prospectus

HELLO AND WELCOME

24-26 Cumberland RoadKew, Surrey TW9 3HQ Telephone: 020 8940 2039Facsimile: 020 8332 9945Email: [email protected] Website: www.kewcollege.comHeadteacher: Mrs Anne DobellMA (Oxon) PGCE

Registered charity No: 286059 Incorporated in England with limited liability. Registered No:1678837

KEW COLLEGEUnlocking the potential of 3 to 11 year olds

Dear parents and prospective pupils,Thank you for your interest in our school.We are really proud of Kew College. It is a long-established, happy, lively and exciting

school where pupils are motivated to learn. Our team of enthusiastic and professionally

dedicated staff pride themselves on ensuring that all pupils have an excellent grounding

in the basics, while supporting and challenging them to reach the highest possible

standards across the curriculum. Our style is traditional, our view imaginative.

Kew College pupils, staff and parents are very much involved in the life of our school, and

there are plenty of opportunities for our older pupils to help and encourage the younger,

who in turn learn from them.I hope you will enjoy reading about Kew College. We are always happy to answer any

questions you may have, and we look forward to meeting you at one of our Open

Mornings.

With my best wishes,

Anne DobellHeadteacher

67541 Prospectus Land Text:Prospective Landscape 05/01/2010 10:45 Page 1

THE SCHOOLKew College is a family-oriented, independent school for boys and girls

aged from three to eleven. It is situated close to Richmond, Chiswick,

Acton, Brentford, East Sheen and Twickenham, and our pupils attend

the school from these areas, as well as from Kew itself.

Founded in 1953, by Mrs Hamilton-Spry, the school became a

charitable trust in 1983. Today a Board of Governors act as trustees,

with Mrs Anne Dobell as Headteacher.

Kew College pupils enjoy learning because they are happy and relaxed.

We aim to unlock the potential of every child, encouraging them to

develop their intellectual and social skills in a warm and creative

environment.

The importance of English, Maths, Science and ICT is emphasized at the

school, but within a broad curriculum, which includes Art, Design

Technology, Drama, French, Latin, History, Geography, Music and Sport.

We have an excellent academic record: children consistently gain entry

to good London day schools at secondary level, and we are proud of

the many scholarships they have obtained.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Kew College seeks to be a centre of excellence by providing a rich,

relevant and varied curriculum for our children from Nursery to Year Six.

We aim:

to encourage the development of all children so that they will learn to

take their place in society;

to instil in our children a sense of commitment, responsibility, respect for

others and healthy self-esteem;

to create an atmosphere that is relaxed but purposeful by forming the

best possible relationship between teachers, children and parents;

for our children to go on to the next stage of their education with

confidence and a built-in desire for further work and experience.

“I can’t wait to go to my next school, but I will also miss

Kew College a lot. It has been great fun.

I will miss all of the lovely teachers and all of my friends.”

Grace, Year Six


FACILITIESThe school has been able to expand in recent years, and our new

buildings include a superb performance hall, a library, the Science

and ICT laboratories, and three music rooms. At the centre of the

school is the large playground, which is the heart of much

friendship-building.

Outdoor sports take place at the well-equipped Westminster Sports

Grounds, which are very close to the school.

TEACHING STAFFWe have a highly-dedicated and experienced team of male and

female staff, which is supported by excellent administrative

personnel and a large team of classroom assistants.

COMMUNICATIONParental involvement and communication are key to the relationship

that the school builds with pupils. There are two annual Parents’

Evenings, formal reports are sent home twice a year and there are

plenty of opportunities to meet form teachers. The Headteacher is

always happy to talk to parents on appointment. The Infant

Department holds twice-termly Open Mornings for parents to see

their children’s work. A ‘buddy’ system pairs families new to the

school with parents who already have children here, to offer useful

information and advice. In addition, Kew College Friends organize

many social activities throughout the year. The Pupils’ Council has

two representatives from every year who discuss ideas and issues

with senior staff every week.

‘Kew News’ is a weekly bulletin providing information, notices and

details of forthcoming events. ‘Kew College Knowledge’ comes out

twice a term, recording school events with photographs and articles.

