Welcome to South Malling CofE PRIMARY and NURSERY SCHOOL
There is a vibrancy, positivity and openness at South Malling CofE Primary School which has an impact on all who visit us. The school’s distinct atmosphere is a result of the combination of high aspirations, successful relationships, innovation and our commitment to the belief in the development and wellbeing of every child. We are passionate about children’s learning and relish the challenge of guiding our children through life. The culture of our school ensures that every child is known well and valued.
At South Malling we are happy, have mutual respect and work hard. We are very proud of our children and the people who help them learn and look forward to meeting and nurturing your child through the next phase of his or her life.
Visit Us Our Vision21st Century SkillsTeaching and learning through talk
At South Malling we place the spoken word at the heart of our curriculum. In every subject and in every year, our focus on developing children's language skills enables our pupils to articulate their ideas, ask curious questions and engage actively with their learning. Over the course of their journey with us, your child will grow into an independent, resilient and reflective learner who is able to take ownership of their own education and develop the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. As a school family, our motto of "reach for the stars" reminds us all to work hard to be the best we can be.
Read MoreA Chance to Thrive Exploring Education Together
Whether dipping for minibeasts in our pond, coding games in our computer suite, or performing music and drama on stage, your child will have a wealth of opportunities to develop their passions and explore new areas of interest. Our amazing reception garden and spacious field with play-trail, orchard and raised beds - alongside our location at the foot of the South Downs in Lewes - allow children to explore nature and learn to care for the world around them. They will participate in a wide range of sport and exercise, learning to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy; while they will also build relationships based on respect, compassion and equality. As our most recent Ofsted report highlighted, relationships are a real strength of our school.
Our Curriculum
- Maths
Maths
At South Malling, we aim for all children to have a confident, positive attitude towards mathematics and an enthusiasm for learning through practical activity, exploration and discussion. Children learn to become number fluent and seek patterns and relationships. They develop a wide range of problem-solving techniques and use the language of mathematics to reason and explain how they solved problems, applying their learning to practical situations so that they understand the importance of mathematical skills in everyday life.
Read more - Writing
Writing
A child who learns to write at South Malling will develop a passion and curiosity for the craft of writing. Through studying inspirational writers, they will learn the impact and importance of the written word. Our writing curriculum enables pupils to express their own voice, writing for authentic purposes – to entertain, to inform and to persuade – and is underpinned by rigorous teaching of spelling, grammar and punctuation that will equip them with the skills an expert writer needs in life.
- Reading
Reading
At South Malling we strongly believe reading matters. This includes both being able to read and reading for pleasure. Our approach to teaching reading prioritises both. Reading lessons are based on a progressive model: from phonics and fluency to extended and close reading for comprehension. Reading for pleasure is also a core part of our day. We share engaging whole-class stories, provide
the time for children to read books of their own choosing and foster a love of reading through book talk in every class. Together these give our children the best chance of success. - Music
Music
At South Malling we believe that music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. Children are encouraged to understand music as a means of communication. They will be given the chance to work independently and collaboratively, composing, performing and appraising music. Through assemblies and performances, our music curriculum provides a source of cohesion within our school and the wider community.
- PE & Sport
PE & Sport
At South Malling we believe that the physical curriculum should lead to a sense of well-being, a greater understanding of health and fitness, a healthy lifestyle and a feeling of self-confidence. Our RealPE curriculum is a child-centred approach that transforms how we teach PE to engage and challenge every child; supporting each child in our care to develop the physical literacy, emotional intelligence and thinking skills to achieve in PE, sport and life.
- EYFS
EYFS
In the Early Years Foundation Stage at South Malling, children discover a love of learning and of school life. They become active and curious learners, who are happy and deeply involved in their learning. They discover their own voices and begin to learn the skills of considerate and constructive communication to make and grow friendships, explore new ideas and to ask curious questions. Along the way, they will discover their own strengths and learn that if they persist and work with all their hearts, ultimately they will succeed.
- Humanities
Humanities
South Malling is located within South Downs National Park, and our geography curriculum fosters children’s curiosity about their school environment and local area in order to develop their role as an active citizen who is engaged with local and global issues. The theme of Finding My Voice runs through our history curriculum, helping our pupils to understand equal rights, freedom, power and communication, and consider different perspectives to build a coherent understanding of their own history and that of the world.
- RE
RE
At South Malling we recognise that individuals are unique and we have a mission to help each pupil fulfil their potential physically, academically, socially, morally and spiritually. Although we are a Church school, we are inclusive to all members of the community we serve. Our aim is that pupils from all faiths and those without a faith feel safe and happy, secure in the knowledge that their beliefs are respected and valued.
- Computing
Computing
At South Malling, we aspire for all children to become computing experts, to use technology to make meaningful links with other areas of their learning and to develop the cultural capital needed to thrive in the modern world. This is linked with our Online Safety curriculum that teaches children the skills and knowledge needed to communicate their thoughts and findings considerately, to recognize when something is unsafe or unkind and to know how to find support.
- Art
Art
Art and DT are practical, curious, creative subjects, which we value at South Malling as lifelong skills. Pupils at South Malling have the opportunity to express their ideas, attitudes and values and to reflect on those of others, as they recognise the achievements of artists, designers and craftspeople from many different times and cultures. Our DT curriculum ensures children design, make and evaluate products using a broad range of materials and components within a range of authentic contexts.
- PSHE
PSHE
We teach PSHE (personal, social and health education) and RSHE (relationships, sex and health education) under the child-friendly term of ‘Life Skills’. The whole school shares the same ethos, with the children’s development at its core. We have a rigorous approach, starting from what the children know and building on this so that they can assess their own learning and know their next steps. Our aim is for each child to be self-aware, confident and equipped to deal with life safely.
- Science
Science
Our science teaching at South Malling fosters a healthy curiosity in children about our world both in the classroom and our wider grounds. Throughout our practical programmes of study, the children acquire and develop a wide range of scientific skills and learn how real scientists behave. Our use of oracy-focused teaching also equips children with the key vocabulary and allows them to develop their knowledge and become eloquent scientific communicators.
