Subjects

Our Art Department is exceptionally well-resourced and from Year 1 children are taught by specialist art teachers.

From Year 1 children are taught by subject specialists.  All classes have a double lesson each week in a well-resourced Art Room.  Children work with a variety of different media and are inspired by the work of great artists, both past and present.  Each pupil keeps a sketchbook to document their progress throughout the year and help to record their personal achievements.  Lessons are complemented by regular outings to museums and galleries, while after-school clubs provide further opportunities for enthusiastic and creative pupils to develop their skills further.

Computing at Hornsby House aims to deliver a dynamic, progressive curriculum. Our goal is to equip pupils with the confidence and knowledge to engage with modern technology in an increasingly virtual world. Whilst teaching the knowledge required to engage with technology, we also emphasise the importance of being a responsible digital citizen.

Computing lessons are taught by a subject specialist teacher to each year group, starting in Reception and going through to Year 6.

We have an excellent provision of hardware and online resources that is constantly evolving thanks to the support of a dedicated in-house IT-Support department. Examples of the computing curriculum content include:

• Exploring virtual reality & augmented reality.
• Coding, algorithms and simulations using different programming languages.
• Responsible digital citizenship and e-safety awareness.
• Using technology for media production and editing.
• Computing as a tool for communication, research and education.
• Animation and graphic design.
• Essential skills such as touch-typing, fine-motor accuracy, logical thinking, team collaboration and problem-solving.
• STEM

An important aspect of our computing curriculum concentrates on educating each child to understand how and why it is important to behave as a responsible digital citizen. Each year group will complete a unit of work about e-safety and each class will attend a specialist e-safety workshop once a year. We also offer parent support in the form of an annual e-safety information evening.

As well as a dedicated computing lesson, cross-curricular computing features in other subjects throughout the school, with lesson activities and homework being completed by pupils online. There is also an opportunity to take an interest in computing further beyond the school day, with extra-curricular computing clubs being offered to children in various year groups.

Design and Technology is a truly cross-curricular subject. 

Design and Technology is a truly cross-curricular subject that enables children to combine their artistic skills with their scientific and mathematical understanding. Exciting projects introduce them to a variety of design concepts including pop-ups, 3D packaging, textiles, winding mechanisms and motorised toys that enable them to work confidently with an increasingly sophisticated range of tools.  Alongside these practical skills, the children also learn how to research and develop their own ideas, as well as critically evaluate their finished work.

We believe that our drama provision creates powerful individuals who can communicate effectively in any setting and be supportive, confident team players who listen, adapt and self-assess.  We instill the importance of the ‘audience’ as well as the ‘performer’ and the process rather than the performance.

Through our weekly lessons the pupils become brave as well as adept. They will learn specific skills such as mime, voice projection and stage craft, as well as learning devices such as objectives, status, ensemble devising, physical theatre and storytelling.  Each child will have the opportunity to perform in an annual Nativity during their time in the Lower School,  a full scale production in Year 4 and a musical production in Year 6 as well as enjoying theatre trips to see productions linked with our curriculum.

Reading underpins the curriculum and our primary underlying aim is to foster a love of literature that feeds the imagination and gives children the confidence to be creative writers.  Grammar, spelling and punctuation are taught as important foundations of all writing.

The timetable includes a weekly lesson for each class in the School Library, which has a full-time librarian, to inspire and encourage all aspects of reading.  All children are given the opportunity to speak and perform in front of a larger audience in assemblies, concerts and plays.  Throughout the year book days, theatre trips and visits from authors, poets and storytellers are planned to enrich the English curriculum.

At Hornsby House, Forest School takes place throughout the academic year in the EYFS and Lower School as a means to build independence and self-esteem in children by regular visits to local outdoor areas, learning to use a range of tools safely and fostering an awareness of sustainability and the natural environment .

The opportunity to learn through nature sees children flourish in a range of skills, not least language and literacy.

The natural environment gives children an opportunity to take measured risks, collaborate with peers, design their own challenges and problem-solve, in addition to developing their confidence and social and emotional development.

Click on the button below if you are interested in learning more about Forest School:

All about Forest School

During the EYFS, children in Reception will take part in a weekly ninety minute Forest School session every Friday afternoon.  In the Lower School, the Year 1 children enjoy a half termly Forest School session and Year 2 are invited to attend Forest School Club, which takes place every Monday as an extra-curricular activity.

We follow the Forest School code of conduct to ensure that we are caring for our environment whilst we are learning from it. Forest School also supports the ethos of the HHS Core Values: Head Heart Spirit.

Forest School code of conduct

Numeracy is an essential skill for life and maths has a strong focus throughout the school.  There is a daily mathematics lesson for all children.

Alongside developing a range of mental and written calculation strategies the children are encouraged to be inquisitive, creative and work collaboratively to solve mathematical challenges.  Children learn through practical activities, investigations and discussion.  Maths lessons are taught in four sets from Year 3 upwards, which ensures that every child’s needs are met.

Language learning at Hornsby House is designed to create confident and enthusiastic communicators, willing to engage with other cultures and meet the world with an open mind.

