Junior School Curriculum Guide

Junior School

CURRICULUM GUIDE

Introduction

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

English

Digital Learning and Online Safety

Art and Design

Design and Technology (DT)

French

Introduction

This guide is designed to give you an overview of the curriculum that The British School of Paris offers children between the ages of 3 and 11.

Our programmes are based on the National Curriculum of England and the Early Years Foundation Stage, modified where necessary to allow for our particular position as an international school in France.

We hope you find the information contained in this guide interesting and useful. Our aim is to help you to better understand the learning being undertaken by your children, which they will undoubtedly come home and discuss. We hope you will see how this learning forms part of the much broader programme making up a varied whole-school curriculum with considerable breadth and depth.

Our Curriculum

The National Curriculum sets out the body of knowledge and range of skills which our children both need and deserve in all subjects. It emphasises the breadth, both across the primary curriculum and within each subject, which provides one of the traditional strengths of a British education.

In some areas, however, we go well beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum, for example in offering a daily French programme throughout the primary years. In Music and Physical Education, our use of specialist staff means that we can offer a programme which exceeds National Curriculum expectations.

In addition, for subjects such as History and Geography, the ‘Anglo-centric’ nature of the National Curriculum does not always prove suitable for our situation. We have made adaptations wherever necessary to produce more meaningful learning opportunities for our children.

In the National Curriculum, the years of compulsory education are divided into five Key Stages. The first three relate to the Junior School:

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the curriculum is organised into seven ‘Areas of Learning’.

For Key Stages 1 and 2, the ‘Core Subjects’ comprise English, Mathematics and Science. Computing, Art, Design and Technology, Geography, History, French, Music and Physical Education make up the other ‘Foundation Subjects’.

French, Music and Physical Education are taught by specialist teachers throughout the school. The other subjects are taught by each child’s class teacher, who also delivers the children’s Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) programme.

An Integrated Approach

Although each subject has its own key objectives, teachers will often deliver these in lessons as part of a more thematic and cross-curricular approach. Subjects are combined wherever appropriate to emphasise links and make the learning more meaningful for the children. For example, English will often be taught as part of a History lesson, Mathematical skills may be introduced in a Science or Design and Technology lesson, while a particular topic may often involve both historical and geographical aspects.

Contained within this guide are simplified versions of our ‘Topic Maps,’ indicating the themes currently covered in each year group and for each subject.

This should give you a clearer idea of the topics and associated activities which your child may be working on at any given time. Please note that this topic list is being continuously reviewed and updated: details of the map sometimes change as our curriculum delivery evolves.

Educational Visits and Residential Visits

As a valuable resource to support our programmes of study, we organise an extensive range of educational visits to places around the Paris area. These may entail a half day or a full day away from school, with a few visits occasionally involving a return to school beyond the usual end of the school day.

Children in Year 4 visit an overnight stay at an historic chateau being built by hand using the technology and materials of the Middle Ages. Year 5 children experience a 3-day residential visit to Auvergne to complement their geographical learning whilst children in Year 6 undertake a 4-day residential visit at an outdoor activity centre on the outskirts of Paris.

If you would like further information on any aspect of the curriculum, we will be happy to assist in any way we can.

Multilingual Pupils

All lessons (besides the daily French lesson) are taught in English. We encourage, welcome, and respond to a diverse range of language strengths, needs and identities. Our teachers help the children access the curriculum and are supported in this by the Head of EAL. We achieve high levels of English proficiency and mastery of age related expectations whilst encouraging proficiency in the home languages and broad cultural understanding.

Where children have little or no English language initially or would find it difficult to access the level of class with lowerlevel literacy skills there is support available either within the classroom or withdrawal with small group tuition. Each child is supported individually according to their need and feedback on the children’s development is regularly shared with parents.

There is a supplementary charge for EAL support.

Mr M Potter, Head of Junior School

The Early Years Foundation Stage

Our aim in the Early Years is to develop confident, happy children who are eager to learn and who can share their experiences with others so that they may lay a firm foundation for the years of learning to come.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) describes the years of education up to the end of the Reception Year. Staff use the EYFS framework as the basis of our youngest children’s learning and personal development.

A series of Early Learning Goals set out what most children are expected to achieve by the end of the Reception Year. They are arranged in seven broad Areas of Learning, three ‘prime’ and four ‘specific’:

Prime Areas of Learning

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Learning to be self-confident and increasingly independent (such as being able to dress and undress themselves); showing respect for themselves, for others and for the environment; telling the difference between right and wrong. Developing an awareness of needs in regard to keeping healthy.

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

Learning to express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listening needs. Learning to follow instructions. Answering questions ‘how’ and ‘why’ related to experience and in response to stories or events. Learning to listen in a range of situations and responding appropriately with comments, questions or actions.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Learning to move confidently, controlling their body and handling equipment, and in doing so, developing their gross and fine motor skills.

Specific Areas of Learning

LITERACY

Learning to talk confidently and clearly, enjoying stories, songs and poems whilst appreciating the importance and pleasure of books, hearing and saying sounds, and linking them to the alphabet. Children will develop early reading skills and ascribe meaning to marks using a range of mark making tools.

MATHEMATICS

Developing an understanding of maths through stories, songs, games and imaginative play. Children will become increasingly

comfortable with numbers, undertaking practical activities involving sorting, measuring, shape and space, whilst developing ideas such as ‘heavier than’ or ‘bigger.’

UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Exploring and finding out about the world around them learning to observe and ask questions.

Children will investigate the natural world, build with different materials, be introduced to everyday technology and learn what it is used for. They will find out about past events in their lives and their families’ lives and learn about different cultures.

EXPRESSIVE ARTS AND DESIGN

Exploring colours and shapes, trying out dance, making things in a range of materials, and making and appreciating music.

Enrichment

The above busy programme of learning is enriched by the same range of additional lessons as enjoyed by the older years These include a daily French session, PE lessons and Music, all with specialist staff.

Throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is an emphasis on personalised learning. Each child is unique and ‘is a competent learner who can be capable, confident and self-assured’ (Practice Guidance for the EYFS). Each child has their own personal learning journeys. It is the aim to provide an environment that allows for their unique learning and development to be achieved.

Planning is play and activity based, taken from an active awareness of individual children’s interests. ‘Play underpins all development and learning for young children’ and ‘underpins the delivery of all of the EYFS’ (Practice Guidance for the EYFS).

Assessment is ongoing and embedded in our planning for the children’s next steps. Topics are planned, following continuous observational assessment which informs the EYFS team where the child is in their learning and where they need to go next, while ensuring balance across the seven areas of learning.

We endeavour to use the full range of indoor and outdoor resources to benefit the child’s learning, providing wellplanned experiences based on children’s spontaneous play. In particular, teachers use their understanding of their children’s needs to allow flexibility in ‘getting out’ for those who’s learning indoors will be improved by outdoor experiences.

We see parents as partners in each child’s learning and development. Parents have the opportunity to talk to the EYFS staff at the beginning and end of the day. This allows for an enriched understanding of the child and informs learning and development in the classroom.

Leadership of The Early Years Foundation Stage

Mr Phil Watson is the Assistant Head EYFS and the main point of contact for all matters regarding The Early Years Foundation Stage.

English

The purpose of our teaching and learning in English is to develop our children’s ability to communicate confidently and effectively in speech and writing and to listen and read with understanding. We aim for them to become competent, enthusiastic and creative users of the English language.

Many of our children speak several languages, and we recognise the benefits of multilingualism in terms of cognitive and linguistic development as well as for communication. Pupils are encouraged to make use of their home or other languages as part of their overall language development.

Our English programme of study takes full account of the requirements of the National Curriculum of England, which aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding

• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information

• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language

• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage

• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences

• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas

• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Of course, children’s language development is not confined to the learning they acquire in English lessons. We endeavour to make appropriate links between all curriculum subjects and learning across the curriculum provides a wide range of experiences to support the development of all aspects of language.

Spoken Language

Our children’s progress in reading and writing will ultimately be built upon their development of their spoken language. The skills of speaking and listening are therefore crucial to success in other areas of language. Classroom experiences in all subject areas are designed to develop oracy and stimulate discussion and explanation of what has been learned and discovered.

At the British School of Paris Junior School, teachers will encourage children to express themselves confidently and clearly, and to be attentive, courteous and thoughtful listeners. These skills will, of course, also be consolidated in each child’s home environment.

Reading

Becoming a successful reader is ultimately about developing the ability to make meaning from a piece of text. This requires decoding and word-recognition skills, knowledge of vocabulary and syntax, understanding of text structure, activation of prior knowledge of the context, the skills of inference and deduction, and monitoring of comprehension.

