King's School Rochester Nursery & Pre-Preparatory School Prospectus

NURSERY & PRE- PREPARATORY SCHOOL • AGES 3 - 8

There’s one motto we
live by at King’s, and
that’s simply ‘Work hard,
play hard and look after
each other’ no matter
what age you are...

Welcome to
KING’S SCHOOL
ROCHESTER
At King’s Nursery and Pre-Preparatory School,
our children are at the heart of all that we do.
We pride ourselves not only on the excellence of our teaching,
but also on the level of individual care and attention we give to
make sure that every child has a happy and positive start to school
life. For them, school should be an exciting time - something they
look forward to! This is where they take their first steps towards
independence, learning and being a valued member of a
wider community.
Our School is a vibrant, exciting place to be, and has been rated
‘Excellent’ in all areas by our latest ISI inspection report. Children
come through the door in the morning beaming and leave with the
same smile at the end of the day. Our dedicated staff provide a rich
and stimulating environment where curiosity and enthusiasm to
learn are fostered. King’s offers a fun, varied and rich experience,
where the solid foundations of ‘learning for life’ are built.
We are a school with a strong sense of family, where our Christian
foundations support our whole community and instil care, kindness
and thought for one another. This is true from Nursery all the way
through to the Sixth Form and beyond - King’s is very much a
‘School for Life.’
I hope that this booklet gives you an insight into our School,
however nothing beats coming to see us in action! Please feel free
to get in touch to arrange a tour or taster day - we’d love to show
you around.
Kellie Crozer
Head of King’s Nursery & Pre-Preparatory School
WELCOME TO KING’S SCHOOL ROCHESTER 1

PASTORAL
CARE
Children flourish in this safe and
secure environment, where they
feel happy and confident.
Strong relationships between pupils and teachers are a
fundamental characteristic of the King’s ethos. We know that
excellent pastoral care underpins all aspects of personal
development and academic performance, and it’s vital that
every single pupil feels they belong and are valued. We want
everyone in our School to be happy and healthy - both
physically and mentally.
From Nursery to Year 3, a high pupil-staff ratio creates plenty
of opportunities for interaction, support and encouragement.
Pupil wellbeing is a priority and each classroom has a
dedicated relaxed learning area. From an early age, pupils are
taught the values of kindness to others and working as part of
a team. In the Pre-Preparatory School all children join a
‘House’ and the regular House competitions provide a chance
for everyone to have a go at something new and different.
House competitions are keenly contested and the sheer
number of events is impressive, including the hilarious House
pancake race, House winter race, House tie tying, House
tiddlywinks, House bake off and House poetry. The House
system importantly enables children to build relationships up
and down the School for that added sense of community
and belonging.
Our children are recognised and rewarded for kindness, good
manners and politeness by the giving of House tokens. These
are much coveted, and whichever House collects the most
has the accolade of seeing their colour ribbons worn by the
House bear. Truly one of the highlights of the school year!
When our pupils leave the Pre-Preparatory School they are
already developing into responsible and confident young
people, ready to tackle the next challenge!
More information on our safeguarding policies
can be found on our website.
2 PASTORAL CARE

Children are
at the heart of
everything
that we do.
PASTORAL CARE 3

NURSERY
Nursery at King’s is a warm, nurturing and lively place for children to
begin their school adventure.
In Nursery, our pupils’ learning is based on the
Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, but we
have the freedom to expand upon this to ensure
we maximise each child’s potential.
discovering activities and time for play. Specialist
teachers also teach our Nursery children French
twice a week, along with Music, using the
acclaimed Colourstrings approach.
Our children enjoy a stimulating educational
journey. Lively nurture groups promote the
development of social skills through exploration
and discovery, and we are proud of our fun
movement-based BEAM programme developed
by qualified Physiotherapists. Children
experience the world beyond the Nursery
through regular local trips, and the historic and
beautiful Cathedral and Castle visits are
especially popular.
Each child’s development is supported with
excellent classroom resources and secure access
to outdoor spaces, where they have lots of fun
Independence is promoted from an early age,
with children encouraged to put coats, socks and
shoes on themselves, find equipment in the
classroom, and even pour their own drinks.
All our children sit with a teacher at lunch time,
and this encourages good table manners and
social interaction with adults and children.
To keep track of their children’s progress, photos
are shared on a daily basis with parents through
the SEESAW platform. We also have regular
parents evenings, and of course parents can
always speak to our teachers at drop off and pick
up time if they have any concerns or worries.
4 NURSERY

