Academic
The Academic curriculum followed at Belmont covers National Curriculum subjects and more. Subjects covered are English, Maths, Science, French, Latin, Classical Studies, Geography, History, RE, PSHE and IT. The curriculum is suitably broad and balanced for both boys and girls. Classes are kept small which aids one to one communication both inside and outside the classroom.
Lower School Curriculum
The Lower School comprises four classes in Years 3 and 4, and three classes in Year 5. Children are taught in mixed ability classes in Years 3 and 4 and are set for English and Maths once the Baseline Testing has been done towards the end of September. In Year 5 the children are taught in streamed groups and are set for Maths.
Work in Year 3 is directed towards consolidating what a pupil has learned in his/her previous school and ensuring that all children have a sound base from which to progress throughout the school. By the end of the year, a child should have established a sound working pattern and know what is expected of him/her.
Children in Year 4 build on these foundations and academic work is more demanding. They should be aware of the rules and regulations that affect their lives and are expected to show a concern for their surroundings and other people. By the end of the year, pupils are expected to be more responsible and organised. There may be less teaching by their form tutor as specialist teachers teach more subjects.
Year 5 is considered a transition year and children work towards the SATs tests at the end of Key Stage 2. The school day is a little longer and the work is generally more demanding with a greater degree of independent learning encouraged.
Prep
Prep is set each day and is normally expected to take about half an hour in Years 3 and 4. We encourage parents to discuss prep tasks with their children, however, once this has been done, children should be left to work as independently as possible. In Year 5, children are expected to spend about 40 minutes daily, and one hour on evenings where two subjects are set.
Each child is expected to be responsible for noting their prep in a Prep Diary, taking home the necessary books and returning the completed work to his/her teacher. Parents can regularly communicate with form tutors through the diary.
Prep is compulsory and therefore if a child has been unable to complete the work, a note in the diary is required.
Reading at Home
In addition to a daily, quiet, reading period at school (Years 3 and 4), children are expected to read regularly at home to themselves as well as aloud to an adult. A guide is provided for parents to help them actively listen and promote good expression and understanding. All Lower School children keep a reading record, which is signed regularly by a parent. As well as their current reader, they may choose any interesting reading material - a wide variety is to be encouraged. By Year 5, pupils are expected to have established regular reading habits. There is an 'Ideas for Reading at Home' booklet which is given to all children.
Open Class
It is our wish to encourage parents to visit the classroom informally, so that the children can show them what they have been doing. Parents will be notified of the dates of the 'Open Class' times in a letter at the beginning of each term. The form teacher designates a particular day according to the timetable and the sessions last for about twenty minutes.
S.E.N.
Children who have been previously identified as having a learning difficulty are put on the S.E.N. register immediately and are monitored carefully. They may have supportive lessons in a group or individually, depending on the circumstances. If a child appears to be experiencing difficulties, the form tutor will refer the child to the SENCO who will do an initial assessment with the permission of the parents. If no specific difficulty is identified, the child will continue to be monitored. A child may be offered some extra support or may be referred to an educational psychologist outside school for a comprehensive assessment. There is a facility for specialist teaching, which is not funded by the school, and this is arranged through the SENCO.
Gifted and Talented
The term 'gifted' is applied to those pupils who show particularly strong academic abilities, whether across all subjects or within one or two. The term 'talented' is applied to those pupils who are particularly able at sport, art, music or technology. Through our assessments of pupils, we recognise that approximately the top 20% of pupils require appropriate differentiation. In addition to class work being differentiated to meet pupils' learning needs, we offer Maths extension classes for the top 10% of pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5. During one 50 minute lesson a week, the pupils who have been identified as being gifted in maths, are withdrawn from the class and given extension tasks by a specialist teacher. In Year 5 an extension English group runs in the same way as the Maths extension group, and is provided for those who have been identified with a gift in writing. Children in Years 4 and 5 who are identified as being gifted across the curriculum attend a Thinking Skills group once a week.
Upper School Curriculum
Welcome to the Upper School at Belmont, which covers Years 6, 7 and 8. During the final three years, we prepare the children for transfer to Senior School. This booklet has been produced to explain the organisation of the departments and describe what will be taught during each year.
The topic list for each subject replaces the 'work covered' section of the School report. Many parents like to borrow library books to help their children with homework and arrange trips to places of interest that coincide with the work in School. I hope that by having advance notice of the topics, parents will be able to plan ahead when supporting their children's education.
Organisation of the Upper School
Year 6
There are three classes in Year 6. When the children join from Year 5, specialists will teach them all their subjects. Parents are encouraged to meet the Form Tutor who has daily pastoral responsibility for the child, and is the first point of contact for any educational or pastoral concerns.
Two of the classes are mixed ability and parallel and the third is a group of potential scholarship candidates. Maths and French are taught in ability groups or 'sets' and Latin is started. Children develop at very different rates, so we regularly review placements and move children if it is in their best educational interest.
Year 7
At the beginning of Year 7, we admit a further 20 children to make four classes. On the basis of their entrance test result and interview, the children will join either the Scholarship or Common Entrance bands.
We teach Maths, French and sometimes Latin and Classical Studies in sets. New entrants are placed in Latin or Classical Studies depending on their ability to cope with two languages at Common Entrance.
Year 8
Year 8 Belmont pupils are no longer required to take Entrance Tests for Mill Hill. Pupils are continually assessed throughout their time here and providing they have a good behavioural record, they will transfer to Mill Hill automatically. If there are any concerns about our pupils we will contact their parents immediately.
Some pupils will sit the Mill Hill Scholarship Exams in January and all pupils will take their Common Entrance exams in June. Common Entrance results will determine the sets that pupils are placed in after transfer.
Although 90% of our children transfer to Mill Hill, our schemes of work cover the topics set by most good independent senior schools in their entrance exams. Our pupils have had success in gaining places at Merchant Taylors', St. Alban's Boys, St. Alban's Girls, St. Margaret's, City of London, Highgate, University College School, St. Paul's and Eton in recent years.
Prep
The amount of homework or 'prep' set for children in the Upper School increases gradually and full details of this can be found in our 'Parents Guide to Homework'.
Examinations
Tests in English, maths and science take place in November for Years 6 and 7, with formal exams in all subjects before half term in May. Year 8 have formal 'mock' Common Entrance exams in all subjects in November, some pupils will sit the Scholarship Examinations to Mill Hill in January and all pupils will take their Common Entrance exams in June. The National Curriculum SAT tests in English, maths and science are taken by Year 6 in mid-May and these subjects are not tested again that year.
Special Educational Needs
Children who have a specific learning difficulty are referred to our Special Needs Co-ordinator. She will review, with the subject teachers and parents, what additional help should be provided. We have visiting tutors who offer one-to-one tuition and where this is recommended, there is an additional charge for this service.
Reporting to Parents
Each term parents will receive some formal feedback on their child's progress. This will take the form of either a parents' evening, a form tutor report with grades or a full subject report. In addition, parents are welcome to discuss progress with the Form Tutor, subject teacher, Head of Upper School or Deputy Head (Curriculum) by appointment, at any time during the term.
