Hampstead Hill School (HHS) is a Pre-Preparatory and Nursery School catering for children aged 2-7. As a non-selective school, our children are at varying stages of academic ability. The individualised, innovative services we provide to each child to ensure academic success will be identified throughout this document, aligning with our high standards and above average assessment scores. This is reiterated in our parent surveys, with 97% of parents agreeing that our education enables pupils to make progress and 87% of parents agreeing that HHS ensures children are well prepared for their next school. Lastly, 92% of parents believe their child’s individual educational needs are met effectively.
Within our school, we have an innovative Targeted Support department which provides learning support tailored to individual children. Targeted Support ensures learning progress for all and helps children to overcome barriers in their learning. Children work in small groups or one-on-one, allowing them to have sufficient support and attention throughout the sessions.
The Targeted Support department work closely with the Class Teachers to determine which areas of academic need are presented throughout the year group. From this, and in co-ordination with assessment data, Targeted Support teaching blocks are created. The planning is built on supporting the teaching content in class and aims to expand and consolidate identified gaps in children’s learning. These blocks typically last for a term. Targeted Support mainly focuses on the core subjects, Maths and English, with some sessions being dedicated to motor skills, reading, phonics and handwriting.
At HHS, 63.5% of pupils have been identified as having English as an additional language (EAL) and 20% of those pupils are in Year 1. Within Year 1, there is a focus on Sentence Building, in order to support our EAL pupils. In this study, we will focus on three core themes: First, pupil voice and progress in a child’s first language. Secondly, how EAL support is integrated at HHS. Finally, how we prepare our children as fluent English speakers to function as members of a modern British Society.
At HHS we place a high value on giving pupils autonomy over their individual learning. In the Early Years, we have incorporated various methods to identify if EAL children are making progress in their first language, as well as opportunities for them to showcase their culture and traditions, giving them a sense of pride for their ethnicity and ensuring the necessary components of the EYFS Statutory Framework are incorporated, emphasized and enhanced. In Early Years and Reception, children are encouraged to regularly bring items of their first language into their classrooms to share with the other children. These may include stories, poems, recipes, songs, greetings, phrases, images, traditional dress and more. Further, parents are regularly encouraged to read stories in their first language to their children’s classes. As a school, we celebrate International Book Day where parents are invited in for a special celebration of reading, giving all children the opportunity to hear a story in their home language and become engrossed in stories from other languages. Lastly, as a diverse community, children have the opportunity to speak with a member of staff in their home first language if they share one. Our multi-cultural community allows us to engage in a variety of events throughout the year that will enhance our knowledge of different cultures, traditions and languages.
When the children enter Year 1, all EAL children are assessed to establish their understanding of the English language, featuring aspects of grammar and syntax. The data is then used to determine who will attend a term-long Targeted Support teaching block. The block uses HHS’s adapted version of Colourful Semantics alongside the children’s in-class learning. Colourful Semantics helps the children to understand word classifications and building of sentences. Every week the children write their own version of classic children’s stories which allows them to apply their knowledge and skills to help structure their sentences and story as easily as possible. The children are provided with a framework (see image) as a visual cue to also support them. This framework then stays with them until they leave the school. For children whose English seemed to be below their expected age range, an additional Targeted Support block was created to focus on phonics and build from a singular sound into sentences. Each lesson followed a given framework to build the children’s confidence and understand more easily the expected structure of how to complete the work which eventually led to independent completion of work.
Our innovative approach to education is characterized by our individualised approach to children’s learning, providing academic support based on their personal need while acknowledging and celebrating their unique identity and experiences. This is made possible by high staff ratios and the dedicated Targeted Support department.
Though our school focuses on preparing children for the next stage in their educational journey, we aim to ensure our children can function and thrive as members of a modern British society. Our advanced English curriculum is reflected in the literacy, comprehension, and phonic interventions the children receive and the strong emphasis placed on reading and spelling. Further, we believe that core English skills are at the foundation of every subject. From the time children enter our school we are focusing significantly on developing English skills and ensuring EAL children are celebrated and supported. This program follows them throughout their educational journey with us and enables them to succeed at their new schools.
Our innovative approach to building the connection between EAL speakers, encouraging pride within their culture and enhancing their first language while ensuring achievement within English language skills begins with our Early Years children at age 2 and follows them throughout their Hampstead Hill Journey. This guarantees that they leave us at 7+ years, not only sufficiently prepared for their next educational experience, but able to successfully participate as functioning members of British society.
