English

At Key Stage 2 our aims and objectives in the areas of:-

SPEAKING AND LISTENING, READING and WRITING are:

• To enable the children to express themselves clearly using standard spoken English.  The children are encouraged to listen attentively to others and value their opinions, as well as learning to concentrate on and carry out instructions.
• To encourage the children to read fluently, confidently and with understanding.  We hope that this will foster an enjoyment of reading throughout their lives.
• To encourage the children to be aware of the fact that we write in different ways for different purposes and to become confident, independent writers.In addition, their handwriting needs to be legible and spelling and punctuation used correctly.

ENGLISH – YEAR 3

 Year 3 follows the programme of study for Key Stage 2 National Curriculum English in the three Attainment Targets.

A.T.1   –           Speaking and Listening

A.T.2   –           Reading

A.T.3   –           Writing

Speaking and Listening

• Listening to poetry
• Learning by heart and reciting poetry
• Listening to short stories read by the teacher
• Reading aloud
• Recounting events and expressing opinions
• Preparing a presentation to the class and other audiences
• Discussion of issues in groups

Reading

• Whole class reading from three of the following books:
• Harriet’s Hare, George’s Marvellous Medicine, Harry the Poisonous Centipede,
• The Iron Man, Charlotte’s Webb
• Choices from a range of fiction and non-fiction texts in the School Library
• Descriptions, poetry, plays, information texts etc

Writing (for a variety of audiences)

• Formal comprehension
• Imaginative/creative writing
• Book reviews
• Personal and formal letter writing
• Giving instructions
• Argumentative/persuasive writing
• Poetry
• Conversation
• Play scripts
• Writing reports

There will be constant reinforcement of grammar and punctuation.

Spelling and Handwriting

Spellings are set each week and tested on Fridays

Handwriting is practised regularly and once a child is writing in a comfortable, flowing style, they will be able to use an ink pen (usually in the final term of Year 3)

French

Pupils are taught French from Kindergarten to Year 6 by our native French teacher.

We also run a language club where the children learn Spanish or are able to consolidate their study of French.

Art

All our children participate in art and craft activities where they can develop their powers of observation, technical skill, presentation and creativity.

Drama

Children are encouraged to take part in a variety of dramatic activities to develop their imaginations and creativity. All pupils have the opportunity to participate in plays, recitals and seasonal performances as well as to lead school assemblies. Dance is taught by a specialist.

Music

Music is an integral part of the curriculum and each child is encouraged to participate in music making, whether it be in the choir, musical groups or by taking individual lessons from a team of experienced and dedicated professional peripatetic teachers. Many are encouraged to enter for the Associated Boards of Music examinations. Concerts and recitals take place throughout the year.

For details of forthcoming exhibitions, plays and concerts, have a look at our calendar.

Sport

At Breaside, we encourage healthy competition in PE and Sports offering fixtures against other schools and the teaching and practising of skills in lessons. We consider sport to be an integral part of education and development.

A full calendar is published at the start of each term which contains a full programme of matches and tournaments against other schools at many of the different age groups and levels of competition. In all areas of sport, a sense of fair play and team spirit are encouraged as well as a healthy desire to win fairly and to lose graciously.

Our Sports Days are held in the summer term to which all parents are invited. As well as making full use of our own facilities, the school also has use of the local cricket club http://www.bromleycricketclub.org.uk/ for lessons and where some of our fixtures are played against other schools

Mathematics

Introduction

At Breaside Preparatory School the teaching of Mathematics reflects the enormous depth and brevity of the subject.  The dedicated Mathematics staff at the school provide challenging work that reflects the high standards that our children achieve in Mathematics.

The National Numeracy Strategy

Breaside Preparatory School is guided by the National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) to a large degree.  A high priority is placed upon the development of basic skills at Breaside.  We devote at least five hours of teaching time per week to the development of mathematical skills and understanding.

The NNS defines numeracy and the characteristics of the “numerate pupil” on p.4, Section 1. We accept those definitions and share the view expounded in the NNS of the factors that pronounce high standards in numeracy (pp.4-5)

Breaside has naturally developed its own approach to the teaching of Mathematics and we have thus selected the resources that we feel are best suited to our purpose, taking into account particular local conditions which might influence the organisation and pace of our curriculum.

The NNS is an extremely detailed and practical document.  The broad framework is helpful in ensuring the balanced coverage of the Attainment Targets for Mathematics at Breaside – Number, Shape, Space and Measures: Handling Data.

It is important to understand that no separate programme of study is defined for ssing and applying Mathematics, as it should pervade each of the three Attainment Targets.

The Breaside Mathematics Curriculum achieves all of the requirements of the NNS and indeeds goes further – it comprehensively ensures that all pupils experience and develop an ability to apply their aquired skills and knowledge appropriately to a variety of mathematical situations.

