ABOUT US

Norden has been a primary school for over 60 years situated on Shawfield Lane. The school moved from its original site to Shawfield Middle School premises and has become a large Community School. We have excellent facilities such as a fully equipped domestic science room, a large library, rooms designated to Music and Drama, as well as a state of the art ICT suite. To the rear of the school are huge playing fields and several playgrounds. We also have a hall and a separate dining room and a large gymnasium. Norden library is now located at the school.

Being a Community School means that there are many activities taking place for the Community during the day in the evenings and week-ends for much of the year. The children can make full use of these facilities.

• To create a happy and caring environment where staff, governors, parents and the local community work together for the benefit of all the children.
• To foster a positive attitude to learning, so each child enjoys learning and becomes an independent learner with skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving world.
• To provide broad and balanced programmes of study which are challenging, well planned and enjoyable.
• To encourage children to develop social, physical, musical and artistic skills to ensure that they have a broad and balanced education.
• To help children understand the spiritual values of their own culture whilst recognising and respecting the similarities and differences of others, and put them into practice.
• To help pupils understand that they can make a positive contribution to the life of their community regardless of age.
• To encourage self-discipline, justice, fairness and respect for all people and property.

There are two classes for each year band. In the Foundation Stage and at Key Stage 1, there are no more than 30 children to a class. At Key Stage 2, we aim to maintain the same ratio. In upper Key Stage 2 (years 5 and 6), the children are set across the year bands for English and Mathematics.

Children are expected to follow the general curriculum throughout their time at Norden Community Primary School. The core subjects (Science, Literacy, Numeracy, RE and ICT) and foundation subjects (History, Geography, Technology, Music, Art and PE) are studied through both subject and modular approaches. RE, as a compulsory subject, investigates the customs and beliefs of the major world religious. Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSCHE) are now also part of the compulsory curriculum. French and Spanish are taught throughout the school.

At Norden we believe that extra-curricular activities are very important and add value to a child’s education by developing a range of skills. Therefore, we offer a variety of extra-curricular activities during the lunch-hour and after school. The activities cover sports and the arts. At the moment we have a choir, football, rounders, netball, lacrosse, gymnastics, trampoline, swimming and cross-country running. Sporting activities take place after school and at lunchtime. The peripatetic music teachers visit the school weekly and offer a wide range of musical instruction.

We take part in local events such as the Norden carnival, Rochdale song and music festival and schools football, swimming and cross-country leagues, etc. Some activities take place at other schools. Visits are arranged to fit in with class topics and we enjoy visits from the Police, Fire Service, Puppet Theatres, poets, authors and Drama Groups.