Curriculum
Pupils in the Junior School follow a well-structured, wide and varied curriculum, currently in line with the national 5-14 programme. Along with all other schools in Scotland, we are examining the new national initiative, ‘Curriculum for Excellence’. The aims of this reflect those which we have held dear for many years; that we should develop children to be Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens. We are constantly reviewing our curriculum to ensure that we are preparing our pupils for life in a fast-changing and challenging society.
At the heart of our curriculum is Literacy and Numeracy. We firmly believe that these are the skills which are the foundation of all learning. Structured schemes are in place for reading, spelling and mathematics, ensuring good progression and continuity. We also spend a considerable part of each week studying History, Science and Geography, or Environmental Studies as it is known in our younger year groups.
We believe that children should be equipped for the technological society. From L1 onwards all children are taught computing skills by a specialist teacher in the ICT suite one period a week. Their skills are so well developed that by L7 we have our own radio station and all children can put together a Powerpoint presentation. Teaching computing skills specifically means that a class teacher can take her pupils to the ICT suite to research any topic, and all children are already competent in research skills and the use of the computer.
However, these subjects alone do not develop the whole child. We have a well developed programme of Religious and Moral Education, Health Education and Personal and Social Education where topics like Friendship, Bullying and Peer Pressure are explored. In our older year groups there is a comprehensive programme covering topics such as sex education and drug and alcohol education.
There is an extensive sports programme in the School. Pupils in L1, 2 and 3, visit the large gym within the main building, twice a week for PE lessons with a specialist teacher. From L4 upwards, pupils visit the main sports facility at Mayfield twice a week for indoor and outdoor sports, The Junior School has teams playing rugby, hockey and netball and we play several fixtures with other schools.
Music is a pride of the school. From L1, children receive a music lesson once a week from a specialist teacher. Many children go on to learn a musical instrument and Junior pupils participate in the School’s training orchestra, wind band, jazz band and pipe band.
Art and Drama are taught by the class teacher up to L5, but from L6 these subjects are taught by Senior School specialist teachers. Our wall displays are testimony to the creative life in the school.
Modern Languages
French is taught by a Senior School teacher from L6. This prepares them for the excitement of their modern languages courses in Senior School when all children take two foreign languages from first year.
Assessment
Pupils in our Junior School undergo a programme of continuous assessment, enabling teachers to track progress, identify difficulties as soon as they start to arise, and take appropriate action to support the individual. All Junior School pupils must sit and pass the standard assessment for entry to Form 1 before they can progress to the Senior School. The High School does not follow the National Assessments 5-14 framework.