Stechford Primary School

English

My name is Miss Birch and I am Head of English at Stechford. At Stechford, we believe that every child should be confident in Reading and Writing by the end of Key Stage Two. We aim to foster a deep-love for reading by encouraging pupils to read a variety of genres and texts. We are also proud to offer a well - resourced library and language - rich classrooms. Additionally, we intend that children can read both fluently and for meaning whilst developing critical thinking skills.

A love of reading begins in the Early Years where pupils engage with initial sounds and phonics - based activities. This is then developed through using high - quality texts and quality first teaching in English lessons across the school. Vocabulary is enriched via explicit teaching in English lessons and across the wider curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to articulate their thoughts and feelings in a variety of spoken activities such as: hot seating and character thought tracking, as we believe that good speaking and listening skills are essential for every child to achieve their full potential.

At Stechford, we challenge pupils to become enthusiastic writers by exposing them to a variety of genres. We follow the ‘talk for writing’ process, as we encourage pupils to share their ideas through text analysis, role play, text - mapping and boxing-up. Pupils learn to write for purpose and effect by editing and evaluating their own work. We aim to foster a love of writing through building resilience through drafting, reflection and by engaging pupils through making links between literacy and the topics covered in that year group.

 

Computing  

I am Miss Din and I am the Computing Lead at Stechford Primary School. Computing is an essential skill that now underpins almost every part of life in society. Therefore, our children are taught computing with the aim of attaining confidence and fluency in accessing and using different aspects of computing, which they could apply to real life situations as they grow and develop.

Computing comprises three strands: Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Computer Science. Children complete computing-based projects that cover each strand. Through ‘Information Technology’, children learn to use a computer for functional purposes. They develop skills in researching, presenting and editing information through creating digital pieces of work, for example, reports and graphs. ‘Computer Science’ enables children to explore computer programming, including analysing, writing and debugging algorithms; develop computational thinking; and work collaboratively to improve their computer programmes. As children will be working with different software and technologies, as well as accessing various apps in their home life, ‘Digital Literacy’ is crucial in instilling a sense of responsibility in children to protect them from online harms. ‘Digital Literacy’ is embedded across our whole curriculum to facilitate an understanding of the types of harms that children may come across online, including cyber-bullying. Children are taught how to identify harms, report them and get support, in addition to protecting their online reputation and being kind online.

Through our computing work, we uphold our school motto: Challenge, Achieve, Resilience and Encourage (CARE). Children are challenged to solve problems and think creatively. Everyone is given supportive opportunities to achieve and take ownership of their projects. The processes of planning, creating, testing, evaluating and working collaboratively, develop resilience in children to accept feedback, solve problems and grow. Children are encouraged to express themselves and communicate digitally with a positive mindset.

 

Art

Hello, I am Miss Begum the Art and Design lead at Stechford Primary School. At our school, we envision Art and Design to stimulate creativity and imagination for all pupils. Art and Design is a vehicle that inspires children to express themselves and their understanding of the world with sensory, tactile and visual experiences. Art and Design is rich in culture and history, therefore closely linked with our school topics; offering a breadth of perspectives for our young learners. Children of all ages and abilities are challenged to experiment and create their own works by communicating what they see and feel through the exploration of colour, texture, pattern, line, form, space and different materials. Children are encouraged to explore the works of other artists and designers and think critically about how they have shaped history and the impact on contemporary life. Art and Design is great platform to celebrate children’s individuality and build resilience.

 

“D&T is designing and making something for someone for some purpose”

I’m Miss Oxley and I am the Design and Technology coordinator at Stechford Primary School.

In our school, we challenge our children with a creative and engaging curriculum. D&T gives children an opportunity to express themselves in a highly practical working environment. All of our D&T projects are either seasonal or are linked to other subjects across the curriculum. Each year group should complete three D&T projects every year, one of which is food-based.