NURSERY 5

6 RECEPTION

RECEPTION
This friendly family environment builds
children’s confidence and is the perfect
setting for young, developing minds.
Reception classes follow the EYFS programme, enabling
teachers to plan inspiring yet focused daily schedules.
Each day is rich with variety, blending play-based ‘Learning
and Exploring’ sessions with teacher-led activities.
Children are encouraged to explore and move freely
between our well-equipped inside and outside spaces.
Whether it’s splashing around in wellies, changing for PE or
sharpening pencils, children develop quickly and begin to
understand the world around them.
A much-loved area for real adventures is our beautiful
woodland known affectionately as ‘The Alps’ where we
promote outdoor learning. Here children can construct
little hedgehog houses, enjoy scavenger hunts and even
build their own dens.
At this stage speaking and listening skills progress rapidly
and children learn to communicate confidently with adults
and other children.
RECEPTION 7

Homework at King’s
We think that giving children homework is a great way to
encourage independent learning, as well as helping to
consolidate the learning pupils do in the classroom.
Starting in Reception, pupils come home with “tricky
words” to practice and a reading book each day. In Year 1,
we start to introduce weekly spelling tests, along with a
weekly piece of Maths or English work. In Year 2 and Year 3,
pupils are also given a topic to complete over the
weekend. We invite parents to attend a ‘Curriculum
Evening’ in September of every year, which includes an
outline of the weekly homework schedule for that year.
8 HOMEWORK AT KING’S

YEAR 1
With our broad and stimulating
curriculum, Year 1 is when King’s
education brings learning to life.
Year 1 builds seamlessly upon the strong foundational skills
developed in Nursery and Reception.
With daily lessons in English and Mathematics, and other
subjects being taught on a weekly basis, children quickly
adapt to a more structured academic programme. It’s not all
hard graft though, and children love their ‘Golden Time’ on
Friday afternoons – a fitting reward for their effort during
the week.
At King’s we actively teach our children to be independent
learners - an invaluable skill as they progress through the
school. Children are encouraged and challenged in equal
measure through a motivational and adaptive approach to
teaching, and they get many opportunities to develop PSHEE
(Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) skills
both through formal teaching and via day-to-day school life.
Digital technology is threaded throughout the curriculum,
which helps to create an immersive and engaging learning
experience for our pupils.
There is an exciting programme of specialist teaching in
Music, French and Games and pupils enjoy swimming lessons
with a specialist teacher in our own pool.
Classroom learning is supported with a diverse range
of school trips which provide fantastic opportunities to
broaden horizons, bringing learning to life.
YEAR 1 9

YEAR 2
Children progress rapidly in Year 2 and become
confident, independent young learners.
During the year, children increasingly engage with the world around them,
and are introduced to incredibly varied and engaging topics, and this leads
to an inquisitive and enquiring mindset.
Pupils in Year 2 enter the second and final year of study at Key Stage 1 of the
National Curriculum. Throughout this stage, we encourage pupils to learn
key skills such as sharing, analysis, reading and investigation - helping them
to think and learn independently. Appreciation of music and learning to play
musical instruments are incredibly important, and music enriches every
aspect of daily school life at King’s. One on one music tuition begins in
Year 2, taught by peripatetic teachers and our Director of Music.
English lessons focus on building confidence in reading, writing, and spelling/
phonics. Pupils learn to voice their opinions and there is a strong emphasis
on daily reading at school and at home. In Mathematics we teach our children
core concepts, with a focus on key skills so they develop real knowledge and
understanding. Pupils also have regular times tables sessions which are
tested weekly.
We teach English and Mathematics on a daily basis, with Science, Computing,
History, Geography, Religious Studies, PHSEE, Art and Design, P.E. and
Swimming taught on a weekly basis. Children continue with regular French
lessons taught by our specialist language staff. The school experience is
enhanced with fun and engaging trips to a range of exciting destinations such
as Reculver (Coastal Science trip) and the Short Brothers Tour (History) to
name a few.
08 10 YEAR ACADEMIC 2

