Pre-Prep Curriculum
We value all areas of the curriculum and provide a broad and balanced programme of learning to children throughout their time in the Pre-Prep. Pre-Prep is split into two phases with two distinct curricula that carefully align to ensure all our children have a flying start in their Educational journey at Runnymede College.
The Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is made up of 3 year groups: Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception. Children begin their time at Runnymede College in our Pre-Nursery when they are 2-years-old, and spend 3 years in the EYFS building a strong foundation for later success. Through long periods of uninterrupted play in a stimulating and engaging learning environment, children are supported to develop curiosity, wonder and problem-solving skills that will propel them to success in Year 1 and beyond. Highly-skilled practitioners plan and lead engaging learning inputs that focus on developing children’s spoken English skills in readiness to access the British curriculum throughout their time at Runnymede. All our practitioners are native English speakers and are highly-skilled in supporting language development through high-quality interactions.
At Runnymede College we have developed a challenging and inspiring curriculum which both aligns with the UK EYFS statutory guidance and meets the needs of our specific community. The EYFS curriculum is split into 3 prime areas: Wellbeing, Communication and Language, Physical Development; and 4 specific areas: Maths, Literacy, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design. Teachers follow an ambitious skills curriculum designed to support every child to make progress, and learning is thematic with a new topic each term to broaden children’s knowledge and experience. In the EYFS, we understand that children’s development is not linear and that children develop at different rates in different areas. We use Arc Pathways to track children’s progress and ensure that we are responsive to their needs and interests, using an individualised approach to ensure all children are able to succeed, and communicating with parents so that they can support them at home. Children receive specialist teaching in Music, PE and Spanish by skilled teachers who understand the nuances of teaching in the Early Years, and all teaching is aligned to help the children make connections across the curriculum.
In Reception, children begin to prepare for more formal education through Literacy and Maths. We follow the Read, Write, Inc phonics scheme in which children learn the sounds different letter make and use these to decode and make words as they start to read and write. In Nursery and Reception, Maths inputs are planned using White Rose Maths which ensures a depth of knowledge in number, shape and measure. Readiness for Year 1 is guaranteed by carefully aligning schemes and planning a smooth transition between classrooms, routines and curricula. By the end of Reception, all children have a strong foundation in English that allows them to access the National Curriculum.
Years 1,2 and 3
At this age children begin to follow the National Curriculum and transition from “play-based” learning in the Foundation Stage to “playful” learning that continues to be fun and engaging, but is more formal in structure. We teach the subjects in the National Curriculum as well as Spanish. The organisation of the day gives children plenty of opportunity for regular activity breaks so that they can learn in age-appropriate chunks. We also know that some of the most memorable learning takes place outside of the classroom, and create opportunities for this across the school year. [link to life beyond the classroom]
Our rich and diverse curriculum is designed to offer all children a breadth of experience, whilst adequately supporting and challenging them in their learning. We aim to achieve the highest academic standards for all children through well-structured teaching and learning techniques. The curriculum is taught through an overarching topic each term; this cross-curricular and enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning is designed to enhance your child’s natural curiosity. Subject Leaders and teachers plan to ensure no moment is wasted and that children are exposed to varied, stimulating and relevant content in each subject area. We use robust schemes such as White Rose Maths and Read, Write, Inc Phonics to support our teachers to plan high-quality lessons and ensure all children are supported in striving for excellence.
As in the EYFS, all our class-based teaching staff are native English speakers, and Spanish, PE and Music are taught by our highly skilled specialist teachers. This ensures that children are actively supported throughout Pre-Prep to develop their English speaking and listening skills. The children have regular opportunities to practice public speaking, through shows, poetry recitation and weekly show and tell. This sets children up for future success in their time at Runnymede College and beyond.
Curriculum Maps
See our termly curriculum maps below to see how we organise lessons into exciting themes with cross curricular links.