We believe that every girl is a unique child who is constantly learning and has the ability to be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
We aim to create an environment in which the children learn and develop, and become independent through positive relationships in a stimulating and happy atmosphere.
In the cheerful, positive and stimulating surroundings of the Pre-Prep Department, students in Reception are encouraged to develop their academic and personal skill set through a balanced approach of learning and play. As they move up through the department, the balance shifts to a more academic-led curriculum, broken up by periods of play and self-discovery.
Pre-Prep Curriculum
Girls begin their journey in Reception, where seven areas of learning and development comprise the curriculum framework. Alongside the core subjects of English and Mathematics, the curriculum includes Science, Art and Computing. Whatsmore, girls are taught by specialist teachers in the different subjects. As is the case throughout the School, students’ individual development is supported in a bespoke manner, those students who can benefit from being challenged in a more indepth manner are supported by the Gifted and more Able programme, and those that find the learning in the classroom less-straightforward, are supported by our Individual Learning department, who provide techniques and strategies to support learning.
| Curriculum Framework | Essential Knowledge | Specialist Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Personal, Social and Emotional Development | Science | Forest School |
| Physical Development | History | French |
| Communication and Language | Geography | Drama |
| Literacy | Art | Dance |
| Mathematics | Computing | Music |
| Understanding the World | RS | Physical Education |
| Expressive Arts and Design | PSHE | Swimming |
Becoming independent learners
The Pre-Prep department endeavours to build confidence and encourage independence. Small class sizes and dedicated friendly staff ensure that all girls are inspired and encouraged to develop their own voice.
It is important to emphasise that we also teach the children how to become learners:
- Through playing and exploring, they become engaged, curious and willing to try new things.
- Through active learning, they learn to be motivated and persistent and to enjoy a sense of achievement.
- By creating and thinking critically, they develop their thinking skills so that they can have their own ideas, make links between their experiences and make decisions and choices in their learning.
