Curriculum Statement : English

INTENT

Through reading quality texts pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.

Through writing and speaking pupils learn how to express themselves confidently, clearly and creatively.

Through active listening pupils seek to understand other viewpoints and beliefs.

IMPLEMENTATION

A curriculum characterised by the school aim that all pupils should grow in character, knowledge, faith, understanding and wisdom.

IMPACT

Regular reading, writing, speaking & listening assessments. Daily classroom feedback to inform planning. Reports every half term. Personal character reflections.

BCS English Curriculum
Building Confidence and Creativity

Reception

Children are engaged in phonics on a daily basis. This means they are learning the segments of sound needed to eventually read words. The focus is on reading at word level with attention given to tricky words. Enjoyment in reading is extremely important and story time each day is anticipated with enthusiasm by the staff and children.

Children will be sent home with books - starting with purely picture books. These are vital for helping children understand the structure and flow of a story. We encourage you to allow them to ‘read’ the story for themselves. This exercises the creative part of their brain in preparation for reading stories using words.

Oral tools which enable a good understanding of language are important at this stage. Undistracted facial communication is key to this. We ensure children can understand language using facial expressions and keep our background space clear and tidy to enable them to focus on this.

Writing tasks follow on from our topic times. Children are given the freedom to write without being hindered by spelling or punctuation rules at this early stage. Confidence and creativity are vital to them being able to write well at KS1 (years 1 & 2) when spelling, grammar and punctuation become more important.

Mark making is encouraged using multi-sensory formation. Sand, salt, playdough and other materials are used to help the children practise forming letters which will lead to smaller formation using a pencil grip.

We get children ready for the KS1 Talk for Writing programme by creatively following a story together. For example, we will read ‘We’re going on a Bear Hunt’ and use puppets, then ourselves to act out the story. The children then change the elements used to create our own version of the story.

Our Bible time topics naturally flow throughout our EYFS English Curriculum. Stories from the Bible are read daily. They’re acted out, talked about, sung about and written about. Often one story will be the focus of one week with a story being told and re-told in different formats.

Reception (A & B)

KS1- Years 1 & 2

In years 1 and 2 children are exposed to a range of quality texts including stories, poems and non-fiction (fact) books. These are pitched at a level which will stretch and develop their rapidly growing vocabulary and understanding of the world. They apply their phonics knowledge to decode unfamiliar words and are encouraged to practise sounding out words so that they can recognise these quickly and accurately at a glance. Children are encouraged to read out loud as well as to themselves. They may often repeat reading certain texts to build up their confidence and fluency in word reading.

Developing as a writer is an exciting new adventure for children at this key stage. Many children benefit from the Talk for Writing programme which involves rigorously learning the structure of a given story and then moulding their own writing around this scaffold. Children of different abilities will be given more or less scaffolding as appropriate. Children find this helps them to feel free to create something original against a familiar background whilst equipping them to become independent writers.

Grammar and punctuation topics include: prefixes, suffixes, verbs, adjectives, capital letters, full stops, question and exclamation marks, nouns and pronouns.

Every Wednesday a spelling test is carried out. Weekly lists come home with your child. Reading books and a reading record also come home. We encourage you to read daily with your child and to allow your child to be exposed to a range of different age- appropriate reading material. If you can also read something slightly above their level to them this helps them to expand their vocabulary and comprehension.

Year 1 (A)

Year 1 (B)

Year 2  (A)

Year 2 (B)

LKS2- Years 3 & 4

Reading: for enjoyment, for learning and for life.  We are developing our reading skills to help us to become life-long readers who read widely different genres of text and different authors for different purposes.  We are beginning to develop biliteracy skills, knowing what tasks are better to do online and when a book is better.  We are transitioning from books in the reading scheme to longer chapter books, both fiction and non-fiction.  Some of our guided reading sessions help us to develop depth and breadth of reading skills.

Writing: for different purposes.  Sometimes our writing is in other subjects such as science, history or R.E.  We are learning writing skills such as handwriting, spelling, grammar and punctuation.  We are learning how to become better writers from the things we read, whether we are writing fiction, non-fiction or poetry.  We use Talk for Writing to develop our writing skills. 

Parents are encouraged to get involved with our learning through reading with us and to us and helping us with learning spellings.  We enjoy a weekly reading session with older students called ‘Reading Buddies’.

Drama and presentation: We have our first experience of Shakespeare with RSC First Encounters.  We develop our own acting and presentation skills taking the leading roles in the Nativity.  We also develop public speaking skills through student led assemblies.

Years 3 & 4  (A)

Years 3 & 4  (B)

UKS2- Years 5 and 6 

At this stage we are equipping our children not only to understand what they read but to appreciate the wider context in which it is written. Our main purpose at this stage is to embed a love of reading for life.   Writing and editing are practised regularly as children learn to become self aware of their own role in creating and crafting quality pieces of writing.

Through our Great Middle School Reading Challenge children are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and read forty books in a year- ten of which have been recommended by their teachers.  Children regularly review books to each other and read one to one with an adult once a week.  In class, children study set texts in depth which cover a range of genres, cultures and time periods.  We focus on character development through reading and in particular through John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress in year A and C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe in year B. 

Progress is monitored through termly reading assessments covering fiction, non-fiction & poetry.  Key pieces of writing spanning a variety of forms are also assessed such as letters, diaries, narratives and descriptions.

