English is central to every pupil’s life at Beaudesert. Whether discussing a topic in history or explaining the outcomes of a science experiment, the language used is English. We promote an accuracy in and love for the subject both orally and on paper throughout the children’s time at school.

Our main endeavour is to inspire a lasting enthusiasm for English; central to that is reading. Through it, we can enhance the necessary and valuable traditional skills as well as fostering creativity and passion for the subject within each child. Our well-stocked and professionally staffed library is central to the aspiration of helping all pupils see that, far from being a chore, reading is both a great help and enormous fun.

With reading central to the subject both here and later, at senior school, it is important to guide pupils through the vast selection of published novels that are available to them.

Our current Reading List is available from your child’s English teacher. They are a useful starting point for anyone seeking age-appropriate titles. It is often useful to direct any further research to your local independent book retailer who, unlike Amazon, will be happy and able to make other informed recommendations.

As well as classroom teaching, the English department encourages the children to take part and experience theatre trips, declamation competitions, debates for senior children, author visits, arts festival trips, visiting speakers, poetry and short story competitions and book fairs.

A good number of these are arranged by the School during the pupils’ time here; however, visits organised during the holidays can be enormously important in fostering a child’s understanding of and love for the subject.

At Beaudesert Park, we undertake standardised testing for reading and spelling. For reading, we use the NGRT (New Group Reading Test) and for spelling we use Parallel Spelling (Young).

Beaudesert’s Modern Languages department includes French and Spanish. Our French Common Entrance results remain outstanding. Above all we teach modern languages in an interactive, dynamic and enjoyable manner. There is a strong emphasis on speaking whilst practising the other three key skills (listening, reading and writing) constantly.

Lessons

Pupils start French in the Pre-Prep and continue to Year 8 with increasing regularity. We aim for all children to use their French skills in their Common Entrance or Scholarship examinations. All children also learn Spanish in Years 5 to 7. We aim to enthuse pupils and provide them with the confidence and skills to succeed further in these languages at GCSE, A Level, and beyond.

Syllabus

French maintains its traditional role as an intrinsic part of the curriculum which has direct relevance to the modern world, enhances coherent communication and intelligent comprehension. Pupils follow the Salut! KS2 course in Years 3 & 4, the Dynamo 1 course in Years 5 & 6 and finally the Dynamo 2 Rouge/ Vert  & Collins KS3 French Revision course in Years 7 & 8. All courses are supplemented by up-to-date resources within the department such as online vocabulary learning. Pupils in Years 7&8 have a single lesson of Spanish per week, following the Viva!1 course, in preparation for studying a second modern language at their senior school.

There is an excellent annual Yr 8 residential (4 / 5 days) trip to France every October (with a strong emphasis on History: Azincourt, WW1 sites etc. as well as lots of cultural events).

At Beaudesert, the study of geography provokes and answers questions about the natural and human worlds. It develops knowledge of places and environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps and a range of investigative and problem solving skills which will help prepare pupils for adult life. Geography is also a focus within the curriculum for understanding and resolving issues about the environment and future development. In studying geography, pupils encounter different societies and cultures. This should stimulate them to think about their place in the world, their values and their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment.

At Beaudesert, our aim is to apply the school aims for pupils in a geographical context. It is summarised by five E words;

Environment

To develop understanding of the physical and human conditions on the Earth’s surface, leading to a sense of concern and responsibility.

Excitement

To instil a sense of wonder at the beauty of the natural world and the power of natural processes.

Empathy

To engender empathy for people with different cultures and lifestyles based on informed interests in current events and a well-deserved sense of place.

Enquiry

To develop the skills and motivation of a geographer through experience of fieldwork and geographical research.

Excellence

To strive to achieve high standards in the presentation of geographical information and a knowledge of physical, human and environmental geography.

The Prep School history syllabus at Beaudesert Park School, whilst closely aligned with the national curriculum for KS2 and KS3, encourages children to view the subject, less as a series of facts and dates, and more as on-going debate, across generations of curious minds, with the opportunity for them to add their own voices to the conversation.

In KS1 and the first part of KS2, children are given a broad understanding of the accepted chronology of historical events and are introduced to the idea of cause and effect, through a study of the ancient civilisations of Britain and the wider world. In more senior years, children explore comparison across time in topics such as Explorers & Inventors, Colonisation and Empire and Colliding Cultures.

Children’s learning is assessed through half-termly and termly topic assessments which take a number of forms from essay and source analysis to oral presentations.

Wherever possible, the department aims to make learning tangible, using primary sources like letters and artefacts, as well as field trips and re-enactments to encourage an appreciation of the practicalities, emotions and human experiences that run through our combined stories.

Information and Communication Technology lessons at Beaudesert equip pupils to understand and change the world through logical thinking and creativity. Computer Science is at the heart of our curriculum. Children are taught the principles of information, computation and how digital systems work. Children build up their problem solving and decision making skills and use information technology to create programmes, systems and a range of media. They develop their skills in word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, databases, animation, touch typing and control.

