Academic

The curriculum at the Preparatory School is broad, balanced and challenging and far exceeds the requirements of the National Curriculum.  Our excellent facilities and highly qualified staff enable specialist teaching to take place in all year groups.  Science, for example, is taught in a well equipped Science Laboratory and subjects such as Music, French, Art and Design Technology are taught by specialist teachers in specialist rooms.   This approach provides a stimulating and challenging curriculum in which children thrive.  Class sizes are small, with an average of 20 pupils, which allows for a high level of individual attention for each child.

National Curriculum
We offer a challenging curriculum, leading to excellent SATs results in the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 level. Our Form teachers are responsible for the teaching of English and Maths, and specialist subject teachers provide in-depth classes in additional areas such as Science, Humanities, ICT, Music and Arts. As mentioned, class sizes are small, to allow the highest level of individual attention.

SATs Key Stage 2 Results
We are very pleased with the results of the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 tests which our Year 6 pupils sat in May 2009.   All pupils gained the Government target of level 4 in English, Mathematics and Science.   At level 5 our pupils scored over twice the national average (it takes approximately eighteen months for a pupil to move up one level).   The tables below show the results of the National Curriculum tests which our Year 6 pupils sat in May 2009.

Value Added
The introduction of a tracking system four years ago now enables us to predict pupils' results and quantify ‘value added' by the Prep School.  When the 2009 Year 6 cohort sat the PIPS (Performance Indicators in Primary Schools) in 2005 (on entering the Prep School in Year 3) the results predicted the following National Curriculum Test level 5 scores at the end of Year 6:  English 40%, Maths 43%.  According to the PIPS results, therefore, the value added for English is 39% and maths is 24%.  PIPS papers are marked externally by Durham University.

English Results
We are particularly pleased with the English results which are the best the school has achieved and reflect the progress made in literacy over recent years.  It is worth noting that 93% of the pupils achieved level 5 in the reading section of the English test.  The main reasons for these results and the recent improvements in literacy include; a very strong English department, the appointment of a 'Literacy across the Curriculum' Co-ordinator and recent developments in the Library.  

The Library
In September 2008, the Prep School appointed two librarians, who work for three hours per day in the Prep Library. The library is now even more of a stimulating centre of learning. At lunchtimes, the library is a hive of activity with pupils reading, carrying out research, writing book reviews and taking part in the many literary activities on offer. We have had national poetry recitals and short story writing competitions, visits from well known authors and library skills lessons. The support, encouragement and enthusiasm from our librarians have made a big impact on children's reading in the school.