Ashford Prep - GP

Global Perspectives

LEARNING ABOUT THE PAST AND THE PRESENT TO INSPIRE THE FUTURE

As a faculty, we seek to develop curious and confident students who can connect with and assess the past, engage positively in the present and plan for a better, fairer future. We want them to engage, debate, collaborate and become leaders equipped with knowledge and a thirst for discovering more about the world and the role they can play in shaping it.

Teaching geography, history, global citizenship, and modern foreign languages (MFL) under the same GP Faculty umbrella presents a unique opportunity to connect learning strands across the curriculum that naturally complement each other. Working in a larger team greatly facilitates curricular cohesion and propels new initiatives and ideas to the forefront of our planning. Workshops, speakers, themed days, enrichment clubs and coherent and progressive lesson planning, all focus on providing pupils with meaningful learning experiences that encourage them to become the curious, confident, balanced citizens we want them to become. By deepening their interest in the world and looking through the GP window, we aim to cultivate outward lookers, game changers, free speakers, assertive leaders and empathetic citizens who know that the passion for learning continues beyond school.

Subject Overviews and Aims Citizenship

Being a global citizen means taking responsibility for m our world a more inclusive, harmonious, fair and sust place. We aim to identify and celebrate national, cultu religious differences, and to engage with the environm challenges faced by our planet.

At heart, GC is about understanding and owning the c come from. It is a broad subject and incorporates elem philosophy, geography, politics, and history. Througho take an active role in the School community to develop g , y will need to engage with the world positively and change things for the better.

Weekly lessons are discussion focused and very much led by the children. Themes include;

Valuing different family structures

Creating and maintaining positive friendships

Developing safe and respectful relationships

Understanding the changes that take place during puberty

Promoting good health and carrying out first aid

Learning to make independent choices and not be influenced by others

Operating safely in a digital world

Understanding the diversity of our school pupil body is a strong theme throughout. Children learn about and celebrate different cultural traditions around the world, from traditional dress and dance to food and festivities. Our School chaplain is on site weekly and leads Christian based services at key points in the year and children learn about other religions in a curious and respectful way.

History

Learning history plays an important role in providing children with an anchor point to help understand a specific time and place and the life lessons that can be drawn from key events in the past.

Our broad and exciting history curriculum takes the children on a chronological journey through pivotal British eras from the Roman Invasion to Anglo-Saxons, the Reformation of the Church in Tudor times, Victorian Inventors, the World Wars and post-war Britain. Our history curriculum is designed to help the children understand how our record of the past is constructed, interpreted and at times contested. A thorough and fun packed approach helps pupils to gain a better understanding of Britain’s past whilst fostering pupils’ curiosity to know more, to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh up evidence, examine different perspectives and to make reasoned and informed judgements. The curriculum aims to ensure that pupils understand the history of our country as a coherent, chronological narrative, how key people’s lives have shaped our nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.

At Ashford Prep School, we believe that having fun and engaging with learning is key to success. This means when planning themed days and workshops, creativity and meaningful experience is at its heart. In these events, children and staff come dressed accordingly and experience everything from enjoying a guest speaker or performer to handling artefacts such as Roman weapons and Victorian toys. We have re-enacted events such as the Spanish Armada, Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun or a VE Day tea party as well experiencing music and dance through the eras.

Geography

Learning geography equips pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

At Ashford Prep School, as our pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world will help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

hildren’s learning develops from understanding different te zones and weather patterns to looking at how human nvironmental activity has changed the world and the local around them. The children will learn how to identify res on a map, read and understand grid references as well w to use a compass.

An understanding of local and global geography is embedded within the curriculum, with children learning about Kent and its features, as well as the United Kingdom, the Americas and Europe on a wider scale. Each year group spends time learning about trade and economic activities in set areas and they learn to draw comparisons of how these activities function in different regions.

As much as possible, learning within the classroom is supporte with learning outside of the classroom where the children are actively encouraged to explore, develop their understanding an acquire vital fieldwork skills. To complement each new focus, th children enjoy regular trips to the coast, nearby landmarks and local forests as well as workshops and themed days.

MFL - French, German & Spanish

Learning a different language can open the world for our children. Not only will they learn valuable linguistic skills but also about the culture of our near neighbours. We aim to foster a love of language that will last them a lifetime.

From Reception to Year 6, our pupils are encouraged to speak, sing and act in French, Spanish and German! They listen to new vocabulary and practise responding through fun activities, such as songs, games and role-play. There are many interactive activities for the pupils to engage in which develop their linguistic skills and confidence. Learning a language equips them with the skills to be global citizens and discovering another culture gives them an appreciation and understanding of how other people live which is so important in today’s world.

As they move through the school, the children begin to understand structures and learn how to use vocabulary to build their own sentences. The vocabulary is presented through themes and within those themes pupils learn to express opinions and perform role-plays which would enable them to speak confidently if going shopping in France, Spain or Germany or ordering a meal in a restaurant. The children also gain an appreciation of European culture through stories, paintings and music which serves to enrich their experience as well as provide a vehicle for the introduction of new language. Throughout their years learning languages at Ashford Prep school, the emphasis is on building confidence through varied and fun activities.

Curriculum Planning

Autumn 1  Autumn 2  Spring 1  Spring 2  Summer 1  Summer 2

Dinosaurs

What came first, dinosaur or egg?

Seasons

Do the seasons have to be in order?

Self-Regulation - My feelings

What feelings can I name?

Under the Sea

Building Relationships: Special relationships Who is special to me?

Managing self:

Taking on challenges Why do we have rules?

In the Jungle

The Natural World

Which is my favourite animal, and can I keep it as a pet?

Self-Regulationlistening and following instructions

Can I listen and copy?

