At Locking Stumps it is our aim to give all our children the chance to shine!

They are given wide-ranging experiences and opportunities to express themselves in every way. Their individual abilities and talents are recognised, fostered and developed, enabling them to achieve the very highest standards.

Our teaching ensures that every child is given equal attention suited to his or her individual needs. At all times our aim is the pursuit of personal excellence.

Lessons are structured and challenging and are supported by excellent resources in all areas of the curriculum. In addition many visitors enhance and enrich our children’s learning and add to our already exciting day-to-day curriculum. Targets and expectations are high.

Following the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy all our children enjoy an hourlong Maths lesson every day which introduces them to an understanding of maths in a variety of ways to make it both meaningful and enjoyable. They are encouraged to use and develop a variety of strategies- both mental and written – and to recognise the importance of maths in our everyday lives.

At Locking Stumps we encourage our children to develop a love and understanding of language in all its many forms. In English our children follow the structure and schemes of work from the National Literacy Strategy. This provides them with opportunities to study and explore a wide range of genres, both fiction and non-fiction. A rigorous programme of phonics is taught throughout the school. There are also opportunities for further guided reading and writing in all our subjects.

We place great emphasis on developing the links between reading and writing and our children’s independent writing evolves from shared reading texts. Our reading policy encourages our children to develop a love of reading and enjoy books with their friends, parents and teachers.

Modern Foreign Language All our children learn French. In Key Stage 1 children take part in a number of French lessons that fit into their topic work. During our weekly French lessons our Key Stage 2 children enjoy the opportunity to learn another language. The lessons introduce the basic skills of conversation as well as an ever increasing vocabulary of French words and phrases.

Children are given many opportunities to practise their skills in different contexts - all fun - and, as with all our lessons, catering for a wide range of learning styles.

Our Personal, Social And Health Education (PSHE) programmes reinforce and support parents in preparing their children for growing up.We teach about the nature and value of personal relationships and issues promoting citizenship.

Our PSHE lessons take place each fortnight. Each PSHE group has children from Reception to Year 6, providing a valuable opportunity for children from different classes and ages to get together to discuss important issues.

Relevant social issues such as drug awareness, diversity and the importance of a healthy lifestyle become an integral and important part of our children’s learning. Our aim is to develop in our children a positive self-image, confidence and high self-esteem and recognition that our society includes everybody, thus developing an awareness of their own social responsibilities.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) impacts on everyone.We strive to equip our children with the skills and knowledge and therefore the capability to maximise the full potential of ICT. This, in turn, enables them to explore, analyse, exchange and present a wide range of information with confidence.

All subjects across the curriculum are enhanced and brought to life by the use of our Interactive Whiteboards, which are present in every class. In terms of hardware, Locking Stumps is a particularly well-equipped school.We are committed to constantly reviewing and updating our resources and skills in order to keep abreast of new developments in an ever-changing technological world.

Our topics bring together other areas of our curriculum, including Science, Geography, History, Art, Design Technology and Religious Education. Our children study a series of topics that follow a two-year rolling programme. Each topic is based on one of the Foundation subjects thus ensuring coverage across a two-year period.

In Science our children are given opportunities to ask questions, to explore and investigate their world, helping them to acquire scientific knowledge, understanding and skills. Their investigations and experiences enable them to plan, predict, hypothesise, observe and measure and draw conclusions. Through science they can experience the challenge and excitement of discovery. The children will also have the opportunity to use ICT for research and the presentation of data.We have a variety of excellent resources within school closely tailored to our curriculum.

Our children study Geography on an increasing scale of complexity from local to global. They learn about their immediate surroundings, construct simple maps, find out about a contrasting locality from the wider world, learn the basics of British geography, recognise physical features in the landscape and begin to use maps, globes, atlases and ICT resources to develop geographical skills.

It is essential that our children understand and appreciate History in order that they recognise the role the past has to play in shaping the present and the future.

The development of historical skills is fundamental to our children’s learning. There is a structured programme throughout the school where learning is encouraged through the use of a wide range of primary and secondary sources.

Through studies of significant periods of British history and Ancient civilisations our children develop historical skills and gain a knowledge and understanding of peoples and places of the past.

Painting, printing, collage, textiles and construction work are amongst the many exciting Art techniques offered to our children.We aim to give them visual and tactile experiences in order to develop their appreciation of the richness and diversity of art and artists, past and present, far and wide. They will learn about the works of artists and artistic styles. They will be introduced to the arts, crafts and designs of such cultures as those of ancient Egypt, Africa, India and the Far East. There will be opportunities to work individually, in groups and sometimes on large-scale projects.

Our children’s innate creativity and sensitivity is nurtured and developed to help them to express and communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas.

We recognise that our children live in an increasingly technological age and every opportunity is provided to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills of Design and Technology.

Our design and technology-based topics stimulate the intellectual, innovative and creative abilities of our children.We foster learning through doing, which provides an excellent basis for enhancing and consolidating work in other areas of the curriculum. Our children develop their design and making skills using materials, tools, techniques and technological components. Through a variety of projects our children can produce twodimensional designs and are then able to turn these designs into three-dimensional models, artefacts and products.

Religious Education offers rich experiences with opportunities for our children to develop their own beliefs, values and ideals.We sensitively study and explore world religions and foster a respect for all people, their beliefs, cultures and lifestyles. Our assemblies are a shared occasion, a time of collective worship when the school comes together to establish a feeling of oneness.

Children whose parents do not wish them to participate in collective worship engage in learning activities appropriate to their needs.

We place great importance on our Physical Education programme to help develop fit and healthy children. We have an excellent playing field (for athletics, football, rounders and cricket), a large playground which doubles for an outdoor hard surface facility, a multi-use, all-weather games area and a large hall/gymnasium with ample modern gymnastic equipment and apparatus. The safety and security of our children is of paramount importance and all the above facilities have been provided with this in mind.

In addition, well-resourced physical education and small games equipment as well as an extensive range of extra-curricular activities, mean that our children will experience many differing opportunities during their time at Locking Stumps.

From Year 2 onwards all of our children have the opportunity to learn to swim and are encouraged to enjoy the water and feel safe in it.

During Music lessons our children are given wide and varied opportunities to compose and perform music and songs. They learn to listen to, and appreciate, the music of many different composers from other cultures and other times, and to understand many aspects of musical theory. Children also have the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments, such as violin, ‘cello, double bass and the keyboard.