The internet plays a central role in our use of ICT and, to this end, we take a lot of care to educate our children in the safe use of what is a vast educational resource. Our Head of e-Safety organises a number of workshops and talks every year, including some for parents.

The Maths Department at Beaudesert strives to encourage all students to realise their full potential in this exciting and important life skill. Our children experience a wide variety of teaching and learning approaches in order to engage, enthuse and encourage their inquisitive minds and develop their critical thinking skills.

Pupils are taught in small sets with specialist Maths teachers from Year 5 onwards and even within these sets, the work is differentiated so that it is tailored to suit all the individual needs and ensures that all pupils are challenged. Expectations of pupils are high and each child is given every opportunity to be the best version of themselves. Our children are taught about how we learn, and they all appreciate that correcting mistakes and misunderstandings are the golden nuggets of their brain growth.

All children are encouraged to participate actively with increasingly complex problems in order to develop their procedural and conceptual understanding, and their resilience. We also believe in the importance of developing their ability to discuss and debate their ideas, both as individuals and within collaborative work, all in a trusting learning environment.

Our pupils make good use of technology with a variety of Maths programmes at our disposal. This means children are able to learn (and play!) at home whilst gaining a deep level of understanding.

Children are encouraged to participate in a wide variety of regional and national Maths competitions and challenges, including those from the Mathematical Association and the UK Mathematics Trust. These begin with our very youngest Prep-school pupils in Year 3 all the way to the Scholars in Year 8, and provide an excellent way to engender excitement and interest in the subject.

P.E. specialists teach the Physical Education programme at Beaudesert Park from Reception through to Year 8. They work closely with the Games department to ensure the all-round sporting development of each child, and guarantee each pupil will go beyond National Curriculum allotted time and standards.

Our aims are for all pupils to gain confidence, to enjoy physical activity so it becomes a lifestyle choice, to learn to compete and to understand fair play. We place emphasis on achieving the ABCs (Agility, Balance and Co-ordination) and offer appropriate yet challenging lessons that are rich and varied each year.

Gymnastics, basketball, badminton, handball, lacrosse, multi-skill tasks, tennis and athletics are just some of the activities on offer which help enhance the all-round physical development of children.

The outstanding facilities at Beaudesert provide our pupils with a wealth of opportunities.

P.S.H.C.E stands for Personal development, Social education, Health education, Citizenship education and Economic wellbeing. It is part of the school curriculum and it reinforces one of the School’s main aims in enabling our children to become healthier, more independent and more responsible members of society. Pupils discuss a wide range of issues which affect them now and in the future. In the words of Year 6: “it makes you think about stuff” and “how to be your own person”.

Although this is not an examined subject, Religious Studies is an essential part of all children’s education. At Beaudesert we aim to:

• Enable pupils to explore and reflect on religious and spiritual beliefs and practices.
• Enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development as they learn both about and from religion.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of The Bible.
• Introduce pupils to Christianity other religions.
• Develop study skills such as analysis, critical thinking and effective communication both orally and on paper.
• Encourage pupils to listen to and respect other people’s opinions, and foster interest in religious issues.
• Promote all British values, in particular tolerance of those of other faiths and beliefs.

The Science staff make learning stimulating, meaningful and relevant to our world. We encourage children to be curious, developing their questioning skills, perseverance, co-operation and open-mindedness, and plan thoughtful, challenging lessons. We use quality resources to enhance their learning experience and practical activities are an integral part of teaching.

Facilities and Curriculum

The Science department is housed in three large, modern, fully equipped science laboratories, all with interactive LCD screens. Specialist science teachers teach children in these facilities from Year 4. The department follows the National Curriculum and Common Entrance syllabus to guide our planning, ensuring the progression of knowledge, understanding and practical skills. We aim to make lessons inspiring so that our own excitement and passion for science is communicated to the pupils. This stays with them so that they leave Beaudesert with a lasting interest in science.

Ecological Studies with our resident Ecologist further enriches the curriculum, taking advantage of our extensive school grounds and Minchinhampton Common – a Site of Special Scientific Interest on our doorstep. We also organize a range of trips and visitors, take part in interschool competitions and celebrate the annual British Science Week with special activities.

Central to Ecology at Beaudesert is one aim, connection. Connection of our children with other parts of nature through naming and observing, discovery and creativity. The hope is this connection, grounded in knowledge, is also felt, cherished and enjoyed. This relationship matters for our children’s wellbeing and to feel part of nature, not outside of it, is vital to foster care for our wider environment.

Out in the school grounds, a familiar place is explored in different ways with a range of themes throughout the seasons. Some of the things you might find happening in Ecology lessons include; naming and identifying trees, surveying for invertebrates and reptiles, camouflaging teddies, writing fungi folklore stories in the woods or creating ‘wood sprites’ to protect the trees!