Early Years, Years 1 - 3 (5 - 7 year olds)

Our Aims

• To provide a happy, safe and attractive environment in which everyone is made welcome. To offer the best educational opportunities for every child in a planned and stimulating way.
  
• To develop a caring supportive attitude between staff to work together as a team and to encourage staff to develop themselves professionally and personally.
  
• To establish a partnership with parents, family and community and to work together and support each other.
  
• To provide for equal opportunities and to develop a positive attitude to all members of the school.

Curriculum
Learning and Teaching

Teachers make both long and short term plans to ensure effective learning and teaching and progression throughout the school.

We aim to promote a classroom climate which encourages self-esteem and raises confidence in all pupils. Teachers adopt a flexible but structured approach to their teaching and employ various teaching methods depending on the nature of the particular lesson e.g. whole class teaching, individual and group activities. Teachers aim to meet the different needs and abilities of individual pupils and will decide which method ensures the most effective learning for all pupils.

English Language
We follow the 5-14 English Language Guidelines. Language includes talking, listening, reading and writing.

Reading
Year 1 are taught to read, write and spell using the Fast Phonics First Programme. Our first readers are taken from Soundstart and Oxford Reading Tree schemes. From short stories the children progress to longer stories and novels using a variety of material.

Many skills such as appreciation of the plot, characterisation, reading for a main idea and summaries are gradually developed. Children are also encouraged to read for an audience. Non-fiction and information skills are taught throughout the Early Years.

Writing
We use The North Lanarkshire Developing Writing Programme. This particular programme takes a strategic approach to the teaching of writing. It focuses on imaginative, personal and functional writing as outlined in the 5-14 guidelines.

Listening and Talking
These skills are considered of equal importance as reading and writing. The teachers will vary the teaching of these particular areas according to the age and ability of the children. Use is made of listening centres and PC as well as individual and group discussion.

Mathematics
Pupils will be following the programme of study outlined in "Mathematics 5-14". Problem Solving; Information Handling; Money and Measurement and Shape, Position and Movement form the basis of the learning and teaching in mathematics. Activity and experience in the use of materials play an important part in the teaching of new concepts and skills. The Maths course used is The New Scottish Heinemann Maths and Heinemann Interactive Mental Maths. From Year One all children are provided with a home / school Mental Maths pack.

Environmental Studies
As well as learning about aspects of our environment, each year's programme includes science, technology, historical, social and geographical studies. Our programme of study ensures balance of these subjects and a progression of skills each session using the 5-14 Guidelines as a basis.

In the Early Years, emphasis is on observation and the building of a basic vocabulary of the environment. Some of the topics covered are:My School,My Family, Houses and Homes, Healthy Eating, The Egyptians and Senses.

To enrich their study of these topics, pupils will take part in field study walks and visits. We make full use of the local environment (river, town, library etc) for these field studies and also travel to Edinburgh to visit attractions such as the Zoo and Museums.

Information Technology
I.T. is used to augment work in Maths and Language and the children have the use of the computer suite to learn the basic skills involved.

Expressive Arts
Each teacher plans his/her work so that children receive a well-balanced curriculum which will include the subjects Art, Drama, Music and Physical Education.

Art
Art is taught by Sarah Kettlewell. The children receive 1 hour each week. Much of this work is topic related.

Drama
Drama is also taught by Sarah Kettlewell. The children receive ½ hour each week. Some of this work is topic related and in the course of the year children take part in a play e.g. The Nativity, to which all parents and friends are invited.

Music
Music is taught by Kenny Hutchinson and Shinobn Scott. Each class receives ½ hour each week as well as an Early Years singing together session. Some of this work is related to the current work or topic.

Physical Education
The children are taught by John Paul Clark and they receive 45 minutes of P.E. each week. They are taught many areas including ball skills, dance, gymnastics and swimming.

Religious and Moral Education
Through RME, we hope to give children a greater understanding of the meaning of life. All pupils follow our programme, which is based on the 5-14 Religious and Moral Education guidelines. Topics will be centred on stories from Christianity and other major world religions; aspects of moral education, festivals and sacred writings of Christianity and other world religions, e.g. Gifts and Giving, Places of Worship, Births of important figures.

Weekly the Early Years join with the rest of the school for school assembly, known at Loretto as "Double". Each class has an opportunity to lead an assembly during the year. It is a lovely opportunity for all the children to be together.

Personal and Social Education and Health
The children follow a planned programme of work to take account of issues such as self-awareness, self esteem, interpersonal relationships, independence and interdependence. Circle time is a valuable aspect of this work when the whole Early Years community meet together to focus on their feelings. Participation in Circle Time enables children to have a sense of belonging to a group they can trust.

Support for Learning
Morag Reeves, our learning support teacher, supports learning in all curricular areas. She consults and works alongside the class teacher within the classroom.

Homework
We encourage all parents to support their children during homework activities to ensure it is done efficiently, thoroughly and regularly. All evidence shows that pupils who perform well in school tend to be pupils who are encouraged a lot at home.

Homework generally takes the form of reinforcement of reading and Maths activities. In Year Three spelling homework is introduced.

Reporting and Communication
Assessment of the child's ability in each curricular area is ongoing and at the end of each term a written report is issued to parents. Formal and informal assessments will be made throughout the year using assessment materials from the main Maths and Language courses. Teachers also use National Test materials in Reading, Writing and Maths, in accordance with the 5-14 Guidelines.

Parental consultations take place in October and June of each year. If you have any other concerns during the school year please do not hesitate to contact your class teacher, Head of Early Years or the Head of the Junior School.