The Middle School starts in Year 5 and continues until Year 6.
The children continue to develop their learning across a remarkably broad curriculum, including main focuses on English and Maths with daily lessons. The breadth is significant with plenty of other subjects studied including Science, History, Geography, TPR, French, Classics, Art & Design, Outdoor Learning, ICT, STEM, Music and Drama.
The children are encouraged to take up instruments and to attend an extraordinary and varied extra-curriculum array of clubs. These occur before school, during break times and after school. The optional clubs available for Middle School Students include; origami, art and design, chess, rugby, mountain biking, hockey and many more. The sport curriculum provides an extensive and inclusive fixtures list that gives every Middle School Student the chance to grow and progress within a balanced and graded team environment.
Residential trips are an integral part of developing children's individual resilience, self-reliance, self-esteem and leadership qualities. In Year 5, the children attend a three day and two night trip with the Bushcraft Company. Shelter building, emergency first aid, trap setting and a range of other outdoor survival skills are taught. In Year 6, the children attend an Outward Bound centre in the UK for a whole week.
Throughout their time at York House, students learn about our pupil aims which are 'Positive Outlook, Self-Reliance and Leaving People and Places Better than we find them'. These are vital parts of the ethos within the Middle School and students work towards earning badges each half term linked to the three aims. The Middle School prides itself on developing well-rounded pupils that are ready and well prepared for the academic rigour in their future senior schools, as well as having the foundations in place to confidently approach challenges and lessons within our Upper School.
We prepare the children to work collaboratively and independently, providing them with a tool-kit of learning strategies. We give every child the ability to approach each task with a growth mindset and develop the ability to think progressively. In addition they look to express themselves by working within teams, to develop leadership skills and maintain a positive outlook in all they do and achieve.
