The Curriculum

Our Early Years Outdoor Learning area, including the field, is testament to our belief that play is a crucial element of learning. Our curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and we are looking to make what we teach relevant to the children in the world in which they are growing up. To this end we have adopted the International Primary Curriculum which has a global perspective in its philosophy and content and which regards children as lifelong learners which we fully endorse.

Play

Play is a crucial part of the development of young children. Well-planned and challenging play activities help children with:

• coordination
• bringing together ideas and developing independence
• strategies for learning
• dealing with being part of a social group
• developing language
• practising basic skills
• creative thinking

English

Leader: Fran Osborne

We recognise that English plays an essential role in the children’s development, since it permeates all areas of the curriculum.

We are keen advocates of the National Literacy Strategy and feel that the thorough planning and skills development it stands for will benefit the children enormously. We attempt to model good examples of both reading and writing, thus teaching children the rich variety of the English Language. We actively include poets, story tellers & authors to be involved in the literacy delivery.

We encourage self-expression and independence from a very early age, as well as the need to listen carefully to others and to consider responses. We value drama as a vehicle for developing confidence.

Considerable emphasis is placed on reading development with the Oxford Reading Tree scheme providing the main backbone for progression. We have an extensive library, in which are housed a wide range of modern fiction and non-fiction books, to which the children have constant access. We also have an extensive amount of non-fiction & fiction guided reading materials.

We have a shared reading policy, which means that we encourage reading and comments from home, made in a reading record booklet.

During their time in school the children will develop their writing skills from the emergent ‘marks on paper’ to detailed stories, reviews, letters, descriptions and reports, showing a confident use of vocabulary. We treat spelling seriously and children experience a number of strategies throughout their time at school to develop abilities for using the written word.

Once a child has begun to write we expect high standards of presentation and give the children appropriate materials to complete their tasks.

Langham Village School book bags are available from the office at £4.50 each.

Mathematics

Leader: Emma Cotton

Our aim is to develop an understanding and enjoyment of the subject. We teach children to adopt a variety of strategies when dealing with number problems and stress the importance of how to calculate mentally and explain how an answer has been reached. Being able to talk about mathematics is a good indicator of clear understanding.

We are very well resourced with books and equipment. We all feel that high quality teaching and well-planned lessons with a specific purpose are a key to development.

We integrate a daily ‘numeracy’ lesson into our curriculum planning as prescribed by the National Numeracy Strategy. We feel very positive about its rationale and organisation and we are committed to making it work in order to develop pupils’ maths skills still further. The IPC curriculum offers cross curricular opportunities for maths as does the Early Years Learning Area.

Number bonds and multiplication tables are taught at appropriate times. Parents can help greatly with developing numeracy skills in their children by taking them shopping, allowing them to spend real money, and playing number and card games of different kinds.

We find that practical activities aid understanding and development. We encourage the use of calculators as a tool to enhance this understanding by encouraging trial and improvement and testing theories.

We want children to have positive feelings about their learning and feel it is important that they do not feel that they are failing at any time.

The school subscribes to the Association of Mathematical Teachers.

Science

Leader: Mike Green

Science has a high priority in the life of our school. We feel that, through science, we can help the children develop a sense of curiosity and enquiry about the world around them.

We acknowledge the importance of the science process, which involves the children in asking questions, observing, predicting and organising ‘fair’ tests.

We use the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority scheme linked to the International Primary Curriculum to guide all year groups and classes through the demands of the National Curriculum. We cover the main themes such as Life Processes and Living Things, Materials and their Properties and Physical Processes in small ‘bite sized’ topics over two years.

We feel that Science has an essential contribution to make to children’s education in the following way:

• understanding scientific ideas
• using scientific methods of investigation
• understanding our environment, conservation and the use of resources living and non-living
• relating science to other areas of knowledge
• appreciating the contribution science makes to society, including moral and ethical issues
• contributing to personal development
• appreciating the powerful, but provisional nature of scientific knowledge
• giving children access to careers in science and technology

We have a wide range of resources and value the use of observation – outdoors when appropriate. We involve visits and specialist visitors to enhance children’s’ understanding further. The school is a member of the Science Association and has links with the Teacher – Scientist Network at the John Innes Centre.

Our new garden area and greenhouse offer additional opportunities in science for all three classes. We are also part of the ‘Enhancing Healthy Schools’ initiative and have achieved the ‘Eco Schools Silver Award’.

Religious Education

Leader: Wyatt Earp

The children at Key Stage 1 principally study Christianity and are introduced to Judaism and touch on examples form other religions as appropriate (Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam). The study programme covers believing and belonging, prayer and worship as well as the religious leaders and teachers. They also look at stories and books, celebrating artefacts and symbols. They are both learning about and from the religion concerned.

