Education at William Austin Junior School will follow on progressively from your child’s experiences at their Infant School.
Our curriculum is based on the National Curriculum. English and Maths are taught daily. Science, Computing, History, Geography, Art, Design and Technology, Religious Education (RE), Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship & Economic Education (PSHE), French, Games, Spelling, Multiplication Tables and Reading are taught throughout the week by the class teacher. We also employ a specialist teacher for Physical Education (PE) lessons.
The class teacher will assess your child’s work throughout each term and this will be reported to you at our regular Parent Consultation evenings and through the end year report.
At the end of Year 4 your child will take the statutory Multiplication Tables Check (MTC). The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics. A copy of our latest MTC results can be seen in the performance tables pages on our website.
When your child reaches Year 6, at the end of Key Stage 2, they will take the Key Stage 2 National Tests (SATs). These tests will indicate their progress and achievement, the results, along with a teacher assessment grade will be reported to you. A copy of our latest Key Stage results can be seen in the performance tables pages on our website.
Teachers and Teaching Assistants support pupils with SEND through a variety of ways, depending upon the child’s needs. Our SEND CO, Mrs Douglas, leads a team of Teaching Assistants who are well trained to support pupils inside and outside of the classroom. Phonics interventions are carried out by Teaching Assistants for identified pupils who did not pass the Phonics Screening at Key Stage 1. We use the DfE validated Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised as our phonics catch up programme.
Our curriculum is diverse and inclusive and allows opportunities for pupils to broaden their knowledge and experiences through a range of learning opportunities and enrichment activities.
Whole school policies for all subjects are available on the website or from the school office, on request.
Click onto the curriculum headings below to find out more about each subject including the overview and progression documents.
At William Austin Junior School, we are passionate about wanting all of our children to be able to read and to adopt a love of reading. Reading is an integral part of our school curriculum: opportunities for reading are embedded throughout. Teachers read novels to their classes daily and topics are supported by a range of non-fiction texts. We have a comprehensive, up-to-date library from where children can select their home reading books and we expect our children to read with an adult at home for a minimum of ten minutes each evening.
We expose children to a range of high-quality literature within our guided reading lessons and across the curriculum. Key reading skills are modelled and practised using a range of different texts. Additional reading support is provided through 1:1 and small group intervention.
Each classroom, across the school, has a well-stocked and cosy reading corner to promote reading for pleasure. In addition, there are two larger reading areas to instil a love of reading in a relaxed and calm environment.
At William Austin, we follow the Talk for Writing approach for our writing journey. In the initial ‘imitate’ stage, the children are immersed into the text where they explore the language and structure of the text type. They begin to look at how the language affects the reader. In the ‘innovate’ stage, the children begin to change aspects of the model text using their own ideas. They explore the text using different characters, settings or events and new ideas for descriptive language whilst sticking closely to the underlying structure. It is during this phase that the children begin to use the toolkits, which are based on the features and ingredients of the model text. In the final ‘independent’ stage, the children are encouraged to create their own story using all of the features and structures they have learned in the previous two stages.
Grammar and punctuation are taught progressively throughout the ‘Talk for Writing’ journey and these skills are matched to the relevant text types as well as the expectations for each year group from the National Curriculum Statutory Requirements. Please see the progression document for further information.
The development of a legible and joined handwriting style is encouraged in all lessons. Children are taught the continuous cursive style building on from the style taught in the infant’s school. Children should write in pencil or blue ink. When children’s handwriting has reached an acceptable standard, they are awarded a pen licence. Pens are sold in the school shop.
Children follow a spelling programme throughout the school, informed by the National Curriculum requirements. These are taught in discrete, 20 minute lessons. During these sessions, the school aims to improve children’s knowledge of spelling patterns. We use the Spellzoo resources to support pupils learning spellings.
Children are encouraged to make plausible attempts at spelling unknown words, using their phonological and morphological knowledge. Children are also taught words from a statutory list; these can be found in the middle of children’s reading records.
The children are expected to learn any spellings patterns they have been working on during that week. Children will be given a weekly test in class; Friday for Y6, Wednesday for Y5, Thursday for Y3 and Monday for Y4.
Homework is an important and integral part of education at William Austin Junior School. All children are expected to:
- read their reading book on a daily basis and have their reading record card signed by a grown up
- learn their multiplication tables
- learn their spelling patterns
- work on their weekly Learning Log task demonstrating what they have learnt in class related to a topic they have studied using a success criteria, given out on Wednesday and due back on Monday
- work on their English and maths homework
We set a variety of English and maths tasks depending upon the year group your child is in.
