N U R S E R Y & P R E - P R E PA R AT O R Y S C H O O L • AG E S 3 - 8
There’s one motto we live by at King’s, and that’s simply ‘Work hard, play hard and look after each other’ no matter what age you are...
Welcome to KING’S SCHOOL ROCHESTER At King’s Nursery and Pre-Preparatory School, our children are at the heart of all that we do. We pride ourselves not only on the excellence of our teaching, but also on the level of individual care and attention we give to make sure that every child has a happy and positive start to school life. For them, school should be an exciting time - something they look forward to! This is where they take their first steps towards independence, learning and being a valued member of a wider community. Our School is a vibrant, exciting place to be, and has been rated ‘Excellent’ in all areas by our latest ISI inspection report. Children come through the door in the morning beaming and leave with the same smile at the end of the day. Our dedicated staff provide a rich and stimulating environment where curiosity and enthusiasm to learn are fostered. King’s offers a fun, varied and rich experience, where the solid foundations of ‘learning for life’ are built. We are a school with a strong sense of family, where our Christian foundations support our whole community and instil care, kindness and thought for one another. This is true from Nursery all the way through to the Sixth Form and beyond - King’s is very much a ‘School for Life.’ I hope that this booklet gives you an insight into our School, however nothing beats coming to see us in action! Please feel free to get in touch to arrange a tour or taster day - we’d love to show you around.
Kellie Crozer Head of King’s Nursery & Pre-Preparatory School
W ELCO M E TO K IN G ’ S S CH O O L R O CHE S T ER 1
PASTORAL CARE Children flourish in this safe and secure environment, where they feel happy and confident. Strong relationships between pupils and teachers are a fundamental characteristic of the King’s ethos. We know that excellent pastoral care underpins all aspects of personal development and academic performance, and it’s vital that every single pupil feels they belong and are valued. We want everyone in our School to be happy and healthy - both physically and mentally. From Nursery to Year 3, a high pupil-staff ratio creates plenty of opportunities for interaction, support and encouragement. Pupil wellbeing is a priority and each classroom has a dedicated relaxed learning area. From an early age, pupils are taught the values of kindness to others and working as part of a team. In the Pre-Preparatory School all children join a ‘House’ and the regular House competitions provide a chance for everyone to have a go at something new and different. House competitions are keenly contested and the sheer number of events is impressive, including the hilarious House pancake race, House winter race, House tie tying, House tiddlywinks, House bake off and House poetry. The House system importantly enables children to build relationships up and down the School for that added sense of community and belonging. Our children are recognised and rewarded for kindness, good manners and politeness by the giving of House tokens. These are much coveted, and whichever House collects the most has the accolade of seeing their colour ribbons worn by the House bear. Truly one of the highlights of the school year! When our pupils leave the Pre-Preparatory School they are already developing into responsible and confident young people, ready to tackle the next challenge! More information on our safeguarding policies can be found on our website. 2 PA S TO R A L C A R E
Children are at the heart of everything that we do.
PA S TO R A L C A R E 3
NURSERY Nursery at King’s is a warm, nurturing and lively place for children to begin their school adventure. In Nursery, our pupils’ learning is based on the
discovering activities and time for play. Specialist
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, but we
teachers also teach our Nursery children French
have the freedom to expand upon this to ensure
twice a week, along with Music, using the
we maximise each child’s potential.
acclaimed Colourstrings approach.
Our children enjoy a stimulating educational
Independence is promoted from an early age,
journey. Lively nurture groups promote the
with children encouraged to put coats, socks and
development of social skills through exploration
shoes on themselves, find equipment in the
and discovery, and we are proud of our fun
classroom, and even pour their own drinks.
movement-based BEAM programme developed
All our children sit with a teacher at lunch time,
by qualified Physiotherapists. Children
and this encourages good table manners and
experience the world beyond the Nursery
social interaction with adults and children.
through regular local trips, and the historic and beautiful Cathedral and Castle visits are
To keep track of their children’s progress, photos
especially popular.
are shared on a daily basis with parents through the SEESAW platform. We also have regular
Each child’s development is supported with
parents evenings, and of course parents can
excellent classroom resources and secure access
always speak to our teachers at drop off and pick
to outdoor spaces, where they have lots of fun
up time if they have any concerns or worries.