In the EYFS and KS1, opportunities are given daily to share and enjoy a range of fiction and non-fiction books, rhymes, poems, songs and stories from a wide range of interesting and diverse reading material.

Focusing on speaking and listening skills ensures the development of phonological awareness and the ability to blend and segment orally. A multi-sensory, synthetic phonic programme is used to teach a clear progression of sounds, alternative graphemes and common exception words to the children.

Children are given books from a structured reading scheme following the coloured book band system which support their level of confidence and phonics skill to make maximum progress in reading fluency and comprehension until they are capable, fluent, independent readers.

In KS2, there is a strong emphasis on developing reading fluency and development of vocabulary. Children are exposed to a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. They learn to make increasing use of comprehension skills such as deduction and inference, to summarise and make connections between texts, to differentiate between fact and opinion and to recognise persuasive techniques.

Our ultimate aim is for children to develop a love of books and a real enjoyment of reading. They have access to a wide variety of published reading schemes, giving the necessary breadth and interest required at each stage of their progress, and to a very well-stocked school library. Children read in guided reading groups in class as well as independently

at every stage. They will bring books home to read, both from the reading schemes and from the school library.

The reading children undertake at home is also an integral part of their reading development providing an opportunity for valuable practice and to share this wonderful activity with others. We very much encourage and appreciate parental support and effective communication as we develop a love of reading in all children.

Writing

In the EYFS and KS1, children learn that writing is a means of communication and all mark making is valued. They are given opportunities to make marks in a variety of different ways to share their experiences, observations and ideas, and their independence is encouraged.

Writing develops naturally out of activity and the spoken word: children will have a purpose in writing if they have interesting experiences to relate and are used to articulating these experiences orally. Explicit teaching of vocabulary is an integral part of our curriculum.

Children will be led to understand the value of writing as a means of remembering, organising and communicating ideas and information, and as an opportunity for creativity and enjoyment. Links with reading texts and other experiences across the curriculum are used to provide inspiration and purpose for writing.

Handwriting

In the EYFS and KS1, teaching concentrates on the development of fine motor skills to establish an effective and comfortable pencil grip. There is also a strong focus on effective core and upper body movements to support muscles that help with writing. Children are taught correct letter formation and learn about the size and orientation of letters, writing on lined paper when appropriate and developing the use of joined (cursive) script as they move through the school.

Spelling, grammar and punctuation

In the EYFS and KS1, as children develop greater knowledge of phonics and common exception words, writing becomes more phonetically plausible. Specific spelling patterns and alternative sounds are taught alongside the teaching of the standard conventions of language such as punctuation and grammar, supported by the use of published schemes.

In KS2, we use research-backed programmes for the teaching

and learning of spelling in line with the requirements of the National Curriculum. Children learn to identify and apply rules and patterns, as well as developing their understanding of word roots and morphology. Children are taught to use the full range of punctuation and to understand and make use of the grammar points covered at each stage of the National Curriculum.

Learning Support

Formative and summative assessment of reading, writing and spelling takes place throughout the year. Where these assessments indicate that further support is necessary, children may take part in small-group or individual interventions with class teachers or teaching assistants, or receive support from the Learning Support department. Parents will always be consulted if Learning Support is deemed necessary.

Children who are working well above the overall level of their class or group will be given opportunities to add breadth and gain enrichment from their learning and be encouraged to increase the depth of their learning, extending their output through complexity.

Leadership of English

Ms Lisa Lucca (EYFS & KS1) and Mrs Janet Fox (KS2) lead English at the Junior School and are the main points of contact for all matters regarding the English curriculum.

Mathematics

At The British School of Paris our aim is for all our children to see themselves as mathematicians and to be excited to explore all areas of the subject. To support this, we aim for all children to be fluent with their mathematical skills, both conceptually and procedurally so that they can apply their skills flexibly and creatively.

We aim for our children to be able to use their knowledge for problem solving, reasoning and nurturing a love of number. It is important to our school that all children have a growth mind-set to the subject and that we develop confidence and resilience for life-long enjoyment. We scaffold and challenge all children to achieve confidence and independence in mathematics using manipulatives, vocabulary and language, repetition and rapid intervention where appropriate.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

During these year groups, much of the learning experiences are delivered through play and child -led activities, with more adult-led learning occurring as the stage progresses.

In EYFS, children learn about counting and understand numbers to 10 in depth by learning how these numbers are related to one another and looking for patterns within them. This is supported by practical, meaningful contexts and realistic materials. Concrete manipulatives and models for counting are introduced to develop familiarity.

By mastering and exploring number, the children acquire a strong foundation on which their future mathematical knowledge can build. They do this using real objects to apply and deepen their understanding. Their vocabulary development is supported and planned for to both help them and allow time for them to describe and explain their ideas. The emphasis is on developing understanding and mental reasoning, in meaningful contexts, rather than written outcomes, although this is developed throughout the stage.

CHILDREN WILL DEVELOP:

• Counting skills beyond 20

• A deep understanding of all numbers to 10

• Automatic recall of pairs of numbers that make 5 and beyond to make 10

• Vocabulary of greater than, less than and equal to by comparing quantities

• Language linked to shape, length, weight, height, capacity, position, time and money

Key-Stages One and Two

To support the teaching of mathematics in Key Stages One and Two, teachers use a mastery approach and plan using the White Rose Maths or in Key Stage 2, “Power MathsWhite Rose edition”. This develops a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and encourages “deep thinking” to promote learning. However, teachers focus on the needs of their pupils and when extra or different learning experiences are required, adapt teaching to the needs of the learners so that all children are supported and challenged.

The use of these schemes promotes both challenging thinking and problem solving, allowing teachers to plan learning experiences to develop fluency. The concrete-pictorial-abstract approach is used extensively, and children are provided with a wide range of concrete resources with which to develop their understanding and ability to explain their reasoning. They learn how to represent numbers or problems with concrete materials or pictorial representations and partition flexibly and creatively, to understand relationships or patterns between representations

Throughout these Key Stages, there is a strong focus on vocabulary development and the correct mathematical vocabulary for each unit, is taught explicitly, modelled and encouraged.

Key Stage One

Children’s understanding of number develops significantly through KS1 so that by the time they reach the end of Year 2, children are confident and fluent with whole numbers, counting and place value. This approach means they can confidently apply their understanding of number to other areas of mathematics such as measure where they study length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money. They become increasingly knowledgeable about the properties of different shapes and the vocabulary used to describe them and they apply their knowledge of them to compare and sort them.

Although our main focus in the early stages is to develop the basic skills and concepts of number which will be essential for later progress, there is also an introduction to a broader range of mathematical understanding. Children undertake practical work in shape and space, learning the names

and properties of common shapes and using appropriate vocabulary to describe position and movement.

They compare and measure the properties of objects, and are introduced to the standard units of length, weight and capacity. They are introduced to the units we use for the passage of time and begin to make estimates using them. Children develop an understanding and picture of what happens at different times of the day and are taught the basics of telling the time with both digital and analogue clocks.

Children are encouraged to communicate their ideas, talking with peers and adults about the mathematical skills and knowledge they are acquiring. In parallel, they begin setting down mathematics on paper from an early stage. Standard methods of setting out (digits, signs and columns etc.) are introduced progressively with the development of the language of mathematics emphasised at all stages of learning. Having the vocabulary necessary to communicate their mathematical ideas and findings is essential in developing the conceptual base children require. Correct mathematical vocabulary is therefore explicitly taught and encowuraged.

Key Stage Two

Number work throughout Key Stage Two, includes all aspects of arithmetic as well as the consolidation of concepts of number. Children practise and apply the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They learn to use decimals, common fractions and percentages, and are introduced to negative numbers. The children are expected to learn by heart the addition and subtraction bonds (e.g. that 7+8=15 and 15-7=8) and multiplication tables to 10x10. Ideally, children should ‘know their tables’ by the end of Year 4, although further consolidation may well be necessary in future years.

There is a continued emphasis on mental mathematics. Daily practice and the teaching of strategies for dealing with mental work allow children’s skills to develop progressively. We encourage children to make connections based on known facts so that they realise they have access to an infinite number of other facts.

Number concepts are further developed through KS2, as the calculation strategies for the four operations are extended. Following on from the “fact family” work done in Key Stage one, connections between addition and subtraction or

multiplication are directly taught and explored. This also includes the relationships between addition and multiplication and those with division and subtraction. The children can then progress to developing connections with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio so that they can apply a deep understanding to a wide range of increasingly complex problems.