Year 3
Year 3 children are given daily 5 minute tasks to complete for English and maths. These will be sent home on one sheet, weekly, but should be completed on a daily basis to help with retention of skills. The tasks focus on developing key Year 3 English and maths skills. Spellings are given out each Thursday and should be practised daily ready for a spelling test the following Thursday. Year 3 children are also encouraged to play TTRS at home as often as possible to build times table knowledge. There is a weekly Learning Log task.
Year 4
Year 4 children have 10 minutes daily reading and 5 minutes daily TTRS. English and maths homework is set weekly. Maths includes a skill learnt in the week, with a success criteria, worked example and between 6-10 similar questions to try. English homework includes a SPaG task, sentence activities and spelling activities. There is a weekly Learning Log task.
Year 5
Children in Year 5 are encouraged to read for ten minutes each day. There is a weekly Learning Log task.
Maths: Children complete homework tasks related to the lessons they’ve covered that week. These tasks include clear success criteria, worked examples, a short independent practise task, and a challenge to assess their understanding. Additionally, they spend 10 minutes daily on Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) to reinforce their multiplication skills. Maths homework must be returned by Wednesday so children can self-assess, and new homework will be set on this day.
English: Homework includes a grammar activity, a short comprehension task, and a word or sentence-level task to support their writing in school. English homework should also be returned by Wednesday for self-assessment, and new homework will be set on this day.
Spellings: Key words and spelling patterns are taught each Thursday through the SpellZoo program. Children are given ten spellings to learn at home after their lesson on Thursday and will be tested on these the following Thursday, giving them time to practise.
Year 6
Year 6 children are expected to read their reading book for at least 20 minutes every night to improve their fluency, comprehension and vocabulary. This prepares them for high school. Homework is assigned each week to support learning and encourage independent study. English homework consists of three short tasks: a grammar activity, a mini-comprehension and a homophone activity.
Spelling task: The spelling task is found on the reverse of the English homework. Each week, children will learn ten new spelling words in class. A variety of activities such as anagrams and word searches will be provided to help children practise these words.
Maths homework focuses on practising a key fluency skill. Children should follow the success criteria and refer to the worked example provided. Squared paper is included, and children are expected to show their workings.
There is a weekly Learning Log task.
Holiday Homework Gallery – all year groups
Before each half-term, children will have the option to create a 3D model that will be displayed in a whole-school gallery which is viewed by parents, pupils and staff on the first day back after each holiday.
Pupils in Little Wandle Rapid Catch Up Phonics interventions
Pupils who attend the daily phonics interventions will be given a spelling list and a reading book which is based on the phonic phase they are on. A list of spellings from their phonics phase will be handed out on a Monday and a spelling test will take place on a Friday during the phonics session.
Pupils with SEND
Pupils may receive differentiated homework, or additional resources so they are able to complete it successfully. Pupils with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) have home targets to work upon, with resources sent home by the class teacher. Parents are responsible for supporting their child with these home targets, which are reviewed termly with the class teacher.
The study of mathematics is an important and well-liked part of daily life at William Austin Junior School. Children have a maths lesson with their class teacher each day as well as regular timetabled sessions to practise and learn their multiplication tables.
We aim to make the teaching and learning of maths as effective as it can be and staff receive regular in-house and external professional development opportunities to develop their practice. In the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 academic years, we participated in a primary mathematics Teaching for Mastery Research Group led by one of the Enigma Maths Hub’s Mastery Specialists. Working closely with a small group of schools we have sought to introduce and develop approaches to teaching for mastery as well as developing policies and structures that would allow this to happen. As a result of involvement in the work group we took the informed decision to follow the White Rose Maths schemes of learning to help address the three aims of the National Curriculum – Fluency – Reasoning – Problem Solving.
Our approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics:
- Whole class together – at William Austin we aim to nurture a Growth Mind-set ethos. We have high expectations of all children and believe that by working hard they can succeed in maths. Challenge is provided through rich and sophisticated problems in order to achieve a greater depth of understanding. We also recognise that some children may need longer to grasp concepts and require careful scaffolding or extra time and support.
- Longer and deeper – Longer time is spent on each topic. Each lesson focuses on one key conceptual idea and connections are made across mathematical topics. By breaking the learning down into manageable steps children should understand the concepts better.
- Key learning points – Are identified during planning and a clear journey through the maths will be reflected in lessons. Questions will probe pupil understanding throughout and responses are expected in full sentences, using precise mathematical vocabulary. Stem sentences will be used to identify key learning points in all lessons.
