Art & Design

We aim to provide opportunities for pupils to develop a degree of mastery over a range of hand tools and materials, ensuring work is produced in both two and three dimensions. We hope to balance the activity of making art and design with opportunities for pupils to reflect upon and discuss their own work and the work of others. We hope to develop our pupils' confidence in, value of and pleasure in art, craft and design. We aim to make our school environment visually stimulating and provide enrichment from books, different cultures, actual works of art and visits.

Geography

Local, National, European and World Geography will be covered in varying degrees of depth throughout the four years at CHJS. It will be taught in several ways to ensure skills are developed through field work and classroom activities and that teaching is relevant to our pupil's experiences, as well as ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum.

History

During their time at CHJS, the children will study a variety of history units, covering a wide range of historical experiences through visits, guest speakers and studying evidence. Varied teaching strategies will ensure that children develop an inquisitive and enquiring approach to historical issues, acquire the ability to use evidence imaginatively and understand that different interpretations of the past are possible.

Information and Communication Technology

Time in the I.C.T. Suite is timetabled for each class. Skills are introduced and developed and are important in their own right, although ICT is aimed at raising standards in other subjects and activities are relevant to topics being covered across the curriculum. All children have access to Dell PCs in the ICT suite as well as a range of software, including word-processing, databases, graphs and spreadsheets, drawing and painting programs and control simulation programs with models. All children have access to Interactive Whiteboards in their classrooms.

The ICT suite can be booked out for cross curricular lessons as well.

Literacy

The aims for English are clearly defined in the policy statements, which are available to parents, but can be seen in a shortened form on the Curriculum Aims sheet. They cover the development of listening and speaking, reading, writing, spelling and handwriting.

The National Literacy Strategy is in place and pupils are given many opportunities to express themselves, both orally and in writing. Reading is organised on a shared or group basis every day. We encourage our children to read for pleasure as well as for information. Many different types of writing are practised, for different purposes. Our pupils learn spellings weekly and these are taken from their work during the Literacy Hour and from word families. We expect a high standard of presentation and handwriting skills are practised as part of this process.

As English activities take up a large percentage of our time, it is essential that the planning is thorough at every level. To enable us to do this, many English activities are also practised through other subjects, such as reading for information in a topic, writing down a formal scientific experiment, or speaking and listening through history activities.

It is vital that our pupils’ progress is carefully monitored and recorded. All teachers keep detailed notes and marks are recorded from the child's work and assessments.

Drama

Drama, as an extension of other studies and a subject in its own right, is an essential aspect of the school's curriculum and is vital for the development of the 'whole person'. The children will have numerous opportunities to develop their talents and share their skills with others in a range of classroom and whole school activities.

Music

The Arts are held in high regard at C.H.J.S. and music is a vital part of that ethos. Every class has some time each week devoted to musical activities, which include singing, composing, listening and appreciating music from various cultures around the world. There are various instrumental opportunities available including keyboards and violins. Musical events include a Christmas and Summer Production, informal concerts as well as regular performances in class and school assemblies.

Mathematics

The aims for teaching mathematics are outlined in 'Castle Hill's Mathematics Policy’ and details of specific areas covered may be found in the National Curriculum Orders 2000 and the Numeracy Strategy, which we follow for mental work, main input and summaries. We use whole class direct teaching in our Maths groups. The National Numeracy Strategy Framework for planning is used alongside our own. Children use the Abacus mathematics scheme and Abacus, which will be extended with a variety of practical, oral, visual and written resources from other areas. Where possible, maths lessons begin with practical

activities and work towards 'investigation' activities. Children work in ability groups in order to enable reinforcement or extension of concepts where applicable.

Personal, Social and Health Education

The study of human development, relationships, responsibilities, 'Stranger Danger' issues, drug awareness, peer pressure, to name but a few examples are mainly covered throughout Science, Religious Education and Drama lessons.

Sex Education policy now dictates the teaching of SRE at Castle Hill Junior School.

We have close links with the local police, who are very supportive in helping us to deliver awareness opportunities. Our local police officer comes into school every half term to work with classes on different issues, to support work going on in the classroom.

Healthy Schools Initiative

In February 2002 CHJS began to work towards the National Healthy Schools standard the first part of this was successfully validated in October 2003. This is an important government initiative based on health and education authorities working together to;

"Promote health in its widest sense, including the emotional and physical well-being of all pupils and staff, as well as the community of which the school forms a part." (Healthy Schools Partnership Support Manual)

In spring 2006 we were successfully revalidated with particular focus on Healthy Eating, Sex Education and will be aiming to achieve Enhanced status by summer 2006.