Delivery of D&T lessons is concentrated into one to two weeks each term. This ensures class teachers and pupils can engage with the project in real time and pursue it with the same energy and focus that we hope they would bring to pursuits outside of school, such as their favourite hobby.

We want children to enjoy focusing on a D&T project. We also want them to learn the process of designing and making something for someone for some purpose. All projects follow this approach. In this way, every project encourages children to work systematically and develop the resilience they need to have a go at making useful things themselves at home.

During each D&T project, teachers will explicitly tell children the skills that they are developing. These are listed in the planning documents for each sequence of lessons. Through D&T projects, children strengthen vital skills such as time management and motivation when working to a deadline, and how to handle household tools safely.

Children also achieve a sense of pride, as they have a practical product for someone that serves a purpose, to take away at the end of each project.

 

Early Years

My name is Mrs Poonian and I am the Early Years Lead. Here at Stechford Primary School, we strive to provide an engaging and challenging curriculum, which reflects the needs and interests of our children.

We want our children to leave the Early Years Foundation Stage as happy and motivated learners who are ready for the next steps of their learning journey in Key Stage One.

We have high expectations of our children and treat each child as a unique individual, encouraging them to reach their full potential.

Above all, we want our children to feel happy, secure and safe. Praise and clear boundaries contribute to building confidence and resilience of our children.  We believe in praising effort and valuing the little steps that really make a difference to the children’s progress and self-esteem.

Our dedicated Early Years Practioners are key in providing the emotional environment that supports the children with their learning, ensuring they feel confident and independent, ready to try new things, reassured that adults can help them if necessary without taking over.

High quality interactions from our staff are key to our children’s progress.  It is when children are engaged in what they are doing, in that moment of curiosity, puzzlement, effort or interest that our skilful staff make a difference.  Our practitioners are always ready to listen, explain, demonstrate, question and push the next steps of the child’s learning that is appropriate to the individual child.

We also believe in working closely with parents to ensure that we can enable the best outcomes for our children.

Our Early Years curriculum aims to teach all children the skills and knowledge in order that they reach the seventeen Early Learning Goals described in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Our staff are highly skilled and confident with assessing necessary starting points based on quality baseline interactions. Staff know their children well and quickly recognise those who will need early intervention due to entering our setting with low starting points. They monitor who is and is not on track regularly, putting in appropriate catch up sessions for those children who need extra support. This also includes tailoring future planning to provide more opportunities for skill development and progress. Tapestry is used to record observations and is then shared with parents.

As many of our activities as possible are play-based, however there is also a need for some direct teacher-led activities to ensure all children gain essential knowledge and skills. When appropriate, activities are modelled, and priority is given to providing sufficient sustained periods of play with support and resources to allow children to repeat and practise their taught skill development.

Our engaging topic-based curriculum is language rich, enabling children to develop and extend their vocabulary and communication skills.  It provides opportunities to develop skills in critical thinking, exploring and reasoning, as well as help build strong relationships with their peers and adults.

We want every child to enjoy coming to school and are passionate to instil a love of learning in our children, which will follow them throughout the rest of their schooling here at Stechford.

 

Geography

Hello, I’m Mr Clay-Croome and I’m Geography Lead at Stechford. Here at Stechford we aim to inspire in our children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. We aim to extend our children’s knowledge and understanding of the world beyond their immediate neighbourhood and, indeed, beyond the United Kingdom. It’s our wish that they will develop an interest in diverse places and people and an understanding of the earth’s key physical and human processes. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject and therefore we seek to provide enquiry-based learning opportunities for our pupils.

 

History

I am Miss Shezadi and I am the History lead. At Stechford Primary School, we want our children to love History. Our aim is to provide a History curriculum that allows children to develop their knowledge and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. History at Stechford aims to be encouraging and achievable. Encouraging children to take part and think as historians, ask questions and think critically. Through well-structured and teaching of high-quality History lessons, children are prepared to achieve.