- Potential misconceptions – Are identified during the planning process and used as opportunities for learning. Children are then supported through these.
- Fluency – We recognise that ‘fluency’ is not just about remembering facts and aim to develop all aspects of fluency through lessons. We are however focussing on developing instant recall of key facts, such as multiplication tables, which are taught and practised daily. This will allow the children to have a free working memory to solve more complex problems.
- Procedural Fluency – Conceptual understanding and written methods are developed and applied in tandem by following the school calculation policy (White Rose Maths).
- Develop reasoning and deep understanding – problems are usually set in real life contexts with carefully chosen representations (manipulatives and images) used by all to explore concepts. The use of practical resources, pictorial representations and recording takes place during every concept following the Concrete Pictorial Abstract approach (CPA).
- Questions – to challenge thinking are used throughout every lesson to check understanding. A variety of questions are used to foster different levels of thinking e.g. How do you know? Can you prove it? Are you sure? Is that right? What’s the same/different about? Can you explain that? Questions are also used to further challenge children who have grasped the concept.
- Practising – All children will have the use of a jotter that they can use to explore their ideas and strategies without fear of making a mistake. Children may record models, diagrams, thoughts and explanations during any part of the lesson.
- Conferencing (same day catch up) – new learning is built upon previous understanding. In order for learning to progress and to keep the class together, areas of difficulty are dealt with as and when they occur. Where possible, these are addressed through same day conferencing sessions.
- Marking – the marking policy follows the NCETM guidance published in April 2016. Children’s work is marked by the teacher daily. A comment or prompt will only be given if it necessary to move learning forward. The most valuable feedback will be given immediately, during lessons.
At William Austin Junior School, science is a world of exploration and discovery. The children are taught the key scientific principles of biology, chemistry and physics. All lessons follow the national curriculum and the children have two hours a week dedicated to this core subject.
Throughout the units the children are encouraged to plan and conduct experiments, question and explore phenomena. This allows the children to work scientifically and become confident independent learners. The implementation of practical learning experiences allows children of all abilities including SEND and EAL to understand the underlying principles.
The Willow Garden provides a valuable outside learning environment. Through guided sessions, the children are able to explore natural habitats as well as planting, growing and harvesting a wide range of fruit and vegetables. This safe, welcoming environment is a place not just for science, but also provides a tranquil place for the children to explore in their own time. Children are encouraged to continue their learning at lunch times with the implementation of Playground Science. This self lead initiative develops confidence and the ability to question the world around them.
Science capital plays a vital role in our school. Throughout the year, numerous STEM based visitors share their knowledge and skills with the children. In March, the entire school takes part in National Science Week, allowing the children to participate in exciting experiments and challenges. Cross curricular links within the curriculum also allow opportunities for children to build on their capital, and aid them in future career choices.
Working Scientifically Progression
In studying Computing at the school, pupils are given the experience of working at a variety of disciplines in the subject including designing, writing and debugging programming, using sequencing and selection in programming and understanding algorithms. Pupils will also be taught how networks work, including the internet, and how to use them safely and securely. They will also undertake various design and creative projects using a wide variety of software. Further opportunities to hone these skills are practiced in other subject areas across the curriculum.
The school is well equipped with computers. In addition to the Computer room, where the children have a weekly lesson, there is also a networked computer in every classroom for pupil use.
Pupils have access to laptops, iPads, digital equipment and gaming devices in order to stimulate interest in learning. All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, DVD players and visualisers. These provide access to a greater range of resources and teaching methods used to promote learning.
Art is taught in termly blocks in all year groups. Across the four years, children learn techniques of sketching, drawing, painting, collage and sculpture in a range of contexts. Furthermore, they develop their understanding of different styles, artists and historical periods.
Progression is secured in the knowledge and skills of how to appreciate and control the various materials that they work with. Additionally, each term, an Art award is given to one child per class to celebrate their outstanding effort in this subject. Children are also set a 3d holiday homework task where they have the opportunity to practise their Art skills further making significant contribution to display boards around the school.
We are also delighted to inform you that we have recently been awarded an Artsmark Silver Award as we have extended our arts provision for children in a number of ways. Pupils develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of arts and culture through a broad range of experiences and opportunities.
In our Design and Technology (DT) curriculum, we set a variety of tasks to help develop the children’s creativity and imagination. The children are provided with engaging and exciting topics that encourage them to design items for specific audiences and purposes.
