Senior School (Age 9-11)

By the end of their time in the Senior School, we aim for pupils to be confident, well-mannered individuals who feel prepared for their next step as they move on from Chesham Prep. Every year, pupils enter local independent schools or a variety of Bucks state schools, including the numerous Grammar Schools we have in the county.

Our broad curriculum and wide range of extra-curricular activities will motivate and develop a love of learning and encourage your child to be curious and try new experiences and to explore their talents and interests, allowing them the greatest range of options for their futures.

We believe a home school partnership is essential for the children to thrive and we welcome a collaborative approach with parents.

Core to our teaching in Years 5 and 6 is our Growth Mindset. We want the children to embrace failure and learn from their mistakes in a supportive environment in order to become stronger and more resilient people, understanding that they have agency and can enact change for themselves and those around them. Mistakes are welcomed, this is how we all learn.

The golden thread of pastoral care throughout the school is particularly relevant for Senior School as we prepare the children for their next step into secondary school.

Skills we teach in Senior School:

  • independent thinking
  • adaptability
  • confidence without arrogance
  • to be personable
  • strong moral awareness and values

The jobs of the future will require the ability to problem solve, think critically and be creative and we really focus on these skills within our curriculum.

We endeavour to provide our pupils with a head start when they reach their secondary school by giving them exposure to specialist teachers across all subjects from Year 5 and the opportunity to move responsibly around the school for different lessons. We also aim to equip pupils to be academically one school year ahead of their peers in various curriculum areas in preparation for secondary transfer.

“Teachers consistently understand the needs and aptitudes of each child in the class, and this enables pupils to make good progress from their starting points, particularly in core curriculum areas.” ISI Report