Subject Areas

Mathematics

Mathematical understanding and reasoning is a vital part of our everyday life. It is a creative and highly valued subject area at SCIPS with cross curricular links to all subjects. We aim to provide our learners with a solid mathematical foundation and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject so they become lifelong learners who are able make the next steps in their education.

In accordance with the English 2014 National Curriculum children are taught the following mathematical strands:

• Number and Place Value.
• Mental and written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Fractions, decimals and percentages.
• Geometry and measure.
• Statistics.
• Algebra.
• Problem solving.

We  place a strong emphasis on understanding mathematical concepts and ideas and not simply following a process. Extension and enrichment are built in to weekly plans and learners are encouraged explore maths for themselves with careful support from teachers.

Mathematics at all levels – from Early years to Year 6 – encourages discussion and questioning, practical learning, practice and consolidation, problem solving and investigation work, all delivered using a wide range of teaching strategies.

In Early Years to Year 3, Maths is taught in class by the class teachers. Additional support from Teaching Assistants allows for more interventions with groups to ensure that children are maximising their learning. In Year 4 to year 6, children are mixed up and mathematics lessons are differentiated to meet the needs of all learners. Enrichment and extension activities are built into weekly plans to help our students apply what they have learned in a variety of different contexts.

As with all subjects, our aim is to develop a deep love of learning in all our students and provide them with the mathematical skills, knowledge and confidence to apply their learning in the next steps in their education.

Science

Our aim is to enthuse children to explore and investigate the world around them. We use the UK National Curriculum for Science to develop our own challenging curriculum for Nursery through to Year 6. To ensure that our children have the skills available to understand respond effectively to the world around them, we place great emphasis on the following;-

• skills

• knowledge

• understanding

Science in Early Years

Through play and practical activities children in the Nursery and Reception classes begin to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. They are given opportunities for exploration and investigation in order to learn about materials and their properties, learn about change and patterns, explore similarities and differences, and question how and why things work.

Science in the Infant phase

Children observe, explore and ask questions about living things, materials and forces. They work together to collect evidence and information from simple reference sources and use these to help them answer questions linked to simple scientific ideas. They evaluate evidence and start to understand the concept of a ‘fair’ test. Children share their ideas using scientific language, drawings and simple charts and tables.

Science in the Junior phase

Children build on their knowledge of living things, materials and physical processes. They begin to make links between ideas and to explain things using simple models and theories. Children begin to think about the positive and negative impacts of scientific developments on the environment and human societies. They continue to explore and investigate and are able to design and carry out fair experiments, and to communicate the results of these using a range of scientific language and conventional charts, graphs and diagrams.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

We live in an age of constant technological development and we endeavor to ensure students are provided with the necessary skills to embrace these developments.

We strive to create learning opportunities in which children can acquire, develop and apply their skills in the subject. These activities are designed to link with other areas of the curriculum where technology can be used as a tool to enhance learning.

The curriculum is delivered through the following skills areas:-

• Handling Data

• Research

• Control and Sensing

• Modelling and Simulations

• Communications

EAL and Learning Support

The English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme is provided for children with limited or no English who wish to attend our school. The EAL programme aims at giving these children the support needed to access learning in class.

Specialist teachers are dedicated to each phase to ensure that classes are small, focused and effective.

We have a Learning Support Programme to help children with their specific learning needs. The Learning Support Teachers provide assistance to children in all phases during the normal school hours. Support is provided either in the LS classroom in a small focus group, or within the mainstream classroom.

All children included in the programme have an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) which is agreed as a result of consultation with teachers and parents. The IEP contains Educational Targets which are assessed termly at a review meeting.

International Primary Curriculum

We offer the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) to complement our strong Literacy and Mathematics programmes.

The IPC is an internationally recognised, relevant, comprehensive, child centred and future oriented curriculum programme. It is aimed at primary aged children (5-12) growing up in the 21st Century

It focuses on and nurtures a love of learning and encourages the necessary key skills and personal qualities to be a successful learner.

The purpose of using IPC is as a practical tool to bring together a range of subjects such as History, Geography, Technology, Art, Society and Internationalism as well as cross curricular links with other subjects, in a topic based approach.

IPC is taught to Years 1-6 and these are referred to as Mileposts 1-3. In the Early Years, children are introduced to some of the concepts of the IPC through experiencing Entry and Exit Points, Knowledge Harvests and topic based learning.

