Community
The partnership with the local community and the opportunities offered by the school’s close connection with St Michael’s Church are at the very heart of St Michael’s.
The school has close links with the church. Members of the church community offer invaluable support in helping with all aspects of school life such as; whole school immersive days, fundraising, leading/supporting worship and supporting the delivery of Religious Education throughout the school. They are seen by all members of the school as friends.
The children hugely enjoy a visit, each week, from the ‘Open the Book Team’ (a group of church volunteers) who lead whole school worship and perform stories from the Bible. The themes and questions raised provide the children opportunities to reflect in class. It is a true highlight of the school week.
The school is privileged to have strong links with the hugely enthusiastic and knowledgeable ‘Aldbourne Heritage Group’. This incredible group of volunteers regularly give up their time to share their passion for local history, bringing it alive through running hands-on worshops, delivering presentations, sourcing genuine artefacts to handle and leading local visits.
Another stalwart in the St Michael’s Community is ‘The Ramsbury Estate’, whose support provides rich and diverse opportunities which to deliver our curriculum. Recent events with Ramsbury Estate include; butterfly conservation projects, habitat explorations, nurturing and releasing eels into the river and tractor rides around the estate to explore farming practices.
The Aldbourne Nursing home is an important part of our community with regular visits to share a story or play a game, letter writing, singing, dancing and sometimes just the chance to have a have a good chat and share each other’s company. The children adore their visits, the residents and the staff.
Many parents and friends come into the school on a voluntary basis to help with reading, cooking, the library, computer work and other educational or sports activities.
The children are involved in their community, helping with village fetes, special church services, sharing harvest gifts, entertainment and other social and fund-raising activities, while the community is welcomed back into the school either for school functions, or to benefit from the use of the school’s excellent facilities.
The St Michael’s community is made up of truly amazing people who make our school the very special place it is. We consider ourselves so lucky!