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NURSERY 5
6 RECEPTION
RECEPTION This friendly family environment builds children’s confidence and is the perfect setting for young, developing minds. Reception classes follow the EYFS programme, enabling teachers to plan inspiring yet focused daily schedules. Each day is rich with variety, blending play-based ‘Learning and Exploring’ sessions with teacher-led activities. Children are encouraged to explore and move freely between our well-equipped inside and outside spaces. Whether it’s splashing around in wellies, changing for PE or sharpening pencils, children develop quickly and begin to understand the world around them. A much-loved area for real adventures is our beautiful woodland known affectionately as ‘The Alps’ where we promote outdoor learning. Here children can construct little hedgehog houses, enjoy scavenger hunts and even build their own dens. At this stage speaking and listening skills progress rapidly and children learn to communicate confidently with adults and other children.
RECEPTION 7
Homework at King’s We think that giving children homework is a great way to encourage independent learning, as well as helping to consolidate the learning pupils do in the classroom. Starting in Reception, pupils come home with “tricky words” to practice and a reading book each day. In Year 1, we start to introduce weekly spelling tests, along with a weekly piece of Maths or English work. In Year 2 and Year 3, pupils are also given a topic to complete over the weekend. We invite parents to attend a ‘Curriculum Evening’ in September of every year, which includes an outline of the weekly homework schedule for that year.
8 H O M E W O R K AT K I N G ’ S
YEAR 1 With our broad and stimulating curriculum, Year 1 is when King’s education brings learning to life. Year 1 builds seamlessly upon the strong foundational skills developed in Nursery and Reception. With daily lessons in English and Mathematics, and other subjects being taught on a weekly basis, children quickly adapt to a more structured academic programme. It’s not all hard graft though, and children love their ‘Golden Time’ on Friday afternoons – a fitting reward for their effort during the week. At King’s we actively teach our children to be independent learners - an invaluable skill as they progress through the school. Children are encouraged and challenged in equal measure through a motivational and adaptive approach to teaching, and they get many opportunities to develop PSHEE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) skills both through formal teaching and via day-to-day school life. Digital technology is threaded throughout the curriculum, which helps to create an immersive and engaging learning experience for our pupils. There is an exciting programme of specialist teaching in Music, French and Games and pupils enjoy swimming lessons with a specialist teacher in our own pool. Classroom learning is supported with a diverse range of school trips which provide fantastic opportunities to broaden horizons, bringing learning to life.
YEAR 1 9
YEAR 2 Children progress rapidly in Year 2 and become confident, independent young learners. During the year, children increasingly engage with the world around them, and are introduced to incredibly varied and engaging topics, and this leads to an inquisitive and enquiring mindset. Pupils in Year 2 enter the second and final year of study at Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum. Throughout this stage, we encourage pupils to learn key skills such as sharing, analysis, reading and investigation - helping them to think and learn independently. Appreciation of music and learning to play musical instruments are incredibly important, and music enriches every aspect of daily school life at King’s. One on one music tuition begins in Year 2, taught by peripatetic teachers and our Director of Music. English lessons focus on building confidence in reading, writing, and spelling/ phonics. Pupils learn to voice their opinions and there is a strong emphasis on daily reading at school and at home. In Mathematics we teach our children core concepts, with a focus on key skills so they develop real knowledge and understanding. Pupils also have regular times tables sessions which are tested weekly. We teach English and Mathematics on a daily basis, with Science, Computing, History, Geography, Religious Studies, PHSEE, Art and Design, P.E. and Swimming taught on a weekly basis. Children continue with regular French lessons taught by our specialist language staff. The school experience is enhanced with fun and engaging trips to a range of exciting destinations such as Reculver (Coastal Science trip) and the Short Brothers Tour (History) to name a few.