Within the IPC curriculum, the units used focus on: subject, personal and international learning goals.

Subject learning goals over the knowledge (the facts and information children might learn), the skills (those practical abilities children need to be able to do) and the understanding (the deeper awareness of key concepts which develops over time).

Personal learning goals refer to those individual qualities and dispositions we believe children will find essential in the 21st century. They are learning and behaviour focused goals and help to develop those qualities that will enable children to be at ease with the continually changing context of their lives. We are currently working on developing the Personal Goals, so they reflect our unique school personality here at SCIPS.

The International Primary Curriculum is unique in defining International learning goals that help young children begin the move towards an increasingly sophisticated national and international perspective.

Personal, Social, and Health Education (PSHE)

Personal, Social, and Health Education promotes our children’s social, emotional and personal development, as well as their health and wellbeing. It helps give children the knowledge and skills they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives. It helps them to understand how and why they are developing and it tackles many of the moral, cultural and social issues that are part of growing up.

Our PSHE programme promotes positive behaviour, mutual respect and self-awareness.

At SCIPS, we pride ourselves on the excellent relationship that exists between parents, pupils, staff and the community. This relationship is enhanced by the PSHE programme, which encourages parental involvement in all aspects of our children’s social and emotional development.

Parents are welcome to attend our class assemblies as well as the available workshops. These provide us, the school, opportunities to present and highlight the work of our classes.

PSHE is a way of bringing everyone connected to the St. Christopher’s ‘family’ together and allows the children to explore sensitive issues in a safe and caring environment. Alongside our PSHE curriculum, we have roles for our Year 6 pupils, such as: Prefects, House Captains and Librarians. These roles provide a further platform for the selected children to develop their own PSHE skills. In turn, their role is to offer their own help and guidance to the younger pupils.

Physical Education

PE is taught throughout the school by specialist teachers. Every child has the opportunity to participate in PE lessons and develop an enjoyment and lifelong commitment to staying fit and healthy.

The PE program encourages full participation, learning, friendly competition, social interaction and attempts to meet the needs of all students, regardless of physical and mental ability. Our programme has been developed to ensure a progression of skills across the subject. It is based on the British National Curriculum.

PE is broken into different skill areas;- Invasion games, Over the net games, Striking and fielding games, Dance, Swimming, Athletics and Outdoor Adventure. Each area has its own importance and a balance of all of these are covered across each phase.

The school also participates in many sporting competitions against local and international schools. Every child has the opportunity to try out for these teams through after school activities (ASAs).

Languages

Research has shown that exposure to different languages is beneficial for children’s development. They become more aware of different cultures, other people and other points of view. Bringing young children into contact with foreign languages may result in faster language learning as well as improved mother tongue skills.

Additional Languages

We offer students the opportunity to learn Mandarin and German as an additional language. The programmes starts in Year 1 and provides cultural knowledge as well as basic vocabulary and communication skills. It is hoped that French and Spanish will be added to the programme soon.

German for Native Speakers

Established in 1996, the German School Association (Deutscher Schulverein Penang) was founded with the primary goal of providing German lessons tailored for children who already possess native-level proficiency in German. Classes are conducted in small groups to ensure individual support and effective learning by German teachers at SCIPS. Additional to the language proficiency the curriculum aims to familiarize the children with German culture, history, and geography, fostering a deeper understanding and connection by utilizing modern collaborative methods. The German lessons are designed to ensure continuous development of the students’ language abilities that they can be more easily integrated into their respective school grades when they return to Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Please contact president@gsa-penang.org.my or visit our website www.gsa-penang.org.my for more information.

Bahasa Malaysia for Malaysian Nationals

Bahasa Malaysia language is the national language of Malaysia. The programme aims to allow students to communicate effectively with others in Bahasa Malaysia. The curriculum follows an adapted version of the Malaysian Government Syllabus for Year 1 to Year 6. It is modified to meet each individual’s ability without compromising the curriculum standards. In addition to language, the study of Moral Education and Malaysian History are also incorporated into the lessons.

Music

Music plays a unique role in fulfilling the innate potential of every child. Music lessons are conducted by our specialist teachers who create an enjoyable environment for children to learn. In the Early Years, Music is taught through musical play and as the children progress through the school, Music focuses on singing, dancing, playing of different instruments, and learning musical theory. Children will explore different ways to create music with simple musical patterns, changing of sounds and understanding various musical elements.

Our aim is that children will learn to love and appreciate the joy of music.