Our Curriculum
"Motivation is in fact the most important result of student engaged assessment-unless students find reason and inspiration to care about learning and have hope that they can improve, excellence and high achievement will remain the domain of a select group"
Ron Berger
We are proud of the curriculum in East Whitby. Our curriculum is designed to inspire the children of our community to explore, think, challenge and understand their potential. The curriculum helps children to develop their knowledge of the locality and the wider world.
At East Whitby we follow the National Curriculum. This sets out essential learning, coverage and standards required in all subject areas.
Our curriculum is led by key enquiry questions, these are carefully designed by staff to focus the learning. We have chosen to adopt this approach as it is the best way to ensure we relentlessly develop deep and meaningful learning for all within school in a way which is pertinent and relevant to our community as well as being aspirational and encouraging children to look further at the world in which they live.
Each year the children build upon prior learning and achievement and adults working within our Academy ensure that all children independently apply the skills that they have learnt in a range of contexts rather than rushing on without Mastery. An essential part of our curriculum is the use of high quality children's literature both fiction and non-fiction across a range text-types, styles and genres.
In each curriculum area children are taught key knowledge that they can then use and apply in answering the enquiry question. Every block of learning ends with a high quality end product. Across the year blocks have an in depth focus on specific areas of the curriculum, however we find that some curriculum areas will often need to be explored as part of the project to ensure pupils fully understand the learning. (eg In History, maps and geography will often play a key role in developing pupil's understanding) This ensures a broad, balanced and rich learning experience. The long term plan is adapted year on year whilst still ensuring key knowledge, areas and important curricula themes are explored. At East Whitby you will not find a rolling cycle of planning as we pride ourselves on the adaptive and flexible nature of our curriculum.
Staff complete progression documents to ensure curriculum coverage and pass these on in the summer term to the next class teacher as a starting point for planning.
The majority of teaching fits into the enquiry approach in themed units. As we have explored the effectiveness of our curriculum we found that some areas needed to be highlighted ; Art, MfL, RE and Computing receive discrete teaching and focus.
"If you're going to do something, I believe you should do it well. You should sweat over it and make sure its strong and accurate and beautiful and you should be proud of it."
Ron Berger
Curriculum
All Learning Showcase
Intention (Why do we teach what we teach ?)
We have designed our Reading curriculum so that our learners:
- Develop a life-long enjoyment in reading for pleasure
- Are exposed to high quality texts from a range of authors, genres and books on different topics and interests
- Develop the necessary skills and strategies to become fluent and competent and expressional readers, becoming increasingly more confident and independent
- Develop their comprehension skills so that they understand what is read to them
- Read for meaning, enabling them to respond to texts and justify their answers
- Develop their ability to retell a story or events in order, predicting what might happen next and inferring how someone feels or why something might have happened
- Appreciate the work of different authors, poets and illustrators from a range of different cultures
- Are exposed a wider variety of language, including story language, to develop both their oral and written skills and abilities
Implementation (How do we teach it ?)
Our Reading curriculum is taught:
- So that our youngest children use phonetically decodable books that are matched directly to the child’s phonological awareness
- So that the books the children read are phonetically progressive and are matched to the book banding system
- So that children in KS2 have the choice to independently read a range of exciting, diverse and challenging texts that have been curated into small class libraries of around 50 books.
- So that children share a love of reading and stories with other children across school, including reading buddies and peer reviews.
- So that children have the opportunity to take part in one-to-one reading with an adult, guided reading and whole class reading across a variety of different curriculum areas.
- So that teachers share their love of reading and model reading skills at every opportunity
- So that children can develop their reading fluency, and this is monitored regularly by the class teacher.
- So that reading comprehension is taught through the teacher using scaffolded questions which address vocabulary development and word meaning, alongside the development of deduction and inference skills, which is linked to VIPERS.
- So that children hear and follow reading every day via the use of whole class sets of texts and are exposed to a broad range of stories and material to expand and broaden horizons and their view of the world.
-the retelling of a story using story language
-making predictions based upon what they have read
-inferring meaning from what they have read
-being able to explain an author’s language choice and the impact of this on the reader
- So that all children’s progress is monitored and evaluated closely and that additional support and intervention can be put in place for those who are struggling
Impact (What has been the impact and how do we know?)
The impact of the Reading curriculum at East Whitby Primary can be seen through:
- Our children’s enjoyment of reading
- Our children’s fluency when reading, including the use of expression
- Our children’s ability to read for meaning, allowing them to retell events, make justified predictions and provide evidence-based inferences
- Our children’s appreciation of a wide variety of authors and genres, and their ability to express justified preferences
- Our children’s ability to discuss an author’s use of language and the impact this has on the reader
- The wide vocabulary, including story language, used by the children in both their oral responses and written work
- The percentage of children working at Expected level or greater across the school as shown on Target Tracker
- The percentage of children working at Expected level or greater at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, when compared to local and national outcomes
WHY READ?
We asked that question to lots of authors. This is what they said
"Every single time you read, however you read that book will become part of you."
Katya Balen (author October October)
"Inside a book anything can happen"
Lauren Soloy (Canadian picturebook writer)
"Do you know that if you spend time reading books -all kinds of books, any kinds of books- something magical happens to you"
Michael Rosen (Poet)
"The Power of Reading is that we hold books in our bodies. These books become physical and emotional memories"
Jordan Scott (Author and Poet)
"Books help you travel to different places without ever leaving the room"
Hilary Robinson (Author and Presenter)
Helping Your Child Learn To Read
It’s never too early to start reading to your child – even young babies enjoy being read to! Reading aloud prepares your baby’s brain for language. It teaches them about words and sentence formation, and introduces them to concepts like stories, colours, letters and numbers.
Inspiring a love of books is one of the best ways to prepare children for a lifetime of learning and enjoyment through reading. It will bring huge benefits at school and beyond, because being read to early on helps children to understand language, making it easier for them to learn to read themselves later on. Once your child starts primary school they will be learning to read for themselves, but it’s still important that you enjoy books and reading stories together as a family. Your child will learn their letters and sounds at school, but reading together at home will really inspire them to enjoy and value reading and all the benefits it brings.
Making story time part of your daily routine is a great way to make sure that books and reading are a familiar and fun experience for your child. Get them to choose a book (or two) to read with you on the sofa or in bed at the end of each day. Encourage them to tell you why they’ve selected the book, and what they like and dislike about it. If you can, store children’s books with the covers facing outwards so that your child becomes familiar with books that they enjoy, and can choose for themselves.
