Our Curriculum
Organisation
The school is divided up into three classes:
Class 1
Children in Year R and 1(4-6 year olds). The class teacher is Miss Hannah Taylor, our Science and Maths co-ordinator . Children in Year R follow the Foundation stage curriculum and move into the National Curriculum programme for Key Stage 1 when appropriate. Mrs Tina Ullah works as full time TA alongside Miss Hannah Brown, Learning support assistant ,supporting focussed groups of children under the supervision of the class teacher.
Class 2
Children are from Years 2,3 and 4 (7-9 year olds) and the class follow the National Curriculum programme at Key Stage 1 and 2. The Class teacher is Mrs Anna Caird, our Senior Teacher,who has curriculum expertise in Literacy, the Arts., and Additional Educational Needs.Mrs Lois Loder is the learning support assistant, working with small learning groups under the supervision of the class teacher.
Class 3
Children in Year 5 and 6 (9-11 year olds) are taught by Mr. Collins for one day, and their class teacher Miss Walker, for four days . Mrs Barbara Baker works as Learning Support Assistant to enhance the learning of children within the class.
Admissions
We welcome visits from parents seeking to enrol their children at Goodnestone C.E. Primary School. Once parents have decided to place their child with us we ask them to complete a Common Application Form and to return the completed form to Siobhan at the school office or use the online facility. If there are more applications than places available in Class 1 the school will allocate places to pupils by applying the admissions criteria to all applicants. The school admissions policy is available from the school office.
If your child is refused admission to Goodnestone C.E. School there is an appeals procedure. Please contact the Admissions Officer, Clover House, Whitstable (01227 772992) for details.
The Curriculum
As in other state schools, all the children of statutory school age at Goodnestone Church of England School follow the National Curriculum. This means they follow nationally agreed programmes of study in Maths, English, Science, Information Communication Technology, Art, Music, PE, History, Geography .Design Technology and Modern Foreign Languages. In addition to the subjects specified in the National Curriculum, the school curriculum also includes Religious Education and cross-curricular issues such as personal and social education, health education, environmental education, equal opportunities and multicultural education. We actively aim to develop children's thinking skills throughout their rime at our school
During the school year, the work of each class is planned around a series of topics, lasting half a term or a term. The topics are organised so that all areas of the National Curriculum are included over the year. Classroom displays focus on aspects of the topic and we try hard to make classroom work interesting and meaningful to children. Children are also encouraged to bring items from home into school in order to enrich their topic work. We hope children will experience memorable learning activities each week of their school life.
Children are encouraged to work both independently and collaboratively in a group, according to the task in which they are involved. Children progress tfirstly hrough the Foundation Stage,then through the levels of the National Curriculum at their own rate. Their progress is carefully checked by teachers and at the ages of 7 and 11 their progress is also monitored by nationally organised assessments (SATs).
· Religious Education
As a voluntary controlled Church of England school we develop our children's understanding of Christianity and actively encourage Christian worship during our daily act of worship. Religious education is taught according to the Kent Agreed Syllabus which develops a knowledge of Christianity whilst raising awareness of other religions.
Collective worship provides many opportunities for children to participate. All acts of collective worship reflect broadly Christian tradition and one assembly each week is led by the parish priest in Holy Cross Church. (in the warmer weather!)
All parents have a right to withdraw their child from the daily collective worship or from religious education. Any parent wishing to withdraw a child from either assembly or religious education should contact the head teacher. Pupils who are withdrawn from assembly or religious education are provided with appropriate alternative activities.
· Literacy
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to provide an environment where children can learn to communicate efficiently, effectively and with enjoyment through spoken, printed and written English. The school is follows the requirements of the National Primary Strategy. Children are taught to read independently using a variety of methods and schemes. They are introduced to a wide range of attractive and stimulating books in class book corners, the school library and book shop, including classical, and modern literature from other cultures. Children are encouraged to visit the village mobile library.
Children are encouraged to write for many purposes and audiences. They regularly compose stories, poems and descriptive passages, write letters, invitations and reports. The conventions of spelling, punctuation and grammar are taught systematically through their written work and specialised schemes. Written work is revised and redrafted, paying attention to meaning and clarity. Well presented work is expected leading to a cursive style of handwriting. Children have opportunities within school to discuss, debate and relate events in order to become confident speakers and listeners.
