Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Last updated: 13 March 2009

Berkswich C.E Primary School is a strong believer in partnership education, making sure that the parents are as involved as possible in their children's education.  The school's aim is to create an environment where children can develop confidence, individuality and good learning habits. Helping pupils to develop lively, inquiring minds with the ability to question and discuss points rationally as well as understanding how to work, and play with thought, care and consideration for others. The school education is delivered around firmly based Christian principles.

The Head teacher Martin Holmes and the deputy Head Jill Pearce-Haydon both embrace a creative curriculum with a school with as much outdoor learning space as indoor.

"We use the environment to support learning. Our work has an ecological theme and we have created a rich outdoor learning area to curriculum delivery."

In fact the school has an outdoor theatre, a mathematical garden, a play area designed by the learners, a scientific quadrangle and a water harvesting area that provides power for the school's other ecological areas such as the weather station and irrigation system!

But how does all this relate to a successful learning experience?

"It is all designed to provide an active learning environment for the children. The wormery is open to all and water system has transparent pipes so that the children are able to observe it working. Our curriculum is one that focuses on direct experience and creating 'wow' moments. We know that children don't see learning as subjects, they see learning as learning."

So what do the pupils and parents make of this eco-friendly, eyes open take on the current curriculum? We spoke to some students who made it very clear what they thought!

"Learning history is fun. You find out how people lived in the past and the things they invented. We learn history with art and literacy - it's better that way" - Daniel.

"We had a special week on celebrating diversity; we mixed with other age groups and made new friends. We ate food from different countries and had a debate about wars in places like Afghanistan" - Natasha.

"We learn outside school, we have lots of clubs, a gardening club, a website club, a book club, choir, music club, eco-club. We have just had a cake sale to raise money for endangered animals and the RSPCA" - Omar.

So it looks like Berkswich School is leading the way with an eco friendly take on the curriculum that promotes life long learning and a hands on approach. Before we left we asked the Head teacher Martin to tell us his ideas on what the new Primary Curriculum should look like?

"The curriculum review needs to help us regain public confidence in the system. Our children have a great deal of knowledge and understanding beyond English and Math, for example, on environmental issues. Where is this assessed? The curriculum is 30 years old and over loaded. I don't have a problem with teaching the basics, but I do with 'back to the basics'. We need to look forward not back. The debate should be about what we think the basics are today."