CURRICULUM
The curriculum at Rickmansworth Park is underpinned by the three guiding principles of the school:
Teachers are passionate about teaching a curriculum which enables each and every child to achieve their full potential. The school has long recognised that in order to deliver a curriculum which meets the needs of all of the learners in our school, the content must be well rounded and inspiring. Our aim is to immerse our pupils in a full and rich curriculum so that our children can discover for themselves where their own interests and talents lie.
“This is a school that is highly committed to, and successful in, providing a high quality of education for its pupils. The school prioritises and achieves a very high standard of quality first teaching for all pupils.” – HCC Brokerage Visit Report June 2021.
“Governors explained that they learn about the impact of the curriculum from a variety of sources. This includes from their links relating to different areas of the curriculum, the clarity of information in the headteacher reports to the governing body and the information provided to them through the subject leader presentations to the governing body” – Strategic Governance focused HCC Commissioned School Visit Report October 2022
“Everyone is passionate about the school and the quality of education that pupils receive.” – Ofsted October 2018.
“The Curriculum is broad and balanced, and leaders ensure that pupils learn about other cultures both through stories and through visits and visitors. The curriculum contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development” - Ofsted October 2018.
As a Read Write Inc school since 2012, all adults in the school are fully committed to teaching children to read. The school believes that by empowering children to become confident readers, they are being given the tools to access learning for life.
“Reading is the one ability that, once set in motion, has the capacity to feed itself, to grow exponentially, producing a base from which the possibilities are infinite.” – Michael Morpurgo.
“The proportion of pupils meeting the phonics expected standard in Y1 (97%) was significantly above national and in the highest 20% of all schools in 2022” – Strategic Governance focused HCC Commissioned School Visit Report October 2022
“Phonics and reading is highly prioritised at this school. The teaching is highly effective and this is reflected in the outcomes achieved by the pupils” - HCC Brokerage Visit Report June 2021.
Following a day of external assessment on 11th November 2022, the school was incredibly proud to be reaccredited as a Rights Respecting Gold School. The school was first awarded this title in July 2019 and was the third school in Hertfordshire to ever receive this. The ongoing work on rights gives genuine meaning to the school’s values and links seamlessly with the school’s Guiding Principles.
“It was evident that children’s rights are embedded across the school and underpin every facet of school life” - Gold Rights Respecting Re-Accreditation Report November 2022
Rights Respecting Gold School | Rickmansworth Park Junior Mixed and Infant School
“There are explicit links with the articles and spiritual, moral and cultural development in the communication around what makes learning “great” in each specific subject”. - HCC Brokerage Visit Report June 2021.
Children at the school benefit from a vast range of enrichment opportunities to enhance the curriculum. Wherever possible, staff make great use of visits and visitors to bring the curriculum to life.
https://www.rickmansworthpark.herts.sch.uk/curriculum-enrichment/
Large numbers of children, also take up the opportunity to learn through extra-curricular activities including sports, dance, tae-kwondo, art, textiles and phonics club.
Extra Curricular Provision | Rickmansworth Park Junior Mixed and Infant School
In July 2023, the school was awarded the Platinum Schools Games Mark. Rickmansworth Park JMI is frequently the highest ranking school, for participation, of all the schools in the local Sports Partnership.
Last year, a review of the PE curriculum identified Outdoor Adventurous Education as an area which needed greater coverage and this became a focus in 2022/23. The opportunity to engage in ‘risky play’ is available to all KS2 year groups from though lunchtime inclusion clubs. YR to Y2 receive lunchtime inclusion clubs with a focus on multi-skills.
There is a strong focus on Music in this school. Three year groups benefit from whole class, specialist music teaching for an hour each week (Y3 Recorder, Y5 P-Bones, Y6 Brass Band). Regular opportunities to perform are provided through termly Class Assemblies to parents, the annual school Music Concert and the Rickmansworth Music Gala (a joint collaboration with Rickmansworth School) and Ricky Park’s Got Talent. At the much loved ‘Proms in the Playground’ in the Summer Term, visiting adult brass bands are invited to perform providing aspiration for our children. Peripatetic lessons are offered in piano, guitar and trombone. In September 2023, the school was awarded the Music Mark by Hertfordshire Music Service.