Layfield Primary School

Layfield Primary School is a one-form entry primary school in Yarm. The school provides education for a wide variety of families in and beyond its catchment. The wide demographic sees a higher proportion of free school meal recipients than you would expect but a more significantly high ratio of families with parents working with little spare time or income which has an impact on activities outside of school.   Our school shares its site with a full year day-care who also provides community groups for a parents, who access and benefit from any facilities we have.

At Layfield we are passionate about science and STEM education and use a cross curricular approach to enhance this curriculum area that we see as pivotal in engaging children in developing investigative and imaginative minds that will encourage them to strive in to forward-thinking education and career paths beyond the more traditional roles and trades.

We would use the grant to purchase equipment and materials (alongside recycled materials) to promote an understanding of the natural environment using the STEM areas. Within this, we would use maths and engineering to build some of our own equipment such as insect hotels and to create cold frames for children to nurture high pollen plants from seed to attract bees and butterflies. Science and Technology would come in further in the recording of a variety of findings around species and growth results. We would also like to purchase planting materials, magnifying glasses, a weather station and other observation equipment.