A visit to the local library can be a real treat for children – with the reward of borrowing a book at the end of it. It won’t cost you a penny, and they’ll love the experience of having their very own library card (which you can also use to borrow story CDs and DVDs). Taking care of a special book (which will eventually be returned) also helps children gain a sense of responsibility.
Be warned – small children do enjoy the repetition and familiarity of reading the same book over and over again. This is perfectly normal, and they will move on to something else eventually!
Starting to read
Before they can read for themselves, encourage your child to ‘read’ the pictures in their books by asking simple questions about what they can see.
After you’ve read or listened to a story together, try asking your child about what happened. Retelling a story is great for developing their speaking, listening and memory skills. Asking questions about how the characters might have felt, or how they reacted also helps your child understand different points of view.
We follow The Little Wandle Letters and Sounds accredited scheme and the books used support the development and progress through that program.
Reading
Writing in East Whitby
At East Whitby Academy, we provide children with a high quality education, which allows writing to be embedded in all aspects of learning across the curriculum. Writing is taught discreetly but also as part of a wider Project Based Learning approach so all writing has a real purpose. Children at our school respond incredibly well to this and want to write. We found that offering the children experience to underpin their writing allows for a greater depth of learning to take place.
Transcription and composition are given equal status here and the relationship between sounds and letters is introduced from Nursery onwards. Children are offered the opportunity to develop their understanding of morphology and orthography and therefore leave us as fluent writers.
Children at East Whitby use drafting as a key feature in the process of writing. They draft, edit and redraft work to ensure it is high quality. This process starts in the simplest forms in the younger years and develops into peer critique and independent edit and redraft work in the older years. There is a great sense of pride around their drafting and final pieces and children are keen to share their work with a real audience as soon as it is complete.
Children are able to write for a vast range of purposes thanks to the project based approach and all writing is context driven. Where writing fits into the wider curriculum, it is carefully planned so that children have a broad knowledge base and understanding of their project allowing them to write effectively. The curriculum knowledge means that the cognitive load is reduced when writing and children can focus on the technical skill of writing.
The planning of spelling and grammar is effectively planned and taught to support children in developing the writing process. Grammar is carefully planned for each year group and there is a focus ensuring pupils revisit and practice previously learnt knowledge.
The children base a great deal of their project writing on the class book, these are chosen specifically to fit with projects and demonstrate that at East Whitby quality texts drive the learning. Children write every day at East Whitby and as such quickly see themselves as Writers.
A range of pedagogical approaches are used to support the teaching of writing – key to this is effective modelling. Highly skilled staff draw on a broad range of techniques and approaches from a range providers such as talk for writing, CLPE and The Literacy shed.
There is an emphasis on the use of Talk for Writing for younger pupils and the approaches it brings across the curriculum at East Whitby, children can retell a story, then innovate and finally invent their own version of a specific genre using this.
Staff set high expectations of presentation to children through the use of DUMTUMS across all writing, the children respond well to this and in all classes all writing is completed in one book to ensure it is always of the same high quality.
There is a clear focus on the teaching of handwriting and pupils have regular handwriting sessions which use the Pen Pals scheme and all children are expected to join by the time they move into KS2. This has led to a significant improvement in children’s handwriting, presentation and their pride in the work.
We are also keen to offer children lots of opportunities to present work in different ways, they write with confidence using word processing to support them by the time they leave East Whitby Academy.
Writing in EYFS
Writing in our Early Years begins as soon as children join us in the 2-year-old provision. Children throughout EY are provided with opportunities in the environment to use and develop their Gross and Fine Motor skills to strengthen their bodies ready to write. Our 2-year-olds and Nursery children, use dance and large movements when taking part in daily ‘Wiggle’ (2 yr olds) and ‘Squiggle whilst you wiggle’ (Nursery) sessions. In Reception, these skills are further developed through ‘Squiggle me into a writer’, where they will transfer the movements to write letters. Dough Disco sessions are delivered throughout Early Years. Children manipulate dough to music to develop the fine motor skills needed to write effectively.
In Nursery, listening skills are reinforced through Phase 1 phonics (using our scheme Little Wandle). Through tuning in to oral blending and sounds in words, children secure the skills needed to segment to write in Phase 2.
In Reception, we practice writing the grapheme for each phoneme we learn and we also look at formation of capital letters. Each grapheme has a formation rhyme that we use to help the children to form the letter correctly. These rhymes are shared with parents so they can support correct formation from the very beginning. This also ensures consistency as children progress into KS1 without the need to reteach formation. Children are often asked to practice listening to sounds/words before then writing them down.
All children are encouraged to mark make in all areas of provision and staff support children in their journey towards attributing meaning to the marks they make. As children become familiar with more sounds they will increasingly use the Working Walls to support their own learning. Here they will find scaffolding such as tricky words displayed, sound mats and models of ‘What a good one looks like’. Children are exposed to different texts, the environment is rich in language and they see that fonts can look different. Adults are constantly modelling writing for a meaning.
During Continuous Provision and in group sessions, children are given the opportunity to talk about stories, to rehearse sentences and share ideas, through this they develop an understanding of how written word is linked to spoken word. As well as writing independently in Continuous Provision, children will work with adults to develop their writing skills. This allows opportunities fo individualised teaching points.
Writing
What is Phonics?
There has been a huge shift in the past few years in how we teach reading in UK schools. This is having a big impact and helping many children learn to read and spell. Phonics is recommended as the first strategy that children should be taught in helping them learn to read. It runs alongside other teaching methods such as Guided Reading and Shared Reading to help children develop all the other vital reading skills and hopefully give them a real love of reading.
We use Little Wandle Phonics program. Please follow the link for more details
https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
So what exactly is phonics?
Words are made up from small units of sound called phonemes. Phonics teaches children to be able to listen carefully and identify the phonemes that make up each word. This helps children to learn to read words and to spell words
In phonics lessons children are taught three main things:
GPCs
They are taught GPCs. This stands for grapheme phoneme correspondences. This simply means that they are taught all the phonemes in the English language and ways of writing them down. These sounds are taught in a particular order. The first sounds to be taught are s, a, t, p.
Blending
Children are taught to be able to blend. This is when children say the sounds that make up a word and are able to merge the sounds together until they can hear what the word is. This skill is vital in learning to read.
Segmenting
Children are also taught to segment. This is the opposite of blending. Children are able to say a word and then break it up into the phonemes that make it up. This skill is vital in being able to spell words.
What makes Phonics tricky?
