Why choose Richmond Primary School
Richmond has HEART
Happiness is at the core of our school community. We strive to create an environment that fosters joy, positivity, and emotional well-being. By prioritising the happiness of our pupils, staff, and parents, we aim to create a supportive atmosphere where everyone feels valued, appreciated, and motivated to reach their full potential.
Engagement is the key to unlocking the love of learning. We promote active participation and hands-on experiences that stimulate curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity. Through interactive and meaningful activities, we encourage our pupils to be enthusiastic learners, actively seeking knowledge and discovering their unique passions.
Ambition is nurtured by setting high expectations. We inspire our pupils to dream big and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. By instilling a sense of ambition, we empower our pupils to set goals, persevere in the face of obstacles, and strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives.
Respect is the foundation of our school community. We embrace diversity, inclusivity, and empathy. We foster an environment where individuals are valued and differences are celebrated. Through teaching and modelling respectful behaviour, we aim to cultivate a strong sense of integrity, compassion, and understanding among our pupils.
Togetherness strengthens our school community. We emphasise collaboration, teamwork, and social responsibility. By promoting a sense of belonging, cooperation, and mutual support, we foster positive relationships among pupils, staff, parents, and the wider community. We believe that by working together, we can create a nurturing and harmonious environment that enriches the lives of all.
An engaging Curriculum that prepares children for the future
Our thematic creative curriculum challenges our children to be well informed, critical and creative.
Enriched through powerful experiences, children are inspired to produce their own personal and meaningful responses so their learning stays with them for the rest of their lives.
Our thematic creative curriculum prepares our children for the future by providing them with a well-rounded education that incorporates a variety of teaching methods and learning experiences that are engaging and meaningful to children.
These experiences can take many forms, including hands-on activities, school trips, learning projects, and visitors to the school, all of which can provide children with the insights, knowledge, and hands-on experiences that are related to the subject matter they are studying.
Learning through themed topics and experiences helps to make learning more interesting and relevant to our children, and can foster their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, which ultimately can deepen their understanding and help them to retain information over the long term.
A modern approach to teaching and learning
Most other schools teach children by direct instruction – where the teacher stands in front of a classroom, presents information and then gives the children a task to complete.
We believe that in order to provide our children with an education fit for the 21st century, teaching by direct instruction should only form a part of our children’s learning experience.
Instead, our teachers focus on teaching using more flexible, interactive and personalised methods that allow children to become more involved in the learning process and develop the collaboration, communication and creativity skills that our children will require to thrive in our modern society.
It’s important to understand the difference between passive and interactive teaching methods.
Passive teaching is a way of teaching where the teacher presents information to children that requires little to no active participation from the class. This method is good for teaching basic skills and knowledge, but it’s not always the best way to teach, because it doesn’t always help students think for themselves or solve problems.
In contrast, interactive teaching is designed to engage children and encourage them to participate in their own learning. These methods often involve hands-on activities, group work, and problem-solving tasks that require children to think critically and independently.
To prepare our children for the challenges of the 21st century, we promote the use of interactive teaching to help our children develop the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Devices for every child
To enable us to deliver a truly personal learning experience for every child, technology is readily accessible in every single year group.
Once a child enters Year 3, they will each receive an iPad and iPad pen which will be taken with them all the way until they leave for secondary school.
If children are excited about a topic and wish to carry on with their own independent research or even complete digital homework, they can take their device home!
By giving them their own device, our children can learn at their own pace and can work together with others and share ideas more easily.
We can provide more opportunities for personalised learning, as children can use their devices to access content and learning experiences that are tailored to their individual needs and interests.
With all children having access to the same resources and opportunities for learning, we can support the success of all children, regardless of their individual abilities or needs.
Purposeful integration of technology
Our children have access to a variety of technology to use in their learning such as green screen recording, QR codes, video recording, 3D world builders, audio recording and much, much more!
This technology is readily accessible in the classroom to allow children to produce highly personal and powerful responses to tasks through joyful and memorable experiences.
For example, children may take advantage of a green screen to produce a video response to a topic or even use Minecraft to demonstrate their learning in an interactive, online world!
Many schools today have access to technology in their learning environments. While technology can be a valuable tool for education, it is important that it is used in the right way. If a teacher simply uses technology for the sake of using it, without considering how it can support learning, it can be a distraction for children and be less effective at achieving the desired learning objective.
At our school, we use technology in our classrooms with purpose. We view technology as a tool that we can use to enhance and support the learning process in a way that is intentional, relevant, and designed to achieve specific goals. We carefully plan and implement the use of technology to engage and motivate our children, facilitate collaboration and communication, provide them access to a wealth of information and resources, and support a variety of learning styles and needs.
We believe that using technology in this way can greatly benefit our children’s learning experiences, and we are committed to using it in a responsible and effective way.
A child-centred, collaborative environment
In traditional classrooms, children are sat at front-facing desks and for the most part, do not move from that space all day.
In our child-centred classrooms, children are able to take advantage of our flexible classroom furniture to move around the class to suit the current learning activity. This gives children more opportunities to work with others, be social or work independently.
