King's St Alban's Prospectus 2020-21

School Prospectus

Discover Your Passion #DiscoverYourPassion | ksw.org.uk

An independent co-educational day school | 2-11 ksw.org.uk

As a mother, I have found having my children at St Alban’s an absolute pleasure. Both my children have enjoyed and been educated very well at St Alban’s – I think they know this! I know they have both been given an excellent start in life and memories to treasure.

KSA Parent

Welcome A passion for educating the next generation The early school years are so important. At King’s St Alban’s we believe passionately in offering an outstanding all-round education to all our children. We are small enough to care for each and every child; our staff know children and their families well and we are very proud of our reputation for excellent pastoral care. We are also big enough to offer a genuine sense of community and a wide range of opportunities. I want every child to feel safe, secure and happy because we all know that happy children thrive. We are blessed with an attractive, well-positioned site and excellent facilities right next to ‘Big King’s’.

We want all children to achieve, to try new and different things and perhaps find an area of particular interest. We are proud of our inclusive approach to sport, music, dance and drama but equally proud to offer opportunities to those who show a real aptitude in their chosen areas. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to see busy, happy, fulfilled children.

If you are thinking of sending your child to King’s St Alban’s, please come and see the school, meet the children and staff, and learn more about how we do things.

Richard Chapman Head

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Discover King’s St Alban’s King’s St Alban’s is set in an idyllic location on the banks of the River Severn in the heart of Worcester, adjacent to King’s Senior School and the magnificent Worcester Cathedral.

The vibrant, welcoming Pre-Preparatory classrooms complement the Junior School which, although steeped in history, combines up-to-date facilities with the latest stateof-the-art technology.

At King’s St Alban’s, we embrace every child’s individuality and develop their talents through creative, stimulating lessons and varied extra-curricular activities. In an aspirational, nurturing environment, we teach our children to be confident in their own abilities, but also tolerant and respectful of others.

We pride ourselves in ensuring that each child develops a joy of learning and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge that allows them to approach their education with energy. King’s St Alban’s is an inspirational place for your child not only to achieve academically, but also to learn the vital skills that will help them succeed both at school and throughout the rest of their lives.

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Discover the King’s warmth We know from experience that happy children perform best, so we are dedicated to creating a safe, secure and friendly atmosphere in school. We appreciate that every child is different so, from the day they start, we work hard to find out what makes them tick and how we can ensure that every child thrives.

With small class sizes, you can be sure that your child will be cared for and looked after not only by the class teacher, but also by the whole school community. We place great emphasis on your child’s emotional development. Our teachers are outstanding role models and they know and understand every one of their pupils very well, creating a nurturing, tight-knit family environment.

We understand that many parents lead busy lives, so we offer excellent, fee-inclusive, wraparound care from 7.45am until 6.00pm. Clubs generally run from 4.00pm until 5.00pm after which children can be looked after in Late Room. We also run Holiday Clubs for children aged 4 to 13 during the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays.

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Discover outstanding teaching and support At King’s St Alban’s we believe passionately in offering an outstanding education to all our pupils.

Our dedicated teachers foster a love of learning and provide a strong grounding in learning skills.

Children are supported, nurtured and challenged both in and out of the classroom and our ability to personalise learning enables our children to develop invaluable skills such as resilience, curiosity and reflectiveness.

Children discover and build upon the foundations for successful learning which are fostered here. We place a strong emphasis on the core subjects of maths and English whilst also delivering a wide and varied curriculum. Our outstanding facilities and the combination of exceptionally talented, subjectspecific teachers ensure the highest standards of teaching.

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Discover academic excellence We want all our children to achieve what they are truly capable of and we are dedicated to providing everything they need to reach the highest standards possible. Our impressive results at 11+ along with a high standard of musicianship and sportsmanship are testament to this.

We encourage and challenge our pupils to be aspirational, work hard and set very high standards for themselves. In return, we help give them confidence in their ability to succeed. A key feature of the culture of the school is that the children are proud of their own accomplishments and each other’s successes. Our weekly Celebration Assemblies allow achievements of all kinds to be shared and praised by the whole school community.

