A. Because of both reputation and reality. All pupils who attend PGS Junior School enjoy their education and make excellent progress. There is so much more to experience than academic education: the outstanding sports, music, art, drama and extra-curricular opportunities ensure that each child is able to discover personal interests and develop talents that promote a great sense of belonging and achievement.

A. No. Pupils of all personality types respond well and enjoy the educational experience on offer. We strive to ensure that each child is understood and valued for their uniqueness and is given the individual support and encouragement that will enable them to have high self-esteem and to be happy and successful in later life.

A. Emphatically not. The excellent education, extra curricular and pastoral care on offer at PGS enables all children with average to high levels of ability to flourish and succeed.

A. Without a doubt the greatest strength of the Junior School is its staff who are dedicated, enthusiastic and skilful at motivating and educating the pupils. Excellent resources and facilities enhance the learning process which above all is designed to make learning fun and purposeful.

A. The happiness and well being of our pupils is of utmost importance in the Junior School. Whilst academically pupils achieve highly throughout Key Stage 1 and 2, this Pastoral Care is of equal importance. Any member of staff within the Junior School will happily listen to a pastoral care concern that a pupil has. The Form Teacher, someone with whom the pupil will have built a strong positive relationship, is the first point of contact regarding any pastoral care issue. If necessary, the Form Teacher will then communicate with Mr. Ainsworth, the Senior Teacher responsible for Pastoral Care. Mr. Ainsworth will liaise with the Deputy Head - Mr. Rowley or the Headteacher - Mrs Foster as required. The Junior School has high expectations with regard to pupil behaviour; if necessary, a carefully structured procedure helps support the children achieve these standards. Although we strive to ensure that each and every pupil achieves their potential, we encourage them to excel in other areas through our enriched curriculum. There are numerous systems in place to help our pupils develop high self-esteem, confidence and life skills. PSHE lessons, Assemblies and Circle Time are at the heart of our curriculum. We have a House system, which enables pupils to strive towards successful team spirit on the sports field and within the classroom. The Badge Card System enables our pupils to achieve in a variety of extra curricular activities, demonstrating initiative, commitment and realising potential in areas they may never have experienced. School and House monitors; Sports, House and Team colours; Headteacher's Awards and Honours books, which are printed in the weekly newsletter, are just some of the ways staff are able to praise pupils for special achievements.

A. When your child joins The Portsmouth Grammar Junior School, an exciting world of clubs and extra-curricular activities is opened up. A large and hugely diverse programme of after-school clubs is available. There are over forty clubs, accommodating the needs of children from Reception up to Year 6. There are also many different educational visits that draw on local resources; from a wealth of excellent local experiences, right up to residential visits in Year 6. The Junior School's staff also run Summer trips to France, sports tours to South Africa and The Channel Islands, as well as Ski trips in the Alps.

A. they are 4+ and 7+

A. If a vacancy exists, there are opportunities for entry. Assessments are age appropriate and comprise tests in Numeracy, Literacy and Verbal Reasoning.

A. 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.

A. The Junior School has a wonderfully enthusiastic and hugely dedicated staff. Male and female teachers work across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 delivering a very broad yet balanced curriculum. The pupils are taught in classes of between 16-22 pupils and whilst Reception and Key Stage 1 classes are taught almost exclusively by their Form Teacher, as pupils mature through Key Stage 2 they are taught by a greater number of teachers with specialist skills in their subjects. The combination of youth and experience across the staff brings a great "richness" to not only the class but also the opportunities outside the classroom, particularly in sport, music and drama.

A. Over the years the pupils develop very relaxed, natural and confident relationship between the sexes. Males and females are treated as equals and respond accordingly. Equal access is available to all areas of the curriculum regardless of gender, e.g. the sciences, the arts, music and sport. Pupils are well prepared for life outside and beyond the school in the co-educational environment that is a natural social structure.

