THE PREBENDAL SCHOOL an Excellent Education in the Heart of Chichester Prospectus 2018-2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE PREBENDAL SCHOOL An excellent education in the heart of Chichester Prospectus 2018-2019 11+ & 13+ Experts Fun & flexible boarding The Pre-Senior Baccalaureate Space to flourish in a city location Wraparound care to suit busy families Unique links with Chichester Cathedral Range of scholarships & bursaries available Musical excellence with world-class Choristers Impressive scholarship record for senior schools Outdoor Learning with Beach School & amphitheatre A thriving Nursery & Pre-Prep with Beach School status Admissions: [email protected] | 01243 520970 Co-Ed Day & Boarding 3-13 www.prebendalschool.org.uk From the Head Louise Salmond Smith A very warm welcome to The Prebendal School. I hope this prospectus gives you an insight into the unique nature of our school, which is situated alongside the historic setting of Chichester Cathedral in the heart of the city. Choosing the right school for your son or daughter is one of the most important decisions that you will have to make. Please browse this prospectus and begin to get a flavour of our wonderful school. Our children are part of a caring community where encouragement, praise and understanding are deeply embedded in the culture of our school. Our youngest children start in the Pre-Prep which gives the children an excellent introduction into school life in a small and caring community. As they progress through the school, the classes remain small - an optimum of 16 pupils in a class enables pupils to have the right balance of individual attention coupled with the benefits of socialisation and a healthy exchange of ideas. The children have many opportunities, both within and outside the classroom, to grow in self-confidence and flourish as learners and individuals. You will undoubtedly have many questions and I hope that the information provided here will be of interest to you; however, I urge you to come and visit us and see for yourselves the excellent values and ethics that makes The Prebendal School such a special place. Alternatively, for a more informal visit, assemblies on Tuesdays and Thursdays take place in Chichester Cathedral. These are open to the public, as well as to parents, and you are warmly encouraged to come and experience the unique environment that encourages all of our pupils to be the very best version of themselves. 2 The Prebendal School Prospectus 2018-2019 The Prebendal Nursery From the very first day, our warm and nurturing environment inspires confidence and a passion for learning. Our Nursery has a unique and enviable location in the heart of historic Chichester. The earliest a child can attend our Nursery is from the term in which they turn three years old. Our qualified teachers ensure that individual interests and needs are catered for, and every child has the opportunity to develop at their own pace. We encourage active imaginations and creative expression and we are passionate about the benefits of outdoor education which include our status as a Beach School. The children also love our outdoor classroom, and the abundant natural resources right on our doorstep including the Bishop’s Gardens and the spacious Prebendal playing fields. Prebendal Beach School The Prebendal School Prospectus 2018-2019 3 Nursery to Year 2 Our Pre-Prep Our Pre-Prep department educates children from Nursery through to Year 2. We welcome children moving up from our Nursery whilst, for some, this is their first experience of The Prebendal when they start school in Reception. Classes are small enabling a great deal of individual attention and there is a lovely family-friendly atmosphere. The Pre-Prep is a dedicated team of teachers who are committed to giving each child the best possible start to their school life. The children all learn in our bright and colourful purpose-built building called Highleigh. Children in our Pre-Prep go on a wide range of trips and outings which enhance their learning. Not only is The Prebendal an official Beach School, but we also provide many opportunities to enjoy the sights and sounds of historic Chichester and further afield. Our close links with Chichester Cathedral also mean the children enjoy spending time in the Cathedral for workshops, concert performances, assemblies and other events. Their own plays, Sports Day, Prize Giving and concerts add to their learning journey. 