Prep Brochure 2023

Prep School

Nursery, Reception, Our Mission and Prep School Life

Welcome to the Prep

At St Edmund’s Prep, we are dedicated to igniting and nurturing a love for learning in every child.

Steeped in a rich history, the school’s ethos and Catholic mission stretches over 450 years, placing service, leadership and scholarship at its core. Students and families of all faiths or none, are welcomed into a vibrant welcoming community which aims to help children grow in confidence and self-esteem.

Our school takes pride in the outstanding education that it offers along with a robust academic curriculum which includes outstanding provision for sport and the performing and visual arts.

Nestled in the heart of rural Hertfordshire, children are enabled to thrive in the glorious

green 400-acre campus, enjoying the woodlands, superb sporting facilities and the latest technologies to help support, stretch and inspire students in their learning both inside and outside the classroom.

I warmly invite you to visit St Edmund’s Prep to begin to see for yourself, the outstanding school we are.

Steven Cartwright Headmaster, St Edmund’s Prep

Religious Education is not just one subject amongst many but the foundation of our educational mission.

Nursery & Reception - laying foundations

Children are most receptive when they are happy. Our days are designed to be stimulating so that lessons are learnt intuitively in an atmosphere of excitement and curiosity.

Igniting a passion for learning which will last a lifetime.

Children experience the best of both indoor and outdoor learning in our Nursery where we aim to develop confidence, independence and academic curiosity through personalised learning programmes which are constructed according to each child's experience of the world.

Children work at their own pace and take interest in their learning. Building positive relationships with pupils and staff alike is seen as a critical part of each individual’s development.

Our curriculum focuses on giving the children a thorough grounding in reading, writing and mathematics. We partner this with engaging, interactive learning about the world in which we live, covering geography, history and science. Structured and child-initiated play as well as specialist French, Swimming, Dance, Music and Forest School teaching are staple parts of each child’s education. We spend time indoors and outdoors, come rain or shine to ensure the children are stimulated and eager to learn.

We encourage children to express their feelings and talk about what they are doing. We build confidence, resilience and communication skills by allowing them to develop their own interests in their own time and at their own pace, showing pleasure in their achievements.

Nursery sessions are flexible to suit the needs of individual families. All include a well balanced, healthy lunch.

Pre-Prep - Years 1 to 2

A strong partnership with parents is critical and communication is an area in which the Prep School excels.

The transition between Nursery and the Pre-Prep is handled with great sensitivity and care to ensure that each and every child continues to flourish as a confident and independent learner.

Teachers and staff continue to get to know the needs of individual pupils, helping them to grow in all areas of their development whilst being comfortable with their own pace of learning.

Lessons become more formalised in an environment that is both stimulating and nurturing as the children grow as learners. Mathematics and English continue to be instilled within a creative curriculum that engages and inspires the children, combining up-to-date technology and the exploration of the natural world around them. Creative and physical development are key to all children and the arts and sport begin to take a more prominent role in the weekly curriculum, all working to develop the whole child.

Scholarships for Year 3 (7+) are available and these are sat in the January of the calendar year in which the child progresses to Year 3 in September.

We are fortunate to enjoy a secure rural setting that allows us to promote a love of nature and an understanding of the environment through our Forest School programme.

Learning through exploration

Prep - Years 3 to 6

Academic life at the Prep is challenging and exciting.

The children continue to experience a broad, balanced and progressive education as they become increasingly confident and curious learners. We encourage our students to be independent thinkers, eager to learn and take more responsibility for their organisation.

Standards are set high with the expectation that each and every child should fulfil his or her potential, enthused and inspired by lessons that combine the formal and structured with the creative and investigative. A careful assessment and monitoring system is in place and regular communication with parents is an essential part of the process that helps our children to achieve their very best.

As children enter their final year at the Prep responsibility becomes a key part of the daily life as all children have their own roles such as

House Captains, Sports Captains, Art Ambassadors and playground friends to name just a few. These roles are key to the development of the children as they prepare to leave the Prep and move to the next stage of their education. Most of our children move seamlessly on to their secondary education in the College, with the overwhelming majority of families preferring the 3-18 year old education system that St Edmund’s offers.

Links with the College continue with regular science lessons in the College laboratories, swimming lessons in the pool and of course the whole school comes together to celebrate Mass in the Pugin Chapel.

Scholarships are available for children in Year 6 (11+) progressing into the College.

Achievement for all

Providing encouragement and inspiration to all pupils.

In addition to carefully planned lessons and programmes of work within the classroom, the Prep boasts an Enhancement Room to stretch and engage our more able learners. ‘The Study’ is an additional quiet area within the school for those children who require extra support which is provided by a dedicated staff member who works across all year groups ensuring individuals needs are supported.

