Abbey Learner Profile
The Abbey Learner Profile highlights qualities nurtured and celebrated. Qualities are taught in assemblies and rewarded throughout each week so that our students carry these forward into higher education and into their futures.
Our classrooms are places where…
- It is safe to be a learner
- Challenge is normal and interesting
- We assess to improve (not to prove, or to attain)
- We talk and think together
- We ask questions and undertake research
- We draft, critique and revise
- We develop a life-long love of learning
Our teachers...
- Are ambitious for us
- Value thinking above knowing
- Listen, question and support us
- Are learners too
- Make learning fun and engaging
Specialist teaching
We’re proud of our balance of teaching. Every girl has a form teacher who gets to know them well and leads learning for most of the week, including overseeing progress in English and Maths under the guidance of specialist Subject Leaders. Specialist teachers teach Music, Science, PE, Languages and Computing.
Subjects
Our Junior School Curriculum Intent articulates our aim for each girl through our curriculum.
Our curriculum underpins a rich and diverse journey that ignites a lifelong love for learning.
Students become confident, curious, and compassionate individuals, equipped with essential skills and understanding for life. Encouraged to take ownership of their own learning journey, ready to embrace opportunities and challenges.
Foundations of learning from Reception to Upper Prep (Year 2)
Our curriculum in Reception is based upon the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage and is reflective of an inquiry-based philosophy of learning. Our learning is predominantly delivered through practical activities and a play-based approach. Children increasingly develop skills to work in a more independent fashion, adopting strategies and utilising tools in the environment around them.
Reception marks the start of each child’s journey into the world of reading; firm aural foundations in Phonics enable children to make links between print and sound. Essential skills in Phonics are taught through the Read, Write, Inc phonics scheme which enables our students to become confident and enthusiastic readers and writers. This is closely supported by Parents’ Workshops introducing Phonics teaching and learning to our families.
Our Maths curriculum focuses on core skills in using and applying, number sense, as well as problem-solving. Shape and measure form some of our earliest interactions with Maths in Reception. Much of our work is embedded in practical tasks and activities to understand Mathematical concepts and associated vocabulary. We also begin to explore methods of recording and modifying our mathematical working e.g. recording number sentences.
Reception children enjoy specialist teaching in Music, PE (including Swimming) and Ballet teaching. They are also introduced to our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum through the teaching of French.
Our approach to learning in Lower and Upper Prep is rooted in helping children become resilient, confident, and independent learners. We provide a nurturing and supportive environment where well-being is at the heart of everything we do. We are developmentally sensitive to each child’s age and stage, providing an integrated curriculum that helps them make meaningful connections between different subjects. We focus on fostering key inquiry skills, encouraging them to turn their wonders into questions, like ‘I wonder why?’ or ‘I wonder what?’ and to thoughtfully consider the perspectives of others.
As they build on their phonics with the Read, Write Inc. scheme, our students find a true love of reading, moving from decoding to reading for meaning and pleasure. This is the stage when they often discover a favourite author or series that truly captivates them. They also learn to write for a variety of purposes and audiences, developing the stamina for more extended tasks. In Maths, we guide students to explore new concepts and strategies. We begin by using hands-on resources to make ideas concrete, then move to visual representations to help them see the connections, before they master more abstract concepts. This layered approach builds a deep and lasting understanding.
Specialist teaching in Music, Computing, and Modern Foreign Languages enriches their learning, along with separate PE and weekly swimming lessons at our Senior School. This offers a wide range of opportunities to discover new interests and passions, supporting their personal growth and well-being.
The curriculum at our school is exceptional, and every stage is as important as the next. It is here in Lower and Upper Prep that students develop a deep love of learning, build strong friendships, and forge a genuine sense of belonging. The strong foundations they build are a crucial part of their journey, ensuring they leave this stage confident, happy, and thriving.