ACADEMIC YEAR 2 09 11

YEAR 3
An important and inspiring year when pupils begin the Key Stage 2
curriculum programme.
Although this is the start of a key academic
period, we never lose sight of our childrens’
happiness. Our amazing teachers make learning
great fun and aim to bring out the very best in
every child.
Pupils are taught English and Mathematics lessons
five times a week, establishing a strong foundation
in these core subjects. In addition, we offer a
diverse curriculum that covers Science with a
special emphasis on STEM, Religious Studies,
History, Geography, Music, Computing, PSHEE
(Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education),
along with Art and Design. These subjects are
explored through half-termly topics, allowing our
pupils to delve deep into each subject area.
Regular French language lessons, develop
language proficiency and foster a
global perspective.
Throughout the School, pupils have access to a
suite of digital learning tools to aid learning across
the curriculum. To support mental and physical
health, specialist teaching in P.E takes place twice
a week, along with a weekly swimming lesson.
In English, we introduce the Accelerated Reading
Programme designed to develop independent
choice and comprehension. Oral skills are also
enhanced through plenty of opportunities for
speaking in class, assemblies and
Cathedral services.
Pupils learning Maths are grouped in order to
allow them to work at their own pace and foster a
greater sense of independence. There is an
emphasis on developing confidence in problem
solving and reasoning, along with an ability to
demonstrate an in-depth understanding of
mathematical concepts. Similarly, Science lessons
build confidence in understanding basic concepts
and ensure the development of analytical skills,
through practical investigations and problem
solving. Pupils often work in pairs or larger groups,
learning the benefits of collaboration and
teamwork. There are also regular visits each term
from a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering &
Maths) presenter, to encourage enjoyment and
build knowledge of technology and engineering.
Children will be expected to complete homework
throughout the week – this may include Spelling,
English, Maths and other topic work. This is in
addition to their regular reading practice. We
mainly set homework through the SEESAW
platform and usually expect children to complete
this in their homework books.
Leadership opportunities abound across the
School, and the House Captain, Vice-Captain and
Prefect roles are important and highly prized.
Those selected make a strong contribution to
daily school life and become important role
models for younger children.
Throughout Year 3 there is close collaboration
between both the Pre-Preparatory and
Preparatory Schools, with both Heads ensuring
that academic continuity is maintained and
individual progress carefully monitored. Many
transition activities take place in Year 3 to prepare
pupils for their exciting move to the Preparatory
School - something they always look forward to!
12 YEAR 3

Tracking Progress at King’s
It’s really important to us that each child gets
the best out of their education. To support this,
in Nursery and Reception years we regularly
keep track of each pupils’ literacy and maths
skills, which helps us to identify whether
additional support is needed.
From Year 1 onwards, we track our children’s
progress against National Key Objectives in
English, Maths and Science, in addition to end
of year tests.
By understanding how each child is learning,
we’re able to give them the best possible start
to their educational journey.
TRACKING PROGRESS 13

Co-curricular
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
King’s has a fantastic breadth of co-curricular opportunities designed
to appeal to everyone.
We are committed to educating the whole
child, and provide a richly varied co-curricular
programme to appeal to children of all abilities
and interests.
The majority of co-curricular activities are free
and our children enjoy clubs and activites like
Running, Football, Multisports, Craft, Chess,
Well-being, Lego, Science, Story, Construction,
and Observational Drawing. There is a small
fee for our clubs that are led by specialist staff,
including LAMDA (London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Art), Cheerleading, Martial Arts, Yoga
and Ballet. Clubs take place during lunchtimes
and after school.
Music making is an incredibly important aspect
of daily school life at King’s, with pupils being
able to experience the joy of learning a musical
instrument from Year 2. Children can learn the
Guitar, Cello, Violin, Flute, Piano, and Clarinet, to
name just a few. Our ‘Music Pods’, nestled just
outside the entrance to Chadlington House,
provide a perfect setting for pupils to learn with
our team of instrumental teachers.
16 CO- CURRICULAR

