At St Olave's Prep School, we are proud to offer a comprehensive French language curriculum for children from Nursery to Year 4. Our curriculum is designed to foster a love for languages and provide children with a strong foundation in French language skills.

At St Olave's, we believe in the importance of early language learning. Our French curriculum is designed to:

• Encourage Communication: Through interactive activities, children develop their speaking and listening skills in French.
• Enhance Literacy: Reading and writing exercises help children build a strong foundation in French language literacy.
• Cultural Understanding: We explore French culture, traditions, and customs to provide a holistic language learning experience.

At St Olave’s Prep School, we believe in providing a well-rounded education that includes learning a foreign language. In our Spanish programme, children from Year 4 to Year 6 have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the vibrant language and culture of Spain.

• Interactive Learning: Our Spanish lessons are engaging and interactive, designed to make learning fun and effective.
• Cultural Exploration: Through learning Spanish, children also get a glimpse into the rich culture and traditions of Spanish-speaking countries.
• Skill Development: Children develop their communication skills in Spanish, enhancing their overall language proficiency.
• Global Perspective: Learning a foreign language opens doors to understanding different cultures and perspectives.
• Cognitive Benefits: Studies show that learning a second language can improve cognitive abilities and academic performance.
• Future Opportunities: Proficiency in Spanish can provide children with a competitive edge in an increasingly globalised world.

At St Olave’s Prep School, we are proud to offer an Introduction to Latin programme for our Year 6 children. Our Latin programme is led by a specialist teacher who is passionate about imparting this ancient language to our children.

Why Latin at St Olave's?

• Fostering a Love for Language: Learning Latin not only enhances linguistic skills but also instils a love for language and communication.
• Cultural Enrichment: Studying Latin provides children with insight into ancient civilisations, fostering an appreciation for history and culture.
• Cognitive Benefits: Research shows that learning Latin can improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Interactive and Engaging Lessons: Through interactive activities and engaging lessons, we make learning Latin a fun and rewarding experience for our children.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to encourage children to be independent, collaborative, and resilient lifelong learners.

Children from Year 3 to Year 6 are taught Design and Technology by a specialist teacher who is dedicated to fostering a love for innovation and creativity. Our challenging and innovative curriculum covers a wide range of topics including architecture, mechanics, product design, and engineering. Through hands-on projects and practical activities, children are encouraged to explore their creativity and develop problem-solving skills.

At St Olave's Prep School, we believe that music plays a vital role in a child's education, fostering creativity, collaboration, and confidence. Our music department is dedicated to providing a diverse and challenging curriculum that allows children to explore their musical passions and talents.

Music Curriculum

• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Children in EYFS have daily music lessons taught by a specialist teacher. These lessons focus on developing a love for music, rhythm, and basic musical concepts.
• Years 1-6: Throughout the school, children have specialist class music lessons weekly, covering various aspects of music performance such as singing, playing instruments and music theory. Our curriculum is designed to be diverse, challenging and engaging, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to explore their musical talents.

Extra-curricular Opportunities

• Choirs and Ensembles: We offer a range of choir and ensemble opportunities for children to further develop their musical skills and collaborate with their peers.
• Music Theory Lessons: Children have the option to participate in music theory lessons to deepen their understanding of music notation and composition.
• Peripatetic Lessons: We provide 1:1 peripatetic lessons in singing, piano, harp, guitar, violin, and trumpet, allowing children to receive personalised instruction and develop their musical abilities.

At St Olave's Prep School, we prioritise the physical and holistic development of our children in line with our vision and values of Collaboration, Compassion, Curiosity, Commitment, Creativity, and Courage.

Overview of PE Curriculum

• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Our youngest learners benefit from daily PE lessons delivered by specialist teachers.
• Years 1 and 2: Children in these year groups enjoy two dedicated class PE lessons each week.
• From Year 3 onwards: Children have a weekly PE lesson in school and also participate in our weekly games afternoon, receiving expert coaching in various sports such as tag rugby, hockey, football, cricket, tennis, and athletics.
• Additional Activities: Our curriculum includes gymnastics, dance, outdoor and adventurous activities like orienteering and learning about sports science and fitness.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

We offer a wide range of extra-curricular sports and opportunities to enhance our children's overall experience. These include:

• Multisports 
• Rugby
• NFL flag football
• And many more!

At St Olave's Prep School, we pride ourselves on providing a forward-thinking education that embraces technology as a crucial aspect of our curriculum. With two specialist computing teachers dedicated to the Lower School and Upper School children, we ensure that our students receive comprehensive instruction in the field of Computing.

Working with technology is ingrained in the lives of young people today, but at St Olave's, we understand the importance of not just using technology but also creating it. Our Computing teaching is structured around three key strands: Computer Science, Information Technology, and Digital Literacy and Online Safety.

• Computer Science: We focus on laying the foundations for our children to understand how computers work and how they execute precise instructions to achieve specific goals.
• Information Technology: Children have the opportunity to design, write and debug programmes, equipping them with essential skills for the digital age.
• Digital Literacy: We emphasise the importance of using technology safely and respectfully, ensuring that our children are responsible digital citizens.

All pupils at St Olave's study Computing up to the end of Year 6. Throughout their journey, they engage with coding in various languages, including Scratch and Python. From creating works of art to developing practical solutions like pedometers and GPS tracking devices, our children are exposed to a wide range of challenges that foster creativity and problem-solving skills.

At St Olave's Prep School, we are proud to offer a unique and enriching Outdoor Learning programme that aligns with our vision and values. Our specialist teacher delivers a bespoke outdoor learning curriculum from Nursery to Year 6, providing children with hands-on experiences that foster a love for nature and sustainability.

Key Features of our Outdoor Learning Curriculum:

• Specialist Teacher: Our dedicated outdoor learning teacher guides children through engaging lessons that promote exploration, discovery and environmental stewardship.
• Secret Allotment: Spanning an acre, our secret allotment serves as the outdoor classroom where children embark on exciting adventures in learning. From seed to table, children witness the magic of growing and harvesting a variety of seasonal and local produce.
• Holistic Learning: Through weekly outdoor lessons, children develop essential skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. They learn to appreciate the natural world while gaining practical knowledge about gardening and sustainability.

Benefits for Students:

• Independence: Outdoor learning encourages children to take initiative, make decisions and develop self-reliance.
• Collaboration: Working together in a natural setting fosters teamwork, communication and respect for others.
• Creativity: The outdoor environment sparks creativity and imagination, leading to innovative thinking and unique solutions.
• Resilience: Facing challenges in the outdoors teaches children to adapt, persevere and overcome obstacles.
• Curiosity: Exploring nature ignites curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, inspiring a lifelong love of learning.

At St Olave’s Prep School, we believe in providing a well-rounded education that extends to practical life skills such as Food Technology. Our dedicated specialist teacher ensures that children not only learn about food hygiene and health and safety but also develop basic cooking and food preparation skills.

What We Offer:

• Basic Cooking Skills: Children learn how to cook and prepare a variety of dishes under the guidance of our expert teacher.
• Healthy Eating: We emphasise the importance of healthy eating habits and educate children on making nutritious food choices.
• Utilising Produce: Children have the opportunity to use produce from our school allotment in their dishes, promoting sustainability and a connection to nature.