Boys and girls from other pre-schools and nurseries are also welcomed at this stage and are carefully integrated with children who have moved from our own Nursery.   We understand and celebrate the differences between boys and girls and ensure that our teaching methods reflect the different demands and aptitude to learning that can be apparent.

Reception 

The Reception year builds upon the foundations laid down in the Nursery in a happy and stimulating environment. Children continue to have fun learning through a structure that has a range of starting points; content that matches the needs of young children and activities that provide opportunities for learning through play and discovery which was positively reviewed in the ISI Inspection Report 2005.  Working alongside a qualified and experienced teacher, each class has a teaching assistant who plays an important role in supporting the children's learning. In addition there is another adult helper who not only supports in the classroom but also supervises and cares for the children during playtimes.    Specialists join us in the teaching of music, PE and ICT; ballet is offered as an extra-curricular activity.

Years 1 and 2 

We continue to build on the children's prior knowledge and provide a rich and wide curriculum for the two years of Key Stage 1.  Again, qualified and experienced teachers are support by teaching assistants and a learning support teacher is also timetabled to be in each class to provide valuable help to individuals and small groups when necessary.  

In addition to the specialist lessons started in Reception, the children start to learn French in small groups. The children make full use of a dedicated, self contained computer suite to support their classroom work. Reading and spelling homework are set on a regular basis. Physical activities are highly valued in the curriculum and the children have the opportunity to develop their ball skills through short tennis, cricket, rounders and football alongside gym, dance and swimming. Boys have football lessons and Oxford United's coaching session, together with the lunchtime football sessions run by boys from Abingdon School, is always popular!

Educational visits, visitors, year group plays and concerts, assemblies, show and tell, circle time (time set aside each week when children and their teachers sit in a circle and take part in fun games and activities designed to increase self-awareness, awareness of others, self esteem, co-operation trust and listening skills. ), 'taking Ted home for a holiday’, judo and gym clubs, add further dimensions that excite the children in the already fun filled weeks.

At the end of their time in the Pre-Prep Department, we believe that the girls are well prepared to take on the new challenges offered to them in the Prep Department and boys at their chosen Prep school.  Boys leaving at 7+ are offered places at Abingdon Prep School, the Junior School of Abingdon School.