Academic furtherance through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is promoted through curriculum mornings for parents as well as Gifted and Talented days for students and regular lessons in the recently refurbished St Edmund’s College Science

Laboratories. Languages are also a vital part of our childrens education and are taught in all age groups from simple songs in the Nursery through to a more structured language teaching approach in the older years. Our language carousel ensures that children have access to lessons in French, Spanish and German each year.

The close-knit family atmosphere is just one of the contributing factors which helps produce confident, happy individuals with a love for learning.

Religious Life in the Prep

Our Catholic faith runs through life at the Prep from Nursery to Year 6.

Worship and liturgy take the form of quiet time of prayer and reflection at the beginning and end of each day and before and after meals. Assemblies and liturgies are held each week and are regularlyled by our Chaplaincy group supported by the staff and Headmaster.

Mass is held weekly in our own St Hugh’s Chapel as year groups, with Holy days of obligation and Feast Days being celebrated by the whole school.

Students, staff and parents also come together regularly to celebrate special occasions in the impressive College Pugin Chapel. Children, parents and staff are always welcome to use our recently opened prayer garden for quiet, personal prayer and reflection.

Thinking of others runs through daily life at the Prep. Caring for each other and also those in the wider community through charity work is key,

with the older children leading activities such as cake sales and sponsored events to support our local community.

'Worship and prayer are experienced in a purposeful and meaningful way by the whole school community and are central to school life'.

Prep Diocesan Inspection Report 2017

'God sent us a Mission to be faithful, peaceful, loving and kind'.

Pupil quote

Prep Diocesan Inspection Report 2017

The House System - caring for our children

Leadership and teamwork are seen as important skills as children begin to gain a better sense of themselves and their role in the world.

The Prep House system helps cultivate these values as children compete in academic, sporting and cultural spheres. The children are given many opportunities to work collaboratively to achieve a common goal with the annual Pancake Race, Spelling Bee and Inter-House Quiz just some examples of how we do this.

We recognise the value in competition, but also see the importance that must be placed on helping every one of our children to develop and thrive. Finding and developing within themselves a confidence they didn’t know they had or an as yet undiscovered skill, is a key part of what we do.

'Our children have had a wonderful time at St Edmund’s and have received a first-class education as well as enjoying a wide range of co-curricular activities. The entire staff have been completely supportive, thoughtful and caring'.

Parent Testimonial

If a child is happy in themselves, they will be a happy learner.

Sport for all at St Edmund’s Prep

Physical education allows our pupils to explore and acquire many different skills in a broad curriculum that covers gymnastics, dance, rounders, basketball, lacrosse and athletics. They also benefit from swimming lessons, taught throughout the year, in the College’s indoor swimming pool and for half of the year the students in Forms 3 and 4 also receive tennis lessons.

To complement Physical Education the children also take part in Games which see them develop in football, rugby, hockey and cricket for the boys and hockey, netball, football and cricket for the girls. Competitive fixtures are played in these sports against other local schools throughout the year giving the children experience playing as part of a team and developing leadership roles.

Co-curricular sport opportunities are also available through our extensive activities programme and after school squad practices. These ensure that children are given the best possible opportunity to progress technically and develop their tactical understanding of team sports.

The Prep is the proud holder of a Gold Sports Mark.

With our own dedicated sports fields and the benefit of sharing flood-lit astro-turf and hard court pitches and an indoor sports hall with the College - sport is a key part of the Prep.

A key element of life at the Prep is sport where enthusiasm and participation is encouraged.

Children at St Edmund’s Prep School experience a varied and exciting Physical Education and Games programme set against the backdrop of the beautiful campus.

Music & Performing Arts

Children, from Nursery to Form 6, are offered every encouragement to develop their creative talents and confidence in the areas of Music, Drama and Dance, both during lessons and through a stimulating range of co-curricular activities and events.

Music, Drama and Dance are taught by specialist teachers. We share a team of experienced peripatetic staff with the College and tuition is available in voice, piano, recorder, guitar, drum kit and many standard orchestral instruments. Each child in Form 2 is offered a term’s free group tuition on the violin, cello/ukulele or recorder, while everyone in Form 3 to 6 attends a weekly choir practice. Children can be entered for external Music and Drama examinationsand for the annual competition for music scholarships to the College.

Prep children who play instruments are invited to join one of our thriving ensembles and for anyone in the Pre-Prep there is a popular after-

school Singing Club. Drama and Dance activities offered recentlyhave included speech and drama, musical theatre, script writing, ballet and contemporary dance.

Prep and Pre-Prep concerts, LAMDA recitals and Performing Arts Assemblies offer regular opportunities for solo performance.

The Prep is now a proud holder of the England Arts Council Gold Artsmark Award, having previously held the Silver Award.

We place a particularly strong emphasis on singing, both at weekly Masses and assemblies, and at major events in the school calendar.

Each year the Prep holds a spectacular end of year production at an external theatre giving the children an opportunity to perform in a professional environment.

The extended day

We try to foster independence as well as teamwork with all children being encouraged to try and do something new.

An inspiring Co-Curricular Life.

