Skylark Federation

Appleshaw St Peter's CofE Primary School

Class Overview

At Appleshaw our classes are organised as follows:
Willow Class - Year R
Beech Class - Year 1 and 2
Maple Class - Year 3 and 4
Oak Class - Year 5 and 6
 
Year R
Year R have their own curriculum centred around the prime and specific areas. There is a theme which forms the basis for the learning and experiences. 

How the National Curriculum for Year 1 - 6 works

The National Curriculum is structured in "Key Stages" rather than just individual years. This allows us to plan in a way that ensures every child meets their milestones without repetition or gaps. Here are some frequently asked questions about mixed year group classes. 

If my child is in the same class for two years, will they repeat the learning?

  • Rolling Programmes: To ensure that students do not study the same history or science topic twice, we use a two-year rolling cycle (Cycle A and Cycle B). For example, a Year 3/4 class might study "The Romans" one year and "The Ancient Egyptians" the next.

My child is in the lower year group, will the learning be too hard for them?

  • Differentiation: Teachers plan lessons with multiple entry points. While the topic might be the same, the complexity of the tasks and the expected outcomes are tailored to the specific year group and the individual child’s ability.

Does the order of the learning my child experiences have an impact?

  • Spiral Learning: We revisit core concepts frequently. This means that subject sequencing throughout the school is progressive and builds on prior learning. For younger students, this provides a "preview" of what’s to come; for older students, it provides a "review" that reinforces their mastery.

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