Ranelagh prides itself on being a creative school with the Creative Arts at the heart of our vision and embedded in our curriculum. This can be seen though our displays which can be seen throughout the whole school. 

At Ranelagh, we believe all children are capable of participating successfully in Art and Design and embed the love of Art and Design from our foundation stage all the way through to Year 6.

Art and Design is used in conjunction with all of our subjects; from using our sketch books to create new settings for our story writing in English, to using clay and paint to recreate old Victorian pottery in History topics.  We also believe that skills and talent should be nurtured outside of school with several Art and Design and Creative Clubs being made available for all year groups throughout the year.

At Ranelagh, we participate in a number of events including The Newham Art Exhibit and take our work in to be celebrated in a borough wide exhibit.

All of this ensures that all children have the opportunity to develop and refine their skills and to foster a love of Art.

Design and technology is an exciting, challenging and practical subject. It nurtures and stretches the imaginations of pupils by providing opportunities to be creative and innovative.

Learning through doing, pupils develop the skills needed to design and make products that are relevant to a variety of real life situations.

Using tools, improving upon mistakes, resourcefulness, and adaptability are all important elements for effective Design and Technology, as well as invaluable skills to take into the wider world.

As a subject, Design and technology makes an ‘essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.’

At Ranelagh Primary, the teaching and learning of geography is centred on a celebration and understanding of the diversity of the world. We promote an appreciation and involvement within our local and international communities, through: community action projects and other initiatives that aim to inspire pupils about change and geographical responsibility. Ranelagh is proud to be part of  a partnership with a school in Spain- Las Salinas, this enables pupils and staff from across Europe to work together on joint projects and share educational experiences.

At Ranelagh, Geography is delivered in lessons that are fun, relevant and help prepare our children for life . Lessons are tailored to meet the individual needs of all pupils, and all children have access to high quality geographical experiences. Being an inner-city school, Ranelagh isn’t blessed with an abundance of surrounding pristine nature, but this is overcome with exciting geographical excursions across the whole school. High-quality geography is even taught outside the classroom, in part, through trips to the seaside, local parks and wooded areas (Epping Forest), foreshore work through River Thames projects and even week-long excursions at Fairplay House. We are a Forest School which helps children be at one with the natural environment. We have a space in West Ham park put aside for us every Friday. 

Geography is highly valued and teaching and learning is to a very high standard throughout the school, ensuring pupils grow up to be responsible citizens of the world and their local community.

Knowing where we come from and the things that have influenced us and the society we live in is a powerful tool that gives us all a sense of time and place. History lessons at Ranelagh Primary give all children the opportunity to explore and understand the history of Britain and the world in a fun and meaningful way.  Children learn to interpret historical artefacts and imagery. 

They also learn to ask questions such as “Why did the Vikings come to Britain?” or “Why did the Egyptians build pyramids” and to use a variety of resources to find the answers. Skills that they learn in history are useful for developing their abilities as inquisitive learners and will help them in their future studies.

Here are some quotes about what children at Ranelagh think about learning about the past. Year 1 child - “I like history because it tells us lots of fun facts”. “I want to know about things that happened ages ago. It’s all so different.”   [About the Vikings] “They always fight and do exciting things.  It’s so cool.” Year 3 child – “I love learning about the past because we can pretend to be archaeologists and find out lots of information like Roman weapons. We can learn lots of new things and learn how it is all different now.” Year 5 child – “History is one of the most important subjects and I like learning about the Aztecs, and all the Queens and Kings too.  I like it when we do acting about life in the past.  And we get to do exciting projects and do things like Aztec music, weaving and masks.  It is really fun.”

Information communication Technology (ICT) curriculum is now called Computing. The children will get a chance to learn computing skills through computer science, digital literacy and Information technology (IT). In the new curriculum, children not only get the chance to learn basic IT skills, such as typing, but are beginning to understand how computers work and program for themselves using code, through computer science.  

To enhance their digital literacy children at Ranelagh have a wide range of equipment which they can use to present their learning using cameras, movie maker and other software available.

