Junior PrepJunior Prep - Years 3 to 5 Years 3 to 5 represent the 'gear changing' stage of your child's career at the school. The children begin Year 3 as confident individuals who enjoy learning in the company of their classmates. By the end of Year 5 they have begun to work independently, to know their strengths and to begin to have a feel for what they might go on to achieve as they grow up. Academic rigour is the key, supported by close monitoring of each child's performance by their teachers and detailed reporting back to parents at termly Parents' Evenings, and by end-of-term reports. Barrow Hills subscribes to the concept of multiple intelligences and an important aim of Junior Prep is to identify where each child's strengths and weaknesses lie and to implement actions to develop strengths and remedy weaknesses. The children grow up signifcantly during these three years, and their teaching environment develops by the steady replacement of teaching by the Form Teacher with specialist teaching which will be the basis of their education in the Upper Prep department. The Junior Prep stage increases the focus on spiritual, moral and social development. The children are encouraged to become aware of their obligations to other members of the school and wider communities and to develop further their knowledge of the outside world. Their relationships with other members of the school are fostered by becoming a member of one of the school Houses, taking part in team work and a weekly specialist lesson in Personal, Social & Health Education and Citizenship. They begin to become involved in charity work by raising money for two schools with whom Barrow Hills has developed close ties. Linden Lodge School is in Wimbledon and provides specialist education for children with visual impairments and other disabilities. St Benoit School is a Catholic primary school in Burkina Faso with whom our children are able to communicate over the internet. We enhance the Junior Prep's understanding of the outside world by increased use of our Forest School, taking part in residential visits to adventure-based or educational locations and experiencing a wide range of organised extra-curricular activities under the PRISM banner. Art, Drama, Music and Sport play a very important part in the life of a child in Junior Prep. Our 'Sport for All' policy ensures that all Junior Prep children can play for the school in representative team sports. They are strongly encouraged to sing in the Junior Choir and to play at least one musical instrument so that they can perform in one of our orchestral ensembles. The development of self-confidence and the ability to speak and perform in public are important. To this end, each year Junior Prep puts on a major dramatic or musical production giving opportunities to every child to develop expertise and confidence on stage. Paul Crisell, Head of Junior Prep paul.crisell@barrowhills.org.uk
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