Preparatory Department Senior Department The Sixth Form
Bridgewater School is a co-educational, independent day school for pupils aged between 3 and 18 years. Established as a boys' school in 1950 and having moved to its present, delightful, semi-rural setting soon afterwards, the school has since grown considerably - admitting girls and developing a sixth form. We draw pupils from the immediate locality, but also from a much wider area, well served as we are by the motorway network and by other major road links. We hope that this prospectus will impart something of Bridgewater's distinctive ethos and appeal.
By design, Bridgewater is not a large school. This enables us to provide small classes and high levels of attention to the needs of individual pupils. We seek to maximise education attainment all through a child's development, not least in the years of external examinations at GCSE and A-Level.
In addition to its academic goals Bridgewater seeks to retain the intimate atmosphere it has had since its inception. We greatly value our capacity to offer provision across the full age range, from the nursery years to university entrance, for families wanting this continuity of individual attention for their children.
At the same time, however, pupils must look outward to the wider community and to the society in which they will live as adults. We see it as an integral part of Bridgewater's role to foster high standards of behaviour and self-discipline, as well as to develop an awareness of personal and social responsibility. Vital, too, are the many activities which take place outside the classroom – sport, music, drama clubs and societies, language exchange visits and outdoor activity breaks to name but a sample of the range available.
Entrusting your child's education to a school is a very big decision. We are mindful of our responsibility to justify a parent's decision to send their child to us, and of the need for that child's education to be a partnership between school and home. We aim, by the end of this partnership, to produce rounded, articulate young people who are well prepared for the challenges of adult and business life.
The School governors, staff and pupils share a sense of excitement about Bridgewater's future. The school has developed rapidly in recent years, with splendid new buildings and facilities and a considerable increase in pupil numbers. We have a commitment to continual development and improvement. If you have not yet visited us then may we recommend that you do so soon. We would be delighted to meet you and to show you how much Bridgewater School has to offer you and your child.
The Preparatory Department consists of the following areas:
EYFS (Early Years) - ages 3-5
Key Stage 1 - ages 5-7
Key Stage 2 - ages 7-11
We have dedicated, well resourced areas for our Kindergarten and Reception classes where children receive expert care and tuition in this crucial stage of their education. Children embark on a variety of structured activities with clearly specified Early Learning goals.
Following Reception, children move into the main Preparatory building with modern, well equipped classrooms, each having computers and interactive whiteboards. Pupils move through the department to Prep VI, where they are prepared for a smooth transition into the Senior Department.
The children follow a broad programme of study including all the work of the National Curriculum through Key Stages 1 and 2, where a substantial emphasis is placed on the core subjects of English and Mathematics as well as Science. We are keen to enhance work in the foundation subjects of History, Geography, I.C.T. and Art, as well as developing an interest in creative work – Music, Physical Education and Spanish.
Homework plays an important role in the children's education and a progressive amount is set as the children change classes. The use of homework diaries provides an informed picture of what is required in each class. Achievement is recognised and rewarded through the issue of progress cards. Assessment, an important and integral part of the Department's work and testing, is carried out on a regular basis. The Preparatory Department possesses excellent resources and enjoys the use of the whole school facilities such as the drama studio and the sports hall.
Day to day management is carried out by the Head and Deputy Head of the Preparatory Department. The Department is well staffed with fully qualified teachers, some of whom are specialist subject teachers. The Key Stage 1 and EYFS classes are supported by fully qualified Nursery Nurses. All children receive PE and Music lessons from specialist subject teachers.
The Senior Department consists of the following areas:
Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)
Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)
Our curriculum is as broad and balanced for as long as possible and it is kept under constant review. Students study 14 subjects at KS3 and then specialise in 9 or 10 subjects at GCSE. As in the Preparatory Department, homework plays an important part in the education of our children and we encourage our students to manage their time by using their homework planners on a daily basis. We encourage our students to reflect on their performance via regular grade card reviews and reports, and we recognise achievement via certificates and merits. Our academic departments are responsible for assessment and reporting and they are overseen by the Academic Senior Master. Our classrooms are modern and well-resourced, with almost all classrooms now in possession of an interactive whiteboard or projector.
Day to day management of the Senior Department is carried out by the Headmistress, the Deputy Head and the Senior Masters (Pastoral and Academic). The Senior Department is staffed by subject specialists and they are supported by an excellent pastoral structure. Each student is monitored by their form teacher who is responsible for their pastoral care. In turn the Form Teachers are overseen by the Pastoral Team and Senior Master (Pastoral). This structure allows us to ensure that we fulfil the requirements of the Every Child Matters programme.
Our Sixth Form students follow A-Level courses which, almost without exception, are preparing them for admission to higher education, and the great majority progress to university degree courses. We offer a wide and frequently revised range of subjects, details of which can be found in our separate Sixth Form prospectus.
Our students benefit from being members of small teaching groups, with each subject enjoying the generous contact time of nearly 5.5 hours per week. They also have ready, friendly contact with subject teachers outside lesson time. Each student has personal targets and progress is reviewed regularly through our thorough monitoring system. Students have the advantage of high-quality pastoral care and close personal guidance through the highly complex process of applying to universities and colleges.
We regard the Sixth From period as a vitally important phase which facilitates the transition between school and the future. Students continue to receive support, yet have greater freedom, partly through their own private study periods, to develop self-discipline and organisation and to take more responsibility. They have facilities special to themselves – their own Common Room, kitchen, study room, toilets and cloakroom area. We expect their appearance to be smart, but they are not required to wear uniform. At the same time, they are valued as members of the school as a whole. We look up to them as our senior students and like them to become involved in our range of extra-curricular activities. In fact, many take advantage of the latter as an opportunity to develop leadership skills by co-ordinating and organising various schemes for younger pupils.
We are confident that, when the students leave us for higher education and the world of work, they are well equipped with the academic qualifications and personal qualities they will need for future success.