Science

We aim to children with the opportunity to develop their curiosity and build their foundations for understanding the world around them through varied and first-hand experiences and investigations. The curriculum aims to provide children with the range of skills and knowledge necessary to make an impact in their future lives.

Science provides opportunities to make observations within the local area of different scientific processes and identifying plants and animals. Observations can be made over a longer period of time for example with the change of seasons and comparison with living things. Within our science curriculum outdoor learning will be promoted. The Science curriculum builds on previously taught knowledge and skills which enables pupils to develop their understanding and apply relevant skills correctly.

Geography and History

It is our aim to continue to develop children's curiosity and passion for geography and history through well planned and sequenced lessons. Through our topic based approach we provide opportunities for children to delve into the past and develop an understanding of history and how the events of the past have an impact of our lives today. Through our Geography topics we aim for children to gain increasing competence and knowledge of the immediate world around them as well as understanding where they live and the differences and similarities of Kneilworth to other places across the globe. 

Art and Design

We aim to deliver a high-quality art and design curriculum that inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, develop their individual creativity, express their ideas and understanding and to work both individually and collaboratively with others. Each year group plans Art lessons as part of our wider topics often using those themes as the context for each project. Our aim is to ensure that children are confident approaching artwork, feel a strong sense of achievement, value the impact of art within our own lives and are able to reach their full potential.

Design and Technology 

Throughout their time at school, children experience a wide range of DT topics from designing and building balloon cars in Year 2 to making a fruit salad in Year 1. DT topics take our overarching topics as a context and use these to provide opportunities for children to develop their skills in designing, evaluating and making. 

Computing

We aim to prepare our learners for their future by giving them the opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for an ever-changing digital world. Our Computing curriculum focuses on a progression of skills in digital literacy, computer science, information technology and online safety to ensure that children become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. We use carefully selected units from the ‘Teach Computing’ scheme which has been built around an innovative progression framework where computing content has been organised into interconnected networks known as learning graphs. We deliver this scheme with confidence knowing that is has been curated by subject experts, using the latest pedagogical research and teacher feedback.

PSHE

We aim to nurture and foster the development of children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural values alongside promoting fundamental British Values. We deliver a variety of discrete lessons across the year with aim of supporting the development of responsible compassionate individuals and successful confident learners.

Alongside the discrete teaching, PSHE is woven through every aspect of the curriculum and indeed everything that we do at Thorns. We also have a dedicated assembly schedule that is centred on the themes being covered in PSHE and through our ENRICH award scheme we celebrate children who demonstrate our key school values.

The schemes we utilise for our PSHE are as follows:

Jigsaw PSHE - With strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health, Jigsaw 3-11 provides us with the material to deliver engaging and relevant PSHE within our whole-school approach. We deliver the Celebrating Difference, Healthy Me and Changing Me units. The content and progression within each of the units is mapped out and the skills are built upon in each unit.

Philosophy Circles + Sticky Questions – In Philosophy Circles, the facilitator usually asks the first question, so the discussion gets started faster. The children’s own questions are still important, but they emerge through discussion. Rather than stages, Philosophy Circles is built around three facilitation principles which run through the whole process. It makes it more fast-paced and versatile for use across the curriculum. Children will come home once a week with a ‘sticky question’. They wear this sticker on their jumper. These questions do not have a correct or incorrect response, rather they stimulate discussion and are thought provoking.

Protective Behaviours - Protective Behaviours is a framework for personal safety consisting of 2 Themes and 7 Strategies. It is a dynamic, confidence building, empowering approach that links safety with having adventures and taking risks.

This is focused around the idea that ‘we all have the right to feel safe’. Children are taught to recognise their warning signs, identify trusted individuals who they can talk to about ‘anything no matter how awful or how small’.

 

Please follow the links for more information.

https://www.thephilosophyman.com/about/philosophy-circles

https://www.protectivebehaviours.org/what-does-protective-behaviours-mean

 

Music

Through well planned and structured lessons, we aim for every child to develop a love of music and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

We utilise the Charanga scheme to deliver our music lessons. The learning within this Scheme is based on:

• Listening and Appraising

• Musical Activities — creating and exploring

• Singing, Playing Instruments and Performing

 

Religious Education (RE) 

Children have weekly RE lessons which follow the Warwickshire SACRE scheme. This involves children learning about Christianity as well as other key world religions