Enrichment

    Personal Development  Lead          Teaching and Learning                             Music Lead

    Science and STEM Lead                     Art and Design Technology                     Inclusion Lead and PE

'The accumulation of Cultural Capital - the acquisition of knowledge - is the key to social mobility'  Michael Gove

Enrichment, Personal Development and Cultural Capital are important parts of daily life and the way we learn at Eastfield Academy.

As a David Ross Education Trust academy we believe that enrichment can help to raise academic standards, enhance performance and teach intra-and interpersonal life skills that will equip our pupils for an ever-changing world.  By ‘broadening horizons’ for our children and families, we are able to offer everyone a unique chance to take part in experiences and events that challenge, engage and expand our knowledge of the world and the possibilities beyond school.

Enrichment happens at Eastfield Academy and Nursery every day, within the rich learning environment, and as part of regular off-site trips, visits, invited guest speakers, residential experiences and more specialized experiences such as acting on stage, singing with opera stars or training with Olympic athletes!

Primary enrichment gives students the chance to participate in activities that supplement learning and enable them to broaden their skills and experiences, identify talent and enhance it. As a school, we are driven in our aim to provide our children with opportunities, life experiences and build confidence to participate and lead. Our broad enrichment program coupled with our development of young leaders allows our pupils to become involved in their own development and open the door to endless opportunities.

We are a small school but have access to a playground, equipped with a MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) and an enclosed school field.  We believe that the outside environment is as important as the classrooms themselves to help children learn, this is why we have our own school garden and have been awarded the highest level (Level 5) from the RHS for the contents and its use.  We also constantly strive to ensure that the physical environment is as challenging, safe and stimulating as possible.  

Singing School

 Eastfield Academy is proud to be a ‘Singing School’.  Our music curriculum is enhanced by our choral and musicianship studies with the Voices Foundation: every class sings daily, and the Eastfield Academy Choir regularly performs at school events, in and around the local community.  In addition to this, we work with our colleagues in NMPAT (Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust) to offer a range of musical activities within the curriculum, including ensuring that every child learns an instrument in Year 5. We currently have music teachers from the NMPAT come into school on a weekly basis to teach piano to individuals at a small cost.

Music classes are always fun and instructive: they help the children to develop their musical ideas through composing and learning to appreciate a range of forms of music through choir, instrumental or percussion.

The Singing Schools programme is supporting us to embed daily singing into school life - both through the curriculum and through extra-curricular choral enrichment. There are two parts to our Singing School status:

1. Musical Foundations – Developing musicianship skills through singing 

This strand supports all staff to develop the foundational skills and understanding of music (phrase, rhythm, pitch, etc) to enable them to provide a progressive and high quality music education in the classroom.

2. Choral Excellence– Accelerating musicianship and vocal development through ensemble singing 

Wrapped around this in-class provision, the choral strand is direct delivery with our KS2 pupils. This moves beyond the Musical Foundations strand and starts to look at children’s vocal and musical development through a broad repertoire of songs. 

Through this holistic and integrated singing strand, every class becomes a choir, and an ‘aspirational’ choir is established for children who wish to take their learning further. Our weekly whole school singing assembly is an opportunity for our pupils to develop and show off their fabulous singing skills!

Each child in their time at Eastfield academy, will also have the opportunity to work along the Royal Opera house and sing on stage at the Royal and Derngate theatre. Our Music Lead, Mrs Ford is also currently working on an accreditation with the Royal Opera House 

Enrichment across the school

We are proud to offer enrichment opportunities to all children, across the school.  Our primary enrichment programme runs from the first term in Nursery, right up until our Year 6 children leave us.  It gives students the chance to participate in activities that supplement learning and enable them to broaden their skills and experiences, identify talent and enhance it.

Art, Design and STEM

 At Eastfield academy we are very proud of the opportunities provided in the Arts and technology. Our curriculum leads are passionate about providing extensive opportunities to enhance their subjects outside of the curriculum. This allows our pupils with the opportunity to explore their creative sides. We are proud of our Art and DT weeks and also provide a yearly STEM week - focusing on the knowledge and skills of STEM but also the possible careers availible.

Sporting opportunities

 Here at Eastfield our sporting calendar is always busy. Allowing different children to participate in a wide range of sporting events and competitions both at school and further afield. Our dedicated team ensure that these opportunities provide a rich diet of sports for all ages, abilities and experiences. The school have recently been represented by teams and individuals in the following sports:

• Rugby
• Football
• Netball
• Archery
• Gymnastics
• New age Curling
• Boccia 
• Hockey
• Multi-sports
• Cross-Country
  
  

Wrap around Enrichment offer

We pride ourselves in providing our children with a wide range of free enrichment clubs, both before and after school. Some of the clubs available are:

• Sewing 
• Football - in partnership with NTFC
• Hockey
• Coding
• Dance
• Gymnastics
• Choir
• Multi-sport
• Art

Developing pupil roles and responsibilities

 As a team, we are committed to ensuring the development of pupils - as part of our community - in participating in a wide range of school based organisations. Where their voice can be heard, their view valued and their leadership leave a lasting legacy. These groups include:

• School Council
• Eco-Team
• EAL ambassadors
• Curriculum ambassadors
• Play leads
• Media Team
• House Captains
• Head Boy and Girl

 Accreditations and partnerships

 As with our curriculum offer, we strive to be experts in our field. This also includes the opportunities we provide with our enrichment offer. As part of this we have achieved the following accreditations and local partnerships:

• Gold Artsmark
• Bronze Healthy School
• Royal Horticultural Society Level 5 Garden award
• Eco-Schools Green Flag Holder
• All Together Gold School
• Singing School
• Northampton Town Football Club Partnership
• Northampton Hockey Club Partnership

What sort of skills does enrichment teach?

• Determination to succeed

• Teamwork

• Winning and losing with grace

• Respect for others

• Tolerance

• Confidence in yourself

• A sense of fun and enjoyment

• Creativity

• Focus and attitude

• Health benefits

Academies across the Trust are encouraged to work collaboratively to make the most of the opportunities on offer.

Highlights 2022 to the present include:

• School sleepover

• Residential trips for all KS2 pupils

• Our choir performing at our local church

• DRET All Star Choir performing at different musical events

• Year 5 Opera performance at the Royal and Derngate

• Y6 visit to Nevill Holt Opera House

• A carol concert at our local St Alban's Church

• Visits to Nevill Holt Farm

• Y4 visit to Leicester Space Centre

• Y6 Visit to Duxford

• Reception visit to Pizza Express

• Eid celebration

• Living museum

Our most recent opportunities include:

• Cinema trips

• Debating at the local university of Northampton

• NSPCC assembly

• Northampton Saints RFC takeover day
• Northampton Town
• NMPAT Piano lessons
• Life bus experience for all pupils

• Changemaker opportunities

• Visit to the University of Northampton
• STEM week
• Culture day
• Collecting for local charities

For further information about the enrichment opportunities that are on offer please contact:

Sport: 
Shane Ward & Alex Green

Cultural: 
Jamie Healy

To contact us please call head office:
01476 566 801