Preparatory School Prospectus

PROSPECTUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

WELCOME

Here at the Prep School, we offer a broad and ambitious curriculum which nurtures children’s talents, whether those be academic, sporting, musical or creative.

We believe in encouraging children to aim as high as they can whilst at the same time treasuring the simple joys of childhood.

Kindness, manners and friendship underpin daily life here at the Prep; teachers, children and parents alike enjoy being part of our happy community. We pride ourselves on knowing our children as individuals and delivering on our promise to help them achieve more than they believe is possible.

Helen Hutton-Attenborough HEAD OF PREPARATORY SCHOOL

TEACHING AND LEARNING

At Claremont, aspirations are high and character is developed; our children embrace life’s challenges with confidence and joy.

Our teaching is guided, although not limited, by the national curriculum. Many subjects, including modern foreign languages, music, PE and games, benefit from specialist teaching as well as access to specialist teaching spaces and our wonderful grounds. Our children are inspired to be active learners, curious and eager for experience, through a broad and creative teaching programme. A rich variety of co-curricular activities, trips and off-timetable focus days bring learning to life.

Although we are not a school driven by the examination culture, our pupils consistently receive recognition for their academic and all-round performance in the form of 11+ scholarship awards, both in our own Senior and other reputable schools.

THE PREP SCHOOL PORTFOLIO

Every child has their own Prep School Portfolio, which evidences our unique blend of home and school activities, both curricular and co-curricular. By placing equal value on each aspect of our portfolio wheel, we encourage our children to be: confident and curious; skilled communicators; creative problem solvers; leaders and team players; kind and caring towards one another, their community and wider environment.

Teachers, parents and pupils alike monitor the progress and commitment that is made in each of the portfolio sectors, celebrating strengths and reflecting on how to widen experience to support areas of development.

Our children grow through the rich opportunities and experiences on offer which include clubs from Magic to Chess, Coding to Bushcraft, Fencing to Cheerleading – complementing our diverse and high-quality academic, creative and sports curriculum.

SCHOOL STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION

We are a genuinely co-educational school with broadly even numbers of boys and girls in each year group. There are two classes of approximately twenty pupils in Year 3. Three classes are available from Year 4 onwards; class sizes are typically a little smaller in Year 4, returning to full classes of twenty for Years 5 and 6. We mix our classes every year, which encourages our children to be gregarious in their friendships and welcoming to new joiners.

“OUR CHILDREN HAVE SETTLED IN SO WELL AND FELT VERY WELCOME, INSTANTLY MAKING FRIENDS AND REALLY ENJOYING THE EXTENSIVE CURRICULUM AND SPORTS ON OFFER BY THE SCHOOL”

PREP SCHOOL PARENT

CURRICULUM

We offer a broad and ambitious programme of learning and motivate our children to believe that every day offers the opportunity to achieve just a little bit more, to experience something for the first time, to learn something new. Our schemes of work are designed to tap into the children’s natural curiosity and interests and help them to make connections across the curriculum. Traditional methods and skills are taught but the use of technology is also woven seamlessly into learning, with the children’s laptop being as important as their pencil case.

Whether it be working towards their violin Prep test, their English Speaking Board examinations or taking

part in a variety of inter and intra school competitions, our children thrive in an atmosphere where there are opportunities for every child to shine.

There is a strong focus on mathematics and English, which is delivered by form tutors in Years 3 and 4 and specialist teachers in Years 5 and 6. We enjoy the benefit of our own dedicated PE and Games department as well as qualified subject teachers for music and modern foreign languages. Shared specialist areas, such as the Joyce Grenfell performance space, and the ability to draw upon Senior School expertise, further enhances our provision. Our wonderful outdoor spaces offer a wealth of opportunity for learning and play beyond the classroom.

ISI INSPECTION REPORT, 2017

“PUPILS DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENT COLLABORATION, IN AND OUT OF LESSONS, WHICH REFLECTS THE STRONG FAMILY ETHOS OF THE SCHOOL.”

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Science and technology fuel our children’s imaginations and broaden their horizons. We are delighted to have our own science laboratory and to have secured the Primary Science Quality Mark award. Science is taught by semi-specialist teachers, all of whom have demonstrated achievement and enthusiasm in this subject.

There is a strong emphasis on the teaching of scientific process skills and learning through hands on experimentation. Clubs and competitions are provided by staff, expert parents and enthusiastic pupils.

