Curriculum

At St John’s CofE Infant School, we are committed to providing a broad, balanced and inclusive curriculum that builds on prior knowledge, skills and understanding. We aim to teach children how to grow into positive, responsible citizens, who can co-operate with others whilst developing the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their full potential.

Our curriculum fulfils the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum, and includes rich learning experiences. We ensure children understand local, national and global issues relevant to their age and stage. 

The curriculum is devised to provide stimulating enrichment opportunities such as educational school trips, and to incorporate visitors into school to spark enthusiasm about a subject, or to reinforce information already learned.

We are passionate about the great outdoors as both a superb educational environment and in promoting positive mental health and well-being. As such we include weekly forest school session for every class.

As a CofE school we follow the Diocesan Syllabus for Religious Education, this includes units on exploring other faiths and festivals to provide knowledge about the wider world and acceptance of all. Our curriculum is designed to include diversity in the literature we read, and in the significant people and events we study.

Our learning tools provide us with the language to be able to discuss our learning and recognise the important skills required to achieve the best learning we can. Sticking at it, listening, working together, imagination, noticing, working together, making links and reflecting.

We wish for all our learners to be prepared for the next stage of their development feeling confident and secure in themselves. They should have had every opportunity to develop an enquiring mind and open heart which will allow them to let their light shine.

Please contact the School office office@stjohns-farnham.surrey.sch.uk if you require further information about the curriculum content.

 

Our Aims

  • To provide a school day that excites, challenges and motivates each child
  • To encourage children to become independent learners
  • For all children to reach their full potential academically, socially and physically
  • To ensure children acquire a sense of personal and social responsibility and spiritual and moral awareness
  • To ensure children develop confidence, high self-esteem and tolerance of and respect for other people including those of other cultures and ethnicities
  • To develop lively enquiring minds that will enable children to reason, question and participate in discussions
  • To provide our children with an enthusiasm to be life-long learners and confident citizens of the future

Achieved by

  • Having high expectations for all children with regard to all areas of school life including behaviour
  • Providing equal access to the curriculum and equal opportunities regardless of aptitude, ability, gender, or ethnic background
  • Providing a caring and Christian environment in which children feel safe and happy to learn
  • Providing a caring and Christian environment in which children feel able express their faith
  • Providing an excellent education delivered through a broad and balanced curriculum and a wide range of experiences
  • Ensuring that spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is evident throughout the curriculum
  • Celebrating achievements and nurturing the development of the whole child
  • Maintaining close links with our parents, St John’s Church and the local community
  • For staff to act as role models with regard to behaviour, showing respect and relationships
  • Providing a range of teaching strategies to accommodate all learners
  • Organising children’s learning in ways that promote excellence, enjoyment, perseverance, self-discipline and independent learning
  • Having all staff and governors working towards these shared goals

Reception
Rabbit Class

Our Reception class is called Rabbit class, there are a maximum of 30 children aged between 4-5. We offer a fantastic induction to help them when starting school which begins in the summer term once they have accepted their place, and continues into the autumn to ensure they start school in the best possible way. 

We follow the Foundation Stage curriculum, celebrating the uniqueness of every child.

The curriculum covers three prime areas:

  • Personal Social Emotional Development
  • Physical Development
  • Communication and Language

and four specific areas:

  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the World 
  • Expressive Arts and Design

We hold a phonics introduction session early in the autumn term. 

Phonics Presentation and Guidance Booklet

 

Year 1
Fox Class

Our Year One class is named Fox class and this is where the children begin their learning journey through the National Curriculum. 

In this year the children focus on all areas of the curriculum, gaining the skills and knowledge required in each subject. Making links between subjects is encouraged and highlighted by using our making links learning tool. 

Progress is made throughout the year towards the national end of year expectations. 

The curriculum followed includes:

  • Personal, Social Emotional Development (PSED) this includes Relationship, Health Education (RHE)
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Religious Education (RE)
  • Physical Education (PE)
  • Geography
  • History
  • Art
  • Design 
  • Computing
  • Music

 

 

Year 2
Badger Class

Our Year Two class is known as Badger class, these are the oldest children in our infant school. These children continue their learning journey on the National Curriculum. They continue learning in all the subject areas mentioned in Year One.

They are encouraged to be the leaders of our school by being role-models, supporting the younger children at lunchtimes and taking on leading roles at church services and in school performances. 

In the Summer term their progress is assessed against the expected levels of development for the end of Key Stage 1. This is a teacher assessment supported by standardised assessment tests (SATs).

As well as making academic progress they are guided to grow in confidence, to celebrate their achievements and to develop their resilience, this prepares them for the next stage of their learning journey at a junior school. 

 

Maths Resources

Following on from our Maths Evening (7 March), please see our Calculation Policy document:

ParentsCalculationBooklet.pdf

Please also see two further resources:

year-1-i-can-targets.pdf and year-2-i-can-targets.pdf

Key Stage 1 Results

KS1 Results        

                                

If you would like a copy of our latest results please ask at the school office. 

Reading Schemes and Phonics

We use the Read, Write Inc. system in teaching high quality systematic synthetic phonics to all. 

We have a library of reading books, that are carefully selected to match each child's current stage of phonic development. Children are taught to decode words using the alphabetic code, the code is the way the 26 letters of the alphabet are arranged either singularly or in combination to represent the 44 sounds in the English Language. 

Children are taught to decode the book they are reading and then reread the book to develop speed, fluency and understanding of the text. 

For help in supporting your child's reading, please take a look at our further information sheet

Love Reading 

Letter for parents FAQs

My reading & writing kit

FRED games

Handwriting phrases

Top ten tips

 

 

 

 

Long term curriculum plan

Learn more here