Belong – Relationships – Move On – Achieve

Curriculum Intent Statement

English

English encompasses every aspect of our curriculum and supports development in the skills needed for speaking, listening, reading and writing. Giving students these key skills enables them to access material in all curriculum areas, and provides a foundation for their learning throughout their school career.

The teaching of English at Limes is designed to instil a love of reading and writing that will last a lifetime. To achieve this, teachers are focussed on making English interesting and exciting, engaging the pupils with the joy and wonder of books and piquing their imagination and creativity.

We view the teaching of English as a fundamental part of the holistic development of each student, fostering positive behaviours and attitudes toward learning, and providing key knowledge and skills, to benefit students throughout their education and beyond.

In order to practice and consolidate English skills, staff ensure these skills are also taught through other areas of the curriculum. We believe that it is vital for students to see the links between each subject and understand how the skills they learn in English must be applied to learning in other subjects.

The National Curriculum (2014) clearly states that the teaching of language is an essential, if not most essential, role of a primary school.

Maths

Maths at Limes Primary is based on the 2014 revised National Curriculum.

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all students:

• Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including the varied and regular practice of increasingly complex problems over time.
• Reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, understanding relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language.
• Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which our students need to be able to move fluently between mathematical ideas. The programmes of study are, by necessity, organised into distinct areas, but students will make connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. There will also be opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.

Maths is vital in everyday life as it encourages early thinking skills, logical reasoning, and the ability to think in abstract ways. At the earliest stages of development, where thinking centres around concrete situations and events, students strive to make sense of experiences and sensations that involve changes in shape, pattern, quantity, space and time. Such experiences help them master their approach to problem situations flexibly, to move from random to trial and improvement responses, and on to anticipate and predict. We hope this breeds a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

All students follow the ‘White Rose Maths’ program.

Science

We aim to teach science to our students through a creative, nurturing approach with the goal of developing curious, engaged young people.

Through varied activities and investigations, we strive to ensure that students are excited and intrigued by science. We incorporate Science across the curriculum, linking themes from other topics or organised days, events and trips to the subject. Our curriculum aims to broaden the student's scientific view of, and respect for the world around them, whilst promoting a love for enquiry and a desire for exploring new things.

History

At Limes Primary School, we believe that our students should gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and that of the wider world. We hope that this will stimulate their curiosity to know more about past events. During history lessons, our students learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. We aim that each student will have a chronological understanding of British history and be able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this is the need to look at world history such as the ancient civilisations of Greece and the Roman Empire. These units are enriched by cross curriculum work when appropriate. Children learn through enquiry based learning opportunities to gain a greater understanding of Britain’s and the World’s history.
 

Geography

At Limes Primary School, we believe that Geography helps to provoke and answer questions about the natural and human world, encouraging students to develop a greater understanding of the world and their place within it. Our Geography curriculum helps to develop a range of investigation and problem-solving skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can be used to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Geography is an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire students with a curiosity and fascination about the world, which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote children’s interest and understanding about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

PE

At Limes Primary, we believe that PE plays an important role across the curriculum. Not only can it teach students about developing important skills and keeping themselves healthy but also about problem solving, self-assessment (identifying their strengths), communication, team work and competitiveness which can be carried across all the different subjects in the curriculum.

We provide many opportunities for children to access sport, through sports lessons, outdoor learning opportunities, and links with local providers (White Spider climbing, The Tens (tennis) project and Burstow Park Horse Riding Centre.

In addition to PE lessons, our students take part in daily Sensory Circuit sessions to support and develop their fine and gross motor skills. Ensuring our students are active allows them to develop and improve across the whole curriculum.

Arts

At Limes Primary, we believe that the arts offer opportunities for our students to explore, express and communicate their feelings whilst gaining experiences of the wider world. Our students are provided with a wide range of opportunities and experiences throughout each themed unit, this enables them to make links between subjects. Through experiencing the arts, students develop their creativity, self-esteem and confidence. Our arts curriculum positively impacts cognitive development, increases self-esteem, and actively engages everyone in learning.

Design Technology

Design and Technology encourages students to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At Limes, we encourage our students to use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to link DT work to other subjects such as mathematics, science and art. Students are given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.

PSHE

At Limes, personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is an embedded part of our broad and balanced curriculum. Student’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development is at the heart of our school ethos. British Values are promoted through the overarching aims and objectives of PSHE by supporting our students to become healthy and responsible members of society, as well as preparing them for life and work in modern Britain.

PSHE is implicit in our day-to-day provision, every interaction and moment is an opportunity for learning and developing personal and social skills.  We recognise the importance of this continual learning and look to use every opportunity to support our student's development. 

Many of our students have significant emotional difficulties, so developing their emotional wellbeing is of the highest priority. Transition work is another key priority for our students as all students are within a transition process whilst with us.  

RE

At Limes Primary School we believe that Religious Education plays an important part in developing our student’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural growth. Through the teaching of R.E. student’s gain a better understanding of themselves and their belief system and also develop an awareness of the differing beliefs of others. R.E. offers our students the means by which to understand how other people choose to live and to understand why they choose to live in that way. This helps to develop respect and tolerance towards peers, staff and the community as a whole. 

As well as developing factual knowledge of a variety of religions, R.E. also encourages students to ask questions about life, develop self-reflection and promotes attitudes of confidence and thoughtfulness about themselves. We aspire to help students to develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues which is an essential skill in our 21st century multi-cultural society.