Physical Education

An emphasis is placed on acquiring skills for a variety of team games. C.H.J.S. enters a variety of sporting competitions, which in the past have included football, netball and Tag Rugby. Swimming courses are available during Year 4.

Children must wear PE kit, which includes:

light blue T-shirt with the school crest;

dark blue shorts;

black plimsolls for hall work;

trainers for outdoor, winter sports;

navy tracksuit for outdoor sports in winter and/or

silver sweat shirt and jog pants;

PE bag (a small bag please).

Each class will be informed of their PE days early in the new term and kit should be brought in for those days, otherwise it should be kept at home.

More about Physical Education

Physical Education at Castle Hill Junior School aims to promote a healthy and active lifestyle and the development of positive attitudes through a range of safe and enjoyable physical activities.

During their time here, pupils will be involved in planning, performing and evaluating their own skills and concepts together with those of others, across various areas of activity in Physical Education and in communicating their own thoughts and ideas, using the correct technical language. Children are taught games, gymnastics, dance, athletics, outdoor adventurous activities and swimming in Year 4.

Castle Hill Junior School enters a variety of sporting competitions, which in the past have included football, basketball and Tag Rugby.

Children must wear PE kit, which includes:

Light blue T-shirt with the school crest;

Dark blue shorts;

Black plimsoles for hall work;

Trainers for outdoor, winter sports;

Navy tracksuit for outdoor sports in winter and/or

Silver sweat shirt and jog pants;

PE bag (a small bag please).

Each class will be informed of their PE days early in the new term and kit should be bought in on a Monday and taken home on a Friday for washing.

Clubs

Multisports Club – after school on a Monday.

Castle Hill Junior School was awarded a grant to run an Multisports Club. The club is run by Ludwig Leisure. There is an emphasis on a variety of game types including net games, invasion games and individual team games that are designed to be stimulating and fun for the pupils. Specifically, pupils have the opportunity to take part in traditional games such as uni-hockey, tennis and baseball as well as a mix of new games using different sport equipment and playing areas. The sports change every two weeks, continually providing a new focus and the chance to develop new skills and try new games.

Football – after school on a Thursday.

Each session lasts an hour and is generally split into three twenty minute activities. The first twenty minutes is spent warming up, the next twenty minutes is spent working on particular skills and the final twenty minutes is usually a mini football game so the children can put into practice the skills they have been practicing.

Huff and Puff -

This enables Year 6 children, along with children at the Castle Hill Infant School to participate in healthy activities during lunchtime and give them a purpose on the playground. The other aim of Huff and Puff is to encourage the children to organise their play together, using playground buddies.

Get Active Week

During this week the children took part in different physical activities each day including circuits, skipping and using a pedometer! In addition to this the children were asked to do 30 minutes physical activity at home, each day, for 5 days.

Sports day

On sports day the children take part in four different activities relay races in teams. Points then get allocated to the teams depending on what position they achieve. Children then get the opportunity to take part in a running race or an activity race e.g. hurdles, obstacles or potato race. The winning team is the team with the most points!

Friday Fun

A great end to the week! The children get the opportunity to choose one of five activities, which change each week. Previous activities have included.

· Tri Golf,

· Quilling,

· New age Curling,

· Card making

· Hip Hop dance

· Circuits

· Basketball,

· Drama Games

· Choir

Ludwig Leisure also run ‘Friday Fun Football’. Each session starts with a warm up activity then the children get the opportunity to play a game with advice from the Ludwig Leisure Team.

Religious Education and Collective Worship

The school follows the Hampshire Syllabus for RE, living difference and is non-denominational in character. Assemblies are an important part of school life and we hope all children will take part in them. The act of worship is incorporated into the Assembly and is largely Christian. If you wish to withdraw your child from either Religious Education or Assemblies, please inform the Headteacher in writing.

Science

Our policy for Science covers our aims in detail. In brief, we aim to develop within children a set of attitudes which will promote scientific knowledge and also scientific thinking, including open - mindedness, perseverance, objectivity and recognition of the importance of teamwork. Science is covered throughout the school in a topic based approach, within Y5 & Y6 it is taught within streamed classes. The Ginn Star Science Scheme is used which ensures continuity and progression for children of all ability levels. Some group work will enable teachers to have smaller working groups for this subject.

Technology

Technology is taught mainly through topic work although the teaching of specific skills or safe use of tools and equipment may be taught in a separate lesson. Technology builds on a variety of cross-curricular skills such as art, science, maths and ICT. The children perceive a need, plan and design a solution to the need, make and assess their design and finally review their achievement. They will work with a variety of flexible and non-flexible sheet materials, mouldable materials, electrical equipment, construction kits, levers, gears, foodstuffs and textiles.