Langtons Infant School Curriculum

Intent

At Langtons Infant School we strive to instil a love of learning, laying the foundations to encourage a life long journey of exploration and discovery. We place a great level of importance on the holistic development of each and every child.  We foster an environment where the emotional, physical, academic, social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of each child is considered.  Our core values, Respect, Resilience, Determination, Tolerance and Kindness help to shape the mindsets and behaviour of our pupils. 

 Our curriculum is mapped to include coverage of the National Curriculum and provides a range of exciting and awe inspiring, first hand experiences, linked to the interests of our pupils. Enhanced experiences aim to develop the life skills our pupils require and give them knowledge of the world around them.  Our curriculum builds on prior learning and through our Learning Muscles, creates life-long learners and children who are encouraged to think creatively, to question, to explore and to work cooperatively. Our curriculum is designed to challenge, motivate and engage our pupils, encouraging them to be risk-takers who are ready to move on to their next stage of learning. 

Implementation

The curriculum consists of many planned experiences in school and out: lessons, themed days, topic ‘hooks’, assemblies, outdoor learning, clubs, sports, trips and visits, visitors to school, workshops and fund raising. Our broad, rich curriculum is designed so that all subject specific skills are scaffolded through a range of discrete and cross curricular lessons.  Our subject leaders ensure that progress and balance across the school is maintained.   Long term plans are created by our subject leaders, in cohesion with all teaching staff, to ensure learning for each subject is mapped across the school.  Medium term plans are then derived from the long term plans to ensure the high engagement of the children and to give our pupils a meaningful purpose and context for learning.  Our medium term plans also clearly highlight the learning objectives, assessment opportunities, key subject specific vocabulary and links to other subjects.  Weekly plans are then created and tailored to the needs of the pupils in each class.  Our main emphasis is on pupil engagement and ensure our lessons are engaging, interesting, informative and inspiring to our children. 

Impact

Our curriculum and Core School Values ensure that our pupils leave Langtons Infant School with excellent behaviour for learning, emotional resilience and great understanding of how to be socially, morally, spiritually and culturally responsible and aware.  Our pupils leave us with a secure understanding of the academic content and the determination to be the very best that they can be.  Through our curriculum we aim to ensure that all of our children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.  

English

At Langtons Infant School, we strive to ensure that every child in our school becomes a confident reader, with a love for reading for pleasure.  Phonics and early reading are taught using Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS).  Reading books are closely matched to the children’s phonic ability.  Children are supported to acquire a wide vocabulary and be able to clearly explain their understanding and ideas.  As well as reading in our phonics lessons, we have group guided reading, whole class story time and timetabled visits to our school library.  We also have Reading Club once per week at lunch time.  Writing at Langtons is based on the National Curriculum Programme of Study with units of work based on high quality texts linked to our planned topics.  We use elements of Talk for Writing to enhance children’s vocabulary.  In Key Stage 1 we have ‘Sentence of the Day’ which gives children the opportunity to master the skills of writing a sentence.  We use EdShed to teach spelling, grammar and punctuation. We use Nelson Handwriting scheme of work. 

Phonics

We use Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) which is a systematic synthetic programme (SSP). Phonics is taught daily and follows a specific sequence that allows our children to build on their previous phonic knowledge and master specific phonic strategies.  Children take home reading books that are closely matched to the sounds they are taught. 

Click on the links below to watch videos demonstrating the correct pronunciation.

Maths

We use Ark Mathematics Mastery scheme of work which is a whole school approach aiming to deepen pupil’s conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts.  The Mathematics Mastery curriculum is cumulative, coherent and sequenced which means that mathematical concepts are taught earlier in the curriculum.  Each school year begins with a focus on the knowledge, concepts and skill that have the most connections such as place value, addition and subtraction.  Our ‘Number of the Day’ allows children to master the facts they know about numbers. Children are encouraged to use the correct mathematical vocabulary and we place a large emphasis on reasoning.  We celebrate maths throughout the year with events such as Maths Week, NSPCC Number Day and International Maths Day.

Science

We use Snap Science scheme of work to  teach Science discretely, linking to the National Curriculum Programme of study.  We aim to provide first hand practical opportunities to experience and observe closely, the natural and humanly constructed world around them.  Our lessons allow children to investigate and explore and promote the use of critical thinking skills.  We run a Science Club during the year.

PSHE

Our Jigsaw PSHE curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for later life. Our Relationships Education enables our children to learn how to be safe and to develop healthy relationships both now and in the future.  We have Celebration and Phase assemblies as well as class Circle time. 

Physical Education

PE is delivered with 2 one hourly lessons per week.  We also do 5-a-day throughout the week. We have a sports coach to enhance our PE provision.  Alongside this, we have after school clubs such as Mulit-skills, football and dance.  We buy in to Havering Sports Collective which enables us to take part in local competitions.

Computing

Computing is taught through discrete lessons and also throughout our curriculum.  There is a continuous emphasis on online safety.

Art

Art is taught in termly blocks as a discrete subject, but also throughout other subjects of the National Curriculum.  Each year group has a different artist focus.   There are many art initiatives and competitions throughout the year.

Design and Technology

Design & Technology is taught termly as a discrete subject but we also aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, computing and art. 

Music

We use Charanga Scheme of across the school to deliver weekly music lessons.  We also celebrate music through our Key Stage 1 Harvest Festival, Singing assembly, Nursery and Reception Christmas Nativity, Year 1 Spring Concert and Year 2 Leaver’s production.

Religious Education

RE is taught half-termly in blocks.  We follow the agreed Havering & Redbridge RE Syllabus. Our RE lessons encourage discussion and questioning around faiths and cultures.

History & Geography

History and Geography are taught termly in blocks but also through English, with lots of cross-curricular links.  These subjects are enriched by visitors to school and educational visits.