Head of Prep's Message
Celebrating Achievement: Individually
As we gear up for the final week of the school year and some exciting celebratory events, I wanted to share my thoughts on what achievement really means in the Prep School at DBS.
I have recently had some interesting discussions with parents about the classes and groups their children are placed in. The majority of our Prep School curriculum is taught in mixed-ability groups; we call them classes (Years 3-6) or forms (Years 7 & 8). This model helps children learn well and develop their collaborative skills, learning to work with others with different strengths and challenges. These groups are planned carefully to have an equal mix of abilities, genders and interests. It was wonderful to see our new classes experience their first time together with their new teacher on Monday as part of our Move Up Day.
In some subjects, we organise the children by what they can do and their current ability. This is helpful in languages, where the range of past experience and skill development is vastly different amongst our students. In Years 7&8, children will also be grouped in English and Maths, enabling them to work at a pace and level that helps them to thrive - individually. In this situation, the best class for any child is the one where they can feel confident, comfortable, and challenged in their learning. Putting students in a group that is too challenging for their current level would be like putting a beginner skier onto a red slope. They would experience panic and worry and probably fall over! We do not want students to experience this in the classroom, so grouping them according to what the evidence shows us they can do is the best way for each individual to reach or exceed their potential. Students can move between these groups, and teachers review placements regularly. We often find that students can achieve better in a more developmental group, as they feel confident, secure in what they can do and more able to ask and answer questions, which is a great way to improve progress and achievement!
As we prepare for prize day, I want every child to feel proud of their achievements this year. Even if they have faced challenges, let's see those as opportunities for individual learning and growth. When teaching my Year 7 class about body image this week, I referred to the phrase that 'comparison is the thief of joy', and this statement is relevant to all aspects of life, especially learning. When a child's main competition is themself, they will work hard to be better than the person they were yesterday. Every bit of progress should be celebrated, regardless of the starting point. Our format for prize day enables every child to be recognised for the values and skills they have developed over this academic year, and I hope you will enjoy your child's moment, which they have worked hard to achieve.
Yesterday, I was joined by over 40 students who had reached the milestone of 400 house points this year for some delicious cake. Last academic year, there were only four students in the Prep School who reached this milestone, so I am incredibly impressed by the hard work and efforts of the students this year, who did their best to support their house.
Another key highlight of this week was the Denla Piano Competition, hosted in the Araya Hall yesterday. Congratulations to Fergie from Year 4, who performed beautifully as one of four live finalists in category B. Congratulations also to all students who achieved medals for their excellent entries into the event.
I look forward to seeing you next week to mark the end of a special year. Thank you for your engagement and support with all we do. Together, we can achieve the very best for your children.
My best wishes,
Mary Bridges