THE JUNIOR SCHOOL FORDER PROGRAMME
The
Forder Programme
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WELCOME I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
WELCOME TO THE JUNIOR FORDER PROGRAMME 'A busy, energetic school where pupils are offered a stimulating syllabus and fun activities. Children enjoy being part of a large, vibrant and, above all, active community' - The Good Schools Guide 2021
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S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I WELCOME
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WELCOME I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
REVEREND FORDER
O
ur Forder Programme is named after Reverend Frank Forder, one of our former visionary Headmasters, who was appointed to St Dunstan’s College almost a hundred years ago in 1922.
Forder was an academic, having been educated at St Olave’s Grammar School and then at Christ’s College, Cambridge. He believed in the need for beauty, and was versed in many aspects of literature, art and music. His changes were to be wide-ranging when he joined the College, as he decided to give students attending St Dunstan’s “wider views and a fuller culture”. Indeed, he was concerned that the increasing range of subjects being taught in schools would end up creating a system of education which prioritised cramming and learning by rote, without any interest or engagement from the students. Rather than simply following the approach of others, he quickly changed the timetable and decided to end the school day early on three afternoons a week, in order to introduce “out of school” activities. There were a broad and diverse range of activities to choose from, such as Wireless Telegraphy, Metal Models, Photography, Lecturettes on Industry or Map Modelling. These unique, exciting and formative experiences offered the students an array of opportunities for the development of character, in its broadest sense. So many young people have been able to reap the benefits of this pioneering approach to education in the years that have followed.
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S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I WELCOME
THE FORDER PROGRAMME
T
he Forder Programme is the name given to our cocurriculum at St Dunstan’s. The name is taken from our pioneering second Headmaster, the Reverend Forder, who believed passionately that schools should offer more to the education of young people than classroom learning. His educational philosophy was to put the health and character of a student above the simple acquisition of knowledge. In the pursuit of their passions outside of the classrooms, the pupils would encounter a variety of experiences, each one an opportunity for personal growth and development. The Forder Programme today operates alongside the Hecker and Stuart curricula, to augment the broad and liberal educational experiences that our pupils enjoy. This ambitious, forward thinking programme is sufficiently broad to give each individual the freedom to carve out their own unique journey and it begins here in the Junior School. The Forder journey starts for our Reception pupils during their very first days at St Dunstan’s, and the variety and diversity of activities increase as pupils progress through the Junior School. We believe that all pupils in the Junior School have the potential to become whoever they want to be, and our broad and unique Forder provision allows pupils to select activities that excite and challenge them, enabling them to uncover new skills and talents that they may never have known they had before. No matter the pathway they choose for themselves, each individual will embark on a journey that offers opportunities for character development through our aligned College values: Curiosity, Compassion, Creativity, Courage and Core. Each Junior School pupil is challenged to embrace the spirit of the College motto – Albam Exorna – by taking ownership of this journey, embracing new challenges and creating memorable experiences on their pathway through the Junior School, College and on into life.
THE CORE COURAGE COMPASSION CREATIVITY CURIOSITY
Mrs Louise Carmichael-Line Deputy Head Pastoral - Forder Programme Co-ordinator
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THE CORE I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
‘I love going to Munchkins because they teach you how to kick the ball' Lui, Reception
THE CORE
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n the Junior School, sport forms a significant part of the Core profile. Sporting Forder opportunities are offered to our youngest pupils in Reception, who are able to make use of our incredibly popular after-school Munchkins Sports Coaching, designed to introduce sports in an engaging, inclusive and enjoyable way. The specialised Munchkins sessions are tailored to particular sports and change termly; highlights have included Munchkins Football, Munchkins Rugby and Tougher Munchkins. Munchkins sports are also available to pupils in Years 1 and 2, who additionally have the opportunity to attend a wider range of after school Pre-Prep Core activities. As pupils move into the Prep school, focused sporting programmes are offered in order to develop skill and expertise. Options include rugby, football, netball, swimming, cricket, hockey, rounders and tennis and all activities are run by specialist PE teachers and coaches on our state of the art courts, pitches and 30m indoor swimming pool. Those who choose to progress further in these sports receive high level coaching and training, such as in the Swim Squad, and are given opportunities to compete in local tournaments and competitions. A broad range of additional sporting programmes designed to build a love of sports and exercise such as Aqua Fun, St Dunstan’s College Circuits and Fitness Fanatics give the opportunity for every boy and girl to participate in collegiate sporting activities. In addition to sport, this profile is the home of wellness activities. Here in the Junior School, we consider mental and physical wellbeing as having a symbiotic relationship and our focus on supporting pupils’ mental health is central to our offering. Examples of activities designed to engage pupils in strengthening and supporting their wellbeing include Stretch and Breathe, Mindfulness, Yoga and The Calm Club.
