Not so common entrance

Eagle House Prep in Berkshire has replaced the Common Entrance with Curriculum 200. Here, Head of English, MATTHEW EDWARDS explains the new curriculum

There are seven key learning skills in Curriculum 200

At Eagle House we had long felt that the Common Entrance examinations restricted us from being as creative and as forward-thinking as we would like. When the majority of senior schools moved to pre-testing in year six, the exams at 13+ seemed to be less relevant to our pupils. A lot of curriculum time in a pupil’s nal two years was lost to exam preparation, and this seemed to be time that could be best used in much better ways. We’re privileged to be part of an independent education system that allows us to go above and beyond the typical, and with a desire to create something that would prepare our children best for the future, Curriculum 200 was born. Launched in 2020, 200 years a er the founding of the school, we hope this new curriculum creates an exciting, robust and inspiring learning environment for our boys and girls.

Our pupils in years one to four have been following the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) for some years, enabling us to combine the teaching of humanities, science and arts subjects into meaningful thematic units. We wanted to devise a curriculum in years ve to eight that built on the IPC and allowed us to create a rich, knowledge-based curriculum with a broader range of topics taught by subject specialists. s

CURRICULUM 200

Last year, Eagle House School launched an exciting, rich, knowledge-based curriculum with a broad range of topics for years fi ve to eight. Incorporating seven key learning skills at its heart, the curriculum encourages exploration and mastery in academic subjects alongside regular assessment, allowing pupils to develop a passion and interest in particular areas.

Independent projects help pupils take ownership of their learning

Curriculum 200 was launched 200 years after Eagle House School was established

AFTER CONSULTATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WE KNEW IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT our learners were ‘learners for life’: LEARNERS WHO ARE ENGAGED, REFLECTIVE, COMMUNICATIVE, MOTIVATED, RESILIENT, ORGANISED AND INQUISITIVE WILL BE SET UP FOR FUTURE SUCCESS

Teachers were given the brief to develop a curriculum that would inspire children and allow for meaningful cross-curricular links. A er consultation and development, we knew it was important that our learners were ‘learning for life’: learners who are engaged, re ective, communicative, motivated, resilient, organised and inquisitive will be set up for future success. ese seven key learning skills are central to our curriculum, and they are constantly reinforced throughout the learning process.

Curriculum 200 intrinsically links the minds of pupils and sta and pushes the boundaries of our comfort zones. ere’s time for exploration and mastery in academic subjects, which allow pupils to develop a passion and interest in particular areas, enthused by the sta who teach them. Pupils’ ability to learn through explicit teaching of e ective learning habits and skills is encouraged and we relish inquisitive, engaged, resilient and organised learners, fully preparing them for future challenges. Curiosity and re ection allow pupils to go above and beyond, and continuous monitoring of progress of the key learning skills shows where, and more crucially how, they can further develop in these vital areas.

We wanted to keep assessment as a central part of the curriculum. Rigorous half termlytesting and tracking of attitudes, as well as attainment and e ort, ensure academic excellence is maintained and children are wellsupported. Exams are important and children need to learn the skills that help them to do well. However, we must not allow exams to dominate the curriculum, so that the importance and enjoyment of learning isn’t lost. Curriculum 200 is a modular system with regular formal assessment every half term and with exams for all pupils in years ve to eight in the summer term. Key learning skills are assessed, helping children to develop their con dence as they move on to senior school.

As part of the curriculum, all year groups complete a range of short independent projects throughout the year. is allows the pupil to have greater ownership of their learning and be able to develop the skills that are such a valuable part of education beyond year eight. We have already seen outstanding creativity and insight from pupils and this project aspect of the curriculum has been a big success. At the end of year eight there’s an assessed humanities project that must incorporate elements of history, geography and religious studies. ese projects are displayed for all to see, and awards given at the end of year prize-giving.

Common Entrance provides senior schools with some information on the academic standing of a pupil and is o en used for setting and as a barometer of where a pupil is when they join in year nine. As part of Curriculum 200, children build a comprehensive learning skills pro le, which identi es the extent to which they apply the learning attitudes to their studies. As a result, we provide senior schools with a much greater insight into a pupil’s learning journey. Each child has a transition document that shows all the data from the half termly assessments over their nal two years. It provides standardised testing results and a learner pro le, showing in graph form how well the pupil has developed their seven learning skills. A tutor report summarises the pupil and their academic journey, as well as their personal achievements outside the classroom. We believe that this is a much better way of giving senior schools real data, not just a grade based on a 70-minute exam. is transition document has been widely praised by senior schools as o ering real insight into a child.

Curriculum 200 is part of a fully inclusive three-to-13 curriculum, drawing children across Eagle House into a progressive and challenging journey of all-round education. And it will continue to evolve, as our journey has only just begun.