Years 5 & 6  (A)

Years 5 & 6  (B)

KS3- Years 7 & 8

At this stage skills are being embedded which will be needed later on for exams.  At the same time much scope is provided for students to pursue material and topics they find interesting.  We encourage them to form their own viewpoints about authors and express their opinions.  They compare writing about similar topics from different time periods, critically assessing attitudes and styles.  They look at the writer as an artist who hones a piece of literature for a specific audience and purpose.  

Regular short writing tasks build up stamina and quality of written work.  Students start to take real ownership of their own writing.  Longer pieces of writing are edited, peer-assessed and re-written to this end.

Students research stories of missionaries caught in hostile environments; examine attitudes to autism; review their own character development in the light of CS Lewis’ writing; look at how Justice is portrayed in the Bible, The Merchant of Venice and Malala’s speech to the UN.  Character virtues are seen as vitally important in their own development as people and the literature they read and write as a key part of this development.

Years 7 & 8 (A)

Years 7 & 8 (B)

KS4- Year 9 & 10 

All students take English Language GCSE and begin studying this in year 9.  Skills covered by this course include summarising and synthesising texts, examining language features, analysing structure and writing creatively.  The GCSE consists of a fiction paper and a non-fiction paper.  Most students also take GCSE English Literature which covers the texts outlined below.  Having a strong knowledge of Biblical concepts such as grace and forgiveness helps students understand that literature is really all about understanding human experience at a deeper level.  Students find they are able to refer to Biblical stories to show allusions made in texts spanning a wide range of genres and written in a variety of eras. 

The exam board is AQA.

Year 9 & 10 (A)

Year 9 and 10 (B)

Year 11 (A & B)

Curriculum Statement for Maths

INTENT

Our long-term aim is to provide an ambitious, connected curriculum accessible to all pupils in schools right through from Reception to the end of Year 11. We use the White Rose curriculum, which not only covers all the content of the National Curriculum and GCSE, but also provides pedagogic advice for teachers.

The White Rose mission is to help every teacher of mathematics to be a world-class teacher of mathematics, but not to interfere with professional judgement – only teachers know their class(es). White Rose provides suggestions and sample materials in a structured coherent curriculum to develop pupils into mathematical thinkers.

What skills does White Rose Maths develop?

We want pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, to be able to reason and to solve problems. Our curriculum embraces these National Curriculum aims, and provides guidance to help pupils become:

Visualisers – we use the CPA (Concrete, pictorial, abstract) approach to help pupils understand mathematics and to make connections between different representations.

Describers – we place great emphasis on mathematical language and questioning so pupils can discuss the mathematics they are doing, and so support them to take ideas further.

Experimenters – as well as being fluent mathematicians, we want pupils to love and learn more about mathematics.

IMPLEMENTATION

Structure

To learn mathematics effectively, some things have to be learned before others, e.g. place value needs to be understood before working with addition and subtraction, addition needs to be learnt before looking at multiplication (as a model of repeated addition). You will see this emphasis on number skills first, carefully ordered, throughout our primary curriculum. For some other topics, the order isn’t as crucial, e.g. Shapes and Statistics need to come after number, but don’t depend on each other. We try to mix these so pupils have as wide a variety of mathematical experiences as possible in each term and year.

In our secondary curriculum, we start with algebra as this is key to the secondary curriculum as well as being comparatively new for pupils. Again we carefully order the skills – understanding notation, one-step equations, then two-step equations etc., revisiting the concepts in other areas of the curriculum and making sure that topics are covered so pupils experience variety as well as consolidation.

As maths is taught in combined year groups, we have adjusted the order of delivery to ensure where possible that units are not taught out of order in paired Years 7/8 & 9/10.

Special Educational Needs 

Pupil Passports are drawn up on a termly basis for each child in collaboration with the SENCO. 

Work will be adapted accordingly so that children with SEND can make progress in Maths. This depends upon the needs of children, who often require lots of consolidation of key skills. We recognise that progress is not always linear for these children. Some children in the autism provision receive extra maths tuition in their catch up times, in recognition of the difficulty posed by homework.

Time Allocation 

Mathematics will be taught for approximately five hours each week in Primary and four hours each week in Secondary. Opportunities to link mathematics with other areas of the curriculum are also used, especially in primary school.

Parents and homework 

In primary school children may receive weekly homework that reflects the children’s learning in mathematics that week. In middle and upper school they will receive weekly homework alongside any finishing off tasks.

If children miss key teaching time due to extended sickness, or if they work slowly, they may be invited to catch up at home. This is not compulsory but for their own benefit.

Resources

Alongside White Rose which runs throughout school as from Sept ‘22, additional resources are an amalgamation of tried and tested activities, copyright-free materials from various sources and computer software. Additional resources are chosen to challenge the more able students where necessary, and scaffold learning for the less able.

Teachers are responsible for their own resources although central stock is available for the whole school.

IMPACT

Assessment, recording and reporting

Formative assessment of children’s knowledge and understanding occurs in class and group question and answer sessions and through observation of learning during lessons as well as in marking written work.  

Initially Maths targets are set each year, based on previous year’s attainment and what we know about the child. 

Each half term children have one or more summative assessment tasks, feeding into a half termly progress check. These assessments include White Rose materials as well as Twinkl assessments, teacher made materials, and past GCSE papers for year 11. 

Half termly progress is reported to parents. A written comment or a face to face meeting may accompany these progress checks:

• Autumn 1 and Spring 2 are  followed by parent interviews
• Autumn 2 and Spring 1 will contain a brief written summary 
• Summer 2 will have a fuller written report.  

