Core Subjects

At Eaton Square, core subjects include English, maths, and science.

English

Overview

We encourage our pupils to voice their ideas with clarity and confidence, while also listening to and respecting others’ opinions. We believe that oracy precedes literacy; if a child can articulate their thoughts, they can transcribe them. This principle is evident throughout our English lessons.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Years 1 and 2, English lessons are delivered through the comprehensive ‘Read, Write, Inc.’ programme. From Years 3 to 6, children follow a creative curriculum that includes a variety of genres and opportunities for reading and writing.

Reading

From a young age, children learn to recognise the relationship between sounds and letters. Starting in Nursery, they are taught to decode and blend words using phonics, develop reading fluency and comprehension, and spell and write with confidence.

Once fluent, children are encouraged to read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts. They have access to well-stocked class libraries and the whole school library. Our Home/School Reading Partnership, involving parents, carers, and grandparents, enhances their reading experience. Events like Book Week, World Book Day, National Poetry Day, Poetry Together, and author workshops foster a love of literature and reading.

Writing

In Nursery and Reception, writing is developed through topic work that promotes cursive handwriting. In Years 1 and 2, children have weekly creative writing lessons in addition to their daily Phonics lessons, combining technical skills with imagination.

From Years 3 to 6, children have daily English lessons, including Comprehension and Guided Reading sessions taught in ability-based sets. Grammar, spelling, handwriting, and composition lessons are linked to other curriculum topics, providing enriching writing opportunities.

Comprehension: In Comprehension lessons, children learn to infer, predict, summarise, identify key information, explain vocabulary, and provide opinions. As they grow older, they connect their reading with personal experiences, preparing for the 11+.
Composition: In Composition lessons, children use various texts to inspire their writing, both fiction and non-fiction. Grammar and spelling are taught explicitly, aiming for independent application in creative writing. Atom Learning complements traditional teaching, enhancing accuracy and confidence.
Handwriting: All children are encouraged to use cursive handwriting, with weekly lessons on correct letter formation and joining. From Year 5, children are expected to write with a fountain pen. Children apply their technical writing skills across all curriculum areas, maintaining high standards in their writing.

Maths

Overview

We view maths as a creative and interconnected discipline. It is essential for everyday life, critical to science, technology, and engineering, and necessary for most forms of employment. Our curriculum provides pupils with a strong foundation for understanding the world, developing mathematical reasoning, and cultivating curiosity and enjoyment for the subject. From Reception onwards, children are taught maths using White Rose Education resources.

Building Confidence and Competence

Maths education at Eaton Square involves building confidence and competence with numbers, shapes, and measures. Our teachers ensure a solid grasp of the number system, a range of computational skills, and the ability to solve problems using diverse methods. By approaching practical tasks and real-life situations mathematically, children learn to navigate their environment effectively. We aim to help children appreciate maths and recognise its relevance across different areas of learning.

Preparing for Academic Challenges

Our approach prepares pupils for future academic challenges, including senior school examinations. We ensure children become fluent in fundamental mathematical concepts through varied and frequent practice, helping them build conceptual understanding and apply their knowledge swiftly and accurately. They learn to reason mathematically by exploring lines of enquiry, identifying relationships and generalisations, and developing well-supported arguments or proofs. Problem-solving is a key focus, with children tackling both routine and complex problems, breaking them into simpler steps, and persevering to find solutions.

Engaging in Competitions

Pupils at Eaton Square regularly engage in House competitions, applying their skills in a competitive and collaborative environment. Selected pupils from Years 5 and 6 represent the school in external maths competitions. Notably, Eaton Square consistently performs well in the Mathematical Association Primary Maths Challenge, a prestigious nationwide competition. In the Summer Term, Year 6 children participate in the UKMT Junior Challenge, further showcasing their mathematical abilities.

Commitment to Excellence

Our commitment extends to setting appropriate learning challenges, employing teaching methods grounded in the latest educational research, and offering personalised support to address specific barriers to progress. We provide ample time for practice to help children become fluent in maths, fostering confidence, understanding, and enjoyment of the subject. By enhancing children’s awareness of mathematical relationships and patterns, we aim to equip them with effective problem-solving skills and strategies.

Lifelong Appreciation for Maths

Our goal is to prepare pupils not only for immediate academic success but also to instil a lifelong appreciation for maths.

Science

Our Science Team equips children with a wide range of investigative skills, enabling them to confidently question the world around them. This approach enhances their scientific knowledge and empowers them to apply these skills across other subjects throughout their education.

Curriculum Foundation

The National Curriculum forms the foundation of our scheme of work in the Lower School. Coupled with exceptional delivery, this provides our pupils with every opportunity to succeed at the end of each Key Stage and Common Entrance level.

Diverse Learning Mediums

Our science curriculum is delivered through various mediums. We combine time in our state-of-the-art science lab with school trips and visits from STEM professionals. This approach allows each child to put theory into practice, provides pupils with real-world insights, and fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of science.

Expanding Minds

We always encourage children to expand their minds. One way we facilitate this is through incorporating fun, imaginative experiments, including heart dissections, electronics kits, Merge Cubes, and many more.