Curriculum

School Organisation

The children in the school are divided into two parts, Lower and Upper. Children in classes in the Lower School are Years 3 and 4 pupils, and those in classes in the Upper School are Years 5 and 6 pupils. Currently children are taught in single age group classes. The teacher in each class is responsible for the children’s work for much of the time but your child may work with other teachers and in other parts of the school. Children are placed into ability sets for Maths to cater for different needs. A variety of teaching approaches will be used including whole class, group and individual teaching as appropriate.

We try to keep groups of children who started school at the same time together but when classes are reorganised this is not always possible.

Timings of the school day

8:45am gates open (pupils should not be on the premises before this time)

8:55am pupils enter school

9am Registration

10:15am Upper School Assembly & Lower School Playtime

10:40am Lower School Assembly & Upper School Playtime

12 – 12:45pm Lower School Lunchtime

12:45 – 1:30pm Upper School Lunchtime

3:15pm Hometime

National Curriculum

Many of the school activities are determined by the National Curriculum which provides a programme of study for each level of attainment. The National Curriculum consists of subjects which all junior aged children (Key Stage 2) must study at school.  There will be increasing emphasis upon Literacy and Numeracy. 

Literacy

Our Literacy Curriculum is based upon the National Primary Framework. We build upon the experiences and knowledge of pupils started in the Infant school. Pupils are actively encouraged to read a wide range of literature. Each class will have guided reading groups, where teachers will work with small groups of pupils on a regular basis, analysing the text, discussing specific elements and answering a wide range of questions.

The daily ‘Literacy Hour’ covers a wide range of different genres. In these sessions pupils explore Literacy through reading, writing, oracy and drama, each unit covering a 2 or 3 week cycle. As well as these sessions extended writing occurs on a regular basis. This is the opportunity to make the important cross curricular links. During these sessions a whole school approach is used to promote the improvement of writing by concentrating on vocabulary, connectives, sentence openers and punctuation (V.C.O.P). Pupils are taught a clear and legible style of handwriting, which has been started in the Infant school.

Within each classroom a specific area is designated for reading, as space allows. We provide a wide range of quality literacy resources. Pupils also have access to a well stocked library. Those pupils who require additional support with their reading are monitored and heard to read by both school staff and our voluntary adult helpers.

Mathematics

In our teaching of this subject through the daily Numeracy lesson, we attempt to ensure that the children enjoy numeracy and that they appreciate that it is a useful tool for life. We believe that it is essential for the children to gain a thorough understanding of Mathematics through appropriate practical experience and careful recording. Investigational work will form an important part of the Mathematical curriculum and will enable children to acquire the necessary skills and concepts and to develop their mathematical thinking. Children will be involved in practising these skills and where appropriate will apply them to other areas of the curriculum. Proficiency in basic number work is stressed and computation is often linked with measurement, shape and money. We believe there is a need for children to have a rapid recall of number facts including tables and hope that parents will support  their children to practise them at home.

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

ICT at Brightlingsea Juniors is taught in many different ways; through the use of programmable toys, digital recording equipment and computers. Children are taught specific skills as well as learning through cross-curricular links to enable them to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information creatively and responsibly.

We are equipped with an ICT suite containing 18 PCs, 32 wireless technology laptops which can be used in the classrooms, 11 interactive whiteboards and a PC in each classroom. All our computers and laptops are networked and have broadband internet access. Children also have access to scanners, digital, still and video cameras, programmable robots, and sensors and data logging equipment. The children use a wide range of software appropriate to their needs.

Science

The school delivers Science through a 2 year rolling programme of themed units of about 5/6 weeks. Each unit is developed as the children progress through the school and where appropriate, are linked to other areas of the curriculum. Pupils use a range of methods of enquiry with emphasis placed on the practical and ‘hands on’ approaches. Through such practical activities scientific skills and processes are introduced and developed and the child’s natural curiosity and desire to find out about their world is embraced. The provision is further enhanced through the use of our extensive grounds, wildlife garden, school pets, educational field trips and increasingly the use of ICT. ICT is embedded within the science curriculum and is used for simulations, recording and graphing of data and research.

Art

As well as our scheme of work for art we find that art work also arises from all areas of the curriculum. Art often affords opportunity for self expression coupled with awareness of colour, pattern, space and shape. Our pupils will experiment with a range of media. The styles and techniques of successful artists are used to develop awareness of art and to widen the possible techniques to be experimented with and applied.

Design and Technology

Children are involved in a wide range of practical ‘design and build’ projects linked to other sections of the curriculum. These projects develop their planning, drawing, measuring, cutting, shaping and modelling skills while using a variety of resistent and pliable materials.

Geography

The teaching of Geography may sometimes be linked to a theme to enable the children to explore areas of experience in depth and to foster their natural curiosity. Pupils will study how people live, work and get together to make a society. They will develop an understanding of how the physical land dictates what people can do. A study of maps and the use of ICT, such as ‘Google Earth’, enables children to find their place in the world. Pupils will study our natural world and discover how land is formed and is ever changing.

