Lower School
Each year group within Lower School is split into two classes with a guarantee of no more than 18 pupils. Each class has a form teacher who is primarily concerned with teaching children Maths, English and general subjects such as History, Geography, Religious Education and Art. Specialist teachers are introduced at this stage to extend the subject-based curriculum in Science, Computing, Music, Speech and Drama and Modern Languages.
The concepts of leadership, organisation and decision making are introduced during Lower School with pupils expected to take on more individual responsibility within the classroom and the school itself. Praise and awards for effort and good behaviour are used with expectations being high for pupils to demonstrate independence, good manners, respect and consideration for others.
Homework and reading are set every weekday evening and at weekends, with children reading independently to their class teacher or classroom assistant every school morning. Children are also set weekly spellings for a test on a Thursday and sit a weekly mental arithmetic test. At the end of term, children revise and are tested in maths, English and general knowledge – helping to familiarise them with the discipline and skills required for more formal testing later in school life.