Curriculum
As a junior school, we pride ourselves on a broad curriculum which builds on the work of our partner infant school. Children receive a full entitlement to the breadth of National Curriculum subjects, as well as a clear focus on excellence in the core areas of English and Mathematics.
Brief outlines of the curriculum for each year group are available on the year group pages in the menu. Further detail about some of the key subjects are outlined below.
If you want to know more about the detail of our curriculum, please contact us.
Reading
When pupils join the school in Year 3, we work to ensure that their reading skill is secure through the use of the Read, Write, Inc. phonics programme. This is a clearly structured programme which ensures that children can confidently decode almost any word, and increase their fluency with reading.
As children progress through the school, we ensure that their fluency and speed of reading continues to develop as they meet more challenging books and novels. We incorporate non-fiction texts into our broader curriculum, and ensure plenty of time for independent reading.
Children are able to select books from the school library collection which are suited to their current reading abilities. Through the Accelerated Reader programme, we are able to help children further improve their reading through regular independent reading, and completing quizzes about books they have completed. You can find out more about the Accelerated Reader programme in our short video for parents.
Writing
Throughout the school, we use a structured writing programme called The Write Stuff. The programme focuses clearly on developing children's skill at writing interesting and complex sentences, before combining them to write in greater depth.
Across the school, we use high quality fiction and non-fiction texts as the starting points for many of our units, so that children read enjoyable books of a high standard, and use them as inspiration for their own fantastic writing.
Mathematics
All of our pupils follow the Maths - No Problem! programme at EPJS. This scheme originates in Singapore, where maths attainment is among the highest in the world. The approach uses a combination of concrete materials (such as counters, beads and Dienes apparatus), pictorial representations and varied models to develop children's mathematical understanding.
We also prioritise the learning of the key number facts, including number bonds and multiplication tables. All children have access to online games to help them to practise and master these essential skills.
Physical Education and Sport
Every child receives two hours a week of PE teaching, with pupils in Year 4 and 5 learning to swim at the Littlehampton Wave leisure centre. In addition, we offer a range of after-school clubs, and sporting events. Through our partnership with other schools in the Angmering locality, we are able to offer expert coaching for teachers and pupils, and a broad range of inter-school to suit every ability and interest.
Science and the Humanities
Science, History and Geography are taught through thematic units, which are suited to each year group. Each unit is structured to help children secure the knowledge they will need for future learning, both throughout the juniors and as they move into secondary school.
Each unit of work is accompanied by a Knowledge Organiser, which children will bring home from school. This clearly sets out the key knowledge that children will learn in each unit, helping them to master the basics of each subject.
The Arts
Every child has an entitlement to a high quality arts education at EPJS. Every year group includes units of work on the essential art and design skills of drawing, painting, printing and sculpture, as well as access to design and technology units, and a varied music curriculum.
Children progress through our music programme, appreciating different forms of music, from classical to modern pop, and have the opportunity to learn to read music notation to play accomplished pieces individually or as an ensemble.
Computing
2020 saw the opening of our new computer suite. Every class has regular timetabled lessons in the suite as well as access to a bank of laptops in each year group. Children are introduced to safe online learning, and to the basics of computer coding.
Health, Relationships & Sex Education
We use the Kapow PSHE programme to support the teaching of health, relationships & sex education, through the key themes of family and relationships; health and wellbeing; and safety and the changing body.
Further details of the programme are available from the parent guidance document.
Religious Education
Pupils in all year groups access Religious Education units which cover Christianity, another world faith, and a cross-faith unit which allows them to understand the role of religion.
Parents can choose to ask for their child to be withdrawn from Religious Education, and should do so by putting a request in writing to the headteacher.
Spanish
Every child at EPJS is taught Spanish in a weekly lesson. Using high quality resources, children learn the basics of counting, introductions and common questions and answers, as well as finding out more about the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.