A NEW programme of curriculum enrichment is paying dividends at Mere School.

Staff spent a year creating their ‘magical learning’ curriculum, which is designed to keep children engaged and challenged. Each class has a topic each term, with outings aimed at reinforcing learning.

Red class visited the Natural History Museum while studying dinosaurs, while Green class went to the Steam Museum in Swindon to see how evacuees lived during the Second World War. Other visits have taken place to Stourhead, and to a local Indian restaurant.

In the school garden, a science area has been developed and a bee survey is under way. Staff and governors are also creating a wild area after an inspirational visit to the Chelsea Flower Show.

“We embarked on this journey to raise standards of attainment,” said headteacher Catriona Williamson. “The school has noticed that as the children are writing for a real reason, with lots of firsthand experience, the quality of their work is much higher.

“Not all subjects are taught through the themes, though. Maths is taught as a separate subject to ensure rigour and French, music and PE are taught by specialist teachers. New target-setting and progress-tracking systems have been introduced, and we have invested in more well-trained teaching assistants.”