Throughout each unit, the children build upon the four key skills of DT: design and plan, explore new materials, make and evaluate. Additionally, across the four years, the children experience different themes: textiles, mechanical systems, electrical circuits and food technology. We aim to broaden the children’s experience by working with a wide range of tools and equipment and build upon their problem solving skills.
Furthermore, each term, a DT award is given to one child per class to celebrate those who have made an exceptional effort in this subject.
In History, children have excellent opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history. The curriculum allows children to explore history using different mediums such as primary and secondary sources of information, historical artefacts and cultural visits.
The teaching and learning of History will develop children’s chronological understanding, improve their researching skills, expand the use of historical terminology and challenge their thinking of the world we live in. Children will explore questions surrounding change, cause and effect, similarities, differences and the significance of specific historical periods. They will be encouraged to discuss key connections, contrasts and trends within their topic of study.
We encourage the children to step back in time and experience life as our ancestors before us, travelling back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, the Victorian era, the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and as far back as the Stone Age. It will invite children to become investigators as they carry out local studies of historical places in Luton and surrounding areas. This includes a local walk through the Limbury and Biscot area, a visit to Celtic Harmony and St Albans cathedral, as well as other educational visits and workshops within school.
At our school, we aim to make History an exciting, engaging and accessible topic to all children and one that will inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past.
During the course of their four years at William Austin Junior School, the pupils follow the RE syllabus laid down by SACRE for Bedfordshire and Luton. The principal aim of RE is to explore what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live, so that pupils can gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living. The pupils will also look at how morality, spirituality, ethics and social issues affect people. There will also be some scope to looks at smaller traditions and non-religious but morally based movements such as humanism.
Pupils will cover many aspects of the major religions of the world including Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity and Hinduism. The syllabus is divided into lower and upper key stages. Pupils will study 6 different subjects during each of the four years, 24 in total. It is developed systematically to build on year on year and expands and builds on that which is taught in KS1. The RE syllabus also links closely with PSCHE and our Values based education programme. Both programmes encourage cross curricular links, reflection and self awareness whilst raising awareness of other beliefs and values.
The purpose of RE includes:
- RE contributes dynamically to children and young people’s education in schools by provoking challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human.
- In RE, pupils learn about religions and beliefs in local, national and global contexts, to discover, explore and consider different answers to these questions.
- They learn to weigh up the value of wisdom from different sources, to develop and express their insights in response and to agree or disagree respectfully.
- RE teaching therefore should equip pupils with systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and beliefs, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identities.
- It should develop in pupils an aptitude for dialogue so that they can participate positively in our society, with its diverse religions and beliefs.
- Pupils should gain and deploy the skills needed to understand, interpret and evaluate texts, sources of wisdom and authority and other evidence. They should learn to articulate clearly and coherently their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to differ.
At William Austin Junior School, Geography is taught in all year groups as a stand-alone subject with cross curricular links in English and Maths. The Geography curriculum retains some flexibility, and builds and expands on previous knowledge taught in KS1. The key skills that children will develop are to:
· collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork
· interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs
· communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length
As well as the skills, Geography is further divided into 3 main areas, which are:
· Locational knowledge
· Place knowledge
· Human and physical geography
Locational knowledge examines latitude, longitude and time zones. Your child will use maps to focus on Europe, North and South America, concentrating on regions, key physical/human characteristics, countries, and major cities. They will also work on locating the counties and cities of the United Kingdom, and start to explore their human and physical characteristics.
Children also examine geographical similarities and differences by comparing the geography of a region of the United Kingdom with a region in a European country, and with a region in either North or South America. This is part of the place knowledge aspect of the curriculum.
For human and physical geography, your child will be taught to describe and understand key aspects of geography, for example: climate zones, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes, types of settlement, economic activity and the distribution of natural resources.
The Healthy Schools Program aims to nurture and improve the well-being and achievement of young people, with the view to creating happy, healthy children who are successful both in learning and in life.
The four core themes of the Healthy Schools Program are:
1. Personal, Social and Health Education
2. Healthy Eating
3. Physical Activity
4. Emotional Health and Well-being
At William Austin Junior School, we actively address these themes across the entire curriculum. We also offer a wide array of extra-curricular sports clubs in addition to delegating responsibilities to the Sports Leaders, Junior Leadership Team (JLT), where children represent their peers in the school, and the Junior Road Safety Officers (JSRO), where the children take an active role in promoting road safety.
We believe that the work we do will allow the children to thrive and flourish both in school and in all their other endeavours.