Parents are always invited to discuss these progress checks, but if children are RAGged red parents will be invited in to speak to phase leaders.

Outcomes of the Year 2 and 6 SATs (taken informally) will be analysed annually and appropriate measures will be taken to address any issues.

Teaching staff are invited to discuss MIS data with phase leaders, analysing patterns, celebrating success, and adapting practice to meet needs.

Curriculum Statement : Science

INTENT

Why study Science

The study of Science offers insight into the created world and the nature of our creator God. It is an important part of understanding the world around us and our role within it. It develops a sense of belonging and custodianship of our world and a responsible attitude to the use of the resources God has given us to manage.

Primary and lower middle (Year 1 to 6)

Science is a systematic investigation of the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the world which relies on first hand experiences and on other sources of information. The scientific process and pupils’ problem-solving activities will be used to deepen their understanding of the concepts involved. The main aspects of science to be studied will be determined by the programmes of study of the National Curriculum in England.

Through science pupils at Bradford Christian School will continue to deepen their respect, care and appreciation for the natural world and all its phenomena.

Aims

• to develop pupils’ enjoyment and interest in science and an appreciation of its contribution to all aspects of everyday life
• to build on pupils’ curiosity and sense of awe of the natural world
• to use a planned range of investigations and practical activities to give pupils a greater understanding of the concepts and knowledge of science
• to introduce pupils to the language and vocabulary of science
• to develop pupils’ basic practical skills and their ability to make accurate and appropriate measurements
• to develop pupils’ use of computing in their science studies.
• to extend the learning environment for our pupils via our environmental areas and the locality
• to promote a ‘healthy lifestyle’ in our pupils.

Objectives

The following objectives derived from the above aims will form the basis of our decisions when planning a scheme of work. Assessment will also be related to these objectives:

• to develop pupils’ enjoyment and interest in science and an appreciation of its contribution to all aspects of everyday life.
• to develop a knowledge and appreciation of the contribution made by famous scientists to our knowledge of the world including scientists from different cultures
• to encourage pupils to relate their scientific studies to applications and effects within the real world
• to develop a knowledge of the science contained within the programmes of study of the National Curriculum.

To build on pupils’ curiosity and sense of awe of the natural world

• to develop in pupils a general sense of enquiry which encourages them to question and make suggestions
• to encourage pupils to predict the likely outcome of their investigations and practical activities

To use a planned range of investigations and practical activities to give pupils a greater understanding of the concepts and knowledge of science

• to provide pupils with a range of specific investigations and practical work which gives them a worthwhile experience to develop their understanding of science
• to develop progressively pupils’ ability to plan, carry out and evaluate simple scientific investigations and to appreciate the meaning of a ‘fair test’.

To develop the ability to record results in an appropriate manner including the use of diagrams, graphs, tables and charts

• to introduce pupils to the language and vocabulary of science
• to give pupils regular opportunities to use the scientific terms necessary to communicate ideas about science
• to develop pupils’ basic practical skills and their ability to make accurate and appropriate measurements
• within practical activities, give pupils opportunities to use a range of simple scientific measuring instruments such as thermometers and force metres and develop their skill in being able to read them.

To develop pupils’ use of ICT in their science studies

• to give pupils opportunities to use ICT (video, digital camera, data logger) to record their work and to store results for future retrieval throughout their science studies
• to give pupils the chance to obtain information using the internet.

IMPLEMENTATION

Adapted Teaching and Learning and Additional Educational Needs

The study of science will be planned to give pupils a suitable range of activities appropriate to their age and abilities. Tasks will be set which challenge all pupils, including the more able. For pupils with SEN the task will be adjusted or pupils may be given extra support. The grouping of pupils for practical activities will take account of their strengths and weaknesses and ensure that all take an active part in the task and gain confidence.

Breadth and Balance, and Variety.

Pupils will be involved in a variety of structured activities and in more open-ended investigative work:

• activities to develop good observational skills
• practical activities using measuring instruments which develop pupils’ ability to read scales accurately
• structured activities to develop understanding of a scientific concept
• open ended investigations.

On some occasions pupils will carry out the whole investigative process themselves or in small groups.

Relevance

Wherever possible science work will be related to the real world and everyday examples will be used.

Cross-curricular skills and links

Science pervades every aspect of our lives and we will relate it to all areas of the curriculum. We will also ensure that pupils realise the positive contribution of both men and women to science and the contribution from those of other cultures. We will not only emphasise the positive effects of science on the world but also include problems, which some human activities can produce.

Continuity and Progression

Foundation Stage pupils investigate science as part of Understanding of the World. Children are encouraged to investigate through practical experience; teachers guide the children and plan opportunities that allow the children to experience and learn whilst experimenting for themselves. By careful planning, pupils’ scientific skills and knowledge gained at Key Stage 1 will be consolidated and developed during Key Stage 2.

Pupils in Key Stage 1 will be introduced to science through focused observations and explorations of the world around them.These will be further developed through supportive investigations into more independent work at Key Stage 2. The knowledge and content prescribed in the National Curriculum will be introduced throughout both key stages in a progressive and coherent way.

