Frensham Heights Information Booklet - Junior School Years 1 - 3

SCHOOL DAY TEACHING & LEARNING

Our children in Years 1 to 3 have active, varied days. We tend to stick to a timetable, but we also have the freedom and flexibility to break from the norm if it boosts curiosity, creativity and a passion for learning.

We don’t have a uniform, we just ask our children to dress for purpose. So PE kits on PE & Games days and comfortable, running around, tree-climbing clothes for all the other days – dress for a day out in the woods.

Our week runs from Monday to Friday with no lessons on Saturdays. Our extracurricular clubs run at lunchtime and after school. Here’s our basic day:

8.20am - 8.30am Registration

8.30am Classes start

10.25am - 10.50am Break

11.45am - 1.15pm Lunch

3.20pm School finishes 3.30pm ECAs begin

LUNCH

We have a long lunch break, an hour and a half, with staggered starts for the younger children to go in first and plenty of time to play or take part in extracurricular clubs after eating. Whether they’re discovering something new in a club or just having time to play outside unhurried, it’s a really beneficial time for all the children.

AFTER SCHOOL

As well as extracurricular clubs, we also have a Late Stay club, run by dedicated staff who are familiar with all the children. It runs from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. The children can play outside, with toys, watch a film or do some craft activities. There is a small hourly charge for the Late Stay club for Nursery through Year 3.

At Frensham, we are not prepping for anything. From the day each child joins they are each starting off on their own educational journey – it’s the real thing, not a run up. We welcome them with the full understanding and expectation that they each have different interests, personalities and strengths and different paths to follow. This is a wonderful release for the children and the teachers. They can fully embrace the unique combination of characters within a class and dive together into their learning adventure without limiting themselves to ticking boxes or ranking and rating each achievement. We know genuine learning happens when you’re happy, unhindered by external pressures, and that is our true focus here, for every child.

CLASS SIZES

Our class sizes are small allowing for a lot more discussion, flexibility and personality. The maximum class size for Year 1 is 12, for Year 2 it’s 16 and Year 3 it’s 18. We have a one class entry for each of these years and welcome children where we have space.

LEARNING SPACE

Years 1 to 3 have their own classrooms within the NurseryYear 3 building situated between the Forest Class and the Junior School Office. Year 1 is just next door to the Reception class and they can still access the outdoor learning area, making for a gentle transition up from Early Years. All three years use the large playground which runs alongside and behind the building. They share a common assembly area and a paved courtyard. They also use the Astroturf, Sports and Dance Halls, Theatre and Drama Studios, Science Labs, Ballroom, Front Lawn, Forest Class and Woodland Areas.

CURRICULUM

Children in Years 1 to 3 spend most of their day with their class teacher, but they also have classes with specialist subject teachers who teach up through the school.

At Frensham, we hope to inspire our children to love learning, to question the world around them and to develop their sense of self in the world. We treat academic and creative subjects equally and within the younger years particularly, our aim is to offer a very broad curriculum allowing each child to find their own strengths and passions.

The core academic curriculum of Maths, English, Science and Topic happens with the class teacher, mainly in the classroom. Due to the small class sizes and our informal relationships, teachers get to know the children really well and really understand what makes each one tick. They can differentiate the work across all subjects to make sure each child receives the support or challenges that they need. We have a team of Teaching and Learning Assistants who support our Junior School students to achieve their potential. They work with the class teachers during core lessons to make sure all children are supported or challenged appropriately.

TOPIC

The world is wide and varied so we try to make our classes the same. Topic gives our children the opportunity to widen their views and knowledge and to see how their different skills and subjects work together. A Topic lesson could combine History, Geography and Citizenship or Arts, Maths, English and PSME. Topic is a small word for a great deal of discovery, learning and fun.

SPECIALIST LESSONS

Another real advantage of being in a through school, aside from being part of a cohesive community and the lack of worry about where to go next, is that the younger children benefit from the same facilities and teachers as the older children.

The younger children benefit not just from the teachers’ deep knowledge and passion for their subjects, but also from starting to build relationships with teachers that they will learn with throughout their time here at Frensham. This is a very important aspect of both our teaching and learning, but also our pastoral care. Getting to know one another’s strengths and weaknesses and also developing trust and friendship for when children might have worries or just need a chat.