Leadership of Mathematics

Mrs Tracey De Lisle leads Mathematics at the Junior School and is the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Mathematics curriculum.

Science

Our aims in teaching science are to:

• Encourage the development of positive attitudes to science.

• Help our children develop a growing understanding of the world through scientific knowledge, ideas and concepts.

• Develop the skills of investigation – including observing, measuring, predicting, hypothesising, experimenting, interpreting and evaluating.

• Encourage an open-minded, enquiring attitude in approaching scientific issues and investigations.

• Develop the appropriate use of scientific language, recording and practical techniques.

• Enable our children to become effective communicators of scientific ideas, facts and data.

• Foster a concern about, and active care for, our environment.

• Prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world.

Approach to Science

The fundamental skills, knowledge and concepts of the subject are set out in The National Curriculum for England. Each key stage has the following components: working scientifically, plants, animals including humans, everyday materials, seasonal changes, living things and habitats. In Key Stage Two this is extended to also include; rocks, light, forces and magnets, properties and change of materials, states of matter, earth and space, electricity and evolution and inheritance.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Children will explore science through making predictions, using their senses and investigating materials and their properties. Science is taught through the strand of ‘Understanding the World’. Science teaching is also linked to other strands of the EYFS framework for learning.

Children are encouraged to be creative and inquisitive as they participate in activities. They are encouraged to use their natural inquisitiveness, whilst taking part in exploratory play in specific scientific areas as well as areas which link across the EYFS framework. The practical experiences in EYFS lay the foundations for future learning in science.

Key Stage One (Years 1 and 2)

During Key Stage one, pupils observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and the world around them. They begin to work together to collect evidence to help them answer questions, find patterns, classify and group objects, research using a variety of sources and become familiar with the concept of a fair test. Children will use reference material to find out about scientific ideas. They will share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts, and tables. Key areas of science to be covered include: Everyday Materials, Plants, Animals, including humans, Seasonal Change and Living Things in Their Habitats.

Lower Key Stage Two (Years 3 and 4)

Children are encouraged to extend the scientific questions which they ask and answer about the world around them. They will explore everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments and begin to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and

interactions. Children will make some decisions about which types of enquiry will be the best way of answering questions including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests, finding things out using secondary sources. They will make systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, take accurate measurements using standard units, and a range of equipment, such as thermometers and data loggers.

Children will begin to look for naturally occurring patterns and relationships and decide what data to collect to identify them and help to make decisions about what observations to make, how long to make them for and the type of simple equipment that might be used. Key areas of Science to be covered include: Plants, Animals, including humans, Living Things in Their Habitat, Rocks, Light, Forces and Magnets, Electricity and States of Matter.

Upper Key Stage Two (Years 5 and 6)

The principal focus of Science teaching in Upper Key Stage 2 is to enable children to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. In Upper Key Stage 2, children should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. Children will take measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings where appropriate, choosing the most appropriate equipment and explaining how to use it accurately. They will identify patterns that might be found in the natural environment. They will make their own decisions about what observations to make, what measurements to use and how long to make them for and whether to repeat them. Key areas of Science to be covered include: Plants,

Living Things in Their Habitat, Animals, including humans, Earth and Space, Light, Forces, Electricity, Properties and Changes of Materials and Evolution and Inheritance.

Working Scientifically

Working scientifically is a thread that progresses throughout each year group; children learn the skills required for scientific enquiry and are familiar with the different enquiry types.

Leadership of Science

Mrs Daisy Jarvis leads Science at the Junior School and is the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Science curriculum.

Computer Science

The purpose of Computer Science in the primary curriculum is to provide pupils with opportunities to develop skills, knowledge and attitude to enable them to make effective use of ICT and to extend their learning throughout the curriculum.

Early Years Foundation Stage

The children in the EYFS are provided with the opportunity to learn through play using a variety of equipment: controllable cars, coding caterpillars, voice recorders, and interactive games.

Key Stage 1

A more structured approach is used with planned lessons building skills to create and present, type, and begin to consider how to code with robots and online programs.

Key Stage 2

Building on the knowledge and understanding from Key Stage 1, children are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that children become digitally literate and are able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

OUR COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM OF STUDY INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING MAIN AREAS OF LEARNING:

• Computer Science

• Digital Literacy

• Information Technology

Key Stage 1 children will:

• Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions

• Create and debug simple programs

• Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs

•

Key Stage 2 children

will:

• Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts

• Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output

• Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

• Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the World Wide Web

• Appreciate how [search] results are selected and ranked

Information Technology

Key Stage 1 children will:

• Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content

Key Stage 2 children will:

• Use search technologies effectively

• Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information

Digital Literacy

Key Stage 1 children will:

• Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school

• Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies

Key Stage 2 children will:

• Understand the opportunities that networks offer for communication and collaboration

• Be discerning in evaluating digital content

• Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

Computer Science Facilities and Resources

The school has a wide range of computing facilities and equipment to support the teachers and children in their teaching and learning. This provision is constantly evolving to enhance our delivery of the curriculum.

Resources currently include:

• A Computer Suite, comprising of 24 networked computers with internet access.

• Laptops for all teachers, used in lesson preparation and with the interactive whiteboards.

• A wide variety of battery-operated items including Talking tins, microphones, recorder pens, talking books and recordable speech bubbles to enable children to record their own voices.

• Controllable vehicles.

• A wide range of software specifically designed for primary school use to support the teaching of the computer science programme, but also to enhance subjects across the curriculum.

• Subscriptions to a range of websites including Busy things and Purple Mash.

Leadership of Computer Science

Mrs Marianne Richards leads Computer Science at the Junior School and is the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Computer Science curriculum.

Digital Learning and Online Safety

Digital Learning

The purpose of digital learning at the Junior School is to enhance education through the effective use of technology. The aims for teaching children digital competences include:

1. DIGITAL LITERACY:

Develop foundational digital literacy skills, ensuring pupils can use digital tools effectively, responsibly, and ethically.

2. CRITICAL THINKING:

Foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills by incorporating technology into learning activities that require analysis, evaluation, and decision-making.

3. CREATIVITY:

Cultivate creativity through the integration of digital tools, allowing pupils to express themselves and explore innovative approaches to problem-solving.

4. COLLABORATION:

Promote collaborative learning experiences using digital platforms, enabling pupils to work together on projects, share ideas, and communicate effectively in a digital environment.

5. ADAPTABILITY:

Equip pupils with the ability to adapt to emerging technologies, preparing them for a constantly evolving digital landscape.

Online Safety

As a school we follow the UK government guidance for teaching online safety using the ‘Framework for a Connected World’. Our online safety areas of learning are:

• Privacy and Security

• Copyright and Ownership

• Online Relationships

• Online Bullying

• Managing Online Information

• Health, Well-Being and Lifestyle

• Self-Image and Identity

• Online Reputation

We celebrate Safer Internet Day and run workshops and assembles for Digital Citizenship Week and AntiBullying Week. Online Safety is embedded into the school curriculum and in the day to day running of the school.

The aims of our digital learning and online safety curriculum collectively contribute to a comprehensive and well-rounded digital learning curriculum that prepares our primary school children for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in the digital age.

Many of the experiences that children will have with digital technology will be embedded in other subjects and through STEM projects. Children in Key stages 1 and 2 have access to:

• iPads

• Bluetooth controllable devices for robotics and coding

• Micro: Bit minicomputers

• LEGO® Education

Art and Design

The British School of Paris delivers a rich, broad, balanced, diverse and engaging art curriculum.

The subject of Art and Design is approached through a wide range of activities involving many different media. It aims to equip the children with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own works of art, craft and design and evaluate and analyse the works of others.

We aim for our pupils to become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other artistic media whilst learning about great artists, craft makers and designers from a range of cultures and nationalities.

The children are given many opportunities throughout the year to display their art, to enter competitions and to visit galleries and museums.

The subject of art is highly valued in the Junior School and is celebrated biennially with a whole school art exhibition.

Key Stage 1

PUPILS ARE TAUGHT:

• to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.

• to use drawing, painting, and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences, and imagination.

• to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form, and space

• about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.

• To use a sketch book to develop ideas, experiment, and record observations.

These are taught to the children through a wide range of art activities and media, including the following:

• Drawing – the use of line and tone, using a variety of media (pencil, crayon etc.)

• Painting and colour mixing – primaries and secondaries; tints and shades.

• Experimenting with textures (blow painting, splatter effects).

• Printing – with fingers, leaves, corks etc., developing pattern and texture.

• Creating collage – using a variety of papers and scrap fabrics.

