We believe that children achieve more if they feel happy and secure and aim to create such an atmosphere at Mar Azul. The personal development of pupils, morally, socially and culturally, plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve, which is why we aim to develop children in all of these areas. We hope to instil in them a value for learning and aim to teach them how to think rather than what to think. We value our close partnership with parents and aim to promote an atmosphere of understanding and co-operation between home and school.

In order to achieve the highest possible standards of education at Mar Azul Primary School we aim to:

• provide a welcoming, caring, positive environment for all our children and their families
• build on the foundations already laid down by the parents/carers and continue to work in partnership with them
• Develop the whole child - academically, socially, emotionally, culturally, and morally.
• Provide structured and planned activities to ensure continuity and progression in children's learning.
•  Equip children with the essential skills of creative and critical thinking
•  Develop confidence and independence to prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
• Encourage enjoyment of learning with a desire to investigate and question
•  Provide equal opportunities for all pupils to learn and achieve, irrespective of social background, culture, race, gender, differences in ability and disabilities.
• Support children and parents to ensure a smooth transition to each new class annually
      

Our facilities
We are a small family ran school, very similar to a village school in the UK, yet with a higher standard of education supplemented with Spanish

New Children
Because of our location, more and more families are making the  decision to move to the Costa Blanca, some choose to place their children in state school, an international school, home teach, or keep the children at home for a settling in period. Because of this, we here at Mar Azul, have a wide range of nationalities, cultures and experiences join our school and understand the differences in ability, experience and needs of a child. All children are individual and have their own aims and targets. Therefore, we admit a child at any time during the term, depending on space; their teacher will  assess their work level and group according to ability for the core subjects of English, Maths and Spanish. The other curriculum subjects will be taught together. We are able to competently do this with the help of our class room assistants in every room, and the small team in which we work.

The Reception Year
We recognise that the Reception year is a very important transitional stage between pre-school and Year 1. The skills and knowledge that the children have acquired in pre-school are developed and extended through a structured curriculum in preparation for Year 1 which provides a secure foundation for the future years of school life.

The Reception curriculum
To ensure continuity and progression throughout the Early Years Stage, we utilise the framework of the Foundation Stage and in addition fully incorporate a daily Numeracy and Literacy Hour.

The Numeracy Hour
Even at the age of 4 children are developing mathematical skills in their everyday lives such as sorting objects and recognising numbers. By the time they reach Reception age they will have already acquired a wealth of knowledge relating to this area of the Foundation Stage.

The Literacy hour
 With our daily Literacy Hour, we aim to encourage the children to develop confidence when speaking, listening, reading and writing. It is clearly structured in order to develop the skills and attitudes required for concentration. It also encourages collaborative group work and independent learning.

The Foundation Stage
We strive to provide a balanced curriculum which engages the children in purposeful and well planned activities and offers a stimulating environment which fosters independence. This encourages the children to plan, explore and experiment whilst encountering new learning opportunities.

The early learning goals of the Foundation stage are addressed through topics which are changed half-termly, including

• Myself

• Food and Farming,

• Houses and Homes

• Weather and the Seasons

• Minibeasts

• The Seaside

We are also fortunate in that we have specialised teachers for music, physical education and Dance and Drama whose expertise and guidance not only encourages an appreciation of these subjects, but also exposes the children to different styles of teaching.

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 (KS1 and KS2)
From the Foundation Stage, children move onto KS1& KS2 of the National Curriculum. The core subjects are English, maths, science, information and communication technology,(ICT) and religious education,(RE). The other subjects taught are design technology, history, geography, music, art, physical education,(PE) and personal, social and health education, (PSHE), which includes citizenship.

English
We follow the National Literacy Strategy and concentrate on four key skills:

Reading
We believe that learning to read underpins the whole primary curriculum. Skills in reading and writing include the ability to read fluently a range of literary and non-fiction texts and to reflect critically on what is read Your child will read regularly at school and will be expected to develop his/her reading skills through homework. We ask that you encourage your child's reading at home.

Writing
We work on spelling, punctuation, grammar and neat handwriting. The children are encouraged to explore feelings and explain in order to make their writing creative, to learn  the ability to write fluently for a range of purposes and audiences, including critical analysis of their own and others' writing. They take home a weekly list of spellings to learn.

Speaking and listening
Skills in speaking and listening include the ability to speak effectively for different audiences; to listen, understand and respond appropriately to others; and to participate effectively in group discussion. We provide a variety of situations for all children to develop these skills.

Science
Children look at and explore life processes and living things; materials and their properties and physical processes. Science is taught through practical investigations using the children's environment as a stimulus. The children are introduced to many scientific concepts and skills which together encourage them to develop an enquiring mind and a scientific approach to problem solving.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Every child has access to computers. ICT is used across the curriculum and children use it to support their work in all subjects. They learn how to find information, store it, share it and tailor it to their own needs. They learn how to use the internet and email, digital cameras and scanners and various software. They cover word processing, databases, spreadsheets and graphic programmes. Skills include the ability to make critical and informed judgements about when and how to use ICT for maximum benefit in accessing information, in solving problems or for expressive work.

History
We cover local, British, European and international history and the historical order in which people lived and events happened. Children learn about local history; the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Britain; Britain and the wider world in Tudor times; Victorian Britain and Britain since 1930; the way of life, beliefs and achievements of the ancient Greeks and ancient Egyptians.

