Our pupils continue to be taught in small classes and as a School, we have the freedom to develop our own curriculum. This allows us to give the necessary attention to the children’s unique skills and talents that are ready to be discovered. We are therefore able to tailor the curriculum to their individual needs and interests so that each child is stretched as well as challenged to achieve their full potential. We encourage all children to be intellectually curious, aspirational in their aims, creative, and to take risks in the knowledge that mistakes and errors made in the safe, learning environment of the classroom are an important part of a child’s learning journey. We also seek to develop good habits within the school – essential in order to foster a lifelong love of learning, thinking, and independence. Due to these small classes, new children are always made very welcome and quickly settle into school life, irrespective of what stage and age they join us.
Children in Years 3 and 4 are taught primarily by their Form Teachers. This allows us to build strong links with each child in our care and establish a close partnership with parents in order to assist with their child’s development. Encouragement and support are provided for the children both academically and pastorally as we have a lot of contact with them, helping us to understand their needs as well as capabilities and to nurture and encourage their development and independence. The children quickly adapt to new routines and expectations as they make the transition from the Pre-Prep into the Prep School.
As the children progress throughout the Prep School they benefit from being taught by an increasing number of specialist teachers from the Senior School for sport, Music, French, and ICT to further ignite their natural curiosity. As part of the Music curriculum, all of the pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 receive a class instrumental lesson; the Year 3 children learning the violin, the Year 4 children the recorder and the Year 5 children a brass instrument. These lessons are taught by specialist musicians and the children have the chance to perform as part of a group or ensemble.
The children participate in a variety of sporting fixtures, competing against local independent and maintained schools. They are very enthusiastic about these competitive opportunities as well as benefitting from the time to improve their skills in sports such as netball, hockey, rounders, rugby, football, cricket, and athletics.