Our vision for our curriculum at Oliver Tomkins
Big Questions and the National Curriculum
Our curiculum is organised around big questions that the children seek to answer by the end of each term.
We follow the National Curriculum (2014) subjects:
English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, Art, Design Technology, Geography, History, Music, Religious Education and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), Physical Education and a Modern Foreign Language.
Writing and Spelling
The writing curriculum across the school is broken down into units. These are often linked to each classes’ big questions and are based around a range of high-quality stimuli, including books, visits, video clips or experiences. Each unit focuses on one text type and usually lasts 2-3 weeks. There is a focus on purpose for writing and audience. Children use editing to improve their writing.
In years 2-6, there is a discrete spelling session based upon objectives from the National Curriculum. This outlines the spelling patterns for each year group, the order they should be taught in and some suggested examples. Each spelling session focuses on one rule and will be taught through Sounds Write lessons.
PSHE
We use Jigsaw scheme of learning.
For each year group this follows:
Autumn 1: Being me in my World
Autumn 2: Celebrating difference
Spring 1: Dreams and goals
Spring 2: Healthy me
Summer 1: Relationships
Summer 2: Changing me
These units include learning about anti-bullying (cyber and homophobic bullying included), diversity, aspirations, drugs and alcohol education, self-esteem, family and other relationships, conflict resolution, and sex education.
Long Term Curriculum plans
Mathematics
We use the Can Do scheme of learning.
This curriculum enables children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics (see Year by Year Curriculum Maps) so that they develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
It helps them to solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios.
It encourages them to reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language.
It promotes an appreciation of number and number operations, which enables mental calculations and written procedures to be performed efficiently, fluently and accurately.
Religious Education
Oliver Tomkins School use Swindon SACRE scheme and Understanding Christianity as the scheme of learning for RE.
Through this approach children learn about these religions and also develop an understanding of World religions and how beliefs impact on individuals daily lives. Christianity is taught in every year group, and the beliefs of Hinduism, Islam and Judaism are also learnt throughout the school.
We provide opportunities for children to visit a variety of places of Worship, including Churches and Mosques.
Phonics
Phonics is at the heart of learning to read and spell. It is about the sounds (phonemes) we make when we talk; we connect (blend) these sounds together when we read words, and split them up (segment) when we write.
All children are taught phonic skills through the Sounds Write programme, through dedicated phonics/spelling lessons.
Handwriting
Handwriting is practised regularly. Teaching of handwriting focuses on joining with cursive lead ins and joins, once children are able to write with correct letter formation (starting in the correct place), letters sitting on the line with clear ascenders and descenders and being controlled and consistent in size. Teachers model cursive lead in and joins during modelled writing, so that all children are able to write with a neat, joined, cursive script. Children who do not yet write with correct letter formation are given extra time to practice this important skill.
Reading
Each class takes part in whole class reading using our Spine texts.
We teach reading through a range of different lessons each week:
Scaffolded reading: daily practice of decoding, brief text discussion and repeated reading for fluency (for Year 1 children)
Fluency reading: focused on building fluency though successful decoding and repeated reading.
Extended reading: focused on providing children with plenty of experience of the written English language.
Close reading: focused on engaging children in deeper exploration of texts.
Teachers promote reading as an enjoyable activity and a life skill. All teachers are responsible for providing a stimulating reading environment. In our school we have high quality texts for each year group to study. In school there are opportunities for children to enjoy reading independently.
