Literacy
Literacy opens the door to all learning. In Whitehead Primary School children are
introduced to reading and writing from Year one. Vivid and imaginative displays,
featuring the children’s attainment in literacy, can be seen throughout the school. A
keen interest in books is fostered through shared and modelled reading. The school has
an extensive and vibrant library, manned by parent volunteers.
Children have a strong desire to write for themselves and your child will be nurtured
and encouraged to do this, from early years. A carefully planned programme ensures
that your child will build skills in spelling, punctuation, handwriting and grammar.
Written communication is greatly enhanced by the use of computers and children readily
use their extensive word-processing skills to produce written reports in other
curricular subjects.
Numeracy
In our primary school maths is exciting and is relevant to everyday life. Your child will
learn about shapes, tell the time, use metric measures, estimate distances, understand
angles, read and interpret graphs. Along with all of this they will still learn their
tables and do ‘their sums.’
Your child will also use computer equipment and a wide range of maths games and
equipment to help him or her understand these topics in an interesting way.
Your child will be using maths in other subjects, such as science, geography and P.E.
Maths is all around us.
Science and Technology
The aim of our science curriculum is to equip children with the knowledge and skills to
understand and appreciate the world in which we live.
Your child will gain key skills such as observation, prediction, recording, comparing and
classifying.
Importance is placed on practical and investigative work and your child will be
encouraged to ask questions, communicate and share their ideas.
Geography
The extensive grounds to our school and its coastal location provide many opportunities
for your child to study, at first hand, a range of geographical concepts.
The changing seasons are observed in our wildlife garden and pond area. Organized
outings to the seaside, around the town and into the surrounding countryside to allow
children to experience our many and varied natural resources here in Whitehead.
History
Our children are fortunate to live in an area with such a wealth of history.
Whitehead is home to the Northern Ireland Railway Preservation Society and it was
once a thriving seaside resort. Buildings throughout the town reflect this history and
your child will have opportunity to explore these through the activities on the
‘Whitehead trail.’
Music
Your child will receive music input on a weekly basis throughout the year. These
regular class lessons give opportunity for your child to listen to, perform, appraise and
compose music. We have a school choir of around eighty children who enthusiastically
participate in a wide range of events. Bi-annually a musical is performed that will
involve all of the children in Key Stage two. Children in the nursery unit and key stage
one all participate annually in a Christmas performance.
A peripatetic string teacher provides individual violin lessons for selected pupils from
year five, six and seven, once a week.
Art and Design
Art and design is highly valued by staff and pupils in our school and pieces of children’s
art are exhibited throughout the school in constantly changing displays. Your child will
be taught to experiment with a wide range of art materials and will have the
opportunity to record observations about the world around them through drawing,
painting, printmaking, modelling and textiles.
Your child will also be encouraged to evaluate their creative work and the work of
other artists. On two occasions, artists have been invited to the school to work
alongside the children.
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