In some languages learning phonics is easy because each phoneme has just one grapheme to represent it. The English language is a bit more complicated than this. This is largely because England has been invaded so many times throughout its history. Each set of invaders brought new words and new sounds with them. As a result, English only has around 44 phonemes but there are around 120 graphemes or ways of writing down those 44 phonemes. Obviously we only have 26 letters in the alphabet so some graphemes are made up from more than one letter.
ch th oo ay (these are all digraphs - graphemes with two letters)
There are other graphemes that are trigraphs (made up of 3 letters) and even a few made from 4 letters.
Another slightly sticky problem is that some graphemes can represent more than one phoneme. For example ch makes very different sounds in these three words: chip, school, chef.
How is phonics taught?
We teach phonics for 30 minutes a day.
In Reception, we build from 20-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible.
Each Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become fluent readers. Children make a strong start in Reception: teaching begins in Week 2 of the Autumn term.
We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised expectations of progress:
Children in Reception are taught to read and spell words using Phase 2 and 3 GPCs, and words with adjacent consonants (Phase 4) with fluency and accuracy.
Children in Year 1 review Phase 3 and 4 and are taught to read and spell words using Phase 5 GPCs with fluency and accuracy.
Teaching of Early Reading and Phonics at East Whitby Primary Academy
At East Whitby Academy, we want all our children to become fluent, confident readers and writers. From Nursery we teach reading through our systematic, synthetic phonics program, Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised.
- Children in Nursery follow the Foundations for Phonics section of the program, tuning into sounds and becoming confident orally blending and segmenting. Our 2-year-old Provision prepares them for Nursery with daily listening games, songs, rhymes and stories. They also focus on skills that will help with sound recognition, for example identifying things that are the same/different and on remembering two things.
- The first meeting for parents, before children even start Reception, emphasises the importance of reading and the role families play in developing an early love of reading. Subsequent meetings explain our Phonics and reading scheme and give advice on how to support at home.
- Whole class Phonic sessions are taught daily in Nursery, Reception and Year 1. We make a quick start in Reception, with lessons starting in Week 2. In Year 2 we move on to the Little Wandle spelling program.
- Phonics teaching follows the pacey Little Wandle progression.
- Parents are involved in their child’s learning and resources such as GPC keyrings, Tricky word flashcards and PSC practice words are sent home.
- Teachers regularly post short videos modelling specific skills such as pronunciation of pure sounds and how to blend to read.
- Teachers and support staff know their children well. Intervention support (individual or group) is quickly put in place for any child that needs it. In Reception, this happens before the first assessment so that no time is wasted.
- Opportunities are taken to reinforce GPCs, Tricky words and blending/segmenting skills are various times of the day, outside the Phonics session.
- Assessment takes place at the end of each 5 week teaching block. This is usually at the end of the half term and any additional weeks are then used to plug gaps identified by the assessment. Children receiving support will also have an interim assessment, part way through the half term.
- All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, take part in 3 Reading Squad sessions each week. These sessions focus on decoding, prosody and comprehension.
- Children take home the book they have read in school and are asked to read it a further 3 times during the week so help build fluency. Reading records enable staff to tell parents how children are getting on with reading and parents can communicate with staff.
- Children also take home a ‘Bedtime Library Book’, which promotes reading for pleasure and helps to set up habits for life.
- Power of Reading and Love of Reading teaching sequences are used to promote book talk and develop comprehension skills.
- Each classroom has an attractive book area with carefully chosen books.
- Early Years and Key Stage 1 enjoy a weekly Story Assembly.
- We read and borrow books from our School Library and use our Local library.
- In Early Years, quality books can be found across the provision.
- All staff involved in Phonics teaching, delivery of Interventions or our Reading Squad have had Little Wandle training. They continue to develop their practice and ensure consistency through watching the ‘How to...’ videos and regular focused coaching sessions.
- The Phonics Lead monitors staff who teach sessions so that consistency of delivery is maintained. Reflective conversations happen regularly and lead to improved practice. The Phonics Lead will model sessions to staff to help them develop their confidence and expertise.
Phonics
Literacy
The Children’s Poetry Archive (link is external) – a site with lots of access to
Starship English from the BBC (link is external) – access many fun literacy activities here.
Storymaker (link is external) – from the British Council. Create a story online.
Dance Mat Typing (link is external)- how quick can you become a typist?
Maths
The Numeracy Curriculum at East Whitby Academy recognises the importance of Maths, it is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. Our high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.
The East Whitby Numeracy curriculum ensures that all pupils: become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. Can reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language. Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
At East Whitby Academy Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils are able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The subject is taught discreetly but all pupils are encouraged to make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. Through Project Based Learning children apply their mathematical knowledge to science, technologies and other subjects.
In Year 1 and 2 the daily maths lesson begins with mental maths challenges featuring questions around the 4 operations and a selection of questions derive from other areas of the maths curriculum already covered. This is to ensure children return to and reinforce previous learning. The teaching approach and the activities the children carry out are framed through the use of manipulatives to provide visual model to ground a secure understanding of number. The duration of the session is approximately 20 minutes. Towards the end of Spring 1 Children are prepared for ‘Mini Maths challenge’ scheme which progresses to the use of a range of formal written methods. The process and aim is to prepare children for Key Stage 2.
Year 3 to 6 children start the day by completing “Mini Maths challenge” these daily challenges feature questions around the 4 key operations and a selection of other questions, they are timed and answered as a class each day. The challenges stretch the children but also allow independent working. The questions are also used to consolidate prior learning.
Staff follow the White Rose Maths scheme, focusing on number and place value to begin with, then moving on to the 4 operations. Once staff are confident in their children’s ability with these skills, teachers begin to widen the content and application of them.
Teachers follow a pattern when delivering numeracy, looking first at developing fluency in maths before moving on to problem solving and reasoning. Within both strands there is an opportunity to access greater depth and cross curricular learning. Times tables are included in daily sessions and by the end of year 4 children know all tables up to 12X12 and can apply their knowledge well.
All children have set expectations for presentation in numeracy and access to a high quality learning wall, concrete and practical resources and catch up or pre teaching for any who are finding concepts difficult.
Numeracy in the EYFS.
Numeracy is delivered daily in the EYFS. Maths is one of the four specific areas and subdivided into Number and Shape space and measure. Children are taught daily sessions which develop the skills needed to support them to solve problems, use money and calculate more or less. Shape, Space and Measure - these skills support children to understand size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money and compare quantities, objects and solve problems. Children are able to access maths provision areas all day and challenges are set out for the children to work on independently.
Maths
Maths
Crickweb KS1 (link is external) – a fabulous resource with all sorts of mathematics activities.
Crickweb KS2 (link is external) – more maths resources for KS2
Bitesize KS1 (link is external) - Fun activities from the BBC to help children at KS1 learn more about Maths.