CURRICULUM BREAKDOWN

For the most part, we stick to our timetable, but teachers do have the flexibility to extend activities if the children are really engrossed and make up missed time in another subject later. Lessons are 30 minutes long.

English: 9 lessons per week

Maths: 9 lessons per week

Topic: 4 lessons per week

Science: 3 lessons per week

Personal, Social, Health Education: 1 lesson per week

Philosophy, Religion, Ethics: 1 lesson per week

IT *: 2 lessons per week

French*: 1 lesson per week

PE/Games*: 4 lessons per week

Art: 2 lessons per week

Music*: 1 lesson per week

Dance/Drama*: 2 lessons per week

Forest Class*: 4 lessons per week

* Taught by specialist teacher

SUPPORT FOR LEARNING

Frensham is built on a vision that places the student at its core, offering a unique and progressive educational experience. Every one of Frensham’s students is special and their individuality is something that is cherished. Every student is entitled to an education that meets their needs and Frensham is committed to ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to all of our students. Further details can be found in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities policy document and the English as an Additional Language policy document on our website.

EXTRACURRICULAR

We believe just as much learning happens outside the classroom as within so we offer an extensive array of extracurricular activities to complement our day to day timetable. The extracurricular clubs run at lunchtime and after school. They vary every term, but as they get older, the children have more options to choose from which always include a good variety of creative, physical, musical and inventive activities.

PREVIOUS EXTRACURRICULAR CLUBS FOR YRS 1 – 3

• Contemporary Dance, Ballet, Yoga, Street Dance

• Drawing, Creative Collage

• Recorder, Ukulele

• Swimming, Tri Golf, Football, Cricket, Athletics

• Gardening, Cooking

• Drama

• Spanish

We also have a fleet of minibuses so our youngest children often find themselves going off to a local farm or historical site as well as further afield. They can also often be found exploring and benefiting from the wider campus – the Science Labs, Theatre, Front Lawn or Woodlands.

We have a beautiful Forest Class just behind our Nursery to Year 3 buildings with a wonderful dedicated forest leader. The children spend at least one whole afternoon a week down in Forest Class learning and exploring in the great outdoors.

Our Junior School children also benefit from dress rehearsals of our school productions plus showings of visiting professional productions, all in the Aldridge Theatre.

We believe in letting children be little for longer. In giving them the time and space to grow up at their own pace. Keeping that childhood sense of wonder, their huge imaginations and confident creativity alive and strong for as long as possible.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

DISCIPLINE

Ours is an ethos founded on mutual respect and kindness. With our small class sizes and close relationships between children and teachers, bullying and other behavioural issues are rare and tend to be handled before they can become a problem. If problems do arise, they are handled through calm discussion with each child being given the chance to listen, talk and learn. This in turn is clearly communicated to and discussed with parents. We have boundaries, but not rules for rules sake allowing children to question, develop self-awareness, awareness of others and take responsibility for their actions.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

At the start of each school year we have a teacher/ parent introduction to the year and in the Autumn and Spring terms, we have more structured parents’ evenings where parents can meet with class teachers and specialist subject teachers (Spring term only). Reports are sent out in the Autumn and Summer terms.

Parents are also always welcome to catch–up with teachers at any time they need to either with a chat at the door or a more scheduled meeting. We know our school thrives on having a strong relationship with each of our families, working together and communicating within the school environment and at home. There are also many events during the year when the school community comes together – class assemblies, Christmas plays, Founders’ Day and Bonfire Night to name a few.

NUTRITION

Children will be given healthy snacks (including fruit) and we all eat lunch together as a community. All children have different preferences and our catering team provide a wide range of options to cater to all tastes and allergies and to develop healthy eating habits.

HEALTH CENTRE

We have an onsite Health Centre, staffed by qualified nurses. If a teacher is concerned about a child’s health, they will take them to the Health Centre to be assessed by the nurse who will contact parents if they are concerned or if the child needs to be taken home.

PE KIT

Although we don’t have a school uniform, we still ask that our students are dressed appropriately for all that a school day can offer – which tends to include a lot of running, jumping and climbing trees. For Years 1 to 3, we recommend the children wear a tracksuit on their PE & Games days. This can be purchased through Schoolblazer.