Our Mission Statement is made up of three core values:

• AIMING HIGH
• BUILDING BRIDGES
• PREPARING FOR LIFE

AIMING HIGH (Personal Attainment) Core Value

At Newbridge every pupil has individual knowledge, strengths, and needs, and will be challenged and supported accordingly. By creating a shared expectation between pupils and the school to strive for personal growth and academic excellence, we help pupils become independent thinkers whose curiosity, creativity, and commitment bring life-long success

BUILDING BRIDGES (Community and Service) Core Value

Newbridge is a diverse community of pupils, parents and staff who challenge and support one another while learning, sharing, exploring and serving together. Our individual passions, interests, and cultures combine to create a connected community that supports the aims of the school, as well as our local and global communities. Newbridge believes that diversity fosters a vibrant school community. We actively seek to include, engage and empower all members of our school community. Through exploration of ideas, we celebrate the rich dimensions of diversity within each individual, encourage individual identity development, and strive to become compassionate and responsible citizens within the world.

PREPARING FOR LIFE (Personal Development) Core Value

At Newbridge we value leadership. Pupils develop into leaders by influencing those around them through the examples they set and how they lead their lives. Our Newbridge education provides our pupils with learning-based experiences that build self-confidence, leadership, and responsibility, while fostering a greater appreciation for life outside the classroom. Through activities that extend the curriculum beyond the classroom, our pupils learn to overcome challenges and forge lifelong skills that help them succeed and prepare them for life beyond our doors.

MOTTO

Our motto is:

Dare To Dream It … Work To Achieve It!

The school’s aims are:

• To give children strong foundations for learning in their early years
• To ensure that every child reaches his or her full academic potential, through good teaching in small classes
• To introduce children to the worlds of music, sport, dance, the arts and leisure activities
• To produce confident, happy children with a sense of self-discipline
• To encourage sensitivity to the needs of others within a small, family atmosphere with time to care for one another

At Newbridge we believe that to realise an individual’s potential, education has to encompass the breadth and depth of experience. We strive for the highest standards in all academic subjects of the curriculum; we also offer every child the opportunity to achieve across a range of activities, from music, dance and drama, to a sport and outdoor pursuits.

We believe in traditional values, where self-discipline and good manners are essential and where each is encouraged to respect and value others.

We are a small, personal school, where everyone knows everyone else. We foster an environment in which boys and girls can grow in confidence, learning honesty, consideration, loyalty and openness.

The school has no religious affiliation but has a Christian ethos.

The school curriculum is underpinned by the values that we hold dear at our school. The

Curriculum is the means by which the school achieves its objective of educating children in the knowledge, skills and understanding that they need in order to lead fulfilling lives. Based on the concept of our three core values, we promote:

The aims of our school curriculum are:

• To provide a programme of activities which is appropriate to the educational needs of our children in the EYFS concerning personal, social, emotional and physical development and communication and language skills
• To provide educational experiences from Year 1 onwards which are appropriate for the ages and aptitudes of our children, including those children with a statement in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, aesthetic and creative education
• To ensure that our children acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills
• To have a clear vision of the education and experience of our children based on core and shared values, ethical conduct, respect for others and responsibility and to ensure that these are accepted as values for life
• To strive to embed a love of learning through providing broad experiences along with fun and positive involvement
• To be committed to high quality, all-round educational achievement for every pupil, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to learn and make progress
• To identify, respect and nurture a pupil’s individuality, developing every strength within a consistent, secure and happy school environment
• To support children for whom English is an additional language
• To ensure, where a pupil has a statement, our education fulfils its requirements.
• To engage, motivate, challenge and sustain the interest of every pupil whatever their ability to build confidence and self-esteem
• To promote a positive attitude towards learning, so that children enjoy coming to
• school, and acquire a solid basis for lifelong learning
• To enable children to be positive citizens
• To ensure that the spiritual development, moral, social and cultural values are recognised, addressed and developed
• To help children understand the importance of truth and fairness so that they grow-up committed to equal opportunities for all
• To enable children to have respect for themselves and to live and work cooperatively with others

Our Curriculum also aims to meet the following regulatory requirements under section 2:

(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed by section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education;

(b) that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills;

(d) personal, social, health and economic education which–

(i) reflects the school’s aim and ethos; and

(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act(a);

(f) where the school has pupils below compulsory school age, a programme of  activities which are appropriate to their educational needs concerning personal,  social, emotional and physical development and communication and language  skills;

(g) where the school has pupils above compulsory school age, a programme of  activities which are appropriate to their needs;

(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and

(i) adequate preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences  of life in British society.

