Prep

The Art curriculum utilises a carefully planned scheme of work which focuses on skill progression from Early Years to Year 6. Children in Years 3 to 6 are taught by a specialist teacher and have an hour of Art each week.

Pupils experience a wide range of creative activities including observational drawing, painting, collage, printmaking and textiles. They also explore various types of three dimensional skills such as clay, wire and mixed media sculpture and they are encouraged to work collaboratively as well as on their own individual pieces.

Wherever possible, children are encouraged to take initiative and develop projects in their own way. They are actively involved in evaluating their progress allowing for them to achieve high standards whilst having creative fun. Furthermore, pupils are encouraged to participate in local and national competitions and we have a good track record of achieving Art Scholarships to a variety of Senior Schools.

To enhance the children’s experience of Art further, they may have opportunities to go on gallery visits or meet visiting artists and we offer many creative extra-curricular clubs that children can join too.

The Computing curriculum in Years 3 to 6 is delivered using Chromebooks; in Years 3 and 4, children have access to class sets of Chromebooks and in Years 5 and 6, they are allocated their own device.

It is our aim to provide practical skills including good keyboard skills, the ability to use Google applications effectively and to be able to search the Internet.  Children are also introduced to basic programming concepts, including sequencing, iteration and selection.

In Years 5 and 6, pupils develop their Computational Thinking skills as they participate in the Bebras Challenge, having solved a range of problems as part of their preparation for this competition.

Design skills are being continually developed so that work is presented in an attractive and appropriate way, including the consideration of layout, fonts and colours used.

Online safety lessons are delivered every half term and topics are age-specific so that the content is relevant; for example, Year 3 start to think about cyberbullying and privacy issues, whilst Year 6 children will begin to consider the psychology and dangers of social media and online influencers.

Each class in the Prep Department enjoys one hour a week of D&T in our spacious and well-equipped D&T Room.

The curriculum aims to promote the development of key skills whilst giving pupils the opportunity to explore and develop their own ideas and to learn to problem solve, make, experiment and evaluate. The process encourages the children to take pride in their work and in their abilities.

Pupils take part in design tasks using a variety of materials, tools, equipment and techniques. Each topic is split into three sections; Designing, Making and Evaluating:

Designing – children are encouraged to use their imagination to develop designs for each brief they are given. This work is usually carried out in their book before choosing one design to create.

Making – children will have a variety of materials they can use to bring their designs to life. Examples of skills deployed in this section include cutting and sewing skills, 3D modelling and joining.

Evaluating – children reflect and discuss their outcomes and celebrate their successes as a class.

Each step of the design process is modelled by the teacher, then the children are encouraged to have a go, improving upon the skills they have learnt in previous years.  Independence is encouraged throughout the process but the children know they can always ask for help or advice when needed.

All children in the Prep Department have a weekly Drama lesson with the Head of Drama. They are given the opportunity to develop their performance skills, explore a range of texts and work collaboratively with their peers to make creative choices.

In Year 3, the children cover a range of drama skills, including mime and tableaux work, through which they will begin to gain greater control over their bodies and demonstrate their performance skills. They also study alternative fairy tales, Aesop’s Fables and performance poetry with many opportunities to develop their collaboration skills and perform scenes with their peers.

The children in Year 4 learn about how to understand and develop characters by exploring the use of facial expressions, body language and vocal skills. The children will continue to develop their performance skills, collaboratively devise scenes and explore texts including ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’ as well as a range of poetry. During the Spring Term, the year group enjoys preparing and performing a large scale production to their parents.

Activities in Year 5 Drama encourage pupils to not only practise their acting but to also think as a director. They are encouraged to find ways to develop their settings and create atmosphere as well as to devise communities in which their stories are set; exploring and evolving characters by inventing personalities and traits. In the Spring Term, a highlight is creating their own mini-movies, inspired by classic melodramas.

In the Spring and Summer terms of their final year at The Manor, Year 6 work towards their final play. The process involves a reading of the play, ‘auditions’, singing workshops and then the two-week ‘blitz’ rehearsal period during which the children are fully immersed in the creative process. This production is the culmination of all the drama skills that the children have acquired during their time at school and is a real spectacle that is eagerly anticipated by children, staff and parents alike.

