Lubavitch Junior Girls School

Statements for Learning

 

Our Teaching and Learning aims 

  • To educate our children holistically.
  • To personalise learning and focus on building on strengths.
  • provide a safe, happy, healthy and friendly environment, which enables children to develop their self-esteem and decision making skills enabling them to make a positive contribution to school life and beyond
  • To instil a love of learning and promote high expectations, celebrating both success and effort
  • To provide an inspiring, engaging curriculum, with both challenge and support, in and beyond the classroom 
  • To work hand-in-hand with parents/carers and members of community to maintain and develop a school of which we can all be proud.

     

    Mathematics at Lubavitch MAT Primary School

    At Lubavitch Primary School, we endeavour to teach our children a rich and progressive curriculum. We believe that mathematics teaches us how to make sense of the world around us through developing a child's ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems. In our school we want to help children to understand and appreciate the pattern in both number and space in their everyday lives in and out of school. We encourage the children to develop these key and fundamental skills through their growing knowledge and understanding of the world.

     

    English at Lubavitch MAT Primary School

    The study of English develops children’s ability to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of purposes, including the communication of their ideas, views and feelings. Children are enabled to express themselves creatively and imaginatively as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama, as well as of non-fiction and media texts. Children gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Children use their knowledge, skills and understanding in speaking and writing across a range of different situations. In addition, the skills of English are a key part of participating fully in society and within the wider curriculum.  Skills and standards in literacy are promoted and encouraged across the curriculum

     

    Science Statement of Intent  

    At Lubavitch Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires.  Sceince is taught trough the lens of “Look at this wonderful world that Hashem created.”

    The Scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. It will develop the natural curiosity of the child, encourage respect for living organisms, the physical environment and provide opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence.

    The principal focus of Science teaching in EYFS and Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. In Key Stage 2 pupils have the chance to broaden their scientific view of the world before developing a deeper systematic style of thinking.

    Curriculum links across Kodesh and Chol are constantly forged.

     

    History Statement of Intent

    History at Lubavitch aims to help pupils to gain a wider knowledge and understanding of the past and inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the things that have happened. We do so by asking questions, think critically, and weigh evidence and arguments. We want pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives throughout history, the process of change, the diversity of societies and the challenges of their time. Our history curriculum provides identity, allows decision-making and judgement.

    Pupils are encouraged to take a holistic look at history, considering what Jewish life was like in certain eras that are being studied and putting a global context into Jewish history throughout the ages.

     

    Geography Statement of Intent

    Geography at Lubavitch aims to inspire pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the wider world. Our geography curriculum allows children to develop a sense of place, whilst exploring, investigating and understanding rivers, mountain and other geographical features of the world. We equip our children with knowledge about places, people, resources and natural and human environments. We want our children to gain confidence and practical experiences of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

    Human geography is explored through the lens of the Lubavitch global network, giving pupils the opportunities to also learn about other people, lands and cultures.

     

    D&T Statement of Intent

    Design and Technology at Lubavitch gives children the chance to use creative thinking and design within a defined purpose and product outcome. Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in a process of designing and making a product. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. Design and technology makes an essential contribution towards being creativity, cultured, and thinking innovatively.

    In KS1 and lower KS2 D&T is also taught in Kodesh.  Using the preparation of crafts for various Jewish events as a platform for planning and design.

     

    Art Statement of Intent 

    Art and Design at Lubavitch allows the children to stimulate creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children of all abilities to communicate what they see, feel and think using colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and resources. We teach and encourage children to explore ideas, shapes, patterns and meanings through the work of a range of artists and designers.

    In KS1 and lower KS2 Art is also taught in Kodesh.  Using the preparation of crafts for various Jewish events as a platform for creativity, originality and talents.

