‘It is the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.’

 

Our vision is that every child that attends OLOL has a range of culturally rich experiences throughout their time with us. Learning from first hand experience is powerful and has long lasting impact.

Linked to our History and Geography curriculum, we have 'Entry and Exit point days' to launch and finish our topics. Highlights include: Reception Super Hero day (where the Evil Pea from Supertato tied up Mrs Nutman!); Egyptian exit point day with Escape Room problem solving; celebrating Chinese New Year; and Victorian Day to name a few! 

Special events within the liturgical calendar are important for us to come together as the church family and celebrate together. Children learn relevant hymns and songs for worship; learn to read as part of a service from an early age; learn sign language; and learn the importance of Christian Holy Days and days of significance. 

Our children experience and enjoy a range of experiences linked to music and drama: The Nutcracker Ballet by a touring company; a WWII themed drama workshop and play; opportunity for KS2 to perform at the local Palace Theatre as part of Southend Makes Music and The Cliffs Pavilion with the Junior Music Festival; and Year 2 to perform at the Infant Music Festival. Our children have opportunities to perform where they learn an instrument individually. KS2 as a whole choir at the Christmas Carol concert and other key events; KS1 perform an annual Nativity; Reception share a Nativity play; Year 5 perform a yearly performance of the story of Easter; and Year 6 produce an annual musical production to celebrate leaving primary school.  

We invite experts, speakers and guests into our school to work with our children, including novelists, dramatists, artists, musicians, foreign language experts; representatives from local services including our local MP. 

---

 

We value learning outside of the classroom and our children enjoy a range of educational visits, sporting and music festival experiences. Here are some examples of local visits children enjoy at OLOL:

Kidzania - as part of their learning about different job roles in society

Prittlewell Priory as part of work about local history

Southend RNLI Lifeboat station

The Tower of London

The Local Library

Children also complete local fieldwork studies in our immediate locality and attend events at local secondary schools.