At Nayland Primary School, English underpins the curriculum; the ability to read, write and to communicate well enables all other areas of the curriculum to become accessible. We aim to put English at the heart of our thematic curriculum by using English skills to research other subjects, and by using other subjects as the purpose for English work.

English lessons are comprised of a balance of reading and writing, as well as speaking and listening and are normally taught every day. In Reception and Key Stage One, children have a daily systematic synthetic phonics lesson using ‘Jolly Phonics’ as the scheme, supported by a range of exciting resources.

Jolly Phonics Information

A variety of reading schemes are used with the books being banded by colour to support the appropriate use of texts to support learning.

The children are encouraged to listen attentively, to speak clearly and to express themselves confidently through conversation, class discussion and drama.

Pupils are given opportunities to read from a wide range of material for enjoyment and to locate information. All children are encouraged to read daily in and out of school and all reading is valued. An online library system (juniorlibrarian.net) will support children in choosing books that challenge their comprehension and enrich their language by offering a wide range of quality books as they gain competence.

Pupils are taught to write for a variety of purposes and audiences, producing both fiction and non-fiction genres. They are given opportunities to explain, recount events and to express ideas, thoughts and feelings.

Spelling is taught through the use and application of phonics as well as the rote learning of ‘tricky words’ that are not phonetically plausible. Children and parents are expected to take an active role in this area of learning through regular practice at home.

Every effort is made to ensure that children develop legible and fluent handwriting.

English is also supported by the use of ICT.

The National Curriculum for Mathematics is used at Nayland School to enable teachers to provide pupils with a firm foundation in mathematics and set targets for raising standards in key skills. We believe in interactive, whole-class and group teaching using a variety of approaches that meet the diverse needs of individual children. In the early years and into Key Stage 1, children will be supported in their learning with concrete apparatus and will gradually move to more formal methods as they progress in their mathematical learning.

Mathematics is taught through a daily mathematics lesson, which uses a three-part structure, starting with oral and mental calculation using whole-class teaching. The main part of the lesson is used for teaching new topics or consolidating previous learning at a level appropriate to the child. Finally, the plenary plays an important role, allowing teachers to draw together all that has been learned. Lessons focus on differentiated teaching and learning with a strong emphasis on number and calculation and, throughout the lessons, pupils are given the opportunity to explain their answers and suggest new ways of tackling problems.

Computing in school encompasses the use of computers, photographic and recording equipment. At Key Stages 1 and 2 we aim to ensure that all pupils:

• can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
• can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

These are developed within computing lessons and integrated into all other subjects wherever teaching and learning is enhanced by its use.

All classes have access to recently updated iPads and laptops. From Early Years upwards our aim is for pupils to become as confident and skilled in all these aspects as possible, in order to fully empower them in our increasingly technological age.

Science is an exciting active part of the curriculum. All lessons aim to have skills developed by using enquiry methods. What if and Why are important starting points to lessons. Scientific enquiry is at the heart of all learning from Reception to Year 6.

Science has three key areas of knowledge in the curriculum; `Life Processes and Living Things’, `Materials and their Properties’ and `Physical Processes’. These are taught through a range of activities.

There are many cross-curricular links in science and ICT can take a key role in enquiry methods, e.g. electrical sensors and electro-microscopes. Mathematical understanding is developed as children interpret data and collate results on graphs whilst children may also write a list of instructions as part of their English.

The Art curriculum offers children the opportunity to develop their understanding and use of a variety of media and processes in order to record, communicate and express their own ideas in many different ways.

Through art, our children are encouraged to develop and express their creativity and imagination. The children take part in activities which allow them to explore, enjoy, discuss and respond to art in its many forms that has been produced by a range of artists, including themselves and their peers.

“I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for”. Georgia 0’Keeffe

Design and Technology draws from and contributes to all other areas of the curriculum and is essentially practical. Pupils at Nayland Primary School will learn to work with a variety of materials to create high quality products through combining their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding.

They will be taught to use a range of tools safely and techniques for problem solving. As they progress they will develop an understanding of technological processes, products and their manufacture. Finally the children will be encouraged to develop a critical awareness of their own and other’s responses to their work as well as responding to designs around them in the man-made world. Cross curricular links are made wherever possible and ICT is used where appropriate.

As part of their work with food, pupils will be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. An enjoyment of cooking will be encouraged, opening a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.

Children have a natural interest in the world around them and this curiosity is used to develop their knowledge and understanding of not only their locality but of contrasting localities in the United Kingdom and the wider world.

