Key Stage 2

Classes in English and Mathematics offer extension and support opportunities. Girls are also encouraged to develop their skills by taking part in challenging national competitions such as the Junior Maths Challenge and the English Speaking Board exams. Each class also has a weekly session in the well-stocked and thriving library.

Girls have lessons each week in History, Geography, Religious Education, PSHE and Citizenship and French. These may be taught by their form teacher or by a subject specialist and many opportunities are given to extend the girls' learning with visits and workshops as appropriate.

There are specialist ICT and science facilities within the Department. Classrooms contain Interactive whiteboards and the girls are encouraged to use their developing ICT skills across many areas of the curriculum. There are two fully equipped ICT suites available and computers at the library too. Girls from Year 4 have their Science lessons in the Prep Lab and are also encouraged to enter the National Science and Engineering Week competition. Good links are forged with Senior School girls who regularly take assemblies in Prep based on Science topics. Prep girls are also made fully aware of environmental issues by our Eco Reps.

In the Prep School girls are introduced, from a very early age, to a wide variety of art, craft and design techniques. These range from printing to pottery, papier-mâché to puppet making, pastels to painting and many more. They are also introduced to the work of famous artists such as Monet, Rousseau and Susie Cooper. Girls in Year 5 visit the gallery at the Barber Institute to study portraiture and girls in Year 6 benefit from specialist teaching in the dedicated ceramics studio.

Music and Physical Education also have an important part to play in the life of Prep girls and lessons in both subjects are taught by specialist teachers.

In addition to twice weekly class lessons there are many opportunities for taking part in music activities as the department has two choirs, an orchestra and numerous ensembles, including wind, string, brass, recorder and guitar. Girls enjoy participating in school concerts, and festivals and are given a wealth of performing opportunities including assemblies and, in their final year, an annual production involving staff from the School's Music Department.

The superb facilities and specialist teaching in PE offer girls the opportunity to develop skills in gymnastics, dance, swimming and games, including netball, hockey, tennis, rounders, athletics and cross country. There are many extra-curricular clubs for the girls to enjoy and there is opportunity for girls to represent the school in competitive fixtures and in Inter-House competitions.