SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Aims and Curriculum

We try to make this a happy school where everyone is welcome.  We believe that everyone within our school is an equally important individual and respect their individuality.

We try to encourage all our children to become independent, caring and responsible people by providing learning experiences and opportunities which promote these ideals.  We hope that every child will have a happy, secure and rewarding experience during their first years of school life

We consider that the fostering of relationships which recognise other people’s ideas and values are of paramount importance to achieving the aims of the school.

We do this by creating a climate where everyone is encouraged to listen to and consider individual points of view and providing opportunities for open discussion of issues between pupils, parents and staff.

At Ryhill we are constantly aware of the need to provide quality education which seeks to raise standards of achievement for all pupils.  We are a committed team of teachers who constantly monitor and review our teaching methods, current provision and resources to ensure that every pupil fulfils his or her potential during their time in our school.

It is our central aim to deliver the National Curriculum through a broad and balanced curriculum - a curriculum which is based on good, sound primary practice, with the children at the centre of the learning experiences.  We provide a varied, exciting environment, where an activity based approach to learning is evident.

We aim to offer the children the opportunities to develop in the following areas of learning and experience and through these to cover the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum - aesthetic, social, spiritual, mathematical and technological.

Equal Opportunities & Language Development

Equal Opportunities

All children in our school, irrespective of race, culture or gender, will have equal access to all areas of the curriculum and extra curriculum activities.

Teacher assessment and end of Key Stage assessment tests will be used to monitor any differences that may exist in the performance of boys and girls in curriculum areas.

Bearing in mind these aims and the requirements of the National Curriculum, documents have been drawn up as guidelines for the staff covering a wide variety of subjects -

Language.     Mathematics.    Science.     Religious Education.     P.E. (including games and swimming).    Music.

Design & Technology.     I.C.T.    Art.     History & Geography.    PSHE and Citizenship.

Language Development

Language is the main medium through which the curriculum is learned and taught, and the major means by which children interpret the world around them and communicate with people. Language development grows through the interaction of writing, talking, reading and listening. 

We believe therefore, that every child in our school should be helped to realise their full language potential.  To do this we aim to create an environment where children will have the opportunity to experience a wide range of the written and spoken word and where reading and writing are seen as worthwhile and pleasurable activities. Every child participates in these activities during the daily literacy hour.

Mathematics & Science

Mathematics

Our aims are to develop confidence and accuracy in computational skills, to extend and refine mathematical language, to develop logical skills and an awareness of spatial and numerical relationships.  Mathematics occur in many areas of the curriculum such as science, P.E., structured play activities and is reinforced and extended by the use of concrete apparatus, mental arithmetic games, problem solving and investigations.  All children participate in the daily numeracy hour.

 Science

In science we aim to develop in children an awareness and inquiring attitude to the world around them.  They experience and develop understanding of scientific methods of ‘finding out’ through observation, questioning, experimenting, pattern finding, predicting and explaining results.

Religious Education

Religious education is an integral part of the curriculum and should re-enforce the spiritual values and ethical standards underlying the different beliefs represented in the community.  We aim to encourage the love of God and an open-hearted response to the order and beauty of the natural world; to inculcate care for others and promote respect for their beliefs.

Under the terms of the Education Act 1988, parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious education and the act of collective worship.

We follow the guidelines suggested in the Pyramid Handbook - Agreed Syllabus of R.E., as distributed by Wakefield Metropolitan District Council for all areas of R.E.

Music & Art

Music

A valid music education programme should aim to help every child become a discriminating listener with wide tastes, valuing music for what it is and able to evaluate new musical experiences.

With this aim in mind we have adopted both the Music in Action scheme and Music Express into school.  We seek to achieve these aims through active learning in singing, moving and playing, allowing the children to experience feelings of rhythm and form in music, to appreciate its moods, texture and colour and to enjoy participating in varied musical activities.

Art

The school aims to develop each child’s creative ability by providing opportunities for the investigation of a wide range of media and equipment, allowing children to discover their properties and evaluate their potential.  Through such activities children can develop the observational and manipulative skills needed for results to match conceptual idea.

We also aim to build self-esteem and the appreciation of the individuality of others through the sensitive display of all the children’s work.

PE & Sporting Provision

PE

Through the curriculum of physical education the children are provided with physical and social experiences, which give them the opportunities to develop body control, agility and co-ordination of mind and body, confidence and co-operation in and through movement. It is also the school’s aim to develop positive relationships in the company of others whether on an individual basis, in co-operation or in competition.

Sporting Provision

 “Sport is a binding force between generations and across borders, but it is at the same time

 one of the defining characteristics of nationhood and of local pride”.  

Sport is open to all ages - but it is most open to those who learn to love it when they are young.  Competitive sport teaches valuable lessons which last for life.  Every game delivers both a winner and a loser.  Sports men and women must learn to be both.  Sport only thrives if both parties play by the rules, and accept the results with good grace.  It is one of the best means of learning how to live alongside others and make a contribution as part of a team as well as improving health and opening the door to friendships.

At Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School we aim to take these fundamental principles to create a structured sporting initiative which will give our children the opportunities and challenges they are entitled to throughout their school life.