Key Stage 2 children explore Christianity in more detail following the new Norfolk Agreed Syllabus. They also investigate Hinduism and Islam in some depth, as well as touching on Buddhism and Sikhism. During this study, children will not only learn about religion but also from religion, by examining beliefs and questions, people who are inspirational and the teachings and authority of the relevant religions. They look at religion in relation to the individual, family and community, as well as the journey of life and death, how religious expression and symbols work, and how the beliefs are translated into actions in the world.

In our act of Collective Worship we celebrate events of the Christian year and festivals of the other main religions. We also look at such issues as sharing, helping people, valuing ourselves and others and the wonder of the natural world. The assemblies provide opportunities for our children to share experiences in the context of the larger audience.

Parents wishing to withdraw their children from Religious Education, or the devotional part of morning assembly, are invited to discuss the matter with the Headteacher. If children are withdrawn, appropriate supervised tasks will be organised for them.

PE

Leader: Mike Green

As your child progresses through school they will be provided with opportunities to develop skills and attitudes through play, gymnastics, games, dance, athletics and adventure activities using a variety of stimuli and equipment. We are part of the North Norfolk Schools Sport Partnership which provides training, resources and expertise to further enable all children at our school to enjoy a wide variety of sports and opportunities:- we aim to provide two hours of quality PE each week for our learners.

We encourage independence and initiative. We believe in fair competition between groups and individuals as well as wishing to encourage the children’s sensitivity and awareness toward other people. Our ‘hall’ also provides space for movement and dance.

We have two large playground areas with markings for a netball court and a short tennis court. We have a large, well-drained field that is divided into training grids in the winter and rounders pitch and athletics track in the summer. We have climbing frames on safe, wood chipping and all weather surfaces, a low level adventure trail and a wide range of PE equipment suitable for 4-11 year olds.

During the Autumn and Spring terms the children in Years 4, 5 and 6 travel to the Alderman Peel High School to participate in our Key Stage 2 Gymnastics and Swimming programme, utilising the excellent facilities and specialist teaching – this is free of charge.

We organise a variety of ‘inter-house’ competitions and regularly meet and play against other local schools in football, table tennis, netball, rugby, cricket and other sporting activities.

It is very important your child be equipped for PE and Games with the correct clothing (to change into) ie plimsolls/light trainers, shorts and top in plain colours.

We feel that it is essential that all PE clothing be a completely separate item for the sake of hygiene, as well as for ease and comfort of use. We recommend that each child has a named PE kit bag (preferably of the draw string type) which can be hung on their coat peg.

The school must receive official notification if your child cannot participate in PE activities.

Information Communications Technology (ICT)

Leaders: Emma Cotton & Diana Howes

At Langham we are making every effort to keep up with the rapid advances in computer technology. We update our computers on a regular basis and review the software that is available to use with them.

We are linked to the Internet and all the children in the Years 3-6 will soon experience using e-mail to communicate with children in other schools.

In every classroom children are taught to use the computer as a tool to aid all aspects of their work, and there is a detailed scheme of work to ensure that their computer skills progress as they move through the school. We are committed to attempting to embed ICT in all areas of the curriculum. We benefit from having a part time ICT technician whose role it is to ensure all systems are operating correctly.

The ratio of computers to children is very favourable:

• Class 1 – 2 desk tops, 2 lap tops
• Class 2 – 5 lap tops
• Class 3 – 4 desk tops, 5 lap tops
• Each class has a variety of additional I.C.T. equipment e.g. digital cameras, flip cameras, tapes, visualisers.

Each class uses an interactive whiteboard to enhance learning opportunities as well as a range of software including the ‘espresso’ resource package providing an exceptional range of stimuli for all ages.

We have developed an interesting and easy to navigate web-site which is constantly updated. Why not log on and keep in touch? www.langhamvillageschool.com.

Art

Leader: Fran Osborne

We aim to develop a wide variety of art and craft skills, as prescribed by the National Curriculum. We do this by providing opportunities for children to experiment with visual elements such as pattern, colour and texture.

Art is a means of creative expression and should, we believe, be taught as a subject in its own right as well as being used to support topic work across the curriculum.

This philosophy can be observed readily by parents who can see the encouragement and development of artistic skills and understanding by looking at the wall displays around the school.

We refer to the Cambridge Scheme of work to help develop the children’s skills throughout the school. Art is also linked to the topics of the International Primary Curriculum.

Design-Technology

Leader: Vee Hopkins

Through Design-Technology children are encouraged to use intellectual and practical skills to solve problems for real-life situations. As part of lessons we focus on skills needed and give time to practise these.

During the design stage children are encouraged to make plans, list tools and materials needed and discuss these, highlighting problems they feel may arise. As projects progress, children evaluate their work in order not only to improve, but also to learn from mistakes made. Practical and intellectual skills are amalgamated as a design is finally completed and tested.

The role of Design-Technology in our everyday work is a central theme of the design projects. To aid us we use elements of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority scheme for Design-Technology, which covers the relevant parts of the programme with suggestions for associated activities. Design-Technology is also linked to the topics of the International Primary Curriculum.