Breaside serves the needs of a particular community and as such has its own approach to teaching and learning.  We are however guided and informed in our approach by the ‘Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage’, by the National Curriculum orders for Key Stage 1 and 2  and by the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.  We enter our pupils for National Curriculum Key Stage 2 SATs and Key Stage 1 SATs therefore, we ensure thorough coverage of the knowledge, skills and understanding required for those tests.

A broad range of ability is evident amongst our pupils at Breaside.  There will be those pupils for whom the agreed expectations will be a considerable challenge, others whose achievements will take them beyond the general expectation.  Where it is approriate, work will be planned to differentiate (by task or by outcome) between pupils of varied ability.  At Breaside, differentiation is also planned through ‘grouping’ or ‘setting’ strategies.

Aims – Breaside Mathematics 

The Aims of our department include:

1. Recognition and understanding of the ways in which children acquire mathematical understanding.
2. Facilitation of the pupil’s Mathematical skills acquisition so that they are able to engage in practical activities, explorations and discussions to develop an understanding, knowledge of and love for Mathematics.
3. Coherence and continuity – to ensure that at each successive stage, skills and knowledge are consolidated and built upon.
4. Mathematics should be fun.  Mathematics is a creative discipline and should be used to ‘..understand and change the world’ (NNS)
5. We must help pupils (at particular stages) to develop appropriate examination ‘techniques’ and must provide opportunities for the practice of those techniques.

In summary our aim is to provide children with a comprehensive range of mental and written strategies, with mathematical understanding and with the ability to recognise, with confidence, the mathematics that must be applied to the solution of a variety of problems – a fusion of the mechanical and the creative.

More detailed information is available about each individual year group by clicking on the following links:

Year 3

National Curriculum guidelines for the teaching of Mathematics are followed, using the Heinemann Maths Scheme Level 4 and a wealth of independent resources. Cooperative work and a Problem Solving Approach is encouraged throughout Year 3 in order to develop the pupil’s knowledge and use of Mathematical Skills. The Year 3 curriculum follows the National Numeracy Strategy. Work is differentiated by task, so that children are working at their own levels of ability and pace. Extension and reinforcement work is given where necessary.

Mathematics equipment required:

• HE pencils
• sharpener
• eraser
• clear plastic 30cm ruler
• mathematics set including compass, protractor and set squares.

Attainment Targets

• Number
• Measure
• Shape and Handling Data

Key Objectives

• Daily mental maths tests
• Place value to 999
• Adding and subtracting hundreds, tens and units
• Revision of multiplication tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10
• Introduction of multiplication tables 6, 7, 8 and 9
• Multiplication using a calculator and multiplication patterns
• Division — sharing and grouping
• Division of tens and units by 2, 3, 4 and 5
• Money notation, coins, and problems up to £5.00
• Fractions and link with division
• Ordering and comparison of fractions
• Length, quarter metre, metres and centimetres
• Area, counting squares and half squares
• Area, square and half square centimetres
• Weight, grams, kilograms, and half kilograms
• Time – later and earlier, duration in hours and minutes
• Time – analogue and digital clocks
• Time – minutes past and minutes to, just before and just after
• Calendars and timetables
• Volume, litres and half litres
• 3D shape, shapes of faces, corners and edges
• Using grid references to read and plot locations
• One and two lines of symmetry
• Tiling, using triangles, squares, rectangles and hexagons
• Right angles, pathways, turning clockwise and anticlockwise
• 4 point and 8 point compass
• Handling data, extracting and organizing information
• Interpreting and drawing bar graphs and pictograms
• Survey, collecting, organizing and displaying data

Year 4

National Curriculum guidelines for the teaching of Mathematics are followed, using the Heinemann Maths Scheme Level 5 and a wealth of independent resources. Cooperative work and a Problem Solving Approach is encouraged throughout Year 4 in order to develop the pupil’s knowledge and use of Mathematical Skills. The Year 4 curriculum follows the National Numeracy Strategy. Work is differentiated by task, so that children are working at their own levels of ability and pace. Extension and reinforcement work is given where necessary.

