An increase in the number of our teaching staff and teaching assistants means we are better able to support and challenge our pupils across all year groups. In most cases, pupils are taught by subject specialists. We use differentiated activities, review curricula, and deploy teaching and support staff, to ensure that our pupils are well supported, and challenged, within lessons.
Classroom
Our curriculum is balanced to develop the important core subjects, whilst encouraging curiosity, knowledge and development across other areas and topics.
ACADEMIC PRIORITIES
- To ensure that all pupils can engage fully with everything we offer, and develop their understanding, knowledge and skills, as well as their confidence.
- To align academic rigour with creative approaches using a uniquely diverse and enriching curriculum.
- To support academic achievement by developing the character skills of Curiosity, Respect, Empathy and Determination (referred to as CRED), resilience and effort, independence, cooperation, organisation and focus, reflectiveness and good judgement.
OUR JUNIOR SCHOOL CURRICULUM
The subjects taught in the Junior School are:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Modern Foreign Languages (French in Years 3 and 4, Spanish in Year 5, Year 6 carousel of Linguistics, Spanish, German, Russian, Mandarin)
- Humanities (History and Geography)
- Design, Technology and Engineering
- Art
- Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE)
- Drama
- Digital Literacy
- Personal Social Health and Economic Education (PSHEE)
- Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) as part of PSHEE
- Music
- Sport and Exercise
EXTENSION AND ENRICHMENT
We promote high levels of achievement and effort, and yet we look beyond the 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.
Alongside academic and practical performance we aim to nurture artistic, musical, creative and physical talent and leadership qualities. We are also mindful that, as pupils grow, their aptitudes change and develop.
We seek to provide a balanced curriculum that puts emphasis on transferable skills, different learning styles, independent and team learning as well as curiosity.
Each term we focus on a series of different of themes from creativity to problem solving to kindness
ASSESSMENTS
We use a variety of methods to assess progress. A primary assessment tool is the everyday marking of work and giving of feedback. This indicates how well pupils have understood the learning objectives during the lesson and provides guidance about what has been done well and how things can be improved. Over time, children will develop self-assessment skills and an independent approach to learning.
Alongside this, children undertake some formal assessments during the year, which might include a standardised literacy skills test, half-termly papers in Maths and English and occasional unit tests in other subjects.
Our child came here from a state school and he has fitted in perfectly, he loves it. —Junior School parent, 2019
It doesn't feel like there's a huge academic pressure on the pupils, and they thrive. —Junior School parent, 2019