Foundation Stage l Literacy l Speaking & Listening l
Reading l Writing l Numeracy l ICT l Music l PE l PSHE l RE l IPC
 The Nursery childrenhaving a snack together |
The school aims to provide a balanced and broadly based curriculum. Cross-curricular topics are carefully planned by year group teachers. Key Stage 1 follow the National Curriculum.
The children will gain experience of working individually, in groups or as a whole class depending on the activity.
The Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage includes the children from the Nursery and the Reception classes.
Its main aim is to support, foster, promote and develop each individual child in six areas of learning . The Early Years staff provide a range of different experiences and opportunities to take their learning forward and succeed.
These six areas are: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication, Language and Literacy, Problem Solving, Reasoning & Numeracy, Knowledge and Understanding of the World, Physical Development and Creative Development.
Literacy
There are three main elements to Literacy:
Speaking and Listening
This is an essential area of Literacy and one which is carried across the whole curriculum. When teachers plan lessons they follow guidance from the Primary Literacy framework. Large parts of this framework involve drama, speaking and listening and talk for writing. Talk for writing plays a large part in our school venture ‘The Big Write’ where children are encouraged to take in discussion in school and at home to develop their writing skills.
Reading
It is essential that children enjoy reading. Your child will bring home an independent reading book and a reading diary. The reading diaries have space for your children to draw pictures as well as room for you to make comments about their reading each day.
They will also bring home a wordbook. These contain the first 300 words that your child will need to learn to read.
All children also have the opportunity, once a week, to choose a sharing book from our library. We have lots of new books and your child will be encouraged to bring home a book to share.
Writing
At the very start of your child’s school life, they will be encouraged to ‘have a go’ with their writing. Most children use their knowledge of letter sounds (phonics) to help them write words. We begin with children making patterns or scribbles and then move onto teaching lower case letter formation before introducing the corresponding capital letters.
In all KS1 classes we have now introduced a programme to ensure that children learn all the essential skills for successful writing and this programme is a national initiative called the ‘Big Write’. Children will have specific input on grammar and punctuation and are encouraged to develop a formal writing style.
Numeracy
In maths we want children to understand numbers, shape and measures through practical activities and games. We do this by building on their enthusiasm for problem solving.
ICT
Computers and technology are part of our everyday lives and it is important that the children learn to use them effectively. Each classroom has at least one computer and the children use them across all the curriculum subjects. They gain experience in handling information, communicating information and the applications of Information Technology.
All classrooms have an interactive whiteboard that is used in most lessons. This gives the children more opportunities to participate in lessons and be more active learners. We have an ICT suite that has 15 computers which are all networked to a main server. All classes have the opportunity to use this resource. We have recently installed a bank of 25 laptops that are used in the classroom. We use ‘Early Years ICT’ which is a program designed to practise early computer skills.
We also have ‘Digi-Blue’ and ‘Tuff-Cam’ video cameras. These are designed for both adults and children to use in and around the classroom, enabling the children to take photos and make short movies. Each class has a digital camera to record the children’s achievements across all the curriculum areas. All Classes have a ‘visualiser’ this can be used in a variety of ways e.g. sharing children’s work with the whole class.
We now have a new ICT resource called Espresso in school, which can be accessed at home.
Please follow the link and use the following login details:
Username : student28211
Password : maidstone1
Music
 Mark brought his drums and taught the whole school drummingsequences. Year 2 then performed to the whole school |
We offer children a range of musical experiences to provide for continuity and progression in music. We have a good selection of percussion instruments for children to use, and we welcome friends and relatives with musical skills to come in and play to the children. Children experience communal singing weekly during our singing assembly and twice a year the children take part in a musical presentation in front of an audience.
Music work is shared with other children, parents and friends during assemblies and concerts. Our aim above all is to give children the opportunity to enjoy music.
We are also very proud to be a part of the national ‘Sing Up’ scheme within which all children take part in a ‘sign to sing’ day, this year being held during the spring term.
Physical Education
We aim to provide opportunities for all children to learn the basic skills needed for all aspects of Physical Education so that they gain the confidence and ability to participate in and enjoy all sporting activities as they continue through their school lives. Two hours a week is allocated to P.E. activities and these are made up of ‘Activate’, a variety of lessons; working with large and small apparatus, traditional and modern dance and gymnastics. The children also participate in team games and enjoy all sports and a fun day in the Summer Term.
PSHE and Citizenship
PSHE and Citizenship help to give children the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives and to become informed active and responsible citizens.
At Maidstone Infant School we are involved in many activities which help deliver PSHE and Citizenship. We have a core group of charities, which we support every year. In addition there are other charities which we support in alternate years. You can always help at home by talking to them about their feelings and emotions.
Religious Education
Through RE themes the children are encouraged to help and understand the needs of others, and to care for all living things. Help the children develop knowledge and understanding of Christian and other religious beliefs, practices and writings. Develop sensitivity to and respect for the beliefs and values of others. Help them to reflect on their own values and beliefs.
During our Assemblies, we come together to share ideas, listen to stories, meet members of our community and praise children’s achievements.
Topic: IPC
Our current topic is ‘What we wear’ within which the children will be learning all about how clothes are designed and made and the different types of clothes people wear around the world.
We will also be investigating different types of clothes worn during celebrations. This will link to the school’s own celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee.
The subjects covered during this half terms topic include science, geography, art, PE, PSHE, ICT and international themes/RE.
During their topic work children take part in discussions, creative and practical sessions.
For the second half of the Summer term our topic will be ‘The Olympics’ where children will be learning about the history behind the Olympics, the countries involved and the types of games and sports included within the Olympics. The subjects covered during this topic will include history, geography, art, PE, ICT, science, music, PSHE and international themes/RE.