Co-Curricular activities are an integral element of life here at St Edmund’s Prep. The broad range of activities aims to offer a breadth of opportunity to the children, who are encouraged to try new experiences each term.

Catering to the needs of every child, the activities range from Photography, Cookery and Karate, to Arts and Crafts and the Performing Arts. Throughout the year, the children can also make use of the extensive grounds through extra sports clubs such as Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Football and Rugby.

Cadets, Eco Club, Debating, Dragon’s Den and even the chance to sing at the O2 with the Young Voices choir, all feature to provide the pupils with unique, inspiring opportunities to shine in their chosen field.

Central to the activities on offer, the children can develop their ‘5R’s’ – to be Responsible, Ready, Resilient, Resourceful and Reflective students, which underpins their learning behaviour both inside and outside the academic curriculum at St Edmund’s Prep. The clubs help raise self-esteem and develop social, entrepreneurial and leadership skills, equipping the children sufficiently for success outside the classroom.

At the very heart of the Co-Curriculum, is the chance to discover and nurture the wide range of talents and interests of each, and every pupil, enriching their lives further and helping ignite hidden passions for life.

Wrap-around Care.

Our school day runs from 8.30am until 3.30pm with optional daily activities on offer from 3.30pm until 4.30pm. We understand that some families may benefit from the flexibility of an extended day and therefore we provide a Breakfast Club which runs from 7.30am until the start of school. At the end of the day we offer a Teatime Club until 6pm where children can complete homework, take part in fun games or simply relax after a busy day at school.

St Edmund's Prep provides a friendly and safe environment for any child who needs to be cared for out of standard school hours.

Breakfast Club from 7.30am to 8.30am

Teatime Club from 3.30pm to 6.00pm

Forest School at St Edmund’s Prep

We strive for excellence and creativity in forward-thinking education.

St Edmund’s College and Prep is a living example of this statement and our on-site and near boundless Forest School facility positively contributes to nurturing so many aspects of character development.

The Forest School, run by a qualified and experienced leader works to ensure a safe and effective environment that maximises learning opportunities for every child.

The key focus centres around providing small achievable tasks such as shelter building, woodland craft, or wildlife appreciation and study. It is through these activities that a child cannot only learn new skills but also show:

Improved:

Concentration

Social skills

Empathy

Coordination

Health – with fewer sick days

Resilience

Developed:

Social & emotional intelligence

Independence

Self-esteem

Self-awareness

Self regulation

Social communication

Problem solving & risk taking

It is vital for children to see the world that has been entrusted to our care and to acknowledge the true blessings that are within the natural world that we too often take for granted.

To appreciate these external God-given gifts is to develop the desire to look after them and to nurture the world that we inhabit; to keep it in trust for future generations. The hope that St Edmund’s children carry with them not only academic success but a conscience to create greater good on a broader world level.

Direct examples of how the curriculum has seen children become more focused and engaged on their tasks include:

•A child who could sometimes be passive in the classroom became purposeful, showing determination to complete a task

•A child who often approaches adults for reassurance in the classroom was working independently, only seeking out an adult to share their achievements

•A child who works at a high level in the classroom has been able to begin to identify different species of bird when looking through their binoculars.

The Forest School programme runs from Nursery (aged 3+) through to Form Four (aged 8+) and is a permanent feature of the timetable.

Moving up to the College

The transition from Prep to secondary education can be a stressful time for children and parents alike.

As students of St Edmund’s Prep regularly come to the College for lunch, Mass, swimming, music and sport lessons they are comfortable and familiar with being in and around the College. When the time comes to start their secondary education this makes the transition that much easier.

Students leave the Prep at the end of Year 6 and we are delighted that the vast majority of Prep students move seamlessly to the College to continue their education. Students at the Prep are able to apply for academic, sport, music and all round Scholarships for Year 7 (Elements) entrance to the College and the Prep prepares the students for these as they do for children wishing to apply to other schools.

The College gives preference to pupils who joined the Prep before the start of Year 4 and they are not automatically required to sit the College entrance examination unless they are applying for an Academic or All Rounder scholarship or there is a concern that the pupil is unlikely to benefit from the education provided by the College. Any student joining the Prep in Year 5 or 6 will have to sit the College entrance examination.

The knowledge, confidence and experiences developed throughout their time at the Prep prepares them for life at secondary school and especially the College and whilst the move can always be a daunting one, our students are well prepared and ready for the future challenges that College will offer them.

Starting at the Prep aged three

I am now delighted to be Head Girl at the College. The education, care, experiences and friendships have all made this possible. The transition from the Prep to the College was so easy as I was familiar and comfortable as at aged eleven I was already an Edmundian. Nada – Head Girl

St Edmund’s is an independent, Catholic co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3- 18

St Edmund’s College & Prep School

Old Hall Green

Ware, Hertfordshire

SG11 1DS

Tel: 01920 824247

Email: admissions@stedmundscollege.org

www.stedmundscollege.org