From Year 4 onwards the children all have their own laptop which they use with increasing proficiency as a tool to support their learning and communicate their understanding. Coding is taught as part of a specialist rotation and is also one of our most popular cocurricular clubs. The school has a wealth of equipment that can be used for specific teaching, including class sets of iPads, VR headsets and photographic equipment.

Design technology is incorporated within our art programme and technology rotations.

The children regularly enjoy off-timetable, focus study days where we bring in outside experts to further enhance the children’s experience of STEM subjects.

ARTS AND CULTURE

ARTS

Encouraging creativity helps inspire our children to become courageous, inquisitive learners. Music is delivered by specialist teachers with a strong emphasis on performance and the pleasure of making music; our children relish in the opportunity to showcase their talents in end of term concerts and special assemblies.

Drama is taught weekly and the children develop their performance skills in drama and English Speaking Board lessons. Additionally we run annual prose reading and poetry competitions and end of year shows.

Art, textiles and design technology are taught, largely within our own specialist art room. The beautiful work on display is testament to the quality of teaching and the pleasure that the children derive from these subjects.

WORLD AND CULTURE

We believe that children should love and take pride in their own culture as well as respecting and understanding that of others. History, geography and religious education are taught concurrently alongside philosophy and values education.

Through the delivery of these subjects, our children develop a wider understanding of themselves and their own cultural identity as well as broadening their knowledge of and respect for other cultures and traditions. Learning Spanish, French and Latin further widens the children’s empathy and sympathetic understanding of other cultures, in addition to providing a sound foundation in foreign languages.

School assemblies cover a broad range of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues to widen the children’s awareness of the world.

WEST-END INSPIRED, MUSICAL THEATRE END OF YEAR PRODUCTIONS

ARTWORK IS INSPIRED BY THE STUDY OF ARTIST TECHNIQUES AND STYLES

PUPIL PARTICIPATION AND ENJOYMENT ARE PARAMOUNT

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS INVOLVE WOODWORKING AND ELECTRONICS

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Co-curricular clubs and peripatetic teaching offer a wide range of experiences. On average, there are around forty different clubs available including a variety of sports, Art, Chess, Bookclub, Eco club, Rock pop, Magic, Bushcraft and Fencing are a few examples of the clubs on offer.

At Claremont we truly value endeavour and participation just as much as achievement. Hard work and participation at every level is valued in the children’s Prep School Portfolio.

Weekly recognition assemblies celebrate these successes, and encourage the children to believe that the grade achieved matters less than their efforts and experiences. In this way, every child can strive to do a little more tomorrow than they do today, motivated by the real sense of purpose and meaning in all that they do.

Full details of all clubs and activities on offer each term are available to download from the school website.

SEAFORD COLLEGE GOBLIN SPRINT WINNERS 2022

SPORT

With specialist staff and on-site facilities including a full-size sports hall, multiple pitches, tennis courts and a heated pool, weekly PE lessons enhance the children’s coordination, skills, stamina and teamwork whilst games lessons and regular fixtures allow the children to compete in a wide range of traditional sports, including:

Athletics, basketball, cricket, cross country, dance, fitness, football for boys and girls, gymnastics, hockey skills, lacrosse, netball, rounders, rugby, swimming and tennis.

Lunchtime performance squads ensure that elite sports players are prepared to compete at district and national level competition. Equally, developing pupils are given extra encouragement and sessions where needed.

Sport forms a very important part of the curriculum; all children have a double period PE lesson each week. Disciplines are rotated on a half termly basis and include swimming, gymnastics and health related sport.

Year 3 and 4 enjoy one extended afternoon games session per week; Year 5 and 6 have two afternoon sessions per week in which traditional sports and match fixtures are played. Practice and fixtures may also run outside of this timetabled provision.

Our inclusive programme guarantees that every child will have the opportunity to represent the school in competitive fixtures.

PASTORAL CARE

At the Prep School, we want to allow our children to be children whilst also guiding them purposefully on a journey towards being socially responsible, independent young learners. We seek to nurture and develop human qualities such as: character, curiosity, creativity and intrinsic motivation. The way in which our children collaborate and communicate with one another; the thinking and learning skills which they bring to their school experiences all matter to us. These often invisible elements, are key to helping children strive for high academic outcomes whilst preserving their emotional well-being and self-esteem.

Our pastoral care begins with a phone call to get to know your child before their first day at school and continues with an approach that will know them as individuals throughout their journey with us. Daily time is spent with their form tutor and buddy system. Our house system includes belonging to a ‘family’ of mixed age-group children. We give our children roles and responsibilities to encourage them to develop a true sense of community spirit.

