Art is valued greatly and taught throughout topics as part of our curriculum. These subjects are considered a key part of learning for the children at Reedham Primary and Nursery School, and are explored through various topics and events throughout the school year. Children enjoy expressing creativity and there have been many successful topics with children so far, such as KS2 taking part in the ‘Broad in a Box’ and ‘Art on the Line’ competitions with the ‘Water, Mills and Marches Project’. 

We have strong links with local culture in the village e.g. the annual art competitions at our village summer fair. We enjoy large-scale collaborative artwork created and display these regularly in the school and at Reedham church.

Teachers plan broad and varied activities for the children to take part in, to explore the many different genres and mediums used in artistic expression, in accordance with guidance from Development Matters: Expressive Arts and Design and the National Curriculum. Children learn fundamental artistic skills and values through their work to promote a lifelong love and appreciation of art and design.

At Reedham Primary and Nursery School, through a positive community ethos we listen, engage and nurture a can-do attitude in order to prepare all learners for their future lives, enabling and enjoying learning within the context of a rapidly changing technological society. This is particularly important in the teaching of computing. Technology is an integral part of everyday life. At Reedham, we aim to prepare our children for a future in an environment, which is shaped by technology. Our main priority of computing is to engage children with cross-curricular learning through interacting with a variety of technology; we see technology as enriching learning opportunities. Therefore, we endeavour to provide computing opportunities throughout each area of the curriculum, this includes the use of Google Classroom to facilitate homework and to hand in classwork. ICT is also taught as a subject following a carefully chosen curriculum to meet the aims of the National Curriculum.

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject which has a vital role in contributing to a balanced curriculum and creating the problem solvers of the future. It is a subject that encourages children to ‘learn to think’ creatively to solve practical problems both as individuals and through teamwork. At Reedham Primary and Nursery School, our aim is to encourage children to use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, computing and art. We want Design and Technology to prepare our children, to give them the opportunities and experiences they need to be successful in later life.

Speaking and Listening

“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.” (Tony Robbins)

Our intention is for children to:

• Express their opinions, articulate feelings and listen to and respond appropriately in a range of situations;
• Participate with different groups of children to present ideas with confidence, valuing the views of others;
• Speak audibly and confidently before an audience (for example when leading class and whole-school worship; when performing in school plays).

At Reedham Primary and Nursery School history and geography learning teaches children about the world in which they live and how it has changed over time. Our history and geography curriculum focuses on acquiring facts and knowledge as well as developing historical and geographical skills through enquiry and exploration of themes and topics. We teach children about larger global concepts such as humankind, place, significance, processes and change.  We endeavour to develop the following skills: independent enquiry, creative thinking, reflective learning, teamwork, responsibility, enabling them to effectively participate and engage with lifelong learning.

At Reedham Primary and Nursery School, we recognise the importance of mathematics throughout each child’s everyday and future life. It enables children to understand relationships and patterns in both number and space in the world around them. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. We intend to give each child the self-confidence and resilience to reach their full potential by ensuring that they have the tools to calculate fluently, reason logically, problem solve and think in abstract ways.

What are we trying to achieve?

• Children become confident, competent and independent mathematicians 
• Build a deep conceptual understanding of maths and its interrelated content so that children can apply their learning in different situations
• Develop children’s ability to articulate, discuss and explain their thinking using appropriate mathematical vocabulary 
• ‘Mistake friendly’ classrooms where children see mistakes as learning tools – there is an emphasis placed upon developing the power to ‘think’ rather than just the ‘do’
• Instil the mind-set in every child, parent and staff member that everyone can do maths and that maths is for everyone…EVERYONE CAN!

• Children develop into resilient and inquisitive learners – skills needed to become life-long mathematicians
• Deliver an inspiring and engaging mathematics curriculum, taught by highly-enthusiastic staff, which sparks curiosity and excitement and which nurtures confidence in maths

At Reedham Primary and Nursery School we believe that the learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils. It helps them to develop communication skills, including the key skills of speaking and listening, and extends their knowledge of how language works. Learning another language gives children a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others. The focus language taught in our school is French.

