Teaching and Learning-
Children at the Centre of Learning

Ethos

The ‘success’ of a school is dependant upon the achievements, including the individual learning journey of progress that individual children make. Learning journeys are for everyone, including staff -with updated training and parents/ carers who we can also support if required. A whole school environment should be conducive to everyone enjoying and relishing the challenges that the journey may offer. Supporting this journey, the quality of relationships between Parents/Carers, Pupils, Teachers, Support Staff, Governors and the Community is the fundamental important aspect that underpins the quality of learning. A child’s self perception is moulded by the messages received from peers and all adults. We believe close co-operation between home and school is essential so that parents/carers feel welcome, are involved in the life of the school, contribute with ideas and suggestions and are supported in encouraging to help in their child’s education. Knowing there is a partnership between home and school gives the child a sense of well being, security and belonging.

When children feel good about themselves, they are happy and enjoy learning. The staff give positive reinforcement of the child’s efforts, build on their strengths, support weaknesses and always value ideas and opinions and most importantly ‘listen to the child’. With this sense of worth, the encouragement is ‘I can do it’.

Staff, Governors, Parents/Carers and the children worked hard to come up with the values that underpin all the work at Barton. Displayed in the Entrance hall we draw attention to the values often.

The seven areas are :-             

• Independence
• Respect
• Challenge
• Reflection
• Belonging
• Creativity
• Enjoyment

Organisation

The Day Care and the Maintained Nursery are in a separate building but part of the Early Years area. The Reception to Year 4  classes are organised into 6 classes at present, Reception [Cypress]  Reception/Year 1 [Sycamore/Willow] Year 1 [Ash] Year 2 [Silver Birch] Year 3 [Apple] and Year 4 [Aspen]. Children are transferred from class to class according to their age, progress and maturity. The children are taught as a class, in a group and individually depending upon the activity and individual needs. We encourage independence and collaborative work in all areas of the curriculum.

Additional Support

Children with additional needs are given appropriate differentiated individual or group work as well as participating in whole class learning. Additional lessons before the school day begins are also offered in Maths and Literacy as appropriate.

Stages of Primary Education

Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are working within the Foundation Stage framework. Years 1 and 2 are working within the Key Stage 1 curriculum and children in Years 3 and 4 are working within the Key Stage 2 curriculum.

Foundation Stage

The Foundation Stage is the first stage of the National Curriculum focusing on the distinct needs of children aged 3 years to the end of the reception year in Primary School.

We aim to nurture and build upon the natural energy, enthusiasm, curiosity and sense of humour of children. In the Foundation Stage, we offer a variety of play opportunities to include imaginative play, designing and constructing, investigating and exploring sand and water, creative activities and energetic play, both inside and outside. Through these experiences children's language will be enriched and their understanding of the natural and built world will be extended; physical abilities and co-ordination will develop; and levels of concentration and persistence will be raised.

Play is well planned, observed and recorded to ensure progression. Within this structure some activities will be lead by adults, but children will also have the opportunities to develop their own ideas and solve problems independently. Careful planning encourages opportunities that stimulate children's interests and imagination.

We hope to give children confidence to become competent, enthusiastic learners. We hope to achieve this by providing an environment to be self motivated in their learning, to persist in problem solving and to learn from their mistakes. We place a high priority on social development and children are encouraged to feel part of the school and the wider community.

 
Literacy

Speaking and Listening, reading and writing are fundamental skills that everyone needs to ensure effective communication. Literacy is embedded in all parts of the curriculum , in all projects and topics but we also use specific means to increase literacy skills. Every day the children are engaged in a scheme called THRASS –Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills. This runs alongside the Letters and Sounds framework as well as the New Literacy Strategy.

Mathematics

Maths is taught through a published scheme called MMS-Maths Makes Sense. This is supplemented where necessary with the National Numeracy Strategy.

ICT - Information & Communications Technology

IT skills are essential for learning in the 21st Century and as well as teaching IT skills, access to support for all areas of the curriculum can be derived from the use of our computers, digital hardware and other technological equipment. We are currently undergoing an audit to ensure we are embracing the exciting aspects of learning in this way. All classes have Interactive whiteboards, Digi Blues and Computer microscopes. A well designed computer suite is also available.

Creative Curriculum

Children are also taught through a combination of topic and subject approach, where children have the opportunities to pursue their own lines of enquiry, using critical thinking skills, making connections with their learning and applying their skills, knowledge and understanding in a more creative context. Throughout the year many trips, visits and visitors are used to enhance the learning and make memorable experiences.

PSHCE-Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education

PSHCE is taught through the SEAD syllabus –Social, Emotional Aspects of Development in the Early Years and SEAL syllabus-Social, Emotional Aspects of Learning in Key Stages 1 and 2.

RE - Religious Education

Religious Education is planned and taught throughout the school, following the Isle of Wight syllabus for RE. Themes include understanding different faiths, visiting places of worship and we have recently linked the SEAL syllabus with our Religious Education themes.

* Children may be withdrawn from assemblies or RE-please ensure the Class Teacher and Headteacher are aware of your wishes.

SRE –Sex and relationships Education

Sex education has always been part of the study programme for science but the SRE programme of Study has recently been updated and is a statutory requirement in all schools from September 2011. Parents at Barton have already been part of the policy planning but new parents/carers are welcome to look at the policy at any time.

Children’s questions are answered honestly and with sensitivity and with due regard being given to moral considerations and family life.

PE - Physical Education

The school follows the Val Sabin PE scheme. Our PE coordinator is also a member of the Carisbrooke Sports Partnership group and sports are directly  and indirectly accessed from that partnership as well as our normal timetable of sports and athletics

Assessments

Early Years- throughout the Early Years, evidence is collected in a variety of ways to check on development and progress. This can be in the form of observations, photographs, parental observations and the child themselves. This is fed into a document called The Child’s Profile and the results of this must be submitted to the Local Authority giving a true picture of the child in the 6 areas of learning. This is used as a guidance to the Authority to support their use of resources in the Early Years.
In every year group, children’s learning is assessed and progress is monitored rigorously. This ensures that a child who may not be progressing is immediately identified and support can be put in place. Assessments are passed from one year group to the next year group. As further evidence is needed to ensure a complete picture of the whole child, SATS-standard assessment Tasks are completed in Years 2 and 6. Additional formal assessments e.g. the Salford Reading Test and Assess and Achieve half termly tests can also be used.

After School:                                            

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION NEEDS

The School’s Additional Educational Needs policy was established during the school year 1994/1995 and last reviewed in 2009.

The Additional Education Needs policy reflects the revised Code of Practice published in January 2001 and adopted by schools in September 2002.

The provision of support staff in the classroom is regarded as a priority and the monetary sources allocated to the school for Additional Educational Needs goes in its entirety on the funding of support staff. The support staff are used either specifically to provide support for children with special education needs or in a supervisory role freeing the teacher to teach a small group or individual child.