Lower Primary
Lower Primary is made up of two year groups: Years 1 and 2. These two year groups are referred to as Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.
As the children leave EYFS, we ensure a smooth transition by continuing with elements of the EYFS pedagogy to ensure that passion and creativity for learning remains.
With the confidence and independence gained in Early Years, Lower Primary children are well equipped to build upon their skills and understanding in order to access the broad and challenging Key Stage 1 curriculum.
A DAY AT LOWER PRIMARY
After kick starting each morning with an ‘emotional check-in’, teachers deliver a fun and pacey daily phonics session and then a varied timetable of lessons including maths and English.
Learning is encompassed around a class topic allowing cross-curricular teaching to take place. This in turn, creates links in learning and deepens the skills, knowledge and understanding of the different subject curriculums.
Specialist subjects taught are listed below.
As confidence continues to grow and children become more open minded, reflective and well balanced, there are various opportunities for extra curricular activities and performances such as class assemblies, storytelling, poem recitals and end of year shows. Success is shared and celebrated.
Pastoral care is of utmost importance to us. It is simple: children who feel safe, secure and valued will have the confidence to take risks in their learning and learn to the best of their abilities. A large part of Lower Primary PSHE lessons are in the form of daily circle time sessions to discuss feelings, emotions and relationships to empower children to make good choices and build respectful relationships with their peers.
By the end of Summer term, we have self assured, confident students eager to take on the many new and exciting challenges as they move into Upper Primary.
LOWER PRIMARY SUBJECTS
Art and Design
In Lower Primary children are encouraged to produce accurate drawings of people that include all the visible parts of the body likehead, hands, fingers and place them correctly.
English
We understand and celebrate the importance of language as both a tool for communication and the first building block for the many successes that the children will achieve during their time in school. Children will be involved with an immersive environment for learning and we pride ourselves on building that nourishing context for them as they grow as English speakers, readers and writers.
Geography
Pupils develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom/Spain and their locality. They learn to understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their local awareness.
Topics covered include:
- Continents and oceans
- Types of houses around the world
- Weather around the world
- Maps
Mathematics
The development of good number sense is fundamental to our KS1 math curriculum. Children gain a broad understanding of how numbers relate to each other and develop the ability to compare numbers. This is achieved by participating in activities that involve manipulating objects and through talking about the math they are doing, they are able to articulate their understanding and reasoning.
Our aim is that our pupils are able to carry out calculations using the 4 operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, in their heads by the time they leave Y2.
Music
Children develop a love and appreciation for music through singing, playing instruments, and moving to music. Exposing music to children at an early age helps in many areas of development including literacy, numeracy, social-emotional, motor, language, listening, and hand-eye coordination.
Physical Education
Physical activity is vital for the all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Using sport and dance activities to explore and develop the child’s agility, balance, coordination, strength and positional awareness will allow them to progress with continually improving fine and gross motor skills.
Our curriculum allows each child to learn at their own pace with increasing independence, solving problems, approaching challenges, gaining confidence and learning about their bodies throughout.
Science
Science is brought in by the class teacher and students discover more about the world around them through focused projects that take place both inside the classroom and outside in the forest school.
The science curriculum is broad and offers opportunities for hands-on practical experiences for children to identify, explore, compare, describe and observe three main topic areas: plants, materials, and animals and habitats.
History
Key Stage 1 begins their journey into history with changes in living memory, starting at themselves and the things they know best - toys! Branching out to significant historical events and the lives of significant individuals. Year 2 then go on to discover events beyond living memory and the achievements of important individuals in the past.
Spanish and Catalan as a foreign language
Students start learning Spanish from EYFS, and Catalan language is introduced in Year 2. Learning is through games, experimentation, music and with the help of dynamic activities that are designed taking into account their interests and abilities so that their learning is fun and motivating.
At this stage, the most important thing is that they acquire Spanish and Catalan vocabulary so that they are able to understand what they hear and be able to communicate with other people.
Information and Communication Technology
ICT is used across the curriculum through the Interactive whiteboard, iPads and chromebooks as well as focussed ICT lessons from Year 1 with the chromebooks, laptops and some visits to the ICT suite to use the iMacs. Children focus on simple skills such as using games and programs aimed at young learners and interactive games they can play as a group and independently. Typing skills and building confidence using the keyboard, mouse and simple programmes are developed over the course of Years 1 and 2.
We also learn simple programming skills with programmable beebots and scratch.