Curriculum

Our curriculum is effectively planned around specific learning objectives for every subject area within each year group. The subjects taught in the Junior School are:

English
Mathematics
Science
French
Humanities (includes History, Geography and Religious Education)
Information Technology
Design Technology
Music
Art
Drama
Physical Education, including swimming and team games
Personal, Social and Health Education

We promote high levels of achievement and effort as children acquire the academic skills they need. However, we push the boundaries beyond a mere acquisition of knowledge: we want children to develop the confidence to investigate and enquire, to solve problems and to take responsibility for their own learning. We aim to enrich their learning experiences, broadening their social horizons and their cultural interests.

So that you know what the children are learning, there are curriculum information evenings at the start of the academic year and we send you a termly ‘curriculum overview’.

Homework

We see homework as an important aspect of children’s learning and development. We aim to give children opportunities to work and think independently of the teacher and to extend the skills and knowledge they have gained during their lessons. Homework helps parents have direct knowledge of and input into their child’s learning. However, we do not seek to overburden children with homework at the expense of quality family time.

Assessment

Teachers use a variety of methods to assess children’s progress. A primary assessment tool is, of course, their regular, everyday marking which indicates how well children have understood the learning objective that was specified during the lesson. Alongside this informal assessment, the children will undertake some ‘formal assessments’ during the year. We aim to balance the need to obtain formal data to assess the effectiveness of children’s learning alongside our reluctance to interrupt the flow of teaching and learning with too many formal tests.

Pastoral

The well-being of our pupils is important to us and lies at the heart of all we do. The way we organise our pastoral care ensures that teachers get to know pupils and pupils get to know teachers. All Junior School children belong to a form; their sense of belonging will be fostered by daily contact with a trusted teacher who will help the children in his or her care as they grow in understanding of themselves, each other and the world. We want our pupils to be tolerant of each other, respectful of adults, but above all, safe and secure.

Sharing Academic Progress

It is essential that parents are provided with objective, constructive and regular feedback on the academic progress of their children. Therefore, throughout the year we provide parent teacher consultation evenings, full academic reports, and bi-termly formal assessments. However, teachers are available at all times to discuss any issue parents may have. We see children, teachers and parents co-existing in a virtuous triangle, whereby each side is fully involved with, and supportive of, the others.

Enrichment and Learning Support

In consultation with parents, we seek to identify the particular learning needs of every child. For many children, this may not require additional support beyond that offered in the classroom and our programme of extra-curricular activities, but there will be some who from time to time require addition stimulus or support.

Our enrichment programme exists to stretch those with particular gifts and talents. We offer extension workshops for gifted mathematicians in years 4 and 5 in partnership with a local primary school. We offer writing workshops to children with particular aptitude in literacy in partnership with other leading London day schools. For pupils with an existing educational special need or a child who, however temporarily, requires additional learning support, we provide individual specialist support, both within the classroom and without.

The Cultural Life of the School

Drama and Music thrive at Highgate Junior School. Many children take individual instrumental lessons. In addition to these, there is a school orchestra (which usually goes on a short concert tour to Europe in July), a school band and opportunities for group music making. There is a Junior School Choir, and a Chapel Choir, which sings with Senior School pupils. Informal Concerts for pupils who play instruments are held each term (mostly by form), and formal concerts take place twice a year. Drama is taught as a separate subject throughout the school, and there are termly drama productions within and across year groups. An active Drama Club encourages children with a particular talent for Drama to take their interest further.

We want our children to become independent learners with a love of reading, and our Library – situated at the heart of the school – plays a significant role in nurturing these things. Authors who have already visited Highgate Junior School this calendar year have included Tracy Chevalier, Sally Gardner and William Nicholson, while, in the academic year ahead, there will be visits from Authors this year have included Tracey Chevalier, Anthony Browne, Jacqueline Wilson, Eoin Colfer, Andy Stanton and Jonathan Stroud.