The School Curriculum

The curriculum at Valewood is built around a particular topic or centre of interest taken from the appropriate section of the National Curriculum. We use as starting points ideas which are already within the children's experience and themes which will interest and stimulate them. Children at Valewood are active participants in the learning process. They plan, carry out investigations, choose suitable materials and media and learn to communicate in a variety of ways. By careful planning, the topics offered in the course of a year cover all aspects of the National Curriculum.

All children in classes 1 to 6 take and active role in daily Literacy and Numeracy lessons.
We believe in providing children with the basic skills they will need to reach their full potential.

Details of each year group's curriculum is issued to parents at the beginning of each term. This enables parents to become more involved in the work their children are doing by arranging family visits, borrowing library books and initiating discussion at home.

Record keeping and assessment ensures that children receive a broad and balanced experience. At various times during your child's primary education they will be assessed by their class teachers as to the progress they are making. In Year 2 and Year 6, these assessments will be backed up by standard tests and these results will be given to parents in the form of a written report.

Any parents wishing to see details of the National Curriculum, policies or schemes of work may come into school or see Mrs Rigby, who will arrange to photocopy documents for you.

At Valewood we believe in equal opportunities for all. Boys and girls have access to the full curriculum and to out of school activities. Children with learning difficulties are integrated into mainstream classes with extra support if necessary. Multi-cultural dimensions are included within the curriculum to prepare children for life in a culturally varied Britain.

Homework

Young children will often bring books home to read for themselves or for you to read to them. As they get older they may also bring work home or research information for a project. Children in years three, four and five have homework on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Children in Year six have homework on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We value your support with this work, but also appreciate that there are many other activities and interests for children to pursue outside of school. Please talk to the class teacher if you feel that your child is being asked to do too much.