Bitesize KS2 (link is external) – a super way to prepare for KS2 Sats
Conker maths (link is external)– a way to help you learn your Key Instant Recall Facts (KIRFS)
At East Whitby the aim of our high-quality science education is to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and for them to explore, experience and observe every day and scientific phenomena.
Children are encouraged to be curious and ask questions, developing their scientific enquiry skills to answer these appropriately. They are given opportunity to investigate ideas in a range of ways, through observation, grouping, classifying, noticing patterns and carry our comparative and fair tests to draw conclusions.
The youngest children use simple scientific language to talk about their findings, older children draw more complex conclusions using some scientific language in written and verbal forms and can articulate justified reasons for their conclusions.
Working and thinking scientifically is always taught through the substantive science content delivered in the individual projects.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (science)
The EYFS framework it is organised across seven areas of learning rather than subject areas. Skills taught across EYFS feed into national curriculum subjects. Statements from the 2020 Development Matters are prerequisite skills for science within the national curriculum. In EYFS, scientific understanding is developed through the following areas of learning: communication and learning, physical development and understanding the world. Every day in East Whitby Early Years children are given opportunities to be scientists, some of which are outlined below;
Declarative Knowledge
Each class has key learning and vocabulary in science defined. This knowledge builds on previous learning and creates an increasing framework of understanding for pupils in science. The school has adopted the PLAN assessment for science documents to highlight key knowledge and learning in each year group. This has also allowed us to ensure that prior knowledge and learning is referred and revisited as part of the science learning journey. Effective links are made to other subjects where appropriate. Learning in Science is carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure progression across Key Stages.
Project Based Learning
Science learning will be embedded within the project-based learning model. Working and thinking scientifically must always be taught explicitly through substantive science content. Project based learning is a teaching approach in which children gain knowledge, understanding and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, challenging, engaging and at times difficult question or statement, at the end of which the children will produce a product. Each class across school will undertake two science projects each year covering key areas for their year group from the National Curriculum.
Within this framework, scientific knowledge, skills and understanding will build upon and develop with the aim of understanding and applying knowledge of the scientific method and concepts in a range of scenarios.
Science
Science
Mouth Power – (link is external) learn how to look after your mouth really well
BBC Science (link is external)– a wealth of science resources you can access to help you learn all sorts of science stuff!
The aim is to ensure a high-quality history education to help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time. Teaching will support the children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development.
Project Based Learning fore-grounding History and exploring history in context
History learning will be embedded within the project-based learning model. Project based learning is a teaching approach in which children gain knowledge, understanding and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, challenging, engaging and at times difficult question or statement at the end of which the children will produce a product. Within this framework, in relation to ‘history in depth ‘an historical question or statement should be foregrounded or serve as a catalyst in which other curriculum areas can be explored and investigated. Links to other areas of the curriculum should be explored to develop a broader understanding of the relationship between history, geography, literature, art, culture and religion. Where history is explored in the context of a project where the focus is not primarily historical, links to history should be explored to enable the opportunity for the development and application of historical knowledge, skills and understanding.
EYFS
Over the course of early years education children know the difference between past and present events in their own lives and some reasons why people’s lives were different in the past. They know that other children have different likes and dislikes and that they may be good at different things. They understand that different people have different beliefs, attitudes, customs and traditions and why it is important to treat them with respect.
Content/Coverage – History in Depth
Each year group conduct historical enquiries about agreed areas of history. These are referred to as ‘history in depth projects;’ an in-depth study of an historical era and a local history project. These projects will provide the basis for development of the skills needed for historical enquiry, historical writing and chronological understanding.
Over time, children should increasingly develop an understanding of chronological history. They should understand history is divided into historical periods or eras and name significant events. They should be able to locate significant events and historical periods on the BC/BCE and AD/CE timeline. They should develop their research, questioning and evaluation skills. Children should understand the concept of thematic history through exploring continuity and change in cultural practices and historical thinking over time.
EYFS – Children to develop the concept of past, present and future. Children to develop the concept of the passing of time through comparing and contrasting artefacts such as transport from the past and the present day. Children to develop an understanding that historical eras have come and gone such as the prehistoric era. (Dinosaurs)
Through our Projects, children will start to get an idea of changes over time. Children will be encouraged to discuss differences between the past and present with different topics such as ‘Transport’, ‘Ourselves’ and ‘Dinosaurs’.
Key Stage 1 History in depth
Over the course of Key Stage 1, children should be taught about changes within living memory, significant historical events, places and people in their locality, events beyond living memory and the life of a significant historical figure who has contributed to national and international achievements. (See whole school history overview)
Year 1 The Battle of Hastings
Year 2 The Great Fire of London
Key Stage 2 History in depth
Over the course of Key Stage 2, children should be taught, 2 ancient histories, 2 modern histories and l local history. (See whole school history overview) The whole school teaches history in depth at the same time. This ensures progression is evident and supports moderation of the subject.
Year 3 Vikings
Year 4 The Tudors
Year 5 War and Post War Britain
Year 6 Ancient Greece
Local History (joint geography)
EYFS Year A Seaside and the past (2022/2023)
Year B Captain Cook-know he was connected to Whitby (2021/2022)
Year 1 James Cook
Year 2 Whaling Past
Year 3 Whitby Abbey
Year 4 History of the river and port
Year 5 Whitby and the Industrial Revolution (focus on Railway)
Year 6 Cultural legacies (Focus on writers and artists)
Local history (Local history will be linked to contemporary history, for example anniversaries of historical events and how they are situated within the history of Whitby.
Key Knowledge
- Each era of study has an agreed set of key knowledge which children are taught and can recall. This is the baseline of knowledge and functions as a starting point for integration of the past.
- Children draw on key knowledge to support historical enquiry at greater depth to answer historical questions.
History in Context
Where a project is based around a question which foregrounds a geographical, scientific, cultural or religious questions for example, links to history should also be explored.
What is History and Thinking Historically?
Use questions about the past with the aim of constructing an historical narrative based upon evaluation of historical evidence drawn from a range of quality primary and secondary sources. The school has a subscription with ‘The historical association which has a good qualities schemes of work and resources for teachers to utilise.
At East Whitby children are taught the importance of maintaining objectivity in evaluating events, actions and motivations of historical actors.
Historical Themes (Themes are based upon exploring the history of human activity and thought)
Historical investigations will be focus intently upon a primary theme and will support the framing the historical questions/enquiry. Other historical themes can be explored as they emerge within the investigation process to support the continuing development of historical knowledge and understanding and where appropriate referenced to prior learning.
