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Curriculum Intent

 

At Stoughton Infant School our curriculum is unashamedly aspirational for the children, rooted in a belief that all children can achieve and excel. It is broad and balanced, designed to stimulate a love of learning which develops the whole child as an individual. Learning is planned carefully to ensure skills are built upon and mastered. This is achieved with added enrichment activities which are linked to and help children deepen their learning. For example, an embedded Forest Schools program enriches and supports learning in many subjects, especially science and geography. The school values of positivity, courage, perseverance, nurture and love support the children to achieve and thrive. This enables children at Stoughton Infant School to be well prepared for their next step in their education.​  

Reading and Phonics

We believe that phonics provides the foundation for all children to develop their reading and writing fluency. We want children to become proficient decoders so that they can find meaning and enjoyment from what they read. Above all, we want children to become lovers of reading and we promote this by teaching children the phonetic code and sharing stories in both oral and written form. 

 

All children have the opportunity to read with and be read to by adults. Children take home reading books that are consistent with their developing phonic knowledge as well as library books that can be shared and enjoyed with their families. We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds programme and use the Collins Big Cat Phonics Books.

 

Children are provided with many opportunities to share and discuss what they have read with adults and peers. They develop comprehension through 1:1, shared, guided and whole class reading. We believe that reading underpins a broad and balanced curriculum, so the children are exposed to high quality texts with a variety of characters and settings. Each year group shares fiction, nonfiction and poetry from a core of high quality reading spines to support their teaching in all subjects. It is through these shared experiences that children develop their love of reading at Stoughton.

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Writing

We want all children leaving Stoughton to be creative storytellers and writers, to develop strong transcription skills and coherently write fiction and non-fiction pieces. Above all we want children to develop a love, passion and enjoyment towards writing.

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At Stoughton children are immersed in Talk for Writing from Nursery to Year 2. Children are taught how to compose stories using a variety of story structures (e.g. Journey Story) and how to create effective and coherent stories to engage the reader. Teachers act as expert models of the writing process in daily story telling and shared writing.  

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Grammar is taught explicitly through Talk for Writing units, as the familiar context ensures grammar knowledge is better internalised. Spelling lessons continue to build on solid phonic knowledge and children are taught key national curriculum spellings. Handwriting expectations are set high at Stoughton and children are taught correct formation of letters and cursive script.

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At Stoughton we regularly ensure opportunities for children’s ideas and writing to be share, displayed, published but above all celebrated.

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Maths

Mathematical learning at Stoughton should be fun, engaging and interesting for all children. We follow the National Curriculum and follow a mastery approach using White Rose small steps to ensure good progression in mathematical understanding. We want children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, to reason mathematically in a range of situations and to develop skills in problem solving. Learning through problem solving ensures a greater depth of understanding that can be transferred into a variety of contexts. Where possible mathematical learning is applied to everyday life building confident mathematicians. Careful planning develops children’s depth of understanding within mathematical concepts using a concrete, pictorial and abstract approach. 

Science

Children are naturally curious and we build upon this innate ability so that they learn and work logically. We use our extensive resources, including our excellent outside areas, to give children first-hand experience of exploring and discovering. For instance, during a project on comparing environments and understanding habitats, the children explore the different areas of the dry barren playground and wall, the pond, the field and the lush wildlife garden, discovering creatures and recording what they have found. As well as promoting scientific skills and knowledge this also develops areas of maths, geography, art and literacy, and the children are motivated and happy in their learning.

Art & Design

At Stoughton Infant School we want all children to be given the opportunity to express themselves creatively through the medium of different art forms including drawing, colour, printing, pattern and form. We encourage children to explore their own ideas and celebrate their creations in and around the school. In the Early Years children learn art based skills during adult led activities, and explore their own creative ideas by accessing art resources and equipment independently during continuous provision.  In KS1 carefully planned lessons ensure opportunities for children to further develop their skills and imagination by using mood, texture, line, shape and form.

Gardening

The children have a selection of gardens which they have designed (Art and Design) and maintain themselves.                                           

They are responsible for making this sustainable by generating funds, making their own compost and saving water.  They grow fruit and vegetables which they cook and share with their classes.  They have won five Eco School Green Flags by increasing biodiversity, reducing litter and waste, conserving water and power, encouraging “clean” means of travel and promoting environmentally sound practises at home and abroad.  They learn to keep safe, through Forest School activities. 

Throughout all these activities they are learning how to communicate, negotiate, think creatively, problem solve, resolve conflict, plan and work effectively in a team (Speaking and Listening, Physical, Health, Social and Emotional curriculum).

Computing

At Stoughton, we use computers and new technologies across all areas of the curriculum from Nursery to Year 2.  The children have access to Chrome books, tablets, iPads, programmable toys and interactive whiteboards.

 

Every child has an access to Purple Mash.  Through this we teach the children how to develop and refine other computer skills such as typing, word processing, data handling, creating and editing pictures. Computing is important as it helps children to improve their maths and writing skills. Coding gives the children valuable life skills such as problem solving, thinking creatively, and it helps to develop resilience.

 

Children also have access to the Reading Eggs which is an app used to enhance phonic knowledge, reading fluency and comprehension.

 

Central to all learning, is how to use the internet in a safe and effective way. Children are taught how to stay safe online through a series of e-safety lessons.

