We aim to enrich and extend our curriculum, in order to provide experiences that support children’s wider personal development.
We recognise our role in preparing children for adult life. We provide opportunities for them to grow in confidence, develop new skills and build positive relationships. We want them to be successful citizens.
Through our knowledge-based curriculum, children are able to secure key facts and understanding that extends their awareness of the world around them.
To enhance this, we plan in visits and visitors to extend the curriculum offer. We work closely with our local museum, Ancient House Museum and organisations such as the Brecks and Fen Edge River Trust.
Reading is also very important to us. We recognise that able readers are not only able to access the curriculum more successfully, but also have increased life chances.
The ‘NRA Way’
The Norwich Road Way encompasses the expectations and teaching that supports good behaviour in our school, and aims to build skills for success in learning, and future life. Our behaviour curriculum is part of this. The NRA Way provides a framework that unifies our school, in common expectations and language.
Our School Values
Our values are championed by our ‘Super Learners’ who demonstrate their positive attributes to the children.
Through our work promoting our values and providing positive models for children, we are able to foster positive mindsets and resilience. Each half term, we focus on one and unpick the skills behind success.
For example, our ‘Aspiration’ work includes opportunities to meet a range of different people from different career paths. Children are able to consider their ‘future selves’
Assemblies
We have a range of opportunities to gather together across the week. This will be as a whole school, to promote values and to celebrate achievement , and in Key Stages and Classes. We have a whole school prayer, that reinforces our ethos, that children are invited to join in with, as well as a school song. This builds pride and identity.
Our work supports British Values, equality, inclusivity, and a sense of belonging.
Picture News is used in class to cover current affairs and thought provoking questions.
Personal Health Social and Economic education (PHSE)
There are weekly timetabled opportunities for children to learn about the world around and them and how to make informed and healthy choices. We use a scheme called ‘Kapow’ to deliver our sessions. Their resources support key teaching points.
Children are given regular opportunities and reinforcement about how to keep themselves safe in the community, and online. The SMART message is regularly reinforced, and we join in with Safer Internet Day each year.
Relationships, Health and Sexual Education (RHSE)
Through our curriculum, children are quipped to build healthy relationships and positive choices though their life. We use quality resources and staff are trained in their implementation.
Mental Health
We recognise the importance of good mental health and promote this across the school. All classes have calm area to support self regulation and children are regularly taught strategies to help them. We work with a number of external agencies and join in with Children’s Mental Health Week every year
Our Pastoral Team are able to support individuals with short and longer term issues. They are able to offer therapeutic support and interventions such as Drawing and Talking. We have a school counsellor that visits weekly too.
Kind school
Through our work with the charity 52 Lives, we have been recognised as a ‘Kind School’. This scaffolds positive relationships around our school and beyond. We recognise the positive self-esteem gained by being kind and the health benefits associated with it. This ethos supports harmony in our school.
We recognise that whilst our experiences, beliefs and heritages may be different, kindness have the ability to connect us.
Daily Mile
We recognise the physical and mental health benefits of daily exercise and have built the ‘Daily Mile’ into our timetabling. This gives everyone the opportunity to get outside in the fresh air, stretch their legs and gain a sense of achievement during this sociable time each day.
Our miles are counted up weekly across the school and tracked around the world map. We share this weekly in assembly. This gives children to opportunity to experience new places and cultures, albeit virtually.
Our Houses
Our school houses link closely with our local heritage and highlight positive attributes to our pupils. Each child is part of a ‘House’ and they are led by Year 6 House Captains and Vice Captains.
Our Year 6 leaders have been chosen for their attitudes, application and participation in their school life. They provide positive roles models for others in their presentation and engagement in learning.
In School Volunteering
Children are encouraged to participate fully in school life and are given opportunities to take responsibility and build confidence. Examples of roles are:
- Reading Ambassadors and Librarians
- Playleaders
- Peer Mediators
- Helping Hands
- Eco Council
- School Council
- Year 6 Assembly support
- Litter Picking teams.
Extra Curricular Opportunities
We offer a range of opportunities outside the timetable too. There are a range of clubs and groups that children are able to participate in, both during lunchtimes and after school.
At lunchtime, our PE Specialist, Mrs Jeanes, leads a range of games and play on the playgrounds and field, with the Playleaders supporting. We also have ‘Elmer’s Room’ that is able to provide additional support for those that may need it.
Our afterschool clubs have included:
- Choir
- Football, including KS1
- Computing
- Dodgeball
- Gymnastics
- Badminton
- Hockey
- Multi Skills
- Archery
- Maths Club
Our library is open during lunchtimes and after school too.