Lower School
Lower School pupils are taught through an exciting, broad and innovative curriculum that stimulates and inspires their curious minds. Class sizes are small and the children grow by developing their knowledge both inside and outside the classroom.
With access to all school facilities and specialist teachers we offer a wide breadth of subjects including English, Maths, Science, ICT, French, PE Adventure and Life Skills. Learning Support Staff are on hand to assist those pupils who might require any additional support.
The final year of the Early Years Foundation Stage, where children turn 5 during this year. The Reception classrooms are bright and airy and well equipped with modern technology. They have French doors which open onto a fully enclosed astro turfed outside learning space.
The start of Key Stage 1, where children turn 6 during this year. Children in Year 1 begin to enjoy more formal, subject specific, lessons as part of the National Curriculum.
Children turn 7 during this year and are ‘prepared’ for the Prep School, with lessons like Music, French, Art, Swimming and PE continuing to be taught by the subject specialist teachers ready for the transition to the Upper school. Games, is also introduced as a subject to prepare the children for the introduction of matches from Year 3.
Whilst the children in the Lower school are still taught in very practical ways with teachers employing a range of strategies and resources to suit all types of learners, as the children enter Year 1, they move towards more formal lessons, with traditional subjects being taught.
All Lower School children are able to stay on to participate in after-school, extra -curricular activities. These include activities like, Judo, Ballet, Science club, Gardening Club, Gymnastics, Art Club and many more. Twice a week Year 2 children are also given a prep to complete, on a Wednesday after school the children have the opportunity to stay at school and attend prep. This is when they can work quietly on their homework under the supervision of their own class teacher to complete their homework. This is excellent preparation for Year 3 when they will have a prep every day.
Throughout the Lower School, Outdoor Learning continues to play a crucial part in our education at Barfield with our new outdoor classroom Treetops, being a welcome new addition. The children attend Forest School sessions every other week, a lesson which is always enjoyed and finished with the children sampling a lovely warm hot chocolate around our log circle.
