Curriculum
Curriculum Methodology
Curriculum Big Picture
Maths
At Abbeywood, we have worked with other CRST schools to design a calculation policy which ensures smooth progression, with clear models and images that develop as the children's understanding deepens.
The policy aims to support children's understanding of maths consistently throughout their education and is supported by the use of White Rose resources.
Maths End of Year Expectations:
Learning at home - Mathletics and Times Tables Rockstars
We have once again subscribed to Mathletics for all pupils from Year 1 through to Year 4. Your child will be set activities on this to be completed at home, as well using the platform in school.
Pupils earn points when they successfully complete Live Mathletics and Curriculum Content within Mathletics. Each week 1 child or class will be awarded Super Mathlete of the week. They will be presented with a certificate and/or trophy in our weekly celebration assembly.
Children have their own login details in their school diary. Part of the school subscription allows parents to receive weekly reports by email which will keep you updates on your child's progress on Mathletics.
Year 4 also have access to the Times Tables Rockstars app to practice their multiplication tables in readiness for the end of year check. Pupils in Year 4 will compete against each other to become this week's Rockstar and are recognised in celebration assembly.
Times Table Milestone Badges
Children need to know their times tables up to x12 by the end of year 4. Children are given daily opportunities to develop their times tables knowledge in various ways. Children need to recall their multiplication facts, forwards, backwards and jumbled up so that they can work out related division facts. Children need consistent practice and plenty of repetition to develop resilience and perseverance. Children learn through games, challenges, songs, arrays, patterns and using Times Table Rock Stars and Mathletics.
When ready, children are informally tested by Mrs Frost in an oral test for each milestone. If they achieve a milestone they are presented with their badge in assembly which they can wear on their uniform and their photo displayed on the Abbeywood Superstars board.
Milestone 1 
x2, x5 and x10 and related division facts (up to x12)
Milestone 2 
x3, x4, and x8 and related division facts (up to x12)
Helping Your Child With Maths
Oxford Press Parent Support Times Tables (PDF)
Times Tables Games and Strategies Booklet (PDF)
The White Rose programme supports the teaching of maths at Abbeywood. If you would like to explore the parent part of the site to help your child and find out about the scheme, please visit
https://whiterosemaths.com/parent-resources
Multiplication Tables Check Power Point
English
English Documents
On this page you will find our progression documents for both Reading and Writing as well as our Reading Spine that is available for all children to access in school.
Documents to Support the English Curriculum at Abbeywood:
Abbeywood First School Academy Reading Progression Map. March 2020
Writing Progression Objectives
Please click here to find out more about Read Write Inc
Growth Mindset
Growth Mindset
A 'growth' mindset (Dwek 2000) is a concept for the way learners need to feel about themselves and their abilities to become successful learners. It is based on the idea that learning is developmental and that we are not born 'clever' or 'not clever' but rather we all have the capacity to become better at things.
The characteristics of the fixed and growth mindsets according to Dwek are:
|
Fixed Mindset (Performance) 'I must look clever!' |
Growth Mindset (Learning) 'I want to learn more.' |
|---|---|
| Avoids challenges | Embraces challenges |
| Gives up easily | Persists in the face of setbacks |
| Sees effort as pointless | Sees effort as the way |
| Ignores useful criticism | Learns from criticism |
The likely result for a child with a 'Fixed mindset' is that they will plateau early and are likely to achieve less than their potential. On the other hand, a child with a 'Growth mindset' is likely to reach increasingly higher levels of achievement.
At Abbeywood we have been developing a culture of 'Growth mindset' over the past year and it is exciting to see how the staff and children are using this idea to improve the learning capacity of all the learners in the school.
We have worked hard on the way we respond to each other and praise the children; for example we try not to praise the fact that a child has got something correct or they have finished a piece of work, but rather for the effort they have put into it or the improvement that they have made. "Every time you practise, you're making the connections in your brain stronger."
We firmly believe that everything is possible and we celebrate not being able to do something YET.
We also celebrate mistakes because, as Albert Einstein once said, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
Mistakes are a huge learning resource for ourselves and others and we should share them, learn from them and not worry that we did not 'get it right' first time. If you could already do something or it was easy, then you wouldn't be learning anything.
A child demonstrated his growth mindset recently when he said, "My best learning is when I get something wrong, I go and have a rethink or try something different and then I get it right!"
Our next step is to develop ways of embedding the concept further by focusing on the personalisation of effort.
Philosophy For Children
Philosophy for children is at the heart of everything we do here at Abbeywood.
This is a powerful tool which enables children to share their opinions on matters that are important to them and also to explore more topical issues in a safe and secure forum. Children are encouraged to voice and justify their ideas, but also to question others, allowing them to develop the important skills of diplomacy, tolerance and acceptance of the views of others, whilst supporting British values.
P4C supports the development of language and communication skills whilst also preparing our children for playing an active part in life in Modern Britain, helping them to become more rounded, confident individuals.