Pre-Prep Curriculum
We have built a curriculum which is centred around exciting and varied topics that blends traditional and modern education, indoors and outdoors, natural and digital. This ensures maximum engagement from the children and offers them the opportunity to learn about topics in depth. It allows them to apply different skills that they acquire across the curriculum.
The Belhaven Pre-Prep curriculum will follow a blend of the best of the Curriculum for Excellence and the National Curriculum, like the Prep school, and will be delivered through a play-based curriculum. High quality and enthusiastic teachers will instil a love of learning in the children and equip them with the skills for their future education.
A playful Outdoor Education programme that builds resilience and supports mental wellbeing is a key feature of a Belhaven Pre-Prep education.
Daily maths, phonics and literacy are taught across all year groups, introducing the principles and allowing for consolidation across each term. The remainder of the core subjects are delivered through the creative curriculum, with Science, History, Geography, RMPS, Music, Drama, Art and Computer Science all linked together through a termly topic.
Broad topics are covered including: ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ and ‘To Infinity and Beyond’ and we will be encouraging the children towards our 3D model - Discover, Discuss and Develop - at every stage of their Pre-Prep journey.
Children are encouraged to delve deeper into their topics, both at school and at home, and to learn skills such as creativity, problem-solving and resilience. These skills, alongside knowledge and understanding, prepare the children for the transition to the Prep school at age 8 (in Form 5) and also, most importantly, for life outside of school.
Our Pre-Prep boys and girls will benefit from the success of our 100 year-old, all-round education ethos, which sends children on to the UK’s best senior schools.
Outdoor Learning
Outdoor Education forms a vital part of life at Belhaven. We aim to take daily advantage of our own woodland (‘the Shrub’), our stunning location on the East Lothian coast and at the foot of the Lammermuirs and the expertise that we have on the staff: with one dedicated Outdoor Education specialist, a trainee in Forest School Education and several experienced expedition leaders, we hope to encourage a love of the outdoors in all Belhaven children.
The newly-refurbished classrooms will have their own dedicated outdoor area to enable learning to take place outside the classroom. The teachers plan for the use of these areas, and whilst sometimes used solely for play, they are also an extension of the classroom; an area for the children to further develop and utilise what they learn inside the classroom.
Computer Science
Belhaven aims to build important foundation skills in computers, computational thinking and problem solving. The school has been investing in an exciting Digital education project which will also benefit Pre-Prep children: each will have their own iPad to enhance their learning.
ICT is not taught as a separate subject; rather, the children are taught the skills that they will need in the context of the material that they are covering so that it has immediate, practical use.
During these lessons, children will also be programming robots to complete tasks, programming animations, investigating how technology has shaped the world around them and learning of the many ways in which safe access to technology can enhance their learning.
Music
A love of music, whether individual or collaborative, will be shared with the children from the beginning of their time in Pre-Prep. Music is very popular at Belhaven, where more than 90% of pupils in the Prep school have individual lessons.
Music will be taught twice a week to the Pre-Prep. These lessons will focus on singing and trying out a range of instruments, and there will be an annual ‘Try an Instrument’ day on which all the children will be able to experiment with every instrument that is taught at Belhaven! There will be regular Pre-Prep concerts and parents will be invited to these informal occasions. Individual instrumental lessons are available from Form 6.
Sport
Games is a vital part of Belhaven life – we are very fortunate to have wonderful pitches, a sports hall, an astro and an open-air swimming pool. The Pre-Prep children will be able to access all of these facilities and also to benefit from the expertise of Prep school coaching and PE instruction. Our aim is to set up an Under 8 fixture list for Form 6, and to focus on a rounded and ambitious programme of athletic movement, ball skills and different sports so that the Belhaven Pre-Prep children are able to enjoy their participation in a wide range of sporting activities both at school and in their local communities.
Art and Design
Art and Design are crucial elements of a Belhaven education and we are lucky to have a wonderful Prep School Art Room overlooking the inspirational views of the Bass Rock and Belhaven Bay. In Forms 8 and 7, Pre-Prep children will have access to this facility with their own Form teacher. In Form 6, they will have specialist teaching from Mrs. Haddon who also runs our Advanced Art programme in the Prep School.
If you would like to arrange a visit or discuss any queries you may have, please contact our Registrar, Olivia Reynolds on admissions@belhavenhill.com, +44 (0)7900 491681 or complete our Admissions Enquiry Form below.
Admissions Enquiry Form
