Lower School Prospectus

ST JOHN’SSCHOOLLEATHERHEADLOWERSCHOOLPROSPECTUSstjohnsleatherhead.co.uk



CONTENTSThe Lower School at St John’s .............. 5Curriculum .............................................................. 7Pastor al Care ....................................................... 11Day and Boarding ............................................. 13Sport .............................................................................. 15Co-curricul ar ...................................................... 19TIMETABLE .................................................................... 21Getting to and from school ................. 23 1

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The Lower School at St John’sThe Lower SchoolIS an integralpart of St John’s.The Lower School, made up of the Lower Third(Year 7) and Upper Third (Year 8), is an integral partof St John’s.The School’s east wing is home to our Lower Schoolpupils. It is here that they seek comfort and solacefrom the busy school day and where they securelifelong friendships.Third Form pupils attend assemblies together in thebeautifully restored Old Chapel. Lessons, activities andsports take place across the School campus, alongsideour older pupils.Our Head of Lower School, Caroline Finnegan, isalways on hand to offer help and advice to our girlsand boys. Our youngest pupils are looked after byMatron, alongside an experienced team of tutors. 5

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Curriculum Intellectual curiosity and a love of learning that will last a lifetime.At St John’s, we believe learning should be exciting. The Lower School curriculum iscentred on academic rigour, independence of thought and imagination.The Lower School curriculumCORE CREATIVITY TECHNOLOGYEnglish Physics Art Photography ComputingMaths Biology Textiles Sculpture Design and technologyGeography Chemistry Graphics ElectronicsHistory PSHCEReligious Studies IMAGINATION MODERN LANGUAGES INNOVATIONThink! ACADEMIC RIGOUR Lower Third Upper ThirdAn independent learning One language Two languagesprogramme incorporatingall areas of the curriculum, French or French, Spanishphilosophy, debate andpresenting, politics and Spanish or Germancurrent affairs.THE CLASSICAL WORLD PERFORMANCE PHYSICALLatin, classical civilisation and Drama Physical education and gameselements of ancient Greek Music (PEG)Class sizes are small, enabling our girls and boys to be challenged and supported inevery aspect of their work. Our innovative and dynamic curriculum allows them toexplore the world in which we live, and begin to understand, admire and question it.The aim of the St John’s curriculum is to develop intellectual curiosity and foster a loveof learning that will last a lifetime. 7

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Pastoral CareIdentity, prideand a sense ofbelonging.At St John’s we focus on the social and emotionaldevelopment of each individual.Every girl and boy has a tutor who is their champion andmentor, offering support each step of the way. Pupils havededicated tutor time at the beginning and end of the day.Should they need some friendly guidance or a nudge in theright direction, Matron is always there too.We believe that self-esteem, confidence and self-worthare central to pupils achieving their potential – both atschool and in the outside world. Guidance, supportand nurturing leadership are foundations of a St John’seducation. As such, our younger pupils benefit from LowerSixth mentors, and all girls and boys have the opportunityto lead.We welcome close parental involvement and participation.The on-going dialogue between tutors, pupils and parentsis of great importance to the Lower School family atSt John’s.Life in the Lower School, and indeed throughout St John’s,is centred on a promotion of identity, pride and, above allelse, a sense of belonging. 11

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Day and BoardingDay, weekly orflexi boarding;we offer theflexibility, youhave the choice.Day, weekly and flexi boarding options are on offer toall pupils at St John’s.Flexi boarding allows girls and boys to stay one or twoevenings per week and explore the fun, independenceand friendship that boarding offers. An eveningboarding programme is coordinated by the LowerSchool Senior Tutor and dedicated boarding areas forour younger pupils exist in Gloucester House for girlsand in East House for boys.St John’s aims to support modern family life in thebest way possible. We offer the flexibility, you havethe choice. 13

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SportSport for all;with an eye forperformance.At St John’s, a great emphasis is placed on theimportance of physical exercise in supporting a widereducation. Participation in team sport is a valuablepart of every pupil’s development, and we encourageactive involvement in sport. We have an eye forperformance, with tailored guidance for those whowant to excel.Competitive fixtures include athletics, cricket,football, hockey, netball, rugby, swimming and tennis.Opportunities are in abundance; our girls and boys cantry their hand at fives, volleyball, gymnastics and dance,to name but a few.Pupils at St John’s receive the highest calibre coachingfrom a team of specialist staff. All girls and boyshave the opportunity to learn about a healthy activelifestyle and develop a passion for sport. 15

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Co-curricularAn all-roundeducation forevery pupil.We believe in an all-round education at St John’s.Our co-curricular programme is a focal point of eachafternoon, providing our girls and boys with balance andexcitement. Countless activities are available to educateand to entertain, from music and drama to adventuretraining and dance. There is something for everyone andpupils are encouraged to both develop existing skills andexplore something new.School trips are an important part in the intellectual,social and personal development of our pupils. A varietyof trips support the co-curricular programme in locationsnear and far, both in term time and during the holidays.St John’s has a strong cultural tradition and Lower Schoolpupils benefit from a breadth of musical and theatricalopportunities. Instrumental and singing lessons areencouraged and pupils perform in various small and largeensembles, such as the orchestra, swing band, Chapelchoir and rock and pop ensembles. Should they wishto explore a new musical instrument, taster lessons areavailable to them. There are a number of opportunitiesin performance drama, with the chance to develop skillsboth on stage and behind the scenes. There is also adrama club for keen performers. 19

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TIMETABLE Lower School TIMETABLE 9.00–9.40 9.45–10.25 10.30–11.10 11.10–11.30 11.35–12.15 12.20–13.00 13.00–14.00 14.00–14.40 14.45–15.25 15.30–16.10 Monday English History Geography Science Science Think! Games Tuesday Maths English RS Classical Language Technology Activities World Games MixedWeek A B rea k Drama Sports Wednesday English Science Geography LUNCHMathsClassical World Activities Thursday RS History English Language Maths Friday Maths Science PE Art Wellbeing 9.00–9.40 9.45–10.25 10.30–11.10 11.10–11.30 11.35–12.15 12.20–13.00 13.00–14.00 14.00–14.40 14.45–15.25 15.30–16.10 Monday Maths Language Classical English Geography Think! Games World Tuesday English Maths History RS Language Technology Activities B rea kWeek B Wednesday Language Science Maths LUNCHClassicalGames Mixed World Sports Thursday English Science Geography Science History Music Activities Friday Classical Maths English PE Art Computing Wellbeing WorldThird Form pupils register with their tutors at 8.30am and attend de-registration at4.10pm. Assemblies and tutor time take place each morning between 8.30 and 9.00am.The Lower School day is tailored to the needs of the pupils, with a balanced structure oflessons, activities and down time.We also offer a daily breakfast service for all pupils and a supervised prep club eachafternoon until 5.15pm. 21

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Getting to and from schoolWe are fortunatein that transportto and fromthe School is sostraight forward.Our girls and boys have a number of options when itcomes to their school journey.St John’s is a local school and the majority of our pupilslive within an easy commute. Leatherhead railwaystation and local bus stops are both a short walk away,and many pupils choose to take public transport toschool.We also operate bus services to and from St John’s.Should you like to read more about our school busroutes, further information is available on our website.We are fortunate in that transport to and from theSchool is so straightforward. 23

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St John’s SchoolEpsom Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8SPT +44 (0)1372 373 000stjohnsleatherhead.co.ukRegistered Charity No: 312064