Queensbridge Primary School

Queensbridge Primary School is a safe, welcoming and nurturing school that offers a sense of belonging. We are a growing school and we pride ourselves that we know each and every child inside out. We do our best to help each child find their strengths and talents so that they will flourish and be challenged.We work with families to ensure that all children achieve their potential across our diverse community, having relentlessly high expectations of ourselves and others.

You can apply for a nursery place at any school once your child is two and a half. You do this by coming to the school office with proof of address and your child’s birth certificate or passport. You will also be given a short form to fill out. This must be done on the premises and we do not send out forms.Places at our school nursery are part time morning or afternoon. You are not guaranteed a nursery place and one of the major factors in giving out places is proximity to school. A place in the school nursery does not guarantee a place in the school.All admissions from Reception to Year 6 are handled by Hackney Learning Trust.

We are innovative, aspirational and consistent in our holistic approach, constantly reflecting on our practice. We try to make learning creative, stimulating, inclusive and fun with lots of challenge, setting ambitious goals for the future.We offer our children a vast range of opportunities to light the spark of their learning, giving them the skills and tools they need to take off and fly.

Our school community is built on a foundation of values. Our values support the development of children as reflective learners within a calm, caring, happy and purposeful atmosphere. They permeate the whole curriculum and act as the basis for our social, emotional, spiritual and moral development.We give everyone an enjoyable experience of learning so that our children leave Queensbridge as happy, confident, inspired and motivated lifelong learners.

Queensbridge Primary School is a culturally rich and diverse community where all voices are heard. We are all valued. We encourage a healthy attitude towards life and learning. Learning is for a lifetime. At Queensbridge Primary School we strive to provide a safe, welcoming centre of excellence with opportunity for all, where good communication, shared purpose and responsibility and effective use of resources, contribute to the development of confident and respectful life long learners.

There is a huge emphasis on speaking and listening from an early age, encouraging children to ‘play’ with language and to be able to articulate their thoughts. We begin early, with the use of rhymes and songs to develop understanding and to experiment with speech patterns. Children are then encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills around all areas of the curriculum; to discuss what they are learning and develop their confidence, mastery and enjoyment of language through performances, debating and public speaking. Children are also taught specific Learning Behaviours to support talk for learning.

At Queensbridge we have an inclusive curriculum with a holistic approach that is relevant to all learners and reflects the communities we are part of. We celebrate one another’s cultural diversity and learn about different faiths and traditions. This creative curriculum is driven by our school values (perseverance, respect, possibilities and collaboration) so that learners develop a broad and deep understanding of key skills in curriculum subjects as well as becoming spiritually, morally and culturally aware of the national and global society we live in.

At Queensbridge we teach using a bespoke creative, topic based curriculum so that children can make connections across all areas of their learning. It allows for progression as the children build on their skills each year. The topics develop each year from in Year 1 learning about The Great Fire of London to comparing London and Nepal in Year 6. Objectives are repeated in a number of meaningful and exciting ways. Creative workshops and experiences are utilized such as an opera visiting the school. We have strong links with local art galleries, theaters, music venues and museums. Our children benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities such as music performances at the Tower of London, community print making workshops and legacy art projects.

At Queensbridge we want to create reflective, engaged and excited learners. Our pupils are stimulated to be curious and ask questions. We aim to develop them to be independent and we encourage a growth mindset.Children know how to extend themselves. Our children recognise that failure and making mistakes is part of the learning process, encouraging them to take risks.

The Queensbridge aim is for the children to leave our school reading fluently but also very importantly with a love of reading. Reading is used as a tool to access information throughout our curriculum.It is taught initially through shared stories (FS) leading to more formal ‘Daily Supported Reading’ in Reception and Year 1. This is a reading programme that ensures all children have daily opportunities to read independently, in small groups, at their ability level with a trained adult. This continues into early Year 2 alongside Guided Reading sessions. In Key Stage 2 these Guided Reading sessions continue with a focus on key strategies for comprehending messages and accessing information. There is a wide range of books, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels available in the school for the children to read and listen to. Adults share books daily through story time and topic work. Children also have regular opportunities to visit the library. We have recently refurbished our school library and children are regularly visiting to share stories and change books.Children are regularly monitored and any children who do meet the expected standard will receive support in a range of ways according to their level of need.