English skills underpin almost every other subject, whether through reading, writing or speaking and listening skills. We aim to inspire our pupils with a love of reading, and an understanding of the power and beauty of what can be done with words.

Our Year 3 to 6 curriculum is built around the National Curriculum, ensuring that we cover key skills including spelling and grammar alongside, and within, our creative work. Each term or half-term, our work is centred around a whole book which provides the inspiration for a wide range of spoken and written activities. We might act out a scene, write a letter in role as one of the characters, create poetry, or write a story inspired by the book. Teaching of English is always in mixed-ability groups, with adaptive teaching techniques or smaller break-out groups for those pupils who need more support. Pupils are encouraged to speak up and we love the buzz of ideas that can follow!

Weekly English homework supports our classroom work in a variety of ways, allowing students time to finish a task, prepare ideas for a debate, plan a piece of longer writing or work on specific grammar skills, for example.

We use the Essential Spelling scheme throughout KS2. This wonderful scheme builds on phonic awareness and aims to give students a real understanding of how English spelling works (or doesn’t!) by studying patterns and developing a range of spelling strategies. Formal spelling lists and tests are no longer used; instead the word patterns are revisited regularly and dictation exercises are used to check understanding.

By Year 5 we are thinking about Senior School exams, with a view to preparing students in a low-key way, so that they feel confident and calm about the process. Alongside our main texts, we complete practice papers, both online and on paper, and aim to develop good strategies for coping with time limits and challenging questions. We try to show our pupils that exploring text is fun, no matter in what circumstances!

In Years 3 to 6, with two lessons each week, the children expand upon the skills they have learnt in Pre-Prep (Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing).

Whilst maintaining the fun of the subject, they begin to establish a soundly structured framework of elementary grammar and practice transferable language learning skills. They are taught in a variety of ways including the use of audio-visual methods such as songs, vocabulary games online and traditional teaching methods.  Topics Covered Include:

• Year 3 – greetings and simple questions and answers, nationality and the concept of masculine/feminine words, definite articles, colours, animals.
• Year 4 – days of the week, months, numbers to 31, activities, clothes, transport, daily routine and hobbies, weather.
• Year 5 – alphabet and spelling words in French, school subjects and school life, agreement of colours, family.
• Year 6 – likes and dislikes, where you live (location, description of house, furniture), French-speaking countries, subject pronouns, conjugation of regular ‘er’ verbs in present tense, places.

Outside the classroom, there are special events in each year group to promote enthusiasm for the language as well as intercultural understanding including a French breakfast, a French poetry recital and watching a French play.

In the Spring and Summer Terms, the Year 6 children are given a taste of Latin. Using the textbook ‘Minimus – starting out in Latin’, pupils are introduced to a real family that lived at Vindolanda (near Hadrian’s Wall) at the beginning of the second century AD. Grammatical concepts are introduced via comic strips and stories. An important aim of the book is to build pupils’ English vocabulary through the Latin roots sections.

History and Geography are taught through an integrated and enquiry-based approach that encourages children to explore historical events, geographical concepts and religious beliefs.

Lessons are designed to develop critical thinking, empathy and an understanding of the world, often connecting with other subjects to make learning meaningful and relevant. Through storytelling, investigation, discussion and hands-on activities, pupils gain a deeper appreciation of human experiences across time and place.

We teach these subjects in an engaging, practical way that encourages curiosity, critical thinking and respect for others. Whether they’re learning about ancient civilizations, local landmarks, or British History or Geography, pupils are encouraged to ask questions, make connections, and understand how people and places have shaped the world we live in today. Local History and Geography topics are integral and taught in every year group ensuring that the children learn about our local area and how it has changed over time.

Sustainability and Green-thinking also play an important role in our humanities curriculum to inspire and educate students about caring for the local environment and the world we live in.

At The Manor, our aim is to promote enjoyment and enthusiasm for Maths! Through inspirational teaching that involves games, practical activities and interactive resources, children develop skills that enable them to calculate, reason and solve problems.

