Academic curriculum

In KS1 we aim for our curriculum to provide opportunities for all children to learn and to achieve. It develops an enjoyment of and commitment to learning as a means of encouraging and stimulating the best possible progress and the highest attainment for all the children. It aims to build on the children’s strengths, interests and experiences and develop their confidence to learn and work independently and collaboratively. It also aims to equip them with the essential learning skills and promote an enquiring mind and capacity to think rationally. In KS1 Your child will begin to develop knowledge, skills and understanding in the core and foundation subjects:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Topic
  • Greek
  • PSHE
  • ICT
  • Art
  • Music
  • PE

English

In Year 1 and Year 2, emphasis is placed upon promoting high standards of language and literacy through the four basic key elements of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Children have daily Literacy lessons which focus on equipping children with a strong command of the spoken and written word and develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. Strong emphasis is placed upon reading which we believe should be built to last and to enrich for a lifetime.

‘The journey of a lifetime begins with the turning of a page…’

- Rachael Anders

The main areas of focus for English are:

  • Spelling and Vocabulary
  • Phonics
  • Handwriting
  • Grammar and Punctuation
  • Writing Skills
  • Comprehension
  • Speaking and Listening

Maths

Our goal in Maths is to make our students appreciate the useful power and beauty of this key subject area. We follow the UK National Curriculum and through a variety of activities and methods, our students enjoy Maths daily and learn to develop patience and confidence when solving everyday problems. We use the White Rose Maths scheme which covers all areas of the curriculum, and this is supported with other resources such as ‘Inspire Maths’. Our approach to teaching means making sure all children have the same opportunities to learn and the support they need to fully grasp the various concepts taught.

We believe in making Maths fun for children and helping them to find enjoyment in number problems. We know that it is when children are engaged in learning and enjoying Maths, that deep learning happens.

Daily Maths lessons cover the following concepts:

  • Learn Its/CLIC
  • Number bonds
  • Place value
  • Addition/Subtraction
  • Multiplication/Division
  • Time
  • Fractions
  • Money
  • Date Handling
  • Shapes
  • Measurement: Capacity/Length/Temperature
  • Calendar
  • Problem Solving/Mastery

Greek

The main goal in KS1, is for children to acquire the language skills required, so that they can communicate in all aspects of the language, written or oral speech on the basis of the communicative approach of language in order to accomplish the follow learning objectives:

  • to read texts with fluency and expressiveness, to understand them and to express their opinion in terms of their content, their structural elements and form (code and decode texts).
  • to produce written speech in a variety of textual genres
  • students to critically control what they hear and express themselves with comfort, accuracy and clarity thus cultivating their critical awareness.
  • to recognise grammatical phenomena and apply them in written and oral speech and of course to understand the structure of language intuitively.
  • to write clearly, legibly and elegantly in fluent writing.

Topic

In KS1, children are taught Science, Geography and History through Topic lessons.  

In Science, children are taught to plan, predict and carry out simple experiments, understanding the need of a fair test. They begin to share their ideas and findings using scientific terminology and also with the use of simple tables and diagrams. Some of the topics taught in Science are:

  • Animals, including humans
  • Materials
  • Living Things and their Habitats
  • Plants

In Geography, children begin to learn about the world around them, the continents, Europe, the oceans, and Cyprus. They carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. They ask geographical questions about people, places and environments, and use geographical skills and resources. Some of the Geography topics taught are:

  • Globes
  • Mapping Skills and Weather
  • Local and international areas

In History children learn about events from the recent and more distant past by listening to and responding to stories. They also use sources of information to help them ask and answer questions. Some of the History topics taught are:

  • The Great Fire of London
  • The Stone Age
  • The history of Cyprus

ICT (Information and Communication Technology)

Children will have weekly Computing lessons which have been developed to focus on delivering computing through a flexible context, whilst providing links to other areas of the curriculum.

Children cover the following:

  • Microsoft Word
  • Power Point
  • Typing Skills
  • Gaming/Coding
  • Using Beebots
  • Research using child-friendly websites

Art

Art is used throughout the curriculum. In Art, our students are encouraged to use a range of materials and develop techniques creatively to design and make a variety of objects/pictures. They are also exposed to various artists and their work.

PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education)

Physical, Social and Health Education (PSHE) is now a statutory part of the curriculum which helps the children understand their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development as a facilitator to their cognitive development. Some of the PSHE topics covered are:

  • New Beginnings
  • Getting on and Falling out
  • Bullying
  • Going for Goals
  • Good to be Me
  • Relationships, and Changes

Music

Having in mind how music helps children build essential skills, express themselves, and grow daily in self-esteem and emotional well-being, KS1 music is an essential and exciting lesson for our children.  Year 1 and Year 2 students have music twice a week for 40 minutes (one lesson is in Greek) in the KS1 Music Room. During music, the children are exposed to plethora of fun, educational and inspiring activities including singing, listening, performing and composing.

Singing is part of our weekly routine; whether they sing alone or in small groups in unison or rounds, we focus on good singing which includes warm-ups, posture and breathing. The children are exposed to a variety of repertoire from around the world.

Listening is fundamental to musical understanding. Children have the opportunity to become familiar to a broad range of music, explore different cultures, become more knowledgeable and understand the elements of music and use more advance vocabulary to express their feelings and thoughts.

Performing is a valuable experience all children should acquire. Playing an active role in the learning process can lead to students experiencing greater gratification in learning. Throughout the year, our students are given many opportunities to perform for their classmates, teachers and family; they can perform individually during music lessons and assemblies or as a group during school events.

Composing is a creative process most children love being part of. Throughout the year, our students expand their imagination through improvisation, use of rhythm and pitch patterns as well as use of musical sound effects. Working in groups, they create their own graphic symbols to keep a record of their compositions. They also learn to read and write music notation. 

In Music children learn how important it is to work as an ensemble. They help each other and are happy to give and receive feedback from their teacher and classmates.

PE (Physical Education)

The Junior School curriculum is based on the British National Curriculum as well as Greek public-school guidelines.  Students in years 3- 6 have two PE lessons per week, one of which is taught in Greek.

 Our high-quality PE education curriculum inspires all pupils to experience, enjoy and excel in a wide range of physical activities and competitive sports.  We aim to provide opportunities for our students to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness.  For KS1 students, emphasis is placed on basic ball skills, throwing, catching and coordination through team games.