Primary School (5-11 Years Old)
Our school ethos is underpinned and reflected in our statement – Every Child Is Special, and we endeavour our very best to ensure our students are skilled in all areas of the curriculum through facilitating and personalising their individual learning needs.
We have two key stages in Primary: Key stage 1 which comprises Year one and Year two and Key Stage 2 which consists of Year groups from three to six. Homeroom teachers are only for Years one to three and as students’ progress on to Years four to six – these consist of subject specific teachers with form tutors.
Years 1 – 6 students are taught using Cambridge Curriculum, mapped against the National Curriculum of England for core subjects- English, Maths and Science together with the Ministry of Education (MOP) subjects – Social Studies and Moral Education. This alongside Arabic, Islamic Education and Co-curricular subjects (Art, PE, IT, Drama, Music, French) enables us to provide our students with a broad and balanced curriculum with rich learning experiences.
Our prime belief lies strongly in providing every child the ability to flourish and develop. We encourage students to be articulate, creative and dedicated to work whilst developing a love for learning. Our students are given the ability to develop and foster an enquiring mind through stimuluses in learning and are challenged to reach their optimal learning potential.
As well as academic growth and development, we encourage personal development through communicating an understanding of what it means to be responsible, reflective and respectful citizens. Working in partnership with you, we aim to ensure every child achieves his or her full potential and to feel safe and happy at school.
We strive for high standards of performance in all given circumstances and we expect and encourage our students to do the same – to have high expectations for themselves and to be the best!
Key Stage 1
In Key Stage 1, we tailor our provision in Years 1 and 2 to embrace our belief that ‘responsibility leads to independence where creativity can flourish’ and this is cultivated amongst both teachers and students. We understand that all students are natural learners and we endeavour to meet their unique learning needs. During these formative years, we emphasise a caring, holistic and stimulating environment where children are inspired through their learning. Our aim is to empower independent critical thinkers who are creative and motivated to achieve their personal best.
Key Stage 2
In Key Stage 2, our provision is designed to maximize the potential of each student. We aspire to cultivate the children’s self-confidence, sense of responsibility and spirit of tolerance towards others so that they are able and ready to face the real world and be positive influences for change. We believe that a happy learner is a willing learner and we provide a rich and stimulating learning environment that offers a challenge at all levels. The School edict, emphasising that “Every child is special“, is very much our driving force and inspiration. We enjoy a positive and supportive relationship with our pupils and parents, ensuring all concerned feel valued and part of our community supporting the very best outcomes for the children.
Curriculum Overview
In the Primary Years (Years 1-6) at Al Salam, we ensure a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered and there is equity for all learners. We aim to integrate opportunities wherever possible to develop the cultural capital of our students and work on their academic and holistic well-being. The National Curriculum for England alongside our Ministry of Education (MOE) Subjects, forms the basis of our curriculum but is adapted to incorporate elements of coverage needed from other curriculum content like the Cambridge Curriculum.
We provide and encourage a well-balanced curriculum which incorporates all aspects of a healthy mind and body in a caring and compassionate environment with the involvement of students, teachers, families and the community.
Subject teaching in Primary includes the teaching of English, Maths, Science, Arabic, Islamic (for Muslims), UAE Social Studies and Moral education as one subject MSC (Moral, social and cultural studies from Year 2 onwards), Art, Computing, PE and Performing Arts/Music. Assessment pathways are diverse and we endeavour to acknowledge the learning journey and student growth based on individual starting points. Assessments are undertaken termly at a summative level, however there are regular formative assessments which are also fed into the overall performance grade for each child, as we know that tests are a snapshot of learning and not the always a true reflection of a student.
In Key Stage 2, student independence is channelled through a digitally supported curriculum. Students progress into a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy to support the development of 21st-century skills and digital literacy. The learning experience throughout these years prioritises the development of students’ moral/ethical responsibility, leadership potential, and independent learning. Subject teaching in Primary includes the teaching of English, Maths, Science, Arabic, Islamic (for Muslims), UAE Social Studies and Moral education as one subject MSC (Moral, social and cultural studies from Year 2+, Art, Computing, PE, French/Quran (Year 4+) and Drama (Years 4-6). Specialist Subjects To meet the challenges of the future, children need to develop proficiency in both conversational and academic English. The National Curriculum for English enables learners to communicate confidently and effectively and to develop the critical skills to respond to a range of information, media, and texts with understanding and enjoyment.
English
Phonics: Years 1-3 are offered phonics lessons. We use the Active Learn Phonics Bugs as a platform supplemented by Phonics Play.
Phonics: Active Learn Year 1 and 2 offer 4 lessons of Phonics per week. Students are streamed to different classes based on their phonics baseline assessment. The letter sounds are introduced through the Active Learn platform. The lessons are planned in four segments – Recap and Introduction, Reading, spelling and Writing and applying.
English Lessons: Nursery and Foundation Stage offer five bespoke lessons of English, tailored to the classes and individuals. Whilst we offer main English lessons, we supplement these with Shared Reading lessons.The shared reading model employed is called VIPERS and mirrors the strategies needed to effectively access reading skills and perform well in standardised benchmarked assessments. Please refer to the curriculum policy for detailed information.
