Four department heads at Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School discuss what inspires them, and how the curriculum they teach brings learning to life for their pupils
Making Music Memories
Making music gives children memories for the rest of their lives, says Head of Music, Mark Batten.
‘I hope that the positive experiences of making music are the memories that children will carry with them. Certainly, I can still vividly recall every piece of music I sang or played at school.
Children are naturally curious, so it’s important to give them the opportunity to try as many instruments as possible. Our pupils have the opportunity to learn ukulele and chime bars in Pre-Reception and Reception, the violin in Year 1 and 2, the recorder in Year 3 and 4, and finally, the saxophone and trumpet in Year 5 and 6.
A lot has been written about how playing and learning an instrument benefits the brain, however, I prefer to focus on directly observable benefits, such as co-ordination and fine motor skills. Learning to read music notation also supports literacy and numeracy. I try to encourage children to reflect on what can be achieved by working together. Whilst most people appreciate the educational value of this in sport, we don’t always acknowledge it in music. Composer Paul Hindemith wrote that, ‘People who make music together cannot be enemies, at least not while the music lasts’, and I think that’s a great lesson to teach the children.’
Storytelling and Self-Expression
Storytelling teaches empathy and builds a love of the written and spoken word, says Head of English, Gary White.
‘Teaching English always starts with storytelling and it is amazing to see the delight and self-expression that quality texts generate, even for the youngest of children.
When you ask children to learn and perform a poem it allows them to immerse themselves into the written word so much more and can inspire a love of language. We make the most of this by holding House events such as our annual Poetry Competition and Form assemblies, where the children perform songs and poems about a topic they have been learning.
Grammar understanding comes most naturally through textual study and games. Creativity and ideas can be scaffolded – we call this ‘magpieing’ – and it’s a process where the children are encouraged to take an idea and develop it to make it their own, allowing them to feel confident in what they are learning and achieving.
Great children’s literature tackles the big issues – friendship, loss, displacement – and enables children to process things in their own lives in a safe way. Stories, and especially those told in the first person, also allow children to experience being someone else. Reading literature not only helps with emotional development and empathy as the children discover what life is like for other people, but allows them to relate their learning back to their own lives, making it relevant and interesting.’
Sport is for Everyone
Children of every ability can access the lifelong benefits of sport and physical activity, says Head of PE Dan Wood.
‘I remember all my PE teachers at school. They gave me so many opportunities, even in sports I wasn’t good at, and this inspired me to go into teaching.
Our curriculum here at Prince’s Gardens is designed so every pupil can access and enjoy sport – and all abilities get equal attention. We believe it’s really important to expose children to new games, especially when they are young, so they get used to learning rules and working as a team. In sport, everyone fails, but outside a classroom setting children don’t perceive failure in the same way. They learn that the very best athletes have failed many times on their way to achieving something great – this teaches them important lessons about the value of persistence and practice. I love to see all of our pupils work hard on the sports field, build confidence, resilience and improve – it inspires me every day!
At Prince’s Gardens we offer an exciting variety of sports for boys and girls during the school day, plus plenty of clubs and enrichment opportunities. We have a huge advantage, thanks to our superb facilities and amazing location. We offer indoor sports and swimming every week just next door at Imperial College’s Ethos sport centre, outdoor sports and athletics take place down the road at Hyde Park, and we make the most of our 2-acre garden, ensuring the children get plenty of time outside. These facilities ensure consistent sports lessons throughout the year, whatever the weather.’
Maths is beautiful
Engaging children with Maths is about showing them the excitement of working things out for themselves, says Head of Mathematics Melanie Lewis.
‘I think Maths is beautiful, but sometimes it’s hard to relate it to everyday life so it’s important to make the connection with the things children see around them on a regular basis.
I love teaching the Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio. I show children how it is found in nature – in pinecones, in DNA, in flowers. Even very young children are attuned to symmetry and patterns.
While I always loved Maths, I tell children that it’s OK to be a little scared of a subject that you think is hard or won’t like. I work through these feelings with them. In my classroom I like for us all to repeat: ‘I’m a mathematician’. Children love chanting this when we solve a problem and it fills them with confidence and excitement!
To stop the children focusing simply on right or wrong, I often give a question and the answer – this removes the fear of getting something wrong. From there the children work out the steps in between. What they discover is that there may be multiple ways of getting to the right answer, and this can be exciting for them. Sometimes, to my delight, they find a way I hadn’t thought about! This is the beautiful thing about Maths – it’s a universal language but we all develop our own methods and our own ways of speaking it!’
If you would like to know more about Prince’s Gardens Preparatory School contact their admissions department on 020 7591 4620 or admissions@princesgardensprep.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can register for one of their upcoming Open Mornings: 8 March 9-10 am or 14 May 10-11.30 am. Click here to register online.
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