Newbridge Preparatory School provides a wide-ranging and balanced curriculum where all children are educated in all aspects of learning – linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human, social and physical and aesthetic. It includes not only the formal requirements of the schemes of work, where children acquire skills in speaking and listening, literacy and numeracy, but also the extra-curricular activities that the school provides in order to enrich the children’s experience. The curriculum is tailored to suit the aptitudes of all children, including those with learning difficulties or particular talents and abilities. Children are taught personal, social and health education within lessons, and receive first-hand exceptional pastoral care through their class/form teachers.

Linguistic
This area is concerned with developing a child’s English communication skills and increasing their command of language through listening, speaking, reading and writing. French is also taught from Reception upwards.

Mathematical
This area helps children to make calculations, to understand and appreciate relationships and patterns in numbers and space and to develop their capacity to think logically and express themselves clearly. Their knowledge and understanding of mathematics are developed in a variety of ways, including practical activity, exploration and discussion.

Scientific
This area is concerned with increasing children’s knowledge and understanding of nature, materials and forces and with developing the skills associated with science as a process of enquiry: for example, observing, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments and recording their findings.

Technological
Technological skills include the use of information, communication and technology (ICT) and Computing; and Design & Technology developing, planning and communicating ideas; working with tools, equipment, materials and components to produce good quality products; and evaluating processes and products.

Human and social
This area is concerned with people and their environment and how human activities, now and in the past, has influenced events and conditions. In most schools, the subjects of history and geography make a strong contribution in this area.

Physical
This area aims to develop the children’s physical control and coordination as well as their tactical skills. It also encourages imaginative responses and helps them to evaluate and improve their performance. Children acquire knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of fitness and health.

Aesthetic and creative
This area is concerned with the processes of making, composing and inventing. There are aesthetic and creative aspects of all subjects, but some make a particularly strong contribution including art, music, dance, drama and the study of literature, because they call for personal, imaginative, and often practical responses.

More able and talented children (Gifted and Talented) at the school are appropriately challenged and the curriculum adjusted accordingly. We use a variety of methods to help identify these children such as teacher assessments, diagnostic assessments and examination results. Our curriculum aims to provide ‘Challenge for all’ through differentiated classroom provision. See 2025 – 2026 ASSESSMENT & PUPIL PERFORMANCE POLICY.

The extra-curricular programme and enriched curriculum, in conjunction with the visits/workshops, go hand-in-hand with the differentiation provided in the classroom to meet the needs of all children.

All written policy, plans and schemes of work do not undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Embed with the curriculum is adequate preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.

To read in more detail how this is achieved, please see PSHEe POLICY AND SMSC POLICY.

We plan our curriculum in three phases. We have agreed on a long-term plan for each critical stage (EYFS, Lower School and Upper School). This indicates what topics are to be taught in each term, the themes within these and to which groups of children. We review this long-term plan on an annual basis.

Through our medium-term plans, we give clear guidance on the objectives and teaching strategies for each topic. These are written for Science, Geography, History, Art/Design, French, RE, PE, Music, PSHEe, Drama, ICT and Dance.

Our short-term plans, for English and Mathematics only are those that the teachers write on a weekly or daily basis. We use these to set out the learning objectives for each session and to identify what resources and activities we are going to use in the lesson.

We teach the foundation subjects separately. This means that, for example, a child may concentrate on History and Geography within Humanities; however in Reception and the Early Years this may be more topic based. Therefore, from Key Stage One, each child has the opportunity to experience the full range of National Curriculum subjects.

The curriculum in our school is designed to be accessed by all children who attend the school.

If children have learning difficulties, our school does all it can to meet the individual needs, and we comply with the requirements set out in the SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 years (June 2014 – Updated 30/04/2020). If a child displays signs of having a specific need, then his/her teacher liaises closely with the Learning Enhancement teacher. In most instances, the teacher can provide the resources and educational opportunities that meet the child’s needs, within the normal class organisation. If a child’s need is beyond this, we consider the child for an assessment and involve the appropriate external agencies in making such an assessment. We can provide additional resources and support for children with learning difficulties as long as it is reasonable and practicable. In order to meet an individual child’s needs, it may be necessary to modify or make reasonable adjustments to the curriculum. We would do this only after consultation with parents.

The written policy, plans and schemes of work take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan.

The school also provides an Enhanced Support Plans (ESPs) for each of the children who are on ‘Phase Two’ of our graduated response. These outline the nature of the need and the support provided. Staff will review ESPs in order to monitor the progress of each child at regular intervals.

