For all students, our outdoor learning sessions and their unique woodland setting are a key part of our Junior School curriculum.
This can be a great way for pupil to learn different things in different ways increasing their engagement, improving academic performance and providing greater understanding of the world.
Girls in Year 4 to Year 6 enjoy a weekly outdoor learning session, helping them develop their social and technical skills. Our specially commissioned tipi classroom is also used to teach core curriculum subjects such as Maths and English.
Our excellent woodland Forest School is here for all Junior girls to enjoy, and is filled with awe and wonder, whatever the weather. It includes the Wildwood Den, offering climbing, jumping, balancing and crawling experiences, while also encouraging creativity.
Our Forest School uses outdoor learning experiences to encourage and inspire children, developing their emotional and social ‘soft’ skills. These include self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, communication, independence, positive mental attitude, self-esteem and confidence.
All our Forest School team are certified to Forest School Association (FSA) Level 3. The FSA is the professional body for Forest Schools.
Level 3 qualifies them to:
The co-curricular programme is designed to offer pupils the opportunity to experience a wide range of curriculum-based activities which encompass our values. Each pupil is encouraged to develop and pursue existing skills and interests alongside trying new activities. Sessions are led by both members of our teaching community as well as specialist coaches and external providers. Selected activities are run in collaboration with Habs Boys’ Prep School.
Throughout their time in the Junior School, pupils are given the opportunity to enhance their learning and their own personal development through attending a variety of trips.
Some examples of trips are:
From Year 3 upwards students go on a residential each year.
The Junior School PE department make full use of the excellent sports facilities here to enable all of our students to participate in a broad range of sporting activities.
We are passionate about providing these opportunities both within the curriculum and as part of the extensive co-curricular sports programme.
A key part of our PE strategy is to ensure that there is a smooth transition between each phase of the student’s learning through their sporting journey in the school. This involves a planned progression through taught skills delivered in EYFS, development of their enjoyment of sport in KS1 and greater involvement in competition in KS2. This provides the students with the skills and confidence required to make the most of all sporting opportunities available at our school and assists with a smooth transition into competitive sport at Secondary School.
From Year 3 to Year 6, pupils have the opportunity to take part in fixtures both onsite and at surrounding schools. They also have the opportunity to take part in inter-House competitions which allow all students to participate in friendly competitions within an encouraging environment.
Our Junior School pupils take part in a wide variety of inclusive and co-curricular performing arts ensembles, run by both our teaching staff and visiting music teachers. These ensembles perform at various events throughout the year including:
Throughout the year, pupils are also invited to perform solo pieces in smaller events such as our performing arts spotlights and music recitals. From Year 3, girls can sign up to perform in an assembly.
Children in Reception, Key Stage1, Year 4 and Year 6 also take part in large scale musical productions. These take place in our Performance Space, enabling the girls to experience what it is like to be in a show with proper sound and lighting, set and wonderful costumes often made by our dedicated production team.