Pupils are taught to understand and appreciate relationships and pattern in both number and space, and to relate Mathematics to their everyday lives. We provide children with opportunities to investigate questions, make mathematical decisions and to develop an understanding of how and when to apply skills learnt. Pupils are encouraged to feel positive about their Mathematics and are offered increasing opportunities to reason, justify and explain their work, allowing them to develop a mastery approach to their learning.

Years 3 and 4 – From the Autumn Term of Year 3, children are grouped by ability for Maths to enable them to work in a way which will help them to build confidence in the subject.  Movement between groups is fluid and is decided by teacher observation as well as regular, informal assessment.

‘Abacus Active Learn’ is used which provides textbooks and interactive resources to use in lessons as well as games and activities which can be accessed from home. We supplement the Abacus programme with a range of other resources for the support and extension of learning.

Years 5 and 6 – Continuing in ability-driven groups, the children study Mathematical concepts in line with National Curriculum objectives. Pupils engage with a range of mathematical methods and learn new concepts through the use of textbooks, games and mastery based activities.

Throughout the school, computer software is used to facilitate the teaching and learning of new concepts and web based activities and games, such as Times Tables Rockstars, reinforce and challenge the children’s understanding.

By creating a nurturing and enriching Mathematical environment that provides appropriate support and challenge, we aim for every child to develop a long-term understanding and enjoyment of Mathematical concepts and methods.

Throughout Year 5 and into Year 6 there is a focus on preparing the children for their Senior School assessments as well as for the experience of learning Maths from Year 7 onwards.

Every child is given the opportunity to discover, explore and enjoy music as part of the curriculum. All classes in Years 3 to 6 have two half hour music lessons each week which include singing, movement, playing instruments, music technology, listening and composition.

We are extremely lucky to have such wonderful facilities, boasting two large classrooms and five practice rooms; plenty of room to accommodate our 15 visiting music teachers each week who offer instrumental tuition in an astonishing array of disciplines, including: Cello, Clarinet, Cornet, Flute, Guitar, Harp, Piano, Singing, Trumpet and Violin (please note, this is not an exhaustive list!).

Approximately 40% of Prep children learn an instrument weekly with a number learning more than one instrument. We offer a whole host of extra-curricular clubs each week; before and after school as well as at lunchtimes. These include a variety of choirs, two orchestras, harp ensemble, string ensemble, woodwind groups, and guitar band to name just a few. We also support students who are preparing for music examinations and we run termly sessions with music examination boards.

Throughout the year, children show what they have been learning by working towards regular performances for the school and parents.

Learning for Life is the name for Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) here at The Manor.

Our Learning for Life lessons prepare the children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life, as well as encouraging them to become healthy, confident, independent and responsible members of society. The curriculum supports our children in their personal development and citizenship, whilst promoting Fundamental British Values which encourage respect and tolerance for others and the respect for democracy. These lessons aim to enable our children to understand and appreciate who they are, empower them with a voice and equip them for life and learning.

The exciting curriculum we follow at The Manor has been developed by Jigsaw.

“Jigsaw is a whole-school approach and embodies a positive philosophy and creative teaching and learning activities to nurture children’s development as compassionate and well-rounded human beings, as well as building their capacity to learn. Jigsaw has two main aims for all children; to build their capacity for learning and to equip them for life” (Jigsaw, 2024)

Throughout the school year, all of the children follow the same six themes of learning, with all lessons delivered in an age and stage appropriate way so that they meet children’s needs. These themes are:

• Being Me In My World
• Celebrating Differences
• Dreams and Goals
• Healthy Me
• Relationships
• Changing Me

We believe that Religious Education is important in every child’s development. Different religious, spiritual and moral themes are purposefully explored in RE lessons and explorative questions encourage pupils to listen to and value different viewpoints. Greater understanding of Christianity and the major world religions are brought to life in the classroom and also via assemblies and educational visits.

Our Religious Education curriculum at The Manor is delivered using the Jigsaw RE scheme. This enquiry-based program progressively covers the principal world faiths from EYFS to Year 6. Each half-term, learning begins with a “big question” that prompts children to explore a concept from their own experience before delving into religious perspectives. This approach not only builds knowledge of different faiths but also develops critical thinking and allows children to reflect on their own beliefs and values, contributing to their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. We tailor the Jigsaw RE options to align with the needs of our children and our broader topic planning.

