Curriculum Enrichment
Our school prides itself on offering a rich and diverse curriculum that goes beyond the classroom to offer students a truly broad and varied educational experience.
Technology
Our innovative use of technology (including iPads, Chromebooks, digital displays, an immersive room and access to online learning platforms) allow our pupils to engage with learning in a dynamic and stimulating way. We use this technology to enhance their knowledge and understanding, whilst promoting engagement, curiosity and creativity.
Reading
We promote vocabulary and reading as well as nurture a love of books. Our curriculum is book based, children have a key fiction and a non-fiction text linked to their topic; these core texts are used as a foundation for learning. Our children enjoy discussing characters, plots, themes and can make well considered comparisons between texts. They also use reading to develop their wider learning and understanding. Our book vending machine takes pride of place near the entrance to our school and children often stop to see which book prizes are on offer. Class winners take delight each week in choosing their favourite book to read and keep. The school library is a favourite quiet place for many and is open every day at lunchtime. It contains a variety of fiction and non-fiction books, which the children have nominated themselves or which support our curriculum, values or ethos. Pupils regularly complete online book reviews or reading challenges and are happy to discuss their favourite authors, books or characters. The children are involved in choosing the texts for classrooms, the library and the vending machine.
Outdoor Learning
Our school biodome and outdoor growing area, which includes a compost bin and school weather station, provide a unique opportunity for students to learn about the natural world and sustainability first hand. Membership in the RHS School Gardening Award scheme encourages all pupils to get involved with gardening by growing fruits and vegetables and maintaining the school sensory garden. Through these activities, we promote both mental and physical well-being along with a connection with nature and the outdoors.
Sports
The school has been recognised as a School Games Gold Award winner. We provide dedicated sports coaches at lunchtime to encourage all pupils to be physically active. A number of activities are on offer every day to appeal to a wide range of interests and abilities. There are opportunities for children to practice and improve existing skills or to try and develop new ones. Through membership in the Havering Sports Collective, we are also able to offer our pupils opportunities to take part in competitive sport with other schools in the local area. Our pupils thoroughly enjoy these competitions and take pride in representing their school. In 2024, our netball team were crowned Havering Champions.
Clubs & Enrichment Activities
A wide range of clubs after school provide pupils with opportunities to pursue diverse interests. Not only do we offer a variety of different sports clubs but we also offer clubs which allow pupils to learn a new skill, spend time doing something they enjoy and make new friends. Our clubs are very poplar and our aim is to ensure that all of our pupils have an equal opportunity to take part.
Educational Visits
Educational visits to museums, galleries and places of interest as well as a residential trip to an outdoor activity centre further enhance our curriculum. We also plan for visitors linked to a variety of curriculum areas to come into our school and work with the children in practical, hands-on contexts. These events provide real-world context and enriching experiences for our students. Through everything we do, we are committed to providing a holistic and engaging education which promotes personal development and fosters physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Community Links
We foster strong links with the community, including collaborations with local secondary schools, environmental organisations and the Havering Music School. We also maintain links abroad with a school in France. Online guest speakers offering author talks and STEM sessions as well as visits from local police and safeguarding organisations further enrich our offer. Through these initiatives and activities, our students are exposed to a range of inspiring voices and ideas, enriching their educational journey, keeping them safe and preparing them well for the next stage of learning.
Creating Leaders
We offer lots of opportunities for pupils to take on new responsibilities and be involved in successfully supporting the life and work of the school as they gain experience in leadership roles. These include elected representatives on our School Parliament where children are responsible for developing various aspects of the school as well as reading buddies, maths ambassadors, gardening leadership and sports leadership. Within classes children can volunteer to take on various responsibilities.
Involving children as volunteers is very empowering because it helps them to develop self-confidence and self-esteem, it develops their skills as leaders and helps them learn how to make their own decisions and develop responsibility. It gives them a voice in the life and work of the school and helps to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of adult and working life.
