At John Clare Primary School, we aim to provide high-quality art and design education which engages, inspires and challenges children, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

We develop the following characteristics in our children:

• Knowledge of a range of artists, both modern and classic, who will inspire their work
• The inspiration to express themselves as artists
• The vocabulary and skills to analyse and evaluate their own creative works and that of others
• Resilience and a growth mindset when developing their skills as artists
• The ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination

Teaching Approaches:

• Art and design engages the children through carefully planned, exciting, inspiring and creative experiences through our themes
• Lessons provide children with the opportunity to learn about a range of artists and experiment using a range of media using artist's techniques
• Teachers demonstrate enthusiasm for art to allow children to freely explore the subject
• Teachers follow clear guidance on progression of art skills so that they can ensure progression and consistency across the school in this subject. Due to our unique class structure, we have a two-year cycle in Key Stage 1 and a 3-year cycle in Key Stage 2.

At John Clare Primary School we aim for our students to be masters of technology. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in our children’s lives.

We develop the following characteristics in our children:

• How to use technology positively, responsibly and safely.
• The opporunity to be creative.
• An understanding that there is a choice when using technology, and as a school we utilise our technology to model positive use.
• An understanding of how technology can support accessibility opportunities.

Teaching approaches:

• Teachers provide engaging and inspiring lessons which include first-hand experiences
• There is clear guidance on the progression and coverage of computing skills so that learning builds on previous knowledge and skills. 
• Teachers try and embed computing throughout the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible. We want our children to be fluent with a range of tools to best express their understanding, with the intention that by Year 6 our children have the independence and confidence to choose the best tool to help them fulfil a task set by teachers.

At John Clare Primary School, we aim to inspire creativity through offering a range of experiences that provide children the opportunity to design, create and evaluate their own products. Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we aim to engage children to become young innovators.

We develop the following characteristics in our children:

• A knowledge of a range of inventors who will inspire their work
• The opportunity to make connections with their design and how this links to the wider world
• An opportunity to apply skills through own interpretation
• The ability to communicate their own design specifications through discussions, drawings and annotations
• A growth-mindset when evaluating their products and an understanding of the process of an inventor

Teaching approaches:

• In DT lessons, children are provided with activities which involve investigating and evaluating products
• Teachers support children in their understanding of how products have impacted the wider world
• Children are provided opportunities for hands-on experiences with teacher support and guidance, including using a range of materials to explore different separating and joining techniques

Food and nutrition

• We teach children how to cook and inspire them to apply these principles into a balanced diet of healthy eating and nutrition
• We are working towards becoming a sustainable school by growing our own food to cook and consume ourselves

At John Clare Primary School we inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

We develop the following characteristics in our children:

• An excellent knowledge of locating, describing and comparing locations and cultures studied
• An extensive base of geographical knowledge and vocabulary
• A passionate and curious attitude to finding out about the world and people who live in it
• Highly developed fieldwork and other geographical skills and techniques to investigate their locality and the wider world
• The ability to investigate and express well-balanced opinions, rooted in substantial knowledge and understanding about current issues in society and the environment

Teaching approaches:

• Teachers provide engaging and inspiring lessons which include first-hand experiences
• There is clear guidance on the progression and coverage of geographical skills so that learning builds on previous knowledge and skills. Due to our unique class structure, we have a two-year cycle in Key Stage 1 and a 3-year cycle in Key Stage 2
• Teachers provide high quality interactive resources to enable pupils’ exploration and investigation of the subject e.g. digimaps
• Children have opportunities to explore the school grounds and the wider local area to enhance their field work skills
• Sessions allow children to question contemporary issues and vocalise their opinions whilst valuing differing perspectives

At Alderman Jacobs we have developed an engaging curriculum to inspire children to have a passion for history and a curiosity about the past.

We develop the following characteristics in our children :

• A good knowledge of a range of historical periods
• Skills such as historical enquiry and interpretation
• The ability to make links to previous learning and their own experiences of the wider world
• The ability to make connections between different periods and contrasting civilisations, reflecting how the past has shaped life today
• The inspiration to become historians carrying out their own research
• The ability to communicate their own findings and opinions through discussion, drawings or annotations

Teaching Approaches:

• Our theme based approach allows children to immerse themselves in history. Teachers have access to support, resources and artefacts to enable them to provide stimulating first hand experiences that inspire pupils and encourage independent exploration
• Children revisit prior learning and explore the “bigger picture” to investigate recurring themes throughout history and to be able to place different periods of history on a timeline
• Children are given the opportunity to look at primary and secondary sources and develop their own historical enquiry through questioning and voicing their opinions
• Our community and environment provide stimulating opportunities for the children to learn about local history and children are given the opportunity to explore this, including visits to Flag Fen, Peterborough Museum and learning about Must Farm - Britain’s Pompeii
• Teachers follow clear guidance on the progression of historical skills so they can ensure both progression and consistency across the school in this subject. Due to our unique class structure, we have a two-year cycle in Key Stage 1 and a 3-year cycle in Key Stage 2.

At John Clare Primary School we aim to provide opportunities for and encourage an enthusiasm for learning another language.

Early language learning in KS1 is delivered informally throughout the curriculum, including through stories, games and songs. following consultation with local secondary school, we teach a combination of French, German and Spanish across KS2. We also teach Latin to our Year 6 children.

