Wider Curriculum Opportunities & Cultural Capital

Our curriculum extends beyond the National Curriculum and includes a wide range of enriching experiences and opportunities both within and beyond the school day. This includes an extensive range of after-school clubs that support the core curriculum offer whilst also extending the range of children’s experiences (Cultural Capital).  A primary focus of our curriculum is to raise aspirations and provide a purpose and relevance for learning.

In addition to trips and experiences, we also provide further opportunities to enhance children’s learning wherever possible. These include:

Whole School Theme Days/Weeks

Throughout the year, themed days/weeks are woven into the curriculum to extend the breadth and balance of opportunities we offer our pupils. These include, Anti-bullying Week and Safety Day, Science Week, World Book Day, Poetry Day, Number Day, Young Leaders Days, Cultural Day, Mental Health Week as well as many others.

Forest School & Outdoor Learning

Forest Schools is a Scandinavian initiative designed to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through an innovative, long term, educational approach to outdoor play and learning in a woodland environment.  As a school we are very fortunate in having a Forest School at Paddington Rec which is a short walk away. Forest School is offered to Reception- Year 4 children. Sessions are designed around the needs of the group to ensure that they are learner-led. Many areas of the National Curriculum are intrinsically covered and teamwork skills are developed through games and activities. We are also an Eco school and value the benefits of outdoor learning.  Children are stimulated by the outdoors where they can undertake a range of practical activities to support and enhance learning across the curriculum.

Educational Visits and Residentials

School trips and visits are an integral part of the education of children at St Peter's and we are lucky to have London as a free resource.  We value the opportunities such visits offer our pupils and the commitment of staff and adults undertaking them. Trips include class visits aimed at bringing learning alive and providing first-hand experiences; extra-curricular outings such as activities with the school choir or sporting events; and attending or taking part in performances or competitions.  

Visitors into School

Visitors have a valuable role to play and can contribute to many aspects of the life and work of the school. They deliver talks, workshops and full day activities across a wide range of subjects, giving pupils access to outside experiences and expertise. Visitors provide a link with the wider community – children have the opportunity to work alongside artists, musicians, authors, health professions and others.

After-school Clubs

As a school we offer pupils opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities after school. At any time, a wide range of clubs is on offer – our programmes of clubs and activities available is revised termly depending on the time of year and other commitments children may have.

PE & Sport

Year 3 and 4 children benefit from a whole year of swimming lessons and children take part in regular sporting competitions throughout the year. We receive cricket coaching from MCC to pupils in Key stage 2.

Music, Art & Drama

St Peter's Primary School provides opportunities for children to take part in a wide range of musical activities and performances where they are encouraged to sing, compose and work creatively with sound. We are lucky to have an experienced specialist music teacher to deliver the music curriculum. Through active listening, pupils’ awareness, understanding and appreciation of a wide variety of music are developed. A range of opportunities are provided within and beyond the curriculum for children to showcase their musical skills and talents. Across Key stage 2 every child learns how to play a musical instrument as well as receiving steel pan music lessons.

As a school we appreciate and understand the importance of drama within our curriculum. Research reveals that drama has a positive impact on children’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. We work with the Westminster Archives and MOD theatre to enable the children to recreate historical scenes and periods. 

We are very fortunate to be working with a local artist in residence to produce a wire sculpture for the Notting Hill Carnival. 

Opportunities to Volunteer

Volunteering is an activity that everyone can get involved in and benefit from.  At St Peter's Primary we promote and encourage pupils’ active citizenship and positive contribution to the school and wider community. 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. These include elected representatives on our Children’s Council, Eco Committee and Rights Respecting Committee.  Within classes, children can volunteer to take on various responsibilities ranging from lunch duties, to collecting and distributing registers, to helping with the organisation of equipment in assemblies.

Pupils tell us that they enjoy the opportunity to volunteer to help make their school an even better place to be and rising to the challenge that additional responsibility brings. 

We also take part in the Young Leaders Programme which is a leadership and character education programme designed to both enhance and form part of the school curriculum. It offers an exciting opportunity for our pupils to engage in new learning experiences, grow in leadership, character and key life skills and discover the benefits of helping others. In the summer term, the children will take part in a social action project within the local community.

Assemblies

A rounded programme of assemblies helps to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and provide clear guidance on what is right and what is wrong. Once a year, each class holds an assembly for the rest of the school and their parents to showcase the work they have been covering.

Homework

Homework can make an important contribution to a child’s progress at school.  As well as reinforcing learning in the classroom, homework helps children to develop the skills and attitudes they will need for successful independent lifelong learning.

Homework is set in-line with the school’s policy, with tasks planned to appropriately challenge all pupils. Weekly activities focus on reading, spelling, vocabulary and times tables to reinforce and consolidate skills taught.  Often whole-school/ family homework is set which provides an opportunity for children to think creatively and produce their own form of response.