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Guidelines for Parents:The Primary Curriculum
2017-2018
ContentsThe Vision
The British New National Curriculum (2014) High Expectations
High AchieversA Creative Curriculum: Themes
Themes: Autumn 1Termly Themes Overview
Homework ProjectsHomework Projects Example
ReadingPhonicsScience
Topic: History and GeographyArt and Design & Technology
MusicSports and Swimming
ComputingSpanish & Sociales KS1Spanish & Sociales KS2
Philosophy For Children (P4C)Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)
Co-curricular clubsCurriculum Overviews
Mathematics, English and ScienceCalculations Policies
Class Blogs
The VisionThe curriculum in KS1 and KS2 at BSQ follows the New British Curriculum (September 2014) with additions and objectives pertinent to learners in an international, Latin American setting. The emphasis is on a creative cross-curricular approach through termly themes linked to a core reading text or texts. The core text/s will predominantly be a stimulus for learning, taught in literacy lessons, but with the theme linking as much as possible through mathematics, science and topic (history, geography and art). Computing and music will also follow elements of the New Curriculum but with adaptations suitable for the context at BSQ.
Sociales and Spanish can be viewed as independent of the British Curriculum and following the curriculum set out by the Ecuadorian government.
The British New National Curriculum (2014)What’s changed? English, Maths and Science remain very important and are considered the core subjects in both primary and secondary education. The National Curriculum sets out in some detail what must be taught in each of these subjects, and they will take up a substantial part of your child’s learning week. Alongside these are the familiar foundation subjects: Art, Computing, Design & Technology, Geography, History, Music, and Physical Education. For these foundation subjects, the details in the curriculum are significantly briefer: schools have much more flexibility regarding what they cover in these subjects. At BSQ, our themes are broad and reflect our international and Latin American setting.
High ExpectationsMuch of the publicity about the changes to the curriculum in the UK has focussed on ‘higher expectations’ in various subjects, and it is certainly the case that in some areas the content of the new primary curriculum is significantly more demanding than in the past. For example, in mathematics there is now much greater focus on the skills of arithmetic and also on working with fractions. In science, a new unit of work on evolution is introduced for Year 6; work which would have previously been studied in secondary school. In English lessons there will now be more attention paid to the study of grammar and spelling; an area which was far less notable in previous curricula.
High AchieversIf your child is achieving well, rather than moving on to the following year group’s work the class teacher will encourage more in-depth and investigative work to allow a greater mastery and understanding of concepts and ideas.
High Achievers should be broad in their skills, have different opportunities to master their skills and begin to be able to increase their reasoning skills to teach others.
A Creative Curriculum: ThemesEach term, each year group will explore their learning through different themes. The theme may be based on a book, on history, geography or an abstract idea.
Their learning across the subjects is linked to these themes. This gives the children the opportunity to make links across their learning, encouraging a more holistic, creative and broad approach to their education.
Themes Autumn 1Nursery: All About Me
Reception: All About Me/ Nursery Rhymes
Year 1: Me, Myself and I
Year 2: Commotion in the Ocean
Year 3: South America
Year 4: The Titanic
Year 5: Respect and the Law
Year 6: Wonders of the World
Termly Theme Overview: An Example
Homework ProjectsTeachers do not specifically give worksheets or set homework each week. Instead, children create a body of creative work around their termly theme. Teachers give suggestions of tasks but the projects are intended to encourage children’s independence, creativity and resilience. Children will then present their projects and exhibit them to all of primary.
The first homework deadline is:
Monday 23rd October
Homework Project Maps: Example
ReadingReading and enjoying reading has a huge impact on children’s learning and progress across all subjects.
At BSQ we have Guided Reading lessons where children will develop comprehension skills, explore language, author intent, spelling rules, grammar, themes and will summarize and make predictions about what they have read.
Every Friday we have a half hour Reading for Pleasure session, where all children read independently and enjoy their own books.
At home, every child must read or be read to for 20 minutes a day and record this in their Reading Records.
PhonicsFrom Reception to Year 3 (with some children in Year 4) children are taught phonics every morning, learning and applying a sets of sounds which will help them to decode and read words in English more fluently.
Our scheme follows ‘The Read, Write Inc’ programme which has been documented to improve children’s English at a greater rate and with better progress over the years.
This year we are lucky to have brought in all the Read, Write Inc materials and books to deliver this aspect of the curriculum.
ScienceIn Science, children will take a more inquiry based approach to their learning. Rather than just being told the facts, children are encouraged to pursue their own lines of enquiry and to suggest methods for investigation. Questioning and investigation is a key aspect of their scientific learning.
Each year group focuses on different aspects of physics, chemistry and biology.
Topic: History and Geography
In Topic lessons, children learn elements of history and geography linked to the term’s theme.
Particular knowledge and skills are taught. For example:
- Developing research skills- Comparing and contrasting historical periods or
geographical locations- Asking in depth questions about the causes and
effects of historical or environmental changes- Collaborating in groups to research and present
information
Art/ Design & TechnologyIn Art, children are taught to develop a range of technical skills in drawing, painting and collage. They use sketchbooks to explore art-making skills before developing a final piece. Relevant artists, linked to the term’s theme, are used as a stimulus for discussion and investigation.
In Design & Technology, children use and experiment with different materials to create a wide variety of practical or innovative outcomes. Designs are evaluated and groups collaborate to discuss and improve their ideas.
MusicMusic is taught by our specialist music teacher, Miss Andrea Molina, in the creative arts suite. Lessons are taught through the Music Express online scheme.
