SCHOOL POLICIES
Information and Policies
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Spring Term 2012 Reminders
Welcome to Airthrie School
Airthrie is a thriving independent day school and nursery for boys and girls aged 3 to 11 years and is situated in Christchurch Road in the heart of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
Airthrie School was created in 1940, when the house was used as an evacuation base for an established school in Margate. Under threat in this vulnerable position, the Principal and young pupils moved from this dangerous coastal town, settling into the safety offered by midland Cheltenham. A caring and homely environment was established for these young boarding pupils and it quickly became attractive to local parents. After the war, the school continued to thrive and its reputation grew.
Today it is a thriving day school which has seen much educational development. However, what remains constant is the family atmosphere on which Airthrie was founded. Friendly and non-institutional, it offers a welcoming ambience well suited to young pupils taking their first steps in education.
Airthrie is accommodated in two linked Victorian houses which have undergone a considerable amount of modernisation and expansion. Developments are always carried out after careful consideration and sympathetic planning in order to provide children with the appropriate facilities required for today's education.
SCHOOL MILK: Our school milk is subsidised by the EU School Milk Subsidy Scheme. This helps us to reduce the cost of milk.
Key Stage 2 (age 8-11)
At this more academic and formal stage of the children’s education we enhance our commitment to small group teaching and actively split the forms into halves or thirds for Mathematics, Science and ICT. Extra teaching staff are utilised to support Maths and English subjects.
In preparing each child for the move to their next school we liaise closely with parents, to help them make the right choice for their child. We tutor in small groups to make certain that pupils are fully equipped for various entrance examinations and can move on, happily and confidently.
There is a wide choice of after school clubs from Music tuition, Singing Art and Chess, Dance, Speech and Drama, to a full range of sporting activities.
We have a growing reputation for inter school success in competitive Running, Hockey, Netball and Football. We encourage all the children to participate in some or all aspects of sport and there are frequent inter-school matches in all sports, helping to widen pupils’ horizons and prepare them for their future senior education.
Key Stage 1 (age 5-7)
After Reception when children come to the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage they progress to the next level of their education in Key Stage 1. Here we continue to maintain the emphasis on fun and individual attention as we believe that although lessons are becoming a little more formal it is crucial for the children to feel encouraged and positive and to enjoy all that they are doing.
We keep our classes small, typically 15 pupils, frequently with two teachers so the ratio is no more than 8 pupils to one teacher. In addition to the focus on the core subjects of Maths, English and Science, (in line with the National Curriculum), we employ specialist teachers to tutor the children in Music, Science, ICT, Sports, Art, French and Drama.
Pupils begin swimming lessons in Year 1 aged approximately 5 ½ years and during Key Stage 1 we start to gently introduce the children to a wide range of sports and extra curricular activities, such as Netball, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey and Dance.
During these formative years we adopt a flexible approach to the children’s learning, encouraging them to learn through their own individual areas of strength and interest, welcoming their personal ideas and enthusiasm.