Reading and Phonics Intent

At Standhill, it is our intention that all children become successful, fluent readers by the end of Key Stage One and believe this is achievable through a combination of strong, high quality, discrete phonics teaching combined with a whole language approach that promotes a 'Reading for Pleasure' culture. We believe reading is a vital life skill that supports children’s learning across the curriculum. As the children learn to read, we actively encourage Standhill learners to apply our core values and ‘learning powers’, showing resilience and working hard to become fluent readers. We value the importance of exposing the children to a range of texts, authors and illustrators that will not only develop their love of reading but serve as a valuable teaching resource when learning about the world around us.

Writing Intent

At Standhill Infants we aim to develop competent and confident writers who are willing to be resilient and have a go.  We want the children to see the value of writing and find pleasure and reward in the process of learning to write. We understand that the development of early oracy and fine-motor skills, alongside exposure to stories and texts have a fundamental impact on a child’s growth as a writer. Our curriculum is therefore shaped by exciting, carefully considered texts and the development of vocabulary.  Before we have quality writers, we need quality talkers and story tellers. 

Writing is a complex skill to master with many elements. We are eager for our children to be creative writers as well as technically adept. We aim for our children to write for a variety of purposes and in all areas of the curriculum. We want our children to strive for their writing to reflect good language skills as well as neat, carefully presented work that they can be proud of. Therefore, to support the children in the development of their skills we use the following: 

• TALK FOR WRITING 

• Role Play 

• DAILY PHONICS BUG CLUB 

• Early fine motor activities 

• A quality handwriting programme ISHA and handwriting practise. 

• Quality modelling by adults. 

• Opportunities throughout the curriculum to apply and practise their writing skills., inside and out. 

• Real life experiences and wow moments to make writing meaningful. 

Maths Intent

To provide our children with a strong foundation for understanding number, reasoning, thinking logically and problem-solving so they are competent and successful mathematicians. We aim for the children to see Maths as an enjoyable area of learning and to tackle it with resilience. We want our children to see the importance of Maths in their everyday and future lives. We aim for the children to make rich connections, develop fluency and confidently use mathematical language. We intend for all our children to apply their maths learning to other areas of the curriculum and their daily lives. 

PE Intent

At Standhill Infant School, we intend to provide a PE curriculum that  

• children enjoy 

• allows children to experience a variety of activities that help to develop their health, fitness and wellbeing  

• provides them with the initial tools to succeed in a range of competitive sports in the future.  

Pupils are provided opportunities to improve their confidence and resilience and are taught vital skills to succeed, such as knowing how to work well in a team and engage in sports safely. The opportunities the children access help to embed values such as fairness and respect. At Standhill, we believe that developing a healthy lifestyle and a positive growth-mindset are key skills that our children can use throughout their life. 

Geography Intent 

At Standhill, we aim to inspire in our children an understanding of and appreciation for the world in which we live.  As geographers, children will draw on their own experiences and use observational skills to describe places and identify geographical features. We aim to excite a curiosity and interest in our children which makes them want to find out more about the world around them to encourage children to answer and ask questions about different places. We will provide exciting opportunities to allow the children to explore their surroundings and different environments. Off site visits, engaging texts and lessons will reinforce and embed our core values, most particularly, showing respect for different people, places and cultures. Our learning power of resourcefulness will be embedded through using maps and atlases to identify and locate places.

History Intent

At Standhill, we aim to develop an interest in and curiosity about the past. As historians, childen will gain knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world beyond living memory. Through an engaging, wide-reaching and diverse curriculum, we reinforce our core values, most particularly, by being respectful of different people, places and cultures. Children will use their learning powers of being resourceful by using different sources of information and artefacts to find out about the past and by being reflective through thinking about the importance of significant events and people in the past and the impact these have had on lives then and now. Through visits, visitors, film and engaging lessons we want all of our children develop a love of learning about the past!  

Science Intent

At Standhill Infant School, we recognise the importance of Science within the world around us. We intend to develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery. We want our children to become confident, inquisitive and knowledgeable scientists. Our Science lessons strive to enable children to build on their natural curiosity and shape it into scientific enquiry. They aim to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and encourage respect for living organisms and the physical environment. The school and local environment will provide first-hand practical experiences. In addition, we will use appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos to support children’s learning. We expect our children to be able to use the correct scientific vocabulary for each topic. We use chatterboxes to embed understanding of challenging, yet age appropriate scientific vocabulary.

RE Intent

At Standhill, we aim to develop a curiosity about and an interest in religion and belief. Children will gain knowledge and understanding of many religions, cultures and beliefs through engaging lessons that use artefacts, stories, film, visits and visitors. Our R.E. curriculum reinforces our core values, by being respectful of all people, places and cultures. The children use their learning powers in R.E. by being reflective, they think about their own experiences and learn about others. The curriculum encourages children to develop empathy with people, their beliefs, religion and culture. Our R.E. curriculum reinforces oracy skills by using the Chatterboxes in each class. Key vocabulary related to our learning is used in every lesson. We believe that children are free to make their own choices and decisions concerning religion and belief.

Computing Intent

At Standhill Infant School, we intend to provide a Computing curriculum that allows our children to gain the skills and knowledge to be able to use and benefit from the ever-growing technology that surround our daily lives. Whilst children are continuously having access to technology both in school and at home, we intend to teach the children how to demonstrate their creativity and resourcefulness whilst also knowing how to navigate the internet safely and respectfully. We recognise that our children may be exposed to social media and other information online so teaching them how to use the internet safely and positively whilst teaching them to know who to go to when they are unsure is a vital part of our curriculum. This is paired with improving their digital literacy and understanding of computer science to prepare them for the next stage of their education.

Music Intent

At Standhill Infant School, we intend for all children to see themselves as musicians, being able to listen to, play and compose their own music though the use of voice and by exploring a range instruments. We want to equip them with the language to be able to evaluate and share their likes and dislikes about music. We value children’s independent tastes in music which represent themselves and their community. We enjoy coming together in our classrooms, as a school and as part of a choir to sing songs which support our learning and our wellbeing. 

Art Intent

At Standhill Infants School, we intend our Art curriculum to be engaging and inspire our learners to become keen artists. The children learn the skills of drawing, painting and sculpture and are encouraged to share their ideas, feelings and experiences whilst building on previous learning. We value the importance of exposing the children to a range of artists, to find similarities and differences and encourage the children to draw on key vocabulary when describing and comparing different pieces of art. The children are encouraged to draw on their ‘learning powers’, to be resilient when faced with new challenges and reflective when evaluating their artwork and the work of others. The children are also taught to be resourceful when selecting appropriate tools. Our cross-curricular approach to learning allows the children to produce artwork which further deepens their understanding and knowledge enabling them to make stronger links between different subjects.

DT Intent

At Standhill Infants School, we intend our DT curriculum to inspire our learners to become creative, curious designers and to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to plan, make and evaluate a range of products. By introducing the children to different tools and techniques provides them with the opportunity to design and make a range of products safely and with increased confidence.  We aim to develop the children’s independence and provide them with opportunities to express individual thoughts and ideas through their work.  We encourage the children to draw on their ‘learning powers’, to be resilient when faced with new challenges and reflective when evaluating their products. Our cross-curricular approach to learning allows the children to design and create with purpose, to deepen their understanding and enables them to make stronger links between different subjects when exploring the use of different materials and tools.