As the children move into the Middle School of Years 5 and 6, their independence and resilience builds further. Form based teaching is replaced by subject specific teaching and therefore children move around the school to the different areas for each subject. Their organisational skills and sense of responsibility are developed throughout the Middle School and the children make great strides in this over the course of two years, rising to and enjoying the challenge of becoming independent learners at an early age. 

In addition to curriculum lessons, children are given more opportunities to take part in extracurricular activities to enrich and develop areas of the curriculum of their choice, such as art, music, sport and drama. Similarly, children continue their outward bounds journey throughout the school and begin Year 5 with their first residential. The 2 night stay in Derbyshire nurtures leadership and collaborative skills, as well as giving children the chance to experience and develop life skills outdoors. 

In Year 6, children often sit pre-tests to get into their future school for either 11+ or 13+ entrance. Our ultimate goal is to get each child into their first choice school and many opportunities for preparation are given and individual entry pathways catered for.  

As is the case in their younger years, pastoral care remains at the forefront of life in the Middle School. Form tutors and the Head of Year play a pivotal role in the children’s lives as they are encouraged to become free, independent thinkers and debate the world around them, whilst ensuring that at the heart of everything is their happiness.