Prep
The prep department offers children from Year 3 to Year 6 the potential to explore a wide range of activities and educational experiences.
The ethos and atmosphere is one of happy purposefulness within a lively school schedule.
Strong emphasis is placed on creating a friendly and supportive environment in which pupils can develop their self-esteem and talents to the full.
In this department children will:
- benefit from an increasing amount of time with subject specialists
- be able to select from an increasing amount of extra-mural clubs and activities
- have the chance to take up musical instruments
- take part in the Springmead Award
- be able to join the school choir
- continue weekly swimming lessons
- be involved with increasingly sophisticated music and drama productions
- be able to compete at a higher level across a variety of sports, both inter school and intra school
- take on positions of responsibility in the school
- be preparing for entrance exams to senior schools.
Children in the prep department are in classes with a maximum of 17 children.
All classes have qualified class teachers but they also spend time with subject specialists for physical education, music, French, science, and information communication technology.
The rigors of study increase in the prep department with more curriculum time being devoted to all subjects these include; English, mathematics, science, history, geography, art, design technology, music, information communication technology, religious studies, personal, social, emotional and health education, French and physical education. Some subjects are taught through themes to give meaningful contexts to the children’s studies, however , care is taken not to lose subject identity. Again at Springmead School we are teaching our children to become successful learners, so learning to learn skills are imbedded into our curriculum.
The National Curriculum is used as a starting point for our curriculum planning, this is then enriched to add greater range, depth, width and balance.
The curriculum is enriched through curriculum linked activities including:
- Concerts
- drama productions
- bushcraft activities
- The Springmead Award Programme
- competitive and non competitive sporting events
- visits and residential trips
Throughout their time in the prep department children are being prepared for entrance examinations to senior schools. This is not a ‘hothouse process’ but simply the result of consistent teaching and learning. Children are continually assessed to enable us to plan for their next stage of learning.
Homework is fundamental to encouraging children to become independent learners. The amount of homework children receive increases gradually, but never excessively, through the prep department.