Our History curriculum covers topics which will engage children in their learning. Furthermore, cross curriculum links are made where possible to contextualise learning.

At Stechford, we designed the History curriculum with the intent that our children will:

• Develop a sense of chronological understanding and make links between different historical periods
• Be aware of the actions of important people in history and significant events in British History
• Learn about aspects of ancient history and their achievements
• Identify similarities and differences within a historical period and make links to other historical periods
• Use range of historical sources such as artefacts to ask and answer questions

 

Modern Foreign Langauge

As part of a broad, balanced curriculum at Stechford Primary School, we want our pupils to be able to communicate more effectively with others and understand what it is to be a global citizen. Learning a modern foreign language includes learning the importance of tolerance and understanding, which is crucial knowledge in today’s world.

Our French curriculum is based on a structured, step by step approach to learning phonics, vocabulary and grammar. We want our children have a brilliant time communicating in French in lessons and learning about a different culture through songs, stories, celebrations, sport, food, music, art and literature.

Mrs. J. O’Connor

 

Outdoors

I’m Mrs Precelton-Hall, the outdoor education lead. At Stechford Primary we teach outdoor learning so that children have the opportunity to develop a hands-on experience as we recognise that many of them do not get these opportunities outside school. We believe that the outdoors can be used in many cross curricular areas to enrich and enhance the children’s in-school learning experience. Our Outdoor learning takes place on our school grounds as well as the local allotment and surrounding parklands. Through outdoor learning pupils will develop their imagination, creativity and resilience through challenging activities and working in all weathers. We want the children to have the opportunity to be able to explore and learn outside throughout the year, experiencing the seasonal changes around them. Through exposure to the natural environment it will enable them to gain understanding and respect of nature and the world around us. They will get a chance to grow plants and vegetables and will have helped contribute to our local area and looking after the world around us.

 

Rights Respecting 

I am Miss Din and I am the Rights Respecting Lead at Stechford Primary School. We have achieved UNICEF’S Bronze Award for Rights Respecting Schools and our school is committed to upholding the rights of each child across all parts of their school life. Children’s rights are central to our school motto: Challenge, Achieve, Resilience, Encourage (CARE).

Children are taught about their rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children’s rights are an integral part of keeping children safe and healthy. They ensure that children are protected against harms and live a happy, wholesome and protected life where their wishes and voices are listened to and respected.

Through our rights respecting work, we enable children to identify, exercise and uphold their rights in a constructive manner. Children also develop an awareness of others around the world, who may not have the freedom or opportunity to enjoy all their rights. Such thought-provoking discussions challenge our children to develop a global understanding of children’s rights and inspire them to make the world a better place. Celebrating children’s rights in school through their academic work and wider curriculum skills, creates a sense of achievement. Children are encouraged to uphold their rights through their daily learning, high behaviour expectations, an ethos of kindness across the school and a safe environment in which to share concerns. Furthermore, our supportive approach develops children’s resilience by giving them opportunities to learn and grow, regardless of the challenge or problem. It is our aim that having a confident awareness of their rights will allow our children to be successful in all stages of their life.

 

Science

I am Mrs Roberts and I am the subject leader for Science at Stechford primary school.  Our curriculum is designed to engage all learners to prepare them for future learning encourage curiosity and questioning attitudes. Our aim is for all children to develop a lifelong love of Science, a strong understanding of the world around them as well as nurturing their sense of excitement and curiosity. Through our Science curriculum, we offer a range of opportunities to explore, so that the children are then able to develop their ideas and ways of working whilst acquiring specific skills to think scientifically. In doing so, we aim to provide children with the opportunities to ensure that the children gain a secure knowledge of scientific concepts.

