At Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, our curriculum extends beyond the National Curriculum and includes a wide range of enriching experiences and opportunities both within and beyond the school day. This includes an extensive programme of after-school clubs, that support the core curriculum offer, as well as those which develop specialist skills and extending the range of children’s experiences.
Whole School Theme Days/Weeks
Throughout the year, themed days/weeks are woven into the curriculum to extend the breadth and balance of opportunities we offer our pupils. These include, Anti-bullying Week, Earth Day, World Book Day, Black History Month, Sports & Health Week, Mini-enterprise Week, Fair Trade Fortnight, Science Week, European Day of Languages among others.
Outdoor Learning
Teachers will regularly ‘take learning outside’ and provide opportunities for lessons to take place outdoors. This might include ‘normal’ lessons in a different environment. It may also include opportunities to learn outdoor specific skills.
Educational Visits and Residentials
School trips and visits are an integral part of the education of children at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs. We value the opportunities such visits offer our pupils and the commitment of staff and adults undertaking them. Trips include class visits aimed at bringing learning alive and providing first-hand experience and bringing learning alive; extra-curricular outings such as activities with the school choir or sporting events; and attending or taking part in performances or competitions.
Children in Years 3-6 take part in residential visits, known as our Experience Spine. These are planned to provide new and exciting experiences.
- Year 3 have a ‘residential at home’ by spending the night sleeping in school linked to a Quest topic.
- Year 4 children spend a night away in the local area (somewhere in Yorkshire).
- Year 5 spend two nights away from home taking part in a Catholic retreat.. This takes place at The Briars in Nottinghamshire.
- Year 6 spend at least two nights away somewhere further from home. In 2022-23, this is a trip to London which includes a visit to the theatre.
Visitors into School
Visitors have a valuable role to play and can contribute to many aspects of the life and work of the school. They deliver talks, workshops and full day activities across a wide range of subjects, giving pupils access to outside experiences and expertise. Visitors provide a link with the wider community – children have the opportunity to work alongside artists, musicians, authors, health professions and others.
After-school Clubs
As a school we offer pupils opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities after school. At any time, a wide range of clubs is on offer – our programmes of clubs and activities available is revised termly depending on the time of year and other commitments children may have.
Opportunities to Volunteer
Volunteering is an activity that encourage pupils to be involved in and benefit from. At Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, we promote and encourage pupils’ active citizenship and positive contribution to the school and wider community. We offer lots of opportunities for pupils to take on new responsibilities and be involved in successfully supporting the life and work of the school.
These include representatives on our School Council, Eco-team, Mini-Vinnies and the Chaplaincy Team. Older pupils can also apply for positions such as Playground Leaders and Librarians, and within classes children can volunteer to take on various responsibilities ranging from lunch duties, to collecting and distributing registers, to helping with the organisation of equipment in assemblies.
Pupils tell us that they enjoy the opportunity to volunteer to help make their school an even better place to be and rising to the challenge that additional responsibility brings.
Assemblies
A rounded programme of collective worship helps to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and provide clear guidance on what is right and what is wrong.