• Sewing and weaving – using different threads and materials.

• Making models from assorted scrap material.

• Creating models from clay, plasticine, papier-mâché and salt dough.

• Making simple puppets.

Key Stage 2

Pupils in Years 3 to 6 expand on the objectives from Key Stage 1 and are taught to develop their techniques, improve their skills and increase their knowledge of different kinds of art, craft and design.

THE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT:

• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

• to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting, and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]

• about great artists, architects, and designers in history.

THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH:

• Drawing – both observational and imaginative, using a variety of media (pencil, charcoal, pastel etc.).

• Painting – experimenting with different qualities of paint and texture.

• Colour mixing - Primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries; the colour wheel and complementary colours; tints and shades; tone and mood.

• Printing – using a variety of tools and a variety of patterns.

• Textile crafts – sewing and weaving; designing and creating.

• Collage – exploring a range of materials and effects.

Not all children will necessarily develop into accomplished artists. However, all will gain pleasure and satisfaction from artistic activity and learn to appreciate the creations of others and their own.

Design and Technology

Design and Technology prepares children to participate in tomorrow’s rapidly changing technologies. They learn to think and intervene creatively to improve the quality of life.

The subject calls for children to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, as individuals and as part of a team. They must look for needs, wants and opportunities and respond to them by developing a range of ideas and by making products and systems

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN TO:

• develop their designing and making skills;

• develop knowledge and understanding;

• combine their designing and making skills with their knowledge and understanding to create high quality products when faced with problem solving tasks with ‘real` contexts;

• explore values about and attitudes to the made world and how we live and work within it;

• recognise that through their ideas they can bring about changes;

• develop an understanding of technological processes, products, and their manufacture, and their contribution to society;

• engage in design activities which bring together Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths;

• make use of IT applications wherever appropriate as an integral part of their designs and the designing process.

THE LEARNING CARRIED OUT BY OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY LESSONS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR BROAD AREAS:

• Design

• Make

• Evaluate

• Technical Knowledge

The Early Years Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Design and Technology forms part of the learning children acquire under the ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World’ branch of the Foundation Stage curriculum, which also covers geography, history, ICT, and science. The children learn through first-hand experiences and are encouraged to explore, observe, solve problems, think critically, make decisions and to talk about why they have made their decisions.

Key Stages 1 and 2

Through a variety of creative and practical activities children across both Key Stages are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making in a range of relevant contexts.

Design

There is a basic design process (shown in the diagram) that we follow when approaching a task. As children progress through the school, what they are expected to do at each of these stages becomes more complex.

Some activities entail a more limited version of this full process, involving just one or two of the stages as children investigate specific aspects of designing and making.

INVESTIGATIVE, DISASSEMBLY AND EVALUATIVE ACTIVITIES (IDEAS)

FOCUSED PRACTICAL TASKS (FPTS)

DESIGN AND MAKE ASSIGNMENTS (DMAS)

IDEAs

These should provide the children with opportunities to acquire knowledge and understanding about how manufactured products work.

FPTs

These provide opportunities to learn and practise particular skills and knowledge. This is when we can show the children how certain things work or are done; then they can have a go at it to practise their skills before they start to make the final product.

DMAs

These provide an opportunity for children to combine their skills, knowledge and understanding to develop products that meet a real need. They are open-ended activities whereby children can select and apply skills, knowledge and understanding in a creative way. This work should have an outcome which can be tested, evaluated and if appropriate, modified.

Design and Technology activities will sometimes take place in the classroom, but there is also a suitably equipped Technology Room where children can use a wide range of equipment in realising their designs.

In all practical activities, children are shown how to use tools and materials safely, and how to recognise and control potential hazards to themselves and others. Children will also develop their understanding of using electrical systems in their products (for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors) and will be able to apply their understanding of computing to

program, monitor and control their finished products.

By the end of Key Stage 2, we aim for all of our children to be able to operate as effective technologists.

Children should be able to work on their own and as part of a team on a range of designing and making activities. They will be able to think about what products are used for and the needs of the people who use them. They will plan what must be done and identify what works well and what could be improved in their own and other people’s designs.

Leadership of Design & Technology

Mr Simon Lockwood leads Design & Technology at the Junior School and is the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Design & Technology curriculum.

French

The French course provides an enjoyable study of the French language and life in France. A high-quality languages education nurtures children’s curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. Our goal is for children to express their ideas and thoughts in French, and to comprehend and respond to its speakers, both verbally and in writing in Key Stage 2

We also provide communication, thinking skill development and reading in the target language. Our French language teaching aims to lay the foundation for communication and to expand children’s knowledge of French culture.

OUR AIMS ARE:

• to develop the ability to communicate competently and confidently in French;

• to provide opportunities to use the 4 attainment targets: listening, speaking, reading and writing;

• to offer enjoyment and intellectual stimulation;

• to foster positive attitudes towards language learning and speakers of other languages;

• to help children adapt to life in France by providing insights into its language, civilisation, and culture, and enabling them to observe and appreciate cultural similarities and differences;

• to develop awareness of the nature of language and language learning.

THE OBJECTIVES CONSIST OF FOUR CLEARLY PROGRESSIVE CORE STRANDS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:

• Oracy

• Literacy

• Language study

• Intercultural understanding

IN ADDITION, TWO CROSS-CURRICULAR STRANDS ARE INCLUDED:

• Knowledge about language (KAL)

• Language learning strategies (LLS)

OUR LANGUAGE WORK IS TOPIC-BASED. TOPICS, SELECTED CONSIDER THE AGE, LANGUAGE ABILITY AND INTERESTS OF THE GROUP, AND ARE DRAWN FROM THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF EXPERIENCE:

• Everyday activities

• Personal and social life

• French traditions and culture

The French classrooms provide a safe and friendly environment where children feel secure and confident in their participation. All children have a daily French lesson of 30 minutes from Nursery to Year 4, and of 45 minutes in Years 5 and 6.

In each year group, children are grouped according to their previous experience of French. There is a group of beginners each year and a group of more fluent French speakers. Movement between groups is based on the recommendation of the French teacher, in consultation with the Head of French and parents.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

In the Early Years, French teaching is closely integrated with class teachers. French teachers follow the EYFS recommendations to inform their planning and activities. Teaching methods include songs, stories, puppet shows, interactive stories and videos, workshops, cooking, and art. French teachers actively participate in daily activities both inside and outside the classroom, communicating in French with the children.

We have a partnership with a local French school, Ecole Maternelle Les Cerisiers de Croissy sur Seine, where the children engage in exchange visits.

Key Stage 1

At Key Stage 1, our primary focus is on developing oral communication skills in a way that is relevant and

engaging for young learners. We emphasize listening and speaking skills, teaching children to listen attentively, use visual and auditory cues to understand, respond clearly and coherently, ask and answer questions, follow instructions and discuss their daily life and interests.

Language is introduced through contexts, using a wide range of resources. New vocabulary and structures are extensively practiced, facilitating clear, accurate communication and spontaneous use of French. Presentation and practice methods are diverse and interactive, including games, songs, rhymes, role-play, puppets, flashcards, real objects, videos, stories, interactive whiteboard activities and mime.

Formal French reading instruction is introduced to individual children as appropriate, recognizing that many children of this age are still acquiring reading skills in English. Children who are already proficient readers in English are encouraged to apply their skills to French reading. Resources such as interactive whiteboards, tailored activities, songs, and poems are utilised to present language learning imaginatively.

Key Stage 2

At Key Stage 2, the primary purpose of learning French is communication, with oral skills remaining the focus. Children are taught to listen for general and specific details, respond with correct intonation and pronunciation and use French in context. Vocabulary and structures are practiced extensively to facilitate clear communication.

A variety of activities are used to maintain high interest and participation, including games, songs, rhymes, role-plays, puppets, IT, interactive whiteboards, iPads, videos, stories, and mimes. Reading and writing are introduced progressively as children gain confidence in French. Teachers employ various activities to encourage independent reading and develop writing skills.

In the group of more fluent French speakers, reading skills are developed to promote autonomous reading. Individual reading schemes are utilised to accommodate varying reading abilities. Children are encouraged to produce clear, correct written work, apply grammatical rules and utilize reference materials.

Key resources, depending on each group’s French proficiency level, include Actif 1 & 2, Rigolo, Linguascope, and Wordwall. Individual reading skills are practised using Galaxie and A la Carte. French is also integrated across the curriculum through Integrated Language Learning, reinforcing topics studied in class with French vocabulary and additional learning opportunities: the Vikings, Ancient Egypt, Auvergne, Paris, Versailles, François Ier and Fontainebleau…

Throughout Key Stage 2, French is the primary language of instruction, and children are encouraged to communicate in French with their teacher and peers. We maintain a partnership with a local French school, Ecole Primaire Jules Verne de Croissy sur Seine, engaging in letter exchanges and participating in exchange visits.

