Forms 1-6

Forms 7 & 8

Nursery & Reception (if your child has a sibling in Form 7 or 8 they will be sent to Nursery for collection on your arrival)

Our school day runs from 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. We understand that parents have commitments either side of the school day and our doors open at 8:00 a.m. for early drop off. There is also a breakfast club available from 7:45 a.m where the children are offered nutritious food such as porridge, eggs, bacon, cereal and fresh fruit. We have an After School Club that runs until 5:50 p.m. and is supervised by qualified staff that know the children.  In ASC, the children have the opportunity to choose their activities after a busy day and are offered a snack of sandwiches, fruit and crudites and an optional dinner at 5:00 p.m.

Everyday is a fun day in Ridge House and there are particular events throughout the year that the children really look forward to. These include: the Yr 1 Medieval Feast, Declamations, Nativity, visiting authors, science week, Father Christmas’s annual visit, Easter bonnet parade, fun swim and treasure hunts in the woods as well as many exciting school trips.

In year 2 children can arrive for our breakfast club from 7.45am and otherwise they are in class for registration by 8.30am.  We have dedicated parking for our Year 2 parents which enables you to escort your child to the classroom and meet their teacher.

The timetable is busy with a morning break and snack and lunch.  Collection is from 3.45pm with a snack before going home.  After that, we run an after school club to 5.50pm with an optional supper at 4.30pm.  Children in this year have their own playground but are also make use of the whole school grounds as well.

Highlights of the Year 2 include the children’s first sports fixtures, concerts and lighting the bonfire on November 5^th.

In year 3 children can be dropped off from 7.45am for breakfast but otherwise are in class by 8.30am for registration.  From this age upwards, we have a drop and run system in place for the children in the mornings.

A busy timetable is in place which runs until 5.50pm.  Our afternoon co-curricular programme starts at 3.00pm and parents are free to collect children on each hour (in a 15 minute window) from this time onwards to suit. (3:00 p.m, 4:00 p.m, 5:00 p.m. & 5:50 p.m. All children have an afternoon snack which includes sandwiches, fruit, rice crackers and brownies and flapjacks.

Year 3 is the start of weekly sports fixtures – often a highlight of the children’s day.  These mostly occur on Thursday or Friday afternoons with parents supporting and enjoying match teas.

Highlights of this year include taking part in the torchlight procession for bonfire night, a full fixture list of under 8 matches and the opportunity to take part in the afternoon co-curricular programme and the senior sports day.

In year 4 greater specialist subject teaching is introduced into the curriculum with pupils moving between departments for their lessons.  By year 5, all lessons are taught by specialists with pupils moving to the relevant classroom. Pupils use their Form Tutor’s classroom as their base for registration in the mornings.

These two years are important for preparation for senior school pre-tests which occur in Year 6.  Reasoning classes are introduced into the timetable from Year 5, therefore.

From year 5 many children start taking advantage of our flexi-boarding for sleepovers or to board more regularly with some weekly and full boarders.

Matches against other schools occur on Wednesdays with parents supporting and everyone enjoying match teas.

Highlights of the Years 4 and 5 include a magical Brockwarts Harry Potter weekend and feast and junior camping and Bushcraft weekends.

Pupils are considered senior pupils from Year 6.

In Year 6, most pupils sit their senior school ISEB (Independent Schools Examination Board) pre-test assessments, and these are usually scheduled during the autumn term.  Pupils will have been well practiced in the reasoning part of these in Years 4 & 5, but interview practice is left until year 6.

The academic focus from Year 6 to 8 is then on the Common Entrance syllabus for the 13+ exams.  Although most pupils will have an unconditional offer from their senior schools following success in the pre-tests, the 13+ exam continues to be an important benchmark of attainment and invaluable experience in preparation for later sitting exams at GCSE.  Some pupils will be streamed to sit separate academic scholarship papers.

A busy programme of sports fixtures against other schools runs on Wednesday afternoons and many pupils choose to stay on into the evenings on other days for the sports academies programme.  The academies and the co-curricular programme also provide important opportunities for extension work for those intending to sit scholarships in sport, art, DT, and music.

Flexi-boarding is also very popular with pupils and there are lots of action packed weekend events which all pupils are welcome to join in on.

There are many highlights for children in these three years including expeditions and field trips at home and to France, drama and concerts.  For year 8, there are memorable additional events including tennis at Wimbledon, cricket at Lords, surfing in Devon and a black tie leavers’ dinner to name a few.