PGP_Prospectus_digital booklet web

Principal Mr Tim Cannell

Welcome Parsons Green Prep is an independent day school in London offering a contemporary education for boys and girls from 4 to 11 years of age. The beautiful building and playgrounds have been designed to facilitate successful learning, friendships and a strong sense of school community. Our staff deliver positive, well-planned lessons and encourage children to learn, stretch and achieve both academically and pastorally.

The curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that not only are all the academic targets reached, but also that our children enjoy a diverse and rounded education in preparation for life beyond PGP. Our children go on to some of the best schools in London and further afield and we pride ourselves on establishing here the foundations for lifelong learning.

“The pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. They have extremely well-developed work habits and a positive approach to learning.” – ISI

While success at 11+ remains a key focus throughout your child’s time with us, it is by no means the only one. We are equally driven to instil in everyone an appreciation of the wider world and their place within it. We want children to have a deep understanding of broader culture, from stories and traditions from around the world to history, geography, religion and ethics. Formal lessons are complemented by a strong programme of events and outside speakers throughout the year. This programme of cultural literacy brings many benefits: it shines a light on the richness of the world outside school; it helps to develop higher order thinking skills; it provides our children with stimulating and varied opportunities for personal development.

STEAM As a specialist subject throughout the school, PGP recognises that STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) has unlimited potential to equip our children with lifelong learning skills. The children are taught the engineering design process, encouraged to question everything, leave no possibility unexplored and flip problems on their metaphorical heads until the most effective solution is found.

As well as problem solving, STEAM lessons provide infinite opportunities for teamwork, debate, compromise and critical thinking, articulating their thoughts and discovering new passions along the way.

At PGP we believe that it is essential for our children’s interests to be reflected in their learning, which is why we have designed a curriculum that is as malleable and limitless as the very children that we teach.

Early Years Foundation Stage “Excellent provision in the EYFS gives children a head start in their education.” – ISI

Our Reception setting is safe, creative and nurturing.

Our overarching aim is to develop a love of learning and to instil the habits of mind which ensure future academic success. Curiosity and lateral thinking are encouraged; experimentation and persistence are celebrated. Against this backdrop we work hard on literacy and numeracy but allow plenty of time to learn, discover and flourish through play.

We monitor pupil progress using both standardised assessments and teacher judgment. Together they allow us to track progress from year to year and to identify children for whom extra support or extension activities may be suitable. Regular meetings take place to discuss progress and to refine future lesson planning.

“Chess is huge here, deliberately encouraged to develop logical thinking.” – Good Schools Guide

We inspire our younger children to begin playing chess from Year 1, where they are able to join the Chesslings Club. We teach the rules and tactics of chess and follow the curriculum outlined in the Systematic Study of Chess. In addition to this, all players are expected to master algebraic notation.

This system is internationally recognised and is used to record each move during a game. Chess is one of the most popular after-school activities we offer.

Music and performing arts “Pupils’ personal development is excellent and they are extremely happy at school.” – Good Schools Guide Music and drama are key components of the cultural life of school. For the former, children are taught musical theory and notation as a class, usually with a class instrument (penny whistle, xylophone, recorder, etc) to play on. They will also sing together in the year-group choirs. We offer a wide range of individual music lessons and each term features a tea concert in which pupils play to their parents.

Dramatic opportunities are many, from class assemblies to the four plays we stage every year.

Sports “A good and varied syllabus with much specialist teaching, including music and sports.”

– Good Schools Guide

The children are involved in a wide range of competitive sporting activities including tennis, netball, tag rugby, football, hockey, swimming, cricket, athletics, dance, gymnastics and rounders.

Houses “Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is excellent.” – ISI Upon entry to the school, children are assigned to one of four houses - Astor, Livingstone, Nightingale or Drake. The house names were chosen by the children when the school was founded.

Every house has a house captain and vice-captain.

Nominations for Head Boy and Head Girl are made by the school council, which is made up of a child from every class.

Clubs There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities before and after school. We have many different clubs including STEAM, Young Engineers LEGO, chess, coding, ballet, cookery, Chelsea FC Foundation football, netball, art, choir and astrology.

Residential trips Trips and excursions provide a very valuable educational experience, whether complementing something already on the syllabus or else showing the children something completely new.

While Reception may enjoy a very brief outing to the local fire station, later years may be away for a night or two enjoying outdoor adventures and challenges.

By Year 6 children will spend the best part of a week in the Isle of Wight.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our prospectus and we look forward to seeing you in the future.

Parsons Green Prep is a member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA) and the Independent Associations of Prep Schools (IAPS). This prospectus describes the main principles on which the school is presently run. The prospectus is not part of any agreement between parents and the school.