Foundation Subjects

Sport and Physical Education (P.E.)

All pupils take part in P.E. throughout the school and our Head of Sport is responsible for overseeing the provision of high-quality teaching and learning. Our PE curriculum is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before. For more information on our PE curriculum and the progression of learning objectives, click here.  

At Beacon Rise, we aim to have two PE lessons a week. All pupils have access to hall space, indoor gym apparatus, and large outdoor areas including hard court surfaces, a playing field and climbing facilities.  Year 3 pupils also have swimming lessons which will provide them with a range of strokes and increased water confidence; it is hoped that all pupils are able to swim 25m by the time they leave us.

Children also have the opportunity to participate in afterschool sporting events which are either run by teaching staff or external specialist coaches. We cater for a wide range of sporting interests including football, netball, rugby, athletics, golf, cross country, archery, lacrosse and hockey.

Historically our sports teams (TeamBR) have been very successful and our achievements have included notable results in the Festival of Youth Sport, the South Gloucestershire Swimming Gala and the South Gloucestershire Representative Games. At Beacon Rise, we are keen to provide all children with an opportunity to represent their school in a variety of sports and competitions. Inclusive sports, such as Boccia and New Age Curling, have seen our children top the podium in recent years. Our children are given every opportunity to represent their school which highlights our desire to show Beacon Rise as a place where enthusiasm and skill are equally rewarded.

The school uses part of its School Sports Premium to fund memberships of CSET Sports Programme and the South Gloucestershire PE Association. These links provide a wealth of opportunities for children to experience a range of sports as well as participating in competitive games. Within this provision, there are also opportunities for coaching, CPD, and support with teaching and learning.

Beacon Rise prides itself in providing children with the skills and knowledge to develop their physical literacy. We have consistently been awarded with Sainsbury’s Gold Games Mark with our most recent award being a Platinum Mark to recognise our dedication to physical activity and sporting opportunity.

Computing

At Beacon Rise we want our pupils to be digitally literate and participate responsibly in a digital world, both now and in the future. Our computing curriculum comprises 5 key areas:

  • Online Safety (throughout our curriculum)
  • Systems and Networks
  • Creating Media (Images and Modelling, Audio, Text, Animation and Video)
  • Data and Information
  • Programming (taught twice annually)

We believe that computer technology should be recognised for the value that it can bring to daily life and the future lives of our students. We work within an alliance of schools locally to ensure best practice and learning is shared. Our computing curriculum is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before. For more information on our computing curriculum areas and our progression of learning objectives, click here

We regularly use and encourage technology in other areas of the curriculum so that pupils can be active participants in their own learning. Pupils have access to class laptops and iPads which are used across the curriculum. Micro:bits and Blue-Bots enhance the curriculum further and give our pupils access to a different type of technology.

All pupils are taught how to use technologies, both in school and at home, safely, respectfully and effectively. To further respect the values of being safe online, it is also taught and reinforced through our PSHE curriculum.

Historical Understanding

At Beacon Rise, we help pupils gain a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. In line with the National Curriculum, we equip pupils to ask questions about the past, critically evaluate evidence, and develop their own opinions. We teach them different skills such as analysing and comparing information in order to develop critical thinking.

In Year 1 we look at historical features still seen today such as castles and compare the lives of people who lived in the past to today e.g. the famous pirate, Blackbeard. In Year 2 we look at significant historical events and individuals for example, famous astronauts.  In Key Stage 2 topics include significant historical events in Britain, including the Stone and Iron Age, and the impact of the Viking, Roman and Anglo-Saxon invasions. In addition we study the history of the wider world including the Mayans, Ancient Greeks and Egyptians. For more information on our coherently planned teaching and learning, click here

Geographical Understanding

Geography teaching at Beacon Rise equips pupils with knowledge and understanding of our world – the places, people, cultures, environments, resources, and natural processes. In Key Stage 1, pupils study the local area, starting with our school and its surrounding community. As pupils progress into Key Stage 2, their studies widen to include different parts of the UK, Europe and the Americas. Pupils of all ages are encouraged to develop their investigation ideas and interpret a range of geographical sources. Pupils also learn to interpret globes and maps, draw maps and use symbols, as well as undertake fieldwork. For more information on our sequence of topics and learning, click here

Art and Design

Art and design is taught in an inspiring and practical way at Beacon Rise. Pupils research, invent, experiment and create works of art, craft and design. We also teach our pupils how to evaluate and analyse works of great designers and artists, as well as their own creations. You can see some fantastic examples of our art and design work on display around the school. Click on the subject names for more information on our carefully sequenced art and DT curriculums planned by our Head of CreateBR and DT subject leader.  

