Prep
Children in Years 3 and 4, our Junior Prep, begin to discover their talents and it is important, therefore, that we recognise this and nurture their development.
Music, drama, art, DT, games and Forest School feature in a broad and stimulating curriculum.
We have a significant intake of children into Year 3 from local primary schools. New children are warmly welcomed by their peers and quickly settle into the wide and varied school day. We are experts at helping children adapt to the changes they face and build resilience to do so.
English and mathematics are streamed by ability and we monitor the children’s progress closely, looking to support and extend each individual child. The children are involved in their own target setting, regularly reviewing their progress and looking to challenge themselves.
Years 5 and 6, Middle Prep, provides specialist teachers, who guide the children on their journey through school, equipping them with a toolkit of skills and an understanding of how to learn, not just what to learn.
This structure necessitates a degree of movement around the school, as children travel to specialist subject rooms. This is useful preparation for the system which children will encounter in their senior schools. It significantly raises the levels of independence and organisational skills which are required of them.
Over these two years children are encouraged to take even more responsibility for their learning and to have diverse interests with traditional manners. They continue to grow into successful young people who are honest, confident, caring towards others, courageous, kind, resilient and with a profound sense of integrity and responsibility which they can then take through their school career.
In Upper Prep, Years 7 and 8, our children take risks and are excited by what can be achieved when thinking beyond what may seem to be obvious.
Children wear their blue blazers with pride as they become our most senior pupils.
By the end of Year 7 children need to think of an area of school life of which they would like to be Captain in; to lead and serve by example. Rather than have a pre-ordained list to be filled, we like to match every child’s strength and interest with a position of responsibility. In Year 8 we also appoint children in the traditional senior prefect roles of Head Boy, Head Girl and House Captains. In Upper Prep it is plain to see how the relationships of the children strengthen and grow and how some life forming friendships are made.
The highlight of the final year is the ten day trip to the Ardèche: canoeing, camping and celebrating success. There is something very special about our prep school journey to 13+, just ask any child who has experienced it.