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Discover a focus on wellbeing We understand that for children to make good progress, they need to develop a positive mindset, as this will encourage a healthy attitude to their learning and allow them to flourish in many areas. To help achieve this, we embrace the ‘Growth Mindset’ method of thinking. It focuses on the belief that a child’s abilities can be developed and improved through dedication and hard work, instilling a resilience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

At King’s St Alban’s, children are encouraged to display ambition, curiosity and creativity in their work and daily lives at school. We encourage our children to be independent learners, to be proud of what they achieve and to appreciate the achievements of others. House points are awarded for attitude and excellent work and groups of children can often be seen in the Head Teacher’s office, proudly talking about their learning.

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Discover a school that takes a creative lead Creativity plays a huge part in making King’s St Alban’s the vibrant place it is and the arts play a central role in the life of the school. Music, art, dance and drama feature in the curriculum for all age groups and specialist music lessons are available. Many of our children achieve success in external performance examinations and children from King’s St Alban’s regularly receive music scholarships on entry to the Senior School.

We embrace a fully inclusive approach, with all children having the chance to play an instrument and participate in one of our two school choirs. Our ensembles include flute group, wind band, orchestra, guitar group and string group. In addition, our annual ‘Creative ConneXions’ production provides Years 3 to 6 with a creative learning journey that draws them together in a deeper exploration of the arts, while allowing them to express themselves and their thoughts through dance.

The musical life of the school is inextricably linked with its Christian ethos. Hymns are an important part of assemblies; Worcester Cathedral choristers receive their education at King’s.

The Carol Service in the Cathedral is a highlight of the year for everyone.

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Discover a healthy body and a healthy mind A healthy body equals a healthy mind and we never underestimate the benefits that taking part in sport can give to children. Whatever a child’s capabilities, we focus on developing individual skills, confidence, team play, competition and enjoyment to get everyone involved. The range of sports at the school enables all our pupils to find something which they really enjoy and can do well in.

Situated alongside the Senior School we are able to offer an outstanding range of sports facilities to our children. We play sports outdoors all year round on our all-weather pitch and our sports fields overlooked by Worcester Cathedral. As well as an indoor, heated 25m swimming pool and large sports hall on our own site, there is a second sports hall, dance studio and climbing wall available on the Senior School campus, just next door.

We have expert coaches in all major sports who ensure that each child has a chance to fulfil their sporting potential. All children will have the opportunity to take part in inter-school fixtures, providing the chance to experience the joy of competition and the spirit of good sportsmanship.

Our children achieve very well on our local circuit and we have had many successes at regional and national level.

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Discover passion beyond the classroom Cultural visits, in-school workshops and our own delightful and varied outdoor spaces provide experiences to enrich our children’s learning and have a profoundly positive impact on their wellbeing.

Our Forest School area is set within the grounds of King’s St Alban’s. Here children develop their social skills with activities designed to nurture self-esteem, communication and respect – both for each other and for the world around them. It is a totally different environment where children benefit from outdoor learning sessions, sitting around a fire pit or simply having fun getting muddy on ‘Welly Wednesday’. Children love learning through playing outside, whatever the weather!

Slightly further afield, in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside, our pupils can tackle horseriding, raft building, archery and nature walks. We also make full use of our own outdoor activity centre, The Old Chapel, set in the idyllic Welsh Black Mountains. Friendships are made and strengthened as the children embrace the freedom of the outdoors, memories of which can last a lifetime. Finally, in Year Six, pupils embrace the opportunity to visit Normandy to practise their French, experience the culture and broaden their minds.

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Discover your path to success Everyone at King’s St Alban’s is aware that the first steps into education are crucial to a child’s development and provide the firm foundations for a life of learning. We are dedicated to helping our pupils embrace and enjoy everything the school has to offer, from academic subjects to the arts and sport.

Pre-Prep (Nursery – Year 2) is the starting point for the inspirational educational journey through the King’s Foundation. The self-contained, modern building is secure, purpose-built and spacious, and the warm, caring, family atmosphere makes every child feel immediately at home. The welcome also extends to all our parents. As well as regular meetings, our door is always open and we are there to discuss every aspect of your child’s life at King’s St Alban’s.

King’s St Alban’s Nursery: age 2-4 At King’s St Alban’s it is our aim to create an active, engaging and exciting learning environment, underpinned by warm, nurturing and supportive staff to help guide children at every stage of their development. We aim to provide children with the strongest possible foundations for their learning journey.