Equality of Opportunity

All children have equal access to the science curriculum and its associated practical activities. The SLT, Class Teachers and TAs are responsible for ensuring that all children, irrespective of gender, learning ability, physical disability, ethnicity and social circumstances, have access to the whole curriculum and make the greatest possible progress. Where appropriate, work will be adapted to meet pupils’ needs and, if appropriate, extra support given. More able pupils will be given suitably challenging activities. Gender and cultural differences will be reflected positively in the teaching materials used.

All children have equal access to the Science Curriculum, its teaching and learning, throughout any one year. This is being monitored by analysing pupil performance throughout the school to ensure that there is no disparity between groups.

Health and safety

Pupils will be taught to use scientific equipment safely when using it during practical activities. Class Teachers and Teaching Assistants will check equipment regularly and report any damage, taking defective equipment out of action. A simple risk assessment will be carried out for all practical activities any perceived hazards will be reported to the head who will determine the appropriateness of said activity.

IMPACT

Assessment for Learning, recording and reporting

Throughout the school teachers will assess whether children are working at/above or below the expected level for their age based on their understanding and application of the content of the National Curriculum 2014. Progress and attainment is reported to parents through parents’ evenings and end of year reports.

Marking for Improvement (see policy)

Much of the work done in science lessons is of a practical or oral nature and, as such, recording will take many varied forms thus making marking different. It is, however, important that written work is marked regularly and clearly, as an aid to progression and to celebrate achievement. When appropriate, pupils may be asked to self-assess or peer assess their own or other’s work.

Marking for improvement comments in a child’s book must be relevant to the learning objective to help children to better focus on future targets.

Science will be led by Mrs Kershaw and will be an annual focus for a staff meeting. Standards of teaching and learning will be judged using learning walks, work sampling and data review. The policy will be reviewed as part of the curriculum review cycle.

From year 1 to 6, students will be assessed every half term using EDSG criteria. The boundaries are based on:

E - accessing year group learning but need some additional support from an adult, or significant scaffolding of tasks

D - developing towards year group learning outcomes with some support

S - knows and understands age appropriate concepts for the year group

M (G) - applies concepts and develops understanding further

In years 1 to 4, the learning is considered as part of the whole year programme, meaning it is rare that a student will be secure in Autumn term as it takes time to develop scientific skills. The students are still on a developmental journey making progress during the year.

From year 5 each topic is more discreet, so grades can fluctuate throughout the year.

Resourcing

Specialist pieces of equipment and those posing a potential safety risk will be held centrally and staff access when required. Primary children have access to a range of secondary resources.

Middle (Year 7 and 8) and Upper

INTENT

What students will study

In Y78, Science uses the AQA KS3 Science Syllabus, https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/ks3/ks3-science-syllabus  This syllabus is adapted to be completed in two years rather than three, allowing for a 3 year GCSE course in Upper School, with time savings being made where ideas overlap significantly.

Key foci of Science in Y78 are on developing

1. practical skills, leading to a strong emphasis on practical both as discovery, but also increasingly, to verify hypotheses.
2. an understanding of the scientific method, in a variety of contexts, using the Analyse, Communicate, Enquire and Solve approach promoted by AQA
3. covering key topics that no longer form part of the GCSE specification

These skills are developed partly as a preparation for GCSE, with an expectation that the heavy content demand of GCSE can better be delivered with a sound skills framework 

In Upper School, Science uses the AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy  specification. https://media.aqa.org.uk/resources/science/specifications/AQA-8464-SP-2016.PDF   

This Science course is called Trilogy because it covers aspects of, but not a separate GCSE in, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Science Trilogy is designed to be an excellent preparation for further study of any or all of these separate subjects at A level and it is worth 2 GCSEs in Science.

Key foci of Science in Upper School are on developing

1. an ability to use models to explain observations
2. an ability to make links between different ideas within science
3. An understanding of the usefulness of science for society
4. examination technique

IMPACT

How students will be assessed

In Year 7 and 8 Middle School, students will be assessed against their EDSM (EDSG from September 2022)  target grades, Emerging, Developing, Secure, and Mastery/ Greater Depth Sept 2022. The expectation is that students will make one full level of progress during a school year. 

These EDSM boundaries are based on the AQA syllabus Know, Apply and Extend, within part 1 and part 2 of each topic,  as follows

Part 1 of a topic - minimum expectations to award a level

Assessment level	Know statements	Apply statements	Extend statements
Y7B	Few	None	None
Y7E or Y8B	Some	Few	None
Y7D or Y8E	Most	Some	None
Y7S or Y8D	All	Most	Some
Y7M or Y8S	All	All	Most
Y8M	All	All	All

Part 2 of a topic - minimum expectations to award a level

Assessment level	Know statements	Apply statements	Extend statements
Y7B	Few	None	None
Y7E or Y8B	Few	Few	None
Y7D or Y8E	Some	Few	None
Y7S or Y8D	Most	Some	None
Y7M or Y8S	All	Most	Some
Y8M	All	All	Most

In Upper School, students will be assessed against their GCSE target grades.

Assessment opportunities over a term should include most, if not all, of the following

Formative assessment - Assessment of Learning

1. End of topic test
2. Homework assignment as post learning
3. Peer assessment

Summative Assessment - Assessment for Learning

1. Homework assignment as pre learning
2. Contribution to class discussion
3. Self assessment
4. Practical skills

How the results of these assessment opportunities are weighted and combined for reporting purposes is the responsibility of the subject teacher, in consultation with their line manager. It is expected that the mix of assessment, and the weighting, will vary from topic to topic, depending on the nature of the material.

