Curriculum
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Education is a basic right for all children and, whilst styles may differ from one school to another, their objectives remain the same in terms of the curriculum. All children in England and Wales pursue the National Curriculum.
The Year 5 programme of study is presented within this pack as a Curriculum Map.
The National Curriculum must be delivered so as to allow children to move profitably from one Key Stage to another. In the middle school we offer opportunities at two Key Stages; KS2 which concludes at the end of Year 6 with National Tests in English, Mathematics and Science, and KS3 which commences as the children enter Year 7 and terminates with Year 9. PCMS is committed to testing KS3 Maths pupils at the end of Year 8 from Summer 2008. In preparation for the proposed ceasing of SATs tests in Y6, PCMS has developed a rigorous pupil tracking system using summative and formative teacher assessment.
The curriculum is delivered both by specialists and generalists who regularly collaborate to plan and evaluate the teaching programmes. A significant proportion of the child’s entitlement in Y5 and Y6 is taught by the generalist teacher who will also be their form tutor, yet specialists will be involved particularly in the process of ensuring quality for each child. At this early stage careful attention is given to matching tasks with the pupils’ ability; identifying strengths and addressing particular weaknesses.
As Key Stage 2 ends, the results of National Tests help to inform our judgments about where to place children in bands for English, Mathematics, Science and French. Key Stage 3 is taught by specialists who have agreed programmes of study with high school colleagues and share common objectives with them designed principally to maximize learning opportunities.
In both Key Stages, curriculum requirements determine our staffing structure and the provision of resources. Group sizes are, wherever possible, reduced through the device of teaching assistants working ‘shoulder to shoulder’.
Particular features of the curriculum are worth noting.
ICT: The ICT suite was refurbished in summer 2005 with 30 PCs to compliment the three portable lap top trolleys and interactive whiteboard provision. Children receive tuition from point of entry.
Design and Technology: The school is fortunate in having purpose built open plan accommodation for DT. Over a period of years, planned resourcing has enhanced these areas and all children, again from point of entry, spend one half day a week in Art, Design and Food Technology. The Food Technology room was refurbished in the summer of 2007.
Homework: As is frequently stressed here at PCMS, homework must become part of a child’s discipline as a learner, and we seek always to secure the cooperation of parents as our policy is implemented in Year 5. The salient points remain unchanged. Children will all possess a homework diary and a homework timetable: all pupils, parents and staff will receive a copy of the homework guidelines at the start of each academic year. Staff will set and mark homework consistently.
Learning Support: Children with special educational needs are well catered for by our learning support teachers. At PCMS we have two teacher-SENCOs who manage KS2 (Y5&Y6) and KS3 (Y7&Y8) respectively. Staff work within a whole school approach to ensure that all pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum relevant to their educational needs. There is constant, positive interaction between the school and the various support agencies. Parents are as fully involved as possible in whatever decisions are made regarding the management of their children’s learning. Troubled and vulnerable children who may come to our attention receive whatever care is deemed appropriate. Each subject leader will identify the most able learners and provide extension work where appropriate. The Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs is properly in place. English as an Additional Language (EAL): Account is taken of the value of the pupils’ first languages in their acquisition of English. Bilingualism amongst pupils, staff and parents is seen and used as positive assets. Support is given by specialist staff.
Music: Choral and instrumental music are both well represented in school with the School Choir, Ceilidh Band, Recorder Group, Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, and an African Drumming Group meeting regularly. The successful, instrumental music tuition scheme is well established and can satisfy requests for tuition in most major instruments. Costs are reviewed annually for this scheme and are currently set at £65 per term.
Physical Education: PCMS offers ‘excellent extra-curricular opportunities for sport’ Ofsted 2005 through a very strong PE department; a purpose built Sports Hall shared with PCHS; and close association with the Northumberland Schools Sports Co-ordinators. The staff give freely of their time in the organisation of a wide range of activities.
Reports: Parents are formally invited to visit school on three occasions a year: in early October, February and July respectively. Reports tracking each child’s academic development in each subject are issued twice per year, in the Spring Term and just prior to the summer meeting.
School Library: Although we do not have a central school library we have created individual classroom libraries. If you have any suitable books which you would like to donate to classroom libraries please contact us at school.
Sex Education: Currently we include a study of human reproduction as an element in the Y7 and Y8 science curriculum and in Y5 and Y6 the children have access to health service professionals who deal with aspects of growth and development. Lessons deal with anatomical and other factual aspects of the subject as well as the emotional, moral and health elements. Parents who wish to see a copy of the school’s policy on Sex Education should write to the headteacher. They may, if they wish, withdraw their child from all or part of the programme, and should write to the headteacher to make this request.
Visits and Excursions: The pupils in Year 5 have the opportunity to present the Christmas production and visit The Rising Sun Country Park; Cragside; and Ponteland village.
Our multi-faceted curriculum is at the heart of our concern for high quality teaching and learning. Opportunities are provided for pupils to pose their own questions, to investigate issues and to take increasing responsibility for what they do, rather than depend entirely on teacher input and direction. Such investigative learning makes full use of thinking skills, learning to learn and accelerated learning interventions and action research programmes.