Curriculum

In our Infant Department situated on the ground and part of the middle floor of the school, we aim to provide a stimulating challenging environment.

We recognise children as individuals and value them for their particular talents and aptitudes and for their contribution to school life. We aim to build confidence through success and encourage independence.

We adopt a policy of firm but fair discipline, encouraging respect for others, their feelings and possessions, and tolerance of their opinions and values. Our daily assemblies provide a background for moral teaching - showing kindness and concern for others and sensitivity to their needs.

We are aware that starting school is a very significant stage in a child's life and we endeavour to provide a warm caring environment in order to make the transition a smooth and happy one. During their first year (Foundation Stage) the children are gradually introduced to the activities of the infant department before progressing to full integration with the whole school. The early years classrooms are well equipped and have immediate access to a secure outside play area. This partially covered outside classroom plays an important part in the Foundation Stage curriculum.

For those children who have had little or no Nursery or Playgroup experience we offer the opportunity to take part in the "Getting Ready for School" scheme during the term prior to starting school. This involves visiting the school to collect a pack of activities which introduce many of the skills needed in their first term.

In the infant department we have established a broad, balanced curriculum with an emphasis on the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. In the Foundation Stage the work is planned to cover the six areas of learning. Personal, social and emotional development; physical development; Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy; Communication, Language and Literacy; Creativity; and Knowledge and understanding of the world. These areas are then developed in Key Stage 1 to encompass all subjects of the National Curriculum.

We fully realise the benefits of partnership between home and school. Parents are invited into school to join in our special celebrations and are sometimes involved in classroom activities and visits. We encourage the children to take their reading books home so that learning to read becomes a shared activity. As our pupils progress through the infants they are also given weekly homework. Staff are available for informal contact, and formal discussions are arranged on a regular basis. Each child's progress is monitored and reported to parents through the annual Record of Achievement.

The children are taught to take a pride in the presentation of all their work, and are encouraged to develop a clear, attractive, cursive hand from an early stage.

English is taught throughout the school both as a separate subject in its own right during a daily literacy lesson and as an integral part of work in other areas of the curriculum. The basic skills in reading and writing are regarded as of paramount importance. We also recognise the value of quality speaking and listening and drama opportunities as these really help to fire the imagination of the children and help them greatly in their writing.

The core reading schemes used throughout the school are Ginn, Oxford Reading Tree and Rigby. These are organised using the national 'book-banding' system. This makes it easy for both children and parents to see the progress that has been made and also helps teachers to ensure their pupils are set the appropriate level book.

Both our infant and junior departments benefit from colourful and well-resourced library areas. Our junior library is well-stocked with a range of enticing titles and the children enjoy using its computerised borrowing system.

The staff at Echelford work unstintingly on planning, preparing and developing activities to ensure that the teaching of English is of the highest quality. We enjoy making our teaching interactive and use a range of strategies to meet the needs of the different children in our classes.

The school aims to encourage children's enthusiasm for English in a variety of ways. We always enjoy taking part in special weeks of work that celebrate different aspects of English. In recent years we have had Book Weeks that have promoted poetry, non-fiction and drama. Last year we embraced multi-culturalism and thoroughly enjoyed a visit from an Aboriginal storyteller. These events always succeed in igniting imagination and are a highlight of the school calendar. I wonder what excitement awaits us this academic year!

We have always been proud of our children's achievements in English, both in the annual SATs tests and in their everyday work. We aim for continued success this academic year.

Drama is an important part of the English curriculum, particularly in the development of speaking and listening skills, and is given a high profile at Echelford. Over the years the school has built up a fine reputation for the standard and quality of its annual drama / musical productions which involve a large number of children from Key Stage 2. The children rehearse largely in their own time, after school and on Saturday mornings.

We are extremely grateful to the small army of parents who assist with scenery, props, costumes, make-up etc. and without whose generous help productions of this size would be very difficult to stage.

From time to time children are also given the opportunity to experience the excitement  and fantasy of "live" theatre with visits to the school by professional companies and occasional visits out to the theatre.

In mathematics, we aim to lay sound foundations in numeracy which will lead to:

A range of new software across the curriculum, as well as new and improved digital resources, is stimulating the learning of the pupils of Echelford.

The children experience ICT across the curriculum and each class is also timetabled to use the suite each week to further enhance their ICT skills. The suite has 32 computers together with a SMART interactive whiteboard to further enhance the quality of teaching and learning.

During their time at Echelford, children will learn the skills to word process, combine text and pictures, use spreadsheets, search databases, write music, use CD Roms, use the internet for research and learning and send and receive email. They will also understand how these functions are used to help in everyday life.

This is offered to all pupils through assemblies and weekly class teaching. The ethics of Christianity in a non-denominational character are embraced within school life, and hopefully reflected in the general manner and conduct of the children. In addition to Christianity, and in accordance with the requirements of the syllabus, an understanding of the other world faiths is given. Parents do have the right to withdraw their children from the religious aspect of the curriculum if they so wish by informing the school accordingly.

