The curriculum is designed to give all children a broad, balanced and relevant education, which enables them to develop as enthusiastic, active and competent learners acquiring the knowledge, skills and understanding to allow them to grow up in today’s world leading a full and active life. The school’s ethos places emphasis on the individual and aims to encourage development in academic, physical, spiritual, moral and cultural aspects of the ‘whole child’.

The teaching is multi-sensory, allowing children of all abilities and learning styles to be able to make progress in their learning. Differentiation is integral to the curriculum and children with special needs are well supported, as are the gifted and talented, who go on to achieve scholarship success.

The schemes of work are based upon the National Curriculum, the Jersey Curriculum and the requirements of the ISEB Common Entrance and Scholarship syllabuses.

The school prepares children for Common Entrance and Scholarships to English boarding secondary schools as well as entry to local Jersey establishments. Classes are small and there is a very low pupil to teacher ratio. All the normal subjects are taught and there are flourishing and well equipped Art, Music, Science, Design Technology and ICT departments as well as a custom built Sports Hall, Dance/Drama Studio, Gymnasium and indoor Swimming Pool.

The school believes that interpersonal communication is important today in an age of electronic messaging, so children take part in class Assemblies, drama productions and concerts, which help develop their public speaking and performance skills. They recognise the importance of body language, facial expression and vocal tone.

Physical Education

The school has a well-staffed and exciting PE department offering an unusually wide variety of sports from rugby and netball to surfing, sailing and fencing. Regular sporting tours are arranged both to and from England and Guernsey and there are weekly fixtures with local school teams.

Music

The enjoyment of music is taken seriously in the school, which offers individual tuition in a wide variety of instruments. The three school choirs participate locally and nationally in events and competitions. The school also has two orchestras and a number of ensemble groups (strings, woodwind and brass). Assemblies for worship are held every day, where the emphasis is on Christian values. Local clergy and other visitors are invited to participate.

Trips and Activities

The curriculum is enriched and enhanced by numerous trips and visits as Jersey has an array of museums, cultural sites of interest and environmental locations which bring alive learning for the children. In the Trinity Term the school runs an Activities’ Week, which takes Years 7 and 8 to France, Year 6 to Herm and France and Year 5 take part in island-based activities.

Assessments and Reporting

For children in Year 3 and above there are twice-termly Assessment Assemblies, recognising and recording academic achievement and effort. Form teachers discuss progress and effort with each child in their class immediately after this Assembly. Reporting to parents is carried out each term, either verbally or in writing. Pre-Prep and Juniors have two verbal reports and a summative end of year report, whereas the Seniors have one verbal and two written reports. The Headmaster and his staff are available for consultation at other times by arrangement. Close liaison between parents and staff is encouraged.

Opportunities and Challenges

As well as providing a wide range of academic subjects, the school seeks to introduce each child to a large variety of sports, activities and challenges enabling him or her to discover, through experience, hidden talents and preferences with a view to future specialisation. Every child is allocated to one of four Houses, which compete against each other in sports, general knowledge, spelling and in collecting House points for effort. Particular emphasis is placed upon good manners, care, consideration and courtesy.