an activity and adventure experience.

Homework

It is the school’s policy to give homework to all children. The amount and nature given depends on the age and stage of development of the child. Homework requirements will be outlined in a class curriculum guide at the beginning of each term and in our Homework Guidance Information.

How to find out more

Parents or other members of the public can find out more about the curriculum our school is following by contacting the School Office in the first instance, details can be found here.