English

In addition to being one of the core subjects in its own right, English is a broad and varied subject that permeates all areas of the curriculum. At Castle Park teachers use the Primary Curriculum (1999) to guide their planning and ensure the key areas are covered.

Reading is arguably the most important skill to develop both in school and at home. From the age of 3, children at Castle Park are introduced to the phonetic alphabet and as their competence develops they are started on the Castle Park Reading Scheme.  They are supported individually on a daily basis by teachers and classroom assistants throughout the Montessori Department and in the junior years of the Prep Department. Independent readers then progress from the scheme and are encouraged to select from a broad range of fiction in the School Library. 

In order to encompass the broad range of written skills, teachers map the curriculum each year and this is shared with the parents and the children early in September. During their six years in the Prep Department children will study a number of fictional books as a whole class. They will also work on non-fiction, poetry, creative and narrative writing. Handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar are taught separately and also integrated through the curriculum.

Drama

Plays, musicals, performances in Assemblies and role plays in class, are an important part of every pupils’ Drama curriculum  in Castle Park. In Forms I to IV pupils take part in a short play presented to parents in ‘Plays Week’ at the end of the Spring Term. In addition, for pupils in Forms V and VI there is a major, whole-school musical production. There is also a weekly Drama hobby as part of the hobbies program.

In the Early Years Montessori Department pupils learn from an early age to perform in front of an audience in the Autumn Harvest festival, Christmas Nativity plays, and Spring and Summer Concerts.