At Ranelagh Primary School, we ensure children have the opportunity to have access to ICT throughout their day, using Interactive whiteboards, laptops and ipads across all curriculum areas. In addition, we also have Computing lessons to strengthen children’s knowledge once a week, which includes cross curricular learning linked to their topic as well as stand- alone lessons which teach the skills of computing.

To ensure that our children keep safe on-line, E-safety is also taught each term.

Music has a prominent place at the heart of the curriculum at Ranelagh, where we aim to inspire a future generation of creative, dedicated and skilled musicians.

Music is taught within the Ranelagh curriculum. Children learn music through 'Creating and Composing' ; 'Performing' and 'Music Appreciation' .

Children are given the opportunity to develop their skills in a specialist music room, which is fantastically resourced with a wide variety of traditional and modern musical instruments. The school was part of the 'Every Child a Musician' scheme. With the help of Newham enrichment grant, Ranelagh continues to employ a music expert, Mr Murdoch. Children in Lower Key Stage 2 learn to play the ukulele. In Year 5, they learn to play the guitar and continue this into Year 6.

The school takes part in many musical events. In Year 4, the 'Festival of Voices' gives children the opportunity to sing with a number of other school choirs in front of a huge crowd at amazing  venues -Spitalfields Christ Church and, for the last few years, Hackney Empire. The Ranelagh choir sing at the turning on of the Christmas lights in Stratford.

To mark their end of time at Ranelagh, Year 6 write and create their very own leaving show with many musical numbers.  Music and singing is part of the everyday fabric of Ranelagh, Ranelagh has even composed its own school song.  

Music Development Plan

Music at Ranelagh

PSHCE

At Ranelagh, we believe PSHCE plays a great role in shaping our children for the future. PSHCE includes personal, social, health and citizenship education. The Ranelagh Curriculum provides teachers with lots of opportunities to teach and consolidate a variety of PSHCE skills and, where possible, PSHCE is embedded into literacy, science and numeracy lessons.

We provide children with opportunities to discuss important issues that may worry them e.g. bullying, the dangers of abuse, choosing friends wisely and making sensible choices. Special visitors are invited to talk to the children about stranger danger, road safety, homelessness and drugs.

Children also have the opportunity to extend their learning out of school through educational visits where they get to visit places such as the Houses of Parliament, old people's home etc. We believe that this will help children develop a sense of responsibility towards building a better future and ‘being the best that they can be.’

At Ranelagh, we recognise the importance of Religious Education (RE) in fostering an inclusive and respectful community. Our RE curriculum is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of various faiths and worldviews, promoting tolerance, empathy, and critical thinking.

Curriculum Focus

Our RE program aligns with the Newham Agreed Syllabus and aims to:

• Explore Major Religions: Students engage with Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, learning about beliefs, practices, and values.

• Encourage Open Dialogue: We create a safe space for students to ask questions and share their thoughts, fostering respectful discussions about religion and spirituality.

• Promote Critical Thinking: Lessons encourage students to think critically about religious concepts and their relevance in today's world, helping them to develop their own beliefs and values.

Community and Diversity

Newham is one of the most culturally diverse boroughs in London, and our RE curriculum reflects this richness. We celebrate the various backgrounds of our students, using their experiences to enhance learning and promote understanding among peers.

Special Events and Activities

Throughout the year, we host various activities, such as:

• Visits to Places of Worship: Students have the opportunity to visit local churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples, gaining firsthand experience of different religious practices.

• Guest Speakers: We invite members of the community to share their beliefs and experiences, enriching our students' understanding of the world.

• Themed Days: Our school organises special days focused on different religions, featuring stories, art, and food from various cultures.

Religious Education in our school not only enriches our students' academic experience but also nurtures their social and emotional development. By learning about and respecting diverse beliefs, we prepare our students to thrive in an interconnected world. We are committed to fostering a community of understanding, compassion, and curiosity.

Please have a look at our RE Curriculum MAP :RE Curriculum Map 

If you would like to find out more about RE in Newham, please have a look at the Newham Agreed Syllabus  :

Newham Agreed Syllabus 

Pupils at Ranelagh learn Spanish. Parents, staff, pupils and governors chose the language almost unanimously through a survey that was carried out when the 2014 curriculum was introduced.