Cultural Capital at Barford
We are always looking at ways to enrich our curriculum and develop the cultural capital of our children. We do this in many different ways including trips and visits, specialist teaching of the arts (dance and music), residentials, themed curriculum days, competitive sports and one-off events that truly inspire our children.
Music
Through our music curriculum, we provide whole class instrument teaching as follows:
Year 3 - Steel Pans
Year 4 - Tenor Horns
Year 5 & 6 Brass electives for trombone, tuba and tenor horn.
We now have a small brass ensemble forming as a result of the last two years of instrument teaching provision.
Dance
This year we have teamed up with FABRIC to provide all of our children with lessons in Street Dance.
We also provide our children in Year 1 with workshops with Birmingham Royal Ballet as part if their Dance Tracks programme. This has resulted in four of our current Year 2 children receiving a scholarship place for weekly Ballet lessons with Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Trips and Visits
We seek to offer a wide range of experiences to enrich our children's learning through trips and visits. In the last year our children have experienced the following trips:
- Birmingham Back to Backs - World War I and World War II Life (Year 5&6)
- Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)
- Dudley Zoo and Castle (Year 1)
- Tamworth Castle - Life in a Castle (Year 2)
- Ash End House Farm - EYFS
- Stone Age workshop - Year 3
- Ancient Greece workshop - Year 5
- Selly Manor - Year 6
- Bellboating to explore Ladywood's local canal network (Year 3&5)
- Weston Super Mare - a day at the beach (Year 1-6)
Experiencing the Arts
In Birmingham, we have a wealth of Arts on our doorstep and we are always looking to give our children the opportunity to take part in events that give them special experiences. In the last two years pupils from Barford have:
- Performed poetry at the Birmingham Hippodrome.
- Played drums at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
- Performed a choreographed dance at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
- Sung at the Symphony Hall
- Sung at the University of Birmingham's Bramall concert hall.
- Played Tenor Horns with the Marine brass band in Birmingham Town Hall.
- Attended live author events at King Edward's School Birmingham.
Residentials
We believe that children should have the opportunity to experience a residential whilst at primary school. This year we are increasing the opportunities available by organising two residentials; one for our Year 3&4 pupils at Blackwell Adventure in April 2024 and another at St Briavels Castle with the Youth Hostel Association which will provide more outdoor adventure for our Year 5&6 pupils in July 2024.
Competitive Sports
In the last year we have re-introduced competitive sport through football matches with local schools. We are planning to develop this further this academic year to include netball, hockey and athletics.
themed curriculum days
During the academic year, we organise a series of themed days to mark special events and festivals, national days of celebration and as a way of providing curriculum linked whole school experiences. In the last two years, we have held themed days as follows:
- Diwali celebrations
- Harvest celebrations
- Eid celebrations
- Mental Health Awareness Days
- The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
- The Coronation of King Charles
- Take One Picture - Art inspired day linked to our trip to Weston Super Mare
- World Book Day
- World Maths Day
- National Science Week - with a focus on investigation skills across school
inspiring events
Throughout each academic year we organsie a series of events that inspire our children. Recently we had a visit from a GB Athlete and world champion tumbler Jaydon Paddock. We have had poetry days with Birmingham's former Poet Laureate, Spoz (Giovanni Esposito). Special national events such as the recent Jubille and Coronation celebrations have been marked with afternoon tea on the playground.