During our Science lessons, scientific enquiry is at the heart of our teaching, with investigations and experiments embedded into each topic the children study.  These topics immerse children in scientific vocabulary and provide a broad and balanced curriculum. We focus on building up extended specialist vocabulary, enabling pupils to articulate scientific concepts. We ensure pupils build an awareness of potential risks when investigating. The topics are revisited and developed throughout, which then allows our children to build upon their prior knowledge and increase their enthusiasm. We take pride in our pupils developing independence, confidence and resilience.

 

SEN

As Inclusion Manager it is my role and pleasure to oversee the excellent provision we offer to every child with ‘additional needs’.  I believe that all children are entitled to the best start in life and that full access to the curriculum and wider school participation is an essential part of that.  At Stechford Primary we always ensure that every pupil’s needs are addressed as fully as we are able to and where we need support to ensure that is in place we are proactive in working with specialists.

Ensuring we meet the needs of every pupil with ‘additional needs’ can be through a variety of means, whether that is through accessible but challenging work in the classroom, a ‘safe space’ to retreat too, or specialist emotional support, we endeavour to ensure that children are calm and ready for the next stage of learning so that they can achieve.  Resilience is an essential skill for all children, and even more so for children who face wider challenges.  At Stechford, our entire staff teams’ excellent attitude towards inclusion drives the work they tirelessly do to ensure our children are fully supported through each step of their school journey and so building their resilience along the way.  

All children are encouraged to face challenges head on and every child in our school is valued, nurtured and encouraged to achieve these by our caring school community.

At Stechford we CARE about all our children.

Angela Rogers – Inclusion Manager.

 

RE

I am Hannah Mills and I have been the RE lead at Stechford Primary School for nearly 7 years. RE is an integral part of everyday life for many children, including here at Stechford Primary where many different cultures and faiths are represented among our students. In our school, we follow the Birmingham Agreed Syllabus which allows our students to both learn about different faiths as well as learning from different faiths. It follows a series of dispositions which are grouped together in clusters with overarching themes such as compassion, creativity or choice. The children learn about many different religions, belief systems and festivals which will hopefully allow them to develop an in-depth subject knowledge by the time they leave Stechford. In addition to dedicated RE sessions that follow our school curriculum, religious learning can also take place in assemblies which all pupils attend.

RE is an important part of the curriculum as it allows our students to build on their sense of identity and belonging, which helps them flourish within their communities and as citizens of a diverse society. At Stechford, we hope that our RE curriculum enables our students to develop respect for others, including people with different faiths and beliefs and help to challenge prejudice. Within our RE lessons, we seek to encourage empathy, generosity and compassion thus promoting pupils to consider their responsibilities to themselves and others and to explore how they might contribute to their community and the wider world.

 

RHE

My name is Mr Feasey and at Stechford our RHE (Relationships and Health Education) curriculum equips children with relevant and meaningful content, which is supported through a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. The RHE curriculum has been designed to support children’s development towards being healthy, productive and valued members of society through the teaching of Mental Health, Good Relationships, On Line Safety, Financial Sense, Responsibility, British Values and Resilience. The social and emotional aspects of teaching RHE develop the children’s understanding of self and promotes increased emotional intelligence. The key skills developed in RHE underpin all aspects of school life at Stechford Primary School and promote an environment where the pupils live healthy and fulfilled lives and give them the best chance of success and happiness in their future. The RHE curriculum not only support the teaching of statutory curriculum commitments but promote harmony and community cohesion. The pupils are prepared to view a range of opinions and attitudes, some of which may be conflicting, and to develop their own morals and values which support harmonious and content communities.    

 

Maths

My name is Mr Feasey and I believe that Mathematics has pride of place as a cornerstone of the Curriculum. It provides pupils with the essential skills to question and investigate the world around them. The skills developed traverse our curriculum and are essential in accessing and developing understanding in many curriculum areas. Maths is truly an international language, transcending borders and has been developed and enhanced by the important contributions of many cultures. At Stechford we believe Mathematics should provide the children the skills they need to thrive and grow and build the important qualities of problem solving, reasoning, perseverance and resilience.