In all Key Stages we value the importance of field trips as an important element in stimulating work in geography and broadening their understanding of the world around them. As well as the study of places, children are taught the essential skills of using resources such as maps, atlases and photographs as a means of gathering information. They are encouraged to ask probing questions, make relevant observations and develop a good geographical vocabulary. Links with current world events, such as the World Cup, are made whenever possible and displays are used to encourage children’s interest. 

History is a very powerful subject in our curriculum as it sparks curiosity of the past in Britain and the wider world. Children find out about past lives and societies and how these have influenced the present. Pupils learn skills of chronology to help place significant events and people over time. Pupils also learn enquiry skills – how to gather and interpret evidence from a wide range of sources.

We seek imaginative ways to bring history to life for our pupils by organising a range of trips to museums, historical sites, visitors who have lived in historical times and re-enactments which allow pupils to live as others would have in the past.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) is a highly valued subject within the school. It holds a precious place within the schools ethos and is a subject that is delivered carefully in each class every week. From the Foundation Stage onwards children are encouraged and helped to develop the skills necessary to listen to and value the views of others.

The teaching of Primary Languages is a longstanding part of the Nayland curriculum with French being taught to children from Reception onwards. French is our main language but we also take opportunities to celebrate other languages particularly those spoken within our school community. The teaching of languages is very active and fun in its approach using song, games, and activities etc – the development of the spoken word is our main focus. We are fortunate to have language specialists as part of our school staff and links to the MFL department at Thomas Gainsborough School for the oldest classes.

Music is taught to each child by either their class teacher supported by a music expert or by a specialist music teacher. All Year 4 children learn either cornet or baritone and can choose to ‘play on’ in Year 5 and 6 with some children moving to trombone or French horn. Music lessons allow children to listen to a range of music thus developing their music appreciation skills, to sing a variety of songs and to compose and perform music with a wide range of musical instruments. The use of ICT is a growing feature of music with older pupils. Music is a key feature of our assemblies providing children with the opportunity to listen to many different types of music and to perform their songs and compositions to an audience. Both within the school curriculum and through clubs children can access choirs, music groups, ukulele learning and recorders.

P.E. plays a vital part of everyday school life.

Curriculum P.E.

Children in our Reception class have a mix of Physical Development through timetabled lessons and provision within their learning environment. All pupils in KS1 and KS2 have two hours of P.E. timetabled each week to cover the main areas of the National Curriculum: gymnastics, dance, games, swimming, athletics and outdoor and adventurous activities. Swimming is offered to all pupils whilst they are in KS2 until they can swim the required 25m, with lessons being provided at Kingfisher Leisure Centre by qualified swimming instructors.

During their PE sessions the children are encouraged to set challenges for themselves and to improve their own performance. Fun, enjoyment, confidence, self-esteem and team work skills are at the forefront of PE lessons. A healthy and active lifestyle is promoted. Young children are supported to develop the fundamental skills such as aiming and throwing, balance, co-ordination, control and movement. In KS2 pupils are able to further develop these fundamental skills and to apply them in a range of situations, including invasion, net and striking and fielding games.

Extra-Curricular and Competitive P.E.

Extra-curricular P.E. opportunities are on offer to pupils of all ages - some provided by staff volunteers and some by outside agencies/companies. Our older pupils compete in inter-school tournaments and competitions and are offered the opportunity to participate in local festivals, progressing where successful, to competition against schools from a wider geographical area.

Intra-school competition includes our annual sports days, where pupils compete against each other in a wide range of activities tailored to their ages. We have a some links with community sports groups and have strong links with secondary schools in the local area.

RE is about helping children to understand how people with different beliefs make sense of life, and to have confidence to think through big questions for themselves.

We find out what people do in different religions, beginning with children from Christian and Jewish families, then later from Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist and Humanist families. We learn through shared stories, drama, creativity, study of artefacts, visits and visitors or `virtual’ experiences through ICT.

We also talk a lot because we are developing our thinking skills. We need to know how we fit into the world around us, what is important to us, how we will make a difference to other people – and to ourselves and to appreciate life in modern Britain.

Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) is taught sensitively and in an age appropriate manner. RSE learning covers families, those that care for us, caring and respectful friendships, online relationships and keeping ourselves safe. Nayland Primary school follows the’ Growing up with Yasmine and Tom’ scheme, details can be found at the following website: Growing up with Yasmine and Tom - FPA Parents are given advanced notice of the RSE content covered each term via the class newsletter. Year 5 and 6 parents are invited to a meeting to share the approved resources about puberty and sex education. RSE is a statutory subject (Relationships education (Primary) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Parents have the right to withdraw their child from the discrete units in Years 5 and 6 and this should be done in writing to the Headteacher