Transport

What is the best form of transport?

Building Relationships: My family and friends

How can I show that I am a friend?

Nursery Rhymes

The World

Why are homes different around the world?

Managing Self: My Wellbeing

How can I look after myself?

1

Nurturing Nurses

What would happen if we had no nurses in the world?

Our School

Are our school grounds for learning or playing…or can it be for both?

Great Explorers

Did Neil Armstrong step foot on the Moon?

Our Local Area

Are there places I would recommend visiting in our local area?

King and Queens

What would you do if you were King or Queen for a day?

Our Country

Are all the best landmarks in our capital city?

Year 2

Great Fire of London

Could the Fire of London have been stopped or prevented?

Sensational Safari

How are animals adapted to their habitat?

Castles

What shape of castle is best?

Travel and transport

Is the transport we use today safer than the transport used in the past?

Garden of England

What places are in England? Fantastic Forests

Why plant trees?

Prehistoric Britain stone age to iron age

Should we continue today to live like hunter gatherers?

Settlements

Are bigger settlements better than smaller ones?

French – Fruit & Christmas Citizenship

Family and Relationships

Spanish & German – Basic greetings

Health and Wellbeing

Spanish & German - animals (farm, pets, zoos)

Christmas

French – Family and shops

Romans

Did the Romans change England for the better?

Saxons and Vikings

Peacemakers or plunderers?

Recycling

Is there an alternative to using plastic?

Safety and the changing Body

Exploring Religion

Economic Wellbeing

Weather

Does our weather stay the same every year?

Citizenship

Academic year 2023/24 is year 1 of children studying Spanish and German in addition to French. Each year, the topics will change to ensure progession. E.g. Next year, Years 4,5,6 will be studying new objectives.

Children will rotate through the three languages .

Year 4

Citizenship

Tudor Royalty

Would you like to be a part of Henry VIIIs Court?

The world and UK

Where is the most interesting place on Earth?

Family and Relationships

Spanish & German – Basic greetings

French – Family and shops

Health and Wellbeing

Spanish & Germananimals (farm, pets, zoos) Christmas

French – Fruit & Christmas

Maps

Why are maps important now that we have satellite navigation?

Elizabeth I and Tudor Explorers

Did the explorers have a right to claim land?

Mayan and Aztec Civilisations

Were they glad to welcome European Explorers?

The Americas

Why is the land of the Americas so important?

Safety and the changing Body Exploring Religion Economic Wellbeing Citizenship

Academic year 2023/24 is year 1 of children studying Spanish and German in addition to French. Each year, the topics will change to ensure progession. E.g. Next year, Years 4,5,6 will be studying new objectives.

Children will rotate through the three languages .

Year 5

History of Medicine

How has medicine and healthcare changed over time?

Rainforest

Can the rainforest be saved?

How the Victorians lived Rural life to Industrialisation Inventors and life savers Victoria and Albert Social reformers or empire builders?

Rivers

Why are not all rivers straight?

Ancient Egypt Should artefacts in the British Museum be returned to Egypt?

Europe Political Europe/ Continental Europe are they the same thing?

Spanish & German – Basic greetings

French – Family and shops

Spanish & German - animals (farm, pets, zoos)

Christmas

French – Fruit & Christmas

Academic year 2023/24 is year 1 of children studying Spanish and German in addition to French. Each year, the topics will change to ensure progession. E.g. Next year, Years 4,5,6 will be studying new objectives.

Children will rotate through the three languages .

Year 6

Suffragettes

Are protesters troublemakers or heroes?

Titanic does paying more for a ticket mean you should be first to leave a sinking boat?

Mountains

Are volcanoes the cause of all mountains?

French – Fruit & Christmas Citizenship

Spanish & German –Basic greetings

French – Family and shops

Spanish & Germananimals (farm, pets, zoos) Christmas

World War 2 and families in Britain

Who needed greater courage in WW2, the fighters or the families at home?

Global Connections

Does ‘Fair Trade’ have a future? Is trade ever fair?

Post War Britain and life in the 60s Windrush

Why/ How were the 60s a turning point for people?

Coasts

If coastal erosion has been happening for years, why worry now?

Academic year 2023/24 is year 1 of children studying Spanish and German in addition to French Each year, the topics will change to ensure progession E g Next year, Years 4,5,6 will be studying new objectives.

Children will rotate through the three languages

Trips and Memorable Events

Our Adventurous Learning approach means that we are always striving to create memorable experiences for the children and Global Perspectives embraces this whenever possible. We use the beautiful grounds of both our sites to explore in geography lessons on compasses and orienteering. The MFL classroom can be a café one day and an ice-cream shop the next and the history staff are regularly seen in fancy dress! We also embrace leaving the School site and going on trips to the wider area. Here is just a flavour of the trips and special days planned this year:

Autumn

Year 1

Year 2 Visit Leeds Castle

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Spring

Summer

Stone Age Day – trip to Samphire Ho  Visit to Ashford Recycling Centre  Living Land

Tudor Day Trip to Ashford Town

Bushcraft  History morning at the Senior School

Online Parliament visits  Orienteering at The Senior School

Year 6 Visit to WW1 Trenches at Detling  Senior School Children to visit  Sixties Day First Aid Course

Enrichment Programme

Our Enrichment programme is reviewed termly but has included many activities and clubs under the Global Perspectives Banner:

Debating Club

Spanish Club

French Drama

APS News

Do A Project

Life Skills

We use a varied range of methods to assess children’s understanding of each unit of work including:

Unit Reviews

Peer assessment

PSB markers

Answering of hook questions

End of Unit quizzes in Nearpod/LBQ lessons

Showbie assignments

Self-guided coding with checklists

Self-marking activities