ABOUT US

In January 1999 The Rt. Hon. John Prescott MP opened the United Kingdom’s first PFI school on Victoria Dock. Such was its popularity that a further two extensions followed in 2001 and 2003, to complete this 240 place Primary School.

The building is owned and maintained to the highest standard by The Sewell Group.

The school flourishes in this excellent learning environment where the child is at the heart of the process.

Together the Headteacher, staff and governors have created a centre of educational excellence.

LEARNING CULTURE

Teams

On the Victoria Dock campus, teams of professionals work together on a continuous cycle of improvement.

Cross Stage liaison forms a vital part of our development both within and between the school and nursery.

At Victoria Dock the Public and Private sectors stand side by side, working in true partnership, a naturally recognised exemplar P.P.P.

Talent

By employing and developing talent, we create a climate of enquiry, questioning and experimentation to enable the talents within each of our children to flourish.? We will not be dull people.

Trust

By accepting responsibility and having high expectations, we grow peer trust and respect.

In this secure environment, where individuals are valued, positive relationships between adults and children flourish.

Tenacity

We are aspirational, we reach for the stars.?

In never giving up, we can never fail.? We are all on a personal journey to be the best that we can be.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR

At Victoria Dock Primary School there are many opportunities for children in KS1 and KS2 to access after school or lunchtime clubs. The timetable changes termly, but includes numerous sports, art, gymnastics, dance, creative crafts and ICT.

A judo club runs weekly but is charged.

After school club and holiday club are available, run by Little Learners, but are charged. Please refer to Little Learners part of our website. Breakfast Club runs from 8.00 a.m. and is a free service. Instrumental tuition is available, delivered by the City’s music service, but is charged. We are very fortunate to employ an enthusiastic, committed team of staff who give up such a lot of their own time to run our clubs.

The Foundation Stage is made up of two classes, Foundation 1 and Foundation 2.

The Foundation 1 class holds two sessions each day, a morning session which is made up of four year olds and an afternoon session made up of three year olds.

The planning for the class is based around the curriculum framework for the Foundation Stage, where children are working towards achieving the Early Learning Goal via stepping stones.

There are six areas of development, personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understand of the world, physical development and creative development.  These areas are further developed in the Foundation 2 class.

The Foundation 2 class is attended full time by children who are turning five.  Throughout the year there are three intakes.  The first in September, again in January and the last being in April.  Children commence in the Foundation 2 class at the beginning of the term in which they have their fifth birthday.

Key Stage One comprises of two year groups with children between the ages of five and seven.  Year 1 concentrates on the transition from the Foundation Stage, building on Personal and Social skills with this specific year having access to play in our shared area and outside secured area.  Also in Year 1, building on prior knowledge from the Foundation Stage is crucial, as these children are still very young. Progress is carefully monitored.

Year 2 is the SATs year when the children are encouraged to be even more independent and to take charge of their own thinking and learning.  During the year the children still study Literacy, Numeracy and other subjects;  however, towards the end of the year there is an emphasis on the transition from not only Year 2 to Year 3, but from Key Stage One to Key Stage Two.

Key Stage Two caters for children aged between 7 and 11 years old.  We currently have four single aged classes with five teaching staff (two job share), two paid teaching assistants, one Graduate Teacher Programme Student (GTP) and several adult volunteers.

Key Stage Two is a big step up from Key Stage One, with additional responsibilities and an expectation that children begin to take a greater control of their learning.  A selection of children from all Key Stage Two classes are given positions of responsibility.  Additional opportunities for the children in Key Stage Two include being part of and running the School Council, belonging to the Primary Enterprise Group, organizing road safety under the title of Junior Road Safety Officers, encouraging and supporting playground games as a ‘Buddy’.

The academic work is rich and varied.  Each class explores a different topic each term, in which learning takes place through a variety of various cross-curricular activities, all supporting excellence and enjoyment.  Visits out of school and the use of visitors into school are integrated into the curriculum on a regular basis to enrich the topic being studied.

Extra curricular opportunities are ripe in Key Stage Two with numerous sports, crafts and skills being developed.  The children take part in competitions against other schools in football, netball and tennis.  Extensive links with local organisations support the sport in Key Stage Two with visits to the local tennis and ice arena and KC Stadium.

The school holds the Quality Mark for excellence in basic skills.

Safe and supportive, our school is proud to be a Health promoting school.  Through fitness, healthy eating, pastoral care, inclusivity and safe practices, our children are happy to live and learn together in a multicultural community where diversity is celebrated.

Our Behaviour Support Worker is there for all children.  He works with individuals and families to minimize anti-social behaviour within our environment.

Our Learning Link Worker encourages and promotes parental involvement in school, planning numerous family orientated activities.

In May 2003 Little Learners Day Nursery was launched on the Victoria Dock Primary School Campus, to complete ‘wrap around’ child care and education provision for the local Community. Working closely with the Primary School, Little Learners provides a vital link in delivering a seamless learning experience for children.

Little Learners is registered for 66 children under 8 years of age plus a further 24 children between 3 years and 11 years in our Afterschool Club and Holiday Club. We take children from 6 weeks old and have a maximum of 15 places available for children under 2.

For details of our latest Ofsted report please click here.

Teams

At Little Learners our teams of dedicated and qualified professionals work together in a continuous cycle of improvement. Close working between the Nursery and the School and the sharing of best practice and knowledge, not only forms a vital part of our Staff Development programme, but ensures children benefit from receiving the best possible standards of care and education.

The ethos of the whole Victoria Dock Campus is both Public and Private sectors working in true partnership for the benefit of your child and the raising of education standards within the City.

Talent

By employing talented and motivated people and developing that talent, our staff create for the children a climate of enquiry, questioning, experimentation and fun which help encourage the talents and personalities of each child to flourish and develop.

Trust

In accepting responsibility and setting high expectations, we develop peer trust, respect and discipline.

In our secure environment, where individuals are truly valued, positive relationships between adults and children can flourish.

Tenacity

At Little Learners we are aspirational and innovative in our approach to the learning culture and environment and aim to provide the best possible learning experience for your child, as well as striving to build confidence and self respect.

Our After School Club provides daily activities for up to 48 children ranging from 3 to 11 years.  Our qualified staff team plan and prepare all activities which include Sports, Baking, ICT and Art.  Little Learners has a purpose built After School Club facility which is fully equipped with an ICT suite, quiet room and ‘messy’ play area. 

The children undertake a variety of activities on a daily basis, some of which are adult led and others are free choice.  We also run a Holiday Club and our team provides activities from 8 am to 5:45pm daily during the school holidays.

The activities during the holidays do vary as we are able to take the children on ‘off site’ visits to various places including bowling, picnics in the park and a local treasure hunt.  The activities that are provided all cover the six areas of learning whilst being exciting and stimulating.

Little Learners After School and Holiday Club also have access and use of the adjacent Victoria Dock Primary School and its Minibus and are therefore able to provide a much wider range of activities in a diversified, spacious and safe environment as well as being able to provide visits within the wider community at minimal additional costs’.