PRE-PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES: w w w. s t d u n s t a n s . o rg . u k
Munchkins Sports, Yoga, Mindfulness, Stretch and B
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I THE CORE
nd Breathe, Catch It Throw It, Cricket, Martial Arts, Tag Rugby, Superhero Training, Pilates
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THE CORE I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES:
Cross Country, Football, Netball, Hockey, Swimming, Land T
Stretch and Breathe, Mindfulness, Mindfulness Colouring, Yoga, The Calm Club
THE CORE
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S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I THE CORE
nd Training, SDC Circuits, Fitness Fanatics, Rugby, Cricket, Aussie Rules, Rounds, Tennis, Aqua Fun, Swim Squad,
'I usually pick sporty Forder options because I love sports and it give me the chance to play them even more' Oliver, Year 5
'We play lots of fun games' Aurora, Reception
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COURAGE I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
'I love learning a new skill, something I haven’t done before' Amaya, Year 2
COURAGE
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his profile inspires our pupils to be ambitious, push their boundaries and challenge themselves to try something different! Pupils in the Junior School are celebrated for their individuality and our supportive staff encourage pupils to embrace new opportunities to continually develop a broad range of skills and talents. From Pre-Prep, opportunities are offered to our pupils to broaden their skillset by trying something they have never done before. First Strings, a popular music activity that is run by visiting music specialists, welcomes Year 1 pupils to try out the violin for the first time. Beginners are taught how to play and perform both individually and in groups. In Record Breakers, Pre-Prep children are encouraged to complete a range of exciting tasks better than anyone else in history requiring courage, skill and determination in abundance! In the Prep school, activities such as Young Architects, The Apprentice, British Sign Language, First Aid, Debating, Project Pioneers and Junior School Journalists encourage children to step out of their comfort zone and learn new skills to take forward into the future. Staff organise activities that they are passionate about and this enthusiasm is echoed in the pupils, who quickly develop the courage to build their confidence and be ambitious when making their choices, strengthening resilience and endeavour. At the end of every term, the Junior School community holds a Forder Celebration Assembly and pupils are encouraged to present their achievements and talents to the rest of our Junior School community, filled with the confidence to speak out and empower others to find the courage to try something new. From sharing newly designed buildings, to presenting a debate, to leading a science experiment, pupils and staff alike celebrate the determination and effort needed to add courage to a pupil’s rapidly growing profile.
PRE-PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES: w w w. s t d u n s t a n s . o rg . u k
First Strings, Puzzle Fun, Record Breakers, Building,
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I COURAGE
ding, Nature Detectives, Let’s Get Cooking
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COURAGE I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES:
COURAGE
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iYoung Architects, Podcasts, The Apprentice, Debating, Juni
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I COURAGE
Junior School Journalists, Project Pioneers, Design and Build, British Sign Language, First Aid
'The best thing about Forder is you learn something new every term' Rae, Year 2
'There are lots of fun things to try out and be with children from a different class' Jessica, Year 6
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COMPASSION I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
'In Forder you do activities you enjoy doing at home, but with your friends'
COMPASSION
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Arla, Year 2
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unior School pupils have a plethora of opportunities to engage actively in the local community through projects such as the Harvest Festival foodbank donations and Christmas Gifts for the Voluntary Services Lewisham. Compassion, care and understanding for others are taught from the earliest of days in the Junior School and pupils are actively encouraged to become forward-thinking in the knowledge that their small actions can make a big difference, both in their local and global communities. We teach the skills that will enable our pupils to thrive as responsible citizens in the twenty-first century. The compassion profile offers pupils the opportunity to develop these skills in a safe way. Forder options such as Compassion Club, Eco Club and Climate Change provide pupils with the chance to make suggestions for change within our community; having meat-free lunches, switching to power saving devices and recycling are recent examples of change that pupils have enacted within the Forder Programme. Responsibilities increase as pupils mature and progress through the Junior School; Creative Writers thoughtfully produce letters to accompany gifts sent to Lewisham Voluntary Services for distribution to the local community at Christmas, and Prep Pupil Parliament representatives engage with local charities and our Charity Committee on a regular basis. Consideration for the viewpoint of others is essential for developing compassion; activities such as Junior School Philosophy encourage pupils to develop tolerance and understanding of a range of perspectives, and in The Wonderful World of Books, pupils reflect upon diversity of belief, whilst exploring beautiful stories from around the world. In the Academic Scholarship Preparation enrichment sessions, Year 6 pupils are invited to research their own philosophical questions that address morality and ethics. This encourages children to think critically, consider all viewpoints and develop compassion for those from all sides. Compassion for others is prevalent across the College and Junior School pupils are supported in their endeavours for change by Senior School role models, enabling the College to collaborate to seek active and meaningful change across the community. The presence of Senior School students, who actively pursue opportunities to support in a number of Junior School activities, inspires our youngest pupils to become ambitious and forward-thinking in their plans for the future and gives them a platform to build links and facilitate change as they get older.