The children are encouraged to be thoughtful towards others and to become caring members of the community. This is given a practical outlet in the school's support for local and national charities, e.g. Help the Aged, Dr. Barnado's, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and Leukaemia Research, for which organisation alone the school has raised approximately £80, 500 since 1980. The older children look forward each year to entertaining and serving tea to invited senior citizens at Christmas time and then sending them home with their parcel of groceries.

(Children display the Cup of Courage for the 27th time having completed the Leukaemia Walk)

We encourage the pupils to use their imagination and to be creative using a variety of visual, tactile and sensory inputs and aim to develop their practical skills, through an understanding of famous artists and craftspeople and the methods that they have used.

We provide opportunities for the children to experiment with colour, form, texture and pattern, by providing a range of different materials and processes for them to communicate what they see, feel and think. We aim for them to enjoy and appreciate Art in their own lives and in the world around them.

The artwork of pupils is prominently displayed around the school to celebrate their achievement and to help the appreciation of art in all its forms.

Children are introduced to the concept of History from the beginning of their school life.  In Key Stage 1, they learn about homes in the past, and discuss how toys today are different from the past. They also find out about The Fire of London and Florence Nightingale. 

In Key Stage 2, topics include The Romans, a Viking and an Anglo Saxon case study, The Ancient Greeks, Ancient Egypt, The Tudors, The Victorians, Children in World War Two and Changes in Britain since 1948.

(The History Detectives hard at work in Verulamium)

In Key Stage 1 children study a variety of topics which include the local area, going to the seaside and an island home, and they follow the adventures of 'Barnaby Bear' in his travels around the world.

(Geography display: The Isle of Struay)

In Key stage 2 they investigate the local area and learn about weather around the world. Further studies include 'Improving Our Environment', 'A Village in India', 'Should the High Street be Closed to Traffic?', 'A Contrasting UK Locality', 'Water', 'Investigating Rivers' and 'The Mountain Environment'.

(Year 6 pupils study a contrasting UK locality in Scotland)

Much of what used to be called Home Economics is now incorporated within the areas of Design Technology, Science and Art, and includes work on nutrition, balances diets, health and hygeine, first aid, general safety and needlecraft.

Teaching of French takes place in our Junior department. Children are given a variety of practical opportunities to learn the language. They especially enjoy singing French songs and experimenting with basic conversation. Some written work is also completed.

Our aims are for the children to gain knowledge of a range of vocabulary using a good French accent and, above all, to enjoy learning a foreign language!

Latin is introduced in Year 3 alongside the History topic of "The Romans in Britain". The children learn greetings and the names of everyday items from Roman times.

In Year 4 Latin is taught to everybody, using the "Minimus" Primary Latin Course. The aim is to show the children that many English words have their roots in Latin, so helping them with their spelling and vocabulary, as well as to extend their knowledge of Roman Life, and their legacy to us.

In Year 5 Latin is taught to a group of children who have shown an aptitude for the subject. They continue with the "Minimus" course, but also use part of the Cambridge Latin Course on DVD, which plays with dialogues in Latin. It also introduces an element of grammar. These chilodren continue with Latin in Year 6, using the Minimus 2 course as well as the Cambridge Latin course as before. They also have a chance to take part in the Inter-schools  Latin Reading Competition, which Echelford enters every year.

There is a weekly Latin Club open to all where the pupils learn Latin songs, act plays and produce projects.

Echelford School's reputation for instrumental and choral work has been recognised for more than 40 years. Today, the school orchestra and choir give regular concerts, sometimes joining with other music groups. We have different recorder groups, percussion groups and a variety of ensembles. All pupils at the school are given music lessons covering the requirements of the National Curriculum. From an early age many children learn to play the recorder which is offered as a normal part of the school curriculum.

We have great fun participating in musical activities here at Echelford.

Instrumental lessons in e.g. brass, flute, 'cello, clarinet, violin, percussion, piano and keyboard can be arranged through Surrey County Arts for which the County makes a charge according to the size of the group under tuition. These lessons usually take place during the normal school day and are taken by fully qualified visiting peripatetic teachers. The school owns a variety of musical instruments which can be made available on loan to the children. The cost of maintaining and replacing school instruments is an ever-increasing financial burden and we do request that those who make use of them make a suggested donation of £15 per term for this facility.

For the past four years we have been successful in obtaining funds through the Wider Opportunities in Music Scheme. This enables one year group of children to receive instrumental tuition completely free of charge for one year!

A programme of discussion and direct rteaching is used to further children's development in all aspects of leading safe and happy lives, and in citizenship as future members of an adult community. Drugs education is incorporated within science and PSHE and consolidated through participation in the RIDE programme, and the Channel 4 "Choices" series. Year 6 pupils participate annually in the Junior Citizen event organised by the Police and Emergency Services. Road Safety education, including pedestrian and cycle training, is an important part of this school's curriculum. We are also introducing a new strategy across the school called SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning), which was successfully incorporated into the Year 5 curriculum last year.

This occurs during the course of the primary school curriculum, items of interest being discussed naturally and sensitively as and when the occasion demands. The subject is linked in with science throughout the school with older children receiving more detailed and specific information on "growing up" and developing relationships. Parents not wishing their children to take advantage of this aspect of the curriculum should notify the Headteacher in writing at an early stage of the academic year.