Academic excellence is at the heart of our ethos and at St Margaret’s we are a community of learners.

Asking questions is an important part of the learning process and we encourage children to develop independence through critical thinking. Our curriculum is enriched with ways to make our children resilient and this is taught to them through various activities, such as facing challenges when making a STEM Kit Car.

The children in Lower Junior are in the academic year groups Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3. The Reception children enjoy the benefits of the excellent EYFS curriculum with additional opportunities and specialist sessions including Outdoor Learning, Music, PE, and Drama.

Across Year 1 to Year 3 the children focus on mastering core skills such as Maths, English and Science alongside an ambitious curriculum that includes Music, Art, Design and Technology, STEM, Drama, Geography, History, Theology, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Outdoor Learning, PE and Games.

Across the curriculum and during a child’s time in Lower Junior, they may need additional stretch in a subject and we identify them to take part in additional opportunities that enrich their knowledge and passion for the subject.

Alongside occasions when children need stretch and challenge, children may also need additional support. We identify children who need learning support through our own screening programmes, ongoing assessments and from communication from parents.

We have recently revised our languages programme at St Margaret’s and from September Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will take part in weekly Little Linguists sessions. These sessions are focused on fun learning of rhyming words, colours and numbers. Children are enthusiastic language learners, proud of what they have learnt at school and keen to share this at home.

Pupils in Year 3 continue their language learning journey as “Young Linguists”, with a focus on either French or Spanish, building on their language skills each year alongside an awareness and understanding of different cultures and languages.