Curriculum
The Junior School Curriculum is rich in knowledge and skills. We combine the rigour of the English National Curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, with our International and Italian context to provide a wide ranging and inspiring curriculum full of colour, curiosity and creativity.
Curriculum for Self (Development)
Every pupil is an individual and we want all our individual pupils to think about who they are, how they feel and how they can be their best. Their ability to manage their emotions will determine their success in life more than any other skill. Starting with 'personal, social and emotional development' as a prime learning area in the EYFS and then through Personal Social Health and Citizenship Education' in KS1 and 2, we help pupils develop a sense of themselves and their role as happy, confident and resilient global citizens. Additionally in Years 5 & 6, we introduce the 'Life Decider Skills'.
Core Curriculum
Through teacher assessment and through external national and international benchmark assessments, we ensure that our curriculum continues to allow our pupils to achieve standards above UK national averages for English, Maths and Science by the end of Key Stage 2. This achievement is due to the high quality of our teaching and support staff, the high expectations we have for all our pupils and the resources and support we can provide through our Additional Educational Needs and English as an Additional Language departments.
Creativity
Built upon a foundation of knowledge we encourage creativity through a wide range of arts subjects; Music, Drama, Art and Design and Design Technology. We provide extensive opportunities for development in Music as we are a school already steeped in a tradition of providing world class concerts and productions on a large scale.
Technology
In addition to a comprehensive Computing curriculum, Technology is an integral tool for learning in the Junior Schools'. Pupils from Year 4 have access to their own email address and a school drive from which to create, save and access work. This space also enables collaborative learning as well as flipped learning opportunities in what is a truly progressive learning experience. Sometimes our children’s learning will be substituted, augmented, modified and/or redefined by technology but at all times technology is being used to optimise learning and to consider the future digital needs and safety of our pupils.
Physical Education
A multitude of progressive skills are taught in Physical Education as we introduce sports that utilise our favourable mediterranean climate, our purpose built athletics track, two multi purpose pitches, various games courts and our indoor dome.
Italian
Italian is the modern foreign language of the Junior Schools'. It is taught in differentiated groups within Year groups to address the needs of fluent Italian speakers as well as the needs of intermediate and beginner Italian speakers.
Enhanced Learning Weeks
By coming off timetable and focussing our learning on a specific area of the curriculum we aim to create enhanced learning experiences for all our pupils that will stay with them in their long term memories. Each year we include at least three off-timetable collaborations, including:
- Book Week, with an obvious literary focus
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Week (STEM)
- International Week, which is wide ranging in focus but our PSHCE programme is particularly supported through it.
These three separate weeks facilitate wonderfully creative learning. You will see this demonstrated through the celebration and display of our pupils’ work. We invite visiting specialists, authors or touring companies to school, who serve to embed and continue learning that started in the classroom.
Trips and learning in the real world
Day trips and Residential trips are a quintessential element of the Junior Schools' curriculum learning success. We are firm believers in personal, social and emotional development through immersion in real learning environments outside of the classroom. Each Year group will, on average, visit one off site location as part of their curriculum topic per term. Types of day trips include the local Beach, Bracciano Castle, an Owl Sanctuary, the Zoo at Villa Borghese and of course the myriad exhibitions and historical sites within the city of Rome.
This year, Year 3 and Year 4 will separately visit Buona Terra in Umbria. It is Year 3’s first overnight residential where pupils will travel to this biological farm for a three day, two night stay where they learn the importance of ‘Respect’. Year 4 return to Buona Terra to experience the olive oil making process from the picking of the olives to the bottling of the oil and return to Umbria in the summer term to visit Arteparte. Venice is the location for Year 5 to spend 4 days and nights, while Year 6 travel to Turin and nearby Gran Paradiso national park for an amazing final residential experience while in the Junior School. These trips combine a great effort from staff and an enthusiasm from pupils, which lead to wonderful lasting memories for all.
Commitment to an excellent curriculum
The leadership and staff of the Junior Schools are committed to all their pupils as well as their own professional learning. Therefore we are always reflecting on our curriculum, the best practices in education internationally and the most up to date educational research. This assures us, and you, that the curriculum on offer here for the pupils at St George’s, remains current and excellent.