Curriculum

At Bancroft’s Prep, we want our pupils to be curious, independent thinkers who enjoy rising to a challenge. Our curriculum is carefully structured to offer both breadth and depth, giving children the solid academic foundations they need, while also helping them grow as individuals.

We follow a broad and balanced curriculum throughout the Prep School. All subjects are taught by form teachers in the lower years, with specialist teaching in Languages, Music, Computing, PE, Art, and Drama. From Year 5 onwards, nearly every subject is taught by a subject specialist, giving children a taste of the Senior School experience while supporting their growing independence.

A Curriculum That Builds, Step by Step

Every year is mapped to ensure a clear journey of progress, from Alpha (Year 3) to Prep 2 (Year 6). Our approach is to revisit topics with increasing depth, always asking children to think, apply and reflect. We call this a spiral curriculum – and it helps every pupil grow in confidence.

Core Subjects

English and Maths are taught daily. Our English curriculum builds confident readers, writers and communicators. Children move from decoding and comprehension to analysing texts, debating ideas, and writing with real flair. In Maths, we focus on mastery. Concepts are carefully introduced, explored and applied through reasoning, puzzles and problem-solving. Children leave us with a deep understanding of number and a confidence in their ability to think mathematically.

Science lessons explore real-world questions through experiment and investigation. Pupils move from learning about light and forces to exploring evolution, circuits and chemical change, with a strong focus on scientific enquiry at every stage

Foundation Subjects

Our wider curriculum includes:

  • History – From the Stone Age to World War II, children learn to think critically about people, power and progress.

  • Geography – From river systems to migration, our pupils consider how people and places shape each other.

  • Religious Studies – Children learn about a wide range of religions and non-religious worldviews with empathy and respect.

  • Modern Foreign Languages – All children study French, with German introduced in the younger years. In Prep 2, they enjoy a unique programme exploring how language works across the world.

  • Computing – Pupils learn to code, edit, create and stay safe online through a structured digital curriculum.

  • Art, Music and DT – Creativity runs through everything, from composing music and building bridges to clay sculpture and collaborative installations.

  • Drama and Speaking – Performance is central to our school. Children regularly present, debate, act and speak with purpose and poise.

  • PE and Games – Pupils benefit from specialist coaching, excellent facilities and a rich variety of sports. Every child swims, plays in a team and builds confidence through movement.

Personal Growth and Real-World Learning

In every lesson, we’re helping children develop habits that last a lifetime – curiosity, initiative, persistence, resilience, collaboration and critical thinking.

We also timetable dedicated lessons in:

  • Philosophy – Teaching children to question, reason and reflect.

  • Outdoor Learning – Bringing education to life beyond the classroom, whether through forest exploration, campfire cooking or local wildlife studies.

  • Personal Development (PSHEE) – Helping children navigate friendships, safety, digital life and growing up with confidence and compassion.

A Curriculum Designed for the Future

Our goal is to give every child the tools they need to thrive – academically, socially and personally. Prep pupils leave us not only ready for the Senior School, but ready to contribute thoughtfully and confidently to the world around them.

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