Gridlink and Gridlink International School

YEARS 3-6 (AGES 7-11)

(UK KEY STAGE 2 CURRICULUM STUDIES)

Standard courses follow the UK national curriculum, which describes programmes of study and attainment targets for pupils in British schools. These programmes can be varied for pupils with special educational needs, and are given as a guide to the possibilities for individually-tailored courses.

English

Pupils' abilities will be developed across the range of Speaking and Listening, Reading, and Writing.

Multimedia projects and programmes will be used to assist, develop and assess Speaking and Listening skills. Pupils will be taught the key skills of careful listening, recall and re-presentation. Pupils will be encouraged to express themselves confidently and clearly in both spoken and written English.

Pupils will be encouraged to read for pleasure and interest, in variety.

Reading material will include -

A range of modern fiction by significant children's authors
Some long-established children's fiction
A range of modern poetry, and some classic poetry
Texts from a variety of cultures and traditions
Myths, legends and traditional stories.

Pupils will be encouraged to consider in detail the content and quality of texts, and to respond imaginatively to the plot, ideas, characters and language of their reading. They will be introduced to the structural features of different types of text, and discuss texts using terms such as author, setting, plot, format.

Pupils will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the structure, vocabulary and grammar of standard English. They will be taught research skills, including eg use of indexes, dictionaries and glossaries. They will be encouraged into a structured approach to building their vocabulary.

Pupils will be expected to produce both word-processed and hand-written work, and will be given the opportunity to use the characteristics of various forms of writing, eg narrative, dialogue, comment, argument, and gain experience in writing for varied audiences. Forms will include stories, poems, drama scripts, diaries and non-fiction, eg reports, instructions, explanations, letters. Experience of layout and presentation will include ways of using IT.

Pupils will be taught key writing skills including development of their work, ie planning, drafting, revision, proof-reading and presentation.

Punctuation, spelling and handwriting skills will be developed. Understanding of grammar of complex sentences will be developed, with linkage of clauses and phrases, and coherent sentence linking within paragraphs.

The aims at the end of Key Stage 3 are in summary:-

1. Speaking and listening.

Pupils talk and listen with confidence in a range of contexts, with talk adapted to the purpose, and careful attention in listening. In conversation they respond to the views and ideas of others. They begin to widen their vocabulary and use standard English in formal situations.

2. Reading.

Pupils show understanding of ideas, themes, events and characters over a range of texts, and begin to use inference and deduction. They refer to the text when explaining their views. They are able to locate and use information and ideas from a range of sources.

3. Writing.

Pupils' writing is interesting across a variety of forms, conveying information and ideas clearly. Writing shows a good use of vocabulary, with words selected precisely and for effect. Sentences, including complex sentences, are organised into paragraphs. Words with regular patterns are usually spelt correctly. A range of punctuation is used accurately. Handwriting is joined, clear and fluent.

Able pupils will hope to meet these targets. For less able pupils lesser targets will be appropriate.

Maths

Pupils' abilities will be developed across Using and Applying Mathematics, Number, Shape, Space and Measures, and Handling Data.

Computer programs will supplement text tutoring, and IT capability will be developed in pupils' study of maths.

In Using and Applying Mathematics pupils are given opportunities to apply maths to practical tasks and real life problems. Skills will be developed in selecting appropriate mathematical approaches to problems, the understanding of mathematical language and mathematical reasoning.

In Number pupils develop an understanding of whole numbers, basic decimals, fractions and percentages, place value, relationships between numbers and approximation. They will build on existing addition and subtraction skills, know multiplication facts up to 10x10 and develop methods for computation with whole numbers up to 100. Pupils will develop insights into the relationships between the four arithmetical operations. They will develop their use of calculators and computers and an understanding of when their use is appropriate.

