The Junior Department – Year 1/2
The Junior department at Merton Court is made up of Year 1 (J2) and Year 2 (J3). There are two forms in each year group with a maximum number of twenty pupils in each.
The department provides a successful and seamless transition between Early Years, Foundation Stage and the Senior school (Key Stage 2).
There is a strong focus on literacy and numeracy in the department. Children build-up and fine tune the skills attained in previous years. Cursive writing skills, first introduced in Reception, are continually improved and honed. English work starts becoming more formalised with a more defined Grammar, Comprehension and Creative Writing focus.
Diverse practical and numerical Mathematical concepts are introduced, re-visited and expanded on. Support is there for those who need it as well as more challenging work, for those who are more able.
Regular Homework is set from J2 along with weekly spelling tests. Number Bonds are worked on. More formal tests are given from J2 Spring Term onwards and these results begin the assessment tracking record we keep on each child.
Each term there is a focus on one of the core subjects (Mathematics, English, and Science) and this forms the underlying theme for that term’s area of study, class assemblies and activity week.
The ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World’ from EYFS subtly moves into more defined subject areas, with Science, History and Geography being taught as distinct subjects.
There are separate specialist subject teachers for PE, Swimming, Music, Dance, Forest School, Computing and Spanish lessons. All children are involved in the school’s Christmas production and each Year group presents an assembly, once a term, to the school and their parents. Every five years all children are involved in a whole school production at a local theatre.
In addition, there are numerous clubs and activities run throughout the school day. All children participate in our Summer Sports Day.
The links with the Senior school (Years 3-6) are strong; reinforcing the school’s family ethos. Achievements and successes are publicly recognised through merit badges, special assembly awards and at end of term Prize Giving.
We do not participate in the annual Key Stage 1 SATS examinations.
Remote Learning due to Covid-19
Our revised Remote Learning Policy may be found in the ‘Policies’ section of our website.
We have carefully considered how to engage children in enjoyable learning, during any ’ Lockdown’.
We aim to ensure all children make the progress they would make while in school ; and to help parents support their children whilst they master hybrid or remote learning.
If a year group ‘bubble’ is required to go home or if we are required by Government to comply with a full lockdown, we provide a mixture of daily (3-5 hours) live and recorded , form teacher and specialist subject, online sessions.
Along with this , we supervise one to one reading and support individuals and groups, with oral and written work, using live communication with children (and where required, their parents).
Textbooks, printed materials and exercise books are sent home regularly, in order to further support this online learning.