EYFS
Key concepts - that we have changed over time and that all living things change over time. That technology has changed. This will consider personal history and that of the world around them.
Key Stage 1 and 2 continue to build upon the themes of the concepts of continuity and change and explore this concept in more detail through more specific historical lenses.
Themes
- Continuity and Change
- Change occurs when the official narrative or dominant discourse is questioned, e.g. Galileo, Hippocrates etc.)
- Continuity as agreed discourse/consensus until challenged.
- Invasion
- Settlement
- Oppression
- Kingship
- Conflict
- Human Activity/Technological Development
- Human Thought
- Exploration
- Trade
- Gender roles
- Knowing about history (historical sources)
For example:
Area of History Historical question Theme
Great Fire of London Why was the Great Fire of London so destructive? Human Activity
Great Fire of London How do we know about the Great Fire of London? Historical sources
James Cook What was James Cook looking for? Exploration
WW11 Why do countries go to war? Conflict
WW11 What was the impact of war on children? Conflict
- The questions frames the area of study. The question can change each year.
- Teachers ensure themes are explicitly taught and referenced when conducting historical studies and are displayed on history working walls.
- Teachers ensure children can identify, make links and discuss themes that reoccur in historical studies.
- Teachers ensure ‘British Values’ are referenced in the history curriculum. For example, children learn Britain is one of the 196 States to ratify the United Nations Conventions of the Rights of the Child. It forms part of the Year 5 study of post war Britain. In Year 6, the Ancient Greece project affords the opportunity for an examination of ancient and modern democracies.
Skills Progression Document in (History)
In East Whitby Academy, Historical knowledge and skills are tracked using the ‘Skills Progression Document’ The ‘Skills Progression Document’ provides the teaching framework, which outlines coverage and skills progression in History.
- A skills progression document for History is initiated in Year 1 and follows the cohort as they progress through the school.
- Teachers revisit previous knowledge and introduce/teach children the new knowledge and skills outlined in the document.
- Teachers plan Historical learning around the knowledge and skills. The ’Skills Progression Document’ is a working document to support planning and progression.
- Big books become evidence of learning and a reference point for revisiting prior learning and follow the children through the school. The children are creating their own historical document about what they have learnt so far
The individual components outlined within the History ‘Skills Progression Document’ should be highlighted by the teacher when knowledge and skills are explicitly taught to ensure coverage. The document is then passed to the cohorts next teacher.
History Assessment
- Teachers complete ‘Foundation Assessment Documents’ for all foundation subjects upon completion of projects. The teachers colour code The ‘Foundation Assessment Documents using the schools rating system
- Purple for Greater Depth, Green = Expected, Yellow = Working Towards, Red = Not achieved
- The document contains a section to record strengths and areas for improvement to inform future planning. The document also contains information, which feedbacks directly to the subject lead for action. For example to requests resources or to make links with outside institutions (libraries, museums, local experts).
- Teachers use the ‘Foundation Assessment Documents’ to inform future planning and to inform the receiving teacher of children’s progress.
Reading History using skills developed in Literacy
- VIPERS
- V – Historical vocabulary
- I - Infer from the sources
- P – Predict events
- E – Explain events/decisions etc
- R- Retrieve information from documents/books to support development of a narrative
- S - Sequence (KS1) Summarise (KS 22) construct an historical narrative.
Chronology
- Learning resource room historical time line is the starting point of all historical studies to situate the era under study.
- Order historical events chronologically (sequencing)
- Historical narratives constructed from events chronologically (narrative history)
- Specific events draw on themes in history (non chronological)
Key Knowledge
- Each area of study has an agreed set of key knowledge children are taught.
- Key Knowledge functions as a starting point to construct simple historical narratives.
- Children draw on key knowledge to support historical enquiry at greater depth to answer historical questions. The in-depth enquiry functions to supplement the simple historical narratives gained from the key knowledge.
Evidence
- A wide range of high quality primary and secondary sources.
- The school is a member of the historical associate which is a valuable resource for high quality source materials.
- Historical bias (Upper Key Stage 2)
- Critical Thinking (Question everything/What does this mean?)
Historical writing
- Teachers use the historical writing framework to guide planning and writing activities.
It is anticipated that as children progress through school they develop an understanding of how history is written and how evidence supports the construction of an oral and written narrative and how arguments are constructed for and against a particular point of view.
History
At East Whitby the aim of our high-quality geography education is to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.Teaching will equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Teaching will support the children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development.
As pupils progress through our school, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
As children progress through East Whitby Academy, they will build upon their locational knowledge, place knowledge, knowledge of human and physical geography and develop their geographical skills and fieldwork.
Early Years Foundation Stage Policy and Skills Progression Document (Generic)
Teachers within our EYFS use the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage Policy’ and the ‘Skills Progression Document’ as a starting point. Knowledge and Skills learnt in their formative years are developed and reinforced before introducing children to new subject specific knowledge and skills (see Early Years Foundation Stage Policy and Skills Progression Document). This is approached through the adapted Project Based Learning Model.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Policy (Geography)
The policy outlines the key geographical concepts and vocabulary children should know. They provide the springboard to enable children to discuss and develop geographical concepts linked to the natural and human phenomenon of the local environment and the wider world. The children will spend time learning about their own other cultures and countries and to make simple comparisons.
Skills Progression Document in (Geography)
In East Whitby Academy, children’s locational knowledge, place knowledge, knowledge of human and physical geography, geographical skills and field work will be tracked using the ‘Skills Progression Document’ The ‘Skills Progress Document’ provides the teaching framework which outlines coverage and skills progression in Geography.
A skills progression document for geography is initiated in Year 1 and follows the cohort as they progress through the school. Teachers revisit previous knowledge and introduce/teach children the new knowledge and skills outlined in the document. Teachers plan geography learning around the knowledge and skills. The ’Skills Progression Document’ is a working document to support planning and progression.
The individual components outlined within the Geography ‘Skills Progression Document’ should be highlighted by the teacher when knowledge and skills are explicitly taught to ensure coverage. The document is then passed to the cohorts next teacher.
Project Based Learning
Geography learning is embedded within the project-based learning model. Project based learning is a teaching approach in which children gain knowledge, understanding and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, challenging, engaging and at times difficult question or statement, at the end of which the children will produce a product.
Within this framework, geographically knowledge skills and understanding will build upon and develop with the aim of broadening understanding of geography in terms of the impact of human activity on the environment in the past and present. Cross-curricular links with other curriculum subjects are explored to develop a broader understanding of human activity and natural phenomenon.
