The children have a daily lesson focusing on Literacy skills. Three of these are Literacy Hours, following the structure, guidance and objectives contained in the National Literacy Strategy. The National Literacy strategy is a government initiative, which was introduced to all schools in 1998 with the intention of improving national literacy standards. The remaining two lessons are taught writing and applied English. These were developed at Guillemont to provide the children with a longer session for sustained work as the structure of the literacy hours only allows for a 20-30 minute task.

Taught Writing provides an opportunity for the children to write for a longer period of time. The teacher takes the objectives from the relevant term’s NLS. The necessary features of the type of writing in question will be discussed, and very often, the teacher will model writing in that style. The children will then produce their own writing in the appropriate format.

Applied English provides another opportunity for the children to write for a longer amount of time. The class teacher chooses an area that needs to be focused on, and the children apply skills they have learnt in Literacy hour or Taught Writing to a piece of writing that is relevant to their current topic work. The writing will then be edited and checked, before it is completed in final draft to become part of the topic.

There is a separate spelling and handwriting session and additional reading times are timetabled for each class.

Supporting individual needs

For the literacy hours, the children are grouped within the class according to ability. The teacher will work with each group throughout the week, leading a guided reading or writing task. Each class has an LSA. During Literacy lessons, they will usually be used to support a small group of less able children. The LSA will assist with reading and writing. In many classes, the LSA will also work with a small group of children to support them with spelling. More able children are extended. This is partly achieved during the guided reading and writing sessions. The teacher will often provide them with reading material at a higher level and will ask more challenging questions. In addition, Miss Cook works with a group of the most able Year 6 children on a regular basis.

Throughout the course of the year, the children have the opportunity to write for a range of different purposes and audiences. They will produce both fiction and non-fiction work including stories, poetry, letters, reports and persuasive writing.

We have a clear responsibility to equip children with the capacity to understand the four rules of number and their practical application. We want them to do this confidently and efficiently in both their mental and written work. In order to achieve this children are taught a variety of mental and written strategies. Children are expected to learn their tables and number bonds.

The children also study, shape, space, data handling, measurement and algebra according to the programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Mathematics is taught through the National Numeracy Strategy, mathematical topics and very importantly, mathematical investigations. Our aim is for children to confidently apply their knowledge and understanding of mathematics to any problem, which involves mathematical reasoning.

Science is at the heart of topic work at Guillemont. The reason for this is that we strongly believe that primary aged children learn best when they are given opportunities to explore their world in a way that is meaningful and of interest to them. This means that they need to think and ask questions, be given practical, hands-on investigations and encouragement to carry out research. This then furthers their understanding of how things work and they gain scientific skills, knowledge and understanding, some of which is taught but more often, experienced.

Philosophy

Our philosophy for learning is based on the belief that children learn best through first hand experiences that are real and relevant. Our ethos is to regard ICT as a tool rather than a subject in its own right. However we do recognise that there are key skills and aspects to be taught as described in the National Curriculum. Through our Scheme of Work, we have given all children the opportunities to achieve the highest possible levels in ICT. More importantly, staff are exploring situations in which ICT can enhance children's work, along with recognising that there are times when it is more appropriate to use traditional methods.

Equipment

Computers are distributed throughout the school, and we have chosen not to have a computer suite, so that the children will look upon ICT as a continuously available resource that is always within reach, both physically and metaphorically. We have introduced broadband to our network this term and all children now have high-speed access to the Internet. Our network allows all children to have an individual logon and e-mail address. Children can therefore work at any computer station and have direct access to their personal Home Files. Teachers can easily monitor children's work by logging on and checking work completed.

Link with Sun Microsystems

The school was fortunate to form a partnership with SUN Microsystems who moved in to a new development near the school. The company provided the server for our school, and still supports our staff with training and troubleshooting advice. However, the concept of networking grew out of our own needs and preferences for children's learning. We shall continue to refine and upgrade both our skills and our infrastructure as new technologies develop.

Geography at Guillemont is studied in block sessions amounting to 10 days a year. The themes covered follow a two year cycle in the lower and upper school. The Geography focus in the upper school can be taught in any order to fit in with the science topic.

	Autumn term	Spring term	Summer term
Lower Junior Year 1	Our school (Sandy Lane)		Kenya  Our Neighbourhood (Watership Down)
Lower Junior Year 2	Farnborough Town Study		Local Rivers & Streams (River Wey)
Upper Junior Year 1	Residential Trip Inland: Streatley or Stow-on-the-Wold	Weather and seasons (through topic)	Managing the Local Environment (Watmore Quarry)
Lower Junior Year 2	Residential Trip (Coastal: Beer or Lulworth)	Changing Environments (Tropical Rain forests)	World rivers (UK / Europe / World)

Through the themes, the geography learning objectives are taught through key questions. Work in the Lower School covers National Curriculum Levels 3 and 4 and in the Upper School, levels 4 and 5. In the Lower School four of the themes are based around field visits. In the Upper School, most of the geography is covered through the residential visits and day visits. This enables children to experience as much as possible first hand thus improving their geographical skills and understanding, using resources such as maps, atlases, aerial photographs and ICT.