Our aim is for children of every age to speak French and Spanish happily at home and abroad and use what they know creatively and effectively to make their meaning understood, as well as make friends and express their feelings.  Languages are taught through the use of curriculum-linked topics, traditional stories, songs, games, rhymes, raps and role plays.  Bilingual children are supported in class through 1:1 teaching and also through a weekly club.

As well as the weekly class music lesson, every child has a year group singing lesson and there are three co-curricular choirs for enthusiasts and talented singers.

We offer individual lessons in voice, piano, violin, flute, guitar, recorder, ‘cello, trumpet, clarinet and saxophone and there are opportunities for children to play in the orchestra and other ensembles.  All children are involved in musical performances each term.

Personal, Social, Health and Economics Education, incorporating Relationships, Sex and Health Education are taught in a weekly lesson but are also promoted throughout all aspects of school life.

The Hornsby House School community places great importance on the wellbeing of its pupils.  We explicitly teach Personal, Social, Health and Economics  Education  (PSHE) and Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) in weekly lessons and throughout all aspects of school life as a whole-school approach to underpin children’s development as people and because we believe that this also supports their learning capacity.

PSHE and RSHE are planned programmes of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to successfully manage their lives – now and in the future.  As part of a whole-school approach, PSHE develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.  We also offer co-curricular opportunities, assemblies, charity events, House Days, extra class responsibilities and the rewards children experience on a daily basis to support and extend this aspect of the curriculum immeasurably.

To ensure progression and a spiral curriculum, we use ‘Jigsaw’, a mindful approach to PSHE, as our chosen teaching and learning programme and tailor it to your children’s needs. It offers us a comprehensive, carefully thought-through Scheme of Work which brings consistency and progression to your children’s learning in this vital curriculum area.  The overview of the programme can be seen on the Parent Portal.  This also supports the “Personal Development” and “Behaviour and Attitude” aspects required under the Ofsted Inspection Framework, as well as significantly contributing to the school’s Safeguarding and Equality Duties, the Government’s British Values agenda and the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) development opportunities provided for our children.

Here, at Hornsby House School we value PSHE as one way to support children’s development as human beings, to enable them to understand and respect who they are, to empower them with a voice and to equip them for life and learning.  We include the statutory Relationships and Health Education within our whole-school PSHE programme.

‘The pupils’ personal development is excellent and a strength of the school.’

Independent Schools Inspectorate.

From Year 4, all classes have a weekly reasoning lesson, in which they exercise their minds with practice in verbal and non-verbal reasoning and problem-solving activities.  We find that this lesson has a positive effect on the way children approach problems and reason in other subjects.

In Years 3 and 4 there is greater emphasis on practical problem-solving and children are introduced to formal written problems by looking for patterns and differences.  In Years 5 and 6 there is more focus on written problems and this forms part of the preparation for 11+ exams.

Non-verbal reasoning involves looking at patterns to spot differences in colour, shape, quantity, position or direction and identify the missing pattern in a sequence, set or matrix.  Verbal reasoning requires pupils to solve word problems, such as making compound words, finding the odd one out in a group, matching words with similar or opposite meanings and solving anagrams.  It also involves letter and number patterns and sequences.

Our Reception teachers and assistants form a strong, dedicated team to make sure your child receives the best possible start to school life.

Reading and writing are just part of the early school experiences at Hornsby House.  This is reflected in our Foundation Stage curriculum which places equal emphasis on academic learning and personal development.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, which incorporates seven different areas of learning:  Communication and Language Development; Physical Development; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Literacy Development; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design.

We offer specialist PE, French, ICT, music, dance and drama teaching from the very start. Bright classrooms, extensive resources and outdoor space are designed to encourage children to take a hands-on approach to learning.  Play is central to the experience and children are given every opportunity to learn through role play and collaboration.

Science is taught as a practical subject throughout the school and there is an emphasis on making the subject fun and accessible.

Children develop investigative skills from an early age and are encouraged to ask questions, work collaboratively and to extend their understanding of scientific concepts. Regular class trips, workshops and visitors broaden and enhance the science curriculum.

At Hornsby House, our primary aim is to help the children enjoy their sport to encourage them to become lifelong participants.  In their weekly PE lessons children learn key life skills through termly themes.  We recognise the importance of high-quality coaching and all PE and games lessons are taught by our specialist Sports Department.

From Year 2, children also participate in a weekly games session where they learn football, rugby, netball and hockey.  Both boys and girls play cricket in the Summer Term.  The children are challenged in relation to their level of body control, skill level and understanding of the games.  This developmental path will include increasingly challenging training sessions, House matches and external fixtures that are carefully introduced as the children progress through the school.  We believe in sport for all and every child will represent the school as part of a team in every sport.  Our record in sports matches against other schools and in tournaments, both local and national, is excellent and we are very proud of our reputation.

Children also have the opportunity to participate in a range of co-curricular activities including swimming, table-tennis, tennis, gymnastics and Taekwon-do to name just a few.  As well as making use of our playground and hall, Upper School sport is taught off site at local Astroturf pitches and sports fields.