Grasmere Primary School London N16

Teaching and Learning at Grasmere

All classes from Reception onwards follow the National Curriculum QCA schemes of work. The subject areas are English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Music, Art, Technology, Information Communication Technology and Physical Education. In addition we are required to offer Religious Education.(Hackney scheme of work). At Grasmere we also teach Personal, Social, Health Education and citizenship as well as Spanish.

Our aim is to offer a broad and balanced curriculum. Generally, mathematics and English are taught in the mornings with most other subjects being taught in the afternoons. Here is the summer curriculum coverage for summer 2005

Copies of the National Curriculum and school policy documents are available for parents to read.

All the work that your child does at school is carefully planned by his or her teacher using the schoolís agreed framework. Staff meet regularly to plan in detail the activities which will help children learn and make progress. Children are encouraged to work at their own level in small groups, individually and in a whole class setting.

English:

We follow the National Literacy Strategy at Grasmere and all our classes from Reception to Year 6 have a Literacy Hour each morning. Children also make use of our Library.

1. Speaking and Listening: Good listening skills are encouraged and developed from the Nursery. Childrenís use of oral language is encouraged through drama, discussion, explanation and group work. Opportunities are given for children to speak in large and small groups.
2. Reading: We use a variety of commercial books drawn from several schemes which we organise into colour-coded boxes according to their level of difficulty. We promote the enjoyment of both fiction and information books and encourage childrenís own interest and enjoyment of reading.

We expect the children to take books home in their Grasmere book bags every evening. Each child is given one Grasmere book bag when they join the school. Lost bags can be replaced at a small cost.

We ask parents to listen to their children practice their reading skills as often as possible. The more support a child receives from home the greater their progress in school will be. The books that we send home are at a level which should allow the child to practice fluency and expression. We will not send books home that are too difficult for the child to read.

After children have been at Grasmere for one year (i.e. during Year 1) their reading progress is assessed and a few children are offered an intensive one-to-one Reading Recovery programme. Some children are also offered a 15 Minutes a Day Reading Programme.

3. Writing: Children are taught phonics skills and letter shapes through a programme called ìJolly Phonicsî. We encourage them to ìhave a goî at writing and praise their attempts using these skills. As they grow in confidence we teach standard spelling. Periodically, the class teacher will send home lists of words that we expect children to be able to spell.

Children are taught to write for a variety of purposes in a variety of styles. We encourage the children to develop fluent handwriting. Extended writing sessions are also planned by teachers. Children are set targets which are shared with parents at termly meetings.

Mathematics:

Children are given a great variety of mathematical experiences, including work on shape and space, measurement, time, volume, capacity, weight, algebra, numbers and data processing. We do oral and mental maths, whole class and individual/group teaching, investigative and more traditional maths.

We have a Numeracy Hour each day when all children in the school are involved in mathematical activities. We use the National Numeracy Strategy and a range of commercial materials including Cambridge Maths.

We also have a ìmental mathsî scheme that we use throughout years 1-6. Mental Maths takes 10 minutes each day and all the children are involved in concentrated mental arithmetic at their own ability level.
We set individual personal termly targets for childrenís maths and share these with parents in the Autumn and Spring terms.

Children are assessed annually from Year 3 to Year 6 using standardised tests published by The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). These assessments inform teachers planning and some children are identified for extra maths support. We also use Goal online assessment for years 1-6.

Science:

Practical activities are provided through which the children are able to learn about scientific processes and gain knowledge. Children are encouraged to develop an investigative approach that builds on their natural curiosity of the world. Children are encouraged to discuss their work and to record their findings through drawings, models and written work. The school nature garden with its pond and growing plots is used to enhance the science curriculum. Science is assessed termly as each unit of work is assessed through Goal online.

Information Communication Technology:

ICT covers the handling and processing of information using electronic devices, computers, programmable toys and tape recorders. ICT is built into all subjects. We have a suite of 15 computers and at least one computer in each class. Internet access is available in each classroom as well as the computer suite. Assessment is carried out at the end of each unit of work.

Foundation Subjects:

Class assessments take place at the end of each unit of work. This helps to inform our end of year report to parents which is in a new format after consultation with parents.

History:

In the infants, children are taught to recognise the difference between the past and the present, that change occurs over time and to have an understanding that the present is affected by the past. In the juniors, topics taught include the Victorians, Britain since 1930, the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Vikings/Anglo-Saxons. Children are encouraged to contrast and compare with the present day and to use artefacts and original evidence.

Geography:

Children are taught about the world around them, the physical features, weather, land use and countries. Children are taught to have a sense of place, why environments are as they are, how settlements are developed and to compare and contrast other localities with their own.

Music:

Children have regular music sessions and we offer infant singing with a performance specialist. We have a part time junior music teacher who leads a choir. A school choir takes part in the Hackney Festival of Voices each year. We aim to work with a variety of music groups each term. Instrumental tuition is available after school. Every class takes part in our winter concert.

Art:

Children have the opportunity to work with a variety of media and in both 2D and 3D. Artwork is usually displayed throughout the school. The work of famous artists is also studied. Grasmere has a part-time specialist art teacher who works with each class fortnightly.

Design andTechnology:

Design technology is a practical subject that extends across the curriculum. We encourage children to use their design and making skills, to combine these with their knowledge and understanding in order to improve what they have made. Children use various materials for model making. They use suitable tools, as well as construction kits, to make working models.

Physical Education:

All children are required to take part in PE lessons: gymnastics, dance, games and, in the juniors, adventurous activities. Adventurous activities include Netball, basketball and sailing for upper juniors and visiting adventure playgrounds with younger children. We invite cricket, tennis and football coaches into school to work with the junior children. Junior children have regular swimming lessons. In the summer term we hold a sports day for the whole school. This is organised in a non-competitive way with the exception of some traditional running races and we try to make the whole event a lot of fun. Infant classes go swimming for one week each term.

