In this section:

• Overview
• Pre-Prep Department
• Prep Department
• Year 3 and 4 Department
• Art Department
• Classics Department
• Design and Technology Department
• English Department
• French Department
• Geography Department
• History Department
• ICT Department
• Maths Department
• Music Department
• RE Department
• Science Department
• Examination Revision

Academic Overview

Within our school community, we aim to provide a full and rewarding education by cultivating wide interests and individual gifts in a happy, relaxed atmosphere.

Whilst academic success is at the heart of what we are trying to achieve through the basic curriculum of the core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum, it is through the whole school curriculum, which consists of every activity planned by the school that we hope to prepare our pupils in the broadest possible sense.  Every aspect of the wide and varied programme we offer will play a part in the overall development of each child.

The whole school curriculum comprises more than the formal programme of lessons in different subjects.  It will include diverse teaching styles, a range of additional subjects including French in the junior part of the Prep school, as well as Latin, Games and the Arts. It will include activities and hobbies, a concern for equal opportunities and a set of values and standards of behaviour.

In assessing the key aims of the school we must remember that this is a Catholic school and should, therefore, offer a strong sense of Christian community.  Everyone in the school, children, parents and staff, must have a sense of belonging, of being important in his or her own right but in harmony with those around them.  An aim of our community is for those in it to become self-disciplined so that each member of the community lives by the same moral standards.  Both the strength of the community and the discipline come through practising our faith, which gives the purpose and direction to help us attain them.

All subjects within the basic curriculum are obligatory at all levels, except for Classics.  French is timetabled as a subject from Year 3 and there are plans for Spanish to be added to the curriculum from Year 6 onwards as soon as possible.

The Pre-Preparatory Department is divided into seven classes, each with its own class teacher.  Each year group has its own Teaching Assistant.  Further information about the Pre-Prep Curriculum can be found in their Policy Documents.

The Preparatory School is divided into eighteen forms with three of these in each of the year groups 3-8.

Year 3 are taught most of their lessons by their form teachers.  Year 4 are taught English and Maths by their form teachers while the remaining subjects are taught either by them or by specialist subject teachers.

Year 5 are normally taught English and Maths in their own classrooms but they receive all other lessons from specialist subject teachers and may move to the various subject rooms for their lessons.

Year 6 and above are taught entirely by subject specialists and move from room to room.

In this way it is hoped to present the children with a gradual and smooth transition from class teacher to subject specialist forms of teaching.

The school has the services of a full-time SENCO to cater for the special needs of children with learning difficulties in particular with written work, and this support is furthered by other visiting specialist teachers.  Pupils are withdrawn from class to receive special tuition, according to their needs, either on a one-to-one basis or in pairs.  The number of lessons an individual pupil would receive ranges from one to three lessons per week.  Care is taken to ensure that children do not miss the same subject lesson more than once in any one week and the timetabling of these lessons is also sensitive to the needs and talents of the individual child.  Referrals for assessment are made after teacher/Headmaster consultation, and written recommendations are forwarded to the parents on the basis of this assessment.  (See Learning Support Policy)

All teaching staff are expected to be fully committed to providing as much guidance and support as possible to assist children with difficulties to succeed in their studies.  We regard it as our duty to satisfy the educational needs of all children in the school, regardless of ability.  For this reason we equally accept our responsibility to identify and extend children who are particularly gifted academically or in any other area of activity which the school can foster.

High ability children may be excellent performers in sport or music; strong social leaders and organisers; creative, original and independent thinkers; highly motivated, persevering and exceptionally dedicated, showing unusual stamina and concentrated effort.  We acknowledge the importance of being constantly observant and ready to recognise in any pupil one or more of these signs of strong ability, to do what we can personally to encourage the child in the development of these gifts, and above all to make sure that colleagues are made fully aware of special abilities that they may not have had an opportunity to witness for themselves.  

Class music lessons are incorporated into the main teaching timetable and a team of peripatetic teachers are engaged to give individual music tuition.  Pupils are entered for the appropriate Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams and every encouragement is given to the children to learn a musical instrument.  A wide variety are taught and whatever pupils wish to learn can usually be accommodated within the programme.  Individual singing lessons are also given.  There are three choirs, an orchestra, a jazz band, rock groups and various instrumental ensembles.  All children in Years 3 and 4 learn the recorder and all in Year 5 learn the violin.  Every child has the opportunity to learn to play keyboards within the taught music programme of study. Regular concerts both within and outside the school provide valuable opportunities for children involved to gain performing experience.

The unusually wide range of activities offered by the school is one of its notable features.  The activity programme is considered to be an important component in the whole school curriculum because it contributes so much to the realisation of the school’s aims and objectives.

Examinations

Children are prepared for the following examinations:

• ISEB Examinations at 11+ and 13+
• Public School Scholarship Examinations at 11+ and 13+ for academic performance, art, music, sports and all-rounder awards
• Grammar School Entry Examinations at 11+ and 13+
• Optional SATs at the end of Year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 can also be taken
• Internal Examinations in the Summer Term and Mock Examinations for external examinations in November and February
• The Foundation Stage Profile is completed at the end of the Foundation Stage.