Primary School
Primary school curriculum at O Castro
Following the National Curriculum of England, our primary school is made up of two phases, Key Stages 1 and 2. As well as ensuring secure foundations in numeracy and literacy, we seek to educate our students through experience, practical activities and cross-curricular learning.
Hands-on and experiential learning
We believe in hands-on, practical-based learning, with our students engaging in experiential learning. These activities allow children to develop a clear understanding of key concepts before progressing to abstract learning. Our students are encouraged to develop their curiosity to become lifelong learners. We seek opportunities to develop links between the English and Spanish curricula, especially in relation to important events on our school calendar.
Personalised education
We also strive to personalise the education pathways of our students. We believe that each student is unique and as a result, a personalised approach ensures that we meet each student at his or her point of need. We achieve this through a range of ways, such as differentiated work, in-class support and offering open-ended tasks that will support or challenge the learner as required.
In addition to academic skills, we also seek to develop the skills and capabilities of the children:
Class tutors
The class tutor is an important figure in the development of every student in our school. Students often have two or more teachers for all their subjects, so the class tutor is a person of reference to support them in their personal, social, emotional and academic development. The tutor, in addition to creating a conducive learning environment for the students, also serves as the family's main contact. Class tutors ensure that students are happy, safe, secure and progressing in their learning. They organise three meetings per year to ensure that families are well-informed about student progress.
Using technology
In O Castro, we are committed to developing the use of technology in our classes. Children have specific ICT lessons across the primary school, where they have opportunities to develop a range of skills. Tablets are also used in classes to support learning and research skills. In Key Stage 2, we work with Century Tech, a learning platform that, thanks to Artificial Intelligence, generates individualised learning pathways for our students according to their needs and interests, supporting them in their learning process in real time.
Spanish curriculum
The dual curriculum in our school is an important strength. Our students follow the National Curriculum of England, complemented by the Cambridge International Curriculum, in Maths, English, Science, Topic (Geography and History), Art, Music, PE, ICT and PSHE in addition following to the Spanish Curriculum in Spanish, Galician and Social Sciences. The co-existence of these two curricula offers richness and breadth to children's educational experiences.
Throughout the primary stage we consolidate personal and social skills.