Academic

We use the National Curriculum as a minimum standard but seek to push our pupils beyond the constraints that this imposes.  As an independent prep school, we are fortunate in being able to do this; our curriculum is, therefore, more creative, more dynamic and more engaging for our pupils.

Starting in Nursery, pupils access technology in their classrooms, or in the School’s IT suite. Pupils use School Chromebooks which may be brought into the classrooms for a particular lesson or activity.

All classrooms have interactive whiteboards and teachers use a range of different platforms for both work within lesson times, or to set homework.

Setting in maths and English helps pupils to enjoy a curriculum with stimulating pace, variety and challenge appropriate to their abilities and helps teachers to adapt learning, enabling every learner to maximise academic progress.

In the Junior Department, EYFS and Key Stage 1 Form Teachers, Learning Assistants and subject specialists adapt learning to ensure that each child learns with an appropriate degree of pace, variety and challenge.

Maths sets are only introduced when the maths teachers are satisfied that the children are ready to be split into these distinctive learning groups. This will usually happen during the course of Year 4 or if deemed appropriate, Year 3. One top set exists in English in Year 6, with other teaching groups being mixed ability.

Pupils will learn either French or Spanish, delivered by subject specialist teachers from Nursery to Year 4:

Nursery – Spanish
Reception – French
Year 1 – Spanish
Year 2 – French
Year 3 – Spanish
Year 4 – French

Then in Year 5 they will continue with French and Spanish and will also start learning Latin from Year 6.

Seniors will study French or Spanish in Year 7 and 8 as well as Latin.

Throughout the School, our class sizes are around 20 pupils, and are often smaller.  The maximum number of children in a class is 22.

Our Ignite Programme supports pupils who have shown a particular talent in an area of the curriculum, be this in an academic or co-curricular subject.  The Ignite Programme starts in Year 3 with Ignite Cubs, running through to our oldest pupils in Year 8, who are Ignite Fellows.

Our Learning Support Team works with children across the School who may be in need of a little extra help, be this through one-to-one support in the classroom, interventions, or booster groups.

Please note: It is very important that you share with us all information about your child’s additional needs at time of enquiring, so we can be certain we have the resources to support before progressing with any application you may make to Edge Grove.

At Edge Grove, we have a graduated approach to homework, starting in our Early Years classes with reading and spellings, and then increasing amounts of independent study as pupils move through the School.  If at any point you feel your child is struggling with either the quantity or content of any homework task, it is important you notify their Form Teacher or subject teacher.

We operate an “open door” policy although naturally there are times of the day when it is not possible to speak with teaching staff as they are doing just that!

You will receive regular feedback from teachers in the form of reports and parents’ evenings.

Timetables vary across the different departments of the School, with the length of the day increasing between Years 2 and 3.  Please refer to the Junior, Middle and Senior Department sections of this website for more information about specific timetables at different stages.