Beyond The Classroom | Private School

We take the “prep” in preparing children seriously, not only for their future schools but also life, by offering enrichment programmes from Reception-Year 6 in which children learn soft skills and are exposed to different experiences that help prepare them for their secondary school years ahead.

When thinking about such enrichment programmes, it is essential to first think about what passions, interests or hobbies the children have to captivate their minds. Our Beyond the Classroom “Super Curriculum” allows children the independence to make and learn from their mistakes, thus building more confident learners, happy to have a go.

At The White House Prep School, we are offering an innovative and well-thought out alternative across different phases of the school. In order to be relevant the Super Curriculum is reviewed, reinvigorated, and made current every year in order to keep pace with our dynamic and evolving lifestyles.

Reception: Nurture

We recognise the importance of wellbeing and how exciting yet daunting at times to start a new school at Reception. Our two Reception classes focus on building strong friendships, communication and language skills and are incredibly warm and welcoming environments. We have a rich outdoor learning program which includes Forest School, as well as our ‘Nurture’ programme. ‘Nurture’ is an extra curriculum programme focusing on growing the children’s interests outside the classroom. Children learn practical life skills in four small groups. This includes activities such as financial awareness, mini architects, budding scientists and team building skills such as mapping the local area. Pupil voice is at the forefront of planning and teachers will plan the activities according to the children’s interests and exploration. Children feel secure to communicate in different environments to a classroom setting, build relationships and build on their passions and interests.

Year 1 & 2: Life Skills

In KS1 we extend the Nurture programme with Life Skills. This sees the children focus on a specific area each term to develop independence. These include ‘Safety’, ‘Independence’ and ‘Challenge’ and see the children take on challenges like first aid training including CPR; learning about road safety with a practical “live road” built in the garden and learning what to do, and who to call in an emergency.

Year 3 - 6: Enterprise

Enterprise is part of the curriculum for KS2 and is an introduction to Business Studies. Children have the opportunity to create different businesses, directed by the teacher. They learn to work in small groups and even present their ideas to the younger children. Projects in the past have included Year 3 planning their own school trip and Year 6 making board games for Reception class. Enterprise uses skills from all their lessons-Maths for budgeting, Drama for presenting, Art for marketing and Science for creativity. It is hugely exciting to see what the children develop every year.

Year 4 - 6: Choice

On Wednesday afternoons Years 4 – 6 are given the opportunity to attend an additional lesson of their choice. This ranges from Art History, Dance, Alternative Sports, Public Speaking and STEM to name a few. We find that these sessions help children to acquire skills and talents that often support scholarships for senior schools and children love mixing between the different year groups. Children choose one “choice lesson” for the term and swap termly.

Year 6: Futures

In Year 6, our ‘Futures’ programme turns to preparing the boys and girls for life, not just careers: challenges in geography see children given the task to navigate public transport (with teacher supervision from distance) from school to Covent Garden; children have practical science lessons with a top surgeon who leads them in a heart dissection (not human!) and also record podcasts in a professional recording studio ; Spanish lessons switch to conversational as the leavers prepare for their residential trip to Seville; Latin vocabulary focuses on legal terminology before a visit to the law courts. While enthusing children with curriculum extending opportunities can never be sidelined in a school, it is the life skills and financial awareness, exposure to independence to daily pursuits which will make our young citizens be future-proof in everyday life.

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I like the White House because it is a good place to learn and it opened me up to many things. I am in Year Six now and I have been at the school from the very beginning. I joined the nursery when I was one and have been through all the years with my fellow classmates. My Year Six teachers have taught me so much and have helped me through my 11+ I also like sports and enjoy competing in many fixtures.” Nico, Year 6 pupil