Prep Learning Journey

Music at Broomfield is at the very heart of school life. We aim to instill in our pupils a life-long love of music and we strive to create as many opportunities as possible for the children to experience the joy of music making.

The childrens’ music education is characterised by a growing appreciation and understanding of a wide range of music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians. From Early Years onwards, the children develop their sense of rhythm, dynamics and pitch through music and movement. Older children learn how to sing in harmony as well as read, write and perform music. Extra-curricular activities include opportunities to perform in our Chamber Choir, Orchestra and in school concerts. Many of our children also have individual music lessons with our peripatetic music teachers during the school day when they learn to play one or more instruments. Instruments include the clarinet, drums, flute, guitar, piano, recorder, trumpet, trombone and violin. A number of our children go on to achieve some of the highest grades in their external music examinations as well as securing music scholarships with top academic independent secondary schools.

The walls and shelves in our art department are filled with children’s inspiring artwork. Sketchbooks, canvases and a wide range of art material give the space the unmistakable atmosphere of a bustling art studio. It reflects the busy hours the children spend here exploring their creativity and developing their dexterity. Displays throughout the school offer a glimpse into the children’s creative abilities.

Throughout our lessons the children have the chance to work on their personal expression, explore ideas and develop their imagination. The children also have plenty of opportunities to experiment with art techniques, work on their observational skills and learn to understand art history. Creativity requires flexibility and understanding of concepts which are essential for fostering innovation and expression in the artistic field. Our aim is to give the children as much creative and technical input as possible.

We are also offering after-school Art Clubs where the children will be introduced to a wide range of projects including clay modelling, printing, collage making, acrylic painting and paper mâché art.

The art department regularly takes part in external art competitions, and we have celebrated winning prizes at the regional and national competitions over the last years.

We believe that sport should be fun, progressive and encourage a real lifelong love of both individual pursuits and team-based games. Competition, teamwork, leadership and an all-important competitive edge are all encouraged through a broad and balanced sports offering. We believe sport should be inclusive and give all children a chance to perform at their very best while receiving the very highest of sports coaching and encouragement.

Physical exercise is another one of the school’s strengths. The children have weekly gym lessons where they work on their fitness, balance, agility and coordination, as well as developing and adapting gymnastic sequences for a variety of apparatus. On Tuesday mornings, Years 1-6 travel the short distance to Pools on the Park for their weekly swimming lessons where they develop their stamina and swimming technique in a wide range of strokes. All children who can swim a length get the chance to swim competitively in the school’s annual Inter-house gala and our best swimmers represent the school in regional and national meetings.

Years 2 – 6 also have an afternoon of games each week when they are coached in the rules, skills and tactics of team sports, such as football, netball and tag rugby. The Key Stage 2 children play competitive matches with other schools in these sports, including regional and national tournaments. Perhaps the most competitive football and netball matches, however, are the once-a-year fixtures between the Year 6 boys and girls and their parents! Years 3-6 will run a Broomfield cross country race where we choose our runners for regional and national competitions.  The summer term sees a switch to cricket, tennis and track and field athletics training, culminating in the year’s sporting highlight: the school’s Sports Day, held at our Games Field at Old Deer Park, the home of London Welsh Rugby Club.

Most of our Sports curriculum is non-gender specific, although we prepare boys and girls for independent school fixtures both regionally and nationally. Our core Sports curriculum is extended in enrichment opportunities across all year groups.

Throughout the academic year, our pupils will learn Athletics, Cricket, Cross Country, Football, Netball, Tag Rugby, Swimming, and Tennis.

Drama offers a dynamic and inclusive environment where children can explore their creativity, develop their self-expression, and build confidence through performance and dance. Through weekly lessons, children are encouraged to step into different characters and experiment with movement to create short performances that showcase their incredible imagination and talent. The lessons are delivered in a workshop format to develop essential skills such as vocal projection, physical movement, and stage presence, all working to gain confidence the confidence to creatively express themselves.

Every child plays a vital role in all our productions, whether they are on stage, behind the scenes or designing the stage and lighting. Each year group has a show once a year, where parents are invited to come and watch them perform. These opportunities not only enhance acting capabilities but also help with the development of communication, problem solving and creative thinking.

Beyond our weekly lessons, we also offer additional enrichment through our Speech and Drama club offered to Year Groups 3 – 6. The club is a 30-minute session held at the same time each week, usually during breaktime. During the club the children prepare to take part in LAMDA examinations held towards the end of the year. LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts) offers internationally recognised drama and communication exams.

In a world where digital fluency is increasingly vital, our computing curriculum is designed to equip children with the skills, confidence, and awareness they need to navigate the modern technological landscape. At our school, computing is a practical, creative, and forward-thinking subject where invention and resourcefulness are encouraged.

Children explore a broad range of programming projects and real-world design challenges, using industry standard tools and modern devices. From physical computing using Micro:Bits to text-based coding using Python, pupils are encouraged to think critically, solve problems, and build resilient digital skills. Alongside this, we place a strong emphasis on online safety, with dedicated lessons every half-term that focus on respectful, kind, and responsible use of the internet and digital devices.

We are proud to be a highly technical school behind the scenes, running state-of-the-art systems and exposing pupils, especially in the older years, to modern computing tools and challenges that reflect the demands of the world beyond the classroom. However, we take a carefully balanced approach. We intentionally prioritise human connection, teacher led discussion, and hands on learning, believing that these analogue interactions lead to the most powerful teaching and learning outcomes.

As part of our future facing curriculum, we also introduce children in the older years to the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence. We help them understand how Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool when used appropriately, enhancing creativity, supporting research, and enabling smarter solutions. At the same time, we ensure that our children are critically aware of its limitations, such as misinformation, hallucinations, and ethical considerations. Our goal is to raise thoughtful, discerning digital citizens who understand both the opportunities and responsibilities of life in a digital world.