FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What curriculum do you follow?
The curriculum at the Belham incorporates creativity, outdoor learning and the highest quality Literacy and Numeracy teaching. Topics centre around the local area as well as London as a whole.
Through whole class teaching and child-initiated learning, children in our two Reception classes are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills in seven key areas. These include: Communication and Language, Personal Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development and Self-Care, Literacy, Numeracy, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
From the Autumn Term onwards, children in Key Stage 1 cover a broad and enriched range of National Curriculum subjects through the context of themselves, the area they live in and London. Our curriculum is supplemented by highly experienced specialist staff as well as regular visits from experts in our topic areas. Each term parents are provided with an overview of the areas of learning to be covered.
Learning outside the classroom is an integral part of our ethos and as a result the children participate in regular trips. These include local visits as well as trips further afield.
Please se our Curriculum page for more detailed information.
What does your timetable look like?
The school day starts at 8.45am with staff available to accept your child into the classroom. This pre-registration period is used as a 'creative reflection' time where all the children are able to explore and appreciate high quality artwork, music, literature or artefacts. At 8.55am a register is taken.
Each morning the children engage in a variety of lessons including Literacy and Maths in addition to a dedicated phonics session. Year 1 also complete topic lessons such as computing and PSHCE.
Our youngest children are given the opportunity to access different areas of learning with their peers. Our timetable allows for sufficient coverage of all the key areas associated with best practice in the Foundation Stage. The Reception classrooms are zoned into different learning areas, with each child scheduled to access these areas in the morning. In the afternoons we engage in a child-initiated approach, allowing Reception children greater opportunity to explore their interests. Afternoon sessions for Year 1 focus on topic areas through cross-curricular teaching and learning.
All children receive specialist teaching. Each week they benefit from:
-Two PE sessions - one indoor and one outdoor (weather permitting), including yoga and dance
-At least one music/singing lesson
At the end of the day children are provided with fruit, a story and time to reflect on their day. Children are to be collected promptly at 3.15pm (3.25pm for years 2 to 6).
What happens at lunchtime?
Lunchtime takes place from 11.40am-1.00pm each day. The children are provided with a free and nutritious meal cooked by our in-house catering team. The menus are changed twice a year and made available to parents and carers. Pupils also spend part of their lunchtime in the outdoor area.
Do you provide Breakfast and After School Care?
We know that many parents need wrap-around care for their children, and we therefore provide 45 Belham 'Earlybird' Breakfast places and 100 'Afternoon Owls' After School places each day. Earlybirds runs from 7.45am to 8.45am and costs £5.50 per session. Afternoon Owls runs from 3.15 to 5.55pm and costs £13.00 per session. Morning sessions include a choice of healthy breakfast foods such as porridge, fresh fruit, cereals and toast. For the afternoon session we provide a light tea.
Parents are able to book regular slots for a whole term by paying in advance via our secure online payment system, SchoolsBuddy. Slots may also be booked on an ad hoc basis, although once again payment needs to be made in advance and availability cannot be guaranteed - once each session is at full capacity then no further slots can be offered.
Please see our Earlybirds and Owls page for full information.
We also offer a wide range of age-appropriate clubs before and after school for pupils in Year 1 upwards, from sport to cookery to coding. See our Clubs page for the current timetable.
How does the transition into school work?
We invite all new children and parents to a 'Stay and Play' session in the summer term before they join us. This gives parents and children an opportunity to see and familiarise themselves with their classrooms and playground, and to meet members of staff. Sessions are staggered, with approximately 15 children attending each session.
In September there will be a staggered start to the term for Reception pupils. Each child will have a personalised transition timetable.
How is the catchment area calculated?
Children will be admitted to the school on the basis of straight line measurement ('as the crow flies') from the main entrance of the school building on Maxted Road to the main entrance of their home. See our Admissions page for details of distances from the past few years.
Please contact us with any other questions you may have.
The curriculum at the Belham incorporates creativity, outdoor learning and the highest quality Literacy and Numeracy teaching. Topics centre around the local area as well as London as a whole.
Through whole class teaching and child-initiated learning, children in our two Reception classes are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills in seven key areas. These include: Communication and Language, Personal Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development and Self-Care, Literacy, Numeracy, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
From the Autumn Term onwards, children in Key Stage 1 cover a broad and enriched range of National Curriculum subjects through the context of themselves, the area they live in and London. Our curriculum is supplemented by highly experienced specialist staff as well as regular visits from experts in our topic areas. Each term parents are provided with an overview of the areas of learning to be covered.
Learning outside the classroom is an integral part of our ethos and as a result the children participate in regular trips. These include local visits as well as trips further afield.
Please se our Curriculum page for more detailed information.
What does your timetable look like?
The school day starts at 8.45am with staff available to accept your child into the classroom. This pre-registration period is used as a 'creative reflection' time where all the children are able to explore and appreciate high quality artwork, music, literature or artefacts. At 8.55am a register is taken.
Each morning the children engage in a variety of lessons including Literacy and Maths in addition to a dedicated phonics session. Year 1 also complete topic lessons such as computing and PSHCE.
Our youngest children are given the opportunity to access different areas of learning with their peers. Our timetable allows for sufficient coverage of all the key areas associated with best practice in the Foundation Stage. The Reception classrooms are zoned into different learning areas, with each child scheduled to access these areas in the morning. In the afternoons we engage in a child-initiated approach, allowing Reception children greater opportunity to explore their interests. Afternoon sessions for Year 1 focus on topic areas through cross-curricular teaching and learning.
All children receive specialist teaching. Each week they benefit from:
-Two PE sessions - one indoor and one outdoor (weather permitting), including yoga and dance
-At least one music/singing lesson
At the end of the day children are provided with fruit, a story and time to reflect on their day. Children are to be collected promptly at 3.15pm (3.25pm for years 2 to 6).
What happens at lunchtime?
Lunchtime takes place from 11.40am-1.00pm each day. The children are provided with a free and nutritious meal cooked by our in-house catering team. The menus are changed twice a year and made available to parents and carers. Pupils also spend part of their lunchtime in the outdoor area.
Do you provide Breakfast and After School Care?
We know that many parents need wrap-around care for their children, and we therefore provide 45 Belham 'Earlybird' Breakfast places and 100 'Afternoon Owls' After School places each day. Earlybirds runs from 7.45am to 8.45am and costs £5.50 per session. Afternoon Owls runs from 3.15 to 5.55pm and costs £13.00 per session. Morning sessions include a choice of healthy breakfast foods such as porridge, fresh fruit, cereals and toast. For the afternoon session we provide a light tea.
Parents are able to book regular slots for a whole term by paying in advance via our secure online payment system, SchoolsBuddy. Slots may also be booked on an ad hoc basis, although once again payment needs to be made in advance and availability cannot be guaranteed - once each session is at full capacity then no further slots can be offered.
Please see our Earlybirds and Owls page for full information.
We also offer a wide range of age-appropriate clubs before and after school for pupils in Year 1 upwards, from sport to cookery to coding. See our Clubs page for the current timetable.
How does the transition into school work?
We invite all new children and parents to a 'Stay and Play' session in the summer term before they join us. This gives parents and children an opportunity to see and familiarise themselves with their classrooms and playground, and to meet members of staff. Sessions are staggered, with approximately 15 children attending each session.
In September there will be a staggered start to the term for Reception pupils. Each child will have a personalised transition timetable.
How is the catchment area calculated?
Children will be admitted to the school on the basis of straight line measurement ('as the crow flies') from the main entrance of the school building on Maxted Road to the main entrance of their home. See our Admissions page for details of distances from the past few years.
Please contact us with any other questions you may have.
