4, St German's Place

Blackheath

London SE3 0NJ

Tel: 020 8858 0692

Prep Curriculum

The Prep curriculum is broad and challenging and is designed to engage and enthuse our pupils, instilling in them a desire to learn.

Our academic curriculum includes English, Maths, Science, ICT, History, Geography, Art, Design Technology, Drama, Religious Education, PSHE, Music and PE. French is the main modern foreign language taught throughout the school although German and Spanish are also taught to some year groups. We follow the National Curriculum but with the benefit of small classes and specialist teaching we are able to go beyond the minimum requirements and introduce some topics earlier and cover others in more depth. Our well qualified and talented staff are committed to providing an excellent standard of teaching which ensures consistent academic success. We adopt an imaginative and flexible approach so that individual children are given the opportunity to develop their own strengths and passions in particular areas.

Pupils are taught in mixed ability classes for most subjects throughout the School, although there is provision for small ability group teaching and setting for Maths from Year 3 onwards.

Pupils’ progress is monitored closely, with informal and formal assessment taking place throughout the year. Teaching staff liaise closely with each other and with the Learning Support Team to ensure that each child is able to access the curriculum effectively.

Throughout the year there are opportunities for development of particular subjects through musical events, drama productions, dance shows, fixtures and sports days. A whole school cross-curricular week allows a particular theme, for example Sustainable Development, to be explored in depth.

Learning is also enhanced through an extensive programme of school trips to museums, galleries, environmental study centres and theatres in London and further afield. A residential trips programme commences in Year 4, introducing children to outdoor adventurous activities and offering opportunities for team building as well as greater independence.

Homework for our youngest pupils tends to concentrate on developing reading skills and gradually develops into regular daily written homework in English, Maths or Science from Year 3 onwards. Parents are encouraged to take an active part in their child’s learning. There are Parents Evenings in the Autumn and Spring Terms, grades are given to Prep pupils at the end of the Autumn Term and written reports are given to parents towards the end of the school year.

Our children are encouraged to make the most of their abilities from the moment they join us. Children’s abilities are wide-ranging and they may be demonstrated in different ways and at different stages of development. We take care to identify those highly talented or able children who would benefit from extension activities and additional provision as early as possible.

We offer many opportunities for our pupils to recognise and develop their gifts and talents, both within and outside the classroom setting. Our broad and varied curriculum, coupled with the extensive subject knowledge of our specialist teachers, enables our children to develop their skills to full potential. The range and diversity of our after-school clubs also allows our children to further develop their skills and to discover new talents. We enjoy recognising and celebrating the talents and achievements of our pupils through inter-house competitions, performances, productions and end-of-year awards. Providing opportunities for meeting gifted and talented children from other schools and attending external events organised for gifted and talented children is also important to us and our children take part in many inter-school competitions in a variety of areas including Sport, Music, Art and Debating.

A copy of the school’s Gifted and Talented Policy is available on request.