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Language and Literacy unites the important skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The children in Key Stage 1 are taught these skills using the Literacy Hour as a framework.
In Speaking and Listening, children learn to speak clearly, thinking about the needs of their listeners. They work in small groups and as a class, joining in discussions and making relevant points. They learn how to listen carefully to what other people are saying, so that they can remember the main points. They learn to use language in imaginative ways and express their ideas and feelings when working in role and in drama activities.
The children’s interest and pleasure in reading is developed as they learn to read confidently and independently. They focus on words and sentences and how they fit into whole texts. They work out the meaning of straightforward texts and say why they like them or do not like them. . They read stories, plays, poems, information texts in print and on computer screens, and use dictionaries and encyclopedias.
During key stage 1 children start to enjoy writing and see the value of it. They learn to communicate meaning in narrative and nonfiction texts such as poems, notes, lists, captions, records, messages and instructions. They are taught how to use punctuation to show the meaning of sentences, practice clear handwriting, and discover that thinking about patterns of letters and sounds helps them to spell words correctly.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school has many strengths; outstanding among these is the following:
“The attainment and progress of all pupils, but especially of those with English as an additional language are good”
(Independent Schools Inspection Report – February 2003)
The British School of Amsterdam has more than 40- different nationalities on roll and many children enter the school with little or no knowledge of the English language. Children have little, if any inhibition when learning an additional language and progress is rapid. The individual needs of these pupils are met through intensive language courses, additional English lessons, in class support, small group teaching or individual tuition.
Children from the Reception class upwards may attend EAL lessons in a small group setting. They follow a topic-based approach that covers the language areas needed to talk about school and the interests of children at this age. There is a rolling programme that allows children of different levels to work in the same group, and work is differentiated according to ability. Communicating effectively is the priority at this age, and therefore the emphasis is on vocabulary work, speaking and listening skills and competence in essential grammatical structures.
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During key stage 1 the children develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics through practical activity, exploration and discussion. They learn to count, read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond. They develop a range of mental calculation skills and use these confidently in different settings. They learn about shape and space through practical activity which builds on their understanding of their immediate environment. They begin to grasp mathematical language, using it to talk about their methods and explain their reasoning when solving problems.
Mathematics is taught daily to children in Key Stage 1 following the framework of the Numeracy Hour. The lesson is usually divided in to three parts. During the introduction the children work as a whole class developing their oral and mental skills. New concepts and skills are introduced and developed in the main part of the lesson and children may works as individuals, in pairs or as part of a small group on activities to develop their understanding. A plenary concludes the lesson during which the children again work as a whole class to discuss what they have learnt, to talk about problems that have arisen and to summarize key facts they have learnt.
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During Key Stage 1, children observe, explore and ask questions about -
- life processes and living things, such as familiar animals and plants
- materials and their properties, such as wood, paper and rock
- physical processes: simple ideas in physics, taught through experiences with electricity, forces, light and sounds.
Through work in these three areas children are taught about scientific enquiry. They begin to work together to collect evidence to help them answer questions and to link this to simple scientific ideas. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair. They use reference materials to find out more about scientific ideas. They share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts and tables.
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During key stage 1 pupils explore ICT and learn to use it confidently and with purpose to achieve specific outcomes. They start to use ICT to develop their ideas and record their creative work. They become familiar with a range of ICT hardware and software.
Children are taught to gather information from a variety of sources. They are taught to present their information in a variety of forms e.g. as a piece of writing, as an image, in a table or in a data base. They learn how to store the information by saving it in a folder and are taught how to retrieve the information that has been stored. They learn how to add to the information they have retrieved.
The children explore a range of ICT equipment including digital cameras, movie cameras and microscopes. They use such equipment to support their learning in other areas of the curriculum e.g. in science they may use a digital microscope to examine a seed before it is planted and then may use a digital camera to photograph and record the growth of a seed over time.
The children learn how to programme programmable toys. They learn how to input instructions so that a programmable toy follows a required path. They begin to recognize the importance of ICT in society and talk about its use inside and outside school.
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During key stage 1 the children look at their personal family history and talk about changes in their own lives and the way of life of their family and others around them. They also learn about other people's lives and lifestyles. They find out about significant men, women, children and events from the recent and more distant past, including those from Britain, the Netherlands and the wider world. The children find out about the past from a range of sources of information for example stories, eye-witness accounts, pictures and photographs and artifacts.
Educational visits to historical buildings, museums, galleries and sites help to develop the children’s understanding of the past and how it is different to the present.
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During key stage 1 the children investigate their local area and a contrasting area in the Netherlands or abroad. They find out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. They also begin to learn about the wider world. They carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom. In doing this they ask geographical questions about people, places and environments. They develop their geographical skills and geographical vocabulary. They use a range of geographical resources including globes, maps and plans, aerial photographs, CD-ROMs, reference books and videos.
Educational visits to local areas of interest help to develop children’s understanding of the immediate environment. The curriculum also draws on the children’s own cultural diversity and they are given opportunities to talk about their home country and other places they have lived.
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Dutch is considered the second language at the British School of Amsterdam and is taught from Reception to children who are fluent English speakers. The curriculum is divided into two strands - Dutch language and Dutch culture. In Dutch language the pupils are introduced to the idea of learning a foreign language. They are introduced to new vocabulary through a variety of topics and are encouraged to use the vocabulary in small group settings. In Dutch culture the children learn about Dutch traditions and customs – for example they prepare and eat a traditional Dutch breakfast, they find out about Koninginnedag and discover the story of Sinterklaas and celebrate his arrival at school. Native Dutch classes are available for children for whom Dutch is a first language. These children follow a curriculum similar to one they would follow if they were in a Dutch primary school.
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During key stage 1 pupils listen carefully and respond physically to a wide range of music. They play musical instruments and sing a variety of songs from memory, adding accompaniments and creating short compositions, with increasing confidence, imagination and control. They explore and enjoy how sounds and silence can create different moods and effects.
Each year, the children perform in a large scale production which involves singing, playing percussion, acting and dancing.
The school hosts a team of private music teachers who work under the collective title of “Young Musicians BSA”. These teachers give one-to-one instrumental lessons during, and in some cases after, the school day. Teachers are currently available for piano, violin, cello, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, recorder, trumpet, cornet, French horn, trombone, singing and rhythm and groove. The age at which your child can begin learning an instrument often depends on his/her size and maturity. In general, violin lessons are available for children from Reception age. Recorder and piano lessons are available for children from Year Two onwards
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During key stage 1 pupils build on their natural enthusiasm for movement, using it to explore and learn about their world. They start to work and play with other pupils in pairs and small groups. By watching, listening and experimenting, they develop their skills in movement and coordination, and enjoy expressing and testing themselves in a variety of situations.
The children follow a broad and balanced physical education programme. In both Year One and Year Two, children participate in games, gymnastics and dance lessons. In addition, children in Year One may attend a ballet class. Children in Year Two travel off site to the local swimming pool for swimming lessons and to the playing fields at the middle school during the Summer term for athletics and outdoor games.
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During key stage 1 pupils develop their creativity and imagination by exploring the visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes. They learn about the role of art, craft and design in their environment. They begin to understand colour, shape and space and pattern and texture and use them to represent their ideas and feelings.
Children explore a range of starting points for practical work and may work on their own, in pairs or as a class. The children produce work in two and three dimensions and on different scales. They use a range of materials and processes including painting, collage, print making, digital media, textiles and sculpture.
The art and design curriculum is enriched with visits to local museums and art galleries where children can see original works of art and work in reproduction form. They may compare the work of different artists or create their own pieces of work in the style of a particular artist.
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