At Irchester Community Primary School, we aim to inspire all children to reach their full social and educational potential by creating resilient and confident learners with a lifelong love of learning. Through an exciting and varied education in a caring and inclusive learning environment, the children will gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to become global citizens with high aspirations for the future.

Our curriculum aims for all pupils are -

• To understand the purpose of learning
• To have secure knowledge
• To have a values’ driven curriculum
• To gain knowledge of the wider world
• To have ambition for the future

Early Years Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage the children are taught to develop characteristics for effective learning: playing and exploring, active learning, plus creating and thinking critically.

The curriculum is organised around the three prime areas of learning and four specific areas of learning.

Prime areas of learning:

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development
• Communication and language

Specific areas of learning:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

The curriculum is delivered both indoors and outdoors.  Opportunities are provided for children to learn in a variety of ways, guided and independent.  We build on children’s prior knowledge, skills and understanding and ensure equality of access to all areas of learning in a high quality learning environment.

Key Stage 1 and 2

In Key Stages 1 and 2 we teach a curriculum based on knowledge, skill and understanding of the essential skills for learning and life: literacy, numeracy, ICT and personal and social skills.

These skills are applied through creative units of work that engage children in the study of the national curriculum subjects: Science, Art, Design Technology, History, Geography, Music, Physical Education, French and Religious Education.

These units of work are linked through an overall topic title incorporating the foundation subjects when appropriate, although some lessons may be taught as discrete units of work. The topics are based on a two year cycle to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum and County RE Policy.

Phonics and Reading

The children experience a wide and rich literacy experience. We regard learning to read as an essential skill for every child

From Foundation Stage onwards phonics is taught using the DfE accredited systematic synthetics phonics programme Monster Phonics (https://monsterphonics.com/).  To support reading development, we use a range of reading scheme books that are graded according to the development of phonetic knowledge.

Independent readers in Key Stage 2 move onto the accelerated reader scheme. Where reading scheme and library books are graded and have an on line quiz to be taken once the book has been read. Using information generated by the software, teachers help the children select books that are difficult enough to keep them challenged, but not too difficult to cause frustration. In addition, it helps them to monitor each child’s vocabulary growth, literacy skills development and reading skills. In addition, the children study high quality literature through units of work based on a class book.

All classes have a weekly library session with our trained school librarian. In addition to their reading book, all children take home a library book too.

Science specialism

Please refer to our Lab 13 menu option in the Home Page.

We are the only primary school in Northamptonshire to have a scientist in residence working in our own Lab_13.

Assessment

Every child’s progress through the national or EYFS curriculum is monitored against age appropriate national standards and expectations. We assess every child’s level of attainment against these standards every term and targets are set for all children to promote good progress. Key Stage 2 children are engaged in regular review of their learning through an assertive mentoring scheme which includes judgements on both academic achievement and attitudes to learning. These are discussed with the child and shared with the parents at consultation evenings.

Regular marking of children’s work identifies areas for improvement and ways children may achieve their learning targets. Children are then expected to work on the suggested improvements.

Online Learning

The school has a secure online learning platform which can be accessed via this website (MS TEAMS) using a password. Every class has a class page which includes additional curriculum information and access to online resources to support learning.

We take e-safety very seriously. At the start of each year children are taught an e-safety unit, sign the e-safety rules and have ‘alert’ buttons on their class pages. Parents can access useful support information using the ‘think you know’ web site.

Click here for the 'ThinkYouKnow' website

My maths is an online maths support programme through which the teacher sets lessons and activities for each child to complete at home or at school outside lesson time.

We make provision in school for those children who do not have the access to the internet at home.

Extra-curricular opportunities

We offer a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities; some provided free by staff, others by private providers.

A range of STEM clubs: e.g. science investigations in Lab 13, code club to learn computing and my maths club.

A diverse range of sports:  e.g. Gymnastics, Performing Arts, Basketball, Lego, and Games Clubs run by Northampton Town Football Club.

In year 4 all children have the opportunity to spend a term learning how to play an instrument. Peripatetic music teachers come into school to teach individual and group lessons on a range of instruments such as violin, guitar and piano. We have a very successful choir with over 50 members.

Home Learning

Children are encouraged right from the start, to do some home learning in partnership with parents.  This may take the form of sharing a book with an adult, learning to do a coat up, or learning new words and sounds.

Later on there will be reading, tables and word or spelling practice to do at home. We ask parents to help each child to have success in home learning by providing encouragement, support if necessary, and a suitable place to work. Children unable to complete work at home are given the opportunity to complete the work in school.

Class pages on the learning platform have a ‘homework help’ button for parents, offering guidance and support.