History

Through our teaching of History we aim to give children a perspective of time and an awareness of the world around them. They will undertake a local British study, a European study and a World study. Children learn to be “detectives”: to look at evidence and clues from the past, placing important dates on a timeline, and investigating the consequences and effects of key events in time. They learn to imagine what it would have been like to have lived at times in the past. Wherever possible, the children have access to primary evidence, learning to evaluate its reliability and to detect misleading or biased information. History studies include visits to museums or other historical places where possible, including some historical recreations where the children really get to experience life in another time.

Music

Children have many opportunities to listen to, enjoy, and respond to a wide variety of musical genres from different cultures. They also learn to improve their singing, and play both tuned and non-tuned instruments in whole class and group sessions.

In the past, peripatetic music teachers have visited the school to give individual lessons on a variety of instruments. Unfortunately we no longer have a room available to host these lessons. The building work needed to remodel the school to create larger enclosed classrooms meant that we no longer have a dedicated music room. We are keen to restart this provison and we will keep parents informed if this becomes possible. We are instead currently employing a peripatetic singing teacher to provide whole class singing lessons during the year.

Physical Education and Sport

All children at Brightlingsea Juniors take part in twice weekly PE lessons which cover a range of sports and games. These sports vary according to the time of year and according to the age of the children. Our children take part in the following sports at different times of the year and according to their age:-  Football, Netball, Hockey, Rounders, Athletics, Cricket, Rugby (tag) and Swimming. Swimming is taught off site at Clacton Leisure Pool.

Team sports and competition are encouraged. For example the teaching and coaching of Athletics culminates with a competitive sports day, which has now become an important diary date in our sporting calendar. Such events promote a competitive sporting attitude whilst harbouring sportsmanship.

Extra- curricular clubs are also an important element in the promotion of a fit and healthy lifestyle. These clubs usually run after school and are not part of the statutory curriculum. The range on offer will vary according to the current interests and passions of the school staff.

Some sports clubs and PE lessons are organised and run by qualified professional coaches in conjunction with the Colne Community School , which has Specialist Status as a Sports College . Dance, Rugby and Squash coaches have been in school in the past, providing highly specialised lessons, benefiting both pupils and staff.

PSHCE (Personal Social Health & Citizenship Education)

PSHCE is an important part of our school curriculum that helps to give pupils the knowledge and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, responsible citizens.

It is taught both intrinsically through other subjects like science and PE and explicitly during dedicated PSHCE and Circle Time lessons. PSHCE topics also form part of our Collective Worship time. Specific lessons, role play and drama, class discussions and many informal conversations with children can be occasions for promoting our school ethos and the values which PSHCE encompasses.

Children will learn consideration for others, the responsibilities of being part of a community, the value of human relationships and the moral values of right and wrong. They are taught that with rights come responsibilities.

Our PSHCE curriculum also covers hygiene, physical fitness – which is taught alongside PE, nutrition and physical growth and development at child appropriate levels.

Controversial and Sensitive Issues

Staff are aware that views around some PSHCE related issues are varied. However, while personal views are respected, all PSHCE issues are taught without bias. Topics are presented using a variety of views and beliefs so that pupils are able to form their own informed opinions but also to respect others who may have a different point of view.

Sex & Relationships Education (SRE)

Work concerning family life, parental care, growth and development, personal relationships and caring for others will provide opportunities for children to ask questions about the basic facts of reproduction and about values and attitudes. Sex & Relationships Education will be linked to our Personal Social Health & Citizenship Education Programme.  We involve Health Professionals in this aspect of work.  Parents have the opportunity to see videos before they are used in the classroom.  Parents can withdraw their children from all or part of the Sex & Relationships Education provided, except that which is required as part of National Curriculum Science.

Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) - Spanish

With the recent addition of Modern Foreign Languages to the primary curriculum, we have introduced Spanish lessons for all children in the school. At Brightlingsea Juniors, we believe that learning a language is a valuable experience for our pupils and hope to introduce them to another language in a way that is enjoyable and fun. We also aim to help the children develop their awareness of cultural differences in other countries and to stimulate their curiosity about other languages. By teaching our pupils Spanish from Year 3, with support and advice from our secondary colleagues, we hope to lay the foundations for future study.

Religious Education

School assemblies, based broadly on Christian principles, set out to emphasise the belief that children should live and grow together in harmony. They also promote a greater understanding of other people’s needs and beliefs both locally and world wide. Our Religious Education scheme of work is also mainly focused on Christianity but will also cover the main elements of other world religions including Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism. Parents who wish their children to be withdrawn from Religious Education, Assemblies and Collective Worship should consult the Headteacher and alternative arrangements will be made.