Page 13 - Whitestone Primary School Prospectus

General School Curriculum
Every school in Wales is required to implement the National Curriculum which is designed to provide clear and identifiable targets for children's learning with accurate, accessible information about what children can be expected to know, understand and be able to do, and what they actually achieve in terms of these targets. All children are taught Welsh as a second language.
The National Curriculum at Foundation Phase currently consists of seven areas of learning:
• literacy, language and communication; •
• mathematical development;
• knowledge and understanding of the world;
• Welsh language development;
• physical development;
• creative development; and
personal, social, wellbeing and cultural diversity development.
I.C.T. is linked throughout the areas.
At Key Stage 2 the curriculum consists of core subjects Mathematics, English, Science, and Information Communication Technology; and Foundation Subjects, Design Technology, Welsh, History, Geography, Music, Art, PE and Religious Education. In addition, there are a number of cross-curricular themes.
It is important to note that, whilst the content of the National Curriculum is prescribed, the method and materials used will be decided by the schools themselves, having due regard for the policies of the Local Authority and National priorities. Furthermore, the curriculum in Wales is currently under review in light of the Donaldson report and changes are
currently being implemented including the application of the four purposes to create: ambitious, capable learners; ethical informed citizens; healthy confident individuals and enterprising, creative contributions, as well as amalgamating the subjects into 6 Areas of Learning and Experience.
Our curriculum at Whitestone is underpinned by the Rights of the Child where the children have a voice in their learning.
“The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. A rights- respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers / adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils.”
UNICEF.
We believe that children learn best through first - hand experience and every opportunity is taken to involve children in doing and making, investigating, asking questions and solving problems. In this way we believe they acquire skills and confidence as well as knowledge.
Whenever possible, subjects are taught via an integrated thematic approach. In this way we hope that children will see the relevance of the activities in which they are involved not only to subjects but also to themselves and the world in which they live. Some aspects of their work may not fit easily into the theme they are currently studying and rather than make arbitrary connections these will be taught separately.
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