ETHOS AND ATTITUDES
We aim to engender within the school a caring and sharing ethos where children feel welcome, valued and respected. We aim to create a stimulating and challenging learning environment where excellence is exalted but where it is also safe to fail.
Code of Conduct
a) Positive attitudes towards oneself, such as the development of self-respect, self-confidence, self-discipline, independence and acceptance of personal responsibility, particularly in the area of safety and health.
b) Positive attitudes towards society such as awareness and tolerance of others, recognition and acceptance of social, civic and global responsibilities. We believe this area is particularly important in the context of our multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society.
c) Positive attitudes towards life such as acceptance of responsibilities for living things, for the environment and for natural resources; the development of aesthetic sensitivity to the beautiful and the horrific and of social sensibility to the vulnerability of the world and its resources as well as to its rich potential for progress; the development of a sense of awe and wonder, a capacity for compassion and of an ability to see things from the point of view of others.
CURRICULUM
GENERAL POLICY
We aim to provide:
1) A BROAD CURRICULUM which as a whole and in its parts introduces the child to a wide range of areas of experience, knowledge and skills.
2) A BALANCED CURRICULUM where each area of the curriculum is allotted time to make its specific contribution.
3) A RELEVANT CURRICULUM where subjects are taught in such a way as to make plain their links with the child's own experience. In doing this there is a need for practical experience to ensure there are opportunities for applying knowledge and skills.
4) A DIFFERENTIATED CURRICULUM in which what is taught and how it is taught is matched to the child's abilities and aptitudes. The aim is to challenge the children at the leading edge of their knowledge, understanding and ability.
5) A curriculum which promotes the mental, physical, spiritual, moral and cultural development of the child and of society and prepares children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
In our aims we hope to help children to:
a) Develop lively, inquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally and apply themselves to tasks and physical skills.
b) Acquire understanding, knowledge and skills relevant to adult life and employment in a rapidly changing world.
c) Use their language, mathematics and their knowledge effectively.
d) Develop personal moral values, respect for religious beliefs and tolerance of other races, religions and ways of life.
e) Understand the world in which they live and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations.
f) Appreciate human achievements and aspirations.
It is the school's policy to ensure that there is an Equality of Opportunity in access to a quality curriculum which the school believes should be delivered to all children irrespective of gender, ethnicity, disability, social and economic status or level of attainment.
THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM
The general curriculum policy reflects the duty of the school to implement the fundamental principles of the National Curriculum for all children from Year 1 onwards.
More specifically, the National curriculum consists of:
CORE SUBJECTS - Maths
English
Science
Information & Communication Technology
FOUNDATION SUBJECTS - Art
Geography
History
Physical Education
Design and Technology
Music
PSHCE
Details of individual curriculum policies are available in school.
The National Curriculum in all subjects is delivered in 2 KEY STAGES.
KEY STAGE 1 - For children aged 5 to 7
KEY STAGE 2 - For children aged 7 to 11
ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING
The staff continually assess and record each child's progress against the National Curriculum criteria.
At the end of each Academic Year you will be sent a Written Report on your child's progress in that year. The report will cover your child's development in other areas beyond those described by the National curriculum. Children who are at the end of each Key Stage (in Years 2 and 6) will also be assessed by Standardised Assessment Task and Test and Levels of Attainment confirmed by these will also be
reported. Parents of children in Years 2 and 6 will also receive an AGGREGATED REPORT on assessment outcomes for the child's class. Please note that the aggregated report does not inform on individual levels of attainment of other children.
THE BASIC CURRICULUM AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The National Curriculum subjects together with Religious Education constitute the Basic Curriculum. The school policy on Religious Education supports all the principles embodied in the school's Mission Statement. Our curriculum is based on the Ripon Diocesan Guidelines for RE and aims to give children a foundation of Christian teaching relevant to both the needs of the school and the child in contemporary society while developing within the children a respect and sensitivity towards other people's beliefs and practices. Our aim is also to enable children to come to their own decisions on belief and life-style.
We follow 5 main programmes of Study in Christianity:
o The Bible
o Jesus
o The Church
o Christian Festival
o Ways of Life
We also focus on two other World Religions in addition to Christianity – Judaism in Key Stage 1 and Islam in Key Stage 2.
The school policy on Religious Education is available in school but, in summary, we aim to present RE in a way that is relevant to children. We support the principle that RE is also a fundamental aspect of the 'hidden curriculum' and that much learning takes place as a result of the caring Christian ethos which we aim to engender in all aspects of school life. Naturally, our delivery of RE has more of a Christian emphasis than one might expect in a Community School and we believe that this is one aspect of our school which makes it special.
COLLECTIVE WORSHIP
All children take part in a daily Act of Collective Worship. This is usually as a whole school or Key Stage. Worship is led by a member of staff, a visiting member of St Chad's clergy or sometimes a representative of another Christian denomination. Classes take turns to lead Collective Worship and parents are invited to attend these events and have a cup of coffee afterwards. The school makes regular visits to St Chad's Church for services. Parents are encouraged to attend these services.
WITHDRAWAL FROM R.E. AND COLLECTIVE WORSHIP
The policy for R.E. and Collective Worship respects the rights of parents to withdraw their child from R.E. and Collective Worship and values the differing faith backgrounds of children who attend the school.
Provision will be made for children who are withdrawn from Collective Worship to be involved in another, appropriate, curriculum area during that time. Where appropriate, provision will be made for children of other faiths to have their own prayer meeting. This will be supervised by a member of staff who will not be required to take an active part.
SEX EDUCATION
After careful consideration the Governors have decided that the school should offer a programme of sex education. The Governors believe that the basic elements of what we aim for our children to know should be published a part of this prospectus.
By the age of 7 we aim for our children:
* To know that humans develop at different rates and that human babies have special needs;
* To be able to name parts of the body, including the reproductive system and understand the concept of male and female;
* To know about personal safety eg know that individuals have rights over their own bodies and that there are differences between good and bad touches; begin to develop simple skills and practices which will help maintain personal safety;
* To appreciate ways in which people learn to live and work together; listening, discussing and sharing.
By the age of 11 we aim for our children:
* To begin to know about and have some understanding of the physical, emotional and social changes which take place at puberty;
* To know the basic biology of human reproduction and understand some of the skills necessary for parenting;
* To know that there are many different patterns of friendship; be able to talk about friends with important adults.
The programme, for all children, will be appropriate to the children's age and experience. Wherever possible it will be presented as an integral part of the basis curriculum and RE. In this way it is hoped that the sex education programme will be accepted in a natural, relevant way and not seen as awkward 'one-offs'. The programmes will be presented within a moral, family-oriented and Christian framework.
We also offer a special programme to Year 5 and Year 6 children on matters relating to the changes which take place in puberty. The programme is led by a qualified nurse with substantial experience in this field. The detailed context of the programme along with supporting resources is presented to parents prior to the programme starting and parents are given the choice as to whether they want their child included or not.
THE WHOLE CURRICULUM
We would wish to stress our view that the whole curriculum goes beyond that which legislation requires us to deliver. We are concerned with the whole of each child's individual development and not just that which is formally 'learned'. |