Curriculum

In a broad sense, education is the process of helping the child to understand his/her environment. Mathematics is an integral part of the environment in which we live and children are taught appropriate work within realistic contexts geared to their age, aptitude and abilities.

It is widely recognised that children should always be given work that is appropriate to their level of ability, and that success in mathematics, as in other activities, generally leads to further success. Children who have difficulty with mathematics make most progress when the work they are asked to do is set at an appropriate level. Equally other pupils make most progress when they are being stretched as far as possible with levels of success.

In mathematics, there is an important emphasis on practical work – the handling of real things and problems – and an understanding. Children learn best by being involved in many mathematical activities dealing with number, money, measurement, shape, position & movement, handling information and problem solving. Material for the study of mathematics is found everywhere in the child’s environment – the children count real things, they weigh out real objects, they go out and measure real distances, use money in realistic situations and use clocks and timetables to understand how time is important in our lives. Working through practical activities, the concept of number, shape, volume, weight, time, length, etc. are established.

At the same time, the school recognised the importance of developing the mental agility of pupils and whole class or group interactive teaching forms a major part of a child’s work in this curricular area.

Children are also introduced to working with calculators although their use is very selective and pupils may only use them at the discretion of the class teacher.

At all stages teachers are making assessments on how well the children have understood the work taught. Because children do not all develop at the same rate, the teachers gear their work to meet the needs of groups of children and individuals, building on what has gone before.

Our aim in our language work is to develop in a child, language, as a tool or medium to be used in all school curricular areas and for the enrichment of life through the development of the varying uses of our language in society through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Along with most other schools in Highland, we have implemented a revised approach to the teaching and learning of Reading, entitled the Highland Literacy Project. The principles of the Project are based firmly in research evidence, local national and international. All staff at Brora Primary School have undertaken training and are very keen to work on the Project in their respective classes.

The aims of Highland Literacy are:

• To develop more competent and competent readers

• To increase pupils’ enjoyment of reading

• To create independent learners

• To foster lifelong learning skills

Written skills need to be highly developed to meet the demands of the increasingly complex society in which we live.

When we talk about ‘writing’ we are talking about two things. One is the ability to use a pen or a pencil – the secretarial skills - and the other is what the child is trying to communicate through his writing – the composing skills. We aim to teach our children to write legibly, with fluency and speed at all stages of instruction.

Children, throughout the school, are given opportunities to write in different ways for different purposes. Each class has a structured, weekly writing lesson, taught by the class teacher. At all stages writing is presented as a meaningful and purposeful activity and children are given many opportunities to practise their writing skills.

Parents can help with writing

Parents can help by showing interest in the written work of the child and by responding, in the first instance, to the content of the written piece.

Has your child communicated his/her ideas clearly?

Does the story make sense?

Is there good order and sequence?

Did you enjoy reading it?

By sharing your thoughts on the content of the work, you will be helping your child to appreciate that writing is a communication. Criticism should be of a positive nature, aiming at encouraging the child to go on writing. In the same way, discussion of the secretarial skills should be thoughtfully and tactfully dealt with. The child needs to feel that what he has written is of value.

If the child wants to write a new word or one which he/she has difficulty in spelling, encourage him to look carefully at the correct spelling of the word, then cover it up and ask the child to write the word. Finally ask the child to check the word to see if he/she has spelled it correctly this time. This LOOK-SAY-COVER-WRITE-CHECK approach is the one used by the children in class.

Today Spoken Language is given a central place in the primary school curriculum. Speech is without a doubt the most common form of communication. Society no longer holds the view that children should be seen and not heard. We encourage children to talk as we believe that it is important that children can express themselves clearly and intelligibly in an acceptable form. Pupils are given many opportunities to discuss their work, in all subjects. They are invited to present prepared talks to their classmates. They are encouraged to put forward their views and opinions on varied topics and issues and are given opportunities to question other speakers and the validity of what is being said to them.

