Harrogate federation of small village schools 'at forefront of national education improvements'
A group of small Harrogate village schools say being “proactive” is paying off as they lead the way with a new curriculum model.
Victoria Kirkman, Executive Headteacher of The Federation of Beckwithshaw, Kettlesing and Ripley Church of England Primary Schools, said they were delighted to have embraced the Department for Education’s new Enrichment Framework which had set out eight national benchmarks for schools.
But, she added, the Federation did not wait for new frameworks or publications before taking action to improve pupils’ experiences of education.
"As small village schools, we must think proactively and creatively to ensure we transform our children’s lives,” said Victoria.
“At the Federation, we do not wait for new frameworks or publications before taking action.
"We listen to our communities, anticipate future developments and continually innovate so that our children have the very best start in life.
“We are incredibly proud of our school-led enrichment offer and the positive impact it has on children’s achievement, wellbeing and aspirations.
“Every child deserves access to experiences that broaden horizons and inspire success, regardless of where they live or the size of the school they attend.”
The Federation of Beckwithshaw, Kettlesing and Ripley Church of England Primary Schools has been placing enrichment at the heart of its curriculum for the last three years.
Experiences of pupils have included activities at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, outdoor learning through Forest School, taking part in art exhibitions at Ripley Castle, large-scale music concerts at the Royal Hall and community volunteering initiatives.
Being small schools meant they had had to adopt creative approaches to overcome the challenges presented by limited funding and staffing resources.
Victoria Kirkman said: “Through our carefully-designed curriculum model, enrichment opportunities are strategically planned across all curriculum subjects, enabling pupils to develop their knowledge, skills, confidence and aspirations through a wide range of memorable experiences.”
The Federation’s programme is designed to be inclusive, with pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities supported to access the same opportunities as their classmates.
School leaders said the experiences had helped improve pupils’ confidence, wellbeing, resilience, academic achievement and sense of belonging.
More information: https://rbk.n-yorks.sch.uk/