Science is a core subject within the curriculum and is taught throughout the school, harnessing the children’s own natural interest in the world about them.

In the Prep Department, Science is given additional curriculum time and, in the later years, specialist teachers. Pupils are encouraged to make links between ideas and explain results using simple models and theories. The emphasis is very much upon scientific enquiry, practical and ‘hands-on’ investigations and outdoor exploration as well as individual and collaborative projects.

The children thrive on our practical approach and become adept at planning and carrying out their own investigations. The school’s large and well-equipped Science Lab gives children in Years 5 and 6 the opportunity to complete a wide range of investigations, within a stimulating learning environment, whilst they also get used to working scientifically in a space which is very like a Senior School laboratory.

Year 3 topics include: Forces and Magnets, Rocks, Light, Plants and Animals including Humans (nutrition, skeletons and muscles).

Year 4 topics include: Electricity, Sound, Living Things and their Habitats (grouping and classifying and changing environments), Animals including Humans (digestion, teeth and food chains) and States of Matter.

Year 5 topics include: Living Things and their Habitats (life cycles and life processes), Earth and Space, Forces, Properties and Changes of Materials, Animals including Humans (changes as humans develop to old age).  We also teach a “Big Science” topic which focuses on practical investigations.

Year 6 topics include: Evolution and Inheritance, Living Things and their Habitats (classification, giving reasons and looking at specific characteristics) Electricity, Animals including Humans (circulatory system, impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on our bodies and the ways in which nutrients are transported within animals).  We also teach another “Big Science” topic which focuses on practical investigations.

Sport and PE at The Manor provide our children with a balanced and varied curriculum, where enjoyment and all-round development are the core elements of each lesson.

Children in Years 3 to 6 experience a wide range of activities from our challenging and inclusive PE and Games programme. It is our firm belief that children should have a multi-sport experience throughout their time at the school as this enables them to develop skills which can be transferred across numerous activities and sports whilst also increasing enjoyment and interaction with their peers and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.

Our facilities include a multi-purpose field which generously caters for numerous sports pitches, outdoor tennis and netball courts and a state of the art Sports Hall.

Games – The children enjoy two and a half hours of Games per week, arranged across a Games afternoon and an additional double Games lesson.  We focus on different seasonal sports in each term and Games lessons offer both mixed and single-sex teaching.

Football, Hockey, Netball and Rugby are the core invasion games we play, with Cricket focusing on striking and fielding elements. These Games lessons form the basis for our core fixture programme throughout the academic year.

PE – The children also participate in PE lessons for 30 minutes per week taking part in sports such as; Athletics, Cross Country, Dance, Gymnastics, Basketball, Racket Sports, Orienteering and HRF (Health Related Fitness).

Swimming – In addition to Games and PE lessons, the children swim for 30 minutes, bi-weekly, all year round. Year 6 children also learn lifesaving, personal survival skills and Water Polo.

All Games and PE lessons are delivered by our four full-time PE staff with the additional assistance of other Manor staff, who are also passionate about Physical Education.

To complement the curriculum, a huge variety of sports clubs are open to all and are run before school, at lunchtime and after school.

Competition

The fixtures programme for boys, girls and mixed teams is extensive, offering competitive opportunities for children of all abilities, across a diverse range of sports. We have an enviable record of success competing in IAPS and other major tournaments at County, Regional and National levels for Cricket, Hockey, Netball, Cross-Country, Swimming and Biathlon.

In addition, we have Inter-House fixtures every term covering nine different sports, including the Prep School Sports Day at the end of the Summer Term.

In order to provide valuable preparation for Senior School assessments and to enhance pupils’ reasoning and deductive skills generally, Verbal/Non-Verbal Reasoning is taught for one single lesson a week in Year 5, and in the Autumn Term of Year 6.

In Year 5, using a step-by-step approach with CGP resources for Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, pupils learn all the different types of questions they may be faced with and how to solve them successfully.

In Year 6, lessons provide more practice and strategies for tackling each question type, whilst reinforcing core skills and increasing the speed at which pupils can answer questions. ‘Atom Learning’ is used throughout the lessons in class.