How do we support learning

How do we support learning…

Here are some ways we enrich our curriculum to ensure children reach their dull potential and enjoy learning at St James Primary School. 

Word of the Week

Vocabulary is crucial! Having a large vocabulary helps children learn more. Words allow them to make sense of the world around them.

Every week at St James Primary School we introduce a ‘word of the week’ to extend your child’s vocabulary. This word will be sent home to practise so we encourage you to share this word with your child and see if they can repeat the word, understand what it means and use the word in a sentence.

Poetry Basket

Reciting poetry can ignite a love of language. But it also has the power to enhance the acquisition of vocabulary, as well as shaping the neural pathways crucial in the process of reading.

At St James we deliver weekly Poetry Basket sessions which the children love as they are fun and enable the children to learn through watches videos and participating in Makaton. Children learn rhythm and rhyme, new vocabulary and a phonological awareness.

Helicopter Stories

At St James we believe that every child is a natural storyteller.  Helicopter Stories values children’s creativity and imaginative play, whilst supporting language development, storytelling and emergent Literacy. At St James we allow the children to dictate their stories which we scribe and write down word for word what they say. The children are then given the opportunity to act out their stories alongside their friends and peers.

Ten Town

Ten Town brings numbers to life!

At St James we introduce the Ten Town characters weekly through the online stories and songs- which they love!! The children learn to associate the character to the number and learn the rhymes to help them form the numbers accurately and confidently.

Beat Babies

Beat Babies are versatile and will bring new life to language, literacy and emotional development in your setting. Their appealing nature means that children respond to them warmly, creating a positive environment in which learning can take place. They hold attention and develop concentration, giving a purposeful context for improving speaking and listening, turn taking and positive behaviour.

At St James we have a weekly session of Beat babies where the children learn new language through songs and furry characters.

Daily Story time

At St James we read the children daily stories to develop their love for books and language. Sharing stories builds self-esteem, social skills, concentration, vocabulary, feeds imagination and helps them to understand emotions and feelings. Teachers and adults read books with enthusiasm and encourage children to join in repeating familiar phrases. Children are asked questions to recall the stories to develop an understanding of books.  

Nursery Rhymes and Songs

Research shows that children who enjoy music, singing and rhyming on a regular basis tend to learn to speak more easily.

At St James we teach children a range of songs and rhymes and encourage children to recall them and talk about their favourite rhyme and song. We want children to become confident to express themselves creatively in front of their peers and others, as this will help them in the future when they get jobs/ careers.