Mathematics equipment required:

• JIB pencils
• sharpener
• eraser
• clear plastic 30cm ruler
• mathematics set including compass, protractor and set squares

Attainment Targets

• Number
• Space and Shape
• Data Handling

Key Objectives

• Daily mental maths tests
• Place value to 9999
• Add, subtract, multiply and divide to 1000
• Money problems up to £20.00
• Fractions and equivalent fractions
• Decimal fractions, add subtract, multiply and divide up to 9 and
  rules for multiply and divide by 10
• Use Distributive law for multiplying by 11 to 19 and
  multiplication by multiples of 10
• Time, am and pm, calendars and timetables
• Meters and cms, number work and practical measurement
• Area, cm squared and half cm squared
• Weight, grams and kilograms, number work and practical work
• Volume, litres and ml, number work and practical work
• Coordinates and grids
• Symmetry and mirror images, pattern work in connection
• Tilings, hexagons, kites and other shapes

Year 5

National Curriculum guidelines for the teaching of Mathematics are followed, using the Heinemann Maths Scheme Level 6 and a wealth of independent resources. Cooperative work and a Problem Solving Approach is encouraged throughout Year 5 in order to develop the pupil’s knowledge and use of Mathematical Skills. The Year 5 curriculum follows the National Numeracy Strategy. Work is differentiated by task, so that children are working at their own levels of ability and pace. Extension and reinforcement work is given where necessary.

Mathematics Equipment required:

• HB pencils
• sharpener
• clear plastic 30cm ruler
• eraser
• mathematics set including compass, protractor and set squares

Attainment Targets

• Number and the number system
• Calculations
• Solving Problems
• Handling Data
• Measures, shape and space

Key Objectives

• Multiply and divide any positive integer up to 10000 by 10 or 100 and understand the effect
• Order a given set of positive and negative integers
• Use decimal notation for tenths and hundredths
• Round a number with one or two decimal places to the nearest integer
• Relate fractions to division and to their decimal representations
• Use decimal notation for tenths and hundredths
• Round a number with one or two decimal places to the nearest integer
• Relate fractions to their decimal representations
• Calculate mentally a difference such as 8006 – 2993
• Carry out column addition and subtraction of positive integers less than 10000
• Know by heart all multiplication facts up to 10 x 10
• Carry out short multiplication and division of three-digits by a single-digit integer. Carry out long multiplication and division of two-digits by a two-digit integer
• Understand area measured in square centimeters (cm2), understand and use the formula in words ‘length x breadth’ for the area of a rectangle
• Recognize parallel and perpendicular lines and properties of rectangles
• Use all four operations to solve simple word problems involving number and quantities , including time, explaining methods and reasoning

Year 6

National Curriculum guidelines for the teaching of Mathematics are followed, using the Heinemann Maths Scheme Level 7 and a wealth of independent resources. Cooperative work and a Problem Solving Approach is encouraged throughout Year 6 in order to develop the pupil’s knowledge and use of Mathematical Skills. The Year 6 curriculum follows the National Numeracy Strategy. Work is differentiated by task, so that children are working at their own levels of ability and pace. Extension and reinforcement work is given where necessary.

Mathematics Equipment required:

• RB pencils
• sharpener
• clear plastic 30cm ruler
• eraser
• mathematics set including compass, protractor and set squares

Attainment Targets

• Number and the number system
• Calculations
• Solving Problems
• Handling Data
• Measures, shape and space

Key Objectives

• Multiply and divide decimals mentally by 10 or 100, and integers by 1000, and explain the effect
• Reduce a fraction to its simplest form by canceling common factors
• Use a fraction as an operator to find fractions of numbers or quantities
• Solve simple problems involving. Ratio and proportion
• Order a mixed set of numbers with up to three decimal places
• Understand percentage as the number of parts in every 100
• Find simple percentages of small whole-number quantities
• Extend written methods to column addition and subtraction of numbers involving decimals
• Derive quickly: Division facts corresponding to tables up to 10 x 10
• Extend written methods to: Short multiplication of numbers involving decimals; long multiplication of a three-digit by a two-digit integer; short division of numbers involving decimals
• Explain methods and reasoning
• Solve a problem by representing, extracting and interpreting data in tables, graphs, charts and diagrams, including those generated by a computer
• Use, read and write standard metric units (1cm, m, cm, mm, kg, g, mg, 1, ml, cl.), including their abbreviations, and relationships between unit
• Calculate the perimeter and area of simple compound shapes that can be split into rectangles
• Read and plot co-ordinates in all four quadrants
• Use a protractor to measure and draw acute and obtuse angles to the nearest degree
• Identify and use appropriate operations (including combinations of operations) to solve word problems involving numbers and quantities
• Explain methods and reasoning

Science

Introduction

Science is taught by a specialist teacher supported by a science technician in a dedicated, fully resourced vibrant classroom to pupils from Year 2 to Year 6. We have an interactive whiteboard, a dedicated set of i-pads and access to numerous and varied IT resources to support the teaching of science topics. We are keen to develop inquisitive minds and pupil’s practical skills and take an investigative approach to science topics wherever possible.

Science lessons also take place in outdoor areas within the school grounds and a number of student led projects take place throughout the year.

