Learning at Harston and Newton Primary School
At Harston and Newton Primary School, our vision is to nurture independent, confident, and articulate learners who embrace the excitement and challenge of learning. We want every child to make strong progress academically, socially, and emotionally, while developing respect for themselves, for others, and for the wider world.
A Broad and Balanced Curriculum
We believe that a rich and varied curriculum is the foundation of great learning. Our teaching is underpinned by the National Curriculum (2014), but we go beyond this with opportunities for first-hand experiences in the classroom, around the school grounds, and through trips and visits.
Learning is most powerful when it is meaningful, so we make connections across subjects wherever possible. For example, in English we choose high-quality texts that link to the history or geography topic of the term, helping children see how knowledge fits together. We are especially proud of our strong provision in music and PE, which play a central role in our curriculum.
Mixed-Age Classes and Progression
As a village school, we often teach mixed-age classes. Because local demographics change, our school structure is reviewed annually. To ensure continuity, we have carefully mapped out the progression of key skills across all subjects and track them closely.
- Core subjects such as English, maths, and science are taught separately.
- Each class studies a half-termly topic with either a history or geography focus.
- Where natural links to other subjects (art, design technology, music) arise, we use them to enrich learning.
- At times, subjects are taught discretely to ensure all essential skills are fully developed.
We place great importance on children learning to solve problems and work collaboratively, recognising these as vital skills for the future world of work.
Enrichment and Partnerships
Our proximity to Cambridge provides unique opportunities to build links with museums, science organisations, and local schools. These partnerships broaden pupils’ horizons and bring learning to life.
We are fortunate to have specialist teachers for music, PE, and Spanish (taught in Key Stage 2), and we maintain strong connections with our cluster of primary schools.
Celebrating Excellence
We are committed to continually developing our curriculum provision. Our achievements reflect this dedication:
- Primary Science Quality Mark (2019)
- Arts Mark Silver Award (2019)
- Platinum School Games Award (2019)
These accolades highlight our commitment to excellence across the curriculum and our determination to provide the very best opportunities for every child.