The nursery follows the foundation stages as outlined in the National Curriculum.
The aim of the nursery is to provide children aged from two-and-a-half to four with the opportunity to develop physically, emotionally and intellectually through the introduction of a carefully planned programme of activities. This helps to ensure a steady progression towards literacy, numeracy and creative expression, and prepares them well for the formal curriculum in the Pre-prep school.
Pupils in the Pre-prep follow the National Curriculum, and the children are assessed at Key Stage One.
The aim of the Pre-prep is to ensure that the children gain a good grounding in literacy and numeracy, for these will form the foundation of their education. In addition to the usual range of subjects (which includes French), all children have opportunities to take part in music, art and craft, dancing, games and PE.
In small classes children progress as rapidly as their intellectual capabilities allow them.
The curriculum throughout the school is broadly-based and well-balanced. The goals are threefold: to detect and encourage children's strengths and talents, to develop both knowledge and skills, and to establish positive attitudes in preparation for purposeful and constructive lives.
Whilst the greatest emphasis is placed on the foundation stages of English, mathematics, science and French, the Prep curriculum embraces the full range of supporting subjects, as prescribed by the Common Entrance Examination Board and the National Curriculum. Children are assessed in Year 6 (at Key Stage Two) and in Year 8 (in the Common Entrance Examinations).
The timetable caters for aesthetic and practical interests and provision is made for the particular talents of individuals. There is an active Special Needs department to help all pupils achieve their full potential.
There are six year groups in the prep school. In the youngest three, Years 3, 4 and 5, the classes are not streamed, but are usually set for English and mathematics. The children in Years 3 and 4 are taught largely by their form teachers with French, design technology, ICT, music, art and PE taught by specialists.
All the pupils in the higher forms are taught by subject specialists. Here the year-groups are usually split into sets or streams so that each child may approach Common Entrance or scholarship at his or her own most suitable pace.