Our Curriculum

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE PROGRESSION MAPS FOR FOUNDATION SUBJECTS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

Curriculum Intent Statement

At Buckminster School we provide an enriching, high quality curriculum.  Creativity is encouraged; essential skills and knowledge are taught and applied in real life context and all children are viewed as lifelong learners.

The National Curriculum provides exciting opportunities for staff at our school to engage and inspire children to be the best they can be; to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about the world around them and to equip children with the knowledge and skills to experiment, investigate, invent, create and imagine.  

We develop curious minds by adopting a flexible approach to lesson design and structure.  Inspirational teachers develop inspirational learners by employing creative teaching methods; developing learning processes; challenging thinking and concepts and developing a ‘can do’ attitude when children are faced with adversity.  

We are a small rural school with a constantly evolving curriculum which responds to the needs of learners, their interests and the environment, by enhancing learning experiences and raising awareness from the local area to national and global arenas.  Thus, we develop outward looking pupils who are able to engage in learning about themselves and have an understanding and respect of the wider world and its complex cultures.

Our school curriculum is not only the statutory subjects; it is the whole experience of education, to ensure our young people grow up to be Respectful, Responsible, Reflective, Resourceful and Resilient.

   

Vision:

To develop active and responsible global citizens

 

Global Themes:

Identity, diversity and equity

Sustainability

Peace, Conflict and Power

 

Curriculum Drivers:

Creativity                          

Aspirations                   

Community

Communication

Enterprise

 

Aims: To be:

Respectful and Responsible citizens

Reflective and Resourceful learners

Resilient individuals

 

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE PROGRESSION MAPS FOR FOUNDATION SUBJECTS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

The National Curriculum is mandatory (see link below for more information) for all Foundation Schools and is prescribed by the Government. The way that the curriculum is delivered is, however, left to the school.

At the start of every term we will send you an outline of the curriculum your child will be covering that term.

The children’s school years have been apportioned into three key stages:

  • Foundation (Pre-School and Reception class)
  • Key Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2)
  • Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6)

English, Mathematics, Science and ICT have been designated as 'core' subjects and as such feature more prominently. The other subjects or Foundation subjects (History, Geography, Art, Design Technology, Music, French, PSHE and PE) are compulsory and form the remainder of the work covered at school. Religious Education is also required to be taught by law.

Buckminster Primary School also has an interactive Smartboard in every class which are superb teaching and learning resources and add considerably to the children’s education. If you would like a more up to date idea of some of the activities that the children do, please look at the Classes pages of this website.

Further information about the specific subject areas that the children in each year group will learn, and our approach to the teaching of reading and mathematics, can be found on our Classes and Policies pages.

A brief overview is describe below.

Foundation Stage: Reception

During the first years at Buckminster Primary, the teachers follow the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as laid down by the government. Throughout the two years, pupil progress is monitored with reference to the Foundation Stage Profile. This is a statutory document relating to the Early Learning Goals, which addresses the following areas: Personal, social and emotional development; Communication, language and literacy; Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy; Knowledge and understanding of the world; Physical development; Creative development.

Personal, social and emotional development

Children learn to work together, to share and co-operate. They are helped to develop good self-esteem and confidence. This area is the basis for success in all other areas of the curriculum.

Communication, language and literacy

Children develop speaking and listening skills in a variety of situations. They begin to read and write and to use information and communication technology (ICT) skills. These are developed through making connections, often through play.

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

Children develop skills in mathematics through active learning. This will include counting, sorting, matching, seeking patterns, making connections, recognising relationships and working with numbers, shapes, space and measures. Mathematical understanding is developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play.

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Children develop those skills that help them make sense of the world. This includes first-hand experiences that encourage exploration, observation, problem-solving, critical thinking, decision making and discussion. This forms the foundation for later work in science, design and technology, history, geography and ICT.

Physical development

Children develop their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. This involves using a range of equipment both indoors and outside.

Creative development

Creativity is fundamental to successful learning. Being creative allows children to make connections between areas of learning and so extend understanding. This area includes art, craft, music, dance, role play and imaginative play.

Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2

When children leave the Foundation Stage after their Reception year they enter Key Stage 1. This stage lasts two years (Year 1 and Year 2) and finishes at the end of Year 2 when the children are all seven years old.

In May of their final year children are assessed by their teachers in English and Mathematics using National tests and their own teacher assessments.  Results are reported to parents with the child’s annual record of achievement. Children in Key Stage 1 study the National Curriculum and Religious Education.

Lower Key Stage 2: Years 3 and 4

Reading is a vital skill and should be well established as a habit by this time. Children are given every opportunity to demonstrate their ability as readers and writers through a variety of activities. The aim is to make them effective communicators over a range of themes. They should be beginning to appreciate style in writing, acquire and employ a wide vocabulary and put ideas into their own words without close direction from an adult.

Children should be sure of their number bonds to ten, twenty and one hundred and should be developing their knowledge of times tables. For more information see your class teachers termly planning overview.

Upper Key Stage 2: Years 5 and 6

The senior children are expected to be independent, self-assured and capable of expressing themselves clearly in both the spoken and written word. Children should be able to work in a co-operative way with others and have good manners. They should also be able to respond properly to adults and see themselves as ambassadors for the school.

No child should leave without feeling that they have shared a wide range of opportunities and responsibilities. In their final year they will, in turn, become Playtime Partners and this will mean that for a week at a time they will be responsible for certain duties, such as answering the telephone, helping staff, meeting visitors and more importantly they will be expected to set a good example for the rest of the children at Buckminster Primary. All children in Key Stage 2 study the National Curriculum and Religious Education.