Our children thrive in a learning environment that is designed to engage and excite. The focus on developing a lifelong love of learning is underpinned by rigorous attention to the development of essential skills and tools. This focus and attention, combined with continual assessment of progress, ensures that each child is thoroughly prepared for the next stage of learning and has the opportunity to maximize his or her potential.
As we live in a constantly changing, multi-cultural world and global economy, we endeavor to provide our children with the skills that are essential for success in the twenty-first century. Our focus on collaboration and team-building ensures that all children are equipped to face the challenges ahead. We want our pupils to leave The Vineyard having developed a love of learning, gained a desire to extend their understanding throughout their lives without fear of acquiring new skills and knowledge as the world around us changes. Our children can recognize that individually they can make a difference to their future and to that of our planet.
We are pleased that you are considering our school for your child. Parents/carers are welcome to attend a tour of the school once your child is three years old.
We believe that all children of school age benefit from starting school together at the beginning of the school year, regardless of age differences. In this way, the children are introduced to the learning environment, their peers, and school routines in a gradual and planned way. For this reason, the school will only consider requests for deferred or part-time entry in exceptional cases where there is clear evidence that deferred or part-time entry is in the best interests of the child.
Requests for delaying a child’s entry into Reception until later in the year of entry or to attend part-time until the child reaches statutory school age can be discussed with the headteacher after a place has been offered at the school. Each case will be considered on its merits and a decision will be made by considering the documentary evidence that deferred or part-time entry is in the best interests of the child.
We accept older children throughout the school year when there is a suitable place. When a year group is oversubscribed, priority is given by the LA’s Admissions Policy as set out for Reception children. We are currently full in all-year groups. To make an application or be added to a waiting list, please contact the London Borough of Richmond Admissions Department.
We are passionate about ensuring that our youngest children in Reception receive an appropriate early year's education which eases the transition from home and nursery into school, from Reception into Year 1, and then from Year 1 into the more structured learning environment in Year 2. These transitions are gradual and follow the needs and readiness of the children. Year 1 & 2 are of fundamental importance to furthering and embedding basic skills and ensuring growing confidence for the onward educational journey. The children’s experience is brought alive through using exciting texts which are the launching pad for developing reading and writing skills. Teachers skilfully use cross-curricular links to enthuse the children and to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world. KS1 teachers prepare children for two important transition moments moving from the Early Years curriculum and into the Years 1 and 2 style of teaching which follows the National Curriculum and, at the end of KS1, ensuring that they are ready for their move into Lower KS2.
Year 3 & 4 are the beginning of the children's more formal education - using their skills in reading and writing to access a creative curriculum that incorporates learning about foundation subjects, science, and occasionally mathematics, with English. As writing and reading underpin all learning, pupils are expected to do both activities at the highest possible level in all subjects. Those who need support will experience intervention strategies to ensure they attain the appropriate levels of skills and understanding.
Children in Years 5 and 6 are ready to follow a dynamic, cross-curricular approach that fosters active, informed, creative and intelligent pupils who are learning to influence their own lives and those of others positively. The children are encouraged to develop positive dispositions and attitudes to learning, becoming adaptable and flexible learners who are determined and unafraid to take risks. This is achieved through the delivery of an exciting term-long program of activities that involves the children in learning through a variety of ways, indoors and outdoors, in school, and on educational visits.
E-Safety encompasses not only Internet technologies but also electronic communications via mobile phones, games consoles, and wireless technology. It highlights the need to educate about the benefits, risks, and responsibilities of using information technology. At The Vineyard School, we believe that e-Safety is the responsibility of the whole school community. We believe everyone has their part to play in ensuring all members of the community can benefit from the opportunities that technology provides for learning with confidence and safety.
Global learning is a term used to define aspects of the whole school curricula that relate to people’s place within the wider world, their relationships with others, their histories, their presents, and futures. Global learning connects the local to the global and advocates that people throughout the world are agents in interconnected, sustainable, and thoughtful living.