Reedham Primary and Nursery School intends to use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning – the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.

The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, creating a dynamic programme of study that will be clearly outlined in both long-term and short-term planning. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements. 

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas. In addition, the children will be taught how to look up and research language they are unsure of and they will have a bank of reference materials to help them with their spoken and written tasks going forward. This bank of reference materials will develop into a reference library to help pupils recall and build on previous knowledge throughout their primary school language learning journey.

The intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

Music is considered a key part of learning for the children at Reedham Primary and Nursery School; it is taught through Charanga an online music platform for primary schools. Music is taught as a separate subject and in addition to this as a means to showcase at Reedham School in the form of plays and shows. Music is supported by Norfolk County Council, which provides subscription to Charanga and offers support to teachers with CPD of the subject.

Musical and singing assemblies are taught every week and are values ethos linked. They often use actions to engage the children and to make them accessible to all the ages to remember the words. The school has a wide song bank for the teachers to choose from that are linked to values and topics explored.

The school takes part in arts-based extra-curricular activities e.g. country dancing and theatre trips and the Open Song and Dance Festival showcasing our talent to our cluster schools. We are the smallest school but are definitely the loudest on stage. Children are also encouraged to showcase their musical talents in our Christmas and summer music concerts and our annual talent show, ‘Reedham’s Got Talent’; all this provides the children with rehearsal and performance skills and enables a time to showcase their singing and musical skills.

At Reedham Primary School, through a positive community ethos we listen, engage and nurture a can-do attitude in order to prepare all learners for their future lives, enabling and enjoying learning within the context of a rapidly changing technological society.

We aim to ‘bring out the best’ in every child so they can all be the best they can be. Together, we endeavour to develop the following skills: Independent Enquiry, Creative Thinking, Reflective Learning, Teamwork, Responsibility to promote motivation, resilience, and aspiration in all children, enabling them to effectively participate and engage with lifelong learning.

Our vision for Physical Education and Sport is that every child should have the opportunity to take part in physical activity on a regular basis and become more physically confident and competent. We hope that, through all the sporting opportunities and physical activities we offer, children will develop a love and passion for sport and continue this into their later lives.

Intent:

Physical education at Reedham Primary School is an imperative part of the curriculum, which develops the knowledge of the need for healthy life styles, a balanced diet, positive growth mind-set and resilience to persevere with activities that may have once felt too difficult. We are passionate about the need to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team, understanding fairness and equity of play to embed life-long values.

We aim to provide the children with at least 2 hours of fun, exciting and active PE lessons every week and to keep the children healthy and active every day with at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. At Reedham Primary School we strive to give as many children as possible the opportunities to compete in a variety of sporting competitions, during school time and by representing the school in our cluster events. In this way, children will develop greater confidence, team work and learn to win or lose with grace and sportsmanship. It is also of paramount importance that we create sporting leaders during the children’s time at Reedham. We aim to offer lots of children the opportunity to lead sporting activities, organise games and events and learn to lead by example. By emphasising leadership, we hope the children learn the importance of communication, organisation, team work, resilience, perseverance and a respect for rules.

Aims:

1. To develop physically competent learners

2. To develop engaged learners

3. To develop healthy and active learners

4. To develop reflective learners

5. To promote the skills and values of communication, organisation, team work, growth mindset, resilience, perseverance and a respect for rules

School Sports Premium Funding:

The Government provides each primary school throughout England with additional funding, which is to be spent on improving the sports provision within schools. At Reedham Primary School, we believe a high-quality PE curriculum should be an integral part of the whole school curriculum and one that staff, pupils and parents understand and can contribute to.  Our school recognises the values that a high-quality PE and school sport curriculum gives pupils. As such we use Sports Premium funds to support and provide opportunities for all children, supplying high-quality equipment and specialist coaches and opportunities to facilitate this.

School Games and competitions:

Children are offered opportunities to take part in our cluster school sporting events on a regular basis throughout the school year. These events include: cross country running, athletics meetings netball, basketball, rugby, cricket and football tournaments. In addition to these events children in KS1 have the opportunity to take part in a multi-skills day.

