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Pre Prep

A lifetime of learning begins

Chigwell School Pre Prep starts pupils on their exciting learning journey at Chigwell with all its discoveries, challenges and achievements.  Set in the heart of the School’s beautiful grounds, our new Pre Prep offers our pupils and hard-working staff a state-of-the-art, bespoke building with a grand assembly hall, a library, dedicated teaching and playing areas specially designed for this age group.  This enables our youngest pupils to have a flying start to school life.

We believe that building children’s confidence enables them to flourish and enjoy learning, and we celebrate success and build upon the achievements of each child.  A committed team of staff work hard to create a caring and supportive atmosphere for the young people in our charge.  Home-school partnership is also highly valued and the Pre Prep operates an ‘open door’ policy for parents.  A high quality pastoral care structure is in place to ensure the health, safety, happiness and achievement of every child in the School.  Pupils and their families quickly get to know each other and establish friendships that will last a lifetime.

When it is time for children to move on to the Junior School, the transition is planned appropriately to ensure that children’s needs are known and that they continue to be met in the best way possible.

The Curriculum

Reception

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum Framework forms the basis of teaching and learning in our Reception classes.  This consists of seven areas of learning and development: three prime areas of learning (personal social and emotional development, communication and language, physical development) and four specific areas of learning (literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design).

Much of the curriculum is delivered through a themed approach to inspire children and develop independent learners, but literacy, numeracy and physical education are taught as discrete subjects.  There is an emphasis on learning through play with an appropriate balance between child-led and adult-led activities.  All areas of the curriculum are enriched with opportunities to learn outdoors, through planned play activities and hands-on investigation.

All children follow a broad and balanced curriculum, which is highly creative and one in which skills are continuously developed, assessed and tailored to meet the needs of individuals.  The school day is structured to provide a balanced mix of academic, physical and creative experiences.  The National Curriculum forms the basis of all programmes of study but this is adapted to extend and meet the needs of the children in our care.

Areas experienced by pupils at appropriate stages in their development in Years 1 and 2 include: English (reading, writing, speaking and listening), drama, numeracy, science, ICT, religious studies, history, geography, physical education and sports, personal, social and health education, French, art and design, music and design and technology.

Years 1 and 2

After school activities and clubs

We have a comprehensive range of after-school clubs for pupils across a broad spectrum of interests including art, sport, dance and music. The School operates an extended day for parents who may want to leave their children before and after school.  In our breakfast and after-school clubs children are cared for by members of staff and spend their time playing and taking part in a variety of activities.

The whole child

We are an academic school with high aspirations for children and we believe in developing the whole child through a broad, balanced curriculum including outdoor learning, physical education and the arts.  Children who do more, achieve more, and we aim to stretch and challenge all of the children in our care.

Learning in the Pre Prep is enhanced through cross-curricular learning.  We provide rich and varied contexts for pupils to acquire, develop and apply a broad range of knowledge, understanding and skills.  We also believe that our pupils should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development.  This is achieved through planned activities outdoors and through enhancing the curriculum with external visits, workshops, visitors and themed days.  All pupils are provided with opportunities to participate in activities outside the classroom through our outdoor curriculum.  Our learning environment embraces traditional family values.  It is one in which all the children are fully supported and guided in order that they may develop self-confidence, a love of learning, good manners, respect for self and others, empathy and kindness.

A purpose-built Pre Prep

The new purpose-built Pre Prep is a stand-alone experience situated in the heart of Chigwell’s campus.

Child on computer in pre prep

The indoor and outdoor facilities are outstanding and include six classrooms, each with doors leading to a covered outdoor learning area, an ICT suite, a library, a hall, a music room and a science room.  The outdoor facilities include a spacious playground, an adventure play area, a dipping pond and a nature area.

We also make full use of the School’s beautiful and extensive grounds as well as the astro-turf facility.  These grounds provide an extension of the classroom experience and may be used throughout the day by children to further enhance their learning.

We are very proud of our Pre Prep and would encourage you to visit to see for yourself all we have to offer.

Mrs Evelyn Gibbs BA NPQH
Please feel free to contact me:
by email: [email protected]
or by telephone: 020 8501 6100