Leadership of French

Mme Muriel Lachaise is the Head of French at the Junior School and the main point of contact for all matters regarding the French curriculum.

Geography

“The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It’s about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exist across continents. And in the end, it’s about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.” BARACK OBAMA, 2012

The British School of Paris aims to not only instil a curiosity and fascination about the world around us, but to equip our children with the knowledge and skills they will need to deal with the changing world around them. These skills will allow children to develop a deeper understanding of both the physical and human impact we have on our world today. As a multi-cultural school, it is important that we teach our children to appreciate the diversity of cultures both within our school community as well as worldwide. Starting with our Around World Day, which allows parents from our school community to share their culture, language and traditions therefore developing an understanding and appreciation for the differences and similarities within our immediate environment.

The purpose of teaching geography is to ensure that all our children can think critically to have a deeper knowledge of the world around them. This enables them to understand the human impact that they have on both the terrestrial

and marine world. By studying maps, graphs, and data the children are learning analytical skills that allows them to interpret and analyse data; and therefore, communicate more effectively their understanding of the world.

Our geography curriculum begins from day one of nursery. Our EYFS gives children the opportunity to explore the world around them in a fun and educational way thus setting the foundation for further learning as the children pass through the varying key stages. Field trips feature highly on our agenda as we believe these experiences lead to a deeper embedding of these aims, and the skills, we wish our children to take forward as they go through life.

The four main areas of the English national curriculum for Geography are: Locational knowledge; Place Knowledge; Human and Physical geography; geographical skills and fieldwork. The implementation of these skills is set out as follows:

• Locate the world’s countries on a map, with a particular interest to pupils.

• Investigate seasonal changes along the river and within the school grounds.

• Investigate the local environment in which they live.

• Create simple maps (E.g. to find treasure).

• Compare aerial photographs with their perspective of an object.

• Investigate the diverse world in which they live through stories and presentations from the parents in our community.

• Locate the world’s countries using maps, atlases, and globes with a focus on Europe and countries of particular interest to pupils.

• Investigate the world’s continents and oceans.

• Investigate the countries and capitals of the United Kingdom.

• Compare and contrast a small area of the United Kingdom with that of a non-European country.

• Explore weather and climate in our local area and around the world.

• Investigate our local area.

• Understand the four points of a compass.

• Devise a simple map and create a key using basic symbols.

• Read and understand a 2-digit co-ordinate on a map.

• Use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks.

The places studied and the themes investigated, including field trips, are summarised on our Topic Map. We have drawn our aims from the National Curriculum requirements however, they have been adapted to suit our situation here in Paris so that the children’s learning remains relevant and meaningful to them. If our children can leave The British School of Paris and use their knowledge and understanding to build bridges across our diverse world then we have succeeded in our aims.

Leadership of Geography

Mrs LJ Desmeulles leads Geography at the Junior School and is the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Geography curriculum.

• Identify key geographical features of France and show an understanding of how some of these aspects have changed over time.

• Investigate the key features of world maps to identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, equator, the Hemispheres, the Tropics, polar regions, and time zones.

• Understand and use the 8 points of a compass.

• Read and understand OS maps using 4- and 6-digit co-ordinates, symbols and keys so as to understand France and the wider world.

• Investigate the physical and human changes of settlements over time.

• Identify key features of physical geography including rivers, mountains, volcanoes, the water cycle, climate zones and biomes.

• Understand the impact of natural disasters and climate change on our world today.

History

“History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.”

ROBERT PENN WARREN

Interestingly, history has only been part of the National Curriculum since 1991 however, the discipline of history goes back to ancient times. As a school that welcomes all cultures, we inspire to teach our children about the past while preparing them for the future. It is fundamental that our children gain a deep appreciation for the complexity of peoples’ lives, the diversity of societies, both past and present, and the relationship between different groups of people in the past and how it impacts the present. Children learn that history is all around us and we can discover the past by looking at cave paintings, pottery, coins, Skara Brae, Pompeii, the historic monuments of Ancient Greece, Egypt, Central America, Paris and . These are all clues to past civilizations and how they have impacted on our world today.

Starting in the EYFS, our history curriculum has been tailored to equip children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh up evidence and develop perspective and judgement. We live in an historically rich environment here on the banks of the River Seine; our children learn about Paris through the

centuries,with Versailles and Louis XIV, Fontainebleau and Francois I to mention just a few opportunities.

Enquiry based questioning is developed over time. Throughout KS1 and KS2 the children’s understanding of various concepts are built upon. In KS1 we might ask: How does my life differ from that of a Victorian Child? By the end of KS2 the question might be: What impact did the Industrial Revolution have on the lives of children? These questions are then substantiated by researching and using primary and secondary sources, such as diaries, censuses, and artefacts. Encouraging the children to create arguments and develop reasoning to the cause and effect of many significant historical events and then placing them in chronological order are all higher order skills that we are continually trying to instil at the BSP from the day the children start with us.

The table gives you an example of how each skill is reinforced at each stage within the Junior school:

DEVELOP CHRONOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING BY:

• Using everyday language related to time.

• Ordering and sequence familiar events.

• Describing main story settings, events and principal characters.

• Talking about past and present events in their own lives and in lives of family members.

HISTORICAL ENQUIRY

• Be curious about people and show interest in stories.

• Answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions … in response to stories or events.

• Explain own knowledge and understanding and asks appropriate questions.

• Know that information can be retrieved from books and computers.

• Record, using marks they can interpret and explain.

CHRONOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

• Develop an awareness of the past

• Use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.

• Know where all people/events studied fit into a chronological framework.

• Identify similarities / differences between periods.

HISTORICAL ENQUIRY

• Ask and answer questions.

• Understand some ways we find out about the past.

• Choose and use parts of stories and other sources to show understanding.

CHRONOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

• Continue to develop chronologically secure knowledge of history.

• Establish clear narratives within and across periods studied.

• Note connections, contrasts, and trends over time.

HISTORICAL ENQUIRY

• Regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions.

• Understand how knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.

• Construct informed responses by selecting and organising relevant historical information.

The next time you visit a museum or a place, look at the artefacts or the buildings and try to ask questions like a historian: who, what, where and why? Can the children place it on a timeline or locate where in the world it was discovered? When something becomes more real, then the desire to learn increases. Thus, our aim at the BSP is that our children use their knowledge of discovery to improve their own future and the futures of others.

Leadership of History

Mrs LJ Desmeulles leads History at the Junior School and is the main point of contact for all matters regarding the History curriculum.

EYFS

KEY STAGE 1

KEY STAGE 2

Music

The aim of our Music programme in the Junior School is to develop children’s understanding and enjoyment of music in exposing them to a wide variety of artistic experience from a very young age. Every class has two music lessons each week, one of which is usually a singing lesson.

WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK ALL CHILDREN FOLLOW A PROGRAMME BASED ON THE FUNDAMENTAL ACTIVITIES OF:

• performing

• composing

• listening and appraising

• movement

The Early Years Foundation Stage

It is in the Early Years Foundation Stage that motivation and interest in music is born. At the heart of the music lesson lays the song and a wide repertoire is built up over the year. In addition, children listen to musical stories, learn about composers and add simple percussive accompaniments to their singing. Children in the EYFS discover music through movement and song and the use of untuned percussion instruments.

Key Stage 1

This strong foundation is built upon through Key Stage1. Children acquire their practical experience using both tuned and untuned percussion instruments. In Year 2 there is an opportunity to take group woodwind and string classes. They become aware of pulse and contour of melody and learn to recognise rhythmic patterns and notation. Children are expected to be able to both sing and play from memory as well as perform in public.

Children are encouraged to recognise obvious features in music and to use simple dynamics. They are given opportunities to experiment with musical sounds imaginatively - the beginnings in fact, of composing.

By the end of Key Stage 1, all of our children will have had some experience of singing and dancing on stage in a musical production. Some may also have started to learn an orchestral instrument. All should have a firm grounding in the basics of music, along with an enthusiasm for the subject, upon which they can build in later years.

Key Stage 2

During Key Stage 2 activities undertaken include part singing, maintaining a melodic line with awareness of

other performers. Playing and singing with accuracy of pitch, pulse and dynamics, reading musical symbols and using musical vocabulary. Increased use of music technology features in later years with the use of electronic keyboards and applications such as Garage Band.