The school complies fully with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that children with learning difficulties and disabilities are not placed at a disadvantage compared with other children. Teaching and learning are appropriately modified for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The school has an ACCESSIBILITY PLAN.

PRE-NURSERY

At this very early stage in the child’s educational journey, we focus firmly on the three prime areas from the EYFS framework:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development
• Communication and Language

These three prime areas reflect the key skills and capacities all children need to develop and learn effectively and become ready for Nursery. Some also develop greater skills:

• Literacy; including early reading skills
• Mathematics; including early number skills
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Art and Design

NURSERY

All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. The three prime areas focussed on in PRE-NURSERY, are particularly crucial in igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

In Nursery, the balance shifts towards an equal focus on all areas of learning including:

• Literacy; including early reading skills
• Mathematics; including early number skills
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Art and Design
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language

RECEPTION

In Reception, children work towards the Early Learning Goals in the following areas:

• Communication and Language
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development

French, PE and dance are taught by specialist teachers who can provide a high level of expertise. From Reception, the boys and girls have one dedicated Computing lesson per week in the ICT suite.

Teaching Time and Cycles

• Teaching lessons are 30 minutes in length.
• A lesson cycle is 1 week.
• There are no setting arrangements in place.

In Reception, the curriculum comprises 41 teaching lessons of 30 minutes (20.5 hours). Additional time is also taken up by Form Periods and Registration (3.75 hours), assemblies (1.5 hours), a Hymn Practice (0.5 hours), breaks (5 hours) and lunch (2.5 hours). Total hours per week = 33.75 hours.

1 In Reception, Topic incorporates Science and Humanities (Geography and History)

We encourage independence in a supportive and safe environment. Our staff are well qualified and experienced. Our curriculum follows the guidelines of the National Curriculum 2014, yet remains flexible to allow us to embrace the unexpected.

Teaching Time and Cycles

• Teaching lessons are 30 minutes in length.
• A lesson cycle is 1 week.
• There are no setting arrangements in place.

Year One and Year Two the curriculum comprises 41 teaching lessons of 30 minutes (20.5 hours). Additional time is also taken up by Form Periods and Registration (3.75 hours), assemblies (1.5 hours), a Hymn Practice (0.5 hours), breaks (5 hours) and lunch (2.5 hours). Total hours per week = 33.75 hours.

The class teacher teaches the class teacher with specialist teachers providing lessons in Physical Education, French, Dance and Music. In Year Two this is extended to Art and Science.

The challenging academic programme in Upper School is broadly based on National Curriculum 2014 guidelines but is extended to meet the more rigorous requirements of the 11+ entrance examinations. Our pupils benefit from a carefully balanced and well-rounded education, using subject specialist teachers throughout the curriculum.

Teaching Time and Cycles

• Teaching lessons are 30 minutes in length.
• A lesson cycle is 1 week.
• There are no setting arrangements in place.

In Year Three to Year Six, the curriculum comprises 45 teaching lessons of 30 minutes (22.5 hours). Additional time is also taken up by Form Periods and Registration (3.75 hours), assemblies (1.5 hours), a Hymn Practice (0.5 hours), choir (0.5 hours), breaks (5 hours) and lunch (2.5 hours). Total hours per week = 36.23 hours.

Although we are an academic school with high aspirations for our pupils, we believe in developing the whole child. Our goal is to provide strong academic foundations balanced by a range of creative, sporting and social pursuits, within and beyond the curriculum. We pride ourselves in helping all our pupils to realise their academic potential, preparing and equipping them for a wide variety of senior schools.

All our girls and boys participate in musical activities during their time at school, with specialist music lessons from Year 1 upwards taken by the Subject Leader for Music. Recorder lessons form part of the curriculum from Year 2 upwards with children learning musical notation. Our Upper School pupils have the option of taking Individual music lessons on the flute, ‘cello or violin. Children successfully pass examinations with The Associated Board of the Royal School of Music and London College of Music Examinations.

It is hard to capture the full extent of the school’s musical life with pupils in Upper School involved in choirs, recorder groups and instrumental ensemble. All musicians are encouraged to perform in school concerts, House Music competitions and to make music in venues such as the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton and LG Arena in Birmingham.

We recognise that the creative and performing arts provide a unique learning experience and an excellent opportunity for many children to excel.

In Lower School, class assemblies and Christmas plays provide an early opportunity to develop and improve self-confidence. We value the confidence and self-esteem that can flourish through learning to perform in an encouraging environment.