Listening is also important and pupils are encouraged to look for meaning in what they hear and to be critical of what is expressed in vague terms. They are encouraged to hold polite conversations and discussions and are taught the techniques of good listening.

Usually called project or topic work, involving Science, Social Subjects (History, Geography and Modern Studies) and Technology (designing and making).

Children need to learn about the world in which they live – its history and geography and the scientific aspects which affect it. In a sense the total school curriculum is environmental studies. All school activities are related to the environment and children are encouraged to make observations and investigations of their surroundings. Television, video and holidays abroad make the world a more accessible place to our pupils than it was in previous generations. We aim to foster in the children a desire to learn more about the world they live in and teach them the skills they need to interpret it.

Much of the work is approached through themes (projects). This is sometimes referred to as ‘project work’ or ‘topics’. Content includes local studies together with the history and geography of places near and far. The study of these themes obviously presents meaningful opportunities for work in other areas of the curriculum, e.g. Mathematics and English Language.

When making choices, teachers bear in mind the need for balance within the curriculum at each stage, and from stage to stage. Wherever possible, pupils are provided with first hand experience working outside the classroom as well as inside it. Children are encouraged to make physical contact with their surroundings:

• Living things – plants, animals and people

• Inanimate object of the physical environment – buildings, rocks, soil, etc

• Learning about the man-made world

• Investigations of how things work

Social Studies is not just concerned with learning about the environment in its widest sense, it is first and foremost about developing an approach to learning. Such an approach involves learning by doing, learning through direct experience, learning both inside and outside the classroom and involves observation in its widest sense, investigation and communication. We aim to develop the children’s ability to think – to weigh up evidence and information, to use knowledge to solve problems and to arrive at conclusions and to articulate thought.

An appreciable part of the school curriculum is devoted to the expressive arts; namely music, art & design, drama and physical education (which includes dance). These are integrated where appropriate into other areas of the

curriculum to provide a rich and varied experience for the pupils. Other subjects in the curriculum can be brought to life through the media of Expressive Arts.

During Music lessons children will frequently sing songs linked to a theme being studied. They will also listen to music and compose their own pieces, using untuned and, in the later stages, tuned percussion, which can be performed in front of an audience.

Art and Design work is always included in any area of study and children are taught various techniques using a wide variety of materials. Activities range from drawing, painting, modelling and printing to collage, pen and ink work, marbling and fabric dyeing.

Drama is an important part of the curriculum. Pupils can identify themselves with people, real or imagined, by acting out situations within their experience or their imaginative range. By expressing in movement and/or speech the feelings of themselves and others, the children can enlarge their experience and learn in ways natural to them. Imagination is stimulated and powers of discrimination, observation and awareness are increased.

Physical Education provides experience for the children in body and space awareness, gymnastics, apparatus work, swimming, games skills both indoors and outdoors, athletics and sporting activities. They may do creative movement to music, learn national dances or compose their own routines.

All pupils will be offered the opportunity to present themselves for assessment of their suitability to play a musical instrument. This normally starts around the P4/5 stage. Instruments offered include violin, cello and chanter.

Each child from Class 4 to Class 7 will receive a 6-week swimming block each year. By the time each child leaves our school we aim to have him/her a competent swimmer.

The more able swimmers aim at developing their skills and probably would receive some life-saving instruction. It is most helpful that parents should encourage their child in learning to swim, especially those who are apprehensive of water. Such a child may make substantial progress in his/her 6-week spell only to again start at the beginning during the swimming block the following year.

Through Religious Education we aim to foster an interest in religion and to help children appreciate that religion is concerned with relationships which have implications for the value one sets on people for personal behaviour. Religion is explored both implicitly and explicitly.

In implicit studies we try to illustrate and use human experience to highlight the areas of life studied with RME and to encourage children to search for the truth, values and meaning in life. We wish to foster a sense of wonder of the natural world and help children consider questions about the nature and meaning of existence. In all aspects of school life, we encourage our pupils to be sensitive towards and tolerant of others.