4 The Prebendal School Prospectus 2018-2019 At a Glance 8:15am Pre-Prep classrooms are open 8:40am Registration 11:45am Lunch for EYFS (Nursery & Reception) 12noon Lunch for KS1 (Years 1 & 2) 1:10pm Collection from Nursery morning session 3pm Pick Up EYFS children (Nursery & Reception) 3:10pm Pick Up KS1 children (Years 1 & 2) 4:20pm Collection of children involved in activities 5pm Collection of children in After School Club (can be extended by arrangement) Pupils from Year 1 have a subject specialist teacher for French, Year 2 pupils are taught Art by the Head of Department, and Sport for Years 1 and 2 is undertaken by specialist sports staff. The Prebendal School Prospectus 2018-2019 5 Year 3 to Year 8 The Prep School Years 3 to 8 form our Prep School and our small classes allow our teaching staff to focus on the needs of the individual. Years 3 and 4 build upon the excellent foundation laid by our Pre-Prep department and a rich and varied curriculum is delivered. Subject specialist teachers also maximise the potential of each child. Progress is closely monitored and parents are kept informed via formal written reports, attainment and effort grades and meetings as well as informal consultations should specific concerns arise. The Form Tutor is a regular point of contact for the pupils and there are teachers responsible for more serious issues relating to pastoral matters. We also provide a comprehensive programme for those who need additional support. 1:1 iPad Learning Pupils in Year 8 use iPads as an additional tool to enrich their learning. Tablet technology has revolutionised learning through apps that aid revision, help children to stay organised, engage them through augmented reality, help them produce their own revision aids, and enable them to access resources quickly and easily via our own Online Learning Hub. We use iPads as a fantastic way to embed technology within the working habits of our pupils. Children in Years 6-8 are also able to apply for the position of Digital Leader and successful pupils form a working party to provide training, classroom support, and to test new apps. 6 The Prebendal School Prospectus 2018-2019 Pre-Senior Baccalaureate The PSB encourages strong partnerships between parents and schools that promote an understanding of how each individual child learns. With the clear target of developing lifelong learners, we believe it is important for parents to have clear access to what is being studied and an understanding of why. In PSB schools, children continue to have a minimum of two assessment tests per year and the relationship between knowledge and skills remains very important. At Prebendal, we continue to teach the Common Entrance syllabus because we believe it is excellent preparation for GCSE. However, the teaching is underpinned by the PSB core skills of Thinking and Learning, Reviewing and Improving, Communicating, Collaboration and Leadership. What makes the PSB distinctive is the active and focused development of skills at the heart of a traditional curriculum. Alongside a grading system for academic study there is one for the core skills, and this is monitored with input from all staff. This will be monitored through a tutorial system focused on individual personal development, as well as the vertical structure within Houses. Tutors meet regularly with children in their groups and also hold 1:1 meetings when they go through all aspects of school life and the development of an individual’s academic and extra-curricular profile. The aim is to ensure that by the time pupils leave The Prebendal, they will have developed a secure understanding of how they learn, strong independent and collaborative learning skills, and also experienced leadership. In schools that have been running a PSB skills based curriculum, it is clear that they take far greater ownership of, and interest in, their learning than is the case in a purely knowledge-based curriculum. Gradually, the PSB core skills will filter down to the lower end of the school and will form a significant part of what makes Prebendal such an exciting and forward-thinking place for a child to be at school. The Prebendal Extended Project (PEP) This is part of the PSB, enabling pupils to focus less on the narrowness of endless spoon-feeding of information for exams, and more on the joy of discovering and investigating things for themselves. Whilst our pupils continue to focus on English, Maths and Science for Common Entrance, we facilitate a love of learning and ensure that pupils are ready for the broader aspects of life, and not just exams. The issues pupils may wish to address may be of a social, political, ethical or philosophical nature. A specific topic or question may be probed with much greater depth than would usually be achieved with an essay. A PEP could take the shape of a field study or investigation, cultivating research and analysis techniques and fostering a love for a subject area. The Prebendal School Prospectus 2018-2019 7 Quadrivium At The Prebendal School, we are keen to support pupils who want to really push the boundaries of their knowledge, critical and interdisciplinary thinking, philosophy and high- order questioning skills. Quadrivium is our programme of academic excellence for all pupils in Years 6-8. Once a week, pupils are grouped vertically and challenged with sessions appropriate to their stage.