Curriculum for Excellence 3-18 Bringing Learning to Life and Life to Learning
Curriculum for Excellence has been introduced to raise standards of learning and teaching in all 3 to 18 year olds. It aims to help prepare children and young people with the knowledge and skills they need in a fast changing world. As part of Curriculum for Excellence, all children from pre-school to the end of S3 will receive a rounded education known as a Broad General Education (BGE). Curriculum for Excellence is all about bringing real life into the classroom and taking lessons beyond it. Here in St Benedict's Primary we aim to offer a broad curriculum which is both challenging and enjoyable. In this way we enable children to become; Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Responsible Citizens and Effective Contributors.
Every child is entitled to a broad and deep general education, whatever their level and ability. Curriculum for Excellence has been introduced across Scotland for all 3 – 18 year olds – wherever they learn. This curriculum framework balances the importance of knowledge with skills. It develops skills for learning, life and work to help young people to go onto further study, secure employment and navigate life. It brings real life into Quality Assurance.
School Improvement
On an annual basis, you will have available to you, a copy of our Standards and Quality Report. The Standards and Quality Report (SQR) highlights progress in key curricular areas such as literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing (HWB). Our priorities for improvement are detailed in our School Improvement Plan (SIP) which is discussed with our Parent Council. Any parent/carer seeking a copy of the plan can contact the school office or check out our website. Our current priorities are:
Children are given opportunities to gain knowledge and skills which they can apply in different curricular areas. The eight areas of learning are:
Literacy
Listening and Talking
These are the first skills a child learns and they continue to be developed in St Benedict’s through an interdisciplinary approach across learning. The children work in pairs, groups and as a class.
The children present many aspects of their work to their peers, parents and visitors to the school through presentations, powerpoints, discussion or dialogue.
Reading
At St Benedict's, we strive for all children to find enjoyment in reading and become more confident and independent readers through access to a range of books in school and at home.
Writing
We use the "Talk for Writing" approach at St Benedict's Primary, which promotes writing skills through developing children's linguistics patterns. Throughout this children are encouraged to improve their skills in writing across all aspects of the curriculum and within their interdisciplinary work, to develop the children’s skills in V.C.O.P; vocabulary, connectives, openers and punctuation.
Nelson Handwriting is used to develop handwriting across the school.
Modern Languages
All classes are taught basic Spanish words, numbers and greetings, with more structured Spanish being taught for one hour every week. Learning other languages enables children to make connections with different people and their cultures. Learning a new language encourages children to broaden their horizons as they explore the language and its associated culture. Today’s children are growing up in a multilingual world and it is crucial that they play their full part as global citizens. We have moved towards the 1+2 model of modern language provision. This means that all pupils from P5 upwards will experience 1 language (their mother tongue) and 2 other languages (Spanish and one other) through shared learning, topics and cultural events.
Numeracy
The emphasis in mathematics has moved from the traditional ‘sums’ approach to one, which encompasses the development of numerical skills and experiences but also mathematical concepts through active learning in mathematics
The school uses Glasgow Counts to support its work in this area.
Interactive strategies are used at all stages to address the following attainment outcomes:
Tasks are set up in a variety of contexts eg.
(Stages of Early Arithmetical Language - SEAL) Glasgow schools have developed competencies to move from “good” to “great”. As part of our School Improvement Plan and to support Glasgow’s Improvement Challenge (GIC), we have appointed a Challenge Leader of Learning (GCOL) who will use SEAL numeracy materials to build mental maths capabilities in learners, to raise attainment and confidence in number processing from Primary 1 onwards. Planning in maths includes at least 15 minutes of mental maths every day.
Health and Wellbeing
The children participate in 2 hours of PE each week and benefit from work done with partner agencies in the community. Visiting coaches carry out programmes in Basketball, Rugby, Football, Dance Keep Fit and Yoga. We were delighted to receive recognition of all work within Health and well Being by receiving the Sport Scotland Gold Award.
The school has ‘Health Promotion Status’ awarded by the Education Authority. We are a ‘Health Promoting School’ in which healthy eating habits, exercise and general health & well being are promoted at all times.Through our after school clubs and community links we are a recognised “Cycle Scotland” School.
The school has a ‘Health Week’ each year which promotes life long health and fitness, involving parents and local agencies.
Led by our Junior Road Safety Officers we are proud recipients of the Lord Provost’s Platinum Award for promoting Road Safety.
Children learn through:
Social Subjects These experiences and outcomes are designed to stimulate an interest in the local community and the wider world. The areas covered are:
Links are encouraged with other areas of the curriculum to provide children with a deeper, more enjoyable and active experience. Where possible, speakers or visits to places of interest are arranged to enhance the learning experience, this is called Interdisciplinary Learning (IDL).
Expressive Arts
Expressive Arts is a big part of the culture of St Benedict's Primary and this is developing more and more each term! If you ever visit the school, you will often hear beautiful music from a range of musical instruments.
Some of the instruments that are taught at St Benedict's are:
The staff develops musical knowledge, understanding, appreciation and skill through the curriculum. Drama, Art and Design and Dance are frequently incorporated into the interdisciplinary work covered by the children.
Youth Music Initiative deliver music lessons with Primary 1 and Primary 7.
A Number of children in the school benefit from a Learning Community music partnership project with Celtic FC in which they learn to play a brass or wind instrument.
Primary 2 - 6 benefit from weekly violin, viola and cello lessons from Baby Strings, where all children (P2-4) develop their skills in these strings instruments and are given the opportunity to continue this as they progress through the school.
Roman Catholic - Religious and Moral Education (RERC)
As a Catholic school, we aim to present the Catholic Christian message and way of life systematically to the children, at a level and pace appropriate to their age and development. Catholic attitudes and beliefs are fostered and integrated across the curriculum.
We use “This Is Our Faith”, and “God’s Loving Plan” for teaching here in Scotland. In addition to developing an understanding of the Catholic faith, our children will also study some other world religions at certain stages in order for them to appreciate significant aspects of those major world religions. Parents, priests and staff work closely in preparing children to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist.
Our school chaplain, Father Jim Thomson, visits the school regularly and we participate in First Friday Masses and Holy Days of Obligation. Parents and the parish community join us on these occasions and attend prayer services. Each year children and families take part in events to raise money for charities, such as SCIAF. Spiritual, Social, Moral and Cultural Values As a Catholic Christian school, we work closely with our parents/carers and clergy to develop these attributes in our children. Parents/carers from other religions may request that their children be permitted to be absent from school in order to celebrate recognised religious events. Only written requests detailing the proposed arrangements will be considered. Parents may withdraw their children from religious observance but must give prior written notice of this intention to the Head Teacher. Science The study of science provides opportunities for our children to learn about their environment by observing, exploring, investigating and recording. The science outcomes are:
There will be a variety of approaches including contextualisation and discreet lessons as appropriate. Technologies
As our world is ever developing and technology is at the forefront of everyday life, we aim to promote digital literacy and computing science throughout our teaching and learning.
Each child from P5-P7 will receive an iPad to support them in class lessons and at home. A lot of the learning in class will be through using digital technolgy. P1-4 will have access to a class set of iPads at several points throughout the week.
We also use of a range of technology including Spheros, MicroBits, Raspberry Pi, Scratch coding to further support learning and teaching. We regularly share important school information and pupil achievement through our school Twitter/X account.
St Benedict’s Primary RC School 62 Lochend Road Glasgow G34 0NY Phone: 0141 771 3224 Fax: 0141 771 3711