PRE-PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES: w w w. s t d u n s t a n s . o rg . u k
Story Time, Compassion, Environmental Club, Philos
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I COMPASSION
hilosophy, Woodland Activities, Exploring Diversity and Difference
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COMPASSION I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES:
COMPASSION
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Eco Club, Compassion Club, Climate Change, Creative Write
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I COMPASSION
Writers, Philosophy, Academic Scholarship Preparation, Junior School Journalists, Debating, The Wonderful World of Books
'You get more time to enjoy the school day by doing something extra and different' Leo, Year 3
'I love how there are lots of options and they keep changing every term and every year' Max, Year 6
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CREATIVITY I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
'I like Forder because we can use our imagination' Zoe, Year 3
CREATIVITY
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reativity, individuality and ambition are integral to life in the Junior School and we embrace and nurture endeavour in art, drama, music and performance. From Year 1 onwards, pupils are invited to join the Pre-Prep Choir to sing and perform with their peers both within school and also in public, with performances held at the Catford Broadway Theatre and other key locations within our local community. Additionally, Pre-Prep pupils have a wealth of creative activities available to them to inspire craftsmanship including Paper Crafts, Sewing and Art in the Woods in our magical, outdoor Woodland Classroom – where better to inspire their creativity and imagination? In Prep, skills are honed further with opportunities for pupils to practise discrete skills and perform to wider audiences. From Calligraphy to Photography, Wind Band to Ukulele and Chair Drumming, and Poetry Lovers to Prop Design, all pupils have the chance to shine in this ambitious, creative programme. Regular performances are held throughout the school year by the Wind Band, Prep Strings, Prep Orchestra and the incredibly popular Prep Choir and all pupils who want to sing and perform are welcome to do so, regardless of their experience. Commitment and enthusiasm are required from all! The highlight of the year is the incredible St Dunstan’s Festival, which entails a vast array of music and dramabased events, workshops and performances for every child and their family to partake in and enjoy!
PROFILE EXAMPLES:
Chapel Choir, Big Band, Training Orchestra, SDC Vo
PRE-PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES: w w w. s t d u n s t a n s . o rg . u k
Paper Crafts, Art in the Woods, Sewing, Choir, Kids D
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I CREATIVITY
C Voices, Comedy Appreciation, Vibe Dance, Black Box Devising, DT Coding Club, DT Jewellery Club.
Kids Dance Bop, Drama, The Cutting Crew, Origami, Woodland Classroom
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CREATIVITY I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES:
SDC Stitchers, Calligraphy, Origami, Cartoon Drawing, Optic
Music Theory and Appreciation, Drama, Prop Design, Poetry Lovers, The Actor’s Workshop
CREATIVITY
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Optical Illusion Art, Photography, Let’s Draw, Orchestra, Prep Choir, Boomwhackers and Beats, Ukulele and Chair Drumming,
'I love Forder because it is really exciting to have extra fun at the end of the day by doing clubs and there are lots of exciting activities like film club and art attack' William, Year 3
'My favourite part of Forder is being able to choose our own clubs to join!' Darius, Year 1
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CURIOSITY I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
'I love the new options every term' Molly,
CURIOSITY
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Year 4
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uriosity is cherished in the Junior School and our dedicated and passionate staff work hard to support pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding by providing rich additional educational experiences and activities. Curiosity is embedded in all of our curricula and cocurricula activities, allowing pupils to use their skills of enquiry and curiosity to ask questions, think critically, experiment, build and challenge. Academic enrichment activities offer pupils the opportunity to deepen their love of a particular area of the curriculum. In the Pre-Prep, this starts with Curiosity Club, where pupils find out about the weird and wonderful and develop a passion for all things unknown! Year 2 children with a passion for English and maths are able to hone their skills in Creative Writing or Maths Problem Solving, led by subject specialists, preparing them effectively for Prep life and providing them with a platform to delve deeper into more challenging concepts. In Prep, Form Teachers extend pupils with a range of ambitious and academic challenges. Rapid Maths, It’s Electric and French Games are taught by subject specialists and activities such as Puzzle Club, Brain Training and Around the World advocate and develop pupils’ resilience, questioning and critical thinking skills. Lego, Dominoes and Board Games are enjoyed across the Junior School, with Chess being taught by an external specialist to Prep pupils eager to learn strategy and build competitive skills. Junior School pupils arrive at St Dunstan’s with interests, talents and passions of their own and we embrace the opportunity to develop curious minds. Coding is a particularly popular option for forward thinking, curious Prep pupils; using the school ICT rooms and specialist equipment, pupils are taught the skills to code, programme and explore 21st Century technology including artificial intelligence and machine learning. As pupils progress to Upper Prep, those who have demonstrated particular skill in certain areas are invited to structured extension groups. This culminates in Year 6 where children selected as potential Academic Scholars are invited to preparation sessions with the Junior School Deputy Head Academic. These sessions focus on challenging English and maths activities, alongside philosophy and critical thinking. Pupils are also welcome to attend scholarship preparation sessions for art and drama. There are also opportunities in the co-curricula programme for pupils to engage with school-based, local and national competitions to further their academic profile. These include BBC Radio 2’s 500-word story competition, the IAPS art competition, SATIPS general knowledge quiz and the UN Climate Change Creative Earth competition.