Across the year, children throughout the whole school are able to experience a wealth of learning about other cultures.

We aim to develop the following characteristics of linguists in our children:

• An ability to understand and communicate in different languages
• A passion for languages
• An increased cultural awareness of the countries where French, Spanish and German are spoken
• The confidence to speak with good intonation and pronunciation.
• Fluency in reading and writing 
• The ability to use language spontaneously and creatively

Teaching approaches:

• Children enjoy language learning through a variety of exciting channels including games, songs and stories
• Lessons provide children with the opportunity to learn a range of new skills in the language studied,  including speaking, reading and writing, that will help to build the children’s confidence in language learning.
• Children acquire and develop their use of a broad range of vocabulary through practical activities, listening and role play.
• Teachers use high quality, interactive resources to enable pupils’ exploration and investigation of the subject
• Teachers have clear guidance on the progression of skills and coverage 

At John Clare Primary School we believe that Music is an important part of the curriculum and we aim to enthuse and inspire the children by providing a wide range of musical experiences. We have an engaging curriculum to inspire children to have a passion for music and music making.

We develop the following characteristics in our children :

• Opportunities for music making, including performing, listening, composing and appraising
• Opportunities to enjoy singing a range of songs and explore how to control their voices in a variety of contexts; playing a variety of percussion instruments both tuned and untuned with increasing control, accuracy and precision
• Opportunities to develop their understanding and enjoyment of the interrelated dimensions including pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, structure and appropriate notation
• Opportunities to listen to a wide range of music from different composers, times and cultures and share their ideas and feelings about it

Teaching Approaches:

• In Music lessons children enjoy experiencing opportunities to sing, listen to and play music as a class and in small groups.
• The children enjoy developing their singing voices by learning and performing a range of progressive songs from EYFS to Year 6 with exciting backing accompaniments alongside weekly key stage singing practices
• Children listen to and discuss different types of music, talking about musical dimensions, instruments and styles including Reggae, Jazz and Rap.
• The children enjoy playing and composing with a wide range of percussion, learning how to control the sounds and read music scores and notation from EYFS to Year 6 with increasing musicality

Instrumental lessons and clubs

• Instrumental lessons are also available in school, including piano and guitar,  taught by outside specialists - please ask at the school office if your child is interested.
• The school choir takes part in a variety of concerts and recitals over the course of the school year - all children in Key Stage are part of our choir!

At John Clare Primary School, we aim to provide high-quality physical education which engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to lead a healthy active lifestyle.

We aim to develop the following characteristics in our children:

• Self-motivation to take part in physical activity outside school as recreation and as part of a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle
• A positive attitude and interest in a wide range of physical activities
• Awareness of issues related to health-related fitness
• The development of children’s strength, fitness, speed, gross and fine motor skills
• Aesthetic appreciation and understanding of Dance and Gymnastics
• Knowledge of different areas of P.E. e.g. the rules of different games
• Self-esteem and confidence
• Social skills e.g. cooperating in groups, playing fairly to rules, mixing with children from other schools

Teaching Approaches:

• We follow a broad and balanced PE curriculum fulfilling the demands of the National Curriculum
• We aim to ensure every child moving on to secondary school can swim 25m and has basic water skills
• Ensure every child has the opportunity to represent John Clare Primary School in a competitive sports fixture
• Develop the fitness of each child by ensuring a good pace in lessons and incorporating fitness activities into physical education lessons as appropriate.
• Integrate, where possible into other curriculum area, eg use of athletics data in ICT and number work in both numeracy and PE lessons, links to maths, English and geography in OAA
• Involve the outside community where possible - e.g. Sports Day, Clubs including Total Sports 
• Provide excellent PE provision for all children including those with disabilities and medical conditions, taking into account children with special needs, through modified and mini versions of games and practices
• Provide enjoyable experiences, where positive attitudes of sensitivity, cooperation, competition and tolerance develop

Extra-curricular activities

John Clare Primary School is fully committed to providing extra-curricular sporting opportunities. These include:

• Clubs, during and after school hours, in a range of activities, which ensure good value for money and promote inclusiveness for all pupils regardless of their parent’s ability to pay.
• Competition against other primary schools in a wide range of sports through the Arthur Mellows sports Partnership – tournaments and festivals.
• Friendly matches against other schools/groups.
• Exhibiting work, for example a dance performance in assembly or by attendance at a gymnastics festival

The overarching aim for PSHE education is to provide pupils with accurate and relevant knowledge with opportunities to turn that knowledge into personal understanding. There are also opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge their own and others values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities. The skills and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives are also taught.

We develop the following characteristics in our children:

• Spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development which occurs in school and carries them through their future lives
• Readiness for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life
• The ability to ask questions and discuss issues freely while feeling safe and without embarrassment
• Pupils who are happy to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge their own and others values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities
• The skills and strategies to be able to live healthy, safe fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives

Teaching Approaches:

• Create a caring environment where pupils feel safe and are listened to
• Provide opportunities for discussion and exploration of knowledge, skills and attitudes through circle time, paired or small group work, whole class discussion, brainstorming, drama and role play, use of puppets, the ‘draw and write’ approach and the use of stories
• Complement lessons from The Discovery Health and Relationships Programme by the use of other resources such as: factual information provided by staff; videos relevant to themes; computer programs which provide information, illustrate themes or stimulate discussion; talks by visiting professionals.