LEARNING AT KENT COLLEGE
Our curriculum is broad, balanced and geared towards the needs and learning patterns of children. All Maths and English lessons take place in the morning with the children getting a break to play in our idyllic grounds between those lessons to ensure they are bright, alert, and fresh.
After this the children study the more creative subjects along with Music and Sport to ensure that each day is full of different exciting challenges for them all, appropriate to their age and development.
Our Learning Strategies coordinator and her team of teachers and teaching assistants ensures that all children have appropriate access to our curriculum and wide range of opportunities.
ACADEMIC STRUCTURE
We believe that ‘Every Child is Unique’ and deserves the best possible start in life in order to fulfil their full potential. The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum leads to the National Curriculum (Key Stages 1 and 2), upon which the school bases its teaching and learning strategies. This structure offers a firm base for academic, creative and intellectual development, while our individualized programmes allow us to adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of each child.
From Pre-Reception to Year 6, the curriculum is designed around an academic morning and a creative afternoon. Children are bright, alert and fresh for their morning built around Literacy and Numeracy, before developing and applying these skills to a dynamic, experimental and creative afternoon where a variety of other specialist subjects are introduced.
Our basic school day is from 8:40 am to 16:00 pm however our extensive range of Early and Late Care facilities along with clubs and activities, enables us to provide care from 7:30 am – 18:30 pm each day.
ACCELERATED LEARNING
Central to the creative academic provision at Kent College Junior School is our accelerated learning programme. Maths and English are taught in the mornings for all children including Early Years in the form of numeracy and literacy.
The children are more alert and full of energy at this time and ready to embark on the accelerated learning programme that groups children in average class sizes of 16 according to their stage of development rather than age - this allows us to consolidate learning for those that need it or extend and accelerate learning by focusing on the needs of each individual child. Children can move groups throughout the year as it best suits their learning. The priority is for a child to be engaged, supported and stretched in equal measure.
Our Maths and English Mainstream Plus programme provide opportunities for additional targeted learning boosts for children with teachers. This develops the confidence of children maintaining momentum in a fun and supportive way without interrupting play or other subject areas.
HOMEWORK
Every child in Years 1-6 has a school Academic Diary in which they write down the tasks for homework. The diary is a vital home-school link. Parents of day pupils are asked to check and initial in the diary when homework is complete, and to write any comments or inform the class teacher of any homework issues.
Two English and two Maths homework tasks will be provided each week. This could be in the firm of a short 10- 25 minute exercise or a thinking task that extends the learning ready for your child to share the next day. Whenever possible, the homework will be reviewed at the beginning of the next lesson. The weekend can be reserved for reading and leisure!
Our children lead incredibly busy and action packed lives with many opting for our extensive Clubs and Activities programme that extends to 6pm. If your child is unable to complete the homework task, we do not want this to cause worry or anxiety, just let us know. We understand the balance a child needs to learn effectively but most importantly, be happy!
Our after-school Homework Club provides an opportunity for the children to complete any tasks before they get home, so precious time together with the family does not have to be interrupted by school work!
EFFORT MARKS GRADING SYSTEM
Effort marks are shared four times each term. All children are expected to aim for a ‘1’ in all subjects. Obviously, if we have any concerns we would discuss it with you in person.
The grades are awarded as follows:-
- Excellent approach to the subject at all times, contributes enthusiastically to discussions and always ensures that written work is completed to the best of their ability
- A very good approach to the subject at all times but could contribute more and show a little more care in written work
- Entirely satisfactory approach to the subject and lesson
- Does not work to the best of their ability without significant encouragement from the teacher
SUBJECTS
To learn more about the subjects in our curriculum, please expand the following detail.
