Subjects & Enrichment

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, Creative Arts projects, World Book Day, Black History Month, Fair Trade Fortnight and Science Week as well as our renowned International Day! 

Educational Visits and Residentials 

School trips and visits are an integral part of the education of children at Orchard Primary School. 

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 Windmill Cluster or sporting events and attending or taking part in performances or competitions. 

Children in Year 6 are given the opportunity to take part in a residential visit to a scout centre to build team building, communication and resilience. These activities are planned to provide new and exciting experiences.  

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 authors, artists, musicians, health professionals and others. 

Outdoor Learning

At Orchard Primary School, Outdoor Learning sessions have been introduced to allow children to explore, learn and develop in the outdoors, whatever the season or weather. Research shows that time spent outdoors has a positive effect on children’s health and wellbeing.

Outdoor Learning is where pupils have regular opportunities to achieve, and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland environment. Fortunately, with our wider community links with The Windmill Cluster and Brockwell Park, we are now able to offer Outdoor Learning activities for a number of pupils in both KS1 and KS2.

In our Outdoor Learning sessions, children are taught to:

• Be equal, unique and valuable
• Be competent to explore and discover
• Experience appropriate risk, challenge and success
• Initiate and drive their own learning and development
• Develop skills of resourcefulness and resilience
• Develop positive relationships with themselves and other people
• Develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world

 After-school Clubs 

As a school we are working on offering pupils opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities after school. 

PE & Sport 

At Orchard Primary School we are making use of local area facilities such as Holmewood Park to host our P.E lessons as well as using our hall. There are various competitions children enter throughout the year including football tournaments. 
Children also get to attend various football matches and have sessions at The Oval Cricket ground and with Moving Matters coaches. 

Music, Art & Drama 

Orchard 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. Through active listening, pupils’ awareness, understanding and appreciation of drumming and singing is developed. A range of opportunities are provided within and beyond the curriculum for children to showcase their musical skills and talents; for example Key stage 2 had a music skills sharing session and Key Stage 1 has a cross-phase poetry recital. 

Opportunities to Volunteer 

Volunteering is an activity that everyone can get involved in and benefit from.  At Orchard Primary School 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 School Council, Pupil Wellbeing Ambassadors and we hope to begin our Eco Warriors initiative soon.

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. 

Assemblies 

A rounded programme of weekly 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 week, assemblies are led by the Deputy Headteacher and throughout the year children have the opportunity to take part in class assemblies linking into the school’s weekly theme. 

Competitions and projects 

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