At Chafyn Grove we offer a broad and balanced curriculum throughout the school, ensuring that all subjects are given an appropriate amount of curriculum time. We pride ourselves that there is no narrowing of this breadth in the main examination years (6 and 8). The commitment to generous timetabling of lessons in non-examined subjects reflects our determination to maintain a broad and balanced curriculum.
We aim to provide a curriculum that will foster and promote the pupils' intellectual, cultural, physical, social and emotional development and allow them to establish the skills and attitudes to become independent, life-long learners, equipped to operate effectively as citizens. Our curriculum is designed to be stimulating, to maximise pupils' achievement and to make learning an enjoyable experience.
Pupils develop their skills in the core subjects, with due weight being given to the development of linguistic and mathematical skills, to science and ICT, but they are also given scope to flourish in art, design, drama, music and sport.
They are encouraged to enjoy reading and to express themselves both in writing and in speech. They learn to apply their mathematical skills to solve problems and there is an emphasis on practical science.
All pupils from Year 2 - 8 have ICT lessons in the ICT suite, where they learn, not only to use a range of programs, but also to prepare presentations, take and edit films and to use the Internet safely for individual research and communication.
Languages
The importance of French and Latin to our vision of breadth is reflected in the generous allocation of lessons to both subjects in the senior part of the school - many of our pupils learn both Latin and Greek. French is taught from Year 1, Latin from Year 5 as well as a taster year of Spanish in that year.
Provision appropriate to different abilities
The subject matter and curriculum content is appropriate to the age of the pupils and is further tailored to meet the needs of individual pupils, according to their abilities. It is our mission to give all our pupils the opportunity to learn, make progress and to fulfil their potential. The most talented pupils are offered extension opportunities in class and in extra sessions, for example, in mathematics. Learning Support is offered to those who need help so they can access the curriculum. This may take the form of withdrawal for one-to-one support lessons with our specialist LS staff, in-class support, or more considerable support (paid for by the parents) if the need for a designated support teacher is identified by the SENCO or Ed Psych report. Learning targets for pupils receiving learning support are set for each subject so their goals are kept in focus. Pupils who have ESL are given language support lessons as appropriate from TEFL trained teachers and their curriculum is adapted according to their need. Pupils attempting scholarships will also receive individual attention, as it is required.
We retain some flexibility in the timetable to allow for the relative strengths of different forms or individuals, as we are anxious to ensure a curriculum that caters for the needs of all of our pupils. For example, if certain pupils need to receive more English or maths lessons, then they might reduce the amount of Latin lessons that they attend. At all times we are concerned about the individual.
Staffing
From Reception to Year 4, the children are largely taught all of the core and foundation subjects by their class teacher. In Years 3 and 4 there is scope for the delivery of science, geography, history and religious studies to be rotated between the class teachers, while we also introduce maths setting in Year 3. Specialist teachers offer the younger children expertise from an early age - they deliver music from Early Years, French and PE from Year 1, and Art from Year 2. From Year 5, specialist teachers deliver most subjects.
PSHE
Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is taught as a discrete subject in tutorial groups and is also embedded in other subjects such as science, sport, English and RS. Pupils learn about safety, health, the government, the law, how to be good citizens and to listen to, and to be tolerant of, people with opinions and beliefs that differ from their own. In Year 7 & 8, pupils are prepared for their future lives through the Leadership and Post CE programmes.
Physical education
Sport forms an important part of the educational experience for our pupils. All children receive specialist sports coaching and represent the school on a regular basis, whether playing in the A, B, C or even D team - in rugby, hockey, cricket, netball, rounders, tennis or squash. Coaching is differentiated according to the strengths of the pupil and we practise a 'sport for all' policy.
We also encourage participation in cross country running, athletics and other sports such as lacrosse or karate, through our activities programme. We feel that the fitness of the children is reflected in the classroom and all of our pupils are encouraged to participate in extra curricular sporting activities and coaching sessions, where appropriate.
Extra tuition in football is available for pupils from Year 2, while many pupils receive tennis and squash coaching from Year 1 - Y8.
Aesthetic and Creative education
Music and drama also play an important part in school life. Two thirds of pupils over the age of seven learn at least one instrument, and there are a large number of ensembles, orchestras and choirs practising on a regular basis. Informal and formal concerts give the children the confidence to perform in front of others, while each year group is given the opportunity to participate in a dramatic production in addition to their weekly drama lessons.
Art is particularly strong at Chafyn Grove; excellent facilities and a commitment to art in the community, keep this subject to the fore.
Activities Programme
Beyond the timetabled curriculum, there is a 70-minute activity session twice a week. These activities are designed to encourage either the learning of a new skill or the development of skills learnt elsewhere. We hope that the pupils will develop a genuine interest in and passion for an area that they might otherwise not encounter and we are anxious to maintain a balance between sporting, artistic, dramatic and other activities.
Activities in any term may include: Art, chess, drama, cycling proficiency, eco-warriors, cross-country, aerobics, karate, modelling, girls' club, mosaics, dressmaking, patchwork, kabaddi, cricket, orienteering, lacrosse, football, swimming, cookery, boat-making, crafts, cricket bats, athletics, classics club, news, video editing, magic, golf, mixed tag rugby, clay modelling, warhammer, Spanish, orchestra, trampolining, tennis, mixed hockey.