Languages

Across the school we teach French through a fun, multi-sensory approach. In Key Stage 1, French is mainly taught through songs and games. Whereas in Key Stage 2, pupils are encouraged to explore the language in more detail and develop their French speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.  Click here to see the progression of our learning objectives in Key Stage 2. 

Music

At Beacon Rise, we believe music is a vehicle for personal expression and a unique form of communication that can inspire and motivate children. We encourage and inspire pupils to develop a love and appreciation of music by providing opportunities for all children to listen, explore, play, create, perform and enjoy music. We strongly believe that music increases self-confidence, creativity and a sense of achievement.

Our music curriculum ensures that pupils:

  • Develop an understanding of pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure and notation to know how music is created and performed
  • Listen, appraise, perform and evaluate music across a range of genres and styles
  • Learn to use their voices and sing
  • Have an opportunity to play musical instruments
  • Improvise, create and compose their own music

For more information on our sequenced music curriculum, please click here

There are many opportunities for children to participate in musical activities and events within the wider life of school as they move through their schooling. Singing takes place as part of our Collective Worship and children have the opportunity to take part in musical events including Christmas celebrations at the school and at our local church, class assemblies, and productions.

Alongside this, children are welcomed to participate in extra-curricular musical activities, including choir, recorder, ukulele, samba band and musical theatre, and are offered the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through external music lessons. At Beacon Rise we celebrate the children’s talents, interests and involvement by providing them with opportunities to perform at events including Prospective Parents’ Evenings, Christmas Concerts, Summer Fairs and CreateBR Extravaganzas as well as perform within the local community.

Religious Education

Religious Education (R.E.) at Beacon Rise focuses on spiritual, moral and social development, as well as citizenship. Children learn about and from religions and worldviews, in local, national and global contexts. This includes Christianity and other principal religions represented in Britain such as Islam and Hinduism. In R.E. children will know about and understand religions and worldviews, express and communicate ideas relating to these and gain and deploy skills for studying them. RE teaches an empathetic appreciation of how practicing members of religions live out their faith in everyday life. Children develop an understanding of themselves and the beliefs and faith systems of others, they value diversity and celebrate the richness of life in the United Kingdom.  Click here for our learning objectives and how they progress across the school. 

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) 

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) is taught via the Jigsaw Scheme of Work – click here to see the content overview of Jigsaw. The purpose of PSHE is to:

  • prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life;
  • promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils; and
  • promote fundamental British Values.

Whilst the content and nature of the lessons develops as the children get older, the curriculum is based around 6 key themes which the children revisit each year in the same order. These are:

Term 1 – Being Me in My World

Term 2 – Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying education)

Term 3 – Dreams and Goals

Term 4 – Healthy Me (including drugs and alcohol education)

Term 5 – Relationships

Term 6 – Changing Me (including relationships and sex education)

LGBTQ+ is taught within the context of inclusion and types of families within the Jigsaw curriculum.  For more information on the progression of our PSHE objectives, click here.

 

Relationships, Sex and Health Education 

At Beacon Rise, we have a PSHE policy which includes details of our Relationships, Sex and Health (RSHE) Curriculum. The health and relationships aspects of the school curriculum became compulsory in all primary schools from September 2020.  We adopted the PSHE Jigsaw scheme of work several years ago and Jigsaw have updated their resources in order to fulfil the statutory requirements of the RSHE curriculum.   Details on how Jigsaw covers this curriculum can be found in our PSHE policy.  The delivery of relationships, sex and health education is nothing new to Beacon Rise Primary School. We teach a broad PSHE curriculum that equips children with knowledge and information about their wellbeing, health and relationships as well as preparing them for a successful adult life.  At Beacon Rise Primary School, the content linked to sex education will be taught in the Summer 2 term as part of our PSHE topic – Changing Me.  

As a parent or carer, you have the right to request your child is removed from elements of the sex education programme. It is important to clarify that withdrawal of your child would only be considered for content that is not part of the statutory science curriculum.