Academic

Our Approach

We are committed to providing outstanding teaching for ambitious learning.

Delivering this is a team of teaching staff who are passionate about creating a stimulating, supportive and joyful environment. Being kind, curious and courageous are at the core of everything we do, with these three attributes embedded in every lesson, and awards given to pupils who demonstrate them throughout the school day. Our child-centred approach ensures there are opportunities for all to strive for the next level.

Partnership with Parents

We operate an open-door policy for parents/carers to come in at any time to talk to teachers or member of the Primary Leadership Team.

There are a huge number of opportunities for parents and carers to see their child at Ibstock, through performances, concerts, sporting events and art shows and ceremonies. 

Meetings between class teachers and parents are scheduled three times a year to discuss the individual progress of pupils and their wellbeing, celebrate their achievements and set progress targets. Each term, parents and families are also invited to see pupils’ work in the classroom at our ‘Open House’. 

At the beginning of each year, our parent community are also invited into school to meet other parents and familiarise themselves with the school through our transition mornings.

Our Curriculum

We strive to make our lessons ‘experience rich’ by ensuring the latest technology is woven seamlessly across the curriculum, alongside a wide variety of trips and visits to help bring learning to life. 

Children are taught through whole class lessons and continuous provision, where they apply what they have learnt through engaging with rich resources inside and outside of the classroom.

In Kindergarten, our curriculum is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS), which follows the below prime and specific areas.

Prime areas: 

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development​

Specific areas:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the world
• Expressive Art and Design

Following the ISI inspection, in which Ibstock Place School achieved 'excellent' in all areas, our Kindergarten was awarded exemption from the learning and development assessment requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework 2021. 

This gives freedom to further enrich the curriculum and offer exciting opportunities to extend pupils' learning. It enables us to have greater flexibility in our academic offering, giving children wider-ranging, meaningful experiences with challenge and depth, such as giving time for creative writing, forest school, cooking, Think Equal (teaching social and emotional learning) and specialist lessons in PE, Art, and Music.

Children will continue to be assessed on their attainment against each Early Learning Goal, however they will be challenged beyond the EYFS criteria which will be assessed accordingly. This does not impact the EFYS safeguarding and welfare requirements which we comply with.

In Prep 1 and 2 we move to a more structured timetable. Our pupils are given exciting and stimulating learning opportunities through our diverse curriculum which goes above and beyond the national curriculum. 

Prep 1 & 2 Curriculum