Academic
Our youngest Lions (from age 3 to 5) are encouraged to develop their own individual learning skills in safe, stimulating, colourful and child-centric surroundings. In BNW the pupils enjoy access to outdoor learning spaces and age-appropriate playgrounds.
In BNW we have three year groups, Nursery, Reception and Year 1. Nursery & Reception children follow the English Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). It features a guided play-based approach, where teachers’ detailed ongoing observation provides the main input for assessment of progress and attainment. Teachers design relevant, interesting, learning-focused tasks and activities, providing daily opportunities for children to develop linguistic, physical and social skills whilst strengthening, and beginning to apply, their understanding in literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts. In Year 1 pupils transition to Key Stage 1 of the English National Curriculum.
The transition from BNW to Lower Primary (Years 2 to 4) sees the style of learning develop naturally: whilst the excitement of discovery is undiminished, learning becomes deeper and more focused. We use the National Curriculum for England as our foundation and build out through topic based enquiry and rich and exciting project work.
In Lower Primary, the Class Teacher oversees much of the curriculum and provides the pastoral care, which at BSW is exemplary. Specialist teachers generally lead Gymnastics, Ballet music, swimming lessons and Physical Education.
We encourage every child, right from the start, to develop a passion for learning through deliberate enquiry, critical thinking and creativity. We place a strong emphasis on motivation and consider motivation to be an attribute of the successful independent learners even from Lower Primary.
As pupils move into the Middle Primary (Years 5 to 6), our emphasis is on high academic standards coupled with an extensive and varied programme of enrichment activities. Curricular and enrichment endeavours have balancing strengths, supporting each other in the encouragement of all Middle Primary pupils to fulfil their potential.
One of the most important goals in the Middle Primary is to maintain and enhance our students’ simple desire to know more, find out more, do more, which underlies deep learning and will set them up for success at this stage and beyond.
Enter a Middle Primary classroom and you will see rigorous, imaginative, creative teaching, and focused, independent, dynamic learning. The curriculum is based on the National Curriculum for England, includes relevant focus on local culture and history, and is enhanced by exciting elements of topic based enquiry.
In Middle Primary pupils are further encouraged to be proactive and independent in regard to their learning and a willingness to to learn is actively celebrated through the behaviour management policy, reporting and achievement assemblies.
In Upper Primary (Years 7 to 9) we focus keenly on academic achievement, looking always to inspire curiosity, creativity and compassion as we do so.
We are here to enrich our pupils’ lives with enjoyment and deep understanding of our global scientific, linguistic and cultural heritage. In doing this, we empower them with the knowledge, skills and independence of mind that will make them responsible – and outstanding – leaders of the future.
The emphasis of the curriculum in these three years is to ensure that pupils with a diverse range of educational backgrounds and abilities are given an equal chance to sample the full range of subject options prior to taking options in future studies. Pupils have the opportunity to study English, Mathematics, French, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Art, Design Technology, Drama, Computer Science, Music, Physical Education and Games.
In Year 9, students sit Cambridge International Cambridge Examinations in Mathematics, English & French.
BSW believes that the curriculum in the widest sense includes far more than the timetabled taught lessons in subjects.
BSW’s enrichment programme provides an exciting opportunity for our pupils to try new activities, cultivate new interests and develop skills and aptitudes which will help with their personal and academic development. These activities are run for pupils across year groups enabling our pupils to connect and make friends with children of different ages.
Enrichment at BSW comes in many forms, whether it is our sports and arts programmes, our commitment to cultural pursuits, and in clubs offered on a daily basis.
