Academic Curriculum

"Due to an outstanding curriculum and good teaching, pupils make good progress."
(Ofsted report 2011)

Infant Department

Reception (for ages 4 to 5)

"great enjoyment in the activities provided"Ofsted report This is our early years department and the starting point for children who join us as four year olds. In line with the 2008 Foundation Stage and "Every Child Matters", our children start to learn Number Work, Reading, Writing, Speech Development, Music, Art, PE, Design and Technology, Science and are introduced to computers; they do this through some structured learning and also through play. The Reception classroom at Queenswood leads directly into a secured garden area, this allows the children to experience a learning environment both inside and outside the classroom. The time spent in our Reception Class gives the children an invaluable start to their education as they start to learn and develop social and academic skills.

At the Park

Reception Class working in the garden

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Infants 1 and 2 (for ages 5 to 7)

At Kirkstall Abbey Museum (in the rain!)

"outstanding in meeting the range of needs"Ofsted report The children's learning continues in line with subjects of the National Curriculum, with emphasis on Reading, Writing, Mathematics and Speech Development. They are also taught History, Science, Music, Games, Geography, Religious Education, ICT, Design and Technology, Sewing and Cookery, and PE.

Junior Department (for ages 7 to 11)

The emphasis continues on Mathematics and English, but the curriculum also broadens to give a sound and varied education, incorporating Science, Technology, French, History, Geography, Music, PE, Religious Education, PSHE, Drama and ICT. Every child has access to computers and interactive whiteboards in each classroom, as well as a suite of computers in the Year 5/6 classroom. They incorporate ICT in each subject area and children from Year 1 upwards have lessons in ICT as a curriculum subject.

Examinations in English, Mathematics "very good relationships between pupils and staff"Ofsted report and Science are held twice a year for Juniors so that progress may be monitored. Formal assessments in all areas are undertaken regularly by teaching staff so that all pupils, parents and staff are aware of each child's progress. Practice in both Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning is included, as this is a vital part of the selection process for future Grammar School entrance requirements.

Celebrating success at Speech Day

A Science Trip for the Juniors

At a Science Workshop

Last Year's Results

We are proud of the academic performances of our pupils. In the last year, for instance, our Year 6 pupils achieved well above national expectations. At the end of Key Stage Two, the results were as follows:

English: 100% achieved Level 4 and 60% went on to achieve Level 5
Mathematics: 80% achieved Level 4 and 60% went on to achieve Level 5
Science: 100% achieved Level 4 and 40% went on to achieve Level 5

Last year our leavers were awarded places at Heckmondwike Grammar School, Batley Grammar School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield. In previous years our leavers have gone on to Wakefield Girls High School, Bradford Grammar School, the Grammar School at Leeds, Silcoates School, Hipperholme Grammar School and Fulneck School.

Home/School Communication

During the first term of the new academic year we hold a Parents' Evening to discuss the child's progress, but we do encourage school/parent communication at all times. An end of term report is issued for all children, detailing the progress made in each subject; parents are asked to sign this before returning it to school at the start of the new term. The Juniors also have a record sheet which is taken home each month; parents have the opportunity to add their own comment. These are then returned to school and kept in the pupils' development folders.