At Bunscoill Rhumsaa we have built a curriculum provision which helps our children to GROW character, CREATE beautiful things, and ACHIEVE high standards.
Our curriculum helps children to develop positive attitudes; we use the PATHS program (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) as foundation for this, and this is supplemented in lots of other ways including circle-time, Philosophy For Children, SEAL (Social & Emotional Aspects of Learning). Additionally, we have a firm behaviour strategy and a caring, kind and inclusive ethos.
We use the Cornerstones Curriculum, which is a skills-based curriculum made up of a wide range of exciting, innovative projects. Each project is closely linked to the knowledge and skills outlined in the national curriculum. Key concepts are learnt and built upon across year groups, ensuring subject depth, coherence and progression. Due to the structure of the Cornerstones Curriculum, children are given ample opportunities to embed knowledge and master new skills in a range of contexts.
We provide a whole school, high quality Maths Mastery programme of study - 'Power Maths', a UK curriculum programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement in maths, and to nurture children's confidence in the subject. 'Power Maths' is written specifically for UK classrooms by mastery experts from around the world, and is recommended by the UK's Department for Education.
Our curriculum allows children to build their knowledge; our teachers carefully monitor and evaluate each child's progress, so that they have a thorough understanding of the pupils' individual needs. That means that we know just what each child is capable of, and what they need to do next to continue to improve their knowledge and understanding.
In reception the children follow The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. This covers the following areas:
- Communication and language development
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Literacy development
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design .
The children also have lessons in Sex and Relationship Education. Our aims when teaching SRE (Sex and Relationship Education) are to enable children to develop an increased understanding of their and other people’s physical development and mental well-being. It is taught to help the children to develop good moral values and judgements and to help them to respect differences between people. The children learn about themselves and their body parts, friendships, body awareness and hygiene. As they move up the school they look at differences between male and female and about caring for people and learn more about caring for their bodies. They talk about self esteem, decision making and safety and they are encouraged to challenge gender stereotypes. As they near their final years in school we discuss puberty and changes in their bodies, personal hygiene, changing relationships and building good relationships. Most of this is covered through science and PSHE and is part of the education of every child. However, the part of SRE which deals specifically with reproduction, menstruation etc. needs parental permission, which we will request nearer to the time when these lessons will take place (in years 5 and 6).
In addition, all pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 may choose to study Manx.