Our Upper School musical, performed at the Arena Theatre, is one of the highlights of the year. The opportunity to perform in a professional theatre delivers the challenge, life skills, the ability to adapt to a new environment and a growth in self-esteem and self-confidence. During the half term preceding the musical, our curriculum and timetable are altered to create a ‘Performing Arts’ afternoon. These lessons are a part of our programmed curriculum time which adds enrichment and breadth to our already varied curriculum. Changing the following lessons achieves the time:

• One Music lesson becomes Performing Arts (30 minutes)
• 2 Games lessons become Choreographed Movement / Stagecraft (1 hour)
• SMSC (30 minutes) – This is included across and within the curriculum

Modern dance, speech and drama are an integral part of our curriculum. In Upper School, the emphasis in the drama is on learning performance skills through mime, improvisation and scripted performance. Many pupils take external examinations set by the LAMDA and the National Association of Teachers of Dance.

From school plays and musicals to success in local drama festivals, we continue to celebrate successful performances.

At Newbridge, academic excellence is not our only measure of achievement. Physical education plays an essential part in providing a healthy, rounded approach to education and life. Specialist teaching recognises individual strengths and encourages competitive success.

Activities include tennis, gymnastics, netball, rounders, athletics, swimming, hockey and cross-country. Our facilities include netball and tennis courts and a purpose-built hall.

Children in Years 2-5 participate in a term’s swimming as part of the Physical Education curriculum.

Newbridge pupils continue to achieve outstanding results in sporting activities. Children regularly play for county tennis squads and other competitive sports. The pupils in Upper School also have the opportunity to take part in fixtures with local schools.

Our extra-curricular programme at Newbridge Preparatory is designed to extend the children’s experience of the world, to give them opportunities to work and play together and to give them skills and interests, some of which may last their whole lives. Clubs are run by school staff on a voluntary basis, by peripatetic teachers or coaches visiting the school.

Activities, run by peripatetic specialists, include a range of instrumental lessons (cello, violin, trumpet, piano, drums and flute), football, Squash and tennis.

Members of the teaching staff also offer gymnastics, netball and rounders on a seasonal basis. Additionally, Chess, Book Club, Ukulele, Environment Friends, Craft and Musical Theatre (Upper School – Spring term) sessions are also offered. Our subject leader for music also offers Rainbow Recorders, Senior Recorders, Imagination Choir and Ensemble.

To help provide a total educational experience we both welcome visitors into the school and take children out on organised educational visits.

Nursery through to Year Six visit Kingswood Forest School. As a specialist environmental and early education centre, Kingswood offers a range of planned activities available on and around the site. These activities equip children with the skills to recognise risks, assess them sensibly and react positively. Nursery complete a six week Woodlanders experience, Reception visit three times per annum to experience the different seasons and children from Year One to Year Six spend a day at the centre.

Residential visits (planned in Year 3 -Year 6) provide enormous opportunities for the pupils to gain new experiences and face a range of challenges that can significantly influence their personal development. A private visit offers a unique variety of intensive activities which encourage children to engage with staff and friends at a higher level and build relationships. They also raise interpersonal skills, including leadership, teamwork, trust and respect; often raising self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience.

All Educational visits and visitors to school support the acquisition of knowledge and development of skills; offering intensive learning experiences which provide a focus for learning both before and after the visit itself. While it is possible to learn concepts in the classroom, there is no substitute for the real experience of the world.

The programme is as follows and builds year on year on the pupils’ previous residential experiences:

• The Year Three and Year Four attend an ‘Adventure’ Residential at either the Kingswood Trust or the Pioneer– alternate years.
• The Year Five attend an ‘Adventure’ Residential at either Oakwood Residential.
• The Year Six attend the ‘Ultimate’ Adventure Residential in Min-y-Don, Wales which follows the SATS week and is a celebration of their time at Newbridge.

We also encourage awareness of life beyond school by supporting local and national charities. Children often organise their fundraising events or provide practical help for various charitable organisations.

SAF in conjunction with SLT

March 2014

Completed June 2014
Revised 26/08/2014 SAF
Revised 15/12/2015 SAF
Revised 17/01/2016 SAF
Revised 02/02/2017 SAF/MS/SJ
Revised 18/08/2017 SAF/MS
Revised 07/01/2019 SAF
27/09/2021 – Reviewed and edited SAF
18/10/2021 – Reviewed and updated SLT
20/09/2022 – Reviewed and lesson balance updated SAF
25/09/2022 – Lesson list for Reception added SAF
13/11/2023 – Revised to include KS1 English changes SAF
10/09/2024 – Revised by NBB
24/07/2025 – Reviewed by NBB