Teaching geography in Project Based Learning Model
The project based learning model provides the framework for teaching local and world geography.
In order to ensure greater depth of learning and progression, geography is foregrounded as the focus for two project based questions (a global and a local). The aim of the projects is to develop knowledge, skills and understanding to the answer a geographical question about a specific location. The approach is referred to as a ‘Geography in Depth’. To facilitate the moderation and feedback process all year groups in Key Stage 1 and Key teach global geography at the same time and local geography at the same time. Teaching the same subject at the same time as a whole school also provides for a collegiate strategy for planning, the sharing of ideas and the sourcing of resources.
Each year group has been allocated a specific geographical area/continent. A geography question is posed and children research using good quality resources and materials to answer the question.
Key knowledge for each year group is outlined in the progression documents for each year group. The progression documents serves as a planning aid to the teacher. The progression documents are passed to the next teacher as a record.
Each year group conducts a global and local geography project:
Geography in Depth in depth progression through school
Global geography
- EYFS Year A- Sea, seaside, natural and manmade, signs of summer
Year B Pollution in the Sea (Somebody swallowed Stanley) Links to past no plastic, endangered species
( Handa’s Surprise/Continent related text)
- Year 1 Africa (Continental use and habitats)
- Year 2 North America (Urban environments and urban living)
- Year 3 Antarctic/Artic (Climate/Oceans/Currents/and the environment)
- Year 4 South America (River and river settlements)
- Year 5 Asia (Mountains/geology)
- Year 6 Europe ( Economies and Trade/Human Activity)
To enrich the experience, the school has taken advantage of the ‘Commando Jo’ initiative.
Local geography is a joint geography and history project.
Each year group poses a project question about the local area. Project questions are posed to ensure children focus upon a particular geographical and historical aspect of the local area.
EYFS 2 year cycle EYFS: Year A- Sea, seaside, natural and manmade, signs of summer
Year B Pollution in the Sea (Somebody swallowed Stanley) Links to past no plastic,
endangered species ( Handa’s Surprise)
Year 1 Physical and Human features (track James Cook’s journey across from Marton to Whitby)
Year 2 Physical and Human features (specifically the harbor)
Year 3 Whitby Coastline and Coastal Erosion
Year 4 The River Esk
Year 5 Land use, industry, population and transport systems
Year 6 North York Moor National Park
Cross-curricular links to other subjects are explored to broaden understanding of the wider world and local area. This provides the children the opportunity to revisit concepts and skills and consolidate learning.
Geography in Context (the wider world)
- A project question is proposed, which does not directly ask a specific geographical question.
The progression documents provide a framework for each year group to plan coverage of geographical content and geographical skills progression.
- Geography in context provides the opportunity for developing children’s geographical knowledge and skills further when exploring the wider world. It complements, capitalizes upon and enhances a broader understanding of learning in the other areas of the curriculum.
- A whole school planning, sharing event provides the opportunity for teaching staff to share long-term plans. The meeting provides the teaching staff and curriculum lead to gain an overview of where geography in context is incorporated into the wider curriculum. It also provides the opportunity for staff to refer each other to geography resources in school and online and identify resources, which need to be purchased by the school.
- The curriculum lead moderates alongside geography in depth to evaluate provision and progress.
Geography Assessment
- Teachers complete ‘Foundation Assessment Documents’ for all foundation subjects upon completion of projects The teachers colour code The ‘Foundation Assessment Documents using the schools rating system
- Purple for Greater Depth, Green = Expected, Yellow = Working Towards, Red = Not achieved
- The document contains a section to record strengths and areas for improvement to inform future planning. The document also contains information, which feedbacks directly to the subject lead for action. For example to requests resources or to make links with outside institutions (libraries, museums, local experts).
- Teachers use the ‘Foundation Assessment Documents’ to inform future planning and to inform the receiving teacher of children’s progress.
Geography
Purpose of study Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. At East Whitby our high-quality art and design education is designed to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.
As pupils at East Whitby progress, they will be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They will also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation through carefully designed projects. Teaching will support the children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development.
Children will begin to collate work in an art portfolio. The portfolio will have key pieces from across the year and will be passed on to the next teacher.
EYFS
Our youngest children access art and design through carefully thought out provision, they safely use and explore a range of tools, materials and techniques and experiment with colour, line, texture, design, form and function. They use what they have learnt, creatively thinking about purposes and audience and use their experiences to express their ideas, thoughts and feelings.
Project Based Learning
Art and Designing learning is embedded within the project-based learning model. Project based learning is a teaching approach in which children gain knowledge, understanding and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, challenging, engaging and at times difficult question or statement, at the end of which the children will produce a product.
Within this framework, creative knowledge skills and understanding will build upon and develop with the aim of broadening understanding of Art and Design. Cross-curricular links between with other curriculum subjects is explored to develop a broader understanding.
Skills Progression Document in art and design
In East Whitby Academy, children’s and knowledge is built upon progressively year on year these are recorded and monitored using the ‘Skills Progression Document’ The ‘Skills Progress Document’ provides the teaching framework which outlines coverage and skills progression in Art and Design.
A skills progression document for Art and design is initiated in Year 1 and will follow the cohort as they progress through the school. Teachers revisit previous knowledge and introduce/teach children the new knowledge and skills outlined in the document. Teachers plan Art and Design learning around the knowledge and skills. The ’Skills Progression Document’ is a working document to support planning and progression. The individual components outlined within the Art and design ‘Skills Progression Document’ should be highlighted by the teacher when knowledge and skills are explicitly taught to ensure coverage. The document is then passed to the cohorts next teacher.
Content Coverage in Art and Design
At East Whitby we ensure that all pupils are able to produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences. They become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques and can evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design. Pupils know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms this is carefully orchestrated through Project Based Learning. Children will also have access to the work of local artists and be involved in local art projects.
The Art and Design Curriculum
The Art and Design Curriculum follows a two-pronged approach: Art in Depth and Art in Context.
Art in Depth
- Art and Design curriculum is the project focus
- Artist are identified
- Project based Art and Design question drives teaching and learning
- Project outcome is identified
- Scheme of work designed using the progression documents to develop artistic skills required to achieve the outcome.
- Cross-curricular links identified and incorporated into the project design. This should include exploring the artist’ life, location, artistic and cultural influences etc.
- Development of generics skills (see progression document)
Specific Key Skills Focus Term 1 and Term 2
- Term 1 - Drawing
- Term 2 – Painting
Specific Key Skills Term 3
Term 3 – Collage/Sculpture/Printing/Photography/
The whole school will use the:
- Input
- Imitate
- Innovate
- Evaluate
model to develop the specific skills identified. The skills will be explored, developed and refined through the studying
artworks selected from a range of artists and architects.
