At Cottesmore academic skills are developed through carefully planned schemes of work which follow and extend the National Curriculum, ensuring that children are not over burdened with constant testing. We seek to prepare children for the challenges of the Prep School and to this end we have very strong links with the Prep School. The children have regular contact with the Directors of Sport and Music and benefit from the use of the indoor swimming pool, sports hall, pitches and dining room.
All children enjoy learning with our ‘topic based’ approach which discreetly encompasses many areas of the curriculum. English and mathematics are however timetabled daily to ensure a continuity of progress.
From Reception, every child will read daily to the class teacher or teaching assistant, and, will select a reading book of a similar level to bring home to share with an adult every day. In this way we hope to engender not only proficient readers but a love of reading.
All studies show that smaller class sizes and more specialist teachers result in higher educational standards and levels of achievement, and to this end all children from Reception receive specialist teaching in Music, P.E. and Swimming.
The Pre-Prep has its own music practise room used by pupils and peripatetic teachers. All of Year Two pupils learn to read music and to play the recorder within the curriculum but many pupils from Reception to Year Two chose to learn to play a musical instrument. Due to the thriving Prep School Music Department, children have a wide choice of instruments available to them including drums, violin, guitar and piano.
Drama and having the confidence to speak in front of an audience is a skill for life and to this end children are encouraged to participate in assemblies, concerts and of course the Christmas production. Parents, grandparents and friends are all invited to many of these occasions.