Assessment for Learning

At Wingrave, we believe that the best progress for children happens when they understand the learning process and how to improve. We share learning objectives and success criteria for learning and progress.  We encourage children to reflect on their learning and to assess their own and other’s work. 

We track the progress of every child rigorously and set challenging targets for them so that all can succeed. We share these targets and children's progress towards these targets at parents' evenings and in interim and annual reports , as well as information about next steps in children’s learning.

Teachers make on-going assessments of children’s learning during lesson times and when marking, and they use this information to plan lessons which best meet the needs of the pupils.  Children are made aware of how they are progressing and given next step targets. 

The National Curriculum

• gain knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to his/her future life;
• use language and number effectively;
• develop a lively, enquiring mind; use his/her imagination and to debate and argue rationally;
• apply him/herself to a variety of mental and physical tasks;
• understand the world in which he/she lives and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations;
• develop respect for religious and moral values and tolerance of other races, religions, groups and nations;
• appreciate past and present human achievements;
• develop self-confidence and obtain satisfaction and personal fulfilment

The Early Years and Foundation Stage Curriculum:

For the Reception class the curriculum consists of six major areas of learning.  These are:-

• Personal and Social Education
• Language and Literacy
• Mathematics
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Physical Development
• Creative Development

The most important aspect for young children, however, is to feel safe and secure and happy within the school.  They learn about these six major areas of the curriculum through ‘Educational Play’. Children may well be learning more about the world and mathematics. Their language and literacy will be developed through story and direct teaching of reading skills and phonics using a mixture of Jolly Phonics and letters and Sounds. Their language will also be developed through the Home Corner activities or playing on the computer.

For children in years 1 – 6 the school teaches the full requirements of the National Curriculum and Religious Education and also offers extensive personal, social and health education as well as extra curricular activities. 

The National Curriculum defines the subjects of the curriculum to be taught as:

·         English

·         Mathematics

·         Science

·         Information Communication Technology (ICT)

·         Design and Technology

·         History

·         Geography

·         Music

·         Art

·         P.E.

·         R.E.

·         PSHCE

The National Curriculum is divided into 2 Key Stages at primary school: - Key Stage 1 (5 - 7 year olds) and Key Stage 2 (8 - 11 year olds).

Whilst the requirements of the National Curriculum are subject-orientated, this does not mean that the teaching week is divided up in a way that is always conspicuously labelled by these subjects.  Particularly for our younger pupils, but also throughout the school, it is more natural to develop programmes of study and meet attainment targets through a cross-curricular topic.  Sometimes it is artificial to teach certain subjects and skills within such a topic, and so these aspects are taught in specific subject lessons.

Literacy:

We believe that the development of language through talking, listening, reading and writing (including spelling) lies at the heart of the whole curriculum.  We use the Primary Strategy to develop children’s literacy abilities.

Pupils’ interest and pleasure in reading is developed as they learn to read confidently and independently and become accurate and analytical readers. Letters and Sounds and Jolly Phonics used extensively in Key Stage One as an introduction to phonics and enables children to begin their love of reading. They read stories, poetry and drama as well as non-fiction texts.  The Oxford Reading Tree is our main reading scheme, with many other supplementary materials. All children are encouraged to use the school's extensive library and to take books home regularly. Daily reading forms part of every child’s homework and each week a reading raffle is held to further encourage reading.

Writing is practised as a method of communication in a variety of different contexts. We believe children need to be able to speak and listen well before they can write effectively and so we use talk partners, drama and role play as ways for children to articulate their thoughts and develop empathy with characters before recording their thoughts. This then enables their writing to be more detailed and well thought out.

Click here to find a guide for parents on progression.

Click here for suggestions on how to encourage your child to read at home.

Click here for 'high frequency' words your child should be able to spell.

Numeracy:

We aim to equip our pupils with a variety of strategies for calculation. The very youngest children reinforce their learning with practical equipment. As they get older, we encourage the children to make jottings and to record the process of their calculation in expanded form e.g. by using a number line, to ensure understanding before we teach compact, efficient standard written methods.

Number bonds and tables are emphasised at the appropriate stages and we welcome parental support in helping children to learn these vital building blocks to mathematical success. In Key Stage 2 children sit a weekly tables test (Cracking-times-tables) to help imbed their knowledge. Numeracy is a life skill and we seek to link the teaching of concepts with real life situations and problems. We hope to develop confidence and foster enthusiasm for maths.

 Click here to find a guide for parents on progression.

 Click hereto view calculation methods used in school.

Science:

Children learn about the processes of scientific inquiry. They will, as they get older, learn how to plan and carry out their own scientific investigations, consider their findings and communicate to others, in a variety of ways, what they have done and discovered. These skills will be acquired within the areas of life processes and living things; materials and their properties and physical processes. The children’s curiosity and creativity will be encouraged and they will carry out their own practical tasks using a wide range of equipment. Secondary sources, such as books, DVDs and the internet may also be used. Discussion will always form a very important part of most science lessons.

We aim to offer an enjoyable experience that will motivate and stimulate children and help develop a positive attitude to science.

Follow the link to find out about our exciting curriculum collaboration with 'Growing Ideas'.

http://www.growing-ideas.co.uk/2012/11/30/growing-ideas-and-wingrave-school-partnership/