From curious questions to confident answers, our challenging curriculum, first-class facilities, and expert staff inspire every child to reach their academic potential.
In Years 3 and 4 the children are encouraged to become more independent in their thinking, learning and personal organisation.
They spend around 60% of their time with their class teacher, who teaches them the core subjects, whilst lessons in Design Technology, Art, Music, French, and Science are delivered in specialist classrooms. By the end of Year 4, they are extremely well-equipped for the transition to Year 5.
Our children have changed significantly; they have greater confidence, are noticeably happy with a marked improvement in their academic performance.
Lessons are taught by specialist teachers in superbly resourced classrooms. Secure and productive relationships are developed with all of their teachers, ensuring that children acquire knowledge and develop thinking skills and individual learning styles. All classes in Years 3 to 5 are taught as mixed ability. Differentiation in the classroom ensures that each child receives the support or challenge they need, and if additional help is required, the Learning Support department is available to provide it. As children move to Year 6, they are likely to be placed in sets for Maths and English.
From Year 7, the curriculum focuses on The Downs Malvern Baccalaureate, alongside preparation for senior school scholarships. Latin and a second modern language, German or Spanish, are added at this stage, in addition to Drama and Study Skills modules. Setting continues in English and Maths and is introduced in Science, French, Latin, and other subjects where appropriate, with all sets being flexible and fluid, so that children work at the pace that suits them best. The children are assessed using both termly assessments and more formal internal exams whereupon movements between sets may be necessary.
At the start of Years 3, 5 and 7, children take standardised assessments in Verbal, Quantitative and Non-Verbal skills, plus Reading and Spelling; the scrutiny of these scores allows pupils’ individual learning needs to be identified and teaching to be tailored to ensure the best possible outcome.
We believe in the importance of private study and academic skills. Formal prep is not regularly set for Years 3 and 4; however, younger children are asked to learn spellings, times tables, and to practice basic Maths skills and regular reading, and may also be asked to research a topic being studied. Year 5 has three supervised prep periods per week in Maths, English and Science. They are also expected to read at home, learn spellings and practice basic Maths skills. Years 6, 7 and 8 have two 30-minute preps on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, although Wednesday prep is set over several days. Children are expected to do the vast majority of their prep whilst at school.
Saturday mornings are not formal teaching days; however, our Saturday morning Hobbies programme is in full swing until lunchtime, with occasional school sports fixtures or training sessions in the afternoon.
Whether joining as a day pupil or boarder, we welcome children at any time throughout the academic year, whereupon they will receive a warm welcome and quickly feel ‘at home’ in our close school community.
As one of the leading independent schools in the UK, we are experts at achieving the very best outcomes for each pupil and ensure that they progress to the senior school of their choice, whether at our sister school, Malvern College, or further afield.
