Extra-Curricular Activities & Clubs
Enrichment Activities
Sports
The school follows the National Curriculum for PE through the delivery of the real PE scheme. We are fortunate to have 2 spacious halls which are used for our PE activities, in addition to a large playground and a multi functional field for outdoor activities. In KS2 all pupils benefit from our enriched swimming curriculum, which is delivered in accordance to their ability. Our swimming programme is delivered on a weekly basis with years 3 & 4 swimming for a whole term and years 5 & 6 pupils for half a term, working towards achieving the ‘Devon Swim 100‘.
We have many different sporting activities which are offered as lunch time or out of school clubs. These include athletics, cross-country running, tag rugby, basketball, Futsal, gymnastics, dance and football. We participate in local competitions with other primary schools; taking part in sporting activities which include Wilcombe Wobbler cross-country run, Heathcoat Cricket tournament, TCLP schools swimming gala and local charity events and fun runs.
Music
We offer singing club throughout the Autumn and Summer term. During the Autumn, children in singing club learn a variety of festive and popular songs and have the opportunity to perform to an audience in our whole school singing assemblies and at the Christmas Fayre. Children in singing club also have the opportunity to perform to the wider community, singing at the Tiverton Pannier market and two local care homes. This year we have also been invited to sing at Exeter Cathedral in December as part of the SPARK UK event.
Pupils in year one will participate in whole class music tuition as part of the new national plan for music, learning how to play the ukulele. They will perform to the school and parents towards the end of the Spring term.
During the Summer our older pupils will have the opportunity to audition and take part in our summer show. Drama and singing clubs throughout the summer term will support children in fulfilling their roles.
Education Outdoors
The amazing grounds are one of the most outstanding features of our school. We have developed these over a number of years in order to enable all pupils to access the outdoors throughout the year. There is an all weather path that meanders around the grounds, following the contours of the Dingly Dell, Pond and Woodland area, a leafy lane, our amphitheatre and through our Senses garden. We have a productive kitchen garden and an apple producing orchard and a quiet and restful Secret Garden; seating and play equipment; an Outdoor classroom and stage, and designated areas for sports and games. All of these features provide opportunities for curriculum enrichment across many curricular areas such as art, Forest school style activities, gardening, science, storytelling and drama.
Mr Newsome provides forest school style and team building activities for classes and groups of pupils across the school. These activities include looking at the changes in seasons and nature, studying the trees, plants and animals which can be found in our school grounds as well as activities which may include lighting a fire or building a shelter.
Residentials
Our pupils are offered the opportunity to take part in residential visits in years 4 and 6. In year 4 pupils go to Escot for a 3 day visit giving them their first taste of being away from home. It’s a great opportunity for pupils to learn outside of the school environment in a well established residential centre.
Year 6 pupils look forward to an outdoor activity residential. They stay at the Outdoor Adventure centre on Exmoor. The carefully planned programme is designed to develop skills in personal safety, respect for self and others, teamwork and leadership.
Additionally, we sometimes make use of our superb outdoor environment and offer overnight camps for other pupils in the school as part of a planned programme within our curriculum.
Full risk assessment procedures are carried out and there are strict Local Authority guidelines that are followed with any trip or visit.
Visits and Visitors
We make good use of a wonderful range of local amenities for trips and visits which are made to enhance pupils learning, for example the Tiverton Museum. Sometimes, we go further afield usually within the county, to places such as Exeter Cathedral, Exeter Mosque, Pennywell Farm and Paignton Zoo.
As well as making visits to amenities outside school, we also welcome visitors into school to support many aspects of the National Curriculum. Visitors have included a Viking (historian), an Egyptian archaeologist, Exmoor Zoo staff and animals. Members of St Paul’s Church are regular visitors to our school providing the pupils across KS1 and KS2 with the opportunity to watch and engage in live performances..
Clubs
Clubs play an important part in the life of the school by enabling our pupils to have access to activities and events that enhance their learning or develop self esteem, or that are purely for enjoyment.
We offer a wide range of clubs and activities across the year. For some sporting clubs we seek the expertise of coaches and will usually make a charge for these activities, or in the case of our Running Club pupils are asked to pay for entry to organised events. Most other clubs are free. We usually find that younger pupils are better suited to clubs and activities held during the lunchtime. Clubs are often very popular and can be oversubscribed and staff do make sure that all pupils who wish to participate can do so when the next session of a particular activity is run.