Both these publications are also available on parents’ log-in section

of our website.


THE FIRST DAY ATSCHOOLThe first day at Nursery is a big step for your child. That’s why

it’s so important to ensure you choose the right school, a place

where you can relax in the knowledge that your child will be

happy discovering, learning and playing.

The friendly environment at Kew College allows children to

grow and develop at their own pace. We provide the right levels

of stimulation, care and nurturing combined with plenty of time

to play, listen to stories, create and paint.

Our adult to pupil ratios are high, creating a family atmosphere

where every child’s needs are understood and fulfilled.

Our Nursery provides either morning or afternoon places, and

once you have a Nursery place your child is guaranteed entry

into our Kindergarten.

“As first-time parents, selecting the right school for our son was

really important, and Kew College has been a great success.

It has made the transition into school hugely

enjoyable for the whole family.

It is a delight to see how happy our son is to go to

school each day and to observe his growing confidence.”

Parents of George, Nursery pupil


FORMATIVE YEARS(Kindergarten and Years One and Two)

As the transition from a nursery environment to the more formal school routine is

a major one, we ensure that the change is as gentle as possible. In Kindergarten,

children enjoy many of the activities and fun of the Nursery, but with the gradual

introduction of more structured learning.

In Years One and Two, we provide a solid foundation for the development of

skills in reading, writing and numeracy. ICT is introduced in Nursery, Science and

French in Year One. There is still plenty of time for singing, art and games.

“Our children have been at Kew College since Nursery and have thoroughly enjoyed

their time at the school. They are happy, confident and enjoy learning. This is due, in

no small part, to the school, which encourages children to achieve their potential.”

Parents of Eleanor, Year Four and James, Year Six




GROWING UP(Years Three to Six)

Teaching throughout the school extends beyond the National Curriculum,

and outings to museums, galleries, exhibitions and theatres support learning.

In Year Six, pupils are formally prepared for entrance exams into secondary

schools, and are given responsibilities to help develop their confidence and

their appreciation of others.

In the Autumn term, Year Six pupils go on a team-building weekend in the

countryside.

After the exam period, they enjoy a wonderful final term which includes a

week-long trip to a chateau in France.

Throughout the school, younger and older children are encouraged to work

and play together and visitors often comment on the responsible approach

taken by older pupils towards our younger boys and girls.

“My most memorable moment is when we took a trip to France. We were

there for a week and each day was packed with exciting activities.”

Daniel, Year Six


Our Sports programme encourages teamwork and the development of coordination skills and

confidence, in addition to raising awareness of health and physical fitness.

In their early years, children are taught by a specialist P.E. teacher in the playground. From Year Two

upwards, the focus is on organised team sports. In the Autumn term, boys play Football and the girls play

Netball. In the Spring term boys play Rugby (using national guidelines) and the girls play Netball and

Hockey. In the Summer girls play Rounders and the boys play Cricket, and all the pupils do Athletics.

Pupils regularly play Football, Netball and Rugby against other local independent schools, and have

proven to be very competitive on the sports field, as can be seen by our excellent games results.

Years Three, Four and Five swim once a week at Pools on the Park in Richmond. Year Six pupils swim in

the Spring and Summer Terms, and Year Two children begin swimming lessons in the Summer Term.

All lessons are taught by qualified swimming staff.

AN ACTIVE EDUCATION

“I will miss everything which makes

Kew College special, from the

friendly atmosphere to the wonderful

students and teachers.”

James, Year Six


At Kew College, we recognise the importance of Information and

Communication Technology (ICT) in the everyday lives of our pupils

and staff. Our goal is to embed the use of technology across our

curriculum, so that technology is ‘one of the tools' used for teaching

and learning. Classrooms are equipped with Interactive Smart

Boards, and have access to broadband internet and practical

software resources.

Our state-of-the-art ICT Laboratory contains a network of

computers connected to high-speed broadband internet. Pupils from

Kindergarten to Year Six gain a solid foundation in computing skills

and are encouraged to be innovative in their application of these

skills to the world around them.