Children are exposed to a variety of musical genres including classical, jazz, modern, rock and global music as well as developing knowledge of the instruments of the orchestra. As their listening skills become more developed, they are led to become more conscious of musical concepts such as timbre.

In Years 3 and 4, many children will have taken up an orchestral instrument and, for some, perhaps even two. Children regularly reach the standards of Grades 1 to 5 of the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music and Rock School examinations during their time at the Junior School.

Apart from the deep satisfaction of making progress on an instrument and ultimately being part of the orchestra, or indeed the choir, learning an instrument is proven to support the development of children’s ability to concentrate as well as impacting positively on their personal and interpersonal skills. Success in music does increase the likelihood of success in other subjects too.

During Key Stage 2, all children take part in one of our major musical productions. Many of them perform in the choir and in one of our school orchestras or Jazz Band.

By the time our children leave the Junior School, it would be fair to say that in most cases they will have gone well beyond the expectations of a Year 6 child, as set out in the National Curriculum for England.

Leadership of Music

Mr Simon Lockwood is the Head of Music at the Junior School and the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Music curriculum.

Physical Education

We aim for all of our children to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities by providing opportunities for children to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness.

We believe that opportunities to participate and compete in sport and other activities not only offer enjoyment to all but also build character and help to continually expose and embed our schools core values.

PE follows the Programmes of Study of the English National Curriculum and is taught by specialist teachers with full use made of the range of facilities available; a multipurpose sports hall with a sprung floor and a synthetic Astroturf pitch. Occasionally, the Senior school facilities and 2 local stadiums.

THROUGH OUR PE PROGRAMME OF STUDY, WE AIM FOR OUR CHILDREN TO:

• develop their determination and endeavour by increasing their competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities

• be physically active for sustained periods of time

• engage in competitive sports and activities

• lead healthy, active lives

• show excellence and integrity, through their competence and display outstanding teamwork and problem-solving skills

• Exhibit excellent communication skills including diplomacy, fairness and leadership qualities.

• Contribute to community and service values by helping each other to be better players and coaching different age groups

• Utilise discovery and opportunity with all of the choice available to them.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

In the EYFS, we follow the statutory EYFS framework; and enhance this by incorporating our own developmental, skills specific schemes of work. In the EYFS the children have more freedom to choose equipment within certain areas and focus on their fine and gross motor skills through fun activities and with our guidance. We expose the children to a range of activities to explore and develop, such as following instructions, gymnastics, dance, games, multi skills, exploring equipment and so on.

Key Stage 1

Key Stage 1 children will develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and have opportunities to participate in a broad range of activities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations.

KEY STAGE 1 CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO:

• master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination and begin to apply these in a range of activities

• participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending

• perform dances using simple movement patterns

• develop their understanding of winning and losing

• develop core control and simple sequence work in gymnastics.

Key Stage 2

In Key Stage 2, children continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They will learn to effectively communicate, collaborate and compete and will develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports, learning how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

CHILDREN IN KEY STAGE 2 ARE TAUGHT TO:

• use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination.

• play competitive games, modified where appropriate and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending.

• develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance.

• perform dances using a range of skills and movement patterns and gymnastics routines

• take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team

• compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.

PE

Our gymnastics programme places emphasis on the development of movement patterns inherent in the different aspects of the PE programme. The aim is to develop body awareness and increasing control through the activities of travelling, turning, rolling, jumping and balancing. Using floor work and apparatus, children learn to make simple sequences and to link actions. As they move through the school, children learn to create and perform fluent sequences on the floor and using apparatus. Increasingly, they will include variations in level, speed and direction in their sequences.

In dance we ensure that the children develop an awareness of body parts, rhythm, fast and slow movement and stillness. Aesthetic responses are sought, but children also learn set steps, dances and gestures. Children will learn to create and perform dances using a range of movement patterns, often from a variety of places and cultures. They will be encouraged to respond to a range of stimuli and accompaniments.

Games

Initially, the focus is on the individual learner: tasks set match the individual will each child achieving at their own level. Our maxim is, ‘Success breeds success.’ Basic skills are learnt using a large variety of equipment. Correct manipulative skills are taught, including travelling (dribbling), receiving and sending. Awareness of space, dodging and marking is also developed. Children will initially begin to play simple competitive games, learning to follow rules and to work cooperatively, first in pairs and then in small groups. In athletics, children are introduced to running, jumping and throwing.

Our children are then progressively introduced to a range of specific sports, their rules and associated skills and tactics. Most team sports are initially modified and played with small sides to encourage participation and accessibility for all. Teamwork is emphasised, as children work together to organise and keep games going. Social skills are constantly reinforced: how to include and encourage others, how to win with dignity and how to lose with good grace.

Outdoor and Adventure Activities

Key Stage 2 children begin to take part in outdoor activity challenges, developing a range of orienteering and problem-solving skills in activities around the school grounds and beyond. The children work together to meet the challenges set. There is a lot of discussion in these areas with links to the school values.

Co-curricular activities

There is a large programme of co-curricular activities which complements and extends the teaching in PE and Games lessons.

Children may be selected to play in school teams for sports where matches are played against local schools and clubs and sometimes further afield. We welcome the involvement of our children in local sports clubs as this offers them additional opportunities to develop their sporting skills as well as being an ideal way to integrate with the local community and for them to practise their French language skills.

In addition to its role in developing physical skills and fitness, the PE programme is an important vehicle to promote the development of social skills, the understanding and following of codes of conduct, and the attributes of confidence, ingenuity and independence. At our school it is seen as a central part of the primary curriculum.

Leadership of Physical Education & Sport

Mrs Lyndsay McNabb is the Head of Physical Education & Sport at the Junior School and the main point of contact for all matters regarding the Physical Education & Sport curriculum.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)

As well as providing opportunities for all children to learn and achieve, we also promote a child’s moral and cultural development and prepare pupils for the responsibilities and experience of life.

Through our PSHE and Citizenship programme lessons, our pupils are given the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives. Our children are encouraged to develop their sense of self-worth by taking part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum. This ensures that they play a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. They learn how society is organised and governed and experience the process of democracy in school through the School Council.

We provide opportunities for the children to learn about rights and responsibilities and for them to appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society. They learn to understand and respect Fundamental British Values, our common humanity, diversity and differences so that they can go on to form effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning.

PSHE and Citizenship curriculum planning

Many of the objectives are covered through other areas of the school’s curriculum e.g. assemblies, science and the ‘hidden curriculum’, attitudes and expectations of behaviour promoted by adults in the school.

PSHE is an all-encompassing area where pupils enrich their knowledge, skills and understanding of the world in which they live, as well as showing empathy for the diversity which a school such as ours has to offer.

We use the PSHE Association thematic programme for planning the curriculum. This takes a thematic approach to primary PSHE education, covering all three core themes of the Programme of Study over the school year which are covered on a termly basis:

1. RELATIONSHIPS

(Families and Friendships; Safe Relationships; Respecting Ourselves and Others)

2. HEALTH AND WELLBEING

(Physical health and Mental Wellbeing; Growing and Changing; Keeping Safe)

3. LIVING IN THE WIDER WORLD

(Belonging to a Community; Media Literacy and Digital Resilience; Money and work)

Protected Characteristics

We want to ensure that our children are able to live alongside, and show respect for, a diverse range of people. It is extremely important that our children grow up to be respectful and empathetic children and young adults who respect the world in which they live. The way in which we provide our children with the knowledge and skills to do this is by reference to the protected characteristics in our PSHE curriculum.

THE 9 PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS ARE:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender reassignment

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race

• Religion or belief

• Sex

• Sexual orientation

The protected characteristics are discussed with children at an age-appropriate time/level of understanding, and we use our professional judgement to plan the PSHE curriculum appropriately. We teach respect, diversity, equality and inclusivity across the school curriculum through the children’s learning in English, humanities, assemblies, group work and sporting activities, for example.

Our approach to PSHE allows different year groups to work on similar themes at the same time, building a spiral programme year on year.

EYFS

For our EYFS children, personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial if they are to lead healthy and happy lives and is fundamental to their cognitive development. In addition to practitioner-led and play based activities, we also have access to the 1Decision Early Years portal which has been designed to support children to reach the expected goals within the Early Years framework for PSED

• Making Relationships

• Self-Confidence and Self-Awareness

• Managing Feelings

• Behaviour

We also support Citizenship Education in the Early Years Foundation stage through other areas of learning such as Understanding the World, Communication and Language and Literacy. We relate the PSHE and Citizenship aspects of the children’s work to all the areas of learning set out in the statutory EYFS framework. Alongside this we also use the non-statutory ‘Development Matters’ document as guidance which gives us more freedom to develop the broad curriculum for the children we work with.