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A C AY D EA EM R I2C 0 11 9
YEAR 3 An important and inspiring year when pupils begin the Key Stage 2 curriculum programme. Although this is the start of a key academic
demonstrate an in-depth understanding of
period, we never lose sight of our childrens’
mathematical concepts. Similarly, Science lessons
happiness. Our amazing teachers make learning
build confidence in understanding basic concepts
great fun and aim to bring out the very best in
and ensure the development of analytical skills,
every child.
through practical investigations and problem
Pupils are taught English and Mathematics lessons five times a week, establishing a strong foundation in these core subjects. In addition, we offer a diverse curriculum that covers Science with a special emphasis on STEM, Religious Studies, History, Geography, Music, Computing, PSHEE
solving. Pupils often work in pairs or larger groups, learning the benefits of collaboration and teamwork. There are also regular visits each term from a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) presenter, to encourage enjoyment and build knowledge of technology and engineering.
(Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education),
Children will be expected to complete homework
along with Art and Design. These subjects are
throughout the week – this may include Spelling,
explored through half-termly topics, allowing our
English, Maths and other topic work. This is in
pupils to delve deep into each subject area.
addition to their regular reading practice. We
Regular French language lessons, develop
mainly set homework through the SEESAW
language proficiency and foster a
platform and usually expect children to complete
global perspective.
this in their homework books.
Throughout the School, pupils have access to a
Leadership opportunities abound across the
suite of digital learning tools to aid learning across
School, and the House Captain, Vice-Captain and
the curriculum. To support mental and physical
Prefect roles are important and highly prized.
health, specialist teaching in P.E takes place twice
Those selected make a strong contribution to
a week, along with a weekly swimming lesson.
daily school life and become important role
In English, we introduce the Accelerated Reading
models for younger children.
Programme designed to develop independent
Throughout Year 3 there is close collaboration
choice and comprehension. Oral skills are also
between both the Pre-Preparatory and
enhanced through plenty of opportunities for
Preparatory Schools, with both Heads ensuring
speaking in class, assemblies and
that academic continuity is maintained and
Cathedral services.
individual progress carefully monitored. Many
Pupils learning Maths are grouped in order to allow them to work at their own pace and foster a greater sense of independence. There is an emphasis on developing confidence in problem solving and reasoning, along with an ability to
12 YEAR 3
transition activities take place in Year 3 to prepare pupils for their exciting move to the Preparatory School - something they always look forward to!
Tracking Progress at King’s It’s really important to us that each child gets the best out of their education. To support this, in Nursery and Reception years we regularly keep track of each pupils’ literacy and maths skills, which helps us to identify whether additional support is needed. From Year 1 onwards, we track our children’s progress against National Key Objectives in English, Maths and Science, in addition to end of year tests. By understanding how each child is learning, we’re able to give them the best possible start to their educational journey.
TR ACKING PROGRESS 13
Co-curricular CLUBS & ACTIVITIES King’s has a fantastic breadth of co-curricular opportunities designed to appeal to everyone. We are committed to educating the whole
Music making is an incredibly important aspect
child, and provide a richly varied co-curricular
of daily school life at King’s, with pupils being
programme to appeal to children of all abilities
able to experience the joy of learning a musical
and interests.
instrument from Year 2. Children can learn the
The majority of co-curricular activities are free and our children enjoy clubs and activites like Running, Football, Multisports, Craft, Chess, Well-being, Lego, Science, Story, Construction, and Observational Drawing. There is a small fee for our clubs that are led by specialist staff, including LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), Cheerleading, Martial Arts, Yoga and Ballet. Clubs take place during lunchtimes and after school.
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Guitar, Cello, Violin, Flute, Piano, and Clarinet, to name just a few. Our ‘Music Pods’, nestled just outside the entrance to Chadlington House, provide a perfect setting for pupils to learn with our team of instrumental teachers.
