Subjects Taught
The secular Curriculum for St Giles has been devised by teaching staff to improve the quality of learning for individual children after their learning difficulties and individual needs have been assessed.
We aim to teach the children many things which other children may learn incidentally in the areas of Self-Help, Personal and Social Development, Environmental Education, Multicultural Education and Residential Experience. Emphasis is placed upon respect by the children towards their peers, teachers, visitors, parents and the community.
The ethos of the school is a friendly and caring environment. The aim is to develop the full potential of individual children by involving teachers, other professionals and parents in partnership, helping the children to achieve learning skills which will enable them to lead as happy and fulfilled lives as possible. This criteria meets with the Provision for Children and People with Special Educational Needs as set out in the Nottinghamshire Education Committee’s Curriculum Statement.
The main school subjects for children aged 5-16 are the Areas of the National Curriculum, English, Mathematics, Science, Art, Information Technology, History, Geography, Physical Education, Music, Technology including at 11+ Modern Foreign Languages (French) and PHSE/Citizenship.
All children have entitlement and access to the National Curriculum and are working within the level appropriate to their needs. Disapplication of any part of the National Curriculum will be considered on an individual basis.
Communication skills are seen as vital to the overall development of each student and they way in which they are able to access all other areas of the curriculum.
Every approach to communication, both verbal and non-verbal, is explored as a means of developing each student's skills. Speech Therapists support teachers in this work. For students who need physical programmes, there is the opportunity to have regular contact with both a Physiotherapist and Occupational/Therapist who plan programmes to be carried out within the school day.
Some of our students are accessing the Social Understanding of Language (SULP) programme.
In school too, the children are expected to behave appropriately. The school will work closely with parents if it is necessary to modify behaviour to an acceptable standard.
Socially acceptable behaviour and development is an area of prime importance. Excursions into town for shopping, cafes, recognition of public signs and places is part of our programme to encourage independence.
The Health/Sex Education programme begins at Foundation level and continues throughout the school life of children according to individual needs when appropriate to the child's emotional maturity after consultation between teacher and parent.
The programme is comprehensive and it must be stressed that all of the content will not be appropriate for many of our children. It is a resource from which we are able to draw according to the individual needs of the children in our care. The children will be taught individually or in small groups when appropriate after consultation with parents. St Giles' Health and Sex Education Programme (3-19 years) includes the following sections; human body, self-concept, growing and changing, good health, personal hygiene, interpersonal relationships and growing old.
St Giles is fully committed to the local Healthy Schools programme having gained accreditation in April 2002 and March 2003. We are a SMART school for this project and as such provide support to other schools. We also achieved the Healthy Schools Gold Award in 2007.
Parents are welcome to view resources and all materials used in the programme. Opportunities for discussion between parents and teachers will be arranged by school at the request of parents.
Religious Education is taught in accordance with guidelines issued by the Nottinghamshire Education Committee and with reference to the Nottinghamshire agreed syllabus for Religious Education.
It is intended that this aspect of the curriculum be implemented through the medium of assemblies, and project work and in Religious Education lessons.
The school is not affiliated to a particular religious denomination.
The school will always make arrangements for parents to exercise their right of withdrawal of their children from religious worship or instruction.
Taking part in sporting activities is an integral part of the Physical Education programme offered to all children at St Giles School. We are keen to promote the positive aspects associated with participating in sports that are both team and individually based and where possible we encourage inter-school competitions. At all Key Stages we aim to provide a wide choice both in school as well as the wider community, for example local leisure centres, canoeing and sailing, indoor climbing etc. All pupils are encouraged to experience sport as an enjoyable and healthy pursuit and to succeed at their own level. In May 2000 St Giles achieved the Sportsmark Award. This was reaffirmed in 2004.
Active work was achieved in 2007. Members of our school have represented Bassetlaw in the Youth Games.
