Prospectus

Aims

Our primary aim is to ensure that children achieve their full potential through a broad and balanced curriculum that includes all National Curriculum subjects. But we also believe that children should be given an all-round education; an education which not only fosters intellectual progress but also nurtures physical, social and creative development. Encouraging habits of personal responsibility and good manners is another fundamental aspect of our approach. Standards of discipline are high and are based on the frank and friendly understanding between teachers and children which has long been a tradition of the school. Reflecting that tradition, we treat all children as individuals and provide a supporting and caring environment that mirrors these values yet sets the highest of expectations in all areas. Within the structured framework we respect and respond to the specific needs and interests of each pupil. We encourage independence of thought and raise our children to be critical thinkers, equipped for the years ahead.

We see successful education as a partnership between the school, children and parents and to this end we foster the cooperative links between school and home that are essential for our happy and motivational environment.

It is our aim that children leaving Norland Place should have a strong academic foundation and be equipped with the confidence, independence and self-esteem that will enable them to engage positively and productively with the opportunities they will encounter as they grow up.

Progression

Boys are taught up to the age of 8+ and are prepared for the competitive exams for the London Day Preparatory Schools and/or for admission to a wide range of boarding preparatory schools at that stage. Girls are taught up to the age of 11+ which means that Years 4, 5 and 6 consist of girls' only classes. Girls are prepared for the Common Entrance examination for girls' senior boarding schools and for the competitive examinations held by the London Girls’ Senior Day Schools. In their final years, the girls are taught by subject specialists in the vital curriculum areas of Mathematics, English and Science. Parents receive frequent full reports on the progress of their children and there are regular parents' meetings. In addition teachers are available by prior appointment for individual meetings with parents who wish to discuss specific aspects of the children's development.

Subjects

Please see ‘Life at Norland’ for a précis of some of the areas taught.

Outings

Outings to venues of educational interest take place on a regular basis for all Year Groups at Norland Place. Mostly these are day trips, however short residential courses are also organized for children from Year 3 and above. During 2006, these include a visit to the PGL centre on the Isle of Wight for Year 3 Boys and Year 4 girls, a week’s field study for Year 5 at the Field Studies Council’s centre at Juniper Hall in Surrey and a trip to France for the Year 6 girls in their final term at Norland.

Extra Curricular Activities

A range of after school clubs is offered on a termly basis for children in Year 1 and above. These cover a variety of interests from music, chess and art to sport, science and computing.

Assemblies

Children attend two assemblies per week. One of these is a whole school assembly, where weekly commendations and awards are made. The other is either the Lower Years’ Assembly or the Upper Years’ Assembly. Children are given frequent opportunities to play a participating role in assemblies, and in the Lower Years, parents are invited on a termly basis to attend their child’s class assembly. Norland Place is a non-denominational school and we regularly invite members of the clergy from all denominations to contribute to these important events.

Facilities

Norland Place is fully equipped with all the facilities that any parent would expect to find in a school such as ours. We have a large school hall, which doubles up as a gym and dining hall, two secure playgrounds and a fully staffed kitchen which provides hot and cold lunches, using organic/free range ingredients wherever possible, for the children. We also have a Science Laboratory, a library, an Art Studio, a dedicated Music Room and a recently refurbished ICT suite.

PE and gym for Lower Years children are conducted on site. Upper Years boys currently play football and cricket at the Westway Centre and girls walk to the nearby Avondale Park Astroturf courts for netball and hockey. Swimming, which involves children from Year 2 and above, takes place nearby at the Kensington Leisure Centre.