Prep School

The power of the written and spoken word, the magic of stories and the possibilities of art are all around us in life. As an English department, we aim to reflect this, and to nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity whilst developing an accurate grasp of the English language. 

Reading is at the heart of the English curriculum. Children listen to stories daily from the Nursery upwards, and this leads to more independent reading in the Prep School. Every school day ends with 20 minutes of Everyone Reading In Class (ERIC) in which children enjoy their own books, discuss book choices and recommend favourite reads to others. Time is also spent selecting new books in our library. In the Prep School, classes enjoy a class reader each term; pupils experience a wide range of literature and explore a variety of themes as they go. 

At Barnardiston, we believe that exposure to classic literature is important. Each year, we celebrate a classic novel with a whole-school book day based around a particular text. The school transforms into the setting for a book and children from the nursery all the way up to Form VI enjoy dressing up as their chosen character, and they participate in a range of book-related activities. Pupils very much enjoy the opportunity to work together with others across all year groups, exploring themes and imagining that they are living among the characters of a story for one day.  

The Common Entrance syllabus expects pupils at 13+ to explore a range of text-types including non-fiction, prose, poetry and plays. Creative writing competitions offer opportunities for children to write prose and poetry for an audience, and plays are explored both in the classroom and on the stage itself. Barnardiston pupils are never strangers to the stage. They make their debuts in Nursery and have the opportunity to perform to the whole school and parents at least once – and possibly several times – a year. Pre-prep pupils take part in an annual nativity play whilst Prep School pupils take part in termly Class Assembly productions and have the opportunity to be a part of the whole-school musical show each year. Children’s enjoyment of drama is also encouraged by regular theatre trips, often linking to the books being studied in English lessons.  

Speaking and listening skills are developed in the classroom and on stage but also with opportunities for debating. Notably, Form II (Year 4) pupils take part in an annual Balloon Debate in which they argue why the character they have chosen should not be thrown off the hot air balloon. Needless to say, many enjoy being thrown into the sea if they do not win the vote! Many children take extra-curricular speech and drama lessons with impressive results in external examinations.  

Of course, the development of core Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) skills is very important too. At Barnardiston, we adopt a child-centred and holistic approach, valuing children as individuals and understanding that progress occurs at different speeds. There is a huge focus on personalised learning with children accessing the curriculum in the way which meets their needs best. Children are given individual reading and writing targets and progress is tracked every term. Spelling skills are taught discretely and, where necessary, within ability groups, so that rules and spelling patterns can be explored in detail. Children have individualised (or group) spelling lists which can be practised weekly in lessons, on paper and online, and progress is checked with half-termly tests.  

Pupils who are struggling with their literacy skills are assessed by The Bridge (our learning support department) and given interventions and further support and assessments as required to ensure that they make as much progress as possible. Adaptations can be made to the curriculum and accessibility arrangements are in place for exams for those pupils for whom this is required.  

Pupils who demonstrate a particular aptitude for English are challenged both inside and outside of the classroom. English is regularly a strong string to the bow of academic scholars, and appropriate support is put in place for pupils applying to prestigious senior schools and those sitting scholarship papers. We run an enrichment Carnegie Book Club which engages pupils critically with a range of contemporary texts within a discursive group setting. 

We are always excited for novel ideas and to try new things in order to develop and sustain a love for English. At Barnardiston, we will continue to provide a range of opportunities to instil a life-long love of English to our pupil body.