In the Pre-Prep there is a strong emphasis on how to develop and enrich the childrens’ learning both inside and outside the classroom; not only within school but also in the wider community. Ensuring that the activities planned are giving them new experiences, extending them, making their learning more meaningful and rewarding as well as making school life more fun.
As a team we have focussed on developing how we teach topic sessions, encouraging the children to take ownership, feedback and reflect on their learning. By using a more enquiry based learning approach it allows the children to look at subjects in more depth, and gives them opportunities to explore and use their imagination.
Enrichment in the classroom
During our topic sessions our aim is to take the curriculum subjects and expand them, looking at them in more detail or from a different perspective. This offers the children more breadth and depth of learning. All children are given the opportunity to ask questions and suggest activities throughout their topic, during the sessions and also using an online pinboard. So far this term children have learnt a huge array of things including;
- Learning the difference between dinosaur, pterosaur and Pteranodons
- Which is colder, the arctic or the antarctic?
- Famous explorers – including Roald Amundsen who Roald Dahl was named after
- Arctic animals and how they adapt to their environment
- Enrichment outside of the classroom
On top of all of the incredible learning in the classroom the children have a range of enrichment opportunities outside of the classroom. Jackie’s Woodland sessions are always packed with fantastic activities, with the children coming back rosie cheeked, muddy and brimming with facts. There was much excitement when the children recently went on a mushroom hunt, identifying poisonous and non poisonous mushrooms. This was then extended by talking about mycelium.
This term the curriculum has been jam packed with events for the whole Pre-Prep;
- Diwali workshops,
- Testing to see if materials were flammable – down in the Woodlands
- Christmas Craft Day
- Hedgehog visit
- Jaws and Claws – Reptile visitors
- Getting involved with house events – whole school trip to Bedes
- Christmas plays where all the children performed on the stage both singing and acting
- Trips to Drusillas,
- Visits to ‘Young at Heart’ in old Heathfield
- Postcards to people in the Community
- Sending Christmas gifts and cards to people who will be spending Christmas in hospital
Laura Ward
Categories: Pre Prep