| English |
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Literacy underpins so much of world that it is a vital skill for the children to acquire and develop so it has a central place in our learning experience. Children are encouraged to develop a love for words and a confidence in expressing themselves verbally and in their writing. This is done initially through individual programmes to inspire and then build the skills and strategies necessary to thrive. Lessons take place early when the children are fresh and alert, they are taught in ability appropriate accelerated groups as soon as they enter their maximum skill acquisition years and they are moved up groups as soon as our rigorous assessment programme recognises they are ready. Our class libraries complement our central library and ensure that children are given every opportunity to develop their reading skills. |
| Maths |
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Children study the Mathematics Enhancement Programme which has a cyclical approach to the subject and teaches the skills and procedures in an interrelated way, enabling the children to understand clearly what Maths is doing at each step. Our rigorous assessment programme and teaching based on acceleration enables us to move a child up a level as soon as they show they are ready for increased challenge. All Maths lessons take place in the morning at a time when the children are fresh, ready to be inspired and face a range of challenges varying in difficulty. |
| Science |
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Science is again taught by specialist teachers who encourage children to explore scientific aspects of our lives and develop a curiosity about our world. This is achieved in a very practical way with children experiencing awe and wonder as they discover more. We have a room developed to offer a full range of scientific activity to our children. |
| Music |
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Music is thriving in the school with all children receiving hands on, exciting lessons taught by specialists. Children are encouraged to learn musical instruments, with some leaning more than one. Singing flourishes with regular performance opportunities, children can join the school choir from Year Two and then in Year four they can audition for Choristers. |
| Sport |
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Sport is delivered daily to pupils in a positive and encouraging way by specialist teachers and highly talented Sports Coaches ensuring that every child has the opportunity to develop and thrive. Our programme is broad but the excellence of the staff enables all the children to benefit and extend their skill base. There are regular fixtures and where possible all children are involved, we offer tours to all pupils in years five and six and compete very successfully in the regional and national competitions. Our main sports are football, hockey, netball, cricket and athletics but our programme includes tennis, basketball, swimming, table tennis, gym, rugby for those children that are keen to extend their skills in these areas. |
| Drama |
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The children work on individual and group challenges that enable them to extend their range of performance skills. This will often involve presentations to smaller and larger audiences. |
| Art & Design |
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Art & Design is studied by all children within their curriculum, extended during the GREAT programme and supported by an exciting range of after school clubs. From Year three onwards this is taught by specialist teachers in specially developed facilities. This enables us to offer a comprehensive programme in this area. Excellence is encouraged and recognised by regular artist of the week awards and by displaying the children’s work prominently throughout the school. |
| Computing/ICT |
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It is crucial that our children develop an understanding of the digital world so they are taught these lessons by specialist teachers who use iPads and MacBooks to extend the children’s understanding and knowledge of what can be achieved in this area. These facilities are then available for all teachers to use to extend the children’s knowledge in a wide variety of subject areas. |
| History |
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Children are encouraged to explore our past through story telling, role play, visits and looking at artefacts. This engenders a desire and curiosity to find out more about our past which will eventually enable them to understand how our world is moulded by our past. |
| Geography |
| Children are encouraged to find out about our planet, how it has developed and how our world is today in a practical way often using our wonderful natural environment as a resource or our excellent ICT facilities to experience something virtually that may be too far for a visit! |
| Expressive Arts |
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All children receive a weekly lesson taught by a specialist teacher in Dance or Drama enabling them to extend their performing skills. For those that are particularly interested in this area of school life, they can also choose Drama for their GREAT option and enjoy a variety of after school activities and clubs in these areas. There are regular drama performances and dance shows that all children have the opportunity to join in with. |
| Religious Education |
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All children study a programme that is Christian based but enables them to explore other religions and faiths which helps them understand our world. This also encourages them to develop, empathy, understanding and make their own minds up about their beliefs as young adults. |
| MFL |
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All children enjoy lessons in French from Reception class taught by a language specialist. At the age of nine they embark on our accelerated MFL programme, where they will get a choice of languages and study the language of their choice four times a week. This accelerates their development at a time where their self esteem and self confidence is very high in our school. It means that many of these students will sit their GCSE in the language of their choice at the age of fourteen. |
| PSHEE |
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Our weekly PSHEE programme sees the children study an age related curriculum geared to prepare them for the next stage of their personal development and give them an understanding about our world. PSHEE underpins all aspects of school life and is a part of everything that we all do each day. |
