Student Life at Langafel CofE Primary School
Our student culture plays a key role in the experience at Langafel CofE Primary School. We’ve created a safe and accessible environment where students are encouraged to discuss ideas, collaborate on projects, share their work and receive feedback with pride. We give students the foundation to reach their potential and gain confidence both academically and socially.
EYFS
EYFS at Langafel
Our Early Years Foundation stage comprises of two small classes which share a large open plan classroom space. In the EYFS at Langafel we observe and engage with our children to enable learning to take place through topics which are relevant to the children’s interests. This ensures maximum engagement from the children.
Learning within the foundation stage takes place through short whole class sessions, small group sessions and through child-initiated learning where the children develop their confidence and ability to be independent learners whilst making choices about how and what they learn and engage in.
We track and celebrate our children’s learning and progress using Tapestry – an online learning journal. We believe in parents’ as partners and Tapestry enables parents to receive regular updates on their child’s progress and interests as well as providing a platform for them to share their own evidence of their child’s learning.
We encourage parental involvement by inviting parents to attend ‘stay and play’ and story sessions throughout the year allowing you to be an active partner in your child’s EYFS learning Journey.
In Early Years the children take part in a once weekly PE session in addition to developing their physical skills as part of their child initiated learning each day.
The children also participate in a once weekly forest school session from term 2. This session fits in perfectly with the over- arching themes and principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum that we follow. It allows the children to develop their confidence and independence and to learn to take and manage risk in a safe environment.
If you would like to know more about the components of the curriculum the children follow then the full government documents for both the statutory and non-statutory elements can be accessed here by clicking the links:
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Guidance overview: Development Matters - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
From September 2021 all children in the UK complete the Reception Baseline Assessment within the first 6 weeks of starting school. This comprises of a series of yes/no answer questions and is completed on an individual basis with the class teacher.
Key Stage 1
KS1 consists of three classes; Tiger, Wolf and Koala – each class contains 28-30 pupils. Within the phase, we have three class teachers – Mrs Ellis (Phase Lead), Mr Graham and Miss Wotton, one HTLA – Mrs Everson and three teaching assistants – Mrs Clark, Mrs King and Mrs Weekes. The teaching assistants move between the three classes to support where necessary.
Our teaching and learning follow the National Curriculum and is delivered through exciting and engaging lessons and topics. Pupils are separated into two Year 1 and 2 groups for maths so that their learning is focused on the aims and skills of their year group. In phonics, we follow the Little Wandle programme, all if year 1 and some children who still require phonics. Year 2 children will have daily SPaG lessons. Both Phonics and SPaG occurs daily for 20 minutes and are followed up/applied within all lessons. In KS1, we follow the Collins Big Cat Reading Scheme which is connected to the Little Wandle programme. Your child’s home reading book corresponds to their phonetic ability and they will progress through the book levels as their decoding skills, fluency and comprehension skills develop and the class teacher/teaching assistant feels it’s appropriate.
In KS1 we continue to develop the children’s interaction and social skills, reinforce our school values and we encourage the children to be as independent as possible; this includes being responsible for their own belongings as well as showing independence in their work. At Langafel, we have a variety of pupils from different backgrounds and with different needs, all of whom we strive to support on their own learning journeys. Our children in KS1 show great understanding and acceptance towards the fact that everyone is different and this is okay, highlighting Langafel’s inclusive nature. By the end of KS1, we aim to provide pupils with memorable learning opportunities through engaging and interactive learning as well as enabling pupils to acquire the skills to become confident and independent learners as they move into KS2.
Lower Key Stage 2
Lower Key Stage 2 (LKS2) Phase comprises three classes of mixed Year 3 and Year 4 pupils; Penguin Class (led by Mrs Hemple also Phase Leader), Turtle Class (led by Miss Ragon and Miss Carter) and Seahorse Class (led by Mrs Kay).
We also have teaching assistants within the phase (Mrs Duffin, Miss Yates, Mrs Sawyer, Mrs Holmes and Mrs Mulla) who are able to provide invaluable, responsive curriculum and pastoral support to pupils across the LKS2 phase. Mrs Lawrence is our phase HLTA who teaches one of the four maths groups and covers each class one afternoon a week.
