At Red Hall Primary School we believe that the curriculum should be as exciting and stimulating as possible. We aim to promote a love of learning by making school fun and relevant whilst at the same time ensuring standards are high in order to prepare your children for their future.
In addition to academic and creative subjects, we promote independence, questioning, life skills and a desire to learn in a fun and mutually supportive environment. We provide the Programs of Study outlined in the 2014 ‘National Curriculum in England’ in addition to skills and learning opportunities over and above this.
The National Curriculum
The National Curriculum serves as a framework for our curriculum policy, which allows teachers to respond effectively to individual learning needs. Consequently we provide teaching which is flexible, relevant and meaningful in order to prepare children for their further educational development and to enable them to take part fully as citizens within our society.
Children in Lullaby Lane, Nursery and Reception Classes follow the Early Years Curriculum, this comprises of seven key areas of learning and development which are:
Three Prime Areas: Personal, Social and emotional Development; Physical Development; Communication and Language.
Four Specific Areas: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design. Children in Years 1 to 6 (Key Stages 1 and 2) follow the subjects of the National Curriculum.
English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, Religious Education, Design and Technology, Geography, History, Art, Music, and Physical Education.
All lessons are taught through mixed ability cohort classes with the exception of Phonics in Reception to Year 3 which is taught through ability sets using Read, Write Inc.
Most other subjects are taught through an Imaginative Learning Project (ILP) using the Cornerstones Curriculum approach. Each ILP has a theme and specific subjects as a main focus. Teaching and learning takes place using the following structure:
Engage: This stage provides the children with a memorable experience on which to contextualise their future learning. The memorable experience may involve an educational visit, having visitors in school, handling objects, taking part in an activity that engages all of the senses.
Develop: During this stage, deep teaching and learning of new concepts takes place.
Innovate: The children are presented with a problem, or provocation, which they have to apply their skills and new
learning to in order to solve it.
Express: this is an opportunity to share what has been learned to a wider audience within school and the community.
Where possible, all learning takes place within the context of the Imaginative Learning Project.
Some subjects, or elements of subjects, need to be taught separately. These include: Mathematics, Phonics and Spelling, Grammar, French, Music, Computing, P.E, R.E and all four areas of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). The four areas of PSHE are Citizenship and Economic Wellbeing, Relationships Education/Growing Up, Healthy Lifestyles and Staying Safe.
Our Commitment to the Arts
We strongly believe the arts are an essential tool for the development of self-esteem, creative thinking and problem solving. Through the arts children are taught about and experience different cultures and we encourage diversity and creative thinking. At Red Hall Primary School we offer our children a variety of opportunities to experience lessons in dance, music, singing, acting, drama, sculpting, drawing, and painting.
We teach the arts within curriculum time and our children are actively encouraged to experiment and explore their own ideas whilst improving their skills through our Cornerstones Curriculum. We ensure that we provide a varied curriculum that enables each child to access all arts subjects. Children are encouraged to get thoroughly involved and are asked how they feel about topics, events and activities to help with future planning. Any children who demonstrate flair and skill are encouraged to share their talents and help others to develop.
Arts delivery is enhanced within our school through offering our children the opportunity to access professional artists and arts organisations e.g. Professional dance coaches, author and illustrator visits e.g. Liz Million, sculpture artist Ruth Thompson and Shane Waltener as well as working with local artists and companies.
Learning within the arts subjects also continues beyond the classroom at Red Hall. Many after school clubs promote the arts with qualified staff using their own knowledge and passion to offer extended opportunities to all our children, these include; Drama, Film Club, Musical Theatre, Art Club, Choir and Recorder. The children are offered instrumental lessons in; violin, guitar, ukulele, keyboard and recorder. Theatre visits are arranged regularly as well as theatre opportunities within school.