Science

We aim to give children the opportunity to develop their curiosity and build their foundations for understanding the world around them through varied and first-hand experiences and investigations. The curriculum aims to provide children with the range of skills and knowledge necessary to make an impact in their future lives.

Science provides opportunities to make observations within the local area of different scientific processes and identifying plants and animals. Observations can be made over a longer period of time for example with the change of seasons and comparison with living things. Within our science curriculum outdoor learning will be promoted. The Science curriculum builds on previously taught knowledge and skills which enables pupils to develop their understanding and apply relevant skills correctly.

Art and Design

We aim to deliver a high-quality art and design curriculum that inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, develop their individual creativity, express their ideas and understanding and to work both individually and collaboratively with others. Each year group plans Art and Design lessons as part of our wider topics using those themes as the context for each project. Our aim is to ensure that children are confident approaching artwork, feel a strong sense of achievement, value the impact of art and design within our own lives and are able to reach their full potential. Children learn about classic artists as well as modern and contemporary artists and try out the different aspects of art 

Computing

We aim to prepare our learners for their future by giving them the opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for an ever-changing digital world. Our Computing curriculum focuses on a progression of skills in digital literacy, computer science, information technology and online safety to ensure that children become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. We use carefully selected units from the ‘Teach Computing’ scheme which has been built around an innovative progression framework where computing content has been organised into interconnected networks known as learning graphs. We deliver this scheme with confidence knowing that is has been curated by subject experts, using the latest pedagogical research and teacher feedback.

Design and Technology 

Throughout their time at school, children experience a wide range of DT topics from building houses for the three little pigs and adding electrical circuits to keep them safe, to designing and sewing ear muffs to keep themselves warm to planning, testing and cooking a range of different foodstuffs. DT topics take our overarching topics as a context and use these to provide opportunities for children to develop their skills in designing, evaluating and making. 

Geography

In Geography, children study a range of locations alongside developing locational knowledge, mapwork skills and fieldwork skills. In Year 3, children learn about Volcanoes and Earthquakes as geographical processes and also look at the geography of Guatemala. They then look closer to home and consider what makes Kenilworth a great place to live and how could we make it even better. In Year 4, children study a European region by learning about Germany. They then look at South America, Brazil and the Amazon Rainforest in more detail. In Year 5, children complete fieldwork in our local area and then learn about the human and physical Geography of America. Finally, in Year 6 children compare biomes and climate zones around the world and then study changing coasts ready for our residential to Devon. 

History

Children develop their knowledge of history throughout their time at our school. In Year 3, children learn about two amazing non-European civilizations in the Ancient Egyptians and the Mayans. In Year 4, children take a theme of invaders and settlers as they explore why the Romans chose to invade Britain and what happened when the Vikings and Saxons settled here. Year 5 sees children taking a different approach where they compare and contrast two key points in British history - the Battle of Hastings and the Battle of Britain. In Year 6, children track a key aspect of local history, the theatre, over a long period of time considering the legacy of Medieval Mystery plays in Coventry, Shakespeare and Tudor theatre and Ellen Terry and Victorian theatres. Finally, Year 6 children use all of their historical skills to investigate an ancient Greek mystery as they try to discover if the Trojan horse really happened. 

Modern Languages

We have chosen to teach French as our modern language. Lessons are delivered by Mdme Mallard and use the Rigolo scheme. Children gradually build up their vocabulary in speaking, reading and writing French through playing games, singing songs and completing a range of activities. 

Music

Through well planned and structured lessons, we aim for every child to develop a love of music and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

We utilise the Charanga scheme to deliver our music lessons. The learning within this Scheme is based on:

• Listening and Appraising

• Musical Activities — creating and exploring

• Singing, Playing Instruments and Performing

We also encourage children to learn musical instruments during their time with us and start this by giving every child in Year 3 the chance to learn the Ukelele through the Warwickshire Wider Opps scheme. We also offer instrument lessons in string instruments, brass instruments, woodwind, keyboard, drums, guitar and voice.  

PE

More information about PE can be found under the PE and Sports tab

PSHE

We aim to nurture and foster the development of children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural values alongside promoting fundamental British Values. We deliver a variety of discrete lessons across the year with aim of supporting the development of responsible compassionate individuals and successful confident learners.

Alongside the discrete teaching, PSHE is woven through every aspect of the curriculum and indeed everything that we do. We also have a dedicated assembly schedule that is centred on the themes being covered in PSHE and through our ENRICH award scheme we celebrate children who demonstrate our key school values.

We follow the Jigsaw PSHE scheme which has a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. This is taught through six units. The content and progression within each of the units is mapped out and skills are built upon in each unit.

Philosophy for Children

Philosophy Circles + Sticky Questions – In Philosophy Circles, the facilitator usually asks the first question, so the discussion gets started faster. The children’s own questions are still important, but they emerge through discussion. Rather than stages, Philosophy Circles is built around three facilitation principles which run through the whole process. It makes it more fast-paced and versatile for use across the curriculum. Children will come home once a week with a ‘sticky question’. They wear this sticker on their jumper. These questions do not have a correct or incorrect response, rather they stimulate discussion and are thought-provoking.

Please follow the links for more information.

https://www.thephilosophyman.com/about/philosophy-circles

Religious Education (RE) 

Children have weekly RE lessons which follow the Warwickshire SACRE scheme. This involves children learning about Christianity as well as other key world religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and humanism. Please see below for our RE curriculum.