Our curriculum involves activities and experiences to meet the learning and development requirements in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

The children’s progress is monitored carefully and assessed using the Early Learning Goals which show the level of attainment expected by the end of the EYFS

Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum: age 4-5 From the beginning, we instil a love of learning by igniting our children’s natural curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through fun, play-based tasks, that they can actively explore and develop.

We also introduce them to the ‘Growth Mindset’ method of thinking at this stage, nurturing qualities such as perseverance, curiosity and creativity from an early age.

Play is central to the children’s activities and is structured to provide the right balance of learning opportunities. To help engage the children, our teachers select themes that ignite the imagination, for example, ‘People Who Help Us’.

Topics are brought to life by external visits from people such as doctors, dentists and the fire brigade making an unforgettable learning experience.

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Key Stage 1 Curriculum: age 5-7 Year 1 and 2 follow on from the Early Years Foundation Stage with an exciting, hands-on, creative curriculum. This engages children’s imaginations, encourages them to immerse themselves in the subjects and fosters a joy and enthusiasm for learning. Our classes are calm but fun and children are encouraged to work with others and also to develop as individual learners.

All subjects within the curriculum are interwoven into a creative topic which is changed every few weeks. Lessons in the core subjects are taught using ideas based on the topic giving an overriding theme. This ensures that the curriculum continues to inspire and excite.

French, music and sports are taught by subject-specialist teachers and are geared specifically to this age group. Lessons are fun and interactive, ensuring that all pupils have an opportunity to learn new skills, to embrace challenges, to be intrigued by mistakes and to want to keep on learning. Small class sizes ensure that each child is supported and encouraged to extend themselves and to become more independent in their learning.

Junior School Transition We aim to make the transition to the Junior School as smooth and as welcoming as possible for pupils and parents. As children approach the end of their time in Pre-Prep, they will be extremely familiar with many of the teaching staff, pupils and facilities at the Junior School. Throughout their time in Pre-Prep, children will have enjoyed a whole-school, joint playtime each Friday morning, where they can have fun playing games and making friends with the junior pupils.

There is also a ‘transition afternoon’, visits from Year 3 teachers and lunch with a Year 5 ‘buddy’. This process of gently introducing the children to the changes that accompany the move to the Junior School ensures that they come bounding back into school in September of Year 3, happy to meet up with their friends again and ready to face new experiences.

Junior School Curriculum: age 7-11 Building on the foundations of Pre-Prep, we continue to offer a wide, varied and interesting curriculum for our children within which ‘Growth Mindset’ and learning skills are embedded. Our classrooms are purposeful learning environments where everyone strives to do their best, both individually and as a group.

King’s Senior Transition Moving to King’s Senior School is the natural progression for King’s St Alban’s pupils, building on the strong friendships made throughout their time here. Owing to the close proximity of our site to the Senior School, the children are already familiar with many of the outstanding facilities long before they move at 11+.

Maths and English are given the most curriculum time and children also study science (in our own laboratory), the humanities, RE and PSHE. Art, design and technology, French, music and IT are taught by specialist teachers. Sport is an important part of life at King’s St Alban’s and all children have swimming, PE (such as gymnastics and dance) and games lessons (such as rugby and netball). Daily homework tasks are set, providing an ideal home-to-school link and giving parents an insight into their children’s work and progress.

We regularly attend joint school services in the Cathedral. Many Senior School students help out at King’s St Alban’s clubs, creating an atmosphere of familiarity and a seamless transition when the time comes. Perhaps most importantly though, our children are taught in a way that fits perfectly with the culture and ethos of King’s Senior. They acquire all the attributes needed to enable them to flourish from the day they begin there.

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www.ksw.org.uk King’s St Alban’s Mill Street Worcester WR1 2NJ t: 01905 354 906 e: ksa@ksw.org.uk

The King’s School, Worcester: A company limited by guarantee, registered in England.

Registered office: 5 College Green, Worcester WR1 2LL. Company No: 4776324. Registered charity No: 1098236.

The information, terms and conditions set out in this prospectus and all occasional papers may be amended from time to time, and their provisions, subject to any such amendments, shall continue to apply for the whole period during which a boy or girl continues to attend the School, irrespective of his or her age.