Humanities
English
We use a wide variety of texts to support and inspire, ranging from non-fiction diaries, biographies and travel writing to modern and traditional fiction and poetry; genres range from science fiction to travel, introducing our pupils to everything from persuasive articles to comic play scripts.
Literary analysis and creativity in language can only flourish after a strong grounding in grammar has been established; this is why improving spelling and punctuation lies at the heart of our curriculum.
The child’s form teacher teaches English in years 3 and 4. Subject specialists then teach pupils from Year 5 onwards, where the children are streamed into initially two and then three ability sets. Pupils receive a 50-minute lesson of English each day and the vast majority are deliberately timetabled in the morning. The breadth of the curriculum is covered, with grammar and punctuation, speaking and listening, spelling and handwriting, reading and writing skills all taught throughout the year.
French
Learning a foreign language is an opportunity for children to develop a lifelong skill that enables them to broaden their intellectual horizons and enrich their cultural awareness. We aim to inspire an enthusiasm for languages from the start at Pre-Prep so children can see language learning as a way of making sense and communicating effectively with the world around them.
In French lessons children learn using many different approaches, from acting out a short conversation, to giving a presentation and using an interactive website. The curriculum covers a wide variety of activities where children could be learning a new tense, explaining a grammatical point, doing a vocabulary test, listening to authentic recordings, playing vocabulary games, singing songs, or discussing music and French culture.
Children also have the opportunity to study Latin as part of our Enrichment programme.
Geography
Geography is all subjects rolled into one: science, history, music, language and maths. We work hard to inspire young people’s fascination with our amazing world, stimulating enquiry: why are things like they are and how is our world changing?
Geography helps us make sense of our surroundings and the wider world in which we live. By exploring the independence of people, places and environments across the world and the development of the human environment, how the surface of the world was created and its effect on population.
In Years 3 and 4, Geography is taught as a separate subject by class teachers. Year 5 pupils have one 50-minute lesson per week, taught by a specialist teacher. As children progress to Years 6, 7 and 8 they will study two 50-minute lessons per week, taught by a specialist teacher.
Topics studied include maps, rivers, developing and developed countries, our local area, weather and climate, rainforests, conservation, Antarctica, farming, coastal processes, tectonic plates, settlement, weathering and industry.
History
We bring this amazing subject to life, encouraging a passion for History that stays with children forever. We achieve this by combining fun with facts - and through inspirational teaching.
Interactive experiences through technology, role-playing and class discussions enhance the children’s skills, while in our 100 acres of grounds the Battles of Hastings on horseback, Agincourt in an idyllic glade and Trafalgar on the lake are highlights of the year. Independent learning is vital to the success of any historian and in Year 7 the children produce a variety of creative assignments, from medieval banquets to hand-woven Bayeux Tapestries. We hold Tudor and Victorian Days for Years 4 and 5 and are visited by a Roman centurion, while trips include HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and Butser Iron Age Farm.
In Years 3 and 4 children take a single lesson of 50 minutes. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 undertake two lessons a week and in Years 7 and 8 this progresses to two lessons a week with 30-minute prep.
PRE - Philosophy, Religion & Ethics
Walhampton has strong Christian values and traditions, which the PRE Department reflects, while also mirroring today’s multicultural society by teaching about a range of other faiths.
Discussion is vital to pupils’ development in this subject: pupils are encouraged to ask questions, to challenge themselves and help make a sense of who they are, their beliefs and values. We look at how ancient texts and stories relate to contemporary issues, and this forms the basis of most lessons. We also use religious artefacts to help understand different practices and beliefs, whilst visits to various places of worship (e.g. churches, mosques, gurdwaras) further enhance the children’s understanding and appreciation of different religions.
THE CHAPEL
This is the “heartbeat” of school life and a vital part of our pupils’ moral and spiritual development. Every day of the week except Saturday, some form of worship takes place here with the principal service on Friday afternoon. Guest speakers come from far afield to lead services and to help enhance pupils’ understanding of the world.
Prep School 7-13 Years
