Enriching the learning experience
St Helens Primary School is at the heart of its community and has its community at its heart. We are proud of our reputation as a community school.
We believe that the involvement of the wider community in the life of the school enriches the learning experience of the children we teach.
Sometimes the benefits of our community links are plain to see – we are very grateful to the local people who volunteer to help with reading; those that help with after-school clubs; and those that help with fundraising, for example.
Sometimes the benefits are more subtle. Our children really enjoy talking to visitors to our school, particularly to the older members of our community who have such rich and varied life experiences to share.
Giving back to the community
Discoverers and Pioneers classes entertained with Christmas carols they had learnt and when our visitors left, each was given a Christmas card designed and made by a child in Reception or Year 1.
Our Christmas Fayre, concerts and other productions are always enjoyed and supported by a wide variety of visitors as well as parents (often it’s ‘standing room only’!). We are also very grateful for all the parents, carers grandparents and other friends who join us for sharing assembly each week.
Activities beyond the school
As well as welcoming people in, we believe it is important for our school to go out into the community too. After our harvest festival concert, our older children deliver harvest parcels around the village; we take part in local events, such as the annual Summer Fayre and Village of Angels.
2019 was the sixth occasion where some of our children had participated in the Ryde Mardi Gras and Ryde Carnival.
We believe the role of our school in the community enriches our children’s learning experiences, helping them become well-rounded, confident and happy individuals who treat others with respect and sensitivity.