enrichment

As well as trips out our school grounds offer an environment rich in biodiversity for children to learn in and enjoy being in nature. A plant diary was developed some years ago by parent Mark Keeble and is a useful starting point for children identifying trees. Areas we share with wildlife include:

• A bog garden, made with help from Whitfield and Brown and designed by children from the Eco-group

• Pond area with dipping platform

• Kitchen garden, designed by parent Nicky Ward, who also gave her free time to complete the project

• Meadows bring a variety of wild flowers and pollinating insects

• Shrub areas with a bird hide (built by Wayne Lyndsey from builder Whitfield and Brown) is a safe haven for birds, foxes and at least one badger, as well as being somewhere for bug hotels which children like to build and refurbish

• A willow garden provides shade from the summer sun

• A butterfly garden (sponsored by Barclays at Gadbrook Park) attracts butterflies and moths, both in decline due to loss of habitat

In addition a large playing field, hard court and all weather pitch provide ample space for active playtimes as well as PE lessons and sports clubs.

By law we are only allowed to request parent contributions for events in school and trips out during the school day (with some limited exceptions such as music lessons and overnight stays). Nevertheless, without the support from families we would not be able to offer the trips and visits that bring learning to life and deepen children's achievement. In the current economic climate and with school cuts biting, the sad fact is that, without support from the overwhelming majority of families, trips may become less viable. The voluntary contribution requested is essential for us to provide the enriched education children deserve. The amount requested is determined by the cost for each child and no parent contributions are used to subsidise children who have received a bursary or whose families chosen for their child to participate without making a contribution.

Bursaries

We can offer support to any family in genuine hardship (https://www.kingsmead.cheshire.sch.uk/information/financial-hardship). Our policy for Charging and Lettings (which contains an application form for a bursary) can be found in the Information / Policies and Procedures.

Children love learning outside the classroom and we are blessed in living between three great cities: Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. Children have visited the Roman ruins in Chester, listened to the Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra and visited the Walker Art Gallery. They have cycled at the Velodrome in Manchester. We have also enjoyed lots of visits in Cheshire: Delamere Forest, the Marshall's Arm Nature Reserve, Jodrell Bank, Weaver Hall have all enriched children's learning back in school as well as further afield in Llandudno.

Residential Visits

Children in years 2 an 5 have residential visits where the children participate in outdoor and adventurous activities that we couldn't provide in school. Activities are led by qualified outdoor education leaders and, as with other trips, the cost is per child for the activities, staff, food and accommodation. No element of the cost is used to subsidize other families.

Visitors into school can be as enriching and exciting as visits out. The Young Shakespeare Company come every year introducing Upper Key Stage 2 to Shakespeare. The YSC provides excellent actors from London who tour schools with the plays adapted for younger audiences. We are grateful to the KFA who have funded this event, meaning we don't have to ask for a contribution from parents of carers. Children love it and asked when painting The Ambassadors (a large painting about caring for ourselves) that a Shakespeare play be included. The cost is a fraction of what it would be to take children to the theatre, and because it's in school it is more interactive and involves the children more directly. Other visitors to school have included artists in residence, musicians, theatre groups and dancers leading workshops. Humanists UK and the Sir John Deane's LGBT+ group have given talks to the older children. Many visitors rock up in Science Week in the Spring Term and these have included STEM ambassadors, a geneticist, inventors, naturalists, Chester Zoo, Space Lab, Mad Science and even a Planetarium. Rev Rob Iveson leads assemblies on a Christian theme in school once a term.

We charge for most clubs outside the school day, when these are provided by a external provider. External providers bring different expertise and enrich our curriculum offer beyond what our primary school teaching staff can provide. External clubs have included:

• Cheshire Judo who also provide fencing and archery from 8am for aspiring athletes and modern pentathletes

• Digital Wizards who provide a coding club for future computer scientists

• Extratime Sport for the athletes of the future and a fitter adult population

• La Jolie Ronde Club Français for future translators and international negotiators

• STEM club for the next generations of scientists

If your child is interested in learning before or after school and the cost is a problem, we encourage you to apply for a bursary.

Some before and after school enrichment is not charged and provided by school staff. We like to minimise these as teaching staff need to focus on the learning and teaching for all during the school day. These include:

• Art Club for the artists, designers and creators of the future

• Band for budding musicians

• Gardening Club for the horticulturalists the country is currently so short of