In Edgeborough’s Pre-Prep, children enjoy an environment of security, respect and kindness. These formative years, from Reception to Year 2, are unmatched in terms of progress and development, as the child blossoms into an independent, confident and capable young learner with secure academic foundations and a thirst for knowledge and discovery.
With our small classes and dedicated staff, we ensure that each pupil is met as an individual and is gifted the confidence and self-belief to take risks, seek challenge and adopt a ‘can do’ approach to the many opportunities that come their way. Early accomplishment and a sense of success resonate through our Pre-Prep classrooms and communities.
Take a look at our 'Behind the Scenes' in Pre-Prep Video, with our roving reporters Gerry and Janet.
Edgeborough’s Pre-Prep stands at the forefront of modern educational practice. We recognise that rote memorisation is not enough to prepare our pupils for the modern and ever-changing world. Instead, there is a focus on developing problem solving, creativity, and critical analysis skills. We are committed to laying the foundation for tomorrow’s independent thinkers by providing our pupils with a purposeful, connected and hands-on curriculum that excites young minds through working from the interests, curiosities and wonders of the class.
In the Edgeborough Pre-Prep, children thrive as they experience an exciting and stimulating education in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Edgeborough’s Pre-Prep stands at the forefront of modern educational practice. We recognise that rote memorisation is not enough to prepare our pupils for the modern and ever-changing world. Instead, there is a focus on developing problem solving, creativity, and critical analysis skills. We are committed to laying the foundation for tomorrow’s independent thinkers by providing our pupils with a purposeful, connected and hands-on curriculum that excites young minds through working from the interests, curiosities and wonders of the class.
In the Edgeborough Pre-Prep, children thrive as they experience an exciting and stimulating education in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Our pupils arrive at school between 8.15 – 8.30am, in time to start the day and eager to embrace the new adventures and opportunities it will bring.
The first lessons of the day are usually in the core subjects, Literacy and Mathematics. In both cases, small group sessions allow for each and every child to receive targeted support and challenge. Break times are greeted enthusiastically with children given a healthy snack and a drink before going out to play in their large, woodland Pre-Prep playground.
Pre-Prep children have lunch at midday in the Prep School Dining Hall. Children and teachers sit and eat together and enjoy family style dining, encouraging good manners and a healthy appetite! In the afternoons, the children’s enquiries fuel an expansive, creative and rich learning environment and experience.
The school day ends at 3:20pm for Reception, 3:25pm for Year 1 and 3:30pm for Year 2. However, many children will stay to enjoy the varied, exciting, and inclusive activity schedule that we offer.
Special Events:
Throughout the year we hold exciting events in the Pre-Prep, such as themed days (Dahlicious Day, European Day of Languages, World Book Day), class assemblies, drama workshops and our annual seasonal celebrations and performances. The children go on school trips each term to support their learning. Recent popular trips have included Portsmouth Dockyards, The Living Rainforest, Winchester Science Centre, The Lookout Centre, Wisley Gardens, Pizza Express, Farnham Community Farm and local museums.
Through the child-inspired Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, we provide a positive and enriching educational experience in the Reception year. Whilst we hold true to the EYFS, we offer so much more as we celebrate of the uniqueness of every child and provide a diverse range of open-ended play resources and specialist teaching sessions, including Outdoor Woodland Learning (OWL), Physical Education with our experienced Games staff, Music, Cooking and French. Through these tailored experiences, we nurture each child’s exceptional talents and interests, helping them discover their passions from the very start.
Anima Phonics, the Pre-Prep phonics scheme, starts in Reception, building from the interest and love of language secured in the Pre-School. Through play, purposeful activity and storybook inspiration, the children start to explore print, using letter symbols to give meaning to their notices, stories and journals. Nowhere is this better seen than through ‘Drawing Club’, which works with the creativity and wonder of the child, using favourite stories and traditional tales to excite in them ideas for creative writing and story creations.
With Maths, we advocate a hands-on mastery of concepts and knowledge, with purposeful tasks and play centred in the maths experiences of the child. Number is explored in a deep and informed way, offering the competencies and confidence to launch universal mathematicians!
The building blocks of all learning, Literacy and Maths provision stand at the heart of the Year 1 and 2 school day.
The multi-sensory and engaging Anima Phonics scheme is employed to support the attainment of essential reading and writing competence. Reading and books strongly feature across all aspects of the school day, with books shared, valued and used with purpose. The more creative aspects of Literacy are then facilitated through ‘Mighty Writer’ story writing, drama, library lessons and creative writing lessons. Application of emergent writing and effective communication skills obtain significance, as written and spoken forms of communication are used to entertain, persuade, explain and record.
With Maths, we give attention towards securing robust foundations, with pupils developing a deep understanding of vital concepts through application and by explaining and sharing their methods. Maths is given relevance to daily life, as a vital tool used to classify, order, organise and explain information in our world. With maths competencies embed into daily school life, the dispositions achieved are those which will later springboard young mathematicians who manipulate number with confidence and genuine understanding.
In both instances, teaching within these core subject areas is layered into the respective Enquiry where possible, to give acquired knowledge purpose and meaning in application.
As educators, we cannot predict what the future holds or how society will function in five, ten or twenty years-time. All too often, pupils are told what to learn, with how to learn neglected as an educational objective. This is far from the case at Edgeborough, where our Years 1 and 2 enquiry curriculum is committed towards developing the skills and dispositions that establish the child as a driving force of their own learning.
Our innovative, enquiry approach allows the children to lead their own learning and take it on an exciting adventure of discovery. We work alongside the pupils, who are valued as researchers and encouraged to be curious, to seek knowledge and to pursue answers to their questions and wonders. The model of teaching and learning employed is one where communication, collaboration, thinking and independence are maximised and accounted for as the pupils grow as budding problem solvers within an environment that nurtures creativity and critical thinking.
Termly units (e.g. ‘Paws and Claws’, ‘School of Magic’ or ‘The Wonder of Water’) promote child-directed content, whilst being built on a considered and interconnected set of objectives that spurs ambitious learning. With units fuelled by child interest, the pupils’ boundless energy to wonder, find out and make connections is harnessed. The units reach out to the budding scientist, explorer, adventurer, linguist and creator – everyone’s involved, everyone’s engaged and everyone’s voice is valued as the pupils and teachers embark on a quest of knowledge and an adventure of discovery.
Pre-Prep pupils all enjoy a variation of learning opportunities and wider enrichment activities across the week. Specialist teaching in PE, French and Music is extended through instrumental tuition and the Younger Chef Award. OWL (Outdoor Woodland Learning) lessons are a weekly highlight for all the children, with time spent in the woodland classroom a time where confidence is built and a breadth of skills developed in areas such as bushcraft, outdoor cookery and tree climbing.
Club and activity options are also varied and enriching, with the choices spanning Judo, Chess, Mini Medics, Slime Club, Acro Dance, Rounders and Football, to name but a few! All children are encouraged to make the most of these opportunities, to be open-minded to new hobbies and prepared to give a new club a go. Who knows where their talents might lie!
On our open mornings, see what we have to offer your child with our picturesque campus set in the heart of Farnham. Guided tours will show you why this special environment will give them the best place to learn. Get up close and personal and experience first hand how our pupils blend in so easily to the day-to-day life of our independent prep school. Lastly, staff members will be on hand for you to discuss how we can help your child reach their educational aspirations. Join us for this amazing opportunity.
If you have any other queries please contact our Head of Admissions, DebbieTully admissions@edgeborough.co.uk or call us on 01252 792495.
We encourage our pupils to open their minds and explore; we equip them to achieve and succeed.