All classes have two hours of physical activity a week; one PE lesson taught by a specialist PE teacher and one Games lesson. Pupils will develop their knowledge and skill level in a variety of games and aesthetic activities during Key Stage 2 including, netball, hockey, football, rugby, sports hall athletics, basketball, cricket, tennis, rounders, gymnastics, dance, fitness, outdoor adventure and athletics.
Once a term children explore the effects of being active and its importance in daily life. This works nicely alongside our Relationships and Health Education. This also builds upon their knowledge when covering this subject in PSHCEE.
Pupils have the opportunity to develop their skill level further by attending the extensive sports clubs on offer at William Austin Junior School. William Austin staff deliver a variety of clubs each week in cricket, table tennis, football, netball, cheerleading, dance, sports hall athletics, tag rugby, dodgeball and aerobics .
William Austin Junior School has been recognised as a PLATINUM STANDARD school in the Sainsbury’s School Games Mark. The Sainsbury’s School Games Mark is a Government led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their contribution towards Sport and PE in school and their commitment to the development of competition across their school. There are bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels of the mark award and we are extremely proud to have received the gold mark award or higher every year since 2013.
At William Austin Junior School every child has one hour of music a week. In these music lessons the children are taught a range of progressive musical skills whilst learning about different genres of music. Throughout their time at William Austin the children are taught to play the djembe, recorder, ukulele, keyboard and take part in a class samba band.
To further enhance the children’s musical experience there are many extra-curricular opportunities available for the children to take part in such as: Samba Club, Keyboards, Ukulele and Recorders. Children who enjoy singing are encouraged to join the thriving school choir, which has members from all year groups. The choir frequently perform in the local community such as at Luton airport and at a Luton schools’ event, ‘Singing Spectacular’. This year the choir are also taking part in an event run by Young Voices where they will be singing at the O2 arena.
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCEE) development of all pupils is very important at William Austin Junior School. This is achieved by providing positive experiences through planned opportunities through the broad and balanced curriculum and through interactions with teachers, visitors and the local community.
At William Austin Junior School, we use PSHCEE lessons to support our children to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives and make the most of their life opportunities. As part of a whole school approach, PSHCEE develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.
Children are made aware of the importance of Anti-Bullying. This is delivered through interactive theatre productions and various activities for the children to take part in at school that raise awareness of this issue.
At William Austin Junior School we value the rights and responsibilities children and young people have as they grow and mature into young citizens. Understanding who they are and where they belong is a basic right and having the skills and vocabulary to express whatever that may mean to them, is fundamental to a healthy start in life.
We take part in the Schools Linking Network project and this develops further understanding of their place in the world and in their various communities, of home, school and any other places they may associate with, strengthens the foundations for healthy citizenship and sets them on a path for adulthood, where they feel they have a place and that they have something to contribute. A healthy sense of belonging can best be fostered through a combination of high quality experiential learning and reflective classroom practice.
The aims of the project are:
- To develop and deepen children and young people’s knowledge and understanding of identity/ies, diversity, equality and community
- To develop skills of enquiry, critical thinking, reflection and communication
- To develop trust, empathy, awareness and respect
- To provide opportunities for children and young people to meet, build new relationships, work together and contribute to the wider community
- To provide opportunities for adults, who work with children and young people, to share good practice, increase understanding of the issues of identity and community in their districts and to broaden perspectives.
This year, we are linking with a class from Richmond Hill School.
The Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of all pupils is very important at William Austin Junior School. This is achieved by providing positive experiences through planned opportunities through the balanced and broad curriculum, through interactions with teachers, visitors and the local community.
We recognise that the personal development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve. It also develops children’s social skills to enable them to become informed, active and responsible citizens.
We aim to provide an education that provides pupils with opportunities to explore and develop British Values alongside their own values, beliefs and spiritual awareness.
All curriculum areas have a contribution to make to the child's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and opportunities for this will be planned in each area of the curriculum.
Emphasis is placed on SMSC via our “Monthly Values” and incorporates the fundamental British values.
Our values are as follows:
· September: Respect
· October: Democracy
· November: Tolerance
· December: Teamwork
· January: Perseverance
· February: Forgiveness
· March: Honesty
· April: Kindness
· May: Responsibility
· June: Individual liberty
· July: The rule of law
The curriculum and the extra-curricular activities promote pupils’ reflections on their personality and beliefs, their understanding of what is right and wrong and their creativity, awareness and respect about culture and diversity. Values are developed and explored in a variety of ways.
