8
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
All pupils take part in PE throughout the school. Across the Key Stages children experience
a programme of activities that includes gymnastics, games skills, dance, athletics and
swimming.
We have two playgrounds for sports use. Throughout the school year all children in Year 4
receive free swimming tuition at the local pool. Each class is taught by a member of the
pool’s team of instructors. In addition to developing basic strokes and distance awards they
develop knowledge of water safety and survival techniques. The children greatly enjoy this
activity and are entered into a programme of achievement that results in much progress
through the awarding of certificates and badges.
ART
Art and Design is concerned with the creative and aesthetic response to the things that we
can see and touch in our world. There are two strands to art education: creation and
evaluation. The creative element involves children using a variety of material and
equipment to represent objects realistically and imaginatively and to express their ideas
and feelings. Children will become familiar with a good range of media, including pencil,
paints, chalk and pastels, fabrics, clay, and other materials. They are taught art and design
skills from the Foundation Stage, and are encouraged to take a real pride in all their work.
We also teach the children to develop skills in evaluating their own work, and the work of
other artists, and to begin to understand the value and significance of art in society.
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
Design and Technology involves the creative application of the principles of science and art
to solve practical problems. The children are taught to plan, design and make products and
basic systems for a range of purposes, using a variety of materials and skills. As they
proceed they are taught to evaluate different qualities of the product, and to test the
quality of the finished product. They also learn to evaluate the impact of technology on
everyday life.
HUMANITIES
In history pupils consider how the past influences the present, what life was like in the past
and what influenced people's actions. Initially we focus upon the children’s own history
and the history of such things as toys and houses. Later we look at famous events in
history, for example, the Great Fire of London and the lives of famous historical characters
such as Florence Nightingale. During Key Stage Two we move to concentrating on distinct
periods of history including the Romans, Tudor England, the Victorians, the Ancient Greeks
and Egyptians. The children begin to develop some chronological framework for their
knowledge and learn the significance of certain events and people.
Geography encourages the children to consider the qualities of the natural and man-made
world. The children learn about places, people and the environment around the world, our
mutual dependence, and the need to conserve and protect our resources. Teaching focuses
first upon the immediate environment of school and home and then expands to draw
comparisons between our environment and contrasting environments both in the United
Kingdom and abroad. The children learn about the physical nature of the world and
features such as rivers, mountains and valleys. They also study some aspects of human
geography associated with settlements, transport and conservation. Sources of information
such as maps, aerial photographs, books, and the Internet are used to develop the skills of
