Primary

Primary school students benefit from the academic standards of the British curriculum in their core subject areas of English and maths, and the International Primary Curriculum’s (IPC) holistic approach to 21st century learning in other areas of learning. The Green Shoots Primary section is split into two parts: Lower Primary (Key Stage One) and Upper Primary (Key Stage Two).

Lower Primary students begin to slowly transition from the child-led Reggio pedagogy applied in the Early Years to a programme that combines an ongoing focus on child-centred learning with the beginnings of a more structured academic programme taught through thematic units of study and in stand-alone subject lessons.
Upper Primary students increasingly learn knowledge and skills through integrated units of study and stand-alone subjects such as English, math and HPE. The knowledge and skills they learn will prepare them for success in secondary school.

English

This course promotes high standards of language and literacy by giving students a strong command of the spoken and written word and developing a love of reading.

Reading requires word recognition skills and comprehension. Phonics are emphasised early on, and reading comprehension builds upon this by combining it with each child’s own knowledge of the world around them.
Speaking underpins the development of reading and writing, and the quality and variety of language that children hear and speak are vital for all aspects of language development.
Writing has two strands; writing (putting words on the page) and composing (forming, organising and communicating ideas).
Spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation are integral parts of the writing process and addressed throughout our programme.

Maths

Where possible, mathematical ideas are introduced within an IPC theme, which helps children see maths in a real-life situation. What cannot be introduced through the IPC is taught using ‘stand alone’ maths lessons. The maths taught at the primary level creates a foundation for later study and includes:

Number: Number systems, place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions, decimals and percentages, ratio and proportion.
Measurement: Linear, lengths and heights, mass/weight, capacity and volume, time.
Geometry: Properties of shapes, position and direction, angles, rotation.
Statistics: Graphical representation of data, finding a mean etc.
Algebra: Using formulae, linear number sequences, and expressing problems algebraically.

Science

The Green Shoots primary curriculum for science uses IPC units that help children develop:

Scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding in the areas of biology, chemistry and physics.
Different types of scientific inquiry to them to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
Scientific knowledge to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Humanities

Our humanities programme builds a broad conceptual knowledge that children build upon later in secondary school. IPC units are customised to suit our location and the opportunities it provides for learning.

History draws upon the ideas of chronology and change; interpreting past events using evidence and artefacts. We do not teach the history of one nation, or from one perspective, but instead, use historical facts to build a conceptual understanding of the world we live in.
Geography teaches children to identify and group the worlds’ physical features. Mapping and measuring help them understand similarities and differences and learn how humankind has interacted and adapted to life in different parts of the world.
The international goal combines human geography and history to help students understand the lives of people in their host society and their own. They develop an understanding of how societies impact one another and how people work together for mutual benefit.

Art & Design

This programme develops artistic skills and techniques, and an appreciation of visual arts from around the world. Students develop their artistic skills by producing work representative of different styles and artists. Where possible, the programme is linked to a current IPC unit, which offers context for the art project.

Music

The Green Shoots primary music programme builds skills in reading music, performing (voice and instrument), and music appreciation. Where possible it is linked to an IPC theme. All students are encouraged to perform in vocal or instrumental groups before an audience and have the opportunity to play instruments. They are exposed to different genres of music from a variety of international composers.

Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

The ICT programme introduces primary students to different information and communication technologies and how they relate to gathering, interpreting, manipulating and presenting information. This is usually linked to research in other subject areas. Formal ICT skills such as coding are also taught and integrated into other curriculum areas.

Health & Physical Education (HPE)

Students participate in team games, where they learn sporting rules and tactics. Individual sports, including gymnastics, athletics and swimming, are also taught to help children develop physical self-control and coordination. As well as practical sports, students learn the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle.

Personal, Social, Health, and Economics Education (PSHE)

Our PSHE programme reflects the rapidly changing world in which our students live and learn. It identifies concepts, skills and attributes developed to support spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. Three core themes overlap within the programme: Health and Well-being, Relationships, and Living in the Wider World (‘Internationalism’). PSHE is part of a broader focus on student well-being at Green Shoots.

Languages

Green Shoots offers French and Vietnamese foreign language options. Both are taught as second and mother tongue languages. Upon consultation with the school, the family may choose the language pathway for their child. Students are placed by the school into appropriately levelled classes for instruction. Families whose child’s mother tongue is French and who wish to have additional French lessons during the week may elect to enrol their child in our French Mother Tongue programme at an additional fee. Students who require extra English learning, as identified by the school, will be placed in our English as an Additional Language (EAL) class which combines in-class and pull-out support until their English level enables them to participate in full classroom learning. Students who require EAL instruction beyond the regular programme’s offerings, as determined by the school, may be required to enrol in intensive EAL classes for an additional fee.

Values Education

Green Shoots’ core values are woven through every part of the learning experience at Green Shoots. Throughout the school year, our core values are taught explicitly in the classroom during mindfulness periods and reinforced in activities and experiences outside of the classroom. The core values are highlighted and celebrated during regularly scheduled assemblies and are represented on the Green Shoots Core Values tree in our play area.