The Junior School Curriculum

Our curriculum, ‘The Joy of the Challenge,’ is underpinned by a commitment to developing positive attitudes to thinking and learning. This broad and stimulating curriculum teaches beyond the National Curriculum, allowing our girls to ask and answer questions at a higher level.

Key Stage One pupils are taught through the Creative Curriculum, providing a strong framework through which the connections between subjects are clearly mapped. This approach increases girls’ motivation, enthusiasm and engagement. Through creative teaching and learning, girls know what they need to do to be successful learners.

In Key Stage Two there is an increasing amount of specialist teaching. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are taught by specialists in: Mathematics, Science, English, Physical Education, Modern Languages, Humanities, Music and Art. This specialist teaching helps to prepare girls for the Senior School. During Year 6, girls are taught some subjects at the Senior School, thus allowing them to become familiar with the Senior School building and organisation. French is taught from Nursery to Year 6 by a mother-tongue specialist.

Teaching styles vary, with traditional methods used alongside the very latest technology. There is an emphasis on engaging the individual and catering for all learning styles. Alongside learning in the classroom, girls’ learning is reinforced and enhanced by workshops and visits.

"The school thoroughly fulfils its aim to promote academic excellence and nurture a love of learning, with an emphasis on developing independent, enquiring minds. Throughout the school, strengths of the teaching are the excellent relationships between pupils and teachers and the extra time given to support the pupils’ learning. The Junior School curriculum has an excellent breadth of subjects, which include critical thinking, French and Latin. Pupils read with fluency, expression and obvious enjoyment across the school and numeracy skills are in evidence across the school." 

Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)