Primary Programme

IPC & UK National Curriculum

In the primary school (5 - 11 years old), each child has a class teacher who is responsible for teaching all academic subjects.

Here we focus further on the social and learning development of each child. Students are expected to attend our curriculum activities for full days.

We understand that the primary years are crucial for pupils to obtain a solid grounding in language and maths. At the same time, we believe children should have an exciting and fun experience at school and develop a lifelong passion for learning.

Forest International School Curricula followed

Details of the Primary School Programme

Our primary programme follows the English National Curriculum for maths and literacy (Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2) and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) for all other core subjects.

We offer a bilingual stream for the children wishing to master both French and English rapidly. Choosing the bilingual option in Primary allows for optimal preparation for the bilingual syllabus at FISParis’ Middle School, where subjects are taught in both languages.

The UK National Curriculum is used in schools across England as well as in many international schools around the world. Its aim is for all children to gain a good grounding in reading, writing, speaking, listening and numeracy. It also places great emphasis on children’s personal development.

Literacy

In Primary School the students are taught the following in literacy:

Reading

The programmes of study for reading at key stages 1 and 2 consist of two dimensions:

Word reading
Comprehension (both listening and reading).
Writing

The programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 are constructed similarly to those for reading:

Transcription (spelling and handwriting)
Composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing).
FISP follows the statutory requirements regarding Spelling, Vocabulary, Grammar, Punctuation and Glossary.

For additional information and details: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335186/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_English_220714.pdf

Mathematics

At FISP we believe that Maths is a crucial tool in developing each child’s capacity to cope with problem solving.

In Primary School (Key Stage 1 and 2), students are taught the following in mathematics :

Number
Addition and subtraction
Multiplication and division
Place value
Fractions (including decimals and percentages)
Measurement
Geometry
Property of shapes
Position and direction
Statistics
Ratio and Proportion
Algebra

Singapore Maths

In Key Stage 1 and 2, the teachers use Singapore Maths alongside the ENC curriculum, as the sequence of topics in this method has been carefully constructed based upon child development theory.

The means to mastery is problem solving, and the approach enables the majority of students to be well prepared to tackle increasingly difficult topics, such as fractions and ratio, when they are introduced in Key Stage 2. Those students are then typically ready for the level of algebra and geometry required in Middle School.

Students in the same classroom may learn the concepts at different paces, but ultimately they all learn them and help develop their own solid foundation for further math learning. This prevents the need for reteaching as students move to the next grade.

For additional information and details : https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335158/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Mathematics_220714.pdf

"Success in maths does not depend on how many answers you know, but by what you do when you don’t know the answer.”

International Primary Curriculum

In addition, we follow the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) for all other academic subjects: science, history, geography, arts, and music. This curriculum caters to 5 - 11 year olds and has been developed as a cross-subject enrichment programme and it is delivered through thematic learning units. IPC puts the emphasis on a combination of academic, personal and international learning for children worldwide, combined with innovative and exciting ways to learn. It has been successfully integrated by many primary internationally-minded schools that are also following the national curriculum for maths and literacy.

Forest International School Paris has chosen the IPC Curriculum for the following reasons:

It is flexible and can be adapted to children's interests and level of understanding.
It can be integrated with other curriculum to ensure you're meeting statutory requirements, in a creative and engaging way.
It offers simple but structured curriculum focussed around subject, personal and international learning goals.
With the IPC you're part of an international community of schools, teachers and learners with access to an online space for information sharing.
IPC helps engage parents with learning, and to understand the relevance of learning in the classroom and at home.
The IPC encourages collaboration and reflection not just between teachers and pupils, but amongst teachers within the school and worldwide.

This programme prepares children to continue their education at our Middle School, within the French system or other international school systems abroad. The small class sizes allow the staff to cater to the individual needs of each child and to teach at multiple levels.

For additional information an details:
https://fieldworkeducation.com/curriculums/primary-years

Languages

The main language in class and for most activities is English, however we provide one hour of daily French classes, which enable the children to rapidly become very confident in the language. Proficiency is reached within the first 12 -18 months.

Pupils whose native language is not English are given the support needed so they can fully participate in the school programme.

In our Primary classes, children have the choice of opting for our bilingual syllabus, where they are taught French following the objectives of the "Éducation Nationale”.

For more information on the language courses, please take a look at our "Additional languages" in the Co-curricular section.

Assessment and Evaluation

The children are encouraged to explore and discover topics for themselves in a more practical way. Their work is formally assessed twice a year to ensure that individual learning objectives are being met.

Nonetheless assessments is also conducted in an ongoing manner by teachers and children alike, to help engage them with learning, and understand their level of skills and knowledge. The pupils are encouraged to become independent learners and take pride in the work that they produce.

The Standard Classification of Education

For grade equivalences from school systems across the world, please take a look at the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). The link will open a PDF file.

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Forest International School is part of Eco-Schools