Key Stage Two Curriculum

Skills and Learning Across The Curriculum

Throughout programmes of work, in each area of the curriculum, every opportunity will be taken to improve the pupil’s skills and learning across the curriculum:

• Developing Thinking
• Developing Communication
• Developing ICT
• Developing Number
• Curriculum Cymreig
• Personal and social education

At Key Stage 2, learners will build on the skills they have started to acquire and develop during the Early Years.  We use Cornerstones, a creative curriculum which incorporates the Digital Competence Framework, the Numeracy Framework and the Literacy Framework.  

ENGLISH

One of our major objectives at Ysgol Cefn Meiriadog is to extend and develop each child’s use of language. The development of language skills follows a programme of study outlined by the National Curriculum. The three profile components being Oracy, Reading and Writing.

ORACY

We aim to:

• Help pupils to develop as competent and confident speakers and listeners.
• Develop positive attitudes and listening skills and to develop an appreciation that speaking and listening are highly regarded.
• Enable pupils to understand the spoken word and express themselves effectively in a variety of speaking and listening activities.
• Promote awareness that speaking and listening are skills that can be developed and improved.
• Promote an awareness of audience, purpose and register.
   

The development of these skills depends largely upon the experiences that teachers provide for their pupils and ways they can help them to use language to handle the experience. We aim to provide a range of resources for speaking and listening, e.g. listening centres, tape recorders, CD players. We encourage a variety of stimuli, e.g. videos, story, practical work and encourage constructive and purposeful talking in pairs, groups, class and between classes.

READING

We aim to:

• Promote the enjoyment of reading by providing an environment where children may readily go to read either alone or in groups and providing a range of written text, e.g. novels, plays, poetry, magazines etc. suitable for all levels.
• Develop a love of books by reading to children, telling them stories and introducing them to various other reading activities and enabling pupils to experience the sharing of books with the class and/or other groups.
• Develop awareness in all areas of the curriculum and to promote the use of the school library as a means of developing the confident use of research skills.
• Help pupils develop as competent and confident readers by promoting awareness that reading is a skill, which can be developed and improved. We encourage parents in shared reading activities and encourage them to help their children at home by providing home/school diaries and guidelines for them to follow.

WRITING, SPELLING AND HANDWRITING

We aim to:

• Enable pupils to write in different contexts and for a variety of purposes and audiences, including for themselves.
• Develop writing as a cross-curricular activity, e.g. to write a science report.
• Enable pupils to convey thoughts to paper in a variety of styles as a means of communication, e.g. poetry, prose, reports, instructions, recipes, letters, invitations etc.
• Teach conventional ways of forming letters – lower case and capitals, through purposeful guided practice in order to foster a comfortable and legible handwriting style.
• Introduce the most common spelling patterns and to help children to spell words which occur frequently in their writing. They will be encouraged to spell words for themselves with the help of a wordbook or dictionary.
• Develop positive attitudes towards work.
• The School uses The Oxford Reading Tree Scheme in the main, but we also utilise other readers to provide breadth. Parental participation is imperative with learning to read.
• We ask for parental participation for older pupils as well – we ask that you listen to your child read regularly.

MATHEMATICS

Learners in the Junior Department focus on the following Programmes of Study:

DEVELOPING SKILLS

This covers all aspects of the mathematical curriculum and encourages the pupils to apply the mathematical skills they have acquired. It is one of the most important components of the maths curriculum. Much of the work here involves problem-solving and the children selecting the correct ‘mathematical tool’ to solve problems. Pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking and the methods they use in order to support the development of their reasoning.

NUMBER

This covers all the computational skills and number work. Mental methods are seen to be very important and pupils are encouraged to explore methods which work for them. We encourage pupils to learn their Times Tables and to practice them at home. At Key Stage 2, pupils encounter early ideas of algebra and mathematical structure through exploration of pattern and number relations. Our pupils each have a maths sack which contains all equipment they might need during their lesson. Calculators, computers and a range of other resources are used as tools for exploring number structure and to enable work with realistic data.

MEASURES AND MONEY

Here, learners will be involved in measuring, telling the time, reading scales, drawing and measuring angles, and understanding and using money. They will be aware of other currencies. There will be lots of practical experience throughout the study of measures and money.

SHAPE, POSITION AND MOVEMENT

The emphasis in this area is firmly on practical experience. Two and three-dimensional shapes are studied. Computer software is used to link in with these areas of study.

HANDLING DATA

Pupils collect, represent and interpret data for a variety of identified purposes, including those that arise from their own questions. The computer is used as a source of interesting data, and as a tool for representing and exploring data. Pupils consider early ideas of probability through practical activity and personal experience. Skills gained in this area are widely used throughout the curriculum.

SCIENCE

Pupils are encouraged to develop their investigative skills and understanding of Science. The Programme of Study consists of the following:

• Developing Skills
• Interdependence of organisms
• The sustainable Earth
• How things work

As part of our Science course, we endeavour to extend and develop the pupil’s understanding of the world around them and to involve them actively in a scientific approach to learning, which develops the processes of observation, data collecting, classification, experimentation and recording. Good use is made of the school grounds, local environment and organised educational visits.

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL EDUCATION (P.S.E.)

