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Years 1-3

Specialist teachers foster creativity and wonder in our classrooms, nurturing children’s passion for learning. Our focus is to cultivate confident, independent individuals through engaging lessons. Daily literacy and numeracy classes form the core of our diverse curriculum, laying strong foundations for broader knowledge. School becomes a splendid setting where your child embarks on their initial journey into formal education.

Learning through play remains a focus in our approach throughout these year groups; nurturing a love of learning and relishing in the joy of discovery. Reception and Year 1 classrooms extend to a covered outdoor learning area, encouraging exploration, fostering camaraderie and inspiring the children’s imaginations. The wooden climbing frames, sand pits, and a mud kitchen the ample space encourages vibrant and inventive play.

Children benefit from daily phonics, reading and mathematical activities, as well as broadening their experience of all curriculum subjects. With our close proximity to the sea, the children also enjoy regular visits to the beach as part of their Beach School Curriculum.

Year 1

Welcome to Year 1

The progression from Reception to Year One is an exciting time, and Sion staff work closely together to make sure this move is as smooth as possible. We are so lucky to be able to house Year 1 in our fantastic Early Years building. We often can be found working in our covered outdoor learning area, encouraging exploration, fostering camaraderie and inspiring the children’s imaginations. The wooden climbing frames, sand pits, and a mud kitchen the ample space encourages vibrant and inventive play.

Teaching and Learning

In Year One we continue to build on the Foundation Stage skills but are moving on from the EYFS curriculum, with teaching and learning becoming reinforced with structured activities, inspiring and fun-filled trips and visiting guests. As teachers, this is the ideal time to begin exploring children’s individual strengths and interests and tailoring our teaching accordingly.

Year 2

Welcome to Year 2

The excitement of moving into Year 2, our first year in the Junior School building, is tangible. In Year 2, our lessons are colourful, fun and intriguing. By tailoring our teaching styles to each child, we can create a dynamic learning environment that will ignite a passion for learning.

Teaching and Learning

We do Maths and English every day and believe that all children can become fluent readers and writers if they are taught systematic and structured phonics – so we also incorporate 20 minutes of phonics time to each day as well as weekly visits to the library. Working together with parents we ensure that every child has the opportunity to build a solid foundation of literacy skills.

In year 2 we have our class teacher for every subject apart from those that are taught by subject specialists. These are:

Science
Music
PE / Swimming (2 terms)

We also begin to explore a wide variety of topics encompassing Science, History and Geography. Some of these include learning about The Great Fire of London, The Weather, Living Things and Habitats.

Homework

In year 2 we have weekly spellings, and we have our reading books sent home twice a week. We also learn our times tables at school and at the expectation is that this is carried on at home.

Beyond the Classroom

Every half term, we go to Beach School. We are fortunate enough to be based within close proximity to Worthing beach. Beach School is an unforgettable journey of learning that connects children to the wonders of the UK’s seaside and teaches them how to care for our coasts. But beyond that, the unique and natural environment lends itself to experiencing learning ‘everyday’ subjects in a totally different way.

We also go on a variety of trips during Year 2 which include the theatre, The Wetlands and even Pizza Express.

Year 3

Welcome to Year 3

Moving into Year 3 brings with it new experiences, new lessons and a plethora of new activities.

Teaching and Learning

As well as being taught by our class teacher, we have subject specialist teachers for the following subjects:

Science (taught in the Junior School STEM Room)
Music
PE / Games / Swimming

In addition to our class library, we have a school library which we visit at least once a week to read, discuss books and choose books to take home or help us with our projects.

One afternoon a week we go to the Art and Design & Technology studio for our lessons.

Our learning is often linked to our class topics. Our topics this year are ‘Stone Age to Iron Age’, Ancient Egyptians and the United Kingdom.

Homework

We have weekly spelling, reading and maths homework. We also enjoy researching for our own Creative Prep projects and presenting these to our classmates.

Beyond the Classroom

As much as we love our classroom, we are fortunate to have lots of learning spaces around the school as well as outside in our grounds and at the beach nearby. We go on lots of exciting trips to places such as Butser Ancient Farm, Brighton Museum and Hove Cricket Ground. We also enjoy welcoming visitors to our school – there are events for families such as class, or whole-school, assemblies as well as special events led by different charities and interesting organisations.

In Year 3 we look forward to starting the ”Sion Resilience Award’ scheme – we can’t wait to have our famously popular sleepover at school with all our friends!