HISTORY
History is taught through themes and each topic begins with a ‘big bang’
e.g. the discovery of a sword in the school grounds. Pupils consider how the
past influences the present, what past societies were like, how these societies
organised their politics, and what beliefs and cultures influenced people’s
actions. As they do this, children develop a chronological framework for their
knowledge of significant events and people. Children will develop skills through
researching, sifting through evidence and engaging in active discussion - skills
that will prepare them for adult life.
Art plays a very important part in our curriculum. We are an Artsmark school
and children aim for the Arts award. We encourage the children to look at the
natural world closely and record their findings with observational work. We
believe it is vital to develop children’s creative skills and allow them to express
themselves in a different language other than words.
Music is a very important part of the Peckover ethos. Children work with
music across the curriculum having opportunities to appraise music and to
distinguish between composers and instruments when listening. They sing
regularly and perform frequently at school and in the community. There are
also opportunities for children in Key Stage 2 to receive lessons in playing brass
or woodwind instruments. These lessons are given by private music staff. There
is also a brass band and a choir.
We give all children the opportunity to learn a musical instrument from Key
Stage 2 upwards. During the Key Stage children will learn and develop ukulele
and piano/keyboard skills and learn to read music.
GEOGRAPHY
We use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our Geography lessons. We
use a mix of whole-class teaching and individual, paired and group activities. We
encourage children to ask as well as answer geographical questions.
We offer them the opportunity to use a variety of data, such as maps, statistics,
graphs, pictures, and aerial photographs, and we enable them to use ICT
in Geography lessons where this serves to enhance their learning. Children
take part in role-play and discussions, and they present reports to the rest
of the class. They engage in a wide variety of problem-solving and enquiry-
based research activities. Wherever possible, we involve the children in ‘real’
geographical activities, e.g. research of a local environmental problem or use of
the internet to investigate a current issue.
8-9
Prospectus
Throughout the year, every class has two hours of PE each week for a variety
of activities including gymnastics, dance, games, athletics, outdoor and
adventurous activities. All of Key Stage 2 swim regularly over the year.
During the year all children have the opportunity to be taught gymnastics by
a PE specialist teacher.
We teach German to Key Stage 2 children. We use a specialist teacher to provide
children with basic skills in a modern foreign language.
Arts
We have a computer suite with thirty computers linked to the internet. In
addition children have access to tablets in the classroom. The school has
interactive whiteboards in the group room and fourteen classrooms.
All children, with the support of their parents, are asked to sign internet safety
rules on admission and at Peckover we regularly reinforce internet safety
through information days and parental and child surveys.
We aim to develop the childrens’ scientific skills through first-hand experiences.
Children are encouraged to solve problems by making close observations,
planning, predicting, fair testing and recording their findings in a systematic way.
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GEOGRAPHY AND
HISTORY TOPICS ARE
INTEGRATED
INTO OUR SKILLS BASED
CURRICULUM.
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