John Burns Primary School

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As parents and carers, you are the most important people in your child’s life and we are committed to working together to support each other in making sure that your child gets the best education possible. Our school motto of: ‘Giving our Best, Achieving our Highest’ is at the heart of everything we do in school, and together with parents, carers, governors, and the local community, every child is encouraged to follow this principle. Our school values underpin our school ethos:

• Cooperate.
• Be kind
• Be positive.
• Take responsibility
• Try your best
• Show respect

We are very proud of our school and everyone has a part to play in its success. It has wonderful grounds, is very well resourced, and has excellent staff who use their expertise to extend the learning experiences of all pupils both in the classroom and in a range of extra-curricular clubs, trips, and activities. As Ofsted (January 2018) said about us: "This caring school, with its family feel, enables each pupil to be known and valued. As a result, pupils grow in confidence and are happy..." We agree!

We are ambitious for our children and our school. Quality, Creativity, and Enjoyment are what we aim to have at the heart of everything we do. Our Aims:

• To inspire a passion for lifelong learning.
• To value ourselves and all members of our diverse community.
• To foster an environment that is caring, safe, and inclusive.
• To realize our full potential through quality experiences and opportunities.
• To help children to see the importance of taking responsibility for themselves, their actions, and their learning.

The aims of the curriculum are to:

• Provide a broad and balanced creative curriculum to ensure children develop a range of knowledge, skills, and understanding.
• Enable children to develop the skills and attributes needed to be successful learners.
• Promote high standards in reading, writing, and maths.
• Encourage creative thinking and problem-solving.
• Provide opportunities for speaking and listening activities such as debates and discussions as well as risk-taking and inquiry so children actively take responsibility for their learning and development.
• Encourage children to be self-reflective about themselves and their work.
• Provide stimulating, engaging lessons, which spark children’s interest in learning and develop a love of learning.
• Promote the school values so that children develop empathy for others and are encouraged to develop spiritually and morally.
• Provide opportunities to practice personal and social skills through working independently and collaboratively.
• Expect the best possible attainment and progress for all pupils.

In Key Stages 1 and 2, The National Curriculum is followed which comprises 3 core subjects and the Foundation subjects. The core subjects are English, Maths, and Science.

The Foundation subjects are Art, Design Technology, Geography, History, ICT, Music, Physical Education, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) including Citizenship and Religious Education. John Burns welcomes pupils from all religious backgrounds and this is reflected in our multi-faith R.E. curriculum and assemblies.

Pupils are encouraged to share their religious beliefs and customs to celebrate the school’s cultural diversity. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from R.E. lessons or assemblies with a written request to the Headteacher. Daily lessons of English and Maths are taught in Key Stages 1 and 2.

The Nursery Curriculum covers the seven areas of learning as listed in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). These areas are Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design. The Nursery fosters children’s learning through a program of structured play that supports and extends children’s early development.

We are fortunate at John Burns to have a spacious outdoor play and garden area, which is used for exploring the natural world as well as providing opportunities for physical development. The Reception year builds upon and extends the children’s experience in the Nursery, gradually moving towards a more structured program and incorporating daily Literacy and Numeracy lessons.

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