Brooklands School

Academic Life

Curriculum

Our broad and dynamic curriculum gives each child the chance to flourish in many aspects of school life.

Subjects taught at Brooklands are those required by the National Curriculum and for entrance/scholarship examinations to senior independent schools. With specialist subject teaching from the age of seven, tried and tested traditional methods are allied with the best ideas of modern education.

Children have full opportunities in both Information Technology and Design Technology. Brooklands’ language programme incorporates French from Key Stage One.

Progress monitoring

The progress of each child is closely monitored by form and subject teachers. Full written reports are issued to parents at the end of the Summer Term with formal Parents’ Evenings being held in the Autumn and Spring Terms. However, parents are welcome to discuss matters of individual concern with teachers or the Head at any time.

Special Needs support

Nationally about 20% of children may have special educational needs at some time, from one end of the spectrum to the other. Brooklands has a teacher with specific responsibility for these children, giving extra support either individually or in small groups within the timetable. See the Rainbow education provision document for more information.

Assessment

Formal school examinations are held yearly at Key Stage 2 with regular continuous assessments checking academic achievement and effort in the interim. National Curriculum testing occurs at the end of Key Stage Two (Form 6) with parents given a full breakdown of their child’s progress.

Results have been excellent with a majority of pupils exceeding national averages. Pupils are fully prepared for entrance examinations at 11 to a wide range of senior schools. Children invariably gain entry to their first choice school.

Pastoral

Visitors to Brooklands invariably comment on the family atmosphere they find. This allows the children the freedom and confidence to talk to any member of staff and share their concerns, knowing they will be listened to. Pupils have access to staff at form-time, lunch, during outside breaks, House Meetings and in prep. Each Form has a Children's Council which meets monthly and every child from Year 1 up is put in one of the four houses - Borrow (green), Johnson (red), Sheridan (yellow) and Walton (blue) - who meet weekly.

Morning assemblies and visits from local clergy stress the values which underpin our community.

A variety of outside speakers cover topics which add to the development of self awareness in matters personal, social and of health and safety. Each term the school supports a national or local charity and the children involve themselves in a range of fund raising initiatives and community projects.

The Brooklands ‘Golden Rule’ Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself - sums up the way we aim to live our lives.

Parental involvement

Brooklands is a happy school with high standards. To maintain this, the relationship that exists between school and home is of crucial importance.

At Brooklands we value this partnership, endeavouring to keep parents well informed and as involved as their busy lives will allow. Regular newsletters (e.g. BLURB) are sent out and parents are able to benefit from our ‘Open Door’ policy. Helping with reading is just one example of how parents can be actively involved in school life.