Why choose Water Meadows Primary School?
We're a Microsoft Showcase School!
We are a Microsoft Showcase School for 2022-23 – a prestigious achievement, with only hundreds of schools around the world achieving the accolade each year.
Microsoft has recognised our school as a member of an elite group of global schools that exemplify the best of teaching and learning in the world today.
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.
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 experiences with their families.
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.
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.
A smooth transition from EYFS to KS1
We believe that expecting our 5-year-old children to settle down to formal lessons as soon as they move into Year 1 is wrong. We passionately believe that young children learn best through play and exploration and therefore follow a ‘Continuous Provision’ method to ensure that children experience a smooth transition into more formal teaching. This results in happier, more engaged children, who are able to develop a lifelong love of learning.
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Wrap-around care
We recognise the importance of providing childcare options to assist working parents.
Water Meadows 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.
We have an OUTSTANDING Early Years
Water Meadows Primary School (Previously known as Hersden Village Primary School) was inspected by Ofsted in March 2019 and was judged to be Outstanding in Early years provision and and Outstanding in effectiveness of leadership and management with a Good rating overall.
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A fully inclusive environment
We are committed to providing a fully inclusive environment.
We believe that all children have the right to succeed and we aim to meet the individual needs of our pupils at all times. We are able to provide a range of interventions and strategies which will minimise barriers to learning in a fun and stimulating manner.
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.
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A smooth transition to Reception
Do you want to help your child’s transition into their first year at school?
From we run sessions every week to help familiarise children of pre-school age with our school.
- 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
Memorable residential opportunities
All children are given the opportunity to attend memorable residential trips in Year 4 and Year 6.
Part of a transformative Multi Academy Trust
Water Meadows is one of the founding schools of The Stour Academy Trust, a Multi Academy Trust of 8 Primary Schools across Kent.
The Stour Academy Trust has set out to transform schools to better prepare our young people for the 21st century.