We believe ICT is much more than computers, and pupils enjoy a

wide range of ICT experiences including controlled technology (Lego

robotics and programmable robots), digital photography and video

editing. The much-loved Kew Review – a photographic and creative

look back at the year from each class’s

own perspective – is a publishing

collaboration between pupil and staff

from every year. Children leave Kew

College with an excellent understanding

of ICT and a wide range of

experiences to carry into their

secondary schooling and beyond.

IN TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY


A CREATIVE EDGEARTThe Art room at Kew College is a creative environment, where the physical space

creates an inviting and motivating atmosphere, and children are immersed in a wide

variety of artistic endeavours.

With generous time devoted to art each week, pupils truly develop their potential,

producing exciting work. Kew College has been invited to display some of its artwork in

the National Gallery.

DRAMADrama is taught throughout the school and is challenging, thought-provoking and

daring. The school has a close relationship with the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond,

and a project in Year Six enables pupils to act with professionals from the theatre.

Our Nursery and Kindergarten classes produce wonderful Christmas and Summer

plays, and every pupil from Year One upwards participates in the regular Summer

production. This is a challenging and memorable event, in which many staff and

parents help backstage.

MUSICMusic is very important at Kew College. In the Early Years, there is a great deal of

singing and music-making throughout the day, and all classes have a music lesson

every week. There is an annual school concert and a Christmas carol concert. Many

children also learn piano, violin, flute, recorder and trumpet.

“Our children are having a wonderful time at Kew College.

The school has superb teachers, who encourage them to be happy and confident,

and to enjoy all aspects of learning. The amazing music, art and drama,

and the enthusiasm for sports is a real joy”

Parents of Frank, Year Two, and Edmund, Kindergarten


LIFE BEYOND THE CLASSROOMAFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS

After-school clubs run on several days of the week, to enable children

to stay on and develop their interests in such activities as Games,

Computing, Chess, Jazz Dance, Debating and Art and Crafts.

SCHOOL VISITS

Well-organised and supervised trips take place for all classes

throughout the year to enrich the learning experience. These have

included visits to farms and museums for the younger pupils, and

trips to see the Mary Rose, Verulamium and the National Gallery, for

the older children. Year Six pupils enjoy their residential field trip, and

also a visit to a French chateau where they can fully exercise their

language skills and take part in some wonderful sporting activities.

POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY

We encourage children to adopt a responsible attitude to everybody

and everything around them.

The school’s House system encourages children in their achievements

by gaining points for their House, and Year Six children are voted

‘House Captains’ by House members. Our Head Girl and Boy, and

their Deputies, help the Headteacher in many respects, and Year Six

pupils are all given positions of responsibility - roles they appreciate

and enjoy.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

The Governors act as trustees of the school. Their remit is to ensure

that the best interests of the parents and children are served. They

meet twice each term, and oversee everything from the setting of fees

to Health and Safety provision.

KEW COLLEGE FRIENDS

KCF is an enthusiastic group of parents who organize many key

social events over the year, including our Summer Fair, Christmas

events and Quiz by Candlelight. Money raised from these events is

used for the purchase of new equipment and contributions to charity.

LIFE AFTER KEW COLLEGE

All pupils leaving Kew College have the confidence to face the

challenges of life after primary school. We have an extremely

successful track record of entrances and scholarships to West London

Day Schools, including Francis Holland, Godolphin and Latymer,

Hampton, Halliford, Ibstock Place, Kingston Grammar, King’s

College Wimbledon, Lady Eleanor Holles, Latymer School, Notting

Hill and Ealing, Putney High, St David’s, St. James’, St Paul’s Girls’

School and Tiffin School. Some of our pupils move on to boarding

schools, such as Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Malvern College and

Wycombe Abbey.

ADMISSION

Children are registered from birth and there is a non-returnable

registration fee. There are two Nursery classes: one in the morning

and the other in the afternoon. Priority is given to siblings of children

already in the school.

Open Mornings for prospective parents are held throughout the year.

Places for the Nursery are offered in October for the following

September. Once an offer is made, a deposit of 50% of the current

Junior House fees will be required to secure the place. This deposit

will be reimbursed when the child leaves, having given the

appropriate one term’s notice. On our school website you will find

key school policies including our Admissions policy


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prospectus