Our assistant head, pastoral, leads a team which includes specialists in emotional literacy, who offer a safe, well-being space for those needing a little extra care. The approach to ironing out those small problems that can arise is always proactive, positive and restorative, and underpinned by our values led approach.

“OUR DAUGHTER LOVED THE PREP SCHOOL FROM DAY ONE AND LEAVES WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR SENIOR SCHOOL”

PREP SCHOOL PARENT

HOW TO APPLY

All families are warmly invited to attend an open morning. To get a true sense of life at Claremont Fan Court School, tours are led by own our pupils (where restrictions allow). This is followed by a talk and a Q&A session with the head of the Prep School, Mrs Helen Hutton-Attenborough.

To apply please visit the school website and complete the Prep School application form which is available from the ‘How to Apply’ section of our Admissions pages.

If there are places available in the year group you are applying for, your child will be invited for an English, maths and creative writing assessment. Assessments are based on the curriculum for the year group in which they are applying.

Once we have the results of the assessment, we will contact you regarding the outcome and next steps.

TRANSITION AND EXAMS

Great care is taken over the transition process for all our pupils, whether they are joining us from our PrePrep and Nursery School or from another school.

Settling in sessions, buddy systems and moving up days all form part of transition. Additionally, a senior member of staff will speak to the families of all children before joining the Prep School, to better understand each child and their individual interests and needs.

For transition to the Senior School, all Prep children sit an entrance examination, testing English and

mathematics in Year 5. Most children receive an early offer at this time.

In the Senior School examinations, Prep pupils are required to demonstrate a good average, or above, level of attainment and do not compete for their place.

Many of our Year 6 pupils choose to put themselves forward for scholarship; we are proud of our pupils’ achievements – 15-20% of them typically receive scholarship awards. Preparation classes are run for pupils wishing to pursue scholarship.

FAQS

HOW IS THE SCHOOL DAY ORGANISED?

The playground is supervised from 8.25am and registration takes place at 8.35am. Any unsupervised children will be sent to breakfast club which is available from 8am. Lessons commence at 8.50am and teaching is organised into nine, thirty-five minute periods per day, some of which are taught in double or triple sessions. There is a short morning break for play and an extended lunch break, which allows time for clubs and sports practice as well as eating lunch and free play. The timetabled part of the day ends at 3.35pm.

The school day may be extended in a number of ways: supervised homework club (until 4.00pm); a plethora of after school clubs and activities; After School Care facility (until 5.45pm), which includes homework supervision and a hot meal.

WHERE DO MOST PUPILS LIVE AND HOW DO THEY TRAVEL TO SCHOOL?

Claremont Fan Court Prep School is proud to serve the local area, the school is highly regarded within the community and many of the families of our pupils live in and around the Borough of Elmbridge. Children make their way to and from school in a variety of ways: by car; school bus; walking and cycling. Cycle and wellington boot racks are available for those choosing the environmentally friendly options. We operate a swift ‘drop and go’ system in the mornings and ‘collect on foot’ in the afternoons. Those taking the school bus or attending after school clubs are supervised and seen safely to the appropriate location.

All details regarding bus routes and timetables are available from the school website.

WHAT TRIPS ARE ON OFFER?

A broad range of trips are available to children in all year groups, residential trips gradually increase in duration from two nights away at a local activity centre in Year 4 to a five night stay in France during Year 6.

A very popular annual ski trip is offered to children in both Years 5 and 6 during the Easter holidays.

In addition to residential trips there are many cultural day trips including visits to West End performances, performing at the Royal Albert Hall in the school choir and visits to local venues such as historical Ufton Court and Marchants Hill activity centre.

DO YOU OFFER PERIPATETIC MUSIC LESSONS?

Peripatetic lessons are available in violin, cello, double bass, harp, guitar, recorder, flute, piano, clarinet, trumpet, bassoon, saxophone, trombone and horn.

HOW MANY CHILDREN TRANSITION TO THE SENIOR SCHOOL?

Each year around 95% of Prep School pupils stay on to the Senior School. Pupils will sit entrance tests in Year 5. Many pupils will then go on to sit tests for scholarship places in Year 6.

WHAT CLUBS ARE AVAILABLE AND WHEN DO THEY RUN?

Each term approximately 40 different clubs are on offer in the Prep School. The schedule and type of club offered varies from term to term to give the pupils a wide range of experiences.

Clubs run before school, during lunch break and after school. A full list of clubs, activities and their timings is available to download from the school website.