Junior Department

The Junior Department base their academic programme around the National Strategies for Numeracy and Literacy. The National Curriculum provides an important structure for the teaching of core and foundation subjects. Junior forms are taught by class teachers and the boys receive specialist teaching for PE, Sports, French, Music and Drama. The specialist lessons allow the children to experience diverse teaching methods and learning environments.

Year 1

“The ethos in Year 1 is to continue to encourage the children to reach their full potential with the help of dedicated and professional staff.”

Boys entering Year 1 will find the day has become more structured and formal. Play is still an important part of the curriculum, but an emphasis is placed on building the children’s confidence in tackling Reading, Writing and Mathematics in a happy and caring environment. There are two classes in Year 1. Although the two classes are separate, we will be working very closely together and we will join up as a year group for many activities and outings.

In English we follow the Focus on Literacy scheme which promotes the development of literary skills necessary to meet the National Curriculum requirements. Through a variety of wide ranging and specific activities in written and spoken English, boys develop a high proficiency in reading and writing skills.

We follow the Oxford Maths Zone scheme which is based on the curriculum objectives and teaching strategies outlined by the National Numeracy Strategy. This scheme incorporates operations with number, money, shape, problem solving and mental arithmetic, reinforced by the use of maths games.

Year 2

“Trips to Syon Park, the Rainforest and the Butterfly House provide the children with first hand experiences of the living world.”

In Year 2 pupils consolidate and build on the work completed in Year 1, with the main emphasis on Literacy and Numeracy. Here are some examples of how boys in Year 2 explore the core and foundation subjects.

Science is class based and teacher led. The Autumn Term topic is Ourselves, food, health and growth where children are encouraged to bring in food from their own culture for others to sample and enjoy. Forces and electricity is the Spring Term topic and many hands on experiments take place, for example, the design and assembly of an aeroplane with a circuit to power a propeller. During the Summer Term, trips to Syon Park, the Rainforest and the Butterfly House provide the children with first hand experiences of the living world.

An Autumn Term trip to Hever Castle extends our History lessons on Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. It also helps the boys to settle into their new class and become aware of the safety and behavioural aspects of going on a trip. Other subject areas are The Plague (1665), the Great Fire of London, Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole and Guy Fawkes.

Year 3

“An opportunity to begin to take responsibility of their own learning.”

Year 3 sees the beginning of the steady transition from the Junior to Senior part of the school. They attend daily assemblies with the older boys and are involved in senior sports days and other activities. Their academic programme broadly follows the National Curriculum and encourages them to develop a positive attitude to study and a sense of independence as they progress through the school. At this stage, the creative skills required for subjects such as Music and Drama begin to develop.

Our class work is supplemented by field trips throughout the year, for example, to the British Museum and Kew Gardens. Weekly homework activities provide the boys with an opportunity to begin to take responsibility of their own learning.