In explicit studies we explore the ways in which Jesus is central to Christian belief and worship. We also endeavour to develop some understanding of the place of religion in the development of Scotland’s history, society and culture, while acknowledging the wider social and cultural impact of various religions on our own multi-cultural society. Other principal world religions (Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism) are also studied, often with a comparative angle which explores common themes between these and Christianity, e.g. birth, marriage and death rituals, harvest and light festivals, key figures of each religion, etc.

Please note that parents have the right to withdraw their children from Religious Education. Any parent who wishes to do so should contact the Head Teacher who will make the necessary arrangements. Pupils who are withdrawn from RE are given alternative work to do during this time.

Our local churches provide chaplain support at many of our school assemblies.

Personal and Social Development (PSD) focuses upon the children’s development of essential life skills. It includes, on the one hand, developing pupils’ independence, self-awareness and self-esteem, and on the other, promoting amongst the pupils a growing realisation of their inter-personal relationships and inter-dependence with those round about in school, the community and the wider world. Rather than being taught as a separate subject, PSD is embedded in the curriculum through the life and work of the school.

We provide learning support for both children who are experiencing difficulties in the learning process and those whose work will benefit from extra individual time. It is mainly classroom based, working alongside the classroom teachers. Support for each child can be short term or longer term depending on the degree or nature of the difficulty encountered.

We also provide support in school by carrying out assessment tests which helps the staff obtain objective feedback on a child’s or children’s progress.

We also provides help for children in our school who have specific learning problems. If you feel your child has additional support needs please contact the Headteacher in the first instance.

All children need support to help them learn. Some children require more help than others. We follow The Highland Practice Model staged approach to assessing, identifying and supporting additional support needs. In this model every child has a ‘named person’ who is responsible for making sure that the child or young person has the right help to support his/her development and well-being.

If you have a concern about your child in primary school please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance or the ‘named person’, who will usually be the head teacher. In a secondary school, the named person will usually be the Principal Teacher Guidance/Pupil Support.

Sometimes a Child’s Plan may be put in place to help organise, monitor and regularly review your child’s progress.

If you wish to find out more about The Highland Practice Model or the Child’s Plan you can access more information at :

http://www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/supportforlearners/generalguidance/planning/

There are also Information sheets available at: www.chipplus.org.uk click on Education. Organisations specified by Scottish Ministers which provide advice, further information and support to parents of children and young people with ASN. These organisations are identified under The Additional Support for Learning (Sources of Information) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2011 as:

(a) Children in Scotland: Working for Children and Their Families, trading as “Enquire – the Scottish advice and information service for additional support for learning”, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC003527;

(b) Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC033576; and

(c) Scottish Child Law Centre, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SCO12741.”

The school recognises that ICT plays an increasingly significant role in all aspects of society. Pupils therefore need opportunities to develop confidence and competence in this area. High priority is given to ensuring that ICT is stimulating, challenging and a creative experience for all pupils.

We believe that a school should have a happy working atmosphere and should provide an environment which is safe and where effective learning can take place.

 Rules, therefore, must be made to encourage this environment. Disciplinary action is taken against any offender of these rules.

In our school various assessment procedures are used. In the class there is regular informal assessment going on constantly giving feedback to the class teacher and child on his/her progress.

Further to this the class teacher periodically gives more formal assessment of progress through teacher-generated tests, set tests and on occasions, standardised tests.

The school has also built up a range of other assessment instruments which are used selectively according to the perceived need of the child. This is done to give us a clearer understanding of a child’s difficulties so that we may put into effect a programme to aid a child conquer the difficulty or provide a strategy to get round the difficulty.

Children in Primary 1, 4 & 7 complete SSNA and children in P2, 3, 5 & 6 complete SOFA assessments.  This allows us to collect data on each child every year.