Overview of the EYFS & Primary Curriculum

Our youngest students follow the Early Years curriculum, with a significant emphasis on play, early childhood development and interpersonal skills. They progress onto KS1 and then KS2, where the National Curriculum of England underpins the learning with adjustments made to suit our local context and international culture.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pre-school, Foundation Stage One (FS1) and Foundation Stage Two (FS2).

The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) programme encourages all students to become independent, confident learners while focusing on developing our youngest students as inquirers through a play-based learning environment. Our teachers of Foundation Stage, embrace the role of nurturing facilitators, following the students in their interests whilst developing key skills and knowledge that will help them be successful learners.

Our curriculum, based on the EYFS Curriculum of England and Wales is broad and balanced to ensure all areas of learning are developed utilising skills set out in the Development Matters document and the knowledge and skills outlined in the Early Learning Goals framework. Both documents and our programmes of learning which embrace their principles, lead our learners into the National Curriculum of England and Wales for Primary (Year One through to Year Six).

Ongoing assessments and observations inform teachers of areas to focus on for future planning of teaching and learning experiences and allow teachers to successfully track and monitor student attainment and progress.

When walking into our EYFS classrooms and outdoor areas, you will see vibrant learning areas which reflect the current topic, maintain students’ interests and provoke their imaginations. A purposeful learning environment ensures that students work collaboratively, learning to express themselves and their opinions confidently, develop skills in higher order thinking and questioning, as well as ensuring that all learning is meaningful.

Key Stage One – Year One & Year Two

All the staff in Key Stage One understand the significant role they have in further developing the learning which took place in the Early Years Foundation Stage, continuing to develop the academic, physical, social and creative growth of each individual student. We provide excellent teaching and learning programmes, following the National curriculum of England and Wales, which establish high expectations within a caring environment. Each teacher promotes and celebrates the success of every child.

To help students make the transition from EYFS, we encourage similar Early Years practice for at least the first term of Year One. This means that students continue to be encouraged to be independent learners and are offered opportunities to self-select activities from the range being offered in their class and extended learning environments. This approach is continued throughout Y1 and Y2 whilst there is an expectation that teaching and learning becomes more formal so that students further develop the skills and knowledge expected of them by the end of KS1 and to ensure they are ready to make the transition to Year Three. There is a distinct focus in KS1 on English Language with an emphasis on spoken English with many learning experiences delivered and assessed through spoken activities.

Specialist lessons complement the delivery of the Key Stage 1 curriculum and include Music, Art, Modern Foreign Language (French or German), Arabic, Religion, Tafakur (Islamic Moral Values) and Physical Education. Global Perspectives is embedded within World Studies and students in KS1 begin to be challenged with thinking of their place in a global society and the impact they have as global citizens. STEAM challenges (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths) provide an opportunity to think outside the box and apply creative and critical thinking to their learning.

Ongoing assessments and observations inform teachers of areas of focus for future planning and learning experiences whilst ensuring all students have access to learning at their own level and teachers differentiate the learning activities according to the needs of the students in their class. This also allows teachers to successfully track and monitor student attainment and progress, sharing this tracking with each individual child so they understand the next steps in their learning journey and readying them to confidently progress to Key Stage Two, the final phase of their Primary education.

Key Stage Two – Year Three, Four, Five and Six

Learning during this phase reflects the National Curriculum of England and Wales’ framework; teaching standards are aligned to those prevalent in a quality UK learning environment. Alongside this, students study the Egyptian Ministry of Education curriculum in Arabic language, Religion and Social Studies (from Year Four onwards). Alongside the more formal elements of learning, students in KS2 are still offered independent, self-selected extension activities in class which value their personal preferences and interests to engage them in a genuine passion for learning and self-development. STEAM challenges are still embedded in the learning opportunities and collaborative learning enables students to work together to solve problems and critically approach challenges in creative ways.

Students are expected to make significant academic, personal and social development on their journey from Years 3 to 6. They build the skills required to be resilient, resourceful, and reflective learners. We encourage our students to take risks to become increasingly independent and self-confident while recognising their developing responsibility to show a greater awareness of the people and world around them. Through class roles such as Peer Mentor, Royal Values Role model or School Council representative we ensure the students have a ‘voice’ and can meaningfully contribute to the development of the school.

In addition to English, Mathematics, Science and World Studies with their class teacher, students benefit from specialist lessons in PE, Modern Foreign Language (French or German), Art, Computing and Music, taught by teachers who are experienced in their area of the curriculum.

Regular assessment and tracking of progress related to Curriculum objectives is ongoing and ensures every student is given challenging learning at a level appropriate to their determined ability. Students in KS2 continue to track their own progress and carefully plan, with support, how to successfully continue on their learning journey.

End of Year assessments in selected areas of learning (English and Maths) provide an overview of progress and achievement and serve to inform future teachers. Students also sit Cognitive Ability tests in Year Four to support target setting and teacher planning. From 2022 onwards, in Year Six, pupils sit the Pearson iPrimary Examinations at the end of May to provide an overview of progress and achievement to carry on to Year Seven and the start of their Secondary School learning journey.