A. PGS is steeped in history, set in the heart of Old Portsmouth on the site of one of King Richard I's royal residences. The school is Portsmouth�s oldest school and is very proud of its traditions, recognising the influences its history has played in creating its unique character. Although respectful of its past, the school is very forward thinking, making sure that its pupils are given experiences that help them to keep abreast of modern innovation thus enabling them to cope with the various demands of modern society. State of the art technology and bespoke facilities are available to even the youngest pupils playing an essential part in moving the school and its pupils forward. There is no doubt that the Junior School derives enormous benefit from sharing the same site as the senior school thus giving access to exceptional facilities: the sports hall, gym, dance studio, music school, theatre and spacious dining hall to mention a few. The large games field, situated at Hilsea is a well used and much prized asset that is of great benefit to the Junior School.

A. All pupils are guaranteed a first class education that provides them with a sound foundation of conceptual understanding in all areas of the curriculum and most especially in numeracy and literacy. Special emphasis is placed on the development of reading and comprehension skills as this underpins all learning. In addition to the acquisition of academic learning we believe in educating the pupils to have a good understanding of their personal and emotional needs as well as becoming valued members of society. The broad and varied curriculum on offer at PGS from the earliest years ensures that each child's individual talents and interests are identified and developed giving them every possible opportunity to fulfil their potential.

A. PGS is in essence one school for pupils from 2 years 6 months to 18 years. The Junior School is the preparatory school for the Senior School and, as such, liaises closely with the Senior School to ensure that the children are very well prepared for the various exciting challenges of Senior School life and education.

A. There are many benefits. First and foremost there are outstanding opportunities created through a first class curricular and extra circular provision that benefits from excellent resources and highly qualified, enthusiastic and dedicated teaching staff. Small class sizes and a carefully organised pastoral care system ensures that the need of each pupil are understood and sensitively catered for. A good independent school such as PGS is purposeful and well organised ensuring a first class educational experience enabling each child to be happy and successful.

A. All pupils are welcomed into school at 8.25 a.m., there is then a fifteen minute greeting and registration period prior to the commencement of lessons at 8.50 a.m. The official end of the school day is 3.25 p.m. for the younger pupils (4 to 7 year olds) and 3.30 p.m. for the older pupils (7 to 11 year olds). A full and exciting programme of extra curricular activities extend the school day to 4.35 p.m. on most days.

A. Pre-school care commences at 8.00 a.m., when Teaching Assistants supervise the pupils while they play in either the hall or the playground. An After School Care Club runs every evening from 3.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. This is organised and supervised by specially trained youth workers from the YMCA. A full and varied programme of stimulating activities enables the children to relax and enjoy themselves until their parents are able to collect them.

A. Specially commissioned bus services operate from all catchment areas delivering and collecting the children to and from the school. The Junior School pupils are supervised and escorted onto the bus at the end of the school day. Parking permits are issued to all parents who wish to escort their children to and from school. These permits enable parents to park free of charge in close proximity to the school. Contact address lists are provided to those parents who would welcome the opportunity for a lift-share.

A. We warmly encourage parental involvement. The Junior School Association, its parent teacher organisation, has a parent representative from each class in the Junior School and provides an excellent channel for communication between home and school.

A. There is a huge range of opportunities for all pupils within sport at the Junior School. In addition to a very healthy weekly timetable of PE and Games lessons, there is also a huge number of extra curricular opportunities within sport. PE and Games lessons focus on teaching children the important basic skills through swimming, gymnastics, dance, athletics, squash, rugby, football, hockey, netball, cricket, rounders and tennis. There is a strong emphasis on fun and certainly an ethos of “sport for all”. From Year 3 onwards pupils compete regularly in fixtures against other schools and we have enjoyed County, Regional and National success in the past few years with the older pupils. Extra curricular opportunities within sport enable all KS2 pupils to further develop their skills and interest in any of the major games as well as the chance to sample new experiences such as sailing, skiing, table tennis and pop dance.

A. 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. To request an Information Pack about the Junior School, and/or to book a tour contact the Junior School Admissions Secretary, Mrs Gill Bull, on (023) 9268 1336 or by email at jsadmissions@pgs.org.uk