Aims 

Our main aims in teaching science at Breaside are:  

• To help the children to understand the world about them by learning about a wide range of living things, materials and physical phenomena.
• To show the children that Science is relevant to them and their everyday lives.
• To encourage the children to use and apply their scientific knowledge and their own ideas to explain events occurring around them.
• To develop their methods of scientific enquiry. Investigative work encourages teamwork, co-operation, communication skills, and originality of thought.
• Finally, we hope to stimulate pupils’ curiosity and sense of wonder when they explore the natural and the physical world.

The teaching of science

We follow the programmes of study for Key Stage 2 set out in the New National Curriculum Science.

Science is taught through a series of individual topics and is underpinned by knowledge and skills gained through working scientifically.

Working Scientifically in Years 3 and 4

Throughout Years 3 and 4 pupils will be given a wide variety of opportunities for working scientifically.  They will ask their own questions about the world around them and will start to decide how they can set up scientific enquiries to answer them. They will be given opportunities to group, sort, and classify items developing communication and justification skills.  Pupils will start to look for patterns and will decide on the type of data that is needed to identify these.  They will begin to make their own decisions on what observations to make, their frequency and what type of equipment is needed. Pupils will be gaining independence in measuring and recording their data and will be guided into drawing simple conclusions.  They will also start to decide if results may be erroneous, and what steps could be taken to improve an investigation.  The learning, spelling and appropriate use of scientific vocabulary will develop throughout the whole of Key Stage 2.

Year 3 Topics

• Light and shadows
• Keeping Healthy – diet, bones, muscles and movement
• Rocks, soils and fossils
• Forces and magnets
• Plants
• Outdoor studies – observation of changes to plants throughout the seasons

Year 4 Topics

• Sound
• Digestion, teeth and food chains
• Human Impact on the environment
• Solids, liquids, gases and changes of state
• Electricity
• Introduction to classification

 Working Scientifically in Years 5 and 6

During the upper Key Stage 2 years, pupils will further develop existing working scientifically skills.  They will become more systematic in asking questions and analysing relationships and will become confident in planning appropriate investigations to answer specific scientific questions.  Pupils will make their own decisions concerning frequency, duration and equipment for measurements, and will decide how to record data so that they can look for evidence that supports or refutes their ideas.  Our aim is for all pupils to be able to draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.  Relevant scientific language and illustrations are used to discuss, communicate and justify pupil’s scientific ideas, and we discuss how scientific ideas have developed and changed over time.

Year 5 Topics

• Life cycles
• Reproduction in plants and animals
• Forces
• Earth and space
• Properties and changing materials

Year 6 Topics

• Light
• The circulatory system
• Classification
• Evolution and inheritance
• Electricity

Religion, Philosophy and Ethics is taught across the school as a vital component in preparing our children for life in modern Britain by helping them to develop an in depth understanding of the different faiths and cultures which make up our diverse society. The two key aims of religious education at Breaside are to enable pupils to understand and reflect upon the religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, insights and experiences that are expressed in humanity’s search for meaning in life and to provide opportunities for pupils to explore and express their own responses and personal beliefs. Our curriculum is designed so that all pupils know and understand a range of religions and world views, have opportunities to express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of these and gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with them. Throughout the school, children are given the opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the six major world religions as well as navigating a selection of carefully crafted Philosophy and Ethics units; these promote an enquiry based approach to learning where children consider the value of their ideas and the ideas of others as well as gain the confidence to ask questions and learn through discussion and debate. Alongside its academic outcomes, our RPE curriculum encourages children to develop positive attitudes including empathy, tolerance, respect, commitment and a sense of appreciation and wonder for the world around them; all of which we at Breaside value as important personal characteristics.

PSHE – Breaside adopts a mindful approach to PSHE education and is a proud member of the Jigsaw scheme, a whole school approach to personal, social, health and economic education. From Foundation Stage to Year 6, our children are taught to understand and value who they are and how they fit in and contribute to the world around them. Each term, children participate in a range of age appropriate and tailored PSHE lessons, events and initiatives, each one designed to promote and embed the following units of study: Being Me in My World, Celebrating Differences, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships and Changing Me. The Jigsaw scheme aims to fully prepare children for contemporary life and is fully compliant with the 2020 statutory DfE guidance surrounding the teaching of relationships and health education. As such important issues including e-safety, bullying and positive self-image (amongst many others) are sensitively taught in a safe and supportive environment, where open and honest communication is both encouraged and valued. At Breaside, we also offer a comprehensive sex education programme which not only prepares children for life as a teenager, but also empowers them with the ability to make informed decisions about their bodies and personal lifestyle choices. As a result, our children leave Breaside as resilient, considerate, confident and optimistic young people who are very well prepared for the demands and challenges of the modern world. Please note that further details of our sex and relationships education and Jigsaw schemes of work can be found in our school policy.