Reception and Pre-Prep

Reception

We welcome children into Reception in the September after their fourth birthday. A full-time class held during term time only, Reception is a wonderfully varied and exciting introduction to the main School.

From Reception onwards, children are placed in one of three houses and earn points for academic success, demonstrating good behaviour and manners. This encourages cross year teamwork and helps children to collaborate on pursuing common goals.

 

Holiday and term time care included

Our standard monthly fees are inclusive of flexible pre- or after-school and holiday care. In practice, this means care from 8am – 6pm each day and school holidays are included at no additional cost.

However, if you require extended care from 7.00am, this can be provided for an additional cost. As we charge on a monthly basis you can pick and choose the arrangements to suit your needs.  

Reception curriculum

Reception classes follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum which sets the standards all schools must meet for children up to the age of 5. Most importantly, the curriculum gives pupils a positive introduction to learning, and our full-time Reception Teacher works closely with the Nursery to ensure a smooth transition to prep education.

Reception children continue to learn languages with specialist teachers and enjoy the challenge of subjects including PE, ICT, Geography and Science. We continue to focus on reading with homework given each week to help develop critical literacy skills.

Reception school days begin at 8.45am and finish at 3.45pm and although every day is different, Here are some of the activities children are involved in:

Arithmetic: Simple games and exercises support the development of
problem-solving skills and numeracy.

Literacy: Children learn the essential life skills of handwriting, phonics and reading through practical and fun activities.

Additional Subjects: Children also enjoy an introduction to a wide range of subjects including Music, Drama, History, Geography, Science, French and ICT.

Show & Tell: Children are encouraged to listen to others, ask questions and increase conversational skills in group show and tell sessions. 

Story & Playtime: Every day includes a story, plenty of playtime, and of course meals and snacks providing a chance to mix with children and teachers from across the School.

Pre-Prep

Children move into Pre-Prep from 5 years old (Infant I and II). By this stage they are familiar with phonics and most will be starting to read. Building on what the children have learned in Reception, Pre-Prep introduces more structured learning and a broader range of curriculum subjects. Children are also encouraged to take on roles of responsibility, such as art or classroom monitor, and to get involved in school plays, trips and Forest School.

 

Pre-Prep curriculum

Transition into Pre-Prep means a more challenging learning environment for the children. As a result, a broader curriculum is introduced whilst continuing with a focus on phonics, reading and writing. A comprehensive timetable including Science, PSHE, Music and Art is introduced, and we continue to focus on languages with specialist teachers.

The Pre-Prep curriculum helps children to broaden their horizons ensuring they make positive progress towards the next stage of their education.

Infant I: Our aim is to continue improving reading, writing and arithmetic skills whilst broadening horizons with a range of interesting subjects taught by specialist teachers such as French, Mandarin and Swimming.

Infant II: Infant II pupils continue with a similar but more challenging curriculum as Infant I. Children continue to be involved in school plays, nativities and school trips. Hard work and achievement are consistently acknowledged and rewarded by teachers and the Headmaster during school assemblies.

Forest School: Children from both Infant I and II enjoy Forest School experiences, creating a chance to get into the natural environment to both play and learn. Activities include marking out letters or numbers with leaves or sticks, to learning about wildlife, and all activities are tailored to suit the age of the group. 

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