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Before and after SCHOOL CARE Many parents appreciate the reassurance and support of our wraparound care provision. We know that our parents have demanding and
3.30pm to 6.30pm (Nursery, Reception and
busy lives and our wraparound care provides a
Year 1) and 3.40pm to 6.30pm (Year 2 and Year 3).
warm, homely and supportive environment for
Wraparound care has a supplementary charge.
your child.
A ‘walking bus’ service is available for children
Breakfast Club and After School Club take place
in the Pre-Preparatory School, which meets
in our beautiful Rookwood House building and
every morning at 8:25am on Roebuck Road
are delivered by a team of fully qualified staff.
and is run by two members of staff. The walking
Meals, snacks and drinks are provided, and
bus provides a convenient location for parents
children have access to three playrooms and a
to ‘stop and drop’ their children, whilst also
self-contained playground.
providing a healthy start to their day. An
Before school, our Breakfast Club starts from 7.30am to 8.25am, with last breakfast being served at 8.10am. After School Club runs from
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on-site bike shed is available for children that ride a bike or scooter to school.
MOVING ON UP The transition to the Preparatory School is a seamless and happy experience, thanks to our ‘One School’ ethos. We make every effort to ensure that each child
to ensure all teachers are aware of each child’s
has a seamless and happy experience when
educational and pastoral needs when moving on.
moving up.
Another important aspect is our Cathedral ‘buddy’
During Year 3, there are numerous opportunities
system which begins mid term, with older pupils
to get to know the Preparatory School, and we
escorting younger pupils to Cathedral services.
organise activities to help children understand
This means that when a pupil starts in Year 4,
the next stage of their academic journey. Children
they will already have a ‘buddy’ from Year 8
soon recognise that some of their teachers and
who can help them settle into life in the
staff also work in the Preparatory School, and this
Preparatory School.
familiarity is important and ensures continuity. Staff also work very closely across both schools
MOVING ON UP 19
FURTHER INFORMATION At King’s School Rochester, we work with families to ensure that the admissions process supports you and your child every step along the way. To find out more information or to schedule a visit to the School, please contact us on +44 (0) 1634 888590, or email
Our School Day
admissions@kings-rochester.co.uk 7.30am - 8.25am
Option of Breakfast Club (last breakfast served at 8.10am)
8.25am
Gates open, children enter school and welcomed by class teacher
8.45am
Gates close and Registration time
8.55am
Assembly for Reception to Year 3 Learning begins for Nursery
9.20am
Lessons begin Reception to Year 3
10.30am - 11.00am
Break/Snack for Reception to Year 3
11.00am - 12.15am
Lessons continue until lunchtime
12.15pm - 1.25pm
Lunch & Playtime
1.25pm - 3.30pm
Afternoon school for Nursery, Reception & Year 1 pupils
off and pick up. Instead, if you are arriving by car,
1.25pm - 3.40pm
Afternoon school for Year 2 and Year 3 pupils
there are numerous car parks nearby which can
3.30pm
End of the school day for Nursery, Reception and Year 1 pupils
3.40pm
End of the school day for Year 2 and Year 3 pupils
3.30pm - 4.20pm
After-School Clubs
3.30pm - 6.30pm
Option of After School Club for Nursery, Reception and Year 1
3.40pm - 6.30pm
Option of After School Club for Year 2 and Year 3
Visit Us The best way to get a real sense of the School is to visit us. We offer private tours and taster days during term time and hold two whole school Open Mornings each year.
School Fees Fees are charged in advance and reviewed annually, with additional charges kept to a minimum. Further information about fees and charges are available on our website within the Admissions section.
Parking Due to the central and historic location of our School, there is very limited parking during drop
be found at en.parkopedia.co.uk.
For more information on admissions, fees, and term dates, scan the QR code
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Come and experience our School for yourself. Meet our pupils, talk with our staff, and feel the welcoming and inspiring atmosphere that makes King’s School Rochester so unique.
NURSERY & PRE- PREPAR ATORY SCHOOL Chadlington House • Lockington Grove • Rochester • Kent • ME1 1RH Telephone +44 (0)1634 888566
www.kings-rochester.co.uk