Curriculum Enhancement

Forest School

We are proud to offer a rich Forest School provision that gives children regular opportunities to learn, explore and thrive in our beautiful natural environment. Through hands-on outdoor experiences, pupils develop resilience, teamwork, problem-solving and a deep sense of connection with nature. Sessions include den building, fire-lighting, tool use, nature exploration and seasonal projects that inspire curiosity and confidence. Our Forest School approach supports children’s wellbeing, creativity and independence, and is an important part of the wider St Mark’s curriculum.

Outside Play & Learning

Lunchtimes at St Mark’s look very different from most primary schools. Our outstanding outdoor environment includes a Tiny Forest, sandpit, digging area, mud kitchen and a wide range of spaces designed for creative, active and adventurous play. Children are taught how to navigate different types of play, manage their own risk and develop confidence, independence and social skills. With five hours of high-quality play each week, and having gained the Opal Platinum award in September 2025, our provision places us in the top 1% of schools nationally. After lunch, our pupils return to the classroom focused, settled and ready to learn. We believe that exceptional play leads to exceptional learning — and we see the impact every day.

Drama & Oracy

This year we are excited to be working with Bigfoot Arts Education, who will be delivering a series of five drama workshops for every class across the spring and summer terms. Each workshop will explore a chosen topic, book, poem or theme, giving children the chance to create and perform their own dramatic responses. With a strong emphasis on oracy, the sessions will help pupils develop confidence, communication skills and creative expression while deepening their understanding of the curriculum. This partnership adds a rich new dimension to our arts provision and supports our commitment to high-quality, inspiring learning experiences for all children.

We are lucky to have a specialist Computing teacher who teaches pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 each week, ensuring they build strong, consistent digital skills as they move through the school. Children have access to sets of Chromebooks and tablets, enabling them to use a wide range of creative and digital tools. Purple Mash forms the basis of our Computing curriculum, offering clear progression in coding, design, digital media and online safety. We believe that developing these skills early gives children a real advantage as they move through the curriculum and prepare for the next stage of their education in secondary school.

Coding Club

Pupils from Key Stage 2 can join our Coding Club run by Mrs Murray each week. The club allows children the chance to learn more advanced coding and the also enjoy experiences such as using technology such as drones and 3D printers!

Art Provision

We are proud to have a specialist art teacher who delivers high-quality, inspiring art lessons across the school. Using the AccessArt approach, our pupils are encouraged to explore materials, develop creative thinking and express themselves with confidence. Lessons focus on process as well as outcome, giving children the freedom to experiment, take risks and refine their skills over time. This ensures clear progression from Year 1 through to Year 6, with opportunities for drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media and printmaking. Our commitment to rich, thoughtful art teaching helps children develop imagination, resilience and a genuine love of creativity.

Race Equality & Diversity

We have developed our curriculum to ensure it is genuinely diverse and reflects a wide range of positive ethnic and cultural experiences. Our approach is intentional and continually reviewed, and we actively promote the voices, histories and contributions of global majority communities. Across reading and writing, we carefully select texts that broaden pupils’ understanding of the world and positively represent people from a wide range of backgrounds. This commitment runs through the whole curriculum, ensuring that our school is actively anti-racist and that pupils encounter inclusive, authentic and empowering narratives in every subject.

Clubs & Responsibilities

We offer pupils a wide range of leadership opportunities across the school.

Year 6, House Captains
House Captains take on important responsibilities and act as positive role models for younger pupils.

Digital Leaders
These pupils work alongside our Computing Lead to promote different aspects of computing and support the use of technology across the school.

OPAL Leaders
Opal leaders support high-quality play outdoors and ensuring that lunchtimes are safe, inclusive and enjoyable for everyone. These roles help pupils develop confidence, teamwork and a strong sense of responsibility.

Gardening Club
Gardening club is open to all key stage 1 and 2 children. Children will plan and grow a range of produce in our edible garden and learn about seasonal fruit and vegetables.

We also offer a wide range of after-school clubs that provide pupils with exciting opportunities beyond the classroom. These include our popular Coding Club, as well as a variety of sports clubs that run throughout the year for children from Reception to Year 6. Our clubs encourage pupils to discover new interests, develop skills and enjoy being active and creative in a supportive environment.

School Animals

We have a much loved school dog, called Reggie and we have kept chickens for many years now. Both play an important role in our curriculum and school culture. Through these experiences, children learn about empathy, responsibility and respect for living things, reflecting our CARE values in a very real and meaningful way. Pupils help to look after the animals and learn about their needs, routines and wellbeing. Alongside this, both the Reggie the dog, and chickens provide a positive pastoral presence in school, offering comfort, connection and a calming influence for children who may need it.

Trips & Visits

We run a wide programme of trips and visits across the academic year, all designed to enrich and deepen pupils’ learning. These experiences support the topics taught in different curriculum subjects and help bring learning to life. Children visit museums, galleries and cultural sites across London, as well as taking part in local trips that connect them with their community. We also welcome visitors into school, including authors, artists and specialists who share their expertise and inspire our pupils. Every trip and workshop is chosen to complement the curriculum and provide meaningful, memorable experiences.

The Green Gazette

We publish a school magazine several times a year. Children contribute and enjoy the experience of taking on different roles and learning about the enterprise element to running a magazine, including budgeting for each issue and managing a small profit. Pupils make full use of computing technology and publish a website version of each issue of the magazine too.

Articles range from school to world news and each publication is filled with jokes and comics all produced by our very own St. Mark’s pupils.