Inside the classroom
Our Junior School curriculum at Habs is ambitious and challenging, encouraging curiosity along with a sense of awe and wonder. We nurture a global perspective and a deep sense of responsibility for a world in which our pupils can expect to lead and succeed.
Our curriculum is broad and balanced, filled with magic and curiosity, with equal emphasis on each subject. Some school days might start with swimming, while others might begin with English or performing arts.
All junior pupils, from Reception to Year 6, are taught by teaching specialists in a range of subjects including Forest School, PE, Art, Performing Arts and Languages.
Find out more about life in our Junior School.
How students learn
Our pupils enjoy learning actively and independently, with plenty of practical and problem-solving tasks involving fun, discussion and debate.
We provide the children with exciting, meaningful experiences in the classroom and beyond. In every subject area, students are encouraged to take risks, investigate and explore, helping to instil a genuine love of learning. We teach beyond the classroom, and at Habs our outdoor-learning provision is something we take real pride in.
As a school, we develop and nurture well-rounded individuals who are academically ambitious, while also sharing a passion for sport, music and the arts. We expect them to throw themselves into all areas equally. At Habs, they become linguists, scientists, mathematicians, athletes, musicians, performers, technologists, historians and artists.
Plenty of extras
- We arrange an exciting and rewarding programme of trips, visits, speakers and experience days.
- Residential trips start with an overnight at school in Year 3, building up to a week away in Year 5 and Year 6.
- The co-curricular programme focuses around the themes of Sport, Music & Performance, Create & Construct and Think & Speak.
- Just a few examples of our activities include chess, water polo, calligraphy, science, karate, birdwatching, cooking, quiz club and debating.
- We offer lunchtime clubs as well as our ACE provisions after school for students in Year 1 and above.
- Pupils have increasing opportunities to develop leadership skills as the progress through the school.
Parents as partners
We believe learning is a journey which involves everyone. We know that students perform best when their school and their parents work in partnership. This is why we put so much focus on engaging with you as a parent:
- You are welcome to come into our school to support the curriculum.
- You are also warmly invited to help with school outings.
- You can follow what your daughter and their classmates are doing on our social media accounts.
- Our curriculum sessions for parents detail our approaches to particular subject areas.
- We will explain how you can best support your daughter at home.
- We have regular Family Fridays where you are welcome to come and see what your daughter and her classmates have been doing in class.
Transition to Senior School
Moving up to Year 7 is an important step in all of our pupil’s journey, so we carefully consider your daughter’s individual needs during the transition, by providing personalised support for each of our pupil’s.
Pupils are seamlessly introduced to Senior School life through Family tours, taster lessons in the Junior School as well as academic enrichment taught in mixed groups with Year 7 pupils
The intention is always that pupils move into Year 7 at Habs, without needing to sit the 11+ if they have been with us through the Junior School. Yet we know this will not be the right choice for a very small number of students. Closely monitoring each girl’s academic progress and emotional wellbeing lets us partner with parents, helping us all come to the right decision for your daughter.