Given that Science develops learning on a spiral model, taught in discrete topics, it is likely that the overall assessment for one topic could be very different from the next, reflecting a student’s learning across what is a very wide subject.

Curriculum Statement: Religious Studies

Intent

Our Christian vision and mission are central to all aspects of school life. Religious Education is taught as a discrete subject as well as faith integrated learning experiences across the curriculum. 

Our Religious Education curriculum aims to motivate and inspire children through an engaging curriculum that challenges all learners, whilst ensuring that the school Christian ethos is at the heart. The distinctive Christian ethos permeates all aspects of school life and has an outstanding impact on pupils’ personal development. This personal development is seen through the established strengths of:

• The focus on Christian Values which leads to outstanding spiritual, moral and academic development of all pupils. 
• The excellent relationships within the school family, based on Christian love and care for each individual.
• The quality of relationships with parents and the positive Christian impact the school has in the wider community.
• The school’s procedures for evaluating its effectiveness as a Christian School.
• The excellent and vibrant quality of worship which makes a significant impact on pupils’ spiritual development.
• The policy for behaviour management with a Biblical focus

Our curriculum is designed to deepen knowledge and develop skills, with literacy at the heart, ensuring effective progression within each subject discipline and across all year groups.

Our Christian Values and Distinctiveness, alongside our School Mission Statement of ….. are at the heart of our curriculum and all that we do at BCS

Implementation

In Religious Education, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, using the West Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus alongside the diocesan advice. As a Christian School, our pupils are taught about other world faiths as part of the multicultural society in which we live. Our curriculum is well-planned and provides literacy-rich, cross-curricular opportunities. For each topic a series of stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge-based learning objectives incorporating the Christian concepts (God, Creation, Fall, People of God, Incarnation, Gospel, Salvation and Kingdom of God) and subject-specific vocabulary. Reflective opportunities are planned to allow children the opportunity to evaluate what they have learnt and to address any misconceptions. Teachers assess learning in Religious Education through using the ‘Questful Maps’, the unit overviews and the Blackburn Diocese ladder of expectation.  Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’. Enrichment opportunities, including temporary prayer spaces and designated focus weeks, inspirational visitors (other faiths) and exciting educational visits (living church), provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge. Our Religious Education curriculum promotes children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, ensuring that they are reflective and responsible citizens. Fundamental British Values are actively promoted in Religious Education lessons in order to prepare the children for life in Modern Britain.

Impact

Our well-planned Religious Education curriculum ensures that children are able to make links between Christian faith and those of others in their community and in the wider world. Through the breadth and depth that our curriculum offers, children are developing an understanding of other religions and ways of life. Our curriculum enables children to become active citizens, serving their neighbour and enables them to become global citizens and courageous advocates for change in the world, from a local to global level.

Intent

Why study Religious Studies

As a Christian school, at GCSE level we study the Christian faith, its beliefs, practices and values, in some depth.  In the GCSE course a module on Judaism is also studied. This course enables students to form their own views as well as evaluate the views of others. The course encourages debate, investigation and critical thinking. It will help students prepare for doctrinal and ethical challenges in life beyond school.

to incorporate a biblical worldview  

Secondary

In Y9, 10, 11 all students will study the AQA Religious Studies ‘A’ course. This involves:

an in depth study of Christianity and Judaism; a study of St Mark’s Gospel; a cross-religious study of the following: The Existence of God and the nature of Revelation, Crime and Punishment.

Impact

Assessment

Students in Secondary will receive regular tests and End of Year exams.

The GCSE course will be examined with two terminal exams of one and three-quarter  hours each, one on religious belief and practice, and one on religious themes.

 

Curriculum Statement: History

 

INTENT

Historians do not perform heart transplants, improve highway design, or arrest criminals. In a society that quite correctly expects education to serve useful purposes, the functions of history can seem more difficult to define than those of engineering or medicine. History is in fact very useful, actually indispensable, but the products of historical study are less tangible, sometimes less immediate, than those that stem from some other disciplines.

 

The major arguments for studying history are as follows:

• History helps you develop the skills to look beyond the headlines, to ask questions properly, and to express your own opinions. Historians can solve problems, not just identify them.
• History trains your mind and teaches you how to think and process information.
• History students are rounded individuals who develop an understanding of both past and present.
• The pursuit of history provides personal and national identity, and helps them understand the world we live in.
• History helps you understand the origins of modern political and social problems, and most other subjects, context for English novels, impact of geography the list is endless.
• History lets you learn how and why people behave as they do.
• History provides you with the skills employers are looking for. Many, many well-known politicians, journalists, people in all professions have a history degree. Including the Prime Minister.
• History helps us understand people and societies, it is essential for good citizenship, and for understanding how God has dealt with His people in the past.
• History Contributes to Moral Understanding, many discussions centre around God's word.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

Students follow the Edexcel Modern History GCSE 

Year Group	History
Year 1 & 2	Changes in living memory, Changes in living memory Key individuals
Year 3 & 4	Ancient Egypt/Greece, Era of 2ww, Tudors Invaders & settlers
Year 5 & 6	Crusades/Islamic civilisations  French Revolution Local Study
Year 7 & 8	Industrial Revolution, Twentieth century, Making of the UK
Year 9 & 10	Crime & Punishment 1000 AD - Present Day; Elizabeth 1558-1588; The Cold War 1943-1991
Year 11	Germany, 1918-1939  + Revision

 

