Foundation Subjects
Within the National Curriculum the following subjects are classed as Foundation Subjects: Art and Design, PSHE, Computing, Design and Technology, Modern Foreign Languages, Geography, History, Music and P.E. These subjects introduce children to a wide range of knowledege and skills which extend their understanding of the world around them.
At St Alfege with St Peter's, although there may be less teaching time assigned to the Foundation Subjects, we place just as much emphasis on them as we do for English, Maths, Science and RE.
Below you will find more detailed outlines of what is covered over the course of the academic year.
Personal, Social, Health, Education (PSHE)
Our personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme aims to prepare children for life in modern Britain, helping them to develop into confident, informed and responsible citizens. In PSHE lessons (known at St Alfege’s as Jigsaw lessons) children gain an understanding of the wider world around them, including British values, citizenship, economic wellbeing/money management, and aspects of careers education. We aim to promote positive choices now and in later life, ensuring children thrive both as individuals and members of society. PSHE also helps children to learn aspects such as how to develop good relationships with others, how to look after themselves and how to stay healthy. We ensure children understand the importance of being honest about how they are feeling and know who to talk to if they need help. These topics are outlined further in our RSHE curriculum (see RSHE section of our website).
We use the Jigsaw scheme of work to support PSHE teaching and children’s learning is supplemented through visitors such as Equaliteach and financial education workshops.
Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
RSHE forms a key part of our wider PSHE curriculum at St Alfege’s. Through Relationships and Health Education, we equip children with the skills and knowledge to recognise and form positive and healthy relationships, and to keep themselves safe both on and offline. Our RSHE programme also provides children with strategies to maintain good physical and mental wellbeing, including an understanding of the importance of healthy eating and physical exercise, as well as knowledge of basic first aid. Part of Health Education also includes preparing children for the changes that adolescence brings, such as puberty and the menstrual cycle.
In the Summer Term of Year 6, we teach two aspects of Sex Education. This provides children with an age-appropriate understanding of human reproduction and conception. The Annual Overview above outlines those aspects.
We use the Jigsaw scheme of work for RSHE teaching, but some modifications are made to the scheme and some resources are sourced from elsewhere. This is to better meet the needs of our pupils and community.
Please visit the RSHE page for more information.
Computing
We understand how important technology is in everyday life and children develop this understanding from very early on. In the Early Years children get to know that technology is all around them as they develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. As they move through the school, learning is developed so that children understand the intricacies of control modelling, develop their word processing and multi-media skills and learn how to safely interact with others whilst using a range of online applications. Children develop the foundational skills which can then be built upon when they move up to secondary school.
We use the Teach Computing scheme of work to support learning in this subject.
Physical Education (including dance)
PE at St Alfege School incorporates and promotes a wide range of health and fitness skills. In KS1, we focus on ensuring that children learn and have the ability to develop their ‘fundamentals’ skills; this includes balance, agility, coordination and the introduction of competitive games. In KS2, children develop and build on the skills from the previous stage. Competitive games and leadership skills are enhanced, which ensures that the children at St Alfege have the necessary skills to take part in a range of sporting activities.
To ensure that the children at St Alfege are exposed to a range of sports, we teach games from different categories. Children at our school take part in football, rugby, tennis, cricket, hockey and basketball. They also learn a range of games that involve minimal equipment; this is to ensure that teamwork, attacking, defending and leadership skills are continually developed.
At St Alfege School children will develop their knowledge and understanding of a range of dance styles. Children will work independently and collaboratively to choreograph short routines and sequences to perform.
We use the The PE Hub scheme of work to support learning in this area.
Modern Foreign Language - French
Our aim, which is at the heart of the programme of study for KS2, is to develop an enthusiastic and positive attitude to other languages and language learning. We hope to encourage a life-long learning of languages among our pupils in order to enhance their understanding of the world and their future economic well-being. As well as giving them the opportunity to learn a second language, an increasingly important skill in our globalised society, it also helps to promote and develop a broader intercultural understanding.
We use the Primary Languages Network scheme of work to support learning in this subject.
Music
Our music curriculum inspires creativity and self-expression while encouraging children on their musical journeys. By exposing children to a diverse variety of musical genres and experiences, we aim to foster a lifelong love of music and ignite a passion for music. Listening and responding to different musical styles, finding their voices as singers and building their skills as composers and performers, will enable the children to become confident, reflective musicians.
We use the Charanga scheme of work to support learning in this area.
St Alfege Music Development Plan
History
Through the study of History children will make sense of the world and their place in it. They will develop their understanding of time and chronology studying significant people, places, events and period of history. Children will learn about and from the past and be inspired to consider how their actions now can have an impact on future generations. Children will be given opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills, enabling them to consider the actions of historical people and to question how and why history is recorded in particular ways. Children at St Alfege will learn about the history of Greenwich and its surrounding areas and the impact individuals from the local area have had on the country and the world.
Geography
Through the study of Geography, pupils with gain a solid understanding of their physical place in the world and how they are part of a global community. It will encourage pupils in their curiosity of the world around them both near and far. Children will also explore how our actions can and have had a positive or negative impact on our world.
Art and Design
Our art and design curriculum develops creativity, free thinking and expression through a range of media, materials and inspirational starting points. Children learn the skills and processes of drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, sculpture and digital art, while exploring and evaluating different creative styles. Inspired by the works of cultural, age, gender and ability diverse artists, children are encouraged to be creatively independent, reflective risk takers and to raise their own aspirations as artists.
Design and Technology
Through our D&T curriculum children develop an understanding of how every day objects are designed and made and learn the skills needed to create items which fit a particular purpose. Children are given opportunities to explore different materials, design their own products and gain confidence in using a range of often, unfamiliar tools. They get to challenge themselves as their confidence at designing and building develops and as they move up through the school they begin to critically evaluate what worked well and understand where they can improve on their work in the future.
Ignition Days & Project Weeks
During Project Weeks children in Year 1 to Year 6 undertake their learning in History, Geography, Art & Design and Design & Technology through a particular focus which enables them to become fully immersed in their learning.
Ignition Days form the start of each term's Project Weeks and provide children with an opportunity to be introduced to the vocabulary and some of the learning that they will be developing during Project Weeks. During Ignition Days children immerse themselves in the world that they will be learning about. This could be travelling back in time to Ancient Greece, becoming cartographers for the day or travelling around the world in 6 hours.
Teachers have chosen topics which will broaden children's knowledge, build on previous learning and enthuse and engage them. Children's feedback from previous Project Week's and Ignition Days is that they have really enjoyed learning in a different way.
Theme days and visitors play a large part in helping children to immerse themselves in the topic, ensuring they remember and more importantly, enjoy their learning.
Autumn term focus
| Project Title | |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Terrific Transport |
| Year 2 | Across the Oceans |
| Year 3 | Best of the Ages (Stone Age to Iron Age) |
| Year 4 |
A study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world |
| Year 5 | Romans Retreat while Savvy Scots and Saxons Settle |
| Year 6 | Space, Time and the Royal Observatory |
Spring term focus
| Project Title | |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Antartica |
| Year 2 | The Tea Trade |
| Year 3 | Mountains and the UK |
| Year 4 | All Around Europe |
| Year 5 | Vikings & Anglo Saxons |
| Year 6 | Raging Rivers |
Summer term focus
| Project Title | |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | The Great Fire of London |
| Year 2 | Life in London through the Decades |
| Year 3 | Walk like an Egyptian |
| Year 4 | Earthquakes and Volcanos |
| Year 5 | Kingdom of Benin |
| Year 6 | World War 1&2 |