· Numeracy
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to ensure that all pupils follow a balanced mathematics program that will enable them to cope effectively and confidently with tasks at their own level of ability. Children follow the National Numeracy Strategy where there is a daily focus on mental agility training. A variety of opportunities are provided for children to use their mathematical skills and concepts learned in tackling genuine problems and investigations, both through the core curriculum scheme and topic based work, this is predominately taught through the National Numeracy Framework. The broad range of mathematical topics include number, gathering and interpreting information, algebra, shape and space and the five aspects of measurement length, area, capacity, weight and time. Children are taught addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, combined with a quick recall of number bonds and tables, through the development of their mental agility, recording skills and use of both the calculator and the computer.
· Science
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to ensure that, through science, pupils will develop their knowledge and understanding of the natural and physical world in which they live. Scientific knowledge will be taught through schemes of work, including electricity, magnetism, forces (gravity, friction, air and water pressure, pushes and pulls), fuels, heating and cooling, light, sound, weather, the earth in space, health, decay, genetics and pollution. Scientific skills are taught through varied practical activities which build on everyday experiences and existing knowledge. Children predict what they think will happen, attempt to test their ideas fairly, record their results and describe what they have discovered.
Investigations, in which children design and carry out their own experiments, encourage original thinking and develop leadership qualities. The scheme of work emphasizes progression in content, concept and intellectual demand appropriate to the ability of the child. In science we aim to encourage children to develop enquiring minds coupled with a concern and respect for resources, the environment, fauna and flora.
· Art
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to draw children's attention to the purpose, challenge and enjoyment of art, craft and design, whilst fostering an appreciation and awareness of art history and art from other cultures. We provide a broad learning environment in which art can be explored in a personal creative and expressive way to develop individual potential. In line with the National Curriculum, art is to be interpreted as art, craft and design. Pupils will be taught to use materials, tools and techniques in accordance with health and safety requirements. Pupils are encouraged to develop their creative, imaginative and practical skills through a range of media including ICT and will experience a variety of artists and styles during art appreciation lessons.
Work from all stages is displayed in classrooms and often in the local community.
The school applied to be a participant in the Prince of Wales Art for Kids project - Landscapes , and was one of 24 schools selected nationally to take part. After working with an established artist the pupils work was exhibited in Canterbury , then in London , where we worked with Quentin Blake and met Prince Charles.
· Geography
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to provide pupils with the knowledge and understanding of geographical processes, structures, places and peoples whilst developing the skills required for geographical investigations. The study of places begins with the immediate school locality and is later extended to a comparison of an economically developing country and an area in the UK. There are also four thematic topics based on rivers, weather, settlements and environmental change.
Children will develop and acquire a variety of skills to investigate places and themes including map-reading, the use of simple instruments, observation and identification. Our resources include our excellent school grounds and buildings, up-to-date text books, atlases and maps. The geography scheme of work at Goodnestone Church of England School ensures that all children develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required at a level appropriate to their ability.
· History
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to develop the children's knowledge and understanding of the past. Pupils are encouraged to be aware of varying interpretations of history. Through the use of a range of resources and experiences the children are given the opportunity to compile evidence, question reliability and make deductions.
At Key Stage 1 we aim to help the pupils develop an awareness of the past through the story-telling of well known myths, legends, historical events, eyewitness accounts and fictional stories set in the past. Children are encouraged to develop a sense of their personal history and are given opportunities to sequence photographs, pictures and artifacts. They are taught about the lives of famous people and of important local, national and international events.
In Key Stage 2 the children?s historical awareness is extended through focussed programmes of study. . These include episodes in Britain's past, such as invasions and settlements by Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, life in Tudor times and Britain since 1930. Similarly they will study the ancient civilizations of Greeks and Egyptians. . The children are encouraged to develop a sense of chronology and to understand that the past can be divided into different periods, recognizing similarities and differences between them.
· Information Communication Technology
Goodnestone Church of England School recognizes the importance of information technology and aims to develop all pupils confidence and competence. Classes have access to both multimedia computers and laptop computers, a colour printer and equipment for control and monitoring. We use a range of computer programs to enable children to become both confident and competent in using different communication skills. The school continually upgrades equipment.
Key Stage 1 pupils are taught to use ICT equipment and software to communicate and handle information, support their problem solving, recording and expressive work. This frequently supports cross-curricular. work.Key Stage 2 pupils are encouraged to extend their range of ICT tools for communication, investigation and control and are taught to use software to monitor external events. Children are helped to become more discerning in their use of ICT and assess its value. Other subject areas are supported by ICT.
