Curriculum Organisation

The school is organised into three classes.  Rainbows having Reception aged children who attend part-time until the term in which they are 5.  Moonbeams has all Year 1 children and Sunrays has all Year 2 children.  Classes are always mixed ability.  The average class size is 17.

Children in year groups 1 and 2 follow the National Curriculum which comprises a core curriculum - English, Maths and Science;  and the following foundation subjects of Information Communication Technology, Design Technology, History, Geography, Art, Physical Education, Music and Religious Education.  All information on the National Curriculum is available in school for parents to see.  

Literacy and numeracy are central to the curriculum and therefore on-going.  We will teach Literacy daily and Numeracy daily and will incorporate ICT.  

Other subjects are mainly taught through an integrated topic based curriculum.  Topics are usually set to cover one half term's work which would, whenever possible, comprise of the core and foundation subjects and include the cross curricula themes of  Personal, Social and Health Education and Education for Citizenship and Inclusion.

Children in Reception follow the Foundation Stage curriculum  which comprises six areas of learning:  Communication, Language and Literacy, Numeracy, Knowledge and Understanding,  Creative Development, Physical Development and PSHE

Most teaching is carried out in small group work within the class but there are times in the day when the class will be taught as a whole.

The keeping of detailed records is important so that children may have the benefit of extra and special help where it is required.  This applies equally to those who have learning problems and those who are especially gifted.

Children are encouraged to set personal targets for themselves which may include spelling, tables or even doing up shoe laces.

It is essential that all children should be well prepared for entry into junior school and Shortwood maintains close contact with Kingscroft Junior School to which most children transfer.

All children in our school will be taught through a programme of study which sets out to provide all the elements of the National Curriculum.  The National Curriculum Core Subjects are those in which the children will be assessed during the year in which they are seven.

English
Speaking and Listening, Reading, Writing, Spelling and Handwriting.

We cannot overemphasise the importance of literacy in the modern world and we believe it is central to all learning.

Children will be given the opportunity to discuss in small groups and encouraged to talk to larger groups e.g., Assembly, to help them develop confidence in speaking.

We aim to help all children become readers by using a variety of teaching methods and a very wide selection of the best of children's literature and non-fiction currently published.

Children will learn to write in a supportive atmosphere where early attempts are valued.  As they become more confident in expressing themselves in writing so more emphasis will be laid upon handwriting and spelling.  We are proud of our children's achievement in all areas of English.

Mathematics
The advent of the numeracy strategy encourages children’s mental agility and sets out the concepts, skills, knowledge and level of understanding which children of various abilities are expected to attain during their first years at school.

We consider Maths to be not only useful and necessary but also stimulating, challenging and exciting.  We therefore provide a great deal of practical work to support our belief, using such apparatus as computers, scales and balances, construction kits, games and puzzles.  Mathematics will always be meaningful and purposeful and to promote this we will send home from time to time a problem or investigation for your child to share with you.

Alongside the practical elements of Mathematics we use the workbooks from the Collins Primary Mathematics - a published scheme of work.

In the early years of education Science is not seen as a separate subject but one which should integrate with the broader school curriculum and in our school, is taught in the main through topics of interest.  Science builds on children's natural curiosity.  Activities will be based on first hand experience wherever possible.  Children will be asked to explore and investigate the world around them.  They will be helped to develop the basic skills of science and such attitudes as curiosity and perseverance will be encouraged.

History
We assist the children to develop a sense of time - using the family and the local environment as our main source.  In addition to visiting museums and places of historical interest we use artefacts, stories and legends.

Geography
We encourage children to gain understanding of their own  environment and others.  Using our own locality to familiarise children with mapping, identify land uses and other skills.  To further their understanding and gain practical knowledge we offer children in Year 2 two days of excursions during the Summer Term, one which will involve environmental science at a field centre nearby.

Creative Arts
Some of the art, craft, drama and music is incorporated within the topic work.  The children are encouraged to express themselves creatively and to develop their knowledge and skills of different techniques and media - paint, clay etc.

Music
Music is a very important part of young children's education.  We offer all children the opportunity to play simple untuned and tuned instruments and to compose simple tunes.  We sing new and familiar songs and listen to a wide variety of music.

The practical solution to problems which so many children bring into school with them when they first arrive is advanced by the opportunities afforded children in school to work with a wide variety of construction materials from Lego, Quadro, Lasy, Polydron to Meccano and the use of the work bench and appropriate tools - to design and develop appropriate themes.

We now have eight new computers.  Four of these are in our library Y2 suite, four in Y1 and YR has 3.  Children are given the opportunity to work with a simplified word processor, Logo and roamer. We are now linked to the Internet on Broadband and are part of the National Grid for Learning.

Physical Education
All the children participate in various physical activities  including movement to music, dance, large apparatus, small apparatus and floor work.  The older children are given the opportunity to have swimming lessons at Staines Pool, one afternoon a week.  Please remember that children are not to wear jewellery during P.E. and swimming.  This is Surrey County Council Health and Safety Regulations.

Religious Education
Religious Education is an integral part of the school curriculum and is dealt with in a thoughtful and sensitive way both in our daily assemblies and in the classroom and incorporates attitudes and moral codes.  We focus on respect for one another and the religious festivals, with a Christian bias.  From time to time, visitors from a variety of churches join us to keep us in touch with the wider community, but always respecting beliefs and feelings of minorities.  Parents may withdraw their children from religious education if they wish.

Assemblies
A daily assembly is held which includes an act of worship.  Children listen to stories and poems with a moral or social content.  As with Religious Education there is a Christian bias but stories from other faiths are used.  Visitors may be invited to join assembly to talk about how festivals of different faiths are celebrated.  Parents may withdraw their children from assemblies.

Sex Education
All questions that the children ask are answered as truthfully as possible and this applies to questions about health and sex, bearing in mind the needs of the individual child.  At Infant School level it is not considered necessary to give direct instruction, as many topics will include aspects of birth and physical development and these are dealt with sensitively, embodying the concepts of love and the family.

We believe that each child should have equal access to opportunities within the school regardless of race, religion, class, gender and health.  We encourage the children to develop positive attitudes and respect towards all children and adults in the school.

The Governors report annually to parents on the implementation of the policy and accept the duties described in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

We have single level access to all areas of the school and have recently had a disabled toilet facility built in school to allow for wheelchair access.

More Able Pupils
Through observations, checklists and the use of standardised tests, we are able to identify children who display a particular skill and ability in a subject as well as those who are experiencing difficulties in certain areas.  Usually we can address these needs through school resources.

Sometimes we seek the advice of specialist agencies such as the School Doctor and the Educational Psychologist.  Parents are kept informed of their children’s progress during the regular parent consultations and with annual written records of achievement.

Homework
A government paper on homework suggests that at infant level children should read at home with an adult for between 10 & 20 minutes each day plus some other short activity of about 10 minutes duration - this could be a simple math’s game.