The Junior Departments at Highclare Woodfield and Highclare St Paul’s offer the same broad and balanced curriculum.
Importance is placed upon the teaching and learning of English and Mathematics within a broad and balanced curriculum, which meets and exceeds national guidelines, aimed at establishing a solid structure and a basis for every child’s future intellectual growth.
- Academic excellence is valued and celebrated.
- There are specialist facilities for Art, Design and Technology, Music, Science, Dance, Drama and Physical Education
- Computer network and PC workstation in every classroom.
- The latest IT developments in a regularly updated computer suite keep pupils up to date with new technology.
- Use of IT to communicate and support problem solving.
- The pupil’s cognitive development is supported by use of interactive technology throughout the school.
- Timetabled lessons in verbal and non-verbal reasoning for grammar school examinations.
- There is strong emphasis on class teaching and together with small class sizes this enables progress to be monitored closely.
- Children are taught in very well resourced environments.
- Pupils are taught by subject specialists for MFL, Music, Science and PE.
The National Curriculum guidelines are followed and enhanced in Key Stage 2, with particular emphasis on core subjects:
- English (at least 7 hours per week which includes a 1 hour 11+ preparation lesson for J3 to J5).
- Maths (6 hours per week).
- Science (2 hours per week).
- Preparation for 11+ examinations commences in J3, with after school tuition for J5.
- Computers are used regularly by all pupils and extensive software is available.
- Pupils have their own Junior fiction and non-fiction libraries.
- Formal and informal testing takes place throughout the year to enable detailed monitoring and tracking of the children.
- Regular weekly achievement awards are given.
- Junior Prize Giving takes place at the end of the Summer term and celebrates achievements of all pupils throughout the year.
Homework
As a guide line the following amount of homework is expected per night:
- J3 – 25 minutes (plus reading)
- J4 – 30 minutes (plus reading)
- J5 – 45 minutes (plus reading)
- J6 – up to 1 hour / 2 subjects (plus reading)