Welcome

S. Anselm’s Pre-Prep is a lively, vibrant environment, rich with opportunities, where children develop in confidence and independence within our happy and caring community and the foundations are laid for later success.

Development of the full child – each as individuals – is at the heart of our teaching approach and we pride ourselves in the way we nurture children in our care, both academically and pastorally.

Our main aim is that all children come to school happily so that each child can reach his or her full potential. We stress the importance of a caring attitude towards others and help the children to develop good relationships within the school.

The Pre-Prep Curriculum provides a broad education, which balances the best of traditional and modern methods of teaching in order to stimulate and challenge the child.

Children enter the Pre-Prep in the autumn term after their 4th birthday. During Reception the children follow the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.

The children in Year 1 and 2 cover a broad curriculum which offers a wide range of learning opportunities, aimed at stimulating and nurturing each child’s development and interests in an intellectual, physical, spiritual, social and emotional sense.

Throughout the Pre-Prep, children benefit from lessons taught by our specialist teachers, from French to music and sports, and when a subject we are learning suggests, we are able to visit the library, ®LEGO Innovation Studio or science laboratories in our Prep School.

Pre-Prep has its own dedicated school buildings with a warm, open and stimulating environment.  There are five form rooms in which the children are taught in small classes.  We have a large enclosed outdoor area including gardens, as well as having access to S. Anselm’s 20 acre grounds and outstanding sporting facilities.

With three fully qualified Forest School Practitioners, children throughout the Pre-Prep also benefit from exciting Forest School sessions, which offer a different and valuable dimension to learning.  The Forest School approach enables children to experiment and explore outdoors, in their natural surroundings.

Special days, feasts and festivals are celebrated with enthusiasm.  These include Harvest, Christmas, Pancake Day, Easter and World Book Day as well as our own Pre-Prep Sports Day and the Saint’s Day of S. Anselm’s.  We also organise a number of special subject days such as Spanish and French Day, Environmental Day and Maths Investigation Day which are always filled with fun.

Transition from Pre-Prep to the Prep School is carefully planned to ensure that children are properly prepared for, confident and happy about the next stage in their life at S. Anselm’s.  During the summer term in Year 2 children regularly visit their new Year 3 teachers.

Our Pre-Prep supports children throughout their early learning journey, developing their confidence, skills and abilities on every level so they can succeed upon entering the Preparatory School and beyond.