Frequently Asked Questions
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The PGS Junior School
"What is the relationship between the PGS Senior and Junior Schools ?"
"How do we find out more about the Junior School ?"
"What is the PGS Nursery School?"
"What are the key ages of admission to the Junior School ?"
"Are there intermediate admissions, as in the Senior School ?"
"What are the most important features of the PGS Junior School ?"
"What about the philosophy of the Junior School ?"
"Tell me more about the academic side of the Junior School"
"How is pastoral care handled in the Junior School ?"
"What about Extra Curricular Activity in the Junior School ?"
"How can I find out more about the Junior School ?"
"How can I book a tour of the Junior School ?"
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"What is the relationship between the PGS Senior
and Junior Schools ?"
It should be remembered that we're actually one school, completely
independent and free standing, with one Board of Governors, one
set of facilities, one common administration, and all the advantages
which those facts bring. Mr James Priory is Head of the whole school,
but in practice the running of the Junior School and of the Nursery
is managed - and managed tremendously - on a day to day basis by
the Head of the Junior School, Mrs Pippa Foster.
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"How do we find out more about the Junior School ?"
Mrs Foster has an amazing grasp of the pupils in her care and the whole Junior School has a great feel of intimacy. She manages to see personally any prospective parents, with or without their child, and there's no substitute for taking her up on her offer of giving you a personal tour. When the current Headmaster was interviewed to become Head he was also a prospective parent. He can testify to the quality of the tour and knows at first hand the impression which it makes: the whole school is very distinctive and you leave with a clear impression of it.
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"What is the PGS Nursery School?"
In response to parental demand we opened in 2001 a Nursery School, for children aged two and three quarters to four. The philosophy of the Nursery is very carefully thought out for the benefit of every child and is designed to give the best possible start in life. The philosophy has been carefully discussed and considered by Governors, by Mrs Foster and by Dr Hands, and is put into practice by the Head of Nursery, Mrs Newell. For those who want to start at PGS Junior School, this is of course the ideal start. However, obviously, many enter the Junior School who haven't come from the Nursery, most of all for geographic reasons, and children who apply to the Junior School from the Nursery do not receive preferential treatment.
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"What are the key ages of admission to the Junior School ?"
Most pupils come to us at 4. We're fully co-educational, and it's actually not infrequent that there are more girls than boys in a year group. We take in another form in Year 3 at the age of 7. In Year 5 pupils transfer to the Upper Junior School site, where there are many enhanced facilities.
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"Are there intermediate admissions, as in the Senior School ?"
Yes, and for the same reason, the mobility of employment in this area. So it is always worth phoning to see if a place is available.
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"What are the most important features of the PGS Junior School ?"
Its atmosphere and its philosophy are the most important features. The Junior School is a hugely popular school with parents and pupils. Indeed, it has something of a national reputation for that. It has a very wide catchment area and a wide range of parental backgrounds. It's a very active and busy place, as the visitor soon picks up. But along with all this, it's a very intimate and personal school. The Headmistress knows every pupil. All too often low class sizes are the sign of an unsuccessful school, one that's not necessarily so far off closure. Having had several prospective parents come to see the Headmaster from schools that are closing he knows all the misery that can involve for a family and for the school. But at PGS, although the school is thriving, we are always working at ensuring low class sizes, a low adult pupil ratio (the key figure) and the retention of that feeling of security and intimacy. Five years ago, the adult pupil ratio was 1:14. Now it's 1:10. There's probably no more important statistic.
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"What about the philosophy of the Junior School ?"
There's a seamless philosophy between the Junior and Senior Schools. We want children to be happy and successful, and in that order. We achieve that by means of the best possible academic, pastoral and extra-curricular provision. It's that simple.
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"Tell me more about the academic side of the Junior School"
When pupils first join the Junior School, our prime focus is to ensure that they are happy, entirely comfortable and secure, and are fully integrated into their new environment. We have an excellent track record at doing this and there is much home/school contact during a child’s earliest days here.At all times we are seeking to ensure that every pupil can move at their own pace: there is much differentiation possible within classes, using not only the class teacher and classroom assistant, but also a number of visiting teachers, assisting parents and outside experts.Of course we do have our eye fixed firmly on local and national targets as well as on every child’s individual welfare and progress. Governors and staff are all very keen that pupils sit national SATS (which are not compulsory for independent schools). We feel that they allow us to ensure that our children are making good progress against the national benchmarks and they also allow prospective parents to see the outstanding progress made within the Junior School.Almost every pupil sits the Entrance Assessment Tests for the Senior School. We are also very proud of our tremendous record in this regard. Although transition to the Senior School is not guaranteed, Governors strongly believe that the Junior School is expert at identifying and developing the attributes and skills necessary for success in the Senior School, and our track record suggests just how strongly this is the case.SATS are one of the indicators used in assessing all applicants to the Senior School. They allow the Senior School to have one common denominator for applicants in to Year 7 from the state sector and from the Junior School.
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"How is pastoral care handled in the Junior School ?"
All staff have a pastoral concern for the children, although specific responsibility is assigned to the child’s form teacher who has daily contact with them. The care of the form teacher and a support network of senior teachers ensures that the child’s pastoral needs are fully monitored and comprehensively met, enabling the children to have the best possible grounds for achieving their potential. The aim is for all children to feel secure and happy and to have a high level of self esteem.
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"What about Extra Curricular Activity in the Junior School ?"
There is a huge amount of it ! Come to see for yourselves !
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"How can I find out more about the Junior School ?"
Contact the Junior School Admissions Secretary Mrs Gill Bull on (023) 9268 1336 or by email at jsadmissions@pgs.org.uk .She will send you an information pack.
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"How can I book a tour of the Junior School ?"
Contact the Junior School Admissions Secretary Mrs Gill Bull on (023) 9268 1336 or by email at jsadmissions@pgs.org.uk.
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Nursery & Junior
School (023) 9236 4219