South Lee Prep School & Nursery
Bury St Edmunds
A South Lee Prep School Education
From our Nursery's youngest children to our Year 8 pupils in the Prep School, each student has the privilege of experiencing something truly exceptional: a top-tier education while still savouring a childhood marked by curiosity, creativity, and exploration.
The dedicated teachers at South Lee Prep School & Nursery wholeheartedly embrace the institution's values and ethos, committed to guiding our pupils towards their fullest potential. Teaching is not just a profession here; it's a calling. Our highly proficient teachers are profoundly passionate about their subjects, shaping a curriculum that is both demanding and diverse.
Situated in Bury St Edmunds, our school capitalises on the abundance of local attractions, including the renowned St. Edmundsbury Cathedral, Nowton Park, and the picturesque Suffolk countryside and coastline.
As an independent school, we are free from the constraints of the National Curriculum. Thus, our curriculum is intentionally comprehensive, intellectually stimulating, and enjoyable. Specialist teachers in academic disciplines, the Creative Arts, and Sports ensure that our teaching maintains a high standard, with our staff staying current on the latest innovations and advancements in their respective fields. Moreover, we have an exceptional Individual Development Department ready to provide tailored support to any student who may benefit from additional assistance, recognising that each child is unique in their needs.
Digitally Enhanced Learning
South Lee Prep School's Digitally Enhanced Learning Programme (DEL) seamlessly integrates technology into the educational journey of our pupils, equipping them for both senior schools and life in today's fast-paced, globally interconnected world.
Our dedicated team of specialised teachers implements this program across all grade levels, fostering a creative approach to technology usage while expanding the horizons of young minds.
From Reception to Year 8, children delve into Computational Thinking, Digital Literacy, and Online Safety, all while acquiring crucial skills in areas like coding, word processing, and spreadsheet applications.
Central to this program is the concept of 'enhancement.' Our vision for technology revolves around the fundamental question: "How can we harness technology to enrich a child's learning experience?" It goes beyond merely considering technology as a tool or the latest gadget; instead, it aims to elevate the educational journey itself.
Our approach to achieving these goals continually evolves as we stay abreast of the latest innovations, foster the development of skills among both pupils and staff, and keep pace with advancements in classroom technology. The Digitally Enhanced Learning Programme encompasses:
Blended or Flipped Learning: This method seamlessly combines online and in-class learning. It can involve pre-learning as homework before a lesson, utilising instructional videos to explain modeling techniques, or as a research tool.
Creativity: This approach empowers children to express and share their thoughts and ideas at a level exceeding their literacy skills, whether it's for their age or individual ability. This is achieved through voice and video recordings, as well as the creation of digital storybooks.
Digital Simulations & Models: Traditional classrooms sometimes struggle to convey complex concepts. Teachers can strategically design lessons using various text types, activity models, and interactive tools to enhance pupils' comprehension.
Improved Communication: Online collaboration tools enable real-time project assignments, allowing pupils to collaborate with peers, teachers, or external experts in both traditional and virtual classrooms. For example, our pupils had a real-time session with Chinese teachers from Goldsmith's University during our Chinese Culture and Language Enrichment Day.
Adaptive Learning: Teachers set challenge levels, and technology automatically adjusts difficulty levels based on pupils' responses.
Advanced Research for Pupils: Advanced technology streamlines research, providing pupils with access to a wealth of information and global knowledge. Teaching them how to sift through this vast amount of information and evaluate its validity is a vital component of our study skills program.
Assessments & Feedback: Software enables real-time assessments, allowing teachers to pinpoint areas where individual pupils excel or struggle, leading to personalised learning experiences. Teachers also use pupils' work interactively to provide real-time feedback, fostering peer and self-assessment skills and a deeper understanding of their own progress.
Self-Paced Learning: Pupils have access to course material, allowing them to review concepts they may not fully grasp. Even when unable to attend school, students can access the remote classroom.
Fun: Incorporating technology into learning makes it engaging and enjoyable, leading to improved retention of new concepts, as research has shown.
Online Group Collaboration: Collaboration is a crucial educational skill, and technology enables pupils to discuss and share documents and notes for group projects.
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Maths): Technology fosters problem-solving, creativity, and innovation. Our specialist teaching staff continuously develop cross-curricular links and collaborate on various projects with industry experts.
Tech Agents: We have a group of pupils known as Tech Agents who take the lead in technology-related matters and troubleshooting, providing assistance to their peers.