Art in Context
- Art and Design is viewed as a cross curricular link.
- In this scenario, the art and design curriculum is taught within the context of a project, which has another curriculum area as its focus. Art in context will also afford the opportunity to revisit and improve techniques already learnt.
Artists, artists’ works, artistic styles, techniques and subject matters explored within the context of historical, cultural, societal influences under study.
Art in context uses the agreed model.
- Input
- Imitate
- Innovate
- Evaluate
Examples of Art in Context
- KS1
- The work of Christopher Wren through Fire of London Project.
- Observational Art through naturalist’s work
KS2
- designers of railway stations through work of the Victorians
- Hieroglyphs
- Greek pottery for story telling
Suggested Artistic movements to cover (see appendix 1)
Key Vocabulary to be taught in Art and Design:
Subject specific vocabulary is key to developing the children’s understanding. It enables children to develop a rich artist language to enable them to talk about and evaluate the work of artists studied and to talk about and evaluate their own work. (see appendix 2)
Art
Aim:
The aim is to ensure high-quality Design and Technology education, to help gain an intellectual and practical ‘working’ knowledge of the application of skills, with subsequent evaluations leading to the development of an iterative approach to product design. Teaching is designed to allow choice, to develop questioning and critical thinking, as well as enabling the children to design, make and evaluate functional products, with users and purposes in mind. DT allows the pupils to investigate the complexities of everyday items we take for granted, who and what they are for, as well as how we can develop both skills and products in order to continuously improve.
EYFS:
Early Years provision enables children to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function and use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. DT in the early years makes an important contribution to young children’s learning across the remaining six areas of the EYFS framework, and so therefore has an impact on progress across the curriculum.
Curriculum:
We use the Projects on a Page scheme as designed by the DT association. This ensures that we have a broad and balanced approach to design and technology and membership of the DT Association supports with building staff subject knowledge.
The program states what should be taught in KS1 and KS2 and utilises the three main types of DT activities:
- IEAs – Investigative and Evaluative Activities; children learn from a range of existing products and find out about DT in the wider world.
- FTs – Focused Tasks; children are explicitly taught specific technical knowledge, designing skills and making skills.
- DMEA – Design, Make and Evaluate Assignment; children create functional products, with users and purposes in mind.
Content / Coverage – DT in Depth:
As mentioned ABOVE, East Whitby’s DT projects and the DT Association’s Projects on a Page (POAP) ensures a high-quality contribution is made to a broad and balanced curriculum, helping to raise standards in English and Mathematics, too. The POAP format allows scope and choice to be important aspect of developing pupils’ enjoyment of the learning involved. Overtime, the pupils’ will increasingly develop an understanding of the iterative process and then be able to apply this to other areas of their schoolwork.
The POAP format ensures coverage of the six DT essentials:
- understanding the needs of the user
- understanding the purpose of the projects they design
- understanding the functionality of the products
- making design decisions in order to select the correct materials, components and techniques in order to satisfy the user, purpose and functionality aspects above
- understanding the need to be innovate and original
- understanding the need to be authentic and believable so as to not re-create replicas of already existing products, which will remove aspects of the design decisions
These six essentials are embedded into the POAP Project Planners, with opportunities to track and address their inclusivity.
Project Based Learning:
Design and Technology will be embedded within the project based learning model of East Whitby Academy. Through this approach the children gain knowledge, understanding and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, challenging and engaging and at times difficult question or statement, at the end of which the children will produce a product.
Within this framework, knowledge, skills and understanding will be built upon and developed with the aim of broadening understanding of technology, its use and impact on everyday life, while utilising the iterative approach.
LTP:
East Whitby Academy Religious Education Aims and Objectives
East Whitby Academy adopts a philosophy of children pedagogy using the ‘community of enquiry’ approach to the teaching and learning of Religious Education.
‘Community of Enquiry’ is consistent with the East Whitby Academy dialogic approach to teaching and learning.
The approach centres on teaching thinking skills and the ability to question and reason. It is a student-led, enquiry-based approach to learning
Progression Through School
East Whitby Academy follows the ‘Discovery RE’ scheme of work, this has been adapted to support the learning of pupils within East Whitby. Discovery RE is question based. We have adapted the scheme to develop a program that supports the needs of our pupils, and allows them to develop a broad understanding of Christianity and other Major world religions. The scheme provides the framework for progression and consistency in approach through exploring key questions around a theme using a 4 step process.
4 Step Process: Engagement, Investigation, Evaluation and Expression.
Step 1 - Engagement:
The human experience is explored within the children’s own experience.
Step 2 - Investigation:
The teacher guides the children though the enquiry, children gaining subject knowledge carefully selected to assist their thinking.
Step 3- Evaluation:
This less draws together the children’s leaning and their conclusions about the question of that enquiry.
Step 4- Expression
Children are taken back to Step 1, their own experience, to reflect on how this enquiry might have influenced their own starting points and beliefs.
Areas of Study
Religious education is taught in 2-week blocks in the Autumn, Spring and Summer Term and also as part of our assembly program.
FS1/FS2 – Introduction to major religions Christianity/Hinduism/Islam/Judaism
Key Stage 1 and 2 explore themes and questions posed about Christianity and another major religion. During the Summer term, the classes complete a comparative study between the religions they have studied.
(See Appendix ‘Curriculum Overview Progression’ Discovery RE (Long Term Plan)
Religious Education
Link to Discovery RE Website Discovery RE Scheme Of Work - Discovery RE (discoveryschemeofwork.com)
At East Whitby we value music as one of the highest forms of creativity. Children enjoy a high quality music education which engages them and inspires their love of music and nurtures their talent as musicians. This serves to increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As our children progress, they will develop a critical understanding of a range of musical genres, styles and traditions, including the works of great composers and musicians across a range of historical periods and geographical areas.
Our Curriculum allows children to perform, listen to, compose, review and evaluate music. Children learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence. Children leave us able to understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated. They will have a good understanding of musical terminology such as: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
There will also be a physical and mental health and wellbeing thread which acknowledges and explores the benefits of music for all aspects of our lives. Children will see where music is used to celebrate, sooth, energize and how it accompanies many elements of their lives - the aim being to help children be aware of these benefits and be proactive in seeking out music when they need it!
Skills Progression.
At East Whitby a skills based progression document is in place. This underpins the planning of the music curriculum and is used to plan a progressive approach to learning. The music teacher monitors the learning taking place in discussion with the class teacher and together they highlight achievement and progress using this tracking document.
