PREP ARA TOR Y SCHOOL Pre-Preparatory Update Purposeful play, confident communication and active learning have been at the heart of our developments in Pre-Preparatory. Our Nursery children returned in September to a renovated learning environment, with a purpose-built gymnasium and flexible role-play furniture that encourage children to share experiences with their peers. Our Pre-School and Nursery pupils have enjoyed taking their learning outdoors, creating beautiful planting areas and cosy dens to enjoy reading and role-play activities. A revamped reading scheme has helped our children to develop higher order thinking and reading skills, promoting greater discussion about texts at home. The broader range of books allows a child’s reading journey to be tailored to them as individuals and the weekly trips to the school library ensure there is something for all to enjoy! Reflective Rowan stickers have been awarded in greater numbers this year and part of this success is a result of our new focus in mathematics, where children reflect upon their learning based on the principles of Singapore Mathematics. They share their observations with peers and make collective links in their learning. As a result, we have independent, confident young mathematicians who happily talk about the mathematical concepts they uncover; they are the most powerful educators within the classroom! In the arts, our pupils have enjoyed numerous opportunities to be creative in all forms. Year One pupils enjoyed a collaborative project with parents on ecological art during our ‘Share the Theme’ afternoon, whilst pupils enjoyed theatrical and musical workshops, including a drumming workshop. Our Pre-Preparatory pupils have joined together on stage on a number of occasions over the year, delighting at Christmas in our Nursery sing-along and Christmas productions and during the Spring Celebration, where children sang and performed instrumental solos, along with poetry recitals. Pupils delighted on the Towers Theatre stage in the summer, as part of Arts Week, with the moving production of ‘Eddie the Penguin Saves the World’ which fitted in perfectly with our focus on tackling climate change and the important part we can play, from making eco bricks to re-using and recycling materials in class. Deborah Kane, Assistant Head (Pre-Preparatory School) 5
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