In our child-centred classrooms, the emphasis is on child-led learning and the development of critical thinking skills rather than learning through direct instruction and memorisation. Our teachers facilitate and support learning instead of transmitting information directly to the children and expecting them to learn from it.
In addition to traditional desks and chairs, in our child-centred classrooms, we use flexible seating to enhance the learning experience by allowing children to choose the seating arrangement that works best for them. This means the classroom environment can support different learning styles and needs.
For example, some children may prefer to sit on a comfortable beanbag chair, while others may prefer to stand at a standing desk. By providing a range of seating options, our teachers can accommodate the individual preferences and needs of their children, which can help them to be more engaged and focused in the classroom.
A close knit community
We firmly believe in the importance of strong collaboration between our school and parents, as we understand the vital role that parents play in their child’s education. We are dedicated to fostering a close-knit community where parents feel welcome, involved, and valued.
We regularly invite parents to our school to celebrate their children’s achievements and witness their progress. Our regular parent events provide parents with the opportunity to witness the growth and development of their children’s skills, knowledge, and creativity. These events also serve as a platform for children to take pride in their accomplishments and share their learning
Throughout the year, we organise various events that encourage parental attendance and participation. These events include:
Curriculum Workshops: Parents are invited to attend these informative evenings to learn more about the curriculum, teaching methods, and classroom expectations. This allows parents to better support their child’s learning journey at home.
Parents evenings: Regular meetings between parents and teachers foster open communication and provide an opportunity to discuss a child’s progress, strengths, and areas for improvement.
Special Assemblies: During these events, we celebrate our children’s achievements, showcase their talents, and recognise their hard work.
Family Workshops: We host interactive workshops for parents and children, designed to help families better understand various subjects and engage in fun, educational activities together.
Annual School Fairs and Festivals: Our school organises fairs and festivals throughout the year, providing an opportunity for families to come together, have fun, and strengthen the sense of community within the school.
By actively engaging parents in their child’s education, we promote a supportive and collaborative learning environment that benefits both children and families. We are committed to maintaining strong connections with parents and encouraging their involvement in the educational journey of their children.
A caring, supportive and responsive EYFS
Our Early Years environment is caring, supportive and responsive to children’s individual needs. We allow our children to play and explore with a particular focus on the outdoor environment.
Playing outside gives children first-hand contact with weather, seasons, and the natural world, and outdoor environments offer children freedom to explore, use their senses, and be physically active and curious.
A key feature of our outdoor provision is our purpose-built Tiny Town, which provides meaningful opportunities for imaginative and collaborative role play. Designed to support the development of Communication and Language, Tiny Town enables children to engage in high-quality conversations, develop and apply new vocabulary, negotiate roles, solve problems and explore real-life experiences.
Through carefully planned adult interactions, storytelling opportunities and purposeful play experiences, children are encouraged to extend their speaking and listening skills, build confidence in communication and become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.
Tiny Town also provides rich opportunities for children to develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning. Through role play and exploration, children learn by playing and exploring; through sustained engagement, concentration and perseverance they become active learners; and through planning, problem-solving, adapting their ideas and responding to challenges, they learn to create and think critically.
These experiences support the development of children’s spoken language, which underpins all seven areas of learning and development, and help children to achieve the Communication and Language Early Learning Goals while preparing them for future success in Key Stage 1.
Playing outside is important for children’s overall development, as it provides a wide range of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits. Here are four reasons why using the outdoor environment is important in the early years:
Physical development: Playing outside helps children to develop their gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, and climbing, as well as their fine motor skills, such as grasping and manipulating small objects.
Social development: Exploring the outdoor environment gives children the opportunity to interact with their peers and develop social skills, such as cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution.
Emotional development: Being outside can help children to feel calm, happy, and connected to nature, which can improve their emotional well-being.
Cognitive development: Outdoor play can also support children’s cognitive development, as it provides opportunities for exploration, discovery, and problem-solving.
Wrap around care
We recognise the importance of providing childcare options to assist working parents.
Richmond Primary School is open from 7:30am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday.
As well as our Breakfast Club and After School Club, we offer a range of free Extra-Curricular Clubs every term that children can take part in after school.
- Years 2 to 6 can access breakfast from the designated breakfast station on the playground.
- Reception and Year 1 pupils will receive the same breakfast offer within their classrooms, supported by a member of staff.
Breakfast Club is booked online using the Arbor App and is paid for at the time of booking.
Breakfast club runs from 7:30am – 8:30am at the cost of £3.25 per child. Children are offered a wide range of breakfast meals and use the space in the main hall to play games and spend time with their classmates.
If you’re unsure how to book a club in Arbor, you can follow the guides on our FAQ.
After School Club is booked online using the Arbor App and is paid for at the time of booking.
