A curriculum for the twenty-first century
We believe that a traditional education, with its emphasis on ‘the best that has been thought and said', has the power to release children from the limitations of their particular time and place, and lead them to realise their full potential.
Year by year our children acquire an increased understanding of the world they live in through the mastery of core knowledge in each subject.
We believe that a traditional education in the arts and sciences is important in itself. This approach produces well rounded children with a passion for learning that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Success in examinations is important and desirable but does not represent the whole of the NMS philosophy.
For many centuries, the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next has been organised through subjects. Language and literature unlock the door to the world's library; we view the universe through the lenses of science; geography tells us where we stand; maths provides the tools to count and quantify; and history invests us with the experiences of previous generations.
A traditional education is beneficial not just to children's intellectual development but also to their imagination and creativity. Our curriculum presents children with the literature, great music and works of art which have nourished the shared life of the mind in all previous generations.
English
Reading is the gateway to knowledge. Until a child can read fluently and independently, other areas of the curriculum must remain hard to access. We therefore place great emphasis on teaching children to read as early in their school careers as possible.
We teach reading by means of synthetic phonics, the traditional method of associating letters with sounds that has been proved to be the most effective way to teach children to read, including children with learning difficulties.
Our aim is to have all children reading independently by the end of Year 1. To achieve this we need the support of parents, who are asked to read to and with their children every day. We publish online reading lists, both for independent reading and for reading to children, broken down by age, to help parents to choose appropriate books. We are fortunate to be living at a time when children's literature is so rich and varied. Some of the modern authors on our lists have already achieved the status of classics. However, we feel it is also important to familiarise children with the traditional classics that have embedded themselves so deeply in our culture. Every child needs to go down the rabbit-hole and through the back of the wardrobe, and to know that the second star on the right points to Neverland.
Maths
Children will have opportunities to apply and develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding through a variety of classroom activities and, where appropriate, in other areas of the curriculum. In addition to our own schemes, commercial resources will be used as a source of ideas and guidelines to progression. Extension activities will also be provided when required. All mathematical equipment will be made easily available to the children. Children will be able to consider methods of recording their work for a variety of purposes such as presentation to the teacher, to the rest of the class, to the school or to parents.
To begin with, throughout Reception and Key Stage 1, all children are given opportunities for:
- practical activities;
- problem solving;
- mathematical investigations;
- individual and whole class discussions and activities;
- using ICT where appropriate;
- learning through mathematical games.
We recognise that within each class there will be pupils of widely differing mathematical aptitudes and aim to provide suitable learning opportunities for each of them by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. Classroom assistants will be used to support both the most and least able so that appropriate work can be employed to match the needs of each individual child.
As a pupil moves through Key Stage 2 towards Year 6, our aim is to develop the following essential mathematical skills:
- the ability to perform mental arithmetic calculations;
- the ability to carry out calculations without the use of a calculator;
- the ability to use mathematical instruments accurately;
- the ability to use mathematical techniques and procedures;
- the ability to apply the mathematical procedures to practical situations;
- the ability to develop logical argument to reach a conclusion.
Above all, we believe it is important that all children should enjoy Mathematics and study it with confidence and a sense of achievement and fun. ‘Can you do addition?' the White Queen asked. ‘What's one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one?' ‘I don't know,' said Alice. ‘I lost count.'
Science
We see science as an essential discipline for young children, and we seek to teach them the essentials of biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy. They need to understand the workings of a variety of modern day gadgets, as well as the key ideas in science which have been established over the last 300 years. Our emphasis is on building a clear factual understanding of everyday phenomena, combined with experimental work to stimulate children's enjoyment of the natural world. Our aim is to leave children with a sound basis for a subsequent study of separate sciences at GCSE.
History
Understanding the history of Britain, Europe and to a lesser extent the world is vital if children are to appreciate the nature of the free and open society they are living in. Understanding the modern world is very difficult if the past is a closed book, and we believe that the best way to teach children about history is to treat the subject as a chronological narrative. Beginning with the Ancient Egyptians in Year 2, we work through to World War II by the end of Year 6, teaching about each period in a manner appropriate to the child's age.
Modern languages
We introduce pupils to spoken French at an early stage, familiarising them with basic vocabulary and good pronunciation. We will build up their ability to form simple sentences through an informal approach that will include question and answer games, nursery rhymes, and songs.
Extra-Curricular Activities
From the early years, children at the New Model School will be introduced to a range of stimulating creative activities, such as painting, craft, music and drama. During each school day there will also be opportunities for the children to enjoy fresh air and exercise, as well as time for free play.
Do you teach the National Curriculum?
We are often asked how our curriculum relates to the National Curriculum. Whilst we subscribe to the underlying principles of the National Curriculum, and believe that it contains some good things, the NMS curriculum aims to be both broader and deeper. Furthermore, we believe strongly that teachers are professional people who should be trusted to do the best for the children in their care. Whilst the NMS curriculum specifies goals, we rely on the skills, creativity and idealism of our teachers to achieve those goals in whatever way is best suited to the needs of the children in front of them.
Can you guarantee my child entry to the school of my choice?
Parents who have definite ideas about the secondary schools they wish their children to attend sometimes ask if attendance at a New Model School at primary level will guarantee entry into a particular secondary school. As our entry policy is non-selective, and as some leading independent schools operate a rigorously selective policy, we cannot guarantee entry to any particular school. However, we do aim to ensure that by the time they leave us, children will be prepared for whatever the best secondary school would be for them.