The Foundation Stage is the first part of the National Curriculum focussing on the distinct needs of children aged 3 to the end of the reception year in primary school. The Foundation Stage Curriculum is organised into the following six areas of learning:
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy
• Mathematical development
• The development of knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development
We have good links with our feeder nurseries and work hard to build on early achievements and ensure that each child reaches their potential at the end of the Foundation Stage.
The National Curriculum is a framework used by all maintained schools to ensure that teaching and learning is balanced and consistent. It sets out:
• The subjects taught
• The knowledge, skills and understanding required in each subject
• Standards or attainment targets in each subject that teachers can use to measure your child's progress and plan their future learning
• How your child's progress is assessed and reported
Key stage 1 is delivered in years 1 and 2. KS 2 starts at year 3 and continues to year 6. At the end of each key stage all children take SATS (statutory national tests) in the three core subjects - maths, english and science.
There are two main ways to deliver the national curriculum - being the subject approach, and the cross-curricular approach. At Tarporley the children will experience both methods of delivery. The subject approach - as it suggests, is the teaching of a particular subject more or less in isolation from other areas of the curriculum, whil;st the cross-curricular approach teaches a number of subjects using a theme or a topic as a central core.
The national curriculum is regularly reviewed and updated by the Government. Within the next three years all primary schools must incorporate teaching a modern foreign language. At Tarporley, anticipating this development, we have already introduced French into the curriculum.