Rationale

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

THE CURRICULUM, TIMETABLE AND RATIONALE AT KCS

IN YEARS 5 TO 8

PREFACE

At King's College School the curriculum is constantly kept under review. The Heads of Departments annually update and review Departmental Policies as well as Programmes of Study and Schemes of Work. This process is reviewed and monitored by the Deputy Head Academic. Underlying the curriculum is a principle of fulfilment and King's is by reputation a happy and relaxed school with a strong work ethic.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To provide a broad, balanced and well rounded education for pupils at KCS.
To challenge pupils to fulfil their abilities and encourage and promote academic, musical and sporting excellence as well as giving pupils opportunity to be involved in a variety of extra curricular activities.
To build a firm foundation providing the skills upon which pupils go forward to their senior schools.

Our curriculum embraces the Common Entrance and Independent Schools Scholarship syllabuses, as well as meeting the requirements laid down in the National Curriculum. Standards of literacy and numeracy are high at King's. While external examination success is the final goal, it would be a narrow view to see examinations as the only measure of success and throughout their lives at King's children are encouraged to develop a sense of achievement, enjoyment and attainment of potential in all subjects.

THE WEEKLY TIMETABLE

The timetable gives a strong allocation for all academic subjects with significant time allowed for the core subjects. Music is celebrated at King's not only by the allocation for class music but also by the facility for children to learn musical instruments in individual lessons and by joining chamber groups and orchestral sessions.

Children are also encouraged to progress in the performing arts with Drama lessons supported by extra-curricular Drama clubs and productions. Technology is given a high profile at KCS and all children spend a part of their week in lessons or in their free time, in the Wiles Technology Centre or in the Computer Room in St Martin's. Children's achievements in Art and Design are encouraged not only in lessons but also in extra-curricular clubs running in breaks and after school.

Considerable time is given to sport and physical education, supported by break practices and after school activities. For those children who require extra support in academic studies, the Learning Support Centre provides group sessions. Additionally there is the facility for individual lessons for some Dyslexic pupils, those who need Extra English support and those who are learning English as an alternative language (these additional lessons are paid for by parents in addition to school fees).

Pupils are given support in organising their very busy lives by an adequate allocation of form/tutor periods - these may be used as a time when children may catch up with unfinished work or read. PSHE and important matters of spiritual, social and cultural significance are addressed across the curriculum and in form periods and assemblies.

In years 5 - 8 extra curricular activities are provided as part of the timetable for one lesson each week. In addition children may attend the many clubs which run during breaks and after school. We encourage enrichment of the curriculum through outings, theatre trips, and field trips as well as visits of speakers and workshops. Tennis coaching is available as one of the optional sports activities; (this is an activity that is paid for by parents in addition to school fees). Many children are involved in school productions in addition to Drama and Music lessons.

Some key elements in the education provided at King's are:

A sound understanding of numeracy and the application of Mathematics. (Mathematics, Computing, Technology, Science)
A sound ability in literacy - an ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. (English, Drama and all subjects)
Enough familiarity with computers and other technology to retrieve and use information easily. (Information and Communication Technology across the Curriculum)
A thorough grounding in literature and in the social sciences. (English, History, Geography)
A knowledge of the physical sciences and the world environment. (Science, Geography)
A mastery of at least one foreign language and/or culture. (French, Latin, Classical Civilisation, German). (In the case of a few dyslexic children extra lessons in study skills and subject support replace lessons in a foreign language.)
An appreciation of the cultural heritage of Britain and Europe. (History, Music, Art)
A concern for physical health. (Form periods, Assemblies, Science, Sport, P.E.)
A sound understanding in moral education, citizenship and the law. (R.S., Form periods, Assemblies, History, English, Visiting Speakers)
A responsibility for the Environment. (Form periods, Assemblies, Science, Geography, Visiting speakers)
The ability to identify problems and to work creatively towards solutions. (Maths, Science, Technology - all subjects)

RATIONALE

Teaching and learning is a process of co-operative teamwork. We encourage children to question, valuing them as individuals and respecting their beliefs and thoughts; we expect them to show a similar respect for their peers, teachers, families and the wider community. In our teaching we encourage individuality of approach based on commonly agreed policies and the clear educational goals stated in the Departmental Policies/Programmes of Study/Schemes of Work.

At King's we attempt to provide children with an excellent education combining old skills and traditional approaches with the very best that modern education can offer. Each Head of Department is constantly reviewing and updating their own syllabus content, teaching methods and the recommendations of the National Curriculum. INSET training is provided for all staff at the beginning of each term and individual staff are encouraged to attend relevant courses to update their own skills and abilities. We have a highly qualified, well-informed and well-trained staff.

Each member of the Staff at King's pays particular regard to the self-esteem of each of the pupils in their charge and to the provision of equal opportunities within the classroom.

STREAMING AND SETTING

Streaming

Towards the end of each academic year the whole staff consider each year group and its pupils in relation to how they will be grouped for the forthcoming academic year. It is our current practice to stream the children in Years 6 and 7 into two groups. In deciding the placement for each child we use evidence of how they have performed in their work throughout the year, the level of achievement in end-of-year examinations and our collective professional judgement of how each individual would respond to the pace of work in either of the two streams. Since the evidence used for decisions on streaming is collected and processed after the summer examinations notice of each pupil's future class is necessarily informed to parents late in the Summer Term.

The Staff and Headmaster reserve the right to place each child in their teaching group and once a decision is made it is held to. However, constant monitoring of each child's achievements by Staff can result in movement of a pupil from one stream to another during the course of an academic year and in any event streaming is reconsidered at the end of each academic year. At the end of Year 7 children are streamed into three teaching groups.

The Scholarship group will work to a very high level of attainment and at a fast pace. It will consist of those pupils who the Staff and Headmaster can recommend for Academic Scholarships at senior schools, most of the examinations being taken between February and May. The other two groups follow programmes of study that prepare pupils for the Common Entrance examinations in June. One of these groups works at a steadier pace than the other but in both groups pupils are prepared for the examinations in the Summer Term.

Some pupils take entrance examinations to local senior schools (e.g. The Perse, The Leys) in February in Mathematics, English, and Science and in some cases French. An IQ test may also be given at these examinations. By following the Common Entrance syllabuses pupils are adequately prepared for these tests, but they are also given additional preparation for the Mathematics test in a time outside the normal timetable.

Settings

Early decisions are made as to the pace of work suitable for each child in Mathematics and French and these two subjects are 'block time-tabled' from the start of Year 5 in order to provide the opportunity for setting. Teaching staff consider the progress of each child and pupils are informed which set they will work in at the start of each term. 'Block time-tabling' provides fluidity between the groups and a child may be moved from one group to another at any time at the discretion of their teachers.

THE CURRICULUM

Individual departments have their own special aims and approaches given in Departmental Policies and detailed Schemes of work. These working documents may be viewed on request to the Heads of Departments or the Deputy Head Academic. The policies are kept under review by Heads of Departments and are updated regularly - at least annually. This is often undertaken during the long summer break and any information given may be subject to change.