Personal, Social and Health Education:

At Grasmere we aim to give every child appropriate and accurate information about personal, health and social matters. We hope to enable them to develop health-conscious attitudes and values so they can make healthy choices. We aim to promote healthy patterns of behaviour that will last our children a lifetime.
Our PSHE curriculum is based on three content areas: Me and looking after myself; Me and my relationships; Me and my community and environment.
It includes drugs education and sex education with appropriate information being given at appropriate stages and ages. See Sex Education.
At Grasmere we aim to ensure that every child has equal access to the PSHE programme and aim to be sensitive to the different social and cultural backgrounds of our pupils and their needs. We will contact individual parents if there are concerns about children in any of the PSHE areas.

Religious Education:

Religious Education is in the curriculum by law. We follow the Hackney scheme of work. Children are taught about the worldís major religions in order to gain knowledge, understanding and respect for their own and othersí beliefs and customs. There is no formal act of worship or other religious practices at Grasmere. We have regular assemblies where the children are asked to contemplate issues that affect them and the world they live in. Parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE should speak to the Headteacher.

Collective Worship.

In assemblies, every parent has the right to withdraw their child from collective acts of worship on application to the Headteacher.

Special educational needs:

The school has a responsibility towards all of its pupils, to provide equal access to the whole curriculum, including those with special educational needs. Where a child has a particular individual need, staff will, after careful observation and discussion, provide additional help from within the schoolís resources where this is possible, and individual education plans will be put in place and regularly reviewed to ensure the needs of the child are met. Parents/carers will be involved at all stages.
A part-time special needs teacher co-ordinates this work for the whole school. Where children have a Statement of Special Educational Needs, additional help and support is provided by the local authority.

Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant:

The school is provided with a grant to provide English language and literacy support for children from ethnic minorities including children for whom English is an additional language. We employ a part-time teacher and primary helpers through the use of the grant money.

Behaviour and discipline:

Grasmere expects and achieves a high standard of behaviour from its pupils and we always aim to praise good behaviour. If we become aware that a child is having difficulty conforming to an acceptable standard of behaviour we will try to get the child to improve his/her behaviour in a variety of ways. If we have serious concerns about a childís behaviour we will inform parents/carers and ask them to meet with us to work out a plan to improve the childís behaviour. This will always be done as early as possible to prevent problems escalating.
Children need parental encouragement and support in order to participate fully and positively in day-to-day schoolwork. For our school policy to be effective, parents need to co-operate with the school in matters of discipline and reinforce the schoolís efforts. (See school rules section.)

The role of the School Council:

Grasmere has a School Council made up of two elected representatives from each class and a member of the teaching staff. The School Council meets regularly and is a forum for the children to discuss issues and concerns. Playground behaviour is discussed regularly. The School Council plays a role in developing and maintaining the Schoolís discipline and behaviour policy.

Bullying:

Grasmere has a firm policy on bullying. We will not pretend that bullying does not happen at Grasmere. We tell children and parents about the attitudes of the school to bullies and their victims and what happens to them.

Teachers talk about what bullying is and the possibility of being bullied so that children realise it is actively thought about at Grasmere, that all staff will take bullying very seriously and so that children know what to do if they are worried.

We encourage children to talk to any staff member that they feel able to talk to.

Drama, assemblies and discussion work at Grasmere will focus on bullying so that children learn how to say ìnoî to bullying behaviour, and how to go and ìtellî. They learn what happens to bullies at Grasmere and what can happen to victims. We aim to help both the bully and the victim.

All bad behaviour will be dealt with appropriately whether it is defined as bullying or otherwise. Everything needs to be dealt with for what it is. Not all bad behaviour is bullying.

Grasmere Code of Conduct.

• Grasmere expects all members of the school community to share the responsibility for the childrenís learning and progress:
• We encourage the children to be responsible for their own behaviour, work and belongings.
• At Grasmere we ask the children to do their best, to try hard and to come to school suitably dressed and ready to learn. We expect children to leave valuable or dangerous things at home.
• We value and rely on partnership with parents. It is our intention to actively promote and utilise our partnership
• Grasmere expects all children to take care of the School buildings and the equipment:
• At Grasmere we expect children to move around the school calmly, quietly and safely.
• We expect children to use equipment carefully and only for its proper purpose, and to treat the school buildings and property with care.
• We expect the children to follow the school rules.
• Grasmere expects all children to show respect and consideration for others and themselves:
• We expect children to treat each other and all adults with respect.
• At Grasmere we will not tolerate verbal or physical bullying. We will challenge racism and any behaviour that is discriminatory.
• At Grasmere we acknowledge that people are different but firmly believe that each person deserves equal respect.
• We expect all children to behave in an orderly way that is conducive to effective teaching and learning.

Grasmere School Rules

• We always do our best in school.
• We respect ourselves, each other, and our school.
• We listen carefully, answer politely and do what we are asked first time.
• We keep our hands and feet to ourselves.
• We walk calmly, quietly and safely around the school.
• We donít copy people who break our rules.

If you choose to break our rules this is what will happen:

1. A warning. You will be given a warning, and a chance to improve.
2. Time out in class. If you donít improve, you will have ëtime outí in class.
3. Time out in another class. If you donít improve, you will be sent to another class for ëtime outí and you will automatically miss your next morning playtime.
4. Sent to the Headteacher If you donít improve, you will be sent to the Headteacher and you will have to plan ways of improving your behaviour. You may be put on Report.
5. Parents sent for. If you donít improve, your parents will have to come to school to plan ways of improving your behaviour.
6. Exclusion If there is no improvement you will be excluded from school.

More information about the discipline procedure can be found HERE