CO-CURRICULAR 17

Before and after
SCHOOL CARE
Many parents appreciate the reassurance and support of our
wraparound care provision.
We know that our parents have demanding and
busy lives and our wraparound care provides a
warm, homely and supportive environment for
your child.
Breakfast Club and After School Club take place
in our beautiful Rookwood House building and
are delivered by a team of fully qualified staff.
Meals, snacks and drinks are provided, and
children have access to three playrooms and a
self-contained playground.
Before school, our Breakfast Club starts from
7.30am to 8.25am, with last breakfast being
served at 8.10am. After School Club runs from
3.30pm to 6.30pm (Nursery, Reception and
Year 1) and 3.40pm to 6.30pm (Year 2 and Year 3).
Wraparound care has a supplementary charge.
A ‘walking bus’ service is available for children
in the Pre-Preparatory School, which meets
every morning at 8:25am on Roebuck Road
and is run by two members of staff. The walking
bus provides a convenient location for parents
to ‘stop and drop’ their children, whilst also
providing a healthy start to their day. An
on-site bike shed is available for children
that ride a bike or scooter to school.
18 WRAPAROUND CARE

MOVING ON UP
The transition to the Preparatory School is a seamless and happy
experience, thanks to our ‘One School’ ethos.
We make every effort to ensure that each child
has a seamless and happy experience when
moving up.
During Year 3, there are numerous opportunities
to get to know the Preparatory School, and we
organise activities to help children understand
the next stage of their academic journey. Children
soon recognise that some of their teachers and
staff also work in the Preparatory School, and this
familiarity is important and ensures continuity.
Staff also work very closely across both schools
to ensure all teachers are aware of each child’s
educational and pastoral needs when moving on.
Another important aspect is our Cathedral ‘buddy’
system which begins mid term, with older pupils
escorting younger pupils to Cathedral services.
This means that when a pupil starts in Year 4,
they will already have a ‘buddy’ from Year 8
who can help them settle into life in the
Preparatory School.
MOVING ON UP 19

FURTHER INFORMATION
At King’s School Rochester, we work with families to ensure that the
admissions process supports you and your child every step along the way.
To find out more information or to schedule
a visit to the School, please contact us on
+44 (0) 1634 888590, or email
admissions@kings-rochester.co.uk
Visit Us
The best way to get a real sense of the School is
to visit us. We offer private tours and taster days
during term time and hold two whole school
Open Mornings each year.
School Fees
Fees are charged in advance and reviewed
annually, with additional charges kept to a
minimum. Further information about fees and
charges are available on our website within the
Admissions section.
Parking
Due to the central and historic location of our
School, there is very limited parking during drop
off and pick up. Instead, if you are arriving by car,
there are numerous car parks nearby which can
be found at en.parkopedia.co.uk.
Our School Day
7.30am
- 8.25am
8.25am
8.45am
8.55am
9.20am
10.30am
- 11.00am
11.00am
- 12.15am
12.15pm
- 1.25pm
1.25pm
- 3.30pm
1.25pm
- 3.40pm
3.30pm
Option of Breakfast Club
(last breakfast served at 8.10am)
Gates open, children enter school
and welcomed by class teacher
Gates close and Registration time
Assembly for Reception to Year 3
Learning begins for Nursery
Lessons begin Reception to Year 3
Break/Snack for Reception to Year 3
Lessons continue until lunchtime
Lunch & Playtime
Afternoon school for Nursery,
Reception & Year 1 pupils
Afternoon school for Year 2 and
Year 3 pupils
End of the school day for Nursery,
Reception and Year 1 pupils
3.40pm
3.30pm
- 4.20pm
3.30pm
- 6.30pm
3.40pm
- 6.30pm
End of the school day for Year 2 and
Year 3 pupils
After-School Clubs
Option of After School Club for
Nursery, Reception and Year 1
Option of After School Club
for Year 2 and Year 3
For more information on admissions,
fees, and term dates, scan the QR code
20 FURTHER INFORMATION

Come and experience
our School for yourself.
Meet our pupils, talk
with our staff, and feel
the welcoming and
inspiring atmosphere
that makes King’s School
Rochester so unique.

NURSERY & PRE-PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Chadlington House • Lockington Grove • Rochester • Kent • ME1 1RH Telephone +44 (0)1634 888566
www.kings-rochester.co.uk