The National Curriculum for geography is divided into: Geographical enquiry and skills; Knowledge and understanding of places; Knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes; Knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development.

These are taught through the study of a locality in the UK and a locality in a country that is less economically developed. For example, in 2002/3 the Lower school have studied Farnborough town and the River Wey, while the Upper School have spent a week in Lulworth or Streatley. The children are encouraged to study geography through realize experiences and first hand. This enables them to increase their knowledge and understanding of geography through meaningful and enjoyable activities.

More information on school residential trips can also be found on the Special Projects page.

History at Guillemont Junior school is carried out in block sessions lasting two weeks. Four history topics are covered spanning a four-year cycle. The topics are: Victorians and Local Study, Romans in Britain, Tudors - Exploration and Encounters and Ancient Greeks. Through these areas there are key objectives and questions that need to be covered during the fortnight. The questions are differentiated for Upper school children and Lower school children, so that a wide spectrum of work can be covered and content is not repeated. From each key question, an activity is devised and resources are provided such as first hand experiences, trips, or visitors into the school. We have links with Farnham Museum, Aldershot Military Museum, Hampshire History Department and Hampshire Wardrobe where resources can be obtained. In 2005 the children will be studying the Romans between Monday January 5th and Friday January16th.

The National Curriculum for history is split into historical areas that the key objectives and questions need to answer:

chronological understanding;

knowledge and understanding of events;

people and changes in the past;

historical interpretation;

historical enquiry;

organisation and communication.

Within these areas, the differentiation is apparent in the language used and what the children's understanding needs to be. Often in the key questions the wording and specific areas covered denote what the children in the various year groups need to know. For example, in 2002, children in the upper school studied exploration and encounters during the Tudor period and children in the lower school studied the actual Tudor lifestyle and changes it brought about. Both year groups looked at Queen Elizabeth I and Henry VIII and compared the two reigns. Also during the fortnight, Mr Swanton took children from every class and explored the use of the Internet and how to present information.

To assess how much information children have understood over the fortnight, two assessment questions are posed for written discussion. In 2002, after studying the Tudor period, the children were asked to compare the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and Henry VII and to discuss the differences between rich and poor. The children always seem to have gained so much knowledge and enjoyed the style of history and how it is covered at Guillemont.

At Guillemont we have a wide and varied amount of physical education (P.E.) including dance, gymnastics, games and outdoor and adventurous activities. P.E is taught four times a week, over a two-year cycle in the Upper and Lower Juniors. The overviews indicate the areas covered each term.

Throughout all P.E.sessions children are encouraged to work individually, in small groups and to co-operate with others. They are required to evaluate their own and others performances using the appropriate vocabulary and act on these to develop and refine their movements. Children are taught the effects that exercise has on the body and safety aspects, including the need to warm up and cool down. All children participating in PE sessions wear a full kit (please see School Prospectus page for more details).

Guillemont Clubs

Netball (All year)

Football (Autumn)

Cross Country (Autumn)

Rounders (Summer)

Tennis (All year)**

Karate (All year)**

Gym (All year)**

*= Private paid sessions

Sports Day

Sports day is run once a year in the summer term. Children compete independently against each other in track, throwing, jumping and variety events. The day finishes with team events of relay races and the old favourite tug of war!

The whole curriculum aims to encourage the development of the religious and spiritual awareness of children. In addition to this general and current practice, we are taking a more specific approach through opportunities offered by a Religious Education Syllabus. It is aimed to heighten the children’s spiritual awareness by study of religious practices and traditions of Christian and two other faiths, Hinduism and Buddhism.

PACE at Guillemont Junior School

Social -behaviour -senior/assistant pupil scheme for year 6 -friendships/relationships education including issues of bullying -co-operation -developing interests, extracurricular activities and clubs -drama: exploring themes and ideas through roleplay -trips, both residential, day and part-day -PE and Sports Day activities where children have to work as a team and deal with winning and losing -Parent Tea Party/Coffee Morning -PTA functions such as discos, family fun days, bonfire night -Christmas party/Leavers disco -Assemblies -School and class councils

Health and Safety -sun safety -hygiene -S.R.E. programme -Substance Abuse programme -use of tools and equipment in technology, PE, gardening, cooking, sewing, clay, water safety and swimming -School Liaison Officer Visits -Safety in the home Fire service and Junior Citizenship -Walk to school week -Exercise, diet -School Nurse Visits

Spiritual, Moral and Cultural RE assemblies, Collective worship Behaviour policy Support a charity

What is citizenship?