Welcome to our School
On behalf of the children, staff and governors of the school, we would like to extend a warm welcome to you. Our school is situated in the market town of Northallerton; the local area has a rich historical heritage. This is a key aspect of our curriculum for which we have been awarded national accreditation as a Heritage School. Since my appointment as Headteacher in September 2019, there has been significant change for improvement. Our Deputy Headteacher, appointed in April 2020, has brought further strength, expertise and energy to the leadership team. We have a committed, long-standing and loyal staff along with a growing number of newly-appointed teachers, leaders and governors.
Every Child a Reader
At Applegarth Primary School, we recognise the importance and value of reading; it is for this reason we have placed reading at the heart of our whole school curriculum. We are relentless in our efforts of ensuring that learning to read progresses to reading, effortlessly, to learn; this is why our approaches to phonics and early reading are the foundations for our children’s learning, not just in English but across the whole curriculum and all learning opportunities.
Developing children who become lifelong readers and who choose reading for pleasure is essential. It is for this reason we have made significant changes to our reading environments, reading resources and provided a wide range of opportunities for children to participate in exciting virtual author events. To support reading across the curriculum, children have exposure to a wealth of high-quality texts, feeding their imagination, and igniting a love of reading and learning. Reading for pleasure begins in developing confident and competent readers, we place high value of teaching and learning opportunities which promote and develop both reading fluency and comprehension.
Technology
At Applegarth, we believe that the use of innovative technology has a significant impact on pupil outcomes. Our Computing Lead runs CPD for the Swaledale Alliance and has provided school-to-school support on ICT and computing. Pupils who attend Code Club use a vast array of technologies: Crumbles, Raspberry Pies, Microbits and a range of coding software. This entitlement is also built into our curriculum. A recent visitor to school described us as: “Preparing children for the future by combining new technologies with a real appreciation of nature”.
Extra-Curricular Opportunities
We are passionate about engaging children in after school and sports activities both in school and within the local community. We work relentlessly to create opportunities for pupils to start a love of sport and to nurture their talents in other areas. The children can attend a variety of school-organised clubs in sports and other areas. Over the course of this year, we have offered: Book Clubs, Arts and Crafts, Karate, Cricket, Code Club, Dance, Rugby, Football, Gymnastics, Military Kids Club, Archery and Crochet. Qualified coaches lead sports clubs on site. We take part in many inter-school sports competitions and ensure that a wide range of pupils have the opportunities to be involved whilst developing skills and expertise. We are proud of our School Games Platinum Award.
Partnerships
Successful partnerships between the school, the parents and the pupils enable each pupil to take full advantage of all that our school has to offer. Our partnerships also extend to us working closely with other schools. We work collaboratively with local primary schools in The Beacon Partnership; this provides opportunities for schools to share resources, benefit from the growing strengths of each school, and provide shared events and experiences for children.
We are also a partner school in the wider Swaledale Alliance. All members benefit from collaborative support to improve learning outcomes for pupils and continued professional development (CPD) of educational debate and training beyond. We are also a Schools North East partner school which gives us access to high-quality networking and training opportunities at the regional level too.
Outdoor Learning
We value outdoor learning for all children and we maximise our school grounds and local area. Our grounds include a well-designed nature area, a pond, a bug hotel, hen coop, vegetable and fruit zones, a mud kitchen, climbing apparatus and a sports field. We have two members of staff with Level 3 Forest Schools accreditation and one with Level 2. Our Reception Class learn in the Wildlife Area on Forest Fridays and Wild Wednesdays.
