At St James, we understand the importance of providing a curriculum that enriches children’s lives and allows them to flourish. By providing opportunities during the school day to explore the world around them and to experience different things, we can open our children’s minds to the possibilities ahead of them. Our school vision of developing mind, body and spirit underpins our enrichment offer, ensuring that, by working together we really do build bright futures.

We strive to offer a range of after school clubs for all ages and interests. These include various sport clubs, choir, Green Fingers ECO club, Carnival club, cookery, film nights and ‘Snack with Santa’ at Christmas.

However, we also recognise that we need to provide similar opportunities to flourish within the school day so that all children have access and can participate. We are acutely aware of the cost burden of some activities so we are diligent in planning and delivering opportunities that are low cost, local or fully funded by the school to ensure all children, regardless of background, can take part. A selection of these enrichment opportunities are outlined below.

• British Sign Language is taught across all year groups. This is teaching the children a new life-skill as well as broadening their understanding of inclusion, embracing difference and exploring a new language.
• In Year 5 all children play a brass / woodwind instrument for a year as part of a NMPAT Soundstart programme. They learn to play weekly and perform each term to the school and parents.
• Year 4 take part in a ‘Just Sing’ performance at The Derngate theatre with other schools across the Trust. Other year groups perform to parents in annual Nativities, Easter and end of year performances in Church and school.
• Faith centres such as the Gurdwara and Mosque are visited locally and visitors are invited into school from all faiths to enrich our RE curriculum.
• Termly communion, led by Rev Sue, offers an opportunity to receive communion or a blessing in a specially designed Eucharist service for our school. Over 100 children and staff attend each time.
• Whole school events such as Christmas Craft Day bring the school together in mixed age groups to create artwork and decorate the school. We visit the pantomime each year as a school – enjoying the theatre and family feel. We further develop our whole school community through regular peer reading across year groups and our annual Dance Competition where each year group performs in front of the school and parents.
• Remembrance activities, Big Frieze Day, Harvest performances, Aspirations’ Week, sports competitions, World Book Day activities, Christmas and Eid parties provide even more opportunities to flourish together, bringing the school together to celebrate, inspire and learn.

• Each year group plans a ‘Science in the Environment’ visit in the local area and every year group takes part in a litter pick annually. This develops our children’s understanding of the world around them and their contributory role in society.
• We are proud to be awarded the ECO Flag – with distinction! This reflects the work we do in and around school to and educate our children and families to being more sustainable and protect our environment.
• Local trips and visits to the Northampton Museum, Saints Rugby ground and to the University for careers and wellbeing days, are planned in most year groups.
• Our youngest children visit local residential homes for the elderly for ‘Boogie Beats’ and intergenerational projects; go on welly walks and explore the local area to look for changes in nature and the environment.
• More expensive trips, such as to the Sea Life Centre in KS1, are planned bi-annually to spread the cost to parents.
• A week-long residential in Year 6 is heavily subsidised by the school and payment plans start early in Year 5 to encourage as many children as possible to attend. Sponsorship for some of our most vulnerable children is sought. A sleepover in school with statutory staff/student rounders and ‘hide and seek around the school’ is another highlight for Year 6 at the end of their time at St James.
• Each year, the school takes part in Northampton’s Diwali celebrations, creating lanterns in school and parading through the streets. We are regular participants in the Northampton Carnival, preparing for weeks beforehand in school and dancing our way around the streets of Northampton on our highly decorated float.
• We support our children’s and family’s wellbeing by running workshops such as Online safety, knife crime, family cooking sessions as well as developing our children’s emotional resilience and safety through Roots of Empathy, yoga, Protective Behaviours, magistrate’s visits, regular PCSO visits, Northampton University intergenerational research project; targeted summer scheme weeks and MHST visits. Over 150 children access a daily breakfast through Magic Breakfast.
• We support a range of charities through the year. Alongside national campaigns such as Macmillan, Red Nose Day, we respond to our community and children’s suggestions by raising money for Three Pillars, a homeless charity based at our local church, for The National Deaf Children’s charity as part of a BSL day and for the Hope Centre, another local charity in Northampton.

Many of these activities are explored further in our curriculum or community pages. If you want to know more, do not hesitate to contact us at school!