We offer our pupils a wide and varied curriculum which demonstrates the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence – challenge, breadth, depth and progression. We also aim to offer a curriculum which demonstrates personalisation, choice, coherence and relevance. We endeavour to teach skills across the curriculum and ensure that our learners are equipped with the skills they need in life, learning and work. Global education, active citizenship and enterprise skills are actively promoted at all stages throughout the school.

• Languages and Literacy
•  Mathematics and Numeracy
• Health and Wellbeing
• Social Studies
• Expressive Arts
• Religious and Moral Education
•  Sciences

Literacy, Gaelic, English and French

Pupils in Portree Primary School will experience an environment which is rich in language and which sets high expectations for literacy and the use of language. Our pupils will engage with stories, literature and other texts which will enrich their learning, develop their language skills and enable them to enjoy reading. Developing oral language skills will be of particular importance in the Early Years. Teachers will balance play-based learning with more systematic development and learning of skills and techniques for reading, including phonics.
The main organisers in literacy and language are:

Listening and Talking, Reading  and  Writing

Listening and Talking
Children will work on developing their skills in listening and talking in a variety of situations at each stage of the school. The skills are important in themselves, but they also link closely to the skills of reading and writing.

Reading
From the Early levels, children will regularly listen to texts, rhyme, song and discuss books. Language acquisition is key in developing reading skills and children, parents and the school will work together to foster a life-long love of reading. The school uses Oxford Reading Tree to develop reading and literacy skills at the infant stages. Novels and reference books are used at the middle and upper stages.

Writing
Personal, imaginative and functional writing skills are developed in a progressive manner, focusing on the skills and knowledge of the child and developing next steps appropriate to each child’s ability.
Teachers use a wide variety of topics and materials to stimulate writing and ensure that the skills of punctuation, spelling and grammar are developed.
Modern Language
In accordance with 1+2 approach to language learning, we include the teaching of a foreign language in the curriculum. Our first foreign language is Gaelic which is introduced from Primary 1 through songs, games, daily routines etc. Our second foreign language is French which is taught from Primary 5-7.The aims of this programme are to encourage our children to have confidence in expressing themselves in a third language, and to increase their awareness of another culture.
Numeracy and Mathematics
The mathematics experiences and outcomes are structured within three main organisers, each of which contains a num-ber of subdivisions:
 Number, money and measure
 Shape, position and movement
 Information handling

Our aim is to ensure our children will experience success in mathematics and develop the confidence to take risks, ask questions and explore alternative solutions without fear of being wrong. They will enjoy exploring and applying mathematical concepts to understand and solve problems, explaining their thinking and presenting their solutions to others in a variety of ways.
At all stages, an emphasis on collaborative learning will encourage children to reason logically and creatively through discussion of mathematical ideas and concepts.
Health and Wellbeing

Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and young people develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future.
Learning through health and wellbeing enables children and young people to:
 make informed decisions in order to improve their mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing
 experience challenge and enjoyment
 experience positive aspects of healthy living and activity for themselves
 apply their mental, emotional, social and physical skills to pursue a healthy lifestyle
 make a successful move to the next stage of education or work
establish a pattern of health and wellbeing which will be sustained into adult life,

We aim to ensure that children in Portree Primary School will feel happy, safe, respected and included in the school environment and all staff should be proactive in promoting positive behaviour in the classroom, playground and the wider school community. Our Health and Wellbeing programme takes a whole school monthly theme which is also the focus of our assembly programme.

Physical Education

All pupils receive a minimum of two hours PE lessons per week. The children are given a balanced programme of gymnastics, games, movement and dance. We work closely with the Active Schools Co-ordination who provides a wide range of sporting opportunities for the pupils throughout the year.

Religious and Moral Education
At Portree Primary School, pupils will enjoy Bible stories and stories from other faiths around the world. They will ex-plore the world’s major religions and also views which are independent of religious belief and will talk about these. Through developing awareness and appreciation of the value of each individual in a diverse society, our pupils will be encouraged to respect the views of others.
Assembly/Religious Observance
The school has regular assemblies where we celebrate the successes and achievements of our school community. We value all religions, cultures and beliefs and frequently have visitors to our assemblies including Donnie G MacDonald , Father William, Gary Wilson, Rosemary Bungard and Sandor Fazakas. If you do not wish your child to take part in reli-gious observance, please write a letter to the Head Teacher. Alternative arrangements shall be made.

Sciences

Our Science curriculum will cover the following areas:
 Planet Earth
 Forces/Electricity
 Biological Systems
 Materials
 Topical Science
Our pupils will be encouraged to develop their interest in, and understanding of, the living, material and physical world. They will work individually and in groups on a range of investigative tasks. They will develop important skills to become creative, inventive and enterprising adults in a world where the skills and knowledge of the sciences are needed across all sectors of the economy.

Social Studies

Through our Social Studies programme the pupils develop their understanding of the world by learning about other people and their values, in different times, places and circumstances. They also develop a deeper understanding of the environment, as well as their understanding of the history, heritage and culture of Scotland. This helps to give them an appreciation of their local and national heritage and culture of the world. Much of this work is approached through pro-jects or topics, in which a range of subjects and skills (history and geography, reading and writing, art and craft, music and drama, etc.) will be involved in an integrated way.

Expressive Arts

Our expressive arts programme encompasses a range of activities and experiences through art, music, movement and drama.
Art and Design – pupils are taught a variety of different skills and techniques through drawing, painting, modelling, printing and collage as well as learning more about artists past and present.
Music – opportunities exist for the pupils to take part in a wide range of musical activities including singing, music-making, listening to music and formal instrumental work. Instruction is available, at certain stages, for chanter and fiddle. Various classes participate in the Highland Youth Music Initiative and Kodaly Music Sessions. We encourage our pupils to participate in local competitions and performances at community events.
Drama – pupils in all classes are given the opportunity to develop their skills in improvisation, role play, and mime.

Technologies

Through their learning in Technologies, our pupils are provided with frequent opportunities for active learning in crea-tive contexts:
 Problem-solving skills
 Planning and Organisation skills
 Skills in ICT
 Skills in collaborating, leading and interacting with others
 Skills in using tools, equipment, software and materials
The school is well-equipped with computers, laptops and interactive whiteboards.
ICT skills are directly taught and applied within the contexts of other curricular areas. All pupils complete a Responsible User Agreement.