THE NEW CURRICULUMTHE RATIONALE

To raise standards

To leave primary school achieving the End of Key Stage Expectations.

To leave school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the real

world.

HOW WERE THE DECISIONS ON THE CURRICULUM CHANGES MADE?

The government appointed a panel of experts, which included subject specialists and teachers, to devise the new curriculum.

Their brief was to emulate the world's most successful school systems, including those in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Canadian state of Alberta and the US state of Massachusetts, in international tests.

The aim was to combine best international practice with best practice from schools in England.

The government says the new curriculum has a strong focus on basic skills "plus real freedom for teachers to decide how best to teach".

It says it wants pupils to leave school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the real world.

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

More challenging!

Slimmer!

Focus on essential core subject knowledge and skills!

WHICH SUBJECTS ARE AFFECTED?

There are changes to the content of all subjects in the national curriculum. A summary can be found on the Department for Education website.

History will take a more chronological approach than under the old curriculum

In Design & technology, more sophisticated use of design equipment such as electronics and robotics

Historically non statutory, a modern foreign language or ancient language (Latin or Greek) will be mandatory in KS2. Children will be expected to master basic grammar and accurate pronunciation and to converse, present, read and write in the language

WHICH SUBJECTS ARE AFFECTED?

Computing replaces Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with a greater focus on programming rather than on operating programs

From age five, children will learn to write and test simple programs, and to organise, store and retrieve data

From seven, they will be taught to understand computer networks, including the internet

Internet safety – previously only taught from 11-16 – will be taught in primary schools

HOW IS THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM ORGANISED?

Key Stage 1: Ages 5 to 7 (Years 1-2)

Key Stage 2: Ages 7 to 11 (Years 3-6)

Key Stage 3: Ages 11-14 (Years 7-9)

Key Stage 4: Ages 14-16 (Years 10-11)

Key Stage 5: Ages 16-19 (Years 12-13)

END OF YEAR / KEY STAGE STANDARD

Maths

END OF YEAR / KEY STAGE STANDARD

HOW DO WE RECORD THE ABILITY OF THE CHILDREN?

At the end of Year 6 the children will receive a statement of some sort telling the school and parents if the have or have not achieved the end of Key Stage expectations.

The school has devised (alongside the local authority) a point score for each year running from 0 – 7.

This score is being fine tuned and moderated within the school (and with other schools next year) to ensure consistency across the school.

This year pupils in years 1,3,4 and 5 will receive the new assessment points.

MATHS

ENGLISH

INFORMING PARENTS

INFORMING PARENTS

INFORMING PARENTS

ENGLISHThe overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English 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.

WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM THE OLD CURRICULCUM?-The curriculum is tougher but slimmer. The equivalent of level 6 work is now incorporated into the year six expectations;

-There is a bigger emphasis on speaking and listening;

-Children are encouraged to read for pleasure;

-There is a bigger emphasis on spelling and handwriting with words set out for children to learn the spellings of for each year group;

-Children need to read and understand classic texts;

-There is more room for creativity. Teaching written genre features is no longer in the curriculum and instead, writing based around a text is encouraged to ensure purposeful writing for a range of audiences.

HOW WILL WE INCORPORATE THIS IN SCHOOL?

-Children will be issued with a target card at the start of the year. As in previous years, they will need to work on achieving these targets each day. They will tick each time they feel a target has been met and then their teacher will counter-sign too if they agree. When a target has been met, they will find a new one. These targets will be taken from the year end expectations.

-Each English unit will have a learning journey. The learning journey can span from one week to three weeks. They will be taught the tools and skills to meet an intended outcome at the end of the unit. The learning journey will be introduced to children at the start of each unit and they will know the intended outcome throughout each unit.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME?

-Most importantly, please encourage your child to read every day. They can read any genre, fiction or non-fiction, but we need to be encouraging a love of reading. It is now statutory that teachers have a book to read to their class, so please encourage reading at home, or read to them to help to broaden their vocabulary and creativity.

-Children will be given spelling lists at the start of each year. Alongside these lists, children will bring home personal spellings that they are getting wrong in their written work. Please encourage children to be learning these spellings throughout the year as they will be tested.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME?

-Spelling, punctuation and grammar tests will be given to children, both in year 2 and year 6. Homework with a focus on grammar, punctuation or spelling will be issued every 2/3 weeks so if your child is struggling with an area of this, please support them or encourage them to ask for support in school so that we can help to tackle any misconceptions.

-Encourage children with any writing they choose to do at home. Help them to improve their work and encourage them to bring it into school to share with their teachers. We would love to see it and make a fuss of it in school!

MATHS: WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM THE OLD CURRICULUM?

- Universities found that students had a very thin knowledge of Maths as schools were pushing pupils to go further and further in the curriculum so…….

- The curriculum now encourages a deeper and more fluent understanding where children can apply their knowledge to complex problems

- The curriculum is tougher but slimmer. The equivalent of level 6 work is now incorporated into the year six expectations;

- There is a stronger emphasis on number and place value. With children knowing all their tables by year 4

Maths: Aims for all pupils to..• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics,

including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems

• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language

• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Improving children’s arithmetic proficiency at Meadow

• Practical, hands-on experiences of using, comparing and calculating with numbers and quantities … are of crucial importance in establishing the best mathematical start

• Understanding of place value, fluency in mental methods, and good recall of number facts … are considered to be essential. Knowledge of times tables to 12x12

• Skills are strengthened and understanding deepened by a mastery curriculum which promotes solving a wide range of problems

• Children will be introduced to a variety of methods to solve calculations and encouraged to choose more efficient methods and those that best suit them

How you can help at home• Help your child gain a strong understanding of place value and

number so they can apply their knowledge i.e. 6+4 60+40 59+41.

• Know the number bonds (2 numbers) that make 10/20/100• Ask your child to talk through their work and explain what they have

done and why• By Year 2 your child should know the 2, 4, 5, 10 times tables• By Year 4 your child should know the times tables to 12x12 and use

them to solve problems

Please ask your child’s teacher in September if you wish to know more about how best to support your child at home.

We are running a practical workshop on how we teach the four calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) on Thursday 9th July. Please feel free to attend.