Home / Infant and Junior School / Inspiring curriculum

Young girls are curious by nature and always hungry for knowledge

Our job is to nurture this, keep learning fun, and ignite that fabulous curiosity with interactive, challenging and inspiring lessons. Once the girls have developed a love of learning, this sets them up for success in all that they do.

Our teaching principles

All girls

Here at NGHS there are no stereotypes, no limitations and no barriers to girls achieving their very best. Our expertise in educating girls means we know how to make sure each and every girl is achieving her potential in the best possible environment for her. Our girls support each other across all year groups and we also benefit from the strong network of 25 girls’ schools within the GDST.

 

Sharing and caring

We place happiness, safety, security and emotional development at the heart of our school community. At NGHS, girls are cared for and also care for each other.

 

 

Exploring and discovering

Each day brings new things to explore as we extend girls’ fascination with the world around them. Whether it’s in our outdoor learning area Upnah Wood, our special playgrounds or the classrooms full of stimulating resources, our girls are surrounded by opportunities to explore and learn through fun.

 

Learning

For Years 1 to 6 the girls learn from a bespoke NGHS mastery curriculum. It follows the principles of the National Curriculum with the exciting additions of deeper learning, empowering girls and providing opportunities to connect with local and international communities. This gives context and purpose to what the girls learn which is one of the key ways that they learn best. Alongside the full range of academic subjects, girls enjoy an Outdoor Learning lesson every week to develop their confidence and smash gender stereotypes.

 

 

Extra Curricular Opportunities

To support pupils’ academic learning, our extra curricular time table is brimming with opportunities. Our clubs and activities ensure that the girls’ love of learning is really brought to life. By providing unique and stretching clubs before school, during break and lunch times and after school, we ensure that all of our pupils find something they love. By inspiring them to take their passions outside of the classroom, we enable them to truly excel in all that they do.

Your daughter could learn Mandarin, attend Engineering Club, develop her love of literature through Book Club or Writers’ Club to name just a few. She could learn to play Tag Rugby, Football, join our “Daily Mile” club every morning. Music lessons are always popular, as are Speech and Drama and Dance.

There’s something for everyone, and lots of opportunities for girls to move out of their comfort zones, build confidence and try something new too.

 

Reception and Key Stage 1

In Reception, Years 1 and 2, girls are taught by their class teacher in small class sizes, and they start enjoying specialist teaching for Sport, Computer Science and Music.

Da Capo is our bespoke Music offer for our younger girls. Girls trial a total of 6 instruments over 3 years. They are taught in small groups, regular feedback is given to parents and concerts are performed as part of the programme.

This unique programme of music tuition enables girls and parents to make an informed decision about which instruments to learn going forward. Music is the heartbeat of our school and 95% of all NGHS Infant and Junior girls enjoy learning an instrument.

nursery school friends in the playground

Key Stage 2

From Year 3 to 6, girls continue to follow our bespoke mastery curriculum, alongside developing independence and leadership skills.

Residential trips begin to take place both in the UK and abroad, offering amazing experiences that create life-long learning and memories.

The girls continue to have a class teacher for the majority of subjects, and more specialist teachers lead lessons in some of the Senior School’s teaching rooms, such as Science and Design & Technology.

Learn more by coming to see us.

Arrange a tour by calling Lesley Sail on 0115 935 4450 or
keep an eye on our events.