Curriculum

For an overview of our current curriculum in each year group, please select the relevant year group from the menu on the right or refer to individual subjects and their progression of skills.
Teaching Methods
National Curriculum
Literacy and Numeracy
Computing and Technology
Assessment
Progress
Enrichment
Children’s Involvement
Home Learning Expectations
Residential Trips and Residential Information

Quick Guide

Curriculum Provision at Crofton Hammond School

Teaching Methods
There are two registration classes in each year group and the teachers plan meticulously to meet the needs of your child and to satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum. Teachers may work with their own class or they may work with children from the whole year group. There are times when an individual child or a small group of children may work with a teacher or learning support assistant away from the classroom.
Often a teacher with a particular expertise, e.g. mathematics, music, P.E., science and dance will take another teacher’s class for a specific lesson.
As of September 2015, pupils are now required to achieve a National Expectation in Mathematics. In Year 3 and 4 the children will work in classes during their daily Maths lesson. In Year 5 and 6, the children may sometimes be set depending on their previous experiences in Mathematics, depending on the objectives. These groupings are flexible and will change according to the objective being taught and the assessments completed by the teachers. The pupils cover the same syllabus but the work covered is closely matched to the identified needs of the children.

The National Curriculum and organisation of Learning
At Crofton Hammond School the programmes of study for all the compulsory subjects of the National Curriculum are followed.

The National Curriculum, which was introduced by the 1988 Education Reform Act requires schools to teach core and foundation subjects – English, Mathematics, Science and Computing, History, Geography, Art, Music, DT and Physical Education ,Religious Education, PSHE and Modern Foreign Languages (in this school the language taught is French.) Embedded across these subjects are the fundamental British Values.

In our curriculum planning we produce schemes of work which identify appropriate content, teaching and learning activities in each subject area to meet the Programmes of Study and National Expectations as laid down in the Statutory Orders for National Curriculum Subjects. We always endeavour to ensure that activities are matched to the individual needs, development and experiences of the children.

As far as possible a cross curricular, thematic approach, consistent with recognised good practice, will be used in all year groups. Please see the topic webs that are published on this website for each term in each year group. Each September the class teachers also hold a briefing for parents on areas that will be studied in each year group which explains our cross curricular approach in more detail.

Please also note the following:

  • Parents have a right to withdraw their child from Religious Education. Parents are requested to write to the Headteacher to request that a child does not take part in Religious Education lessons. Children would still take part in daily assembly but not the part that is concerned with a corporate Act of Worship. Parents are also entitled to withdraw their child from Sex Education but not the part of this that is covered by the Science Curriculum. Parents should again put this request in writing to the Headteacher.

The compulsory swimming programmes of study are covered in this school in Years 5/6 where the children visit the local leisure centre to do this.

English and Mathematics
All children have a daily English and Maths lesson.  English and Maths are also taught through other subjects as part of our cross curricular topics.

Our approach to the teaching of reading is through group guided reading in class but there are also individual programmes for children who are not ‘on track’ to achieve the National standard in reading for their year group. Phonics continues to be taught in Year 3, particularly as a focused intervention. All children are taught spelling as a weekly activity. The school has an agreed approach to the teaching of writing known as ‘guided writing’.

Computing and Technology
The school has a computer suite with at least one computer per child for class lessons. In addition there is a bank of 16 tablets with a wireless connection which can be used in classrooms. There are also mini banks of computers around the school and at least one computer in each classroom. Computers are used to teach computer skills but also to enhance learning across the curriculum. Children have class lessons to be taught computer skills but also apply those skills in other subject areas.

Information technology also facilitates children using many other equipment such as cameras, visualisers, recording equipment and sound equipment.

Assessment
Children’s progress is assessed against attainment targets from the National Curriculum alongside the National Expectations for English and Maths that have been introduced in September 2015. These will be formally reported to parents in two Parent Consultation meetings per year and one detailed written report. Informal consultations may take place at other times. We also arrange sessions where parents can come and look at their own child’s work with their child acting as a guide.

Please note the system for leveling children according to a number and letter i.e. 3c or 4b has now been replaced by a National Standard for each year group. Children will be measured in English and Maths against the National Standard and reported to parents as; Achieving National Expectations, Exceeding National Expectations or Working Below National Expectations. Parents will be informed of where their child is working and whether they are ‘on track’ to achieve National Expectations by the end of the academic year. Children working below the national expectations will be provided with extra support in the form of targeted classroom work or a specific intervention. These will be delivered as a 1-1 activity or in small groups, as appropriate, by either the class teacher or a specialist teacher or teaching assistant.

End of Key stage 2 assessments for Year 6 pupils
Children are expected to achieve a scaled score of 100 or more on their Key Stage 2 paper for maths and reading. Writing is teacher assessed, and this assessment goes towards determining whether they have met or exceeded the expected national curriculum standard for reading, writing and maths. Children also sit an English grammar punctuation and spelling test.

Pupils achieving a higher standard will have a scaled score on their maths and reading paper of 110 or more and be assessed as ‘working at a greater depth within the expected standard’ by their teacher for their writing.

In addition to percentages of pupils achieving expected and higher standards, we also show the average scaled score for reading and maths per school, as well as the national average.

The range of scaled scores: 
80 is the lowest scaled score awarded
100 is the expected scaled score
103 is the national average scaled score for reading and maths
110 or more is the higher scaled score (top 5% of pupils)
120 is the highest scaled score awarded

These scaled scores will be reported to parents in the end of year report in the summer of Year 6 in order inform parents of their child’s attainment and progress over the course of their time in our school.

Progress Measures throughout our school
Children at Crofton Hammond Junior School are assessed every year through a combination of teacher assessment, using their day to day work in the classroom and evidence in their books, alongside a test for English, Maths and Science.

By using this range of evidence, teachers can make a judgement as to whether children are achieving Age Related Expectations for their year group and ensure that appropriate progress is being made year on year. Parents are informed on a regular basis about their child’s attainment and progress in parents meetings in Autumn and Spring and a written report in Summer.

Enriching and Extending Learning
In addition to the compulsory National Curriculum Programmes of Study, the school has a comprehensive programme of enrichment activities. These include:

  • Residential trips in Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6
  • A programme of day trips, visits and visitors in every year group
  • Clubs and groups that meet at lunchtimes and after school
  • Small group musical instrument lessons (for which an extra charge is payable)
  • Cycle training and First Aid training in Year 6
  • Themed days such as World Book Day
  • Themed weeks such as  ‘The Big Write’
  • Colour group challenges- where pupils are grouped in mixed age range groups to enter a whole school challenge in their team colours of red, blue, green or yellow
  • Inter school activities with our feeder infant school/ local secondary school
  • Activities linked to topical events such as the Olympics

Children’s Involvement in their Learning
Wherever possible the school looks to involve children in their own learning. The school considers that this motivates and inspires children to achieve their best and to develop positive attitudes to future learning.

We do this for example through:

          • Each class creates a class charter about their rights and responsibilities based on the International Charter of Children’s Rights at the start of each year. In this the children agree how they will look after their classroom and resources, work with each other and help others.
          • Children are sometimes given choices about how to present their work to their teacher, their class, their group or their parents.
          • They sometimes have choices about the role they will take in a group project
          • Children sometimes choose to study a particular area of interest in more detail
          • They discuss and debate and vote for issues in their learning and related to their learning
          • They help plan themed days and weeks, and they run a weekly assembly
          • They  plan and design a ‘museum’ to show off their History work to others
          • They self-assess their own learning in addition to their teacher’s assessment

        Home Learning Expectations

        Residential Trips 

      • See Residential tab for more information