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The After School Club will run Monday to Friday and is split into two sessions. The Twilight session is from 3:15pm until 4:30pm and the Late session is from 4:15pm until 6:00pm.
| Twilight Session | 3:15pm until 4:30pm | £4 |
| After Enrichment Club Session | 4:15pm until 6:00pm | £6 |
| Both Sessions | 3:15pm until 6:00pm | £10 |
The After School Club will offer a wide range of activities for the children and provide drinks and a freshly prepared fruit snack for all children. For those children that stay on for the late session, a picnic snack will be provided, which varies on a daily basis.
Payments must be made in advance, either termly, monthly, weekly or daily. There are no exceptions to this as it is essential that the club in self-financing.
If you are late collecting your child, an extra charge of £1 will be incurred for every 5 minutes past 6:00pm.
If you’re unsure how to book a club in Arbor, you can follow the guides on our FAQ.
We offer an extensive range of Extra Curricular clubs throughout the year which are booked using the Arbor App.
Please note that all clubs have a restricted number of places.
The clubs start at 3.15pm and finish at 4.15pm.
Choices for clubs will be sent to parents every term.
If you’re unsure how to book a club in Arbor, you can follow the guides on our FAQ.
We have a school nursery!
Early Birds Nursery is a school nursery for 2, 3 and 4 year old’s, on the site of Richmond Primary School.
Led by a qualified Teacher; the nursery offers three attendance options across the 5-day week.
A fully inclusive environment
View our Inclusion pages to see how we are committed to provide equal educational opportunities to all children, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or experiences.
A commitment to well-being
We prepare children to succeed in their personal and professional lives by nurturing both their thinking and social-emotional skills.
We define bullying as “deliberately hurtful behaviour that is repeated over a period of time.” Bullying can take many forms, but the three main types are physical, verbal and indirect.
We encourage parents to inform us immediately if they suspect their child is being bullied. The sooner we know, the sooner we can act to stop it! Please see our anti-bullying policy for further details, including early signs of distress.
Bullying will not be tolerated in our school. It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent it happening and our policy contains guidelines for all members of the school community.
Our school takes part in the National ‘Anti-bullying week’ each year.
Throughout the year, children are encouraged to report all incidents of bullying to an adult and are supported in developing strategies to combat it, including the use of discussion and role play. Children are also taught awareness of ‘Cyber bullying’ throughout the year and this form of bullying will be dealt with in the same robust manner as any other form of bullying.
Year 5 and 6 children are trained as ‘buddies’ to support any pupil who may feel susceptible to bullying or for those who may behave in a bullying way.
Nurture is at the heart of the school where we offer short term, inclusive, focused interventions to help with SEBD needs.
Our nurture room is a calm and inviting base for the children. We provide an inclusive curriculum where we work on literacy including Language Through Colour, maths and phonics.
In literacy we use a focus books that appeal to the children which allows us to offer them a stimulating and colourful learning experience.
Within the Nurture room we also address other aspects of development using child focused, tailor made interventions such as fine motor skills, sensory needs and social and emotional support. All of which are led by the 6 Principles of nurture:
Where needs are identified, well-being interventions will be implemented following a discussion with parents/carers. These may take place in a separate area or may form part of provision within the classroom. All classrooms have a dedicated area where children may withdraw to when they are feeling less settled and need to be in a quieter area in order to focus on their learning tasks. We call it the ‘calm down’ area.
Our aim is to ensure that not only do all pupils feel happy, secure and valued but that they are also able to work in a calm, pleasant and purposeful environment without disruption.
We recognise the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.
We will endeavour to support the welfare and safety of all pupils through:
- Maintaining children’s welfare as our paramount concern
- ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning
- ensuring that child protection is included in the curriculum to help children stay safe, recognise when they don’t feel safe and identify who they might / can talk to
- Providing suitable support and guidance so that students have a range of appropriate adults to approach if they are in difficulties
- promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of being valued and heard in their own right
- Ensuring all steps are taken to maintain site security and student’s physical safety
- Working with parents to build an understanding of the school’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations
- Developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies
A smooth transition to Reception
Do you want to help your child’s transition into their first year at school?
From November to July, we host sessions every week to help familiarise children of pre-school age with our school.
Our sessions start with a welcome from our reception teachers, followed by lots of wonderful activities and will finish with a story or song.
No need to book, just turn up!
Please contact us for more information.
- Have the chance to meet the Headteacher and EYFS team
- Become familiar with the school setting
- Increase your confidence and understanding of school life
- Enjoy a story or fun activity with your children
- Younger siblings welcome
Our EnRICHMOND promise
Our enRICHMOND programme is carefully designed to complement the curriculum and ensure that every pupil benefits from a wide range of cultural, creative, sporting, outdoor and leadership experiences throughout their time at Richmond.
Celebrating our children's writing
Through high‑quality teaching, inspiring literature, and a strong foundation in handwriting, phonics and composition, we nurture young authors who can share their ideas with pride. See below just some of the many examples of brilliant writing produced by our pupils!
Part of a transformative Multi Academy Trust
Richmond Primary School is a leading school in The Stour Academy Trust, a Multi Academy Trust of 9 Primary Schools across Kent.
The Stour Academy Trust has set out to transform schools to better prepare our young people for the 21st century.