     

    Computing Statement of Intent

    At Lubavitch Primary School, we aim to prepare our children to be ‘lifelong learners’ with the confidence and ability to develop their skills and understanding when meeting new challenges. Their learning environment should contribute to the development of these skills and they should have access to suitable, up-to-date equipment and emerging technologies. As computing is an increasing part of life today, it is essential that all pupils gain the confidence and ability that they need in this subject, to prepare them for the challenge of a rapidly developing and changing technological world. The use of ICT will enhance and extend children’s learning across the whole curriculum whilst developing motivation and social skills. 

     

    PE Statement of Intent

    At Lubavitch Primary School we aim to develop a fun, high-quality physical education curriculum. We will provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. PE is an imperative element of the curriculum, which develops a need for healthy life styles, a balanced diet, positive- growth mind-set and the resilience to persevere with activities that may be once have felt too difficult. We are passionate about the need to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team, understanding fairness and equity of play to embed life-long values.

    PE is taught through the Kodesh lens of “we must look after out health, minds and bodies very well indeed” which is a dictum passed down the generations.

     

    Music Statement of Intent

    At Lubavitch, we know that music promotes positivity, self-confidence and a sense of community. Therefore, we believe that it should be a part of our everyday practice, through davening, singing in class or music lessons. In the annual music week there will be an opportunity for the children to create their own instruments and perform for their peers. On this special week there will also be a performance from the school choir.

    At Lubavitch Primary School, it is our intent that we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a music week through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Music and signing is also developed through Jewish is learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage straight through to Year 6. At every opportunity music and singing is developed through prayer. Particular attention is given to music through Jewish festivals where the children are taught songs that relate to significant events in the Jewish calendar.

    Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. ‘Lubavitch Music Week‘ is where we use Lubavitch nigunnim (songs) to help the children understand about the culture and history of our school.

    We teach the children to listen and to appreciate different forms of Lubavitch music from around the world in a creative and child-centred way. Children design and make their own instruments. They compose and perform to develop their understanding of musical composition from within the Jewish community at home and overseas, hence there is an international dimension to music week.

      

    Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) Statement of Intent

    Lubavitch Primary School recognises that personal, social, health and economic education is an important and necessary part of all pupils' education. The school teach PSHE, drawing on good practice, and following the expectation as outlined in the introduction to the proposed new national curriculum. The school tailors its PSHE programme to reflect the needs of our pupils and to use PSHE to equip them with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions. We use PSHE education to build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the basic school curriculum and in the statutory guidance.

    Furthermore, the PSHE curriculum is embedded in Jewish studies, through our assemblies and recurrent themes in Jewish Studies lessons.

     

    Learning Hebrew Statement of Intent 

    As with every language in the world, reading is a source of communication and learning. In particular, the Hebrew language is used for prayer and studying at all levels and ages, hence the reason to learn another language in our school. 

    Being able to learn the language and know the letters and vowels enables a person of the Jewish faith to connect with and participate in a study session. Hebrew is the language of communication used in Kodesh lessons starting in the EYFS at Lubavitch. The letters and vowels are the basis and foundation all all our written texts in every subject matter of the Kodesh curriculum. 

     

    Early Reading Statement in the EYFS and KS1:

    What are our aims? 

    We want to teach every child to read and become confident and enthusiastic reader.  

    When children start in Reception, we begin teaching them to read.  

    We follow the teaching sequence set out in Read Write Inc. supported primarily by resources from RUTH MISKIN LITERACY programme.  

    High quality phonics sessions will be taught daily in Reception and Key Stage 1 classes in small differentiated groups, enhanced by a multi-sensory teaching approach. 

    We expect children to learn 31 sounds by the end of Reception. In Year 1 children learn the other 13 sounds. During the lessons, children learn sounds for individual letters, diagraphs (two letters representing single sound, such as ea) and trigraph (three letters representing single sound, such as igh). Children learn to blend sounds into words; read exception words; learn correct letters; and learn to spell. We give some children on-to-one support to help them keep up. We give children reading books that help them practise the sounds that they have learned. They read these books at school and take them home to read to their parents. During each week, the classes have story time. Each teacher carefully chooses books to read to the class. This is when children listen to stories that have rich language and they can develop a love of reading.

     

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