Pre-Prep Curriculum
An Education with Soul
At Belhaven, we believe school days should be filled with animals and adventure, sunshine and seaside, fun and friendship. Our Pre-Prep curriculum brings this philosophy to life, creating an unburdened childhood where learning flourishes through the freedom to explore, discover and grow.
We have crafted a curriculum centred around exciting topics that blend traditional and modern education, indoors and outdoors, natural and digital. Following the National Curriculum and delivered through play-based learning in its early stages, our enthusiastic teachers instil a love of learning that becomes a lifelong companion.
Courtesy, Courage and Creativity – Belhaven Values
These three core values shape every aspect of Pre-Prep life. Through companionship with friends, teachers and our loyal four-legged family members, children develop courtesy – empathy and consideration for others.
They discover courage through outdoor adventures and the security of being truly known and supported. And they express their creativity through a curriculum that celebrates individuality.
The 3D Learning Model: Discover, Discuss and Develop
Daily maths, phonics and literacy are taught across all year groups. Our core subjects – Science, History, Geography, RMPS, Music, Drama, Art and STEM – are delivered through creative termly topics such as 'Around the World in 80 Days' and 'To Infinity and Beyond'.
At every stage, we guide children through our 3D model: Discover, Discuss and Develop. This approach nurtures creativity, problem-solving and resilience – skills that prepare children for Prep school at age 8 and, most importantly, for life beyond the classroom.
Outdoor Education: Building Resilience in Nature
A playful Outdoor Education programme building resilience and supporting mental wellbeing is a key feature of Pre-Prep life. For all children, Belhaven is a family home with classrooms – and our extended family includes the wildlife, our campus and the natural spaces around us.
We take daily advantage of our woodland ('the Shrub'), our stunning coastal location and the Lammermuirs. With a dedicated Outdoor Education specialist, a Forest School trainee and experienced expedition leaders, we cultivate a genuine love of the outdoors.
An Education with Friends in Sunshine and Fresh Air
Our newly-refurbished classrooms feature dedicated outdoor areas – carefully planned extensions of the classroom where children apply what they learn inside. This is something increasingly rare in primary schools: an education where childhood can be spent with friends in sunshine and fresh air.
STEM: Digital Education and the Makerspace
The Belhaven Makerspace opened in October 2025, right next to the Pre-Prep. Each child has their own iPad, carefully monitored by class teachers and Lightspeed security software.
ICT is taught in context, giving it immediate practical use. During STEM lessons, children program robots, create animations and discover how technology enhances learning. We build foundation skills in computational thinking and problem solving – the courage to experiment and the creativity to innovate.
Music: Individual and Collaborative Joy
Music is taught twice weekly by our specialist Pre-Prep Music Lead, focusing on rhythm, singing and instruments including recorder, violin and ukulele.
An annual 'Try an Instrument' day lets children from Form 6 explore every instrument taught at Belhaven. Regular Pre-Prep concerts celebrate progress, and individual lessons are available from Form 6.
More than 90% of Prep school pupils have individual music lessons.
Creating in Art and Design
Our wonderful Art Room overlooks the Bass Rock and Belhaven Bay – a setting that sparks creativity. Up to Form 7, Pre-Prep children access this facility with their form teacher. In Form 6, they receive specialist teaching from Mrs Haddon.
Here, surrounded by sea and sky, children discover that creativity flourishes when you feel secure, known and free to explore.
A Century of Excellence
Our Pre-Prep children benefit from our 100-year-old, all-round education ethos, which sends children to the UK's best senior schools. But more than academic preparation, we offer something increasingly rare: an education with a soul.
The security of being 'known' stays with you for life. A child's Belhaven days might pass in the blink of an eye, but their impact lasts for a lifetime. Unlike a pawprint in the sand, this imprint is protected by a child's love for their friends and appreciation of their mentors. A Belhaven education is a lifelong companion.
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