National Curriculum
The National Curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by primary and secondary schools so children learn the same things. It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children should reach in each subject through programmes of study and attainment targets. The national curriculum is organised into blocks of years called ‘key stages’ (KS). At the end of each key stage, the teacher will formally assess your child’s performance against the prescribed attainment targets.
The National Curriculum covers:
The Core Subjects of: English, Maths, Science.
And the Foundation Subjects: Design and Technology, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music, Physical Education (PE), Computing and Modern Foreign Languages - (French in our school Y3-6).
We also teach: Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Religious Eduction .
Here at Belton All Saints we use the 'The Learning Challenge Curriculum' (FOCUS Education) as a starting point for our curriculum development. This has been created with a strong sense of enquiry at its heart. The question-led units encourage pupils to research and present information taking full account of their ability to retain key knowledge and skills for the long term. By linking quality texts to the units we ensure that pupils are able to use and consolidate both their love of reading and their literacy skills in different contexts. It uses the National Curriculum as its reference point, but also takes account of our pupils’ needs along with the context of our school and community.
More information about the National Curriculum, the programmes of study and attainment targets can be found on the DFE website.
Assessments
Assessment forms an essental element of the teaching and learning process. Teachers assess on a daily basis looking how pupils are performing against lesson objectives to ensure support and challenge can be put in place to move learning forward. More formal testing may take place at the end of a unit of work to assess a pupils performance in certain areas. Pupils also undergo statutory testing at different points throughout their Primary Education to assess their work against national Age Related Expectations.
Year 1 phonics screening check
The check will take place in June when your child will read 40 words out loud to a teacher. You’ll find out how your child did, and their teacher will assess whether he or she needs extra help with reading. If your child doesn’t do well enough in the check they’ll have to do it again in Year 2.
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 1 assesments cover: Reading, Writing, Maths and Science
These assessments are used to support Teacher Assessments of pupils' attainment.
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 2 tests cover: English Reading, English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling, Maths. Writing and Science are also assessed through Teacher Assessment.
The tests are taken in mid-May.
For more information about the National Curriculum, please see the Goverment website.