PRE-PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES: w w w. s t d u n s t a n s . o rg . u k
Curiosity Club, Dominoes, Maths Problem Solving, C
S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I CURIOSITY
ng, Creative Writing.
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CURIOSITY I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
PREP PROFILE EXAMPLES:
Rapid Maths, It’s Electric, French Games, Words Words Word
Preparation, Drama Scholarship Preparation, Coding, The Wonderful World of Books, Chess
CURIOSITY
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S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I CURIOSITY
Words, Puzzle Club, Jigsaw Club, Brain Training, Around the World, Academic Scholarship Preparation, Art Scholarship
'I would say it is really fun to learnt things that you might not learn in normal lessons like craft, coding and outdoor French games' Laura, Year 3
'I like Forder because I always get to go home and tell my parents something new that I have learned' Polly, Year 2 j s a d m i s s i o n s @ s t d u n s t a n s . o rg . u k
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REFLECTIONS I S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S
REFLECTIONS FROM JUNIOR STUDENTS...
I love how there are lots of options
I like Forder because it gives you the
and they keep changing every
chance to learn new skills. For example
term and every year. In the last
I usually play netball in games but there
few years, I have chosen to do
is a rugby Forder club so now I know
podcasting, first aid and apprentice
how to play rugby too. I also love to
club and I really loved all of them.
learn calligraphy.
Max, Year 6
Ida, Year 5
I love the new options every term. In the summer I like doing
I usually pick a sporty Forder
athletics after school in the
options because I love sports
sunshine and you can do so many
and it give me the chance to
clubs each week.
play them even more.
Molly, Year 4
Oliver, Year 5
My favourite Forder club was Lego club as we were set different challenges to build things. Davi, Year 3
I like going to Munchkins because coach Jack is really funny. He has great jokes! Seren, Year 2
I love the Traffic Light game, it’s so much fun! Ares, Year 6
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S T D U N S TA N ’ S J U N I O R F O R D E R P R O S P EC T U S I FORDER ACTIVITIES
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JUNIOR FORDER ACTIVITIES CORE: HEALTH & WELLBEING Munchkins Sports Cross Country Football Netball Hockey Swimming Land Training SDC Circuits Fitness Fanatics Rugby Cricket Aussie Rules Rugby Rounders Tennis Aqua Fun Swim Squad Stretch and Breathe Mindfulness Yoga The Calm Club Meditation COURAGE First Strings Puzzle Fun Record Breakers Building Nature Detectives The Young Architects Podcasts The Apprentice Debating Junior School Journalists Project Pioneers Design and Build British Sign Language First Aid
COMPASSION
CURIOSITY
Eco Club Compassion Club Climate Change Creative Writers Philosophy Academic Scholarship Preparation Debating The Wonderful World of Books Story Time Environmental Club Exploring Diversity and Difference Debaters Hitting the Headlines
Coding Chess Curiosity Club Dominoes Maths Problem Solving Creative Writing Rapid Maths It’s Electric French Games Words, Words, Words Puzzle Club Jigsaws Brain Training Around the World Art Scholarship Preparation Academic Scholarship Preparation Drama Scholarship Preparation
CREATIVITY Paper Crafts Sewing Club Pre-Prep Choir Prep Choir Kids Dance Bop Dance, Dance, Dance Drama The Cutting Crew SDC Stitchers Calligraphy Origami Cartoon Drawing Optical Illusion Art Photography Let’s Draw String Orchestra Boomwhackers and Beats Ukulele and Chair Drumming Music Theory and Appreciation Drama Prop Design Poetry Lovers The Actor’s Workshop
* Activities change on a termly basis
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St a n s t e a d Ro a d , Lo n d o n S E 6 4 T Y A c o - e d u c a t i o n a l , i n d e p e n d e n t C o l l e g e fo r a g e s 3 t o 1 8 w w w. s t d u n s t a n s . o r g . u k 020 8516 7200 Charity Number: 312747
An ambitious, forward-thinking community that inspires and supports individuals to thrive