History

Leader: Mike Green

Children have an innate fascination with history and, in our experience, are easily motivated to delve into the past. For young children it is very difficult to conceptualise the passage of time, so we use appropriate vocabulary at different levels. We are bound by the National Curriculum to study a number of units at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. We use the International Primary Curriculum to ensure all relevant programmes of study are covered.

We teach history through story, drama, using artefacts, experts, collections, pictures, CD-ROM, the Internet, books and, of course, visits to places of historical interest.

Geography

Leader: Diana Howes & Mike Green

We value the role of geography as it enables the children to understand more about the world around them. It is the study of people and their environment. We start our work in the Early Years by looking at our immediate location which would be the classroom and the school. It develops to the local community/villages and towns to studies of contrasting regions in Britain, Europe and the Developing World.

We feel that opportunities for developing geographical understanding are always with us in such things as the weather, buildings and landscape. Therefore we build in observation skills throughout the school week in a variety of subjects. We use the International Primary Curriculum to ensure all relevant programmes of study are covered.

We are also very fortunate to be located in North Norfolk, which affords such wonderful opportunities to study the coast and different habitats. We value fieldwork at all stages as this offers first hand experience and allows for direct and relevant questioning.

We regularly use drama and role-play as a means of cementing an appreciation of the way in which other people may live and react. We have a wide range of resources housed in the resource room and the school is a member of the Geographical Association.

We have gained the Full International Schools Award and have strong links with schools in India, France, Norway and Japan.

Music

Leader: Lyn Wiles

All children throughout the school are involved in music, which covers singing, listening, rhythmn and pattern work, appraising, composing and playing of instruments. A variety of material is covered ranging from different eras and cultures from around the world. Class singing and singing assemblies also take place. We also organise a school choir and wish singing to be an important part of school life. Singing practices for school productions or festival and concerts take place on a regular basis.

Individual children and small groups play the recorder, weekly on Monday afternoons. We also offer children the opportunity to learn guitar, saxophone, keyboard and flute with the staff from the Norfolk Music Service.

Langham Village School have also in the last two years ventured into the community with musical opportunities such as the Norwich Music Festival, The Big Sing, The Festival of Voices and the Barnardos Celebration at the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena. The emphasis of music at Langham is for all children to enjoy and participate.

Modern Languages

Leader: Diana Howes

The National Language Strategy is committed to give every child between 7 and 11 the entitlement to learn a new language.

Here at Langham Village School we have integrated French teaching for all KS2 pupils into our curriculum jigsaw. French lessons are taught by a Language Specialist and class teachers and involve conversation, use of a variety of software and links with French Primary Schools (with class and individual penfriend links).

Class teachers contribute to embedding languages eg by greeting/instructions and registering in French and other languages.

We have close links with the Languages Faculty at Alderman Peel High School and pupils have enjoyed attending Languages Conferences there.

We also offer children the opportunity to join a Spanish and Finnish language club.

Special Educational Needs/Gifted and Talented

Leader: Vee Hopkins

Named Governor: Matt Coe

Each teacher at Langham considers him or herself to be a teacher of Special Needs. Vee Hopkins has the responsibility of being the Special Needs coordinator. It is her job to monitor and record the progress of those children and to liaise with the Governors and outside agencies on the school’s behalf.

We are required by law to implement The Code of Practice. Details of how this is done are clearly laid out in the Schools’ SEN Policy, which is available on request. Individual Education Plans are shared with parents and reviews are carried out regularly when a little support is required.

We receive help from outside agencies such as the Learning Support Team, the Area Educational Psychology Team and Sensory Suppor who all assist with both diagnosis and target setting.

Special consideration is given to modifying the National Statutory Testing at Key Stages One and Two where necessary. Children with Special Educational Needs at our school participate in all classroom and curriculum activities. The Special Needs Policy is the responsibility of the Governing Body. A member of the Governing Body is directly responsible for the implementation of the Special Needs Policy. They can be called upon to give active support to the school, the Special Needs co-ordinators and the child’s parents wherever necessary.

If you have a concern about your child’s progress, please meet with your child’s teacher. If you are still concerned or if things are not clear, talk to your child’s teacher again. You can also ask to meet the Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) or you may wish to speak to the Headteacher.

You can contact the named Governor who has responsibility for special educational needs (SEN) if you have concerns about the provision for SEN in school. This can be done by contacting either Sarah or Karen (secretaries) in the office.

PSHE/Citizenship

Leader: Mike Green

Personal, Social and Health Education helps the children develop strategies to deal with a variety of situations which may arise in their lives. We aim to provide independence and sensitivity to the needs of others. Citizenship is the means by which the children can learn about the structure and fabric of society and how they can make a positive impact on the world around them.

Creative Learning Carousel

Leader: Vee Hopkins

One afternoon a week the children are involved in a creative carousel activity. This maximises on the strengths and talents of our teaching team and the children are receiving an enriched curriculum in art, D.T., languages, sports, the outside environment, food technology, health and I.C.T.