Prep School

In the Prep School, children from 5 to 9 years old are housed in one light and airy building. We have ten main classrooms along with extra space for
activities and administrative tasks. Some lessons are taught by Senior School subject teachers giving our pupils access to a great range of facilities and expertise.

The adults in the Prep School have created a safe yet stimulating place for the children to make the very most of their first five years at Dollar Academy.

The Curriculum

A broad based curriculum, designed to allow the    children to learn at an appropriate pace, is frequently updated to ensure that the learning is stimulating and appropriate.  

All of our subject areas have been reviewed in terms of Curriculum for Excellence and some of our work in Social Subjects, Science, Technology and Health and Wellbeing has been used as exemplars for Scottish practice.

A great deal of emphasis is placed upon a solid grounding in all aspects of language.  Our pupils are helped to talk, listen, read and record accurately and to enjoy sharing their own discoveries.

The mathematics curriculum is practically based and relates closely to “real” situations with problem solving activities at every stage.  The pupils often successfully  apply their skills in enterprise and business situations.

Social Studies

We use local resources wherever possible to bring our  social subjects topics to life.  The visit of Mary Queen of Scots to Castle Campbell is a summer highlight for Prep 5 pupils.

Science

Science work in every classroom is stimulating and thought provoking.  Topical Science questions are raised and explored, and the issues explored further using Crest Science Clubs, visiting theatre groups and innovative ideas.

Health and Wellbeing
Physical Education, taught to the pupils by specialists, is supplemented by a wide variety of co curricular  activities offered to the children by our own class teachers. We promote healthy living and the pupils  have time to consider personal and social issues as well as how to take responsibility for their health.

Religious and Moral Education
Care has been taken to provide an ethos which     supports the teaching of Religious and Moral         Education.  We value other people’s opinions and  children investigate, through talking and listening, the  major faiths of the world. Moral issues are discussed thoughtfully and in  the appropriate contexts for the age groups.

The Expressive Arts
The children are encouraged to use art, music, dance, drama and movement to express their thoughts and feelings in all subject areas.  Through specialist skills teaching and appreciating the efforts of every child in informal and formal contexts, we hope to develop an all round awareness of the arts.

What about the future?
As your child progresses through the Prep School, he/she will benefit from recent work undertaken by the staff to     consolidate and think innovatively about the Prep, Junior and Senior School Curriculum. A continuing programme of development and training ensures that our teachers are fully aware of new ideas and updating their skills.

These are some of the new projects that will impact on the 2011/2012 session. 

There will be a greater emphasis upon teaching problem solving strategies in several curricular areas.

The skills of listening and talking will be reviewed and new strategies adopted in all stages.

Our recent work investigating varied techniques for assessment and reporting will be extended within a broader
assessment framework.

There will be a renewed focus on the responsibilities of   citizenship and a review of practice in religious education.

Looking outwards to World Projects, we will develop further our charitable and educational inks with Malindi, Kenya 

Parents are warmly invited to follow our progress in the Dollar Academy Website, in the school magazine Fortunas, and in the Rector’s Newsletter.

Prep World Book Day

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