Our teaching and learning follow the National Curriculum objectives for Year 3 and 4, ensuring the methods for meeting these skills are as engaging, creative, diverse and inspiring for our young learners as possible through our intriguing overarching topics; teaching is planned to stimulate children’s interests and develop a range of learning styles.
Topics of study in LKS2 include: Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Extreme Earth and Stone Age to name a few. Through topic lessons which comprise of the foundation subjects: Art, DT, geography, history and music, children will transfer the skills they’ve obtained from previous year groups before progressing and developing the skill with the knowledge from their new year group. Exposing children to subject and skill specific vocabulary and their ability to apply it in context is also pivotal to their knowledge progression as they progress through the school.
This year, we are introducing the Accelerated Reader reading scheme into LKS2 to continue to motivate, inspire and ignite children’s passion for reading. Following the completion of a book, children will complete a quiz to assess how much of the book they understood and retained before choosing a new book. Termly assessments will identify when children are ready to progress through the reading levels. Reading achievements will be celebrated within the phase through prizes and house points for regular home reading and recognition on our corridor reading mural for children who obtain 100% in the book quizzes. For children who progress from KS1 and still require phonics learning, they will access the Little Wandle phonics and reading programme.
Supporting children with the progression from KS1 to LKS2 is at the utmost importance and we aim to continue to develop children’s independence and support them with becoming more responsible and resilient learners, which coincides with our school values. At Langafel, we have a variety of pupils from different backgrounds and with different needs, all of whom we strive to support on their own learning journeys. Our children in LKS2 show great understanding and acceptance towards the fact that everyone is different and this is okay, highlighting Langafel’s inclusive nature.
By the end of LKS2, we aim to provide pupils with memorable learning opportunities through engaging and interactive learning as well as enabling pupils to acquire the skills to become confident, independent and responsible learners as they progress into the final phase of their Langafel journey.
Upper Key Stage 2
Upper Key Stage 2 corridor is made up of 4 classes, Phoenix, Falcon, Flamingo and Owl and is the final stage of a pupil’s primary education.
It is another step up in their learning, giving them opportunities to take on extra responsibilities, including becoming a House captain and to continue to grow academically, socially and emotionally. Pupils are expected to take increasing ownership of their learning, understanding the importance of having high expectations of themselves and working hard to meet these.
Phoenix class
Encouragement is given to allow all pupils to recognise their strengths and build on all aspects of their learning, they are supported to reflect back on our Christian and Learning Values and how these can be used to move themselves forward.
As pupils reach the end of their time at Langafel, they enjoy the opportunity of taking part in a fantastic residential, wow the school in the Leaver’s Production and cement amazing memories at the Leaver’s celebration.
We hope that all pupils leave us as confident, well rounded learners who are successfully equipped to rise to the challenges of secondary education.
SLIC Provision
SLIC (Socialise, Learn, Interact and Communicate) at Langafel is our resourced mainstream provision for pupils who are diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In order to be considered for a place in SLIC a child must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (previously known as a ‘Statutory Statement of Special Educational Needs’) and their primary need must be ASD.
We have 3 classes in SLIC with places for 25 pupils. Children are taught by trained staff comprised of 3 teachers and 9 teaching assistants. Teaching and learning follows National Curriculum but is delivered using strategies and resources that meet the learning needs of the pupils. As well as academic learning the teaching of social, interaction and communication skills are regarded as at least equally important.
SLIC is a valued part of the school and pupils in SLIC enjoy the abundance of high quality resources in the school and have the opportunity to be included in all mainstream activities.
Pupils admitted to SLIC should have the potential to be included in mainstream classes for part of their learning. They are supported in this by trained staff with whom they are familiar. Inclusion in mainstream lessons enhances not only their learning, but also their social skills through interaction with mainstream pupils. Not only do SLIC pupils benefit but also mainstream pupils and staff as we have learnt to respect each other’s differences and that is what makes our school a knowledgeable, tolerant and caring community.