In Shape, Space and Measures pupils will be introduced to geometrical properties and relationships, and their use in problem-solving. Computers will be used to create and transform shapes. Pupils will learn to describe shapes and movements and properties of 2D and 3D shapes. They will meet symmetry, translation, rotation and reflection, co-ordinates, right angles and degrees. Standard units of measurements of length, mass, capacity and time will be learnt and applied to practical situations, and pupils will be able to choose and use appropriate measuring instruments. They will learn to find areas and volumes by counting measures, the circumference of a circle and meet the ratio p.

In Handling Data they will be introduced to probability, the collection, representation and interpretation of data, including various table methods. IT will be used as a source of data and as a tool for representing data.

Science

Pupils' abilities will be developed across the themes of Scientific Enquiry, Science in Everyday Life, the Nature of Scientific Ideas, Communication and Health and Safety.

These themes will be explored across a range of attainment targets as follows.

They will study Experimental and Investigative Science and learn to plan experimental work, to obtain and consider evidence.

Topics of Life Processes and Living Things include -

Understanding that there are life processes common to animals and humans, and processes common to plants.
Human nutrition, circulation, movement, growth and reproduction and health.
Green plant growth and nutrition, and reproduction
That life is varied. Classification.
Living things and environment - adaptation, feeding relationships and micro-organisms.
Topics in Materials and Their Properties include -

Grouping and classifying materials - everyday materials, their properties, rocks and soil, solids liquids and gases.
Changing materials - mixtures, change by heating and cooling, water cycle, burning, reversible and non-reversible changes.
Separating mixtures - sieving, dissolving, filtering etc.

In Physical Processes pupils will study -

Electricity - simple circuits
Forces and Motion - Types of force, balanced and unbalanced forces.
Light and Sound - everyday effects - seeing, vibration and sound.
The Earth and beyond - the Sun, earth and Moon and periodic changes.

CD-Rom materials will be used to supplement text tutoring.

Pupils will be encouraged to use simple equipment to carry out experiments as part of their training in experimental and investigative science.

At the end of Key Stage 2 the aim is for pupils to achieve a facility in experimental and investigative science which allows them to recognise the need for fair tests, to select suitable equipment and method for their experimental work, and to recognise the need for safety. They make predictions where appropriate as to outcome, and carry out their practical work with appropriate precision.
Their results should be systematically recorded and presented.
They should be able to draw conclusions from their results.

Pupils will demonstrate an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the subject material covered in the other attainment targets.

History

Pupils will be taught about important episodes and developments in Britain's past, from Roman to modern times. Ancient civilisations and the history of other parts of the world will also be studied.

The study units will develop the following key elements -

Understanding of chronology
Range and depth of historical understanding
Interpreting history
The principles and methods of historical enquiry
Organising and communicating historical data.

Study units

1. Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Britain (with a depth study of one of these)
2. Life in Tudor Times
3. Victorian Britain OR Britain since 1930
4. Ancient Greece
5. An aspect of local history
6. A past non-European society (Ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia/Indus Valley/the Maya/Benin/the Aztecs)

CD-Roms are available to support the study units.

For distance learning students study unit 5 may be replaced with a shorter unit version, plus further study of a further non-native society.

Geography

The programme of study will cover investigation of places and themes, individual studies focusing on geographical questions, recognition of patterns of geographical data and geographical contexts.

Pupils will learn appropriate geographical terminology, and develop the ability to undertake local fieldwork, make and interpret plans and maps, use researched secondary sources and IT.

Places - pupils will learn to identify the main physical and human features which give localities their character, and to link environment and human activity. Contexts of town/region/country and locality links will be explored. Three localities will be studied in detail including comparison with the home region. Other localities will include one in Britain, one or more others in contrasting regions eg Africa, Asia, South America.

Specific themes will be investigated -

Rivers
Weather
Settlement
Environmental Change.

Use of CD-Rom material will supplement text tutorials.

Information Technology

IT topics and skills will be learnt as an integrated part of study of other subjects. This work will cover the skills of communicating and handling information.