Transcript St. Peter’s C of E Primary Gringley A Guide for Parents to

St. Peter’s C of E Primary
Gringley
A Guide for Parents & Carers to
the new Primary Curriculum
September 2014
The New Landscape…
From September 2014, a new primary curriculum
has become statutory. As detailed below, the
existing programmes of learning and attainment
targets have been replaced. This presentation
outlines the major changes to subject areas within
the curriculum.
English
• There is a stronger emphasis on vocabulary
development, grammar, punctuation and spelling (for
example, the use of commas and apostrophes will be
taught in Key Stage 1 – aged 5-7; Class 1)
• Reading is at the core of the whole curriculum with a big
emphasis on reading for pleasure both at home and at
school.
• Handwriting (a more minor part of English formal
assessment) is expected to be fluent, legible and speedy.
• Spoken English is given greater emphasis, with children
being taught debating and presentation skills.
Mathematics
• Simple fractions (½ & ¼) will be taught from KS1, and by the
end of primary school, children should be able to convert
decimal fractions to simple fractions (e.g. 0.375 to 3/8).
• By the age of nine, children will be expected to know times
tables up to 12x12 (previously 10x10 by the age of 11).
• Calculators will not be introduced until near the end of KS2
(Class 3) to encourage mental arithmetic.
• The ability to solve mathematical problems is a key skill which
runs through all the strands of the new primary curriculum.
• Children are expected to learn the formal written strategies of
vertical long multiplication and long division by the end of
primary school. These will be tested in the SATs.
Science
• Although scientific skills are still important,
there is a stronger focus on scientific knowledge
and language than before.
• Evolution will be taught in primary schools for
the first time, as will the lives of famous
scientists.
• KS1 has no programmes of study devoted to
‘physics’, such as light & sound or electricity.
Computing
• Computing replaces Information and Communication
Technology (ICT), with a greater focus on programming
rather than on operating programs.
• From the age of five, children will learn to write and test
simple programs, and to organise, store and retrieve
data.
• From the age of seven, they will be taught to understand
computer networks, including the internet.
• Internet safety – previously only officially taught from
11-16 – will be taught in primary schools (though we
taught that previously anyway).
Design & Technology
• Design and Technology has become more important
in the new curriculum, with the intention of setting
children on the path to becoming the designers and
engineers of the future.
• There is more sophisticated use of design
equipment, such as electronics and robotics.
• In KS2, children will learn about how key events and
individuals in design and technology have shaped
the world.
• There is a greater emphasis on cookery with a focus
on savoury dishes.
Geography
• There is a greater use of atlases and maps
including O/S maps and digital maps.
• Children are expected to know and locate
countries, capitals, major cities, mountains and
rivers.
• In-depth studies of a European, North/South
American country and a region of the British
Isles are required.
History
• There is a greater emphasis on British History
taught with a strong chronological awareness
from Stone Age to 1066.
• Tudors are no longer taught in KS2.
Languages
• The term Languages has now replaced the term
modern foreign languages.
• Previously not statutory, a modern or ancient
foreign language, such as Latin or Greek, is now
mandatory in KS2 (though we have been
teaching this for some time).
• Children will be expected to master basic
grammar and accurate pronunciation and to
converse, present, read and write in the
language.
Physical Education (PE), Art & Design,
Music & Religious Education (RE)
• The study of these subjects remains largely
unchanged but with much less specific detail.
Assessment
• At the end of each Key Stage, children will no
longer be given levels (such as Level 4b at the
end of Year 6). Schools are now expected to
devise their own new system of formal
assessment but important details have not as yet
been released by the Department for Education.
• Children currently in Year 2 & 6 (2014-15), will
continue to study and be tested on the old
primary curriculum in Maths, English and
Science. They will be assessed in May 2015
based on these old programmes of study. All
other year groups will follow the new
curriculum.
• One of the key issues around the introduction of
the new curriculum is that of the raised
expectations that the children will now be
judged against. It may be the case at Parent &
Carers’ Evening that you are told that your child
is below age-related expectations having
received a school report in the summer that said
they were at or even above those expectations.
• This does not mean that there has been a sudden
backsliding in their level of learning, rather that
they are being measured against a new standard
that has no comparison to the old; e.g. they
would have been on-track to meet expectations if
they were looking able to learn their times tables
up to 10x10 by the age of 11. Now they are
classed as being below expectations if they
haven’t mastered 12x12 by the age of 9.
• From May 2016, a new formal assessment
procedure (SATs) based on the new curriculum
will be implemented. We will of course provide
you with the details of these new style tests when
they become available to us. The school website
features details of the new units of study that
have been prepared to meet the requirements of
this new curriculum, but which more
importantly provide exciting and engaging
learning opportunities for your children.
If you have any questions, we would
be happy to help answer them!