Our Curriculum

Intent

At Westfields Infant School, we will support children to develop positive attitudes, skills and habits in preparation for life.

This includes:

• Building resilience
• Developing independence
• Developing curiosity and a love of learning
• Developing respect for others and the world they live in
• Developing a rich vocabulary

We will deliver a creative and inspiring curriculum that helps children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to access the next stage of their learning.

Implementation

At Westfields Infant School we have developed a rich curriculum designed to inspire our children. Into our school curriculum we have incorporated the statutory National Curriculum (Key Stage 1) and the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

At Westfields we aim to provide a stimulating environment which enables our children to learn through exploration, investigation, experimentation and discovery.

Planning is done on a topic and subject specific basis. A cross-curricular topic themed approach across subjects motivates children’s learning in a meaningful way. However to enable new concepts and skills to be learned, sometimes specific subjects may be taught.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Year R

The EYFS curriculum consists of seven areas of learning as follows:

Personal, social and emotional development – this area focuses on helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others.

Physical development – this involves providing opportunities for children to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children are also helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.

Communication and language – this area involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment and to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves, and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

Literacy – this involves encouraging children to begin to link sounds and letters, to begin to read and write.  Children at Westfields are taught phonics through a systematic programme called ‘Letters and Sounds’ and we follow a handwriting scheme called ‘Penpals’.

Mathematics – provides children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces and measures.

Understanding the world – enabling children to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive arts and design – children will be able to sing, dance and safely use a variety of materials to experiment with colour, design and texture.

A key feature of our early years curriculum is that children learn by playing and exploring in our caring nurturing environment.  Learning takes place both indoors and outdoors in our large, secure dedicated early years space. We ensure that activities are suited to your child’s unique needs and interests.

English

 We aim for children to be able to communicate clearly and effectively in the spoken word and writing. We foster a love of books and encourage children to read confidently and fluently. We teach phonics through a structured programme on a daily basis. In addition we teach handwriting skills. These skills are used and taught throughout all aspects of the curriculum.

Mathematics

Children are taught to use mathematics in all areas of life. Maths is taught to be purposeful and meaningful through the building of mathematical knowledge and skills. We aim to develop fluency and accuracy in computation, logical thinking, reasoning skills and the ability to apply mathematical knowledge to everyday problems.

Science

We provide relevant opportunities and first hand experiences to encourage children to acquire and use knowledge and skills in science. Children are taught to observe carefully, question, measure, hypothesise, investigate and draw conclusion in a scientific way. We make use of the outdoor environment to teach children about nature and the seasons from first hand experiences.

Computing

At Westfields, children will learn about the key aspects of computing (digital literacy, information technology, and computer science) through a variety of experiences that provide them with key skills that will serve them now and in later in life. We teach children, about the importance of staying safe online through regular sessions in class, as well as taking part in Safer Internet Day and an E-Safety Day. We have a computing suite equipped with 15 desktop PCs and all classes in Years 1 and 2 have timetable slots to use this area.

RE

RE is mainly taught as a separate subject in accordance with the agreed Hampshire Syllabus. The main focus is Christianity with Judaism taught as the non-Christian religion chosen by school to fulfil the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus. The RE teaching aims to build on children’s own experiences and progressively develop an understanding of the key symbols, beliefs, celebrations and values of the two religions.

Collective Worship

At Westfields Infant School collective worship takes place during assemblies. Assemblies are non-denominational and broadly Christian. They provide opportunities for celebration, supporting school Golden Rules and it is a time where spiritual, moral, social and cultural development can be shared by the whole school community.

Art and Music

Creativity is valued at Westfields. Every opportunity is given to develop children’s learning across the curriculum through the creative arts. Practical and imaginative work is encouraged using a range of materials and techniques. Children are taught to appreciate the work of different artists. Aesthetic awareness and an understanding of culture and artistic traditions are developed. We teach singing and percussion as well as an appreciation of musical styles.

Design Technology (DT)

Children work with numerous materials including plastic, card, wood, metal, fabric and food. They are taught the skills required to handle tools correctly and safely. Through ‘design and make’ projects they learn which materials to use for a purpose and they evaluate their design for effectiveness.

Physical Education (PE)

We teach a programme that includes gymnastics, dance and games using indoors and outdoors as appropriate. Children are taught about the importance of physical education activity for health.

History and Geography

Children are taught a variety of skills including: mapping, researching, order and chronology through engaging topics. Visits are made within the local area and further afield to provide first hand experiences.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PHSE)

Our intention is to give the children an understanding of the importance of relationships. The family unit is discussed sensitively bearing in mind there are many variations. Through PHSE we teach children to value themselves and show respect for others. They learn the Golden Rules and why these are important when working within a community. Children learn the importance of physical activity and about a well-balanced diet.

We believe in supporting the development of the whole child. Part of our PSHE includes teaching the children about the importance of a positive mindset. We also have weekly sessions looking at the importance of good mental health through the “My Happy Mind” programme.

Enrichment

Children are offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities through clubs such as choir, cookery, football, multiskills, judo, recorder, ukulele, art, gardening, sewing and French. In addition we hold several enrichment days and weeks throughout the year where we invite visitors in to work alongside the children. These activities are designed to offer the chance to take part in new activities and learn life skills such as taking part in a team and problem solving.