Music
We aim to develop a passion and pride for learning and communicating in another language. We want children to value other languages/ customs/ societies and to show respect by appreciating their language and cultures.
At East Whitby all children in Key Stage One and Key Stage Two are taught weekly MFL sessions by a skilled MFL teacher, we provide this opportunity to all learners to enable the children to experience other cultures and develop linguistic skills at an early age when language acquisition is at its optimum. (language is best acquired between the ages of 2 and puberty)
High-quality language education fosters pupils’ curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. The teaching enables pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It provides opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language.
Language teaching at East Whitby provides the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to progress competently into KS3. Our children are able to understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources. They speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation. Children can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt.
They also discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.
Children in Year 1 -6 are taught French and in Year 6 German is offered too, this ties in to the secondary model locally.
MFL
The intent of the physical education curriculum
Our physical education curriculum is shaped by our whole school vision and curriculum intent. Our school values are seen throughout our physical education curriculum. At East Whitby children work inclusively within their physical education lessons, enabling all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish and excel - to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.
All children will develop a life-long delight and involvement in physical activity and develop healthy lifestyles. Children demonstrate perseverance when learning a wide variety of sports and physical skills. When learning a new sport or skill they are responsible, resourceful and seek strategies to overcome barriers and challenges, relishing these on the way to success as part of the learning process. Children learn how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team; understand fairness and equality of play.
Children take part in both intra-school and inter-school competitions throughout the year, demonstrating high levels of respect and compassion for themselves and their competitors.
At East Whitby, we value physical education because we know the importance of giving the
children the tools and understanding required to make a positive impact on their own physical health and well-being. Physical education develops the children’s practical skills in order to participate, compete and lead a healthy lifestyle. Our aim is to ensure that the children experience a wide breadth of learning and have, by the end of each key stage, long-term memory of an ambitious body of fundamental movement knowledge and the semantic knowledge of tactics and strategy, leadership, personal and social and vocabulary.
Our curriculum has wide breadth and clear progression of interconnected knowledge and skills. It is ambitious for all groups, including SEND. Greater depth opportunities are available for every learner to reflect our high expectations, provide them with competition and encourage them to participate in sport at a higher level. It is designed to increase each child’s self-confidence and aspirations, recognising the way in which physical activity can play an important role in the personal development of each child. Learning at East Whitby aims to inspire and motivate children to continue with a life-long delight and involvement in physical activity and develop healthy lifestyles.
As children progress, our intent is that the curriculum provides all children with opportunities to become physically confident and resilient in ways which supports their health and fitness. We provide an engaging, strenuous, challenging and diverse physical education for all children. We want all children to experience a wide variety of sports and physical skills which will enhance life-long fitness and life choices. We strive to deliver a high quality physical curriculum that inspires all children to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities.
We aim to develop pupil’s physical literacy whilst enhancing their enjoyment and knowledge of the subject, alongside teaching children how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team, understand fairness and equality of play to embed life-long values.
This policy outlines what pupils will be taught during PE lessons and how they are expected to behave, as well as the measures taken in order to ensure the health and safety of pupils, including role-specific responsibilities.
Key Stage 1 and 2
P.E is taught in blocks:
Dance |
Athletics |
Games |
Swimming |
Gymnastics |
Outdoor adventures |
PE in EYFS
Physical development is a key feature of the EYFS curriculum at East Whitby. Children have access to outside every morning and afternoon. The children are outside in all weathers. The children develop gross motor skills using the trim trail and equipment such as balls, hoops, crates and planks. Children have weekly PE sessions in the hall and weekly woodland sessions in which they are encouraged to run, climb, dig, explore and jump as well as developing fine motor skills through knot tying threading and sorting.
Physical Education
Intent:
At Enquire Learning Trust, we believe that it is vital for all our pupils to learn from and about Computing and Technology, so that they can understand the world around them. Through teaching our computing curriculum, we aim to equip our children to participate in a rapidly changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology. It is our intention to enable children to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information as well as having the skills to manipulate, develop and interpret different forms of technology in an ever-changing world.
In such a fast-moving curriculum, we are constantly looking at new ways of delivering relevant and exciting activities, while still delivering the fundamental skills needed for computing. Using technology safely and responsibly is a main priority and ensuring all pupils are able to use the internet and equipment appropriately is of paramount importance. We encourage our pupils to make links across the curriculum, the world and our local community, to reflect on their own experiences, which are designed in our curriculum, allowing horizontal and vertical links with previous year groups.
The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
Our ambitious computing curriculum is now structured in 3 areas that allow all pupils from EY to year 6 to progress through different categories of knowledge. These are:
- Digital Literacy
- Information Technology
- Computer Science
Each area of the curriculum gives pupils time to practice and rehearse the knowledge needed to be proficient at computing and be ready for the next age of learning.
Implementation:
The Enquire Learning Trust bespoke computing curriculum offers a cross curricular scheme of work for EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 which matches the expectations of the National Curriculum. The curriculum looks at the progression needed for all pupils to develop and embed skills and knowledge within the strands of: computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The curriculum is designed to support teaching and learning and the acquisition of subject knowledge in all areas. Children will have the opportunity to explore and respond to key issues such as digital communication, cyber-bullying, online safety, security and social media.
Impact:
The impact this curriculum will have shows that:
- Children will be confident users of technology, able to use it to accomplish a wide variety of goals, both in school and at home.
- Children will have a secure and comprehensive knowledge of the implications of technology and digital systems which is important in our ever-evolving society.
- Children will be able to apply the British Values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law and liberty when using digital systems.
- Solve 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.
Computing Curriculum
Computing
PHSE curriculum
Our PSHE Curriculum:
We use the scheme of work 'Jigsaw' as our PSHE curriculum. Jigsaw brings together Personal, Social, Health and Economic education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development in a lesson-a-week programme. Each half term, the whole school focuses on a specific theme:
Designed as a whole school approach, Jigsaw provides a comprehensive scheme of learning for Foundation Stage to Year 6.
Jigsaw holds children at its heart and its cohesive vision helps children understand and value who they are and how they fit and contribute to the world.
The whole school cycle of learning is as follows,
|
Autumn 1 |
Autumn 2 |
Spring 1 |
Spring 2 |
Summer 1 |
Summer 2 |
Whole school yearly cycle of learning |
Being me in my world |
Celebrating differences |
Dreams and goals |
Healthy me |
Relationships |
Changing me |
Further details of what each aspect looks like in each year group can be found by clicking the links below
Personal Development