Raising aspirations and celebrating diversity among aims of Sheffield primary school

At the heart of Malin Bridge Primary School is an ethos that celebrates diversity, raises aspirations and teaches children to enquire about the world around us.
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary SchoolPupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School

Every staff member at the school on Dykes Lane works hard to ensure that pupils have the best possible education in which they develop skills, knowledge, qualities and values needed to reach their full potential in life.

Regular opportunities are built into the curriculum to engage with pupils and make learning fun, allowing them to grow and progress as learners in a range of areas including reading, sport, English and maths.

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The week starts with an assembly from headteacher Robbie Mcgrath, focusing on a certain subject or topic in keeping with the school values or one which teaches the children the importance being a good citizen – the most recent being ‘a sense of fun’ to fit with the festive season.

Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary SchoolPupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School

He said: “We’d been learning about elf on the shelf, I read them the story and all the classes had an elf arrive at some point during the week. We didn’t want to make it purely about Christmas because some of our kids don’t celebrate it so we wanted to make it about a sense of fun.

“The whole idea of the elf on the shelf is that it is a bit cheeky but we said that the elves we’ve got coming are actually ones who will get bored and do something a bit cheeky but they’re also going to do some nice things. They’ve done things like bring a Christmas tree that needs decorating, in one class they brought cookies for all the kids.”

The school ensures that children are equipped to be successful life-long learners through a behavioural system that praises and spots the good.

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Pupils that go above and beyond are rewarded, receiving items such as positivity postcards which are sent home to parents and celebrate great behaviour or being allowed a ‘best seat in the house’ in assembly where they can sit on a bean bag.

Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary SchoolPupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School

Reading is a big focus at Malin Bridge Primary with a selection of books available in school to help entice pupils and help them develop a love of reading.

Mr Mcgrath said: “We’re not blessed with space so we’re trying to create that wonderment with a ‘reading den’ which is really lovely.

“That’s got fairy lights and done in a Hogwarts style with a secret door and a place in the back for storytelling.

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“There’s regular groups in there reading with the kids. I do a picture book every week in assembly that links to a moral or a story that we are going to look at or focus on throughout the week.”

Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary SchoolPupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School

Throughout the academic year the school does its bit to support a host of charities and is currently working with Assist Sheffield – which helps support refugees and asylum seekers in the city – to sell some of its charity Christmas cards at the Malin Bridge Primary Christmas fayre to raise money for those in most need or distress.

Communications and marketing manager Carmen Kalnars said: “We’re trying to teach the values of being compassionate and being responsible.

“In November we also celebrated Children in Need and did some fundraising for that. Mr Mcgrath and Mr Haigh, our deputy headteacher, were voted by the students to receive a challenge. We had money boxes that collected any spare change people had to vote on who was going to go for the challenge and what the challenge was.

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“The things that were up there were cream cakes, ice bucket challenge and wet sponges so the overall winner was ice bucket challenge with Mr Mcgrath but he put in a little extra money and Mr Haigh had to go through it as well, raising £584 altogether which is the highest we’ve done.”

Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary SchoolPupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School

Built into the curriculum is the opportunity to take learning outside the classroom with Years 5 and 6 heading off to Hull to see the Wilberforce House – the birthplace of British politician, abolitionist and social reformer, William Wilberforce – as part of their topic on America which touched on slavery and its abolition.

Meanwhile, Years 3 and 4 visited the Graves Art Gallery, on Surrey Street, to coincide with their studies in art around the Sheffield skyline, with students conducting their own pop-up art gallery featuring the work they have created.

And, those in Years 1 and 2 held a Diwali event to celebrate the Hindu festival of light in which they created their own traditional Mehndi patterns and Diwali lamps - also known as a diyas – as part of their topic focusing on the celebration of different cultures.

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Ms. Kalnars added: “Every child’s topic starts with something quite exciting and ends with something quite exciting either where we can share their work with parents, we also share it constantly through Twitter – each class has their own account and we have a main school account which we post highlights throughout the week to try and keep in touch and let people know what we’re doing as much as possible.”

The school prides itself on offering a number of extracurricular activities ranging from clubs for Hama Beads or advanced code to sports including gymnastics, running and dance.

It is part of the Children’s University, which encourages five to 14-year-olds to try new experiences, develop new interests and acquire new skills and worked with the Sheffield branch to reward students for taking part in extended learning activities outside of school hours.

Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary SchoolPupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School
Pupils enjoy lessons at Malin Bridge Primary School

A group of students, who had all completed 100 hours of extra learning, were given the opportunity to attend a ceremony at Sheffield City Hall in which they received a gold award for their commitment during their time at Malin Bridge Primary. Each year the school also holds Malin’s Got Talent to show off the exceptional talents of many pupils.