Info: [email protected] the course of primary school, children will listen to and perform a range of music. In the first years of schooling this will often include singing songs and rhymes, and playing untuned instruments such as tambourines or rainmaker sticks. In Key Stage 2, children will perform pieces both alone and as part of a group using their own voice and some musical instruments, including those with tuning such as glockenspiels or keyboards. They will both improvise and compose pieces using their knowledge of the different dimensions of music such as rhythm and pitch. During the later years they will also begin to use musical notation, and to learn about the history of music.
Sports and SwimmingAll children have swimming lessons, which are taught by Mr Fernando in the first and last terms of the year.
In Sports, children are taught and play a variety of team games such as football, hockey and basketball. They also are taught skills through athletics.
There is a Sports Day, which will take place on Saturday 21st October. More information:
Computing There are three main strands of the new Computing curriculum: information technology, digital literacy and computer science. Information technology is about the use of computers for functional purposes, such as collecting and presenting information, or using search technology. Digital literacy is about the safe and responsible use of technology, including recognising its advantages for collaboration or communication. Finally, computer science will introduce children of all ages to understanding how computers and networks work.
At BSQ, we have started using the ‘SMART’ guidelines for E- Safety through ChildNet.com and consider this aspect of their learning to be crucial.
Spanish & Sociales KS1Taught by Miss Evelyn Paez: [email protected]
Español Ks1
En la clase de Español se busca promover el respeto y la valoración de la diversidad social, lingüística y cultural de los estudiantes. La participación constante y activa entre los miembros de la clase va encaminada a fomentar el uso social de la lengua, siendo el aula, el lugar idóneo para la interacción comunicativa entre pares. La lectura y su disfrute forman parte de un eje central de aprendizaje, a partir de este elemento y de la oralidad se llega a la producción, que es el texto escrito.
Sociales Ks1Estudios Sociales para las primeras etapas de aprendizaje comprende temáticas relacionadas con el entorno natural y social. Permite que cada individuo conozca sus deberes y derechos y valore su cultura. Crea conciencia en el educando y le brinda un espacio para intervenir de forma cooperativa, recíproca, honesta y confiable en situaciones cotidianas para contribuir al desarrollo de su comunidad más cercana. Estimula la imaginación, curiosidad y creatividad ante distintas manifestaciones tecnológicas, culturales y de la naturaleza, desarrollando responsabilidad y autonomía en su forma de actuar.
Sociales:1.Describir y apreciar las cualidades y valores de los diversos gru-pos sociales y étnicos del Ecuador como aportes a la construc-ción de nuestra identidad y cultura nacional.2.Reconocer al Ecuador como parte del continente americano y el mundo, identificando las semejanzas de sus características (re-giones naturales, clima, paisajes, flora y fauna) con las del resto del continente.3. Construir una conciencia cívica, crítica y autónoma, a través de la interiorización y práctica de los derechos humanos universales y ciudadanos, para desarrollar actitudes de solidaridad y participación en la vida comunitaria.
Espanol:1.Comunicar oralmente sus ideas de forma efectiva mediante el uso de las estructuras básicas de la lengua oral y vocabulario pertinente a la situación comunicativa.2.Escribir relatos y textos expositivos y descriptivos, en diversos soportes disponibles, y emplearlos como medios de comunicación y expresión del pensamiento.3.Explorar y motivar la escritura creativa al interactuar de manera lúdica con textos literarios leídos o escuchados (privilegiando textos ecuatorianos, populares y de autor).
Taught by Miss Ana Espinosa : [email protected] Spanish & Sociales KS2
Philosophy for Children (P4C)Children will explore their termly themes and values through P4C lessons and practice. Children will be encouraged more to ask deeper questions about what they learn; to understand what makes a philosophical question and to hone their skills for debate.
PSHEPersonal, Social, Health and Economic Education is a key part of any child’s learning. At BSQ, we are developing a PSHE scheme of study which will promote global-mindedness and respond to international and Latin American issues, underpinned by our school’s values and ethos.
Each term, children across primary will explore global and local issues through one of the school’s values. This term, our value is ‘Balanced’. Speak to your child about this. It will also be beneficial if parents could contribute to our PSHE curriculum, suggesting aspects of learning or supporting the school’s vision and values.
Co-curricular ClubsClubs occur after lunchtime on a Friday afternoon and form part of school learning. Each term children sign up to a club and will be taught by a different teacher in Primary.
Examples of clubs include: gardening, football, drawing, art, film-making and reading.
Curriculum OverviewsCoverage from Years 1 to 6
(KS1 and KS2)
Mathematics, English and Science
Coverage from Years 1 to 6
(KS1 and KS2)
Maths Calculations PolicyProgression in maths calculations from Year 1 to Year 6
Class BlogsFor class updates, curriculum information for each term and extra ideas for homework look at your child’s class blog.
Nursery Goldsmiths: https://bsqnurserygoldsmiths.wordpress.com/Nursery A Class: bsqnurseryaclass.wordpress.comReception Dundee: bsqrdundee.wordpress.comReception Warwick: http://bsqreceptionwarwick.wordpress.com/Year 1 Cambridge: https://bsqyear1cambridge.wordpress.com/Year 1 Oxford: https://bsqyear1oxford.wordpress.com/Year 2 Bristol: year2bristolbsq.wordpress.comYear 2 Aberdeen: https://bsqyear2aberdeen.wordpress.com/Year 3 Exeter: bsqyear3exeterclass.wordpress.comYear 4 Wales: https://year4walesbsq.wordpress.com/Year 5 Imperial: https://bsqyear5imperial.wordpress.com/Year 6 Leeds: http://bsqyear6leeds.wordpress.com/