Children are also encouraged to send and receive email from linked primary schools and have the opportunity to search the web for research. Due to the nature of the internet and email we monitor its use carefully and no child is able to operate on-line without an adult present. If you wish to see the internet access policy please ask at the school office.
· Music
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to extend and deepen children's responses to music through the related activities of listening, performing and composing. This is achieved through interactive teacher directed class lessons. All children are encouraged to compose their own music according to their age and ability.
Performance is an important part of the music curriculum and singing is fundamental to class music making. All children are encouraged to perform their compositions, and opportunities are given for school performance in assemblies and special events.
Listening skills are consistently developed throughout the key stages, children are encouraged to listen attentively to all musical contributions. Throughout the school there are listening sessions where the children are introduced to the music of a variety of composers.
The school is well resourced with visiting instrumental teachers who provide children with the opportunities to learn the guitar and a range of instruments.
· Design Technology
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to develop the process of designing and making a model for a particular function within a topic. Technology is a part of everyday life, and children are taught to recognize this fact by looking at designs in the home and in the world around them. In Key Stage 1 children will be planning, designing and making models using recycled materials and construction toys. All children will be taught skills of cutting, sticking and will form an understanding of the properties of materials. They will begin to evaluate their models and suggest changes. In Key Stage 2 children will begin to draw out and think about their designs in more detail before making their models. They will be taught how to use a variety of tools correctly and with safety. They will focus on how improvements could be made and revise their models in the light of experiences learned.
· PE
Goodnestone Church of England School aims to teach pupils, through experience, to know and value the benefits of participation in physical activities. They will be taught to plan, to improve and to evaluate their performance and that of others. Children will be given the opportunity to learn safely how to develop strength, endurance and control of their bodies through carefully structured challenges.
All children follow a balanced programme of study for gymnastics, dance, games and swimming in all years with the addition of athletics and outdoor and adventurous activities in Key Stage 2. Children have the opportunity to represent the school in a wide range of sporting activities.
Class1 visits Tides Swimming Pool and all children have swimming lessons for 10 sessionsduring the year.Classes 2 and 3 have lessons at Kingsmead School. We are confident that children gain a true sense of achievement through this experience.
Parents are invited to make a voluntary contribution to help cover the costs.
Modern Foreign Languages
We belong to the European Community, and Kent is the nearest county to France. Many of our school families travel regularly to France on holiday, or for day trips. We have always believed that knowledge of other languages and people is part of our pupils' entitlement and feel that it is very important for all our children here at Goodnestone to learn some simple French and to gain a basic understanding of the French culture. This should help them to develop confidence in studying foreign languages when they enter secondary school and in later life.
French is taught in a cross curricular way in both key stageas well as a dicreet subject in the upper school.We try make it fun and not a chore. Wherever possible, we link activities with other subject work. Children learn simple words, phrases and numbers, and study ways of French living to compare with their own. We aim to develop their curiosity in different languages and cultures.
· Sex Education
Sex education is taught formally to Year 5 and 6 pupils and is part of a whole-school health education policy. A health professional is invited to talk with the children about sex education issues.
In all aspects of school life we aim to promote the personal and social development of childrenand respect and care for others.. We aim to develop an understanding of how to look after ourselves, basic life skills and interpersonal skills. We help children to understand and come to terms with growing up. Sex education is taught in school as an aspect of personal and social education and is taught in a way appropriate to the age of the children.
Copies of the governors' sex education policy are available for parents to read. We also incorporate an appropriate programme on drugs education.
· Equal Opportunities
The governors and staff at Goodnestone Church of England Primary School are committed to providing the full range of opportunities for all pupils regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, social, cultural or religious background. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum, and the right to a learning environment which dispels ignorance, prejudice and stereotyping. The entire school community has the right to protection from insult, abuse and bullying of any kind. Discrimination on the basis of colour, culture, origin, gender or ability is unacceptable in our school.
Additional Educational Needs
Consideration is given to all children with special educational needs, including the most able children, children with learning difficulties, children with physical disabilities and children with emotional problems. Class teachers work closely with a special educational needs coordinator, Mrs Caird, who is able to offer advice and additional support to ensure that all children have access to the National Curriculum. Children who display the need for additional support in their learning have the benefit of additional learning support assistants working in small focused learning groups or on a one-to-one basis when appropriate.