At the heart of our learning together are qualified and highly skilled staff who deliver a curriculum, based on but not restricted to the National Curriculum, that is wide ranging and with real depth.
Literacy and Numeracy are taught in the mornings when young children are most alert and in the afternoons other subjects are taught including RE, Science, Humanities, Modern Languages, Music, Art, DT, ICT and Physical Education.
Subject specialist teaching is gradually introduced with Modern Languages, Music and PE in Key Stage One and ICT, DT, RE and Art being included by the end of Key Stage Two. This use of subject specialist teachers from the Senior School complements the expertise of the Class Teachers and eases the transition into the Senior School at Year Seven.
The Class Teacher is the most important person in a child’s primary education as they are the person with whom your child will spend the most time. There are many informal opportunities for you to communicate with your child’s teacher but there are also two parents evenings throughout the year and a full written report is sent out at the end of the Summer term. Your child’s progress will be tracked carefully to ensure that they are achieving their potential. We make use of internal teacher assessment including QCA Optional SATs and End of Key Stage Assessments and externally marked baseline assessments in Key Stage Two.
Prep pupils have numerous opportunities to work and play together and we pride ourselves on the fact that our children do integrate so effectively and show respect for one another. Assemblies are a vital part of this process and there is a weekly Prep Assembly where all the children come together and the achievements of that week are celebrated. The Wiz of the Week Award is much anticipated when the class teacher announces who has been given the award and why they have been given it. The class merit badge is also awarded for the child in class who has received the most merits for their house that week. In the Easter and Summer terms we hold class assemblies where individual classes present an assembly on a theme and parents are encouraged to come and watch their children participate. We also have an annual Prep Production where the children show off their performing talents.
Additional Needs
We recognise that some children may have additional needs and we are fortunate to have the support of an experienced and highly regarded Special Needs Department who support the class teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils who need extra support receive one-to-one teaching with individual learning programmes and/or in – class support. The needs of our able, talented and gifted pupils are specifically catered for through allocating an additional teacher for some part of the week to enable the class teacher to work specifically with those children.