From Year 3 and above we work with Accelerated Reader lessons too. This allows students to utilise online platforms such as Accelerated Reader which is aligned with the STAR reading assessments and used as means to develop reading opportunities, allowing children to recognise their developmental stages, involve parents and promote a love of reading. Writing At our primary school, we use Pie Corbett’s Talk4Writing approach to teach writing in context.
This approach integrates reading and writing skills through three stages: imitation, innovation, and invention.
Students internalise language patterns through studying model texts, create their own versions, and ultimately apply the language skills to write their own original pieces.
At our secondary school, we focus on building upon and consolidating students’ writing skills from their primary years. Writing is a part of every day lesson, with a particular emphasis on analytical writing in response to literature. Our curriculum aims to equip students with the tools and strategies necessary to express their ideas clearly and effectively through writing.
Maths
In Maths the school uses a mastery approach in Primary and secondary. We have transitioned to using the National Curriculum of England (NC) this year in Primary as well. The students make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. They also apply their mathematical knowledge to other subjects. Maths follows a three stage process (CPA) where students learn through physical manipulation of concrete objects, followed by learning through pictorial representations of the concrete manipulations and ending with solving problems using abstract notation. The teachers follow the Maths Calculation Policy for consistency and progression in Maths throughout the school. We offer 6 lessons in a week in Primary and 5 lessons in Secondary.
Science
The content is taken from the National Curriculum of England. Key areas that remain a focus in science are: Developing Scientific Enquiry skills Building Scientific Vocabulary and Command words Promoting Research Culture Science at ASPS captivates pupils with discovering and describing the world around us by observing,experimenting and making predictions about how things behave, whether they’re living things, chemical reactions or physical events. We offer 3 lessons a week in primary whereas 4 lessons a week in secondary for Science.
MSC
The MOE has transformed the Moral education and Social Studies curricula into one enhanced and comprehensive curriculum which: Preserves the rationale, purpose and intended learning outcomes of both curricula Consists of a clearly structured framework
Contains a well-planned and progressive scope and sequence of units Ensures comprehensive and efficient coverage of all learning outcomes Key Skills as a focus as part of the tailored design offered by the school include integrating the following: Developing critical thinking Building Vocabulary Promoting Research Culture Direction and Map skills Building character and moral values Project based learning Computing
“A high quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.”
Computing Programme of Study, DfE, 2013
The New Computing curriculum is very interesting and fun. It has been designed to develop the students’ understanding of the concepts, practices and perspectives that underpin programming and other aspects of computer science, whilst providing ample opportunity for creative, collaborative project work in which they can acquire the information technology skills they’ll need, as well as helping them understand the implications of technology for individuals and society as they become digitally literate. Switched on Computing, the multi award-winning computing curriculum of Rising Stars, offers creative units using the latest free software in a format that is designed for students of all levels of experience to use. Used by over 6,000 primary schools, it aims to deliver a clear progression of skills from Year 1 to Year 6 through over 50 tried and tested projects.
Switched on Computing includes six flexible units for each year group covering: Programming Computational thinking Creativity Computer networks Communication and collaboration Productivity
Arabic Language
At Al Salam private school we prepare our students for success in the 21st century and align it with the UAE national agenda. We offer the Ministry of Education curriculum for both, Arabic speaking (Arabic A), and Non-Native Arabic speaking (Arabic B). Arabic classes for FS1 and FS2 are combined for Arabs and Non-Arabs for a smooth transition into the primary level. Student learning is promoted through games, songs, and activities. The four areas of language, writing, reading, speaking and listening, are developed using different activities, games, and songs Students are given a chance to practice their Arabic language skills through different activities such as The National day, Arabic day, International Day, Arabic calligraphy as well as the daily morning assembly. All these activities are conducted to also promote a strong Civic sense and appreciation for the culture and heritage of the United Arab Emirates. Islamic Education At Al Salam School, students are empowered to be leaders committed to Islamic .
Islamic Education classes forms an integral part of the school curriculum for all Muslim students from FS1 through to year 12, with IGCSE-Islamiyat being offered in year 10 and 11. The Ministry of Educprinciplesation curriculum is followed for both Arabs and Non-Arabs, the course covers all key areas of Islamic education including Qur’an, Hadeeth, the Life of the prophet Muhammad [s.a.w.], Islamic laws, values and principles. A focus on Faith and Identity, Humanity and the universe is also built into the curriculum to ensure a foundation for well-rounded and responsible world citizens.
A key feature of the curriculum is intended to build student understanding, appreciation and respect of the role Islam holds in UAE society.
Al Salam Qu’ran program for recitation and memorization for all students from year 1 to year 9 is implemented. Extra Qur’an classes are offered to students in the morning on a volunteer basis for those who wish to further improve their memorization. Special attention is paid to Islamic events such as Hajj, Eid ul Adha, Islamic New Year, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), Israa Wal Miraj so that the children realise their importance and get the chance to participate and be active in learning and teaching about these events.