At Silsden Primary School we believe that:
- children need to feel safe and healthy in order to learn and develop well and so we need to play our part in ensuring children are secure and full of energy
- our school should be an uplifting place where all children are valued and cared for
- all children have the potential to be energised and successful learners because intelligence is not fixed – it can be grown.
And so we want our children to leave Silsden Primary School with:
- strength in the Silsden Primary School 6Rs for Learning – resilience; responsibility; good social and learning relationships; resourcefulness and the ability to reflect and reason.
- confidence and enjoyment in reading, writing and maths
- a strong knowledge and understanding of the world around them and the desire to know more
- an appreciation of the lives of others – recognising that which we have in common and valuing difference
- the ability to grow from mistakes, have their ideas challenged and challenge the ideas of others
- an understanding that effort plus challenge equals success
- a positive attitude towards school and learning and a motivation to continue succeeding
Our Early Years and Foundation Stage Curriculum
Click here to see the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage
Click here to see Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
You can see an overview of the themes taught through the year in Nursery and Reception by clicking here
Our Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Curriculum
From Y1 to Y6, our children follow the 2014 National Curriculum. You can read or download the National Curriculum here.
Children’s learning is delivered through themes for each year group.
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Year 1 -You can see an overview of the themes taught throughout the year by clicking here.
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Year 2- You can see an overview of the themes taught throughout the year by clicking here.
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Key Stage 2 (Years3,4,5,6): You can see an overview of the KS2 Curriculum here
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Key Stage 2 (Years 3,4,5,6): You can see the KS2 English Curriculum here
Maths
We follow a ‘Mastery Approach’ to the teaching of maths. You can read a summary of this approach to Maths teaching here: https://www.ncetm.org.uk/resources/47230
You can see our Maths Curriculum for each year group here:
Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation
The National Curriculum lays out learning for each year group in spelling here.
We have taken the National Curriculum words that all children need to be able to spell and shared them by year group. Year 3 and Year 4 words are here. Year 5 and Year 6 words are here.
The National Curriculum lays out learning for each year group in Grammar and Punctuation here.
How do we assess how well our children are progressing in Reading, Writing and Maths?
At the end of Year 1, children have a Phonics Screening Check. This shows how well your child can use the phonics skills they have learned up to the end of Year 1 and to identify children who need extra phonics help.
At the end of Key Stage 1 (Y2) and Key Stage 2 (Y6), children are assessed in reading, writing, maths and Grammar-Spelling-Punctuation (KS2 only). The outcomes of these tests and teacher-assessments are shared with parents. The overall results for the school are published on our website.
From May 2020, children in Y4 will sit an online Multiplication Tables Check.
Maths Assessment
We have broken down the Maths Curriculum into a number of strands of maths learning. We have built an expectation for children’s learning for each year in each strand with two milestones along the way. We call these expectations ‘Key Performance Indicators’ – KPIs.
Children are assessed against each KPI at least a week after the lesson learning. The assessments are based on carefully selected questions or problems aimed to assess the child’s progress against each milestone of the KPI. Children complete these independently in their KPI Assessment Book and the teacher uses these responses to judge whether the child has met Milestone 1, 2 or the Year Expectation for that strand of learning.
Teachers make an overall assessment at the end of December, March and June each year so that progress comparisons can be made between classes and previous years. An overall judgement is made as to whether each child is working towards the expectation for the year group, securely at that expectation or at a deeper level. This is recorded on the school’s Itrack system and used to inform judgements about how well the children and the class are progressing. A small number of children will be working towards a lower year group expectation and they will have their progress recorded against this expectation.
Writing Assessment
We have established a clear expectation for writing for each year group – our Silsden Primary School Writing Record. At Key STage 2, the Record includes our ‘Essentials Threshold’ – the basic writing skills which children have to master in order to be working at the age-related expectation. Throughout the term, children’s independently-written pieces for a range of purposes are assessed against this Writing Record. The record establishes the ‘key issues’ the child needs to develop to improve their writing as well as more particular short-term targets for improvement. The child’s progress is recorded on the Record and used to ensure that each child is clear about the ‘big issues’ they are working on to improve their writing as well short-term targets.
Each December, March and June an overall judgement as to whether each child is working towards the expectation for the year group, securely at that age-related expectation or at a deeper level is made, recorded on the Itrack system and used to inform judgements about how well the children and the class are progressing. This judgement will be based on at least three independently written pieces of writing for a range of purposes. We are building our Silsden Writing Expectations Portfolio to exemplify what the standard of writing should be for each term in each cohort. This is moderated with neighbouring schools to build a secure picture of age-related expectation. A small number of children will be working towards a lower year group expectation and they will have their progress recorded against this expectation.
Spelling Assessment
The National Curriculum Spelling List has been broken down into a list for each year group. At Key Stage 2, children are ‘baseline assessed’ against this list early in September and then tested against the list in the whole School Spelling Bee in December, March and June.
Y3 and Y4 children (and older children still working at this level) are assessed against their knowledge of the 200 High Frequency Words until these words are secured – and their progress recorded by the class teacher.
Children who enter Key Stage 2 not having secured the Y1 Phonic Screener ‘pass’ and others who do not have a secure phonic knowledge continue to receive phonics teaching and are tested against the phonic screener until they are secure.
Grammar and Punctuation Assessment
At Key Stage 2, children’s knowledge and skills in Grammar and Punctuation are assessed on entry to each year group, December, March and June. These assessments are used to identify the next steps for learning for each child and inform judgements about how well the child and the class is progressing.
Grammar and Punctuation are assessed using the Rising Stars Grammar and Punctuation Test in Y3 and Y4, and past SATS papers in Y5 and Y6.
Handwriting Assessment
Each September, the class teacher assesses the children’s handwriting and establishes which children are not forming letters correctly and therefore developing their handwriting at the expected level. Most children will make good progress in handwriitng through regular handwriting lessons with the whole class but some children who are struggling to form letters correctly will need small group learning to get this right.
Reading Assessment
We have established a clear expectation for reading for each year group – our Silsden Primary School Reading Record.
Each week in Reading Development Time, children’s progress towards securing the skills in the Silsden Reading Record is assessed. These judgements are based on the child’s ability to independently read and respond to text.
In September, December, March and June, children from Y1 to Y5 sit the Progress in Reading Assessment (PiRA) test to measure their reading skills. Results are used to measure progress from the previous test and areas for development. Children in Y6 sit past Y6 Reading SAT papers in September, December and March for the same purpose with their final assessment in the May Reading SAT.
Each December, March and June the PiRA test result helps the teacher to make an overall judgement as to whether each child is working towards the expectation for the year group, securely at that expectation or at a deeper level and recorded on the school’s Itrack system and used to inform judgements about how well the children and the class are progressing. A small number of children will be working towards a lower year group expectation and they will have their progress recorded against this expectation.