“Eager minds bloom here.” That’s what I always think when I see Bournehall Primary School. It stands proudly on Bournehall Avenue in Bushey. It’s more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a place of learning and growth.
Bournehall Primary School serves children aged 4 to 11. It is a community school with mixed gender entry. The school has a capacity for 210 pupils. Currently 212 pupils attend. Mr. Steven Wells is the Headteacher.
The school values history. It teaches children to question information. They explore cultures and beliefs. They learn about similarities and differences. The goal is to develop understanding of themselves and others.
The history curriculum enables pupils to develop knowledge of the past. They gain disciplinary knowledge. They learn to think like historians. Children start exploring enquiry questions in Early Years. They learn about stories of the past. They consider different interpretations of evidence.
Bournehall Primary School uses the ‘Key Stage History’ scheme. This helps deliver history lessons. Key Stage One and Two focus on investigating the past. They build an overview of world history. They understand chronology. They learn to communicate historically.
Local history is important at Bournehall Primary School. Pupils might visit Bushey Museum. They might also go to Verulamium Museum in St Albans. They study a bronze arrowhead found locally. They discuss the mention of ‘Bissei’ in the Domesday Book. They learn about the coming of the railway to Bushey.
Pupils build their knowledge through planned units of study. They revisit concepts like monarchy and government. Year 5 students compare Ancient Athenian democracy. They compare it with the rule of monarchs. They also relate it to their own experience of democracy.
Bournehall Primary School aims to provide a strong narrative of local history. The school wants to help children understand their place in the world. Pupils learn that every generation re-writes history. They understand that people interpret evidence differently. History is like a jigsaw puzzle. Some pieces are missing. Pupils piece the evidence together. They build a strong narrative.
The school’s approach helps students develop into well-rounded individuals. They gain a coherent knowledge of Britain’s past. They also learn about the wider world. They develop perspective and judgement. They understand the complexity of people’s lives. They understand change and the diversity of societies. Bournehall Primary School fosters a sense of curiosity. It encourages a lifelong love of learning.