Reception

As an independent School holding exemption from the statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, we offer a broader, more balanced and creative curriculum for our boys.  Alongside a structured programme for Literacy and mathematics, varied thematic based units with carefully planned meaningful and challenging activities, ensure opportunities for our young boys to explore, to discover and to investigate.  We ensure an appreciation of the natural world where we take the curriculum outside the classroom, either through a free-flow into our secure outdoor area, or through our renowned ‘Welly Time’ provision.

Even at the tender age of 4 and 5, our youngest boys benefit from specialist teaching in music, drama PE and computing. They participate in workshops and relish excursions embracing the rich and unrivalled resources within our local and wider community, thus enhancing their understanding of the world.

“In the EYFS, pupils establish firm foundations to their learning through a range of engaging and purposeful activities and progress quickly in acquiring early literacy and numeracy skills.” – ISI Inspection Report

Learning, curriculum wide is adapted to suit individual children’s needs and interests so that they are confident and highly motivated.  High expectations ensure progress in children’s academic, physical, social and emotional development.   Close links with parents are encouraged.  We use the secure platform Tapestry, uploading photographs, videos and observations.  Parents have access to the online portal and therefore have a snapshot into their sons’ lives at School.  Parents find the contributions from School staff invaluable in framing powerful conversations with their boys on their learning.  Parents are also encouraged to upload their own observations, so successes, milestones, and achievements can be communicated and celebrated in School.   Each term we hold a ‘Drop In’ session where boys relish sharing their learning with parents.

Reception boys move into Year 1 as independent and happy learners, with a strong learning ethic, enthusiasm and self-assurance.

Years 1 and 2

In Years 1 and 2, we build upon the skills of independent learning and problem solving, fostered in our Reception classes. We encourage the boys to embrace a variety of creative challenges, supporting development in collaboration and resilience.  We push the boundaries beyond a mere acquisition of knowledge and develop further the skills of curiosity, investigation and enquiry.

Learning in Years 1 and 2 becomes more formal and structured.  We follow the National Curriculum, however, it is enhanced and enriched, providing every boy the opportunities to reach their potential, to be inspired and enthused.  We promote high levels of achievement and effort and celebrate children’s successes, as they acquire key skills.   Our topics are carefully chosen and engender excitement amongst our boys.  They include RMS Titanic, Famous Explorers and Adventurers from Neil Armstrong to Tim Peake and The African Plains.  Staff invest time in acquainting the boys as individuals with unique interests, aptitudes, and areas for ongoing development. Learning is therefore carefully planned, ensuring the ever-changing needs of all are continually met.

“Year 1 pupils effectively chose words such as nervous and chaotic to describe feelings and atmosphere in poems.” – ISI Inspection Report

Alongside class-based teaching, boys in Year 1 and 2 benefit from specialist teachers for PE, music, drama, and computing.  Plays, concerts and embracing leadership roles enrich their experience further.  Boys continue to enjoy educational visits, including an open-topped bus tour and river cruise in London, and a trip to Epping Forest to study flora and fauna. On-site workshops, include visits from ‘Mary Seacole’ supporting the ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign and African drumming groups.  The boys relish these opportunities to contextualise and make connections with their classroom learning.  They also benefit from a strong and diverse programme of extra-curricular activities in a secure and stimulating environment.  These include multi-sports, football, tennis, art, craft, science, Greek myths and legends and construction.

Our approach is outward and forward thinking. There is significant opportunity and energy.  Our boys leave the Pre-prep confident, but not brash, and socially, emotionally, and academically equipped for the challenges of life in the Early Seniors. They also take an understanding of humility and hard work and above all have a skill set, equipping them for life in all its fullness.

School Day

Learning Powers

We have 7 Learning Powers that we nurture in all our boys.

Collaboration

Curiosity

Focus

Initiative

Originality

Reflectiveness

Resilience

These equip them with the character traits that will not only enable them to be successful learners but will prepare them for the world beyond school.  Every half term each class teacher nominates a Super Learner; a boy that has epitomised these characteristics.  Their efforts are rewarded with a much-coveted badge and certificate and a surprise invitation to afternoon tea with their parents and the Head of Pre-prep.

Teams

Teams are an integral and a much-loved part of Pre-prep life. There are four teams and siblings are in the same team, so no parent is faced with the dilemma of split loyalties!  Our vertical system promotes a sense of community and enables boys to grow friendships across the year groups through team playtimes, lunches, and competitions.

Boys can earn team points daily for effort, demonstrating our learning powers, for pieces of quality work, as well as for showing our core values of kindness, respect, and honesty, to name but a few.  They are a wonderful way for our staff to celebrate individual successes inside and outside the classroom. At various milestones boys are presented with certificates and badges, celebrating individual achievements. The system also heightens children’s sense of responsibility towards fellow team members and the wider school community.  Points are totalled each half term, and a cup is presented to the winning team.

Teams are headed by a captain and vice-captain from Year 2, reflecting importance of embedding leadership opportunities, even at such a tender age.

Little LEOs

Each Pre-prep class nominates a Little Lochinver Environmental Officer.  They encourage sustainability from local to global scales, from simply reducing, reusing, and recycling waste, to sorting and donating books for use in schools in poorer areas of Africa, to collecting crisp packets brought in from home to support the Blanket Project for the homeless, through to highlighting the importance of meat free Mondays.  On a larger scale, the boys are currently avidly promoting the development and build of our sustainable outdoor classroom, using eco-bricks, thus saving tonnes of plastic going to landfill.