Children learn about kings and queens and other famous people. They find out about changes and why some things have stayed the same. They also look at history from different viewpoints, such as political, social and religious.

Geography
Children learn to use geographical skills to find out about different places, physical and human features in the environment, changing environments and the ways people and the environment affect each other. They study places, such as an area in the UK and a similar sized area in a less economically developed country, such as a country in Africa. They also study themes like water - how it affects landscapes and people; how settlements like towns and villages are different from each other and how they change; and how and why environments change and how we try to manage them. In the early years, children will be involved in investigating their more immediate surroundings, like the school and village. Children learn to use maps, compasses, atlases and aerial photographs. They also take part in field trips.

Personal, Social and Health Education, (PSHE) and Citizenship
The strands of PSHE and citizenship are taught through many subjects but it is also taught as a subject in its own right. Children learn about the self, relationships, society and the environment. They are encouraged to take part in a wide variety of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of the school, the community and the world- wide environment. In doing so they learn to recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly responsible for their own learning. They reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the moral, social, health and cultural issues that are part of growing up.

Sex Education
We aim to maintain an environment where questions can be asked and answered without embarrassment. Children will be taught about hygiene, healthy living and reproduction as part of the "Life Processes and Living Things" strands of the science curriculum and about sex and relationships as defined in the framework for PSHE. Sessions giving children the opportunity to learn about and discuss puberty are part of the social curriculum in years five and six.

Design and Technology
This area of the curriculum allows children to become aware of the ways in which technology is changing the world. They investigate how familiar products and objects actually work and consider who they are aimed at. They practise practical skills and tasks such as cutting, joining, fixing and connecting. They also design and create their own products, learn how to test their work and use computers to help them. They work with textiles, food, mouldable materials and electrical and mechanical parts.

Art and Design
Children feed their imagination through art and design. They develop an awareness of colour, pattern and shape by using a wide range of media such as paint, wood, clay, card, dye and information technology. They study different sorts of art work, from murals to sculptures and learn about famous artists and their work. Great care is taken to display children's work throughout the school, giving the children a sense of achievement and opportunities to share their work with others.

Music
Music is a practical, creative subject which can develop imagination, the ability to listen attentively and express personal thoughts and feelings. Activities covered will include performing, (including singing and using musical instruments and being aware of how an individual's part fits into a group performance), composing, (organising sound and silence), listening and appraising. The musical elements of pitch, duration, timbre, texture, dynamics and structure will be progressively introduced, discussed and understood.

Physical Education (PE)

We believe that through sport children develop many personal skills such as co-operation, confidence, fair play, tolerance, teamwork, self discipline and perseverance.

Children learn how to prepare for and recover from exercise and what happens to their bodies when they work out in a variety of ways. We provide outdoor activities, including swimming, dance, gymnastics, team games and athletics. All children are encouraged to participate in our annual fun sports day.

Spanish

See the Spanish programme

Delivering the Curriculum

Our curriculum is organised on a topic basis as appropriate, all teachers teach all subjects to their classes and we have specialised teachers for P.E., dance and drama and I.T. Lessons are designed to be challenging and stimulating. Teaching is delivered through a mix of group, individual and class work. Within this structure, children may be grouped according to ability, as appropriate.

The emphasis of our teaching and learning is on first hand experience and we encourage children increasingly to take control of their own learning. Work is differentiated to ensure that each child is working at a level to suit them.

Working with others

The key skill of working with others includes the ability to contribute to small-group and whole-class discussion, and to work with others to meet a challenge. If pupils are to work with others they must develop social skills and a growing awareness and understanding of others' needs. All subjects provide opportunities for pupils to cooperate and work effectively with others in formal and informal settings, to appreciate the experience of others and consider different perspectives, and to benefit from what others think, say and do.

Taking Responsibility

Here at Mar Azul we believe, even at a young age children can learn to take responsibility for their own belongings, mess and environment; therefore in each class we have a monitoring system. Each day four children are tasked with a daily duty, including, collecting the pencils, making sure the bags are tidy and wiping the board. We realise this enhances the children's independence and responsibility for their own environment.

House Points

The children are allocated a Harry Potter house group when they join the school, and throughout the term, good work and outstanding behaviour is awarded with stars on the house chart. At the end of each term, the Primary department groups together for an awards assembly, where awards and certificates are presented to the winning house, along with special certificates for achievement throughout the term. Accordingly, miss-behaviour results in stars being removed from the house chart. Children are continually praised and awarded throughout the week with a gentle touch, a "well done" and an extra tick. Work is regularly presented on the class room wall for all children and parents to view.

Conclusion

We aim to provide a high level of Education within a small family environment for your child. That education is based on the British National Curriculum that equips  them for  entry back into a mainstream UK school at any time throughout their time at Mar Azul. This is important, as we have seen many times, families moving back to England for personal reasons. We follow the same curriculum overviews and schemes of work as an English school. However, for the time they remain at Mar Azul we equip them with enough Spanish language, cultural awareness and appreciation for the Country to communicate fluently outside the class room. We feel this prepares children for adult life in a Bilingual World. Our philosophies do not include pressure and high demands nor include examinations and entrance tests. All children are special in their own way.

We hope to see you for an appointment to view our school.

Director

Rachel Pestell