Each child is valued for his or her unique gifts. White House gives each pupil the opportunity to develop in an environment of encouragement and high expectations.
Enthusiastic and well-qualified staff teach a broad and balanced curriculum. Lively, well-structured teaching makes learning exciting and rewarding. Small classes allow teachers to support each individual.
At White House, a full and varied programme of creative arts and sports complements a strong academic foundation. Each child is encouraged to achieve his or her full potential.
The demands of the National Curriculum are recognised and we ensure that our pupils are fully prepared for the next stage of their education. In recent years, pupils have achieved excellent results in entrance examinations and in national assessments.
We do not select our pupils on their academic performance and we accept children with a range of abilities. Programmes of work may be adjusted to individual needs. Specialist teachers can provide additional help, on an individual basis, to children who would benefit from extra support.
Early Years
The early years of a child's life are perhaps the most important of all. At White House we aim to give our pupils the best possible start. We offer both girls and boys a happy, stimulating and caring environment. Our high staff:pupil ratios and excellent facilities ensure that children enjoy their earliest experiences.
Although the nursery forms its own unit, with adjacent play areas, it is very much part of the whole school. The nursery children use the extensive facilities of the school and join in with whole school activities such as drama, music, assemblies and sports. This ensures that they make the transition into the main school with ease and confidence.
Our curriculum in the nursery and reception classes includes:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication, language and literacy
- Mathematical development
- Knowledge and understanding of the world
- Physical development
- Creative development
Our aim is to create an atmosphere that encourages children to investigate, explore and discover for themselves and to give them a love for learning.
Academic Achievement
At White House, we want each pupil to achieve his or her full potential. Our results in national examinations show just how well our pupils have performed, with girls well exceeding national averages for all sectors of schools.
Our 2007 end of Key Stage 2 results were excellent, putting us well ahead of national averages:
- 100% of our pupils achieved level 4 or above in all subjects
- 80% of our pupils achieved level 5 in Science
- 53% of our pupils achieved level 5 in English
- 60% of our pupils achieved level 5 in Maths
These are excellent results, but it is important to realise that we do not achieve our high standards by driving for 'league table' success. We achieve this by careful and thorough teaching and by providing each child with a clear, individual target.