Examples

of Year Group Topic

Maps

Examples of Year Group Topic Maps

Examples of Year Group Topic Maps

SUBJECT

SUBJECT

TERM 1

ART Drawing and Sketchbooks Spirals Observational Drawing

YEAR 1

TERM 2

YEAR 1

TERM 3

TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3

ART Drawing and Sketchbooks Spirals Observational Drawing

COMPUTER SCIENCE Information Technology – key skills Digital Literacy- Email

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Information Technology – key skills Digital Literacy- Email

Simple Print Making Watercolour/Paul Klee/Quentin Blake

Simple Print Making Watercolour/Paul Klee/Quentin Blake

Computer Science – Off grid coding Information Technology- Labelling, naming and sorting.

Computer Science – Off grid coding Information Technology- Labelling, naming and sorting.

3D Bird Sculptures Minibeasts

3D Bird Sculptures Minibeasts

Information Technology-Graphing Digital Literacy - Interactive Stories

Information Technology-Graphing Digital Literacy - Interactive Stories

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Design and Construct a Farm Puppets Fruit Kebabs

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

FRENCH

FRENCH

Design and Construct a Farm Puppets

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

GEOGRAPHY Where in The World Is Barnaby Bear? Weather Continents and Oceans

GEOGRAPHY Where in The World Is Barnaby Bear? Weather Continents and Oceans

HISTORY My Own Timeline

HISTORY My Own Timeline

Toys & Games - Old and New First Flights & Amelia Earhart

Toys & Games - Old and New First Flights & Amelia Earhart

MUSIC Singing/rhythm and movement/ Vivaldi Percussion and Dance Music Around the World

MUSIC Singing/rhythm and movement/ Vivaldi Percussion and Dance Music Around the World

Fruit Kebabs

Our Local Area: t he river the seaside

Our Local Area: t he river the seaside

Seaside holidays in the past Jacques Cousteau

Seaside holidays in the past Jacques Cousteau

Singalong Festival and dance

Singalong Festival and dance

SCIENCE All About Me Animals Senses Materials Plants Minibeasts

SCIENCE

PE & SPORT

All About Me Animals Senses Materials Plants Minibeasts

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 1

PE & SPORT Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 1

SUBJECT

ART

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 2

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 2

Multiskills, sports day activities, summer sports

Multiskills, sports day activities, summer sports

painting

Self Portraits Explore and draw autumn leaves and natural objects.

ART Self Portraits Explore and draw autumn leaves and natural objects.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Information Technology- Presenting Ideas, communicating information & searching the internet

Information Technology- Presenting Ideas, communicating information & searching the internet

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Making a Christmas Tree Decoration

FRENCH

FRENCH

Clay pots and paper weaving.

Expressive painting watercolours Kandinsky Clay pots and paper weaving.

Computer Science – Coding Information Technology- Spreadsheets

Computer Science – Coding Information Technology- Spreadsheets

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Making a Christmas Tree Decoration Pizza project

GEOGRAPHY

Tree House sculptures Rousseau inspired animal paintings.

Tree House sculptures Rousseau inspired animal paintings.

Computer Science - Coding & Spreadsheets Communicating Information & Searching the Internet

Computer Science - Coding & Spreadsheets Communicating Information & Searching the Internet

Mouse Houses Bug Hotels

Pizza project Mouse Houses Bug Hotels

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

Weather (ongoing) Continents and Oceans

GEOGRAPHY Weather (ongoing) Continents and Oceans

HISTORY Transport through time The Victorian Child

HISTORY Transport through time The Victorian Child

MUSIC Singing, rhythm and movement/ Vivaldi

MUSIC Singing, rhythm and movement/ Vivaldi

SCIENCE Changing Materials Healthy Eating

SCIENCE Changing Materials Healthy Eating

PE & SPORT

PE & SPORT

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 1

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 1

Weather (ongoing) Map Skills & Island Life

Weather (ongoing) Map Skills & Island Life

The Stone Age

The Stone Age

Dabble Doo Programme Percussion and orchestra

Dabble Doo Programme Percussion and orchestra

Plants – Conditions of Growth Electricity

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 2

Dance, dodging games, target games, gym, making up games, developmental games 2

Biomes and Forests of Northern Europe Weather (ongoing)

Biomes and Forests of Northern Europe Weather (ongoing)

The Great Fire of London

The Fire of Notre Dame

The Great Fire of London The Fire of Notre Dame

Music around the world, Dance and Singalong Festival

Music around the world, Dance and Singalong Festival

Plants – Conditions of Growth Electricity Life Cycles Habitats Animal Variations

Life Cycles Habitats Animal Variations

Multiskills, sports day activities, summer sports

Multiskills, sports day activities, summer sports

Expressive

watercolours Kandinsky

SUBJECT

ART

COMPUTER SCIENCE

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

FRENCH

YEAR 3 TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3

Drawing and mixing colours skills Egyptian river scene Marbling Ink and stippling climate art

Digital Literacy - Staying safe online, Computer Science - Getting up algorithm

Pop-Ups

Gestural charcoal Cyanotype (Part 1) - dye Watercolour/pen

Computer Science- Simulations Computer Science- Logo

A Healthy Sandwich Mosaics

Cyanotype (Part 2) - plants Impressionism

Digital Literacy- email

Design a powered boat

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

GEOGRAPHY Continents and Climates Polar Regions

Map Skills

Main geographical features of France

The Local Area

HISTORY Egyptians Celts and Romans Local History –Croissy and the Impressionists

MUSIC

The Orchestra Glockenspiel Melodies

SCIENCE Light and Shadow Soils, Rocks and Fossils

Boomwhackers Pitch Percussion

Forces and Magnets Nutrition and Digestion

PE & SPORT Fitness, netball, dance, gym, hockey OAA, gym, football, dance basketball

Sound Plants

Athletics – track and field, heats, summer sports SUBJECT

1

3

ART Portraits and Dragon Eyes

ART Drawing and mixing colours skills Egyptian river scene Marbling Ink and stippling climate art

Digital Literacy – FROG Dashboard

Access Art Course

Gestural charcoal Cyanotype (Part 1) - dye Watercolour/pen

Cyanotype (Part 2) - plants Impressionism

COMPUTER SCIENCE

COMPUTER SCIENCE Digital Literacy - Staying safe online, Computer Science - Getting up algorithm

Information Technology- Internet Safety & Developing Images

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Pop-Ups

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY -

FRENCH

FRENCH

Computer Science- Simulations Computer Science- Logo

Digital Literacy- email

Computer Science- Coding with Scratch

A Healthy Sandwich Mosaics

STEM PROJECTS

Micro: bit pets & Spero Mazes

Information Technology- Branching Databases & Collecting and presenting information

Design a powered boat

Bird Houses

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

GEOGRAPHY Why do people migrate? European Focus /Map skills

GEOGRAPHY Continents and Climates Polar Regions Map Skills Main geographical features of France

Changing faces of Paris and Versailles Map Skills Rainforests

The Local Area

HISTORY Egyptians

HISTORY Saxons Vikings

MUSIC

MUSIC

Celts and Romans

Changing Faces of Paris and Versailles -

Local History –Croissy and the Impressionists

The Orchestra Glockenspiel Melodies

The Orchestra Glockenspiel

Pentatonic Scales Melodic compositions

Boomwhackers Pitch Percussion

Glockenspiel Jazz Boomwhackers

SCIENCE

Electricity States of Matter

SCIENCE Light and Shadow Soils, Rocks and Fossils

PE & SPORT Fitness, netball, dance, gym, hockey

Forces and Magnets Nutrition and Digestion

PE & SPORT Fitness, netball, dance, gym, hockey OAA, gym, football, dance basketball

Athletics – track and field, heats, summer sports SUBJECT

SUBJECT

OAA, gym, football, dance basketball

Sound Plants

The Human Body and animal Skeletons Human and animal Teeth Habitats

Athletics – track and field, heats, summer sports

YEAR 4 TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3

Examples of Year Group Topic Maps

SUBJECT YEAR 5

SUBJECT

YEAR 5

COMPUTER SCIENCE Computer Science - Graphical modelling Scratch – create a music quiz Coding with Scratch:

FRENCH

GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHY

HISTORY

Monarchy François I and the Renaissance Exploration in Tudor Times

MUSIC Rhythmic Dictation & Notation

Glockenspiel Boomwhackers

Rhythmical Raps

SCIENCE Keeping Healthy Earth in Space Properties of Materials PE & SPORT Fitness, netball, dance, gym, hockey

and field, heats, summer sports

SUBJECT YEAR 6

COMPUTER SCIENCE Information technology- Newspapers Email using cloud. Information Technology- Spreadsheets

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY DT Skills

FRENCH

Computer Science- Coding with Flowol Digital Literacy- Tracing the Internet

Computer Science- Coding with Python & control technology using Crumble Information Technology- PPT

STEM – Fairground Rides

The French units of learning reflect what is being studied in class and encompass a wealth of French cultural events and history.