Design Technology

At Stoughton, we aspire for all children to enjoy designing and making and to develop the practical expertise to solve a range of technical and everyday challenges. In EYFS, through continuous provision, children learn through play to develop early skills such as assembling, cutting, measuring and estimating by using a variety of construction materials and tools. These skills provide a secure foundation for more structured learning in KS1 where DT projects link more to set year group themes. Through following the DT process of ‘investigate, design, make and evaluate’, children learn to apply their knowledge to create visually appealing products that are functional, to test & critique ideas and to handle tools safely and effectively. We have a children’s kitchen where pupils have the opportunity to cook and to understand the principles of basic nutrition. Our DT lessons encourage our pupils to develop resilience and to become independent / collaborative learners. 

Geography

We want all children at Stoughton to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. We seek to inspire and promote the children's interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments.

 

We place an emphasis on using the primary sources that are around us. Children will study geography through first hand experiences as they observe and investigate features of their local environment e.g. shops, church, river/canal, forest school area etc. and people who live and work in the locality.

History 

We want all children at Stoughton to have an awareness and to be curious about the past. They will learn about changes in living memory and beyond that are significant locally, nationally, globally and commemorated through festivals or anniversaries. Children will be encouraged to use analytical thinking and questioning to explore and compare the lives of significant individuals in the past who contributed to national and international achievement.

Music

At Stoughton, we want all children to have access to a high quality music education that engages and inspires them to develop a love of music and nurtures their talent as musicians.Through our scheme (Charanga Musical School) pupils from Reception to Year 2, will have the opportunity to listen and respond, explore and create and sing and perform music from a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. Children in nursery will have the opportunity to learn a range of songs and rhymes and have access to a range of percussion instruments. Children can also access peripatetic piano and ukulele lessons. 

Physical Education

PE is a time for children to develop their coordination, agility, strength and creativity whilst learning the vital skills of cooperation and teamwork. The children will also gain an excellent understanding of the importance of keeping fit and eating a healthy, well balanced diet. Our range of spaces provide the children with a variety of active environments such as the field, playground and school hall where we are well equipped with small and large apparatus. In addition to timetabled PE lessons we also run a variety of clubs including cricket, tag rugby, rounders, multi skills and football. The whole school loves the intra-school opportunities such as dodgeball tournaments, sports day, football tournaments and rounders tournaments. After school clubs include; karate, boogie pumps, planet soccer, multisports and dodgeball. We are extremely lucky to have the sports premium funding available to us which we are able to use to enhance the quality of PE and sport at Stoughton. We have previously achieved the gold award from Active Surrey for our high quality provision of PE and sport and we use this as a benchmark to assess our current provision of PE and sport. The funding allows us to provide the children with high quality PE lessons from Primary Sporting Development once a week in Reception and Key stage one. The children are able to experience quality lessons in games, dance, gymnastics and athletics with our professional coaches.In addition to this, the children enjoy participating in an additional teacher led PE lesson each week.

PSHE

At Stoughton we believe that PSHE education plays a vital part in our children's development and is at the heart of our school's ethos and values. Our PSHE curriculum is split into the three key themes of Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. These three themes have equal weighting and importance within our teaching, and topics are taught on a rolling, spiral basis. 

Topics are revisited across year groups, and understanding is deepened. This allows for progression and retention of key skills and knowledge, and also the introduction of some concepts at an age-appropriate point.  At Stoughton, PSHE is taught through discrete sessions as well as being embedded throughout the curriculum. PSHE sessions will be hands-on and engaging, using real situations to support the children's learning. We currently enhance our curriculum by using 1 Decision resources.  We also use a variety of  visitors and themed weeks to complement our PSHE curriculum and deepen the learning.

Religious Education

At Stoughton, we want the teaching of RE to provoke challenging questions about the meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. We help children to develop a good understanding of different religions, including Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The teaching of RE plays a crucial part in enabling children to develop into well balanced, inquisitive and tolerant adults in the diverse society that they live in today.

Forest Schools

Forest Schools is incredibly engaging and motivating for children and is one of the best things we have found for promoting confidence and self esteem.  It was introduced to us by Surrey Wildlife Trust who ran it once a week for a year in our wildlife garden. We were so impressed by the benefits and positive impact it had on our children that we applied for Lottery Funding to train our staff.

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They learn how to:

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  • Create and sustain a camp fire

  • Cook and make drinks on the camp fire

  • Source wood and sort it into different sizes for different purposes

  • Use tools effectively and safely such as saws, non-electrical drills and fire sticks

  • Keep themselves safe in a variety of situations

  • Work co-operatively in pairs as a team

  • Anticipate and offer when help is needed

  • Solve problems in a variety of situations

  • Listen to and follow instructions

  • Use language to ask questions, describe situations and explain procedures

  • Think, plan, sequence actions and evaluate

  • Appreciate and care for the environment and the diversity of creatures it sustains

  • Persevere (making fire is hard and we have witnessed children persevering for as much as an hour until they master it!)

  • Adapt techniques and plans

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SEND & Additional Educational Needs

We value all our children equally and embrace their special abilities and special needs. Skilled and trained staff provide expert support for children with difficulties, either individually or in small groups. We ensure that every child has equal access to the curriculum via swift identification of need and specific planning to enable our children to build upon their strengths in order to foster their confidence and self- esteem. 

We follow the Code of Practice on Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs and seek the advice of outside agencies such as the Educational Psychologist Service, Speech and Language Therapy, Language & Literacy Support, Medical Services, Occupational therapy, Freemantles Outreach and Behaviour Management Support. 

Children with EHC plans are provided with additional support within their class, by all staff, and are fully integrated into school life. Through our structured and meticulously planned curriculum we are committed to supporting every child to succeed, whether it be as a mathematician, scientist, forest school expert, artist or good friend so that each child is valued by our community, makes a recognised contribution and develops sound self-worth.

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