Personal and social education comprises everything that we undertake to promote the personal and social development of our pupils. This includes all the planned learning experiences that take place not only in the classroom but also in other areas of school experience which are features of the ethos and community life of our school.

It is our policy to answer all questions with honesty and accuracy (appropriate to the age of the pupil). As with all other curriculum areas, P.S.E is delivered at an appropriate level to the developmental stage of each individual child. It is cross-curricular and permeates the whole curriculum.

We also have regular circle time sessions with all of our children when they have the opportunity to think about issues and to discuss concerns and feelings.

SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION (S.R.E.)

As with all other curriculum areas, S.R.E. is delivered at an appropriate level to the developmental stage of each individual child and follows a planned scheme of work as prescribed by the Welsh Government, Healthy Schools. It is our policy to answer all questions with honesty and accuracy (appropriate to the age of the pupil). Lessons are delivered sensitively through PSE, Circle Time and the Science curriculum. Our Policy is available to view on request, and annual information sessions are provided for parents. All parents have the right to withdraw their child from S.R.E. if they so wish.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• The rapid growth of Information Technology throughout society has a large influence on our everyday lives and this influence is becoming even more significant as years go by.
• The school has an important role to play in developing children’s awareness of computers and calculators.
• The school is well equipped to support this area of the curriculum, with PC's, laptops, ipads and several interactive whiteboards (one in each classroom/department).
• Computers are used to develop skills across the curriculum.
• The computer is introduced to children in the Nursery and then used widely to support the teaching of the Curriculum.
• We have “child-friendly” controlled access to the Internet and E-mail. Pupils are taught the correct way to use such facilities and we have a set of rules to follow. When age appropriate, pupils are requested to sign a document to promise they will follow these rules to ensure correct use of the Internet and E-mail.

WELSH SECOND LANGUAGE

Welsh is taught as a Second Language, with the following objectives serving as a framework for the work:

1. To ensure that pupils enjoy Welsh lessons: to foster a positive attitude towards the language.
2. To endeavour, when and where possible, to make Welsh a living language within the school.
3. To develop the children’s ability to converse, read and write in Welsh, bearing in mind the need for sequence and progression in learning.
4. To foster a real interest in Wales, Welsh Heritage and Culture, through class work, assemblies and school activities.
5. To interest the parents, where possible, in Welsh activities and maintain goodwill towards the learning of the language.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

We hope to foster in our children an understanding of the meaning of religion. In particular, we feel that they should have an opportunity to learn about Christian traditions and culture, and to appreciate those of other world religions. We believe that they should develop an understanding of moral virtues such as love, trust, friendship, caring and honesty.

There is a daily act of religious worship and a period of time each week devoted to religious education. Parents, who on conscientious grounds, wish to withdraw their child/ren from R.E and/or Assembly may do so by prior arrangement with the Headteacher.

ART, CRAFT AND TECHNOLOGY

As part of their project work, children learn to work through a variety of two and three-dimensional media, e.g. drawing, painting, printing, modelling – using a variety of materials, e.g. plasticine, clay, scrap materials, crayons, chalks, pencils, charcoals, paints, brushes, glue, card, wood etc.

PHYSICAL TECHNOLOGY

All children must take part in physical activities, as it is an important subject within the National Curriculum. Physical Education is taught throughout the school. Gymnastics, apparatus work, movement and dance are taught indoors. Outdoor games include football, netball, rounders, cricket, rugby, athletics and some hockey. The pupils from Classes 3 & 4 also attend swimming lessons at the Rhyl Leisure Centre. 

Girls and boys will need a blue T-shirt and black shorts for indoor P.E. Footwear are not required for indoor P.E.  for outdoor games, shorts, T-shirts, trainers or pumps are required during the summer months. In autumn and winter, it is often advisable to wear a tracksuit. All pupils will be expected to participate on a regular basis and we will only excuse a pupil from a lesson if they have a letter from their parent/guardian. 

In the Junior department, our pupils have the opportunity to attend one/more of the following residential trips:

• Glan Llyn
• Pentrellyncymer
• Paris
• Cardiff

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

History and Geography lessons are taught via topic work. In History, topics covered include Local History, The Tudors, The Victorians, World War II and the Swinging 60’s. In Geography, areas covered at Key Stage 2 include map work, the local area, contrasting localities and environmental change.  In both History and Geography extensive use is made of the local environment and numerous trips are organised to link with the topics being studied.

MUSIC

The general aim of Music education within the school is to give the children an opportunity to gain delight, enjoyment and satisfaction from music by becoming involved in its language and literature, through active participation and listening and by developing sensitivity and critical faculties.

We endeavour to introduce the children to music as a live experience and according to their abilities assist them to learn such skills, which will enable them to take an increasingly active part in music making and to become a more understanding listener. We consider that enjoyment, both immediate and long term is important, but real enjoyment comes from the satisfaction of achievement at the level appropriate to each child. It is our intention to promote an active music programme that uses melody, rhythm, movement and speech to involve the whole child. We believe that this total involvement and the integration of these four elements should be central to childhood experience.

We have a school Cerdd Dant group.  Peripatetic teachers of strings,piano and woodwind attend school and offer tuition for a number of pupils.