Our specialist teachers make use of our excellent facilities and expansive grounds to provide the children with exciting learning experiences in and outside of the classroom, whilst numerous trips and visitors offer further opportunity for growth and personal development.
Children follow a biweekly timetable and have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects. Over a week, the children have lessons in English, maths, science, history, geography, RE, French, art, DT, PSHE, computing, music, drama, swimming, PE and games. In Years 7 and 8 they have the additional opportunity to pick another modern foreign language to learn (either German, Spanish or Mandarin) and TPR (theology, philosophy and religion) lessons replace RE (religious education). We broadly follow the National Curriculum. Town Close School, in common with all independent schools, is not obliged to follow the National Curriculum, but we use it to guide teaching and learning, whilst not letting it limit the standards that our children meet.
Our Prep Department is structured around 3 different age groups:
- Year 3 and 4: Lower Prep
- Year 5 and 6: Middle Prep
- Year 7 and 8: Upper Prep
Lower Prep
In Year 3 and Year 4, our pupils follow a topic based thematic curriculum that allows for pupils to become immersed in their topics of study and to make connections across different subject areas. This familiar approach aids the transition from Pre Prep to Prep and builds on the fundamental skills and knowledge acquired to increase the children’s knowledge, confidence and independence, appropriate to their age and experience. Children will look to their class teacher for day-to-day support and have a range of lessons with their class as this provides an important, supportive environment. However, they, also, benefit from the expertise of specialist subject teachers in French, DT, ICT, Music, PE and Games as well as from the transitions around school that foster independence.
Middle Prep
From Year 5 upwards, pupils are taught by subject specialist teachers who love to share their expertise and passion for their subjects. The children move around the School to subject specific rooms, furthering their organisational skills and highlighting the importance of punctuality.
In Year 5, pupils are allocated a Tutor and have weekly tutor meetings with their Tutor group that includes a range of pupils from Years 5 – 8 creating connections across the ages. Tutor groups are an important way for children to communicate their thoughts and feelings and the tutor plays a lead role in the pastoral care of the children fostering a strong relationship with each child and their primary points of contact at home.
Upper Prep
In Years 7 and 8, pupils follow the ISEB Common Entrance syllabus and sit Common Entrance exams at the end of Year 8. During these vital years the children are given additional responsibilities in School, allowing them to further develop their confidence and establish their interests and strengths before moving onto their chosen Senior Schools. The School is well known as a feeder school for a number of leading local and national senior schools with many of our Year 8 pupils achieving scholarship success across the subject areas.
Subjects
Reporting
Parents receive a detailed report twice a year and are, also, invited to Parents’ evenings where they can meet all of their child’s subject teachers as well as their form teachers and tutor, if applicable. ‘Attitude to Learning’ grades are sent twice a term and give an indication of each child’s effort and application in classes; whilst necessarily subjective, they are important as they give an indication of a child’s attitude to their studies. In the long term, attitude is more important than any other measure of attainment during a pupil’s time at school.
Town Close School is characterised by an understanding of this and, beyond the details of the organisation of the curriculum, is dedicated to promoting a positive approach to learning along with the associated skills of perseverance, concentration, independent thinking and study skills.
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