At Gillespie we enrich and develop curriculum opportunities through partnerships, collaborations, after school clubs and through special projects; enabling deeper study of particular subjects, enhancing the quality of learning experiences for our pupils.
Music
Gillespie has a specialist music teacher who provides a vibrant music education to pupils across the school. This includes every child learning a stringed instrument in their last three years at school. All children sing and perform throughout their school life and as part of their study of the National Curriculum have opportunities to create and compose music and learn about music structure and notation.
Gillespie is a participating partner in the Islington Primary Music Centre along with a number of other Islington primary schools. The centre is based at Highbury Grove School and is run by the Music into Secondary Schools partnership. Through this music initiative pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 get an opportunity to play stringed instruments and are given free tuition. The children learn to play together, performing in regular concerts and with our partner schools in Islington . Our children have also had the opportunity to perform in concerts at The Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican and regular performances at The Union Chapel in Islington.
Swimming
Children in Year 4 have swimming lessons once a week as part of their regular class timetable. They are taken by school bus to Highbury Fields Pool where they are taught to swim by a qualified swimming instructor and encouraged to enter for certificates. A teacher is present during the swimming lessons.
Everyone takes part unless there is a medical reason for not doing so in which case please write to the class teacher. Your child will need a swimsuit, swim cap and towel, all with their names attached, and a means of tying back long hair where necessary.
Outings and Trips
All classes make several trips a year to museums, art galleries, theatres and parks. Some are local, others involve a short journey on public transport. We also are developing bi-annual and annual trips for particular classes to visit partner schools in Hambridge and to visit the annual science festival at Cheltenham.
Every year we organise a residential trip to Cardfields Environmental Centre in Essex- for the older children, usually with an environmental focus and emphasis on outdoor activity.