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The Redcliffe Prep School for Years 3 to 6 is at 47 Redcliffe Gardens where our older pupils enjoy a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum which helps to develop their independence, thinking and leadership skills.
We aim to enable each pupil to achieve their own personal best, through a curriculum that develops knowledge, understanding and life-long learning skills. Our pupils benefit from an increase in subject-specialist teaching throughout the Prep School which thoroughly prepares them for the 11+ examinations.
Mathematics
As pupils progress the emphasis moves towards building maths knowledge and understanding how to apply it. We endeavour to provoke thought, curiosity and enjoyment through the use of investigative activities. As well as ensuring that the children are mentally agile, we give them skills and practical opportunities for problem solving and many take part in online maths competitions.
English
As they move through the school, children learn to produce writing of increasingly sophisticated style and content and there are many opportunities for pupils to develop their reading and comprehension skills. A love of reading is vital to learning and our well-stocked library includes a range of classic and modern literature. Our pupils read and explore literature in all its forms – fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and share their experiences with others through discussion and debate.
Science
Prep School pupils become ever more able to conduct their own experiments, make their own predictions and draw their own intellectual conclusions and are encouraged to explore, predict, question and collaborate. Our specialist science teaching fosters a genuine love of the subject. Scientific concepts and ideas are explored through a fun, practical, hands-on approach with visits to the nearby Natural History and Science Museum where appropriate.
History
In History, pupils acquire a love for and appreciation of British and world history and how past events are related to current affairs and life today. We study a range of topics including
Geography
Our Geography curriculum equips pupils with the skills and knowledge to understand the world in which we live, its landscapes, peoples, places and environments. We hope the children will develop a strong sense of environmental and real-world issues. There are opportunities to enhance their studies through fieldwork and workshops, including a residential trip to the Isle of Wight.
RE
Through a programme of learning about the major world religions, children explore challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. Through classroom discussion we promote mutual respect and tolerance in our culturally diverse world.
French
French is taught on a weekly basis in the Prep School by a native French speaker. Our aim is to ensure that all children leaving at the age of 11 have a good understanding and sufficient command of the language, providing them with a solid foundation for their studies at their next schools. Skills are developed with equal consideration and children will develop their conversational French through role play and becoming familiar with common topic work and beginning to understand concepts of French Grammar in order to facilitate the building of sentences. By Year 6, children should be able to participate in class discussions in French. Children also have the opportunity in the classroom and at home, to use the language websites Linguascope and Linguafun.
Art and Design
ICT
Computing is taught from Reception (Understanding the World: Technology) through to Year 6. The skills learned in these lessons are used across the curriculum. The cross-curricular use of laptops and iPads requires pupil IT skill, knowledge and safety awareness. The Online Safety policy is shared with parents at information events and practised rigorously in school. In Year 2 to Year 6 a progressive programme of coding is introduced whereby pupils are taught how to code using Sphero. There is one weekly session per year group, alternating half-termly between Coding and Computing skills, with subject specialist teaching in Year 2 to Year 6.
Music
The children now begin to learn Italian musical terms along with rhythmic and melodic notation. Technology is introduced in Year 4 with the Garage band app used to create compositions and to experiment with sounds. Year 6 pupils compose songs for school events. Each year group learns an instrument in class: Year 3: ocarina; Year 4: recorder; Year 5: violin; Year 6: ukulele. Topics cover a wide selection of musical styles such as classical, film, reggae, and operetta. Singing is still held to be of utmost importance as a means of understanding music and every child sings in a school choir decided on age not ability. Every year there is a musical for the children to showcase their prowess in performance: speaking and singing.
Individual lessons are available on a wide range of instruments from specialist teachers.
PSHEE
Through PSHEE lessons, pupils learn to recognise their own worth, work well with others and become increasingly independent learners. They reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, and they learn about many of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. Topics covered include bullying, internet safety, and the importance of mental and physical health. The school actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Sport
Movement and Gymnastics, PE and Sport are taught by subject specialists through to Year 6. The curriculum is supported by a wide range of clubs, matches, and fixtures catering for pupils of all abilities and providing all children with an element of daily physical activity. Pupils are given the opportunities to acquire knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of fitness and health, including diet, as well as developing physical control and co-ordination, their tactical skills and imaginative responses and to help them self-evaluate their own performance. Team matches against other schools are introduced in Years 3 to 6, with an emphasis on teamwork and sportsmanship.