Extra-Curricular Activities and clubs:

Children in KS2 have two opportunities to take part in residential trips, activities include: canoeing, climbing and orienteering.

Children can also take part in various sports clubs run throughout the school year, including gymnastics, multisports, football and tennis.

Children have the opportunity, throughout their time at Reedham, to learn to swim in our solar-heated swimming pool. Children are taught by a qualified L2 swimming teacher, according to the Swim England curriculum. At Reedham children are provided with opportunities to join in sporting events, like our annual sports day, and fundraising events to support national and local charities, such as Sports relief. They also take part in sponsored walks and are encouraged to be active when raising money.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) is a fundamental cornerstone to children’s learning at Reedham Primary and Nursery School. Our program of learning supports children to acquire the values, skills and knowledge they need to live healthy and happy lives at school and in the future. Through PSHE education children develop and build on ‘Life Skills’ that they need to succeed as individuals and as a member of society. Through PSHE we explore and counter any ‘Barriers to Learning’ that children may have. We believe that children need to feel, safe and happy to be able to learn effectively. We follow statutory guidance to deliver Relationships and Sex Education (SRE). We will ensure the content is carefully designed to safeguard and support pupils. Nevertheless, we are clear on the themes and issues they should cover, in an age-appropriate way, to achieve this. Relationships and RSE will be age-appropriate, building knowledge and life skills over time in a way that prepares pupils for issues they will face.

Parents will be notified when children in year 5 and 6 what the syllabus contains and will have the right to opt their child out.

Our main focus of study is based on three core learning themes

1. Health and Wellbeing

2. Relationships

3. Living in the wider world

RE is an important curriculum subject. It is important in its own right and also makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and supports wider community cohesion. The Government is keen to ensure all pupils receive high-quality RE. We follow their educational guidance to ensure increased emphasis on personalisation and on the development of the whole child in social and emotional as well as cognitive terms. With this in mind Reedham Primary and Nursery School intends to explore R.E through cross-curricular dimensions such as identity, cultural diversity and community cohesion to provide important unifying themes that help our young people make sense of the world and give education relevance. This will reflect the major ideas and challenges that face individuals and society and will provide a focus for work within and between subjects and across the curriculum as a whole.

The key values at the centre of our children’s learning, explored throughout their education with us are the foundations for religious education. These values are: humility, aspiration, thanks, hope, courage, creativity, truth (honesty), creativity, justice (law), forgiveness, peace, friendship, trust, generosity, compassion, reverence (respect), love, tolerance, service, wisdom, democracy, individual liberty (Freedom) and cooperation. A respect for all, open-mindedness, appreciation, wonder and self-awareness are fully embedded into all aspects of our beliefs and values teaching and learning across the curriculum.

At Reedham Primary we aim to ensure high quality teaching, which explores concepts as well as information. We are committed to our children being aware of the different beliefs and values people hold in their local environment and the wider world, with a special focus on a deep understanding of the many faiths in a variety of expressions. They gather information and encounter people who are different from them in order to develop a respectful attitude and enjoy the variety of different cultures.

At Reedham Primary and Nursery School, we believe that our curriculum should encourage a love of learning, raise aspirations and prepare them for the future by providing them with the opportunities and experiences they need to be successful in later life. Science at Reedham is very much a practical part of the curriculum that enables our children to be ‘Scientists’: make sense of the world around them through exploration, investigation and discovery. Through practical and meaningful experiences, we seek to develop the key scientific knowledge and the skills of observation, questioning, exploration and investigation to prepare our children for life in an increasingly scientific and technological world. Scientific enquiry skills are embedded in each topic the children study and these topics are revisited and developed throughout their time at school. Our curriculum documents, based on the EYFS Statutory framework, Development Matters and the National Curriculum, are designed to ensure that the knowledge, skills and vocabulary are mapped out and children’s understanding and learning is built on each year. The aim is for our children to leave KS2 ready to take on the challenge of a subject-based timetable at secondary level and with a passion for learning and knowledge.