As an effective and fun way of improving fitness and health, skipping has now been incorporated into P.E. lessons and is available to the children at playtimes.

Years 4 and 5 children have 30 minutes swimming tuition per week, which is provided by qualified instructors at Minsthorpe Swimming Pool.

Boys and girls football matches are frequently arranged with other local schools and children.

Staff have been trained in the use of the Top Sport and Top Play schemes by qualified instructors.

Design & Technology

Through design and technology we aim to give both boys and girls the confidence and competence to identify, examine and solve practical problems involving the production of artefacts or systems using a variety of approaches, materials and methods, and to give pupils a sense of enjoyment and pride in their ability to design and make.

History & Geography

History

The teaching of history aims to give our pupils an awareness of and interest in the past and an appreciation of human achievements and aspirations.  Through our programme of study we aim to:

a) help the children understand how the past was different from the present and that people of other times and places may have had different values and attitudes from our.

b) encourage an understanding of the process of change and continuity.

c) develop insight, clearly based on historical evidence, in order to offer explanations of past events.

d) to develop a knowledge of chronology within which they can organise their understanding of the past.

e) to distinguish between historical facts and the interpretation of those facts.

Geography

Through the study of geography we aim to develop the children’s interest in their own surroundings and in the world as the home of mankind.  We want them to appreciate the variety of physical and human conditions on the earth’s surface and recognise some of the more important geographical patterns and relationships which are revealed in different types of landscape and in human activities.

 We hope that they will develop a range of skills and competence necessary to carry out geographical information, and that they will acquire a framework of knowledge and understanding about their home area, their own country and about other parts of the world.

I.C.T.

I.C.T. can enhance the learning process at all levels and across the whole curriculum.  Through the use of  I.C.T. we aim to make children become knowledgeable about the nature of information, to be confident with new technology and able to exploit its potential. We are now linked to the Internet and Broadband and we are as such able to offer a much enhanced level of I.C.T. opportunities for our children. A new server based computer network system with high spec. PC's was installed in our ICT suite in April 2006, along with Digital Video Editing equipment, Interactive Whiteboards to all classrooms, upgraded PC's to all classrooms and the latest educational software.

Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship

(PSHE & Citizenship)

The teaching of PSHE supports the whole school ethos and aims to develop four main areas;

§ Confidence and responsibility

§ Preparing to play an active role as citizens

§ Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle

§ Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people.

The citizenship element of the programme will focus on;

§ Social and moral responsibility

§ Community involvement

§ Political literacy

Through PSHE and citizenship children will be encouraged to play an active role within the school and the wider community, and to develop the confidence and skills to enable them to maximize learning and other opportunities.

Sex Education

Ryhill Junior Infant and Nursery School believes that sex education in this school will be developmental and a foundation for further work in the secondary school.  Sex education in the school will contribute to the requirements of the Education Reform Act 1988, that the school shall be one which :-

a) promotes the spiritual, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society and

b) prepares such pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

The school will work towards this aim in partnership with parents.

The aim of the sex education policy is to clarify the content and the manner in which sex education is delivered in this school.

The sex education programme will reflect the school ethos and demonstrate and encourage the following values

Respect for self.

Respect for others.

Responsibility for their own actions.

Responsibility for their family, friends, school and wider community.

The sex education programme will provide information which is easy to understand  and be relevant and appropriate to the age of maturity of the pupils. Include the development of communication and social skills and encourage the exploration and clarification of value and attitudes.

Sex education will be taught in the context of relationships.  Topics and themes will be repeated from year to year in greater depth taking account of the pupil’s development and the spiral curriculum concept.

Play

A child’s play is one activity to be encouraged and respected because of its importance in the educational process.  It is a vehicle for all aspects of young children’s learning, development and motivation.  We aim to make the child’s play a way of exploring and experimenting.  We hope that through play he will come to terms with the world, cope with everyday tasks, to master different skills and to extend concentration skills.  In particular we aim to give the child confidence through specific play situations. Play is the way a child can learn when none can teach him, e.g. the word water is learned easily through play, through having discovered all the things water can or cannot do - such as run, soak, drip, freeze, etc.

Ethos and Values of the School

In this curricular area we would hope to create an environment in which skills such as politeness, empathy, social competence and helpfulness can flourish.  Habits such as self discipline and acceptable behaviour are encouraged.  With all our children in mind it is hoped that the ability to accommodate the interests and preferences of other people can be fostered.  We encourage the children to develop qualities of mind, body, spirit, feeling and imagination and also the will to use knowledge skills and practical abilities.

All children have lively inquiring minds so we hope to expand their ability to question and argue rationally. We aim towards developing the ability of children to work as a member of a group, taking the lead, or accepting the leadership of others when appropriate.  Above all, we aim to develop the capacity of enjoyment. If a child is enjoying what he is doing then that child will learn in a much easier way.

Extra Curricular Activities

Now we are established as a Junior and Infant school with a full complement of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 staff, our children will be provided with opportunities to encourage or develop personal interests in after school clubs - currently football (boys and girls), choir, drama, baking, arts & crafts, environment and homework

We organise a yearly book fair.  Children are frequently taken on stimulating and interesting visits both during and out of school hours and residential visits are organised  each school year for lower Key Stage 2 and to various centres for upper Key Stage 2.