Prospectus

 
Learning at St. Hilda's
 
The school has a strong academic tradition and a purposeful atmosphere permeates each class.  Our belief is that children should be exposed to a broad up-to-date curriculum and this is reflected in the variety of subjects on offer.  While the National Curriculum is at the core of what we teach, we enrich and enhance this syllabus to make it both broader and more challenging.  We also encourage every pupil to explore topics of special interest.
 
Nursery & Reception: aged 3 to 5 years
 
Here your child will follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum moving onto the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 as they progress.   This is where children learn the ground rules of all the subjects taught in the Foundation Stage Curriculum.
 

• Personal & Social Development - which covers confidence, hygiene, independence, respect and cultural awareness
• Speaking & Listening - which develops your child's verbal communication skills through discussions, conversations and role-play in small and larger groups. In turn, this develops effective listening skills.
• Reading which ranges from recognising their own name and letters of the alphabet to developing a love of books through sharing stories, rhymes and poems.
• Writing which covers forming letters and learning letter sounds, culminating in being able to form sentences independently in free writing
• Mathematics which involves being able to count, recognise and compare numbers
• Creative Development which covers all areas of creative development and ranges from music and dance to exploration of the senses
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World which encourages the development of an enquiring mind and the exploration of living things and objects, both natural and man-made
• Physical Development which ranges from control and co-ordination in movement to manipulation of buttons and buckles

 
Forms I & II:  aged 6 to 7 years
 
Teaching continues to follow the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 with special emphasis on numeracy and literacy, within an extensive curriculum of twelve subjects, namely French, English, Drama, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Music, ICT, Art, Design Technology and Physical Education.   At the end of Form II boys move to Silcoates Junior School
 
The Junior School
 
Forms 3, 4, 5 & 6
 
These are important years for the girls, in which they learn to take on responsibilities.  Many become prefects acting as role models for the younger children.  Their duties include helping the teachers prepare and tidy class rooms used for the younger pupils, accompanying the younger children, with teachers, to and from events, showing parents round the school and being hostesses at events such as parents' evenings.
 
The girls are encouraged to become confident, independent learners with continued emphasis placed on gaining excellence in numeracy and literacy.  All pupils learn French with particular emphasis on grammar for pupils in the junior school.
 
While we teach a broad curriculum we ensure that pupils are prepared for examinations and success rates are very high.
 
ICT and Design Technology
 
Information Technology is a crucial part of education and will be enormously important in adult life.   The technology syllabus is linked to many other subjects, particularly science, history and geography and pupils are encouraged to develop and evaluate their ideas through a variety of equipment and materials.
 
Design Technology is a practical, problem-solving subject which focuses on generating ideas making and doing.  It is closely linked to ICT as children design 3D models using the latest computer software.  In addition, pupils have weekly food technology lessons.
 
Art, Drama and Music
 
Art, drama and music flourish at St. Hilda's and are an important part of the curriculum.  All pupils are given the opportunity to develop their talent with the main aims being to develop an understanding of subjects through active participation and to develop their oral fluency through mime and poetry.
 
Each class has a weekly music lesson, in which children explore various aspects of music and singing.  Pupils in the junior school take part in weekly recorder lessons.  All pupils have the opportunity to learn an instrument of their choice and lessons are available on request.
 
Drama is an integral part of the curriculum and begins with role-play activities for the younger children.   Weekly class assemblies ensure that pupils quickly become confident performers.   All children participate, either on stage or behind the scenes, in plays and musicals.  The junior pupils put on a major production each spring and all pupils take part in the school's Carol Service.
 
The rich variety of their artwork can also be seen decorating the walls of the school.   Art, taught formally and informally, introduces pupils in an interesting and stimulating way to a variety of techniques and media that can be linked to other subjects. Imagination and inventiveness are fostered through hands-on experience and children gain a real sense of achievement from their results in art and crafts.
 
Sport and Games
 
The school offers a wide range of indoor and, depending on the weather, outdoor sports and games, such as rounders and netball.  All children have ability lessons using fixed apparatus and floor work in the school's gymnasium.  Forms 2, 3 & 4 attend swimming and games lessons at Silcoates School where they become skilful swimmers, many gaining distance and personal survival awards and Forms 5 & 6 spend one afternoon per week at Silcoates where they are able to take advantage of their specialist games teachers.
 
Extra-curricular Activities
 
The school day is further enhanced by the variety of clubs available at lunchtime and at the end of the school day to all children aged 4 to 11.  These currently include cookery, needlework, choir, orchestra, football, aikido, netball and Spanish.  Not all clubs listed are free and further information on costs can be obtained by contacting the school.
 
Each term we arrange days out to visit such places as the Forbidden Garden, local churches and stately homes.  Regular excursions include visits to Oakwell Hall and Danelaw Village, working history museums, and to the Yorkshire Post to learn about newspapers.   The visits are designed to be educational as well as fun.  A small extra charge is made for some trips.
 
 
Homework
 
From Reception year onwards all children receive homework.  We believe that homework is crucial to reinforcing learning and self-discipline.  Importantly it also provides a bridge between home and school enabling parents to experience first-hand some of the things their children are learning.  The amount of homework your child will receive will depend on which year group they are in.  In the early years, homework may consist of words to learn or number work.  We also give pupils reading books and ask parents to read with their children each night.  
 
 
Parent participation
 
We encourage parents to share in the life of the school and enjoy first-hand the experiences of their child.  Many parents help with organised educational visits out of school as well as with activities within the classroom and in the children's kitchen.
 
Parents' evenings are held in the autumn and summer terms and are the ideal opportunity to speak with your child's form teacher and find out about their progress.  We make written reports at the end of each academic year and keep you informed through various messages on our notice boards, letters and regular newsletters.
 
We have an open-door policy where parents are welcome to come into school at any time or to make an appointment to discuss any concerns with their child's Form Teacher or the Headmistress.
 
St. Hilda's Parents' Association is flourishing and through their combined efforts they organise enjoyable social and fund-raising activities for children and parents. There are ample opportunities for parents to help with open afternoons and sporting events during the school year.
 
Safety

The health and safety of pupils and staff alike are high priorities at St. Hilda's.  A modern security system is in place and Criminal Record Bureau checks are undertaken for all staff employed as well as volunteers in the school.   Members of staff are trained in First Aid and a number also have a St. John's Ambulance qualification.
 
All children are supervised throughout play times and at the end of the day until they are collected.   We ask parents to follow our guidelines when dropping off and collecting their children by car and when using one of our many car parks.