What should the role of women be in politics? (Suffragettes vs. Bible) -

Can Christians make the world a better place? (Wilberforce & Slavery, Titus Salt, Shaftesbury) -

Pacifist or Patriotic in 1914, what about conscientious objectors? -

Christian response to the Nazis. Should they break the law? (Niemoller, Bonhoeffer) -

What changed with the Reformation? How much did it affect ordinary people? -

Was it possible to be a Christian in medieval England? (Medieval church) -

How did churches respond to the moral decline of the 18th century with the industrial revolution? -

How did the philosophers of the French Revolution respond to Christianity? (Enlightenment)

 

IMPACT

How we assess our students: 

From year 1 to 4 History is assessed as part of topic, with a written comment on the end of year report

Assessment from years 5-8 is based on the EDSM categories

There is a set of professionally agreed criteria that fit these assessment targets that students half termly assessments measured against these.

At GCSE the students are tracked against their agreed GCSE target grades from years 9-11.

Intent

Geography is an integral part of our curriculum at BCS and we aim to motivate and inspire students engaging and challenging all learners. We aim to develop a curiosity and fascination about the world that the students live in and help them to enjoy learning about different global communities and their relationships between these people and their landscapes. Through our curriculum, we aim to equip students to be Global Citizens, to develop an awareness of the wider world and their place within it, encourage them to take an active role in the community and work with others to make our planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer. We hope that our students will become passionate about the planet and become actively involved in protecting the environment.

Our Geography curriculum is designed to deepen knowledge and develop key skills. We aim to ensure effective progression within each geography unit and across all year groups. 

Our Christian Values and distinctiveness are at the core of our curriculum and all that we do, and are evidenced in Geography primarily around God’s creation when considering Physical Geography, and our shared humanity when considering Human Geography.

Implementation

In Geography, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, incorporating the four main areas of learning at each key stage: place, location, human and physical and geographical skills and fieldwork.

 

Our curriculum at Y7Y8 covers all the key learning outcomes of the KS3 NC unless these are duplicated significantly at GCSE.

 

Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’ using a range of schemes and resources, such as Hamilton and Twinkl in primary, moving towards GCSE after Year 9. Enrichment opportunities, including outdoor learning, inspirational visitors and Geography field trips, provide our students with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge.

 

In Primary School, Geography is well-planned and provides literacy-rich, cross-curricular opportunities providing sophisticated links to provide effective links across subjects to ensure cohesion across the whole curriculum. It is predominantly taught through overarching themes in Science and History. At the beginning of each Geography unit, students demonstrate their prior knowledge, which helps to inform planning and teaching. A series of stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge and skills-based learning objectives and subject-specific vocabulary. Post learning tasks are planned to demonstrate progress, knowledge and understanding. Teachers assess learning in geography against knowledge and skills-based learning objectives within unit overviews.

In Middle  School, Geography is delivered as as one third of our Humanities curriculum for 2 hours a week along with some aspects being delivered though our Middle School Topic

In Upper School, Geography is delivered via an optional GCSE at 2 hours a week.

Impact

Our well-planned Geography curriculum ensures that students are competent in the geographical skills needed to collect, analyse and communicate data, and to interpret a range of geographical sources, including maps, globes and aerial photographs. Students are taught to communicate information in a variety of ways including maps, numerical and quantitative skills and a range of literacy skills, as well as considering the impact on communities.

Through the breadth and depth that our Geography curriculum offers, our students are provided with a broad knowledge of the world they live in, and understand, as responsible citizens, how they need to care and preserve the planet for future generations.

 

Progress in Geography, as for all other subjects, is collated every half term using EDSM grades for Middle School and GCSE grades for Upper School. Subject level analysis is carried out between the subject teacher and their line manager during catch up meetings

INTENT

Why study Spanish

Learning a MFL is part of becoming a world citizen. It allows us to understand another cultural point of view as well as understanding our own language and culture better.  The life skills involved in language learning include openness to others and ideas.  It’s a subject for students who will go far in life.  It also helps students understand that the church and Christians have a world, as well as a local, role to play.  

 

Spanish has been chosen as it is a widely spoken language that students are likely to have the opportunity to speak on holidays.  It is also relatively straightforward in terms of pronunciation and grammar, making it accessible to learn.

IMPLEMENTATION

Primary: Spanish learning begins in year 3 and 4 with oral work based on games, songs and interactive activities.  Starting with oral work mirrors how we learn our mother tongue.  It is the basis for language fluency.  As children are still establishing their understanding of English phonetics, it minimises the risk of confusion and mispronunciation.  Children gain a confidence and enjoyment in MFL that is not always seen in British children or indeed adults.

 

Middle: In year 5 students begin to use written Spanish, but oral work continues to be foundational. Topics are taught on a 2 year rotation taking into account mixed year 5-6 and 7-8 classes.  Topics cover their own lives, families, friends, free time, school, etc. as well as understanding more about the lives of young people in Spanish- speaking countries. Grammar is introduced, new vocabulary is learned, cultures and traditions are explored and skills developed in listening, speaking, reading and writing.  For some students their MFL studies will end after year 8, so there is a dual focus of language skills for life and as preparation for GCSE Spanish.

 

Upper:   

The AQA GCSE Spanish curriculum is based on three themes:

1. Identity and Culture;
2. Local, national, international and global areas of interest;
3. Current and future study and employment.

IMPACT
Assessment: 

There are 4 equally weighted end of course exams in:

Listening – Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language.

