Academic

In English the children will learn to speak confidently and listen earnestly to others. They begin to read and write independently and with enthusiasm. They are encouraged to use ambitious language and literary techniques to explore and express their own experiences and imaginary worlds.

They learn to speak clearly, thinking about the needs of their audiences. They work in small groups and as a class, joining in discussions and making relevant points. They also learn how to listen carefully to what other people are saying, so that they can remember and consider the main points. They learn to use language in imaginative ways and express their ideas and feelings when working in different mediums such as poetry, creative writing and in drama activities. They start to enjoy writing and see the value of it. They learn to communicate meaning in narrative and non-fiction texts and spell and punctuate correctly.

The children’s interest and pleasure in reading is developed as they learn to read confidently and independently. They focus on words and sentences and how they fit into whole texts. They comprehend through inference, deduction and retrieval. They decipher the meaning of a variety of texts and begin to think critically about what makes a successful piece of writing and their own preferences as readers. 

In maths the children will develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics through practical activity, exploration and discussion. They learn to count, read, write and order numbers to 100 and beyond. They develop a range of mental calculation skills and use these confidently in different settings. They learn about shape and space through practical activity which builds on their understanding of their immediate environment. They begin to grasp mathematical language, using it to talk about their methods and explain their reasoning particularly when solving problems. We use our extensive library of maths games to make sure the children are learning while they ‘play’.

In science the children investigate, explore and question living things, materials and phenomena. They begin to work together to collect results from experiments to help them answer questions and understand scientific ideas. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair. The children are encouraged to be curious about the world around them and they practise using secondary resources to find out more about scientific concepts. They share their ideas and communicate them using scientific language, drawings, charts and tables.

Children will explore computing and learn to use ‘computational thinking’ confidently and with purpose to achieve specific outcomes. They start to use computing software to develop their ideas and record their creative work and learn to programme and make full use of the Microsoft package, from manipulating spreadsheets to comparing PowerPoint presentations to other presentation software such as Prezi. They become familiar with hardware and software and have regular access to the latest tablets, iPads, Apple TV and Smooth boards to support their learning in their computing lessons as well as across the broader subject range.

Children are well educated in the safe use of email and the internet. Longacre has a responsibility to ensure that when using the internet, children understand the potential dangers and the etiquette to avoid risk, in addition to seeking support and guidance in the face of problems. Parents are also invited into school to gain a more realistic understanding of the internet, supervision of their children and the implications of social media for example.

For further information please visit our Digital Learning page.

In their history lessons the children learn about people’s lives and lifestyles and discover information about significant people and events from the recent and more distant past, including those from both Britain and the wider world. They listen and respond to stories and use sources of information to help them ask and answer questions and learn how the past is different from the present. The curriculum is heavily complemented by numerous visits to give the children first-hand experience of life in the past; from a day in the trenches to experiencing the workhouse.

History provides the perfect vehicle for teaching children independent learning and Longacre enables children with skills for research and presentation of findings using both text and technology.

In geography children investigate their local area and a contrasting area in the United Kingdom or abroad, finding out about the environment in both areas and the people who live there. They also begin to learn about the wider world. They carry out geographical enquiry inside and outside the classroom, such as conducting a traffic survey in the local village. In doing this, they ask geographical questions about people, places and environments, and use geographical skills and resources such as maps and photographs. 

The overall aim for teaching R.E. at Longacre is to allow the children to acquire and develop their knowledge and understanding of the principal religions represented in Great Britain including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. It aims through project and independent learning to:

• Develop an understanding of beliefs, values and traditions and how they influence individuals, communities, societies and cultures
• Develop the skills necessary to discuss religious and moral issues
• Enhance the spiritual, moral, cultural and social and physical development of the pupils
• Encourage reflections on their own beliefs and values as well as those of others
• Develop respect for other people’s beliefs
• Develop a positive attitude towards living in a society of diverse religions

Throughout the humanities subjects, Education for Social Responsibility (ESR) underpins the curriculum and is embedded within lessons, focusing on the six key themes of: well-being, rights, responsibilities, intelligent behaviours, knowledge and opportunities. As a result, children will become more effective and compassionate individuals, prepared for the challenges of leadership and responsibility beyond their time at Longacre. The ESR framework underpins school development, leading towards more interdependent and sustainable communities.

Philosophy for children (P4C) focuses on thinking skills and communal dialogue (‘philosophising’).  It aims to build a “community of enquiry” defined as: a group of people used to thinking together with a view to increasing their understanding and appreciation of the world around them and of each other. Within this community that is created, Longacre children develop four types of thinking:

• Collaborative thinking: thinking with others
• Caring: thinking of others
• Critical: making reasoned judgements
• Creative: creating new ideas

As well as promoting higher order thinking skills, P4C develops each child’s ability to articulate their thoughts using mature vocabulary in both speaking and writing. P4C is a powerful tool in developing Longacre children both academically and personally and enables the children to:

• Listen to and value the opinion of their peers
• Respond to, encourage and build on the ideas of other
• Make connections between ideas and speculate on alternative explanations
• Be independent and adaptable in their thinking
• Ask philosophical questions
• Seek clarifications, justification and supporting evidence
• Evaluate the ideas and viewpoints of others

At Longacre, our Prep School pupils enjoy an hour of French a week with a specialist teacher who is also a native speaker. The fundamental skills for French language learning are categorised into four attainment targets:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing

The French curriculum is organised into topics that are relevant and meaningful to the children. Lessons are practical and involve a wide range of activities such as role plays, action songs or listening and speaking games to name a few. The pupils discover French culture and broaden their understanding of the French-speaking world.

In the second half of the summer term, Form VI pupils learn Spanish instead of French. The emphasis is very much on learning the basic conversational Spanish used in everyday life as well as developing their knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world.

Pupils in Forms V & VI can attend our weekly French Club.