An enriched Prep education that aims to achieve deeply embedded learning.

Prep school pupils enjoy a broad and enriched curriculum that aims to achieve deeply embedded learning. Staff focus on individual 'Provision Maps' for each child, which are updated termly, and draw together the expertise of teaching and therapy staff. Class sizes of typically five or six pupils offer personalised learning and 'Quality First' teaching.

Frewen Prep’s exceptional staff, in teaching and vital areas of therapy, co-ordinate their efforts so that children are particularly well-supported and enabled to achieve their true potential. Pupils benefit from systematic and dedicated daily input of ‘Letters and Sounds’, daily writing opportunities, daily individual reading, and a group session of Sound Therapy (helping new neurological pathways to emerge and to support the ‘thinking and learning process’). 

Pupils are supported in their learning by 'Cued Articulation'. The core subjects are English, Mathematics, Science and ICT with specialist teachers sharing a passion for their subjects in Music, Science, PE and games lessons. Literacy skills are woven into a Creative Curriculum. Pupils are also taught thinking and learning skills which are rehearsed and actively developed so that pupils’ preferred learning styles, strengths and weaknesses can be harnessed and energised. 

Prep teachers offer an exciting balance of cross-curricular topics, themes and skills –crucially helping boys and girls to make sense of their learning and knowledge –inspiring pupils to apply these with growing confidence, and fostering a natural curiosity for independent learning. For example, innovative opportunities for developing writing skills (such as poetry, descriptive writing and letter writing) are interwoven with ‘Humanities’ and excitement, as pupils are engaged by artefacts that they find in Frewen's woodlands.

Pupils happily explore and include appropriate use of ICT in their learning, such as using laptop computers, cameras, various programmes for a wide range of subjects in our ICT suite, through virtual learning environments and interactive whiteboards, and gaining touch-typing skills.

Frewen Prep pupils are taught in small groups and with an excellent range of custom-built facilities such as spacious and creative classrooms, well-equipped therapy rooms, a pottery studio, a food technology room and prep therapists’ training room. Pupils enjoy weekly choir practice and class music lessons with many choosing to play a musical instrument under the tuition of expert, visiting peripatetic staff.

Sport plays a key role in pupils’ personal development and is provided by specialist PE and games staff. Frewen Prep pupils participate in local prep and primary sporting events such as challenging cross-country races, hosted amongst Frewen College’s 60 acres of wonderful grounds. We encourage children to give their best in all that they do – including sports – so that our weekly Mandeville PE Award recognises extra special effort in PE and games lessons.

Assessment of pupils’ learning is a continuous process. For instance, in one aspect of our creative curriculum, children compile huge and detailed project books each term, taking pride in their work, so that invaluable progress is evident. Teachers seek to recognise and praise children’s achievements whilst aware that self-criticism and self-assessment are key aspects of becoming an independent learner. ‘Step by step’ improvements are celebrated and ‘next steps’ are discussed alongside targets for areas of improvement.

Prep pupils are expertly taught and helped to manage their disappointments and mistakes (as constructive and helpful steps along the path to deep, embedded learning) with consistent guidelines and friendly feedback. Importantly, observations and reflection from pupils, teachers, teaching assistants and therapists are regularly shared and valued with parents, so that effective communication and teamwork builds pupils’ well-deserved success.