Speaking – Communicating and interacting effectively in speech for a variety of purposes.

Reading – Understanding and responding to different types of written language.

Writing – Communicating effectively in writing for a variety of purposes.

 

Themes 1 and 2 are rotated in the mixed year 9 and 10 class.  Theme 3 is covered quickly in year 11 to allow time for revision in the lead up to the exams.  

 

Students are expected to take a much higher ownership of their learning using apps such as quizlet and memrise (vocabulary learning); conjugamos (grammar practice) and duolingo (although not GCSE specific). 

 

Students can be examined at either foundation or higher level allowing for a wide range of abilities, although the new curriculum requires a level of fluency in a wide range of topics and skills.  

 

Topics include many contemporary issues such as poverty, global warming, marriage/partnership and career expectations.  Students are encouraged to develop their own responses and opinions backed up by reasons and examples.

Intent

At BCS students will be taught Art and Design in a way that ensures a progression of skills following a sequence which builds on previous learning. Our students will learn to utilise a wide range of formal elements in a way that will enable them to express themselves creatively and engage with the work of significant artists and art movements.

Implementation

We follow a broad and balanced Art and Design curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. Children’s work and pictures of their work will be in their sketchbooks for reference and assessment. Outstanding work will be displayed around the school.

Impact

Our children enjoy and value Art and Design. Children will understand and appreciate the value of Art and Design in the context of their personal wellbeing and the creative and cultural industries which provide a wealth of future career opportunities. Progress in Art and Design is demonstrated through regularly reviewing and evaluating children’s work to ensure that progression of skills is taking place. The Art and Design curriculum will contribute to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, and self-reflection. 

Aim of policy: To become an outstanding reading school. We will:

• Place reading and books at the centre of the curriculum where relevant 
• Recognise that being able to read well is a key life skill for students, whatever their background.
• Believe that every student can learn to read with the right teaching and support. 
• Acknowledge that not all students will have the opportunity to develop a love of reading at home, so this must be taught and encouraged at school-just like any other area of the curriculum 
• Build time for all students to read independently, read aloud and be read to during the school day.
• Allocate every primary class a timetabled session in the school library during which they can read and choose books to take home. Middle school have a class library available for students 
• Arrange ‘Author Days’ per year during which primary school enjoy activities based around the same author’s books
• Invite local authors and poets into school to inspire and motivate the pupils. 
• Spend money and time to support reading, including buying books and developing the school environment to support reading.
• Involve parents to ensure the culture of reading that the school has developed extends into the home and support parents in their understanding of age-related expectations.
• To support and equip students with the phonic skills to decode words through daily phonics lessons to read at an age-appropriate level.

(See phonics policy)

 

At a reading school, all students learn to love books and the school is prepared to make this an absolute priority.

Reading:

Foundation Stage

• • Baseline the students within the first two weeks of the new school year.
  • Daily discrete phonics session.
  • students assessed half termly and based on this, differentiated phonics groups  devised from Autumn Term 1 onwards.
  • After baseline - 2 x GR sessions per week (per student). Home reading diaries used to show when this occurs.

• Whole class reading sessions at least once a week.

• Individual reading with an adult in school, at least once per week (daily for the bottom 20%).
• Keyword and phonics practice with an adult in school.
• Targeted students and those working below age related expectations to have access to a suitable intervention with a trained adult.
• Home Reading Diaries have written acknowledgement that an individual read has taken place with signed, purposeful feedback from the adult.

KS1

• Daily discrete phonics session 
• Once students have successfully passed the Year1 Phonics Screening Test, students access a daily grammar lesson.
• students assessed half termly and differentiated phonics groups devised from this. Differentiated phonics groups across the year group – pooling below age expected and teaching to their specific needs.
• 2 x Small Group GR sessions per week (per student). Home reading diaries stamped to show when this occurs.
• 2x Whole Class reading sessions.
• Individual reading with an adult in school, at least once per week (daily for the bottom 20%).
• Home Reading Diaries have written acknowledgement that an individual read has taken place with signed, purposeful feedback from the adult.
• Teachers should spend one week of every half term assessing reading levels to ensure home reading books are at an independent level.
• Targeted students and those working below age related expectations to have access to a suitable intervention.
• Reading records are stamped or signed to acknowledge parents are hearing the students read.
• Teachers will update the Reading Scales twice a year [October and May] to ascertain pupils current reading abilities and then strategies will be deployed in the classroom to help development or initiate intervention.
  

KS2

• Discrete phonics intervention sessions in LKS2, according to need.
• 2 x Small Group GR sessions per week (per student). Home reading diaries stamped to show when this occurs.
• 2 x Whole Class reading sessions per week.
• Individual reading with an adult in school, at least once per week (daily for the bottom 20%).
• Home Reading Diaries have written acknowledgement that an individual read has taken place with signed, purposeful feedback from the adult.
• In place of GR, teachers should spend one week of every term hearing individual readers or assessing students who are below Black Band books
• Targeted students and any students working below age related expectations to have access to a suitable intervention.
• Home Reading Diaries stamped if a student receives a Reading Intervention
• Reading records are signed to acknowledge parents are hearing the students read
• Upper key stage 2 students experience the challenge to read widely, including choices chosen by teachers to introduce key examples of an ever widening range of genres and texts of complexity. [See the Great Middle School Reading Challenge]
• Teachers will update the Reading Scales twice a year [October and May] to ascertain pupils current reading abilities and then strategies will be deployed in the classroom to help development or initiate intervention.

