School Curriculum

National Curriculum
The National Curriculum is a blueprint used by schools to ensure that teaching standards are universally consistent. It is a framework given to teachers by Government, so that all school children are taught in a way that is balanced and manageable, but hard enough to challenge them. Schools are free to organise teaching within this time as they think best. They will ultimately create their own plans, term by term and year by year.

Click HERE to download the school prospectus for 2004.

The School Curriculum here at Lambton
All children in school follow the foundation Stage Curriculum in the nursery and reception classes and the National Curriculum in the rest of the school. In addition children are taught R.E., Health Education and personal and Social Education.

The National Curriculum is divided into core subjects which are; English, Mathematics, Science, ICT and RE and Foundation subjects. The foundation subjects include; History, Geography, Art, PE, Design Technology and Music. Each subject has a curriculum that outlines the knowledge, skills and activities to be completed by each year group.
It is the policy of the school to organise children into mixed ability classes. In each class children will work in either mixed ability groups or ability groups depending on the subjects and the task to be completed.
Each class is taught by a teacher who is supported in their work by additional staff such as teachers, nursery nurses and classroom assistants.

English
All children will have experiences of speaking, listening, reading, writing, spelling and handwriting through a dedicated literacy hour. In addition they are encouraged to reinforce the skills they have learnt by using them in cross curricular reading and writing.

All children are encouraged to take home reading books and library books to improve their skills and to share books with adults at home.

Mathematics
In each year group children will have experience of the following through a daily numeracy lesson:

1. Knowledge, skills, understanding and use of number, algebra and measures.
2. Knowledge, skills, understanding and use of shape, space and data handling.
3. Oral and Mental Skills.
To achieve these aims the school uses a variety of scheme to provide a practical basis for skills in numeracy. Many resources are used to deliver the curriculum including ICT. The school believes in a practical problem solving approach to learning.

Science
In each year group the children will explore the following area:
1. Scientific investigation
2. Life and Living Processes
3. Materials and their Properties
4. Physical Processes
In this curriculum area will try to foster and build upon children’s natural sense of curiosity. We build upon their experiences to develop an awareness of the world around them.

Information Technology
The school has a fully equipped, networked computer suite as well as computers in classrooms. These computers are all linked to the internet.
Children develop skills in using hardware and software to find process and display information. They regularly use computers to reinforce or extend skills in other subjects.

The school operates an internet use policy to ensure safety at all times.

Design Technology
Children develop the skills of planning and making in response to a need or problem. They evaluate and make changes to improve their final product. They have the opportunity to use these skills across the curriculum.

History and Geography
In these areas we aim to develop the skills which will enable children to interpret the world around them. This will involve them looking at a variety of physical and human conditions around the world and looking at how to care for their environment. We also hope that by studying the past they will appreciate relationships and how developments have taken place.

Physical Education/Sporting Aims and provision
The school holds the Sport England Active Mark in recognition of the work carried out in PE. All children will have the opportunity to develop agility, co-ordination and the ability to express movement through movement, dance, gymnastics, games and swimming.
Social skills are developed through team or group work enabling children to work together and as individuals.

The school runs a number of sporting teams and extra curricular activities. They also take part in festivals and other events involving children from other schools. Sports days at the end of the summer term are important events in our school year.

Creative Arts and Music
Children are given the opportunity to express themselves through a variety of creative activities. The curriculum they follow gives them the opportunity to record and observe images. They transform materials into images and objects through drawing and painting as well as studying the work of other artists. Art activities are often used to record work in other areas of the curriculum. Our music scheme gives children the opportunity to sing, listen, create and appreciate music. There is also the opportunity for them to receive instrument tuition through extra curricular activities.

Religious Education
Lambton Primary School is non denominational. Religious Education is provided within the framework of the local Agreed Syllabus and in accordance with the 1988 Education Act. Assemblies are held daily which are wholly or mainly Christian based.
Parents have the right to withdraw their child Religious Education and the daily assembly. Please contact the head teacher to arrange this and discuss what alternative provision will be provided.

Sex Education
The Governors have agreed a policy for sex education that aims to teach sex education through a structured programme of personal and social education. Puberty is taught in Year 6. We aim to teach children the facts as well as both the physical and emotional aspects of growing up. Parents will be informed when sex education lessons are to take place and of their right to withdraw their children from these lessons.

Assessment
Children are assessed on a regular basis both by tests and through the marking of work.
Children in nursery and reception are assessed against early learning goals on the Foundation Stage Profile. This assessment begins with their entry to nursery and is completed at the end of the reception year.
Statutory testing takes place in May at the end of Year 2 and 6. The results of these tests are reported to parents with the summer term report and include details of the school results. Other children in Years 3, 4, and 5 do tests at this time. These results are also reported to parents as part of the summer term report.
Assessments results are valued by staff as a way of tracking the progress that each child makes in school, as well as to plan appropriate work in the future.

Special Educational Needs
The school follows the Code of Practice for children who have special or additional needs.
All classes in school are of mixed ability and teachers provide work that is specially designed to match the ability of each group. They do this using a variety of materials and classroom support.
If a child has special or additional needs parents will be informed that their child is being registered on the special needs register. These children will have an individual education plan which is reviewed with parents each term.
For a small proportion of children, the school may need to involve the use of advice of specialists, outside of school. Parents will always be informed of this in advance so that they can have the opportunity to ask questions and raise any concerns.
At Lambton Primary School we are sensitive to the needs of all children and ensure that their achievements are recognised. We aim to provide all of our children with a curriculum differentiated to their needs, if those needs can be met by the school.
There is a member of staff in school who is responsible for children on the SEN register and to support staff and parents.
Mrs Abbott is the school SEN co-ordinator.

Back to top

Creative Arts and Music
We offer children a means of self expression through a variety of media as we aim to increase their awareness of their own feelings, senses and surroundings. Art is linked to thematic work and children have regular opportunities for drawing, painting and making things.

Our music schemes give the children opportunities for singing, listening, appreciation and the rudiments of notation and creative music making. There is also the opportunity for children to join the choir, guitar and recorder groups or pay for violin/cello lessons.

There is a long and successful history of Drama throughout the school, with many different types of production throughout the year. These productions are usually a combination of Drama, Dance, Music and Art.

Artwork Created by years 1-6

         

Back to top

History and Geography
In these areas of the curriculum we aim to develop the skills which will enable children to interpret the world around them. This will involve the appreciation of the variety of physical and human conditions found in the world, and protecting and caring for the environment. We also hope to help them to appreciate the relationship between past and present and to understand how these developments have taken place.

Back to top

Physical Education
We endeavour through Physical Education to provide the children with the opportunity to develop agility, co-ordination of mind and body, together with posture and deportment and the ability to express feeling through Movement, Dance, Gymnastics, Games and Swimming. Social skills are developed through teamwork or group work enabling pupils to grow in awareness of themselves as individuals, as well as members of a team. Images of P.E. Activities

            

Back to top

Religious Education
Lambton Primary School is non-denominational. Religious Education is provided in the school within the framework of the Authority's Agreed Syllabus and in accordance with the 1988 Education Act. Non-denominational assemblies are held daily, which are wholly or mainly Christian based. Parents unhappy with these arrangements are invited to contact the Headteacher in order to discuss the position. Parents are reminded of their right to withdraw their child from the corporate act of worship and Religious lessons.

Back to top

Sex Education
The Governors have a sex education policy that aim to teach sex education through a structural programme of personal and social education. Puberty is taught in Year 5 and then revised in Year 6. Our aim is to teach how to deal with both the physical and emotional aspects of growing up. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons.

Back to top