Subjects

We teach the following number of 45 minute sessions weekly at the primary level (Year 1 - Year 4):

*Many 'subjects' are integrated within an International Primary Curriculum (IPC) theme or topic.

English and German

The overarching aim for English and German in the national curriculums is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English as well as for German aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

(see: „The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014“ and “Bildungsstandards und Inhaltsfelder, das neue Kerncurriculum Primarstufe Deutsch” )

Maths

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The programmes of study are, by necessity, organised into apparently distinct domains, but pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.

The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.

(see: The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014)

German Additional Language/ Deutsch als Fremdsprache

In every year group we have classes to support children who are significantly below the level of mother tongue German for their age. These classes often take place at the same time as normal German classes and there may also be some sessions at 8:00 am before school. German Additional Language classes usually cover three different levels: beginners, intermediate and advanced.

English as an additional language (EAL)

We have a full-time EAL teacher employed to support groups of children across the school who may require assistance with English language structures or vocabulary. Support sometimes happens within English, Math or Science lessons to help children access the curriculum more effectively. There are also classes at other times in the week, sometimes before school starting at 8:00 am. The EAL teacher will inform you about the teaching session times at the beginning of the year.

Science

The principal focus of science teaching in key stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of appropriate secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos.

The principal focus of science teaching in lower key stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.

Art and Design

Pupils develop their creativity and imagination by exploring the visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes. They learn about the role of art, craft and design in their environment. They begin to understand colour, shape and space and pattern and texture and use them to represent their ideas and feelings.

During Key Stage 2 pupils develop their creativity and imagination through more complex activities. These help to build on their skills and improve their control of materials, tools and techniques. They increase their critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art, craft and design in different times and cultures. They become more confident in using visual and tactile elements and materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think.

(see: The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014)

Music

During Key Stage 1 pupils listen carefully and respond physically to a wide range of music. They play musical instruments and sing a variety of songs from memory, adding accompaniments and creating short compositions, with increasing confidence, imagination and control. They explore and enjoy how sounds and silence can create different moods and effects.

During Key Stage 2 pupils sing songs and play instruments with increasing confidence, skill, expression and awareness of their own contribution to a group or class performance. They improvise, and develop their own musical compositions, in response to a variety of different stimuli with increasing personal involvement, independence and creativity. They explore their thoughts and feelings through responding physically, intellectually and emotionally to a variety of music from different times and cultures.

(see: The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014)

ICT

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

• can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
• can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

(see: The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014)

International Primary Curriculum

The four main aims of the IPC are:

• to help children learn the subject knowledge, skills and understandings they need to become aware of the world around them
• to help children develop the personal skills they need to take an active part in the world throughout their lives
• to help children develop an international mindset alongside their awareness of their own nationality.
• to do each of these in ways which take intoaccount up-to-date research into how children learn and how they can be encouraged to be life-long learners.

(see: THE INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM 2003)

Physical Education

A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.

The national curriculums for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils: develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities; are physically active for sustained periods of time; engage in competitive sports and activities; lead healthy, active lives.

(see: The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014)

Physical Education (PE) / Year 3 swimming classes

PE equipment: Please provide a complete change of sports clothing to include: a T-shirt, shorts/sweat pants, non-marking hard soled PE shoes as well as Gymnastic shoes. In good weather, classes may be held either outside or inside so it is important to provide your child with all the items each week to allow the sports teacher flexibility.

Year 3 children participate in a one-semester swimming instruction instead of the 2 weekly PE sessions. Parents will receive a detailed information and questionnaire prior to the beginning of the course. The course is held in a public indoor pool and transportation as well as admission is paid for by the Landkreis. If the facility has an outdoor pool, it will be used when weather permits.

For PE including swimming classes all children are required to change clothes prior to and after class. One changing room for girls and one for boys are available for Y3 and Y4. Flexible Lower Primary classes might use a common changing room together depending on the facilities.

Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) / Religious Education (RE)

Pupils learn about themselves as developing individuals and as members of their communities, building on their own experiences and on the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development. They learn the basic rules and skills for keeping themselves healthy and safe and for behaving well. They have opportunities to show they can take some responsibility for themselves and their environment. They begin to learn about their own and other people's feelings and become aware of the views, needs and rights of other children and older people. As members of a class and school community, they learn social skills such as how to share, take turns, play, help others, resolve simple arguments and resist bullying. They begin to take an active part in the life of their school and its neighbourhood.

During key stage 2 pupils learn about themselves as growing and changing individuals with their own experiences and ideas, and as members of their communities. They become more mature, independent and self-confident. They learn about the wider world and the interdependence of communities within it. They develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility and begin to understand that their own choices and behaviour can affect local, national or global issues and political and social institutions. They learn how to take part more fully in school and community activities. As they begin to develop into young adults, they face the changes of puberty and transfer to secondary school with support and encouragement from their school. They learn how to make more confident and informed choices about their health and environment; to take more responsibility, individually and as a group, for their own learning; and to resist bullying.

(see: The National Curriculum in England, framework document, July 2014)

In RE we follow the German State requirements to teach aspects of the Christian faith to all children. We also have a multi-religious approach which studies, celebrates and shares the religions of many of our families from around the world. The German school offers Christian study classes to cover preparation first communion (catholic) which are open for our children to attend. If you have further questions about RE, please contact the school.

Sex and Relationship Education (SRE)

Sex and Relationship Education is an essential area of learning for your child. Participation at SRE classes is compulsory for all children as part of the Primary School Curriculum in state schools. The legal requirements for primary schools to provide Sex and Relationship Education are outlined in the “Lehrplan Sexualerziehung - Für allgemeinbildende und berufliche Schulen in Hessen”, published by the Hesse Ministery of Education in August 2016.(https://kultusministerium.hessen.de/sites/default/files/media/hkm/lehrplan_sexualerziehung_formatiert_neu.pdf)

The SISS Primary SRE curriculum follows the requirements of the State of Hesse by combining different SRE work schemes. This includes the following main criteria:

• Body Awareness
  o External parts of the body using correct terminology
  o Similarities and differences between genders
  o Changes the body goes through from new born child to adult
  o Physical changes associated with puberty
  Sexual Behaviour During Childhood – I like myself, I like you
  o Feelings: to feel happy, sad or scared and recognize if other people are feeling these emotions
  o To give and accept a compliment
  o To know how it might feel to be a witness and/or a target of bullying
  Safety – Prevention of Sexual Abuse
  o My body belongs to me
  o Touches that we like and do not like
  o Potential dangers in different environments
  o People to talk to and ask for help
  The Role of Media And Its Relevance to Me
  o Pressure to behave in an acceptable/risky way can come from a variety of sources, including media and people we know
  Family Networks
  o Family members and friends and the roles they play
  o Values of family life - respect, love and care
  o Different ways that families can be composed of (eg. patch work family, single parent, same-sex relationships)    
• Pregnancy, Birth, New Born Child,
  o How a baby is made and grows (conception and pregnancy)
  o Stages of development of a baby in the uterus
  o About roles and responsibilities of carers and parents
  o Contraception for birth control                                                                         
• Hygiene
  o Basic hygiene routines
  o Impact of puberty on physical hygiene and strategies