                     KS3

•  Key stage 3 students experience the challenge to read widely, including  reading choices chosen by teachers to introduce key examples of an ever widening range of genres and texts of complexity. [See the Great Middle School Reading Challenge]
• Teachers will update the Reading Scales twice a year [October and May] to ascertain pupils current reading abilities and then strategies will be deployed in the classroom to help development or initiate intervention.

 

• Students in upper KS3 will have opportunity to develop their reading skills through The Upper school Non fiction Reading Programme
• Interventions will be considered for any student below S in KS2 SATs

 

                   KS4

• Students in Upper school  will experience a reading challenge based on widening their ability to read non -fiction texts related to their GCSE courses. The Upper School NonFiction Reading Programme.
•  

The Teaching of Reading

Reading at BCS is taught through a variety of cohesive structures:

In EYFS, students begin their reading journeys, and the focus is on developing an early love of reading  and books alongside the acquisition of early reading and decoding skills: lessons focus on frequent opportunities for shared stories, vocabulary development sessions, discrete phonics teaching together with small group guided sessions and individual reading opportunities.

In KS1 and KS2 the core principles of ‘Active Reading’ are integrated into the structures of Whole Class Reading, Small Group Reading, weekly written comprehension lessons (from middle of Year 2) and daily Reading Starters (from Year 1).

Whole Class Guided Reading

Opportunity to:

• Model what a good reader / comprehension looks like
• Teach the content domains or a key comprehension skill through engaging whole class texts
• Teach and model the core principles of being an ‘Active Reader’
• Teach and model key comprehension strategies that link to the reading Content Domains
• Provide opportunity for collaborative exploration of key reading / comprehension skills
• Teach, model and practice effective interrogation of a text
• Model how to approach and frame answers to comprehension questions
• Model effective text marking and other strategies that will help them to fully understand a text

 

Small Group Guided Reading

A Timetable is in place for KS1 and two which enables each class to have 2x 30 minutes Guided Reading per week. During these sessions, all reading groups have the support of an adult who guides them through the reading and understanding of age appropriate and engaging texts.

Opportunity for students to:

• Emulate the good modelling provided in Whole Class reading
• Apply what is taught in Whole Class reading, in a smaller, more focused ability-group
• Use the language modelled in whole class teaching
• Engage in open debate / give and justify their opinions / discuss the impact of the text in a smaller group setting
• Display their ability to read actively:

naturally Noticing where inferences can be made

noticing ‘VIP’ words and using them to spontaneously predict / infer etc. summarising and synthesising what they read

independently marking texts in a way that will help them gain meaning / address a given content domain.

 

Opportunity for adults to:

 

• Make formative assessment of students’s progress
• Complete reading attainment trackers to indicate each student’s attainment and any gaps to be addressed in future teaching.

 

Weekly Comprehension Opportunity for:

• Independent application of what they learn in Whole Class / Small Group sessions
• Building speed/ stamina / resilience in written comprehension

 

Daily Reading Starters Opportunity for:

• Constant emersion and exposure to the language of comprehension questioning
• Repeated practice of the strategies taught

Reading Challenges

    The Great Middle school Reading Challenge. An ambitious challenge to read 40 books in a school year

                   for students in Middle School.  Parents are made aware of the  Reading challenge and are encouraged 

    to support their students’s reading at home.

Assessment of Reading

FS and KS1 - Assessments of students’s phonic knowledge will be made half termly and strategies will be put in place to support students where necessary. Staff to also assess students’s knowledge of key words / common exception words throughout the year and track individual progress through observations and testing.

Across all phases, assessment against National Curriculum year group and Content Domain statements are made weekly; this informs future planning and targets.

During whole school assessment weeks, students complete reading comprehension tests to help inform their judgments in terms of working towards, at or above the national standard. In FS half termly updates of learning journeys and assessment against Development Matters document will be monitored by SLT. PM benchmarking takes place half-termly in KS1 and termly in lower KS2

In Middle School students are assessed on their reading abilities in half termly tests using recommended reading comprehension tests as part of AQA recommended materials.

The school uses CLPE Reading and writing scales to ascertain the status of readers and make interventions where necessary. Assessment will be done in October and May of each year

Reading at home

At BCS we value the contribution that parents and carers make to their students’s education. Reading is a key area where home and school can work together to improve students’s skills. As such we ask all parents / carers to listen to their students read daily. Reading diaries are given to all students – these are mutually informative in terms of communicating students’s reading advice at home and in school.

To confirm the importance of home reading, in Primary,  we ask that parents / carers sign their student’s Reading Record daily; in addition they are asked to sign a home / school agreement. In the agreement it sets out BCS’s policy for addressing the issue of students who do not read at home: -

• In EYFS and KS1, teachers will keep a record of who us reading regularly at home
• In Year 2, 3 and 4, any students who have not read home may be asked to stay in to read at morning break
• A persistent need to stay in at break times will result in a letter being sent home, reminding parents / carers of the importance of home reading. The class teacher will also discuss any issues relating to home reading with the parent / carer.

Reading Rewards

To encourage reading at home, in Primary, we have set up a reading reward system. Students who read five times a week at home will receive a weekly merit which feeds into the award system.

• Thirty merits - Bronze certificate
• Sixty merits -  a silver certificate 
• 100 merits - a gold certificate and badge
• – Reading Champion certificate and a book