Prep

By the time our pupils move up into the Prep school, they are ready for a more challenging  style of education. We continue to feed their enthusiasm, maintaining a balance of formal learning and active participation.

Inspire

The Prep school follows an exciting, broad and balanced curriculum, with specialist teachers providing expert tuition. There is ample provision of extra-curricular clubs to complement the core academic subjects. The school has a strong emphasis on STEAMED events (Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Art, Maths, Engineering, Design), and enrichment programmes involving the whole school are regularly factored into the curriculum.

Outside the classroom, Sport, Music, Art and Drama are an integral part of school life; everyone has the opportunity to take part at whatever level, from enthusiastic team contributors to county-level competitors.

Prepare

From Year 4 upwards, there is a focus on preparation for 11+. Within the timetable Years 4 and 5 receive specialised 11+ tuition. We take great pride in the fact that every year pupils collect an impressive number of Awards and Scholarships to different senior schools, and do all we can to support them.

Preparing the pupils for life beyond St Edward’s extends beyond academic accomplishments. The older children will also develop their leadership and team-building skills within specific lessons and on residential trips in the summer term.

Challenge

Our Prep pupils are encouraged to achieve individual targets set by themselves and their teachers. Target review sessions are incorporated into the assessment process.

Each child’s progress is carefully monitored, tracked and assessed throughout the year. Formal feedback through Grade Cards is given. Within these Grade Cards, grades are given to reflect effort, behaviour, homework completion and achievement in all subjects, plus a predicted end-of-year level for the core subjects with an accompanying tutor comment. At the end of the summer term, all pupils receive a full end-of-year report.

A close system of academic tracking operates throughout the whole school, with standardised assessments in English, Mathematics, reading and spelling. These standardised tests complement our own traditional teacher assessments and give an accurate picture of the progress of each child.

We recognise the value or both formal and informal contact between parents and staff to discuss progress and share strategies for dealing with learning enhancement. Parents are provided with many opportunities to come into school and celebrate all that we do.