GEOGRAPHYRivers Climate Change -

HISTORY The Industrial Revolution The Ancient Greeks - The Mayan Civilisation

MUSIC Eric Satie The Blues Music History 1450-1900

SCIENCE Forces Electricity Evolution and Inheritance

Garage Band Pop Music

Living Things and Their Habitats Changes as Humans Develop

PE & SPORT Fitness, netball, dance, gym, hockey OAA, gym, football, dance basketball Athletics – track and field, heats, summer sports

– track and field, heats, summer sports *These topics are reviewed annually and updated as required; the grids above are for illustrative purposes only.

*These topics are reviewed annually and updated as required; the grids above are for illustrative purposes only.

Assessment

At the British School of Paris, assessment is a fundamental component of the learning journey, serving as a guiding light for educators and learners alike. It is an ongoing process deeply embedded within the fabric of our curriculum, fostering continuous growth and achievement. Our assessment framework is designed to empower students, inform teaching practices and drive excellence.

Purpose of Assessment

ASSESSMENT SERVES MULTIPLE PURPOSES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL:

1. INFORMING INSTRUCTION:

Teachers utilise assessment data to tailor their instruction, ensuring alignment with learning objectives and facilitating personalised learning pathways.

2. PROMOTING PROGRESSION:

Assessment practices facilitate the seamless progression of individual students, guiding them towards mastery and academic success.

3. IDENTIFYING STRENGTHS AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:

Through assessment, teachers identify both the strengths and weaknesses of students, enabling targeted interventions and support mechanisms.

4. ENHANCING TEACHING STRATEGIES:

Assessment outcomes inform pedagogical approaches, fostering a culture of reflective teaching and continuous improvement among the teaching team.

5. ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS:

Assessment outcomes are communicated transparently with stakeholders, fostering a collaborative environment focused on pupil achievement and well-being.

Principles Guiding Assessment

OUR ASSESSMENT PRACTICES ARE UNDERPINNED BY THE FOLLOWING CORE PRINCIPLES:

1. INTEGRAL TO TEACHING AND LEARNING:

Assessment is seamlessly integrated into the teaching and learning process, enriching educational experiences and outcomes.

2. STUDENT-CENTRIC:

Assessment methodologies prioritise understanding of how students learn, promoting inclusivity and personalised learning experiences.

3. PROFESSIONAL EMPOWERMENT:

Assessment is recognised as a cornerstone of professional development for teachers, empowering them with valuable insights to enhance their practice.

4. CONSTRUCTIVE AND MOTIVATING:

Assessment feedback is delivered in a constructive and motivational manner, nurturing children’s intrinsic motivation and commitment to their learning journey.

5. PROMOTING SELF-ASSESSMENT:

Assessment fosters the children’s capacity for self-reflection and self-assessment, nurturing lifelong learning skills and autonomy.

Formative Assessment

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT SERVES AS A DYNAMIC PROCESS, CONTINUALLY INFORMING TEACHING AND LEARNING PRACTICES:

1. CONTINUOUS MONITORING:

Teachers gauge children’s progress and achievements in real-time, adapting instructional strategies to meet evolving needs.

2. PERSONALISED FEEDBACK:

Children receive timely and constructive feedback, empowering them to set targets for improvement and take ownership of their learning journey.

3. PUPIL INVOLVEMENT:

Children actively participate in self-assessment activities, developing metacognitive skills and deeper insights into their learning progression.

Summative Assessment

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT ENCAPSULATES BOTH IN-SCHOOL EVALUATIONS AND STANDARDISED ASSESSMENTS:

1. COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION:

In-school assessments comprehensively evaluate each child’s learning outcomes at the culmination of teaching units, providing valuable insights for future planning.

2. EXTERNAL BENCHMARKING:

Standardised assessments benchmark children’s performance against national and international standards, facilitating accountability and quality assurance.

3. HOLISTIC APPROACH:

Summative assessments encompass a holistic view of each child’s achievements, encompassing academic, social and emotional dimensions of learning.

Formal Testing Arrangements

OUR FORMAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS ENCOMPASS A ROBUST FRAMEWORK DESIGNED TO PRODUCE DIAGNOSTIC AND SUMMATIVE DATA:

PROGRESS TEST IN ENGLISH

PROGRESS TEST IN MATHS

September

May/June

September

May/June

CAT4 (VERBAL, NONVERBAL AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING) September

NEW GROUP READING TEST (NGRT) Nov Feb/Mar

NEW GROUP SPELLING TEST (NGST) Nov Feb/Mar

PUPIL ATTITUDES TO SELF AND SCHOOL

DYSLEXIA

1. CORE SUBJECT FOCUS:

Formal testing prioritises core subjects, providing a comprehensive understanding of children’s proficiency levels in key areas of learning.

2. DIAGNOSTIC INSIGHTS:

Testing protocols result in actionable insights, enabling teachers to diagnose areas of strength and areas for improvement with precision.

3. ADHERENCE TO STANDARDS:

Formal testing aligns with established educational standards, ensuring validity and reliability in assessment practices.

In summary, assessment isn’t just a routine part of education, it is the guiding force that directs our educational journey, leading us toward both academic success and overall growth. By adopting a detailed and childfocused approach to assessment, we aim to unleash the complete capabilities of each learner, enabling them to succeed in a constantly changing world.

Assessment

Miss Anna Wassell is the Assistant Head Academic at the Junior School and the main point of contact for all matters regarding assessment.

New children (Y3 – Y6)

All children (Rec – Y6) Computer (paper for Rec and KS1)

New children (Y3 – Y6) Computer

All children (Rec – Y6)

Computer (paper for Rec and KS1)

New Children (Y3 – Y6) Computer / iPad

All Children (Y3 – Y6) iPad (Computer)

All Children (Y3 – Y6) iPad (Computer)

Homework

Here at the British School of Paris Junior School we feel that homework serves as a vital component in reinforcing classroom learning and fostering essential lifelong learning skills among children and young learners. It promotes independent learning habits, encourages inquiry and instils a spirit of investigation.

The British School of Paris Objectives of Homework:

• Reinforce classroom learning.

• Develop independent learning skills.

• Cultivate habits of inquiry and investigation.

The amount of homework that children receive each week depends on the age and learning stage of the child.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

• Pupils will be required to share a story or read aloud to an adult regularly.

• Sometimes, phonics activities and learning decodable/tricky words are assigned.

Years 1 and 2

• Reading aloud to an adult daily.

• Weekly spelling tasks.

• One additional task per week, taking approximately 20 minutes.

Year

3

• Reading aloud to an adult daily.

• Weekly spelling list.

• Practice of number bonds and times tables.

• One additional task per week, each taking approximately 20 minutes.

Year

4

• Reading aloud to an adult daily.

• Weekly spelling list.

• Practice of times tables.

• One French homework and one additional task per week, each taking approximately 25 minutes.

Year

5

• Reading aloud to an adult daily.

• Weekly spelling list.

• Practice of times tables.

• One French homework and two additional tasks per week, each taking approximately 30 minutes.

Year

6

• Reading aloud to an adult daily.

• Weekly spelling list.

• Practice of times tables.

• One French homework and two additional tasks per week, each taking approximately 30/40 minutes.

Key Stage Two (KS2)

• Pupils may receive extended tasks or projects with longer deadlines; such as over a fortnight or a half-term.

The Home-School Partnership

Here at the British School of Paris we understand that:

• Parents and carers play a crucial role in supporting their child’s education.

• Encouragement to complete homework tasks is essential, while ensuring a conducive environment for independent learning to take place.

• It is recommended to avoid answering questions for the child or providing excessive help beyond their capability.

• Homework will not be set for completion the following day or over weekends or holiday periods. However, children are encouraged to read regularly and practice their mathematical skills during holidays, with parents supporting activities such as keeping a holiday journal.

• There needs to be an emphasis on the importance of rest and play in children’s lives alongside their academic endeavours.