Junior School Prospectus
Boys 4—11 years
Nurturing
inquisitive
young boys
Welcome
Welcome to QEGS Junior School.
This marks the start of your son’s
exciting journey to manhood.
“I’m sorry my uniform
got dirty today but
it helps show what
I have been learning
at the start of my
QEGS journey.”
“This black mark
was made with a
pen when I was
busy making
a label for my
model, developing
my writing and
drawing skills.”
“I wouldn’t look
in my pockets, if
I were you... I’ve
been collecting
things for the
den I made with
my friends. We
worked together
and persevered to
solve any problems
we had with
construction.”
“My dirty knees
show that I’ve
been using the
outdoor area. I’ve
been exploring
and investigating,
which develops
my understanding
of the world.”
“This splodge is
part of my lunch.
I’m trying so hard
to use a knife and
fork correctly when
I eat. This is part
of my physical
development.”
“Sometimes my
uniform comes
home a bit wet.
I learn huge
amounts of
science and maths
when I play with
the water tray.”
“The playdough sticking to my shirt is from
my morning Dough Disco session, when
I squashed and squeezed, rolled and
stretched my dough whilst dancing in time
to the pop music. This helps to strengthen
my fine-motor muscles and develop a
sense of rhythm, all skills that I need for
reading and writing.”
“The mud kitchen
is very messy
but it helps me
to develop my
imagination and
use of descriptive
language.”
“The muddy shorts
are from all the
big movements
I’ve been doing
outside, such as
running, jumping
and climbing.
These movements
help me to develop
things like my
handwriting.”
At QEGS JS we understand young boys and we are
well-equipped to meet their developmental needs at
each stage of their education.
The boys in our community are happy, confident,
fun-loving, energetic QEGLETS. They relish a
challenge, they are passionate about their sport,
music and drama, and they thrive on competition.
They’re always trying to be the very best they can be.
At QEGS JS each staff member has a responsibility
to develop and inspire the boys to enable them to
reach their full academic potential. Our daily approach
to teaching is to engage our children fully in their own
education, and excite them about their futures.
Our school is a busy place — there isn’t a week in
the year without something innovative or stimulating
or important taking place. The QEGS curriculum has
been designed to meet the unique learning styles and
interests of boys in general, and to engage, enthuse
and challenge each boy in particular.
QEGS JS is a caring community where boys, staff and
parents work closely together. The size of the school
allows us to provide a wide range of options, but also
ensures that each pupil feels a sense of belonging.
We get to know every pupil personally and well.
That way, we’re able to encourage their special gifts
and talents, help them thrive, and enable them to
immerse themselves fully in QEGS life. This can only
be understood and appreciated by visiting the school,
talking with us and seeing our boys in action.
Head
Louise Gray Cert Ed MA
Boy-friendly
learning
Boys’ brains are wired to demand
movement, space, action and rest.
They respond best to teaching styles
which meet these particular needs.
QEGS JS offers an environment which has
been tailored to meet the needs and learning
styles of boys. Using a range of approaches to
teaching and learning, our broad and balanced
4 to 11 curriculum provides strong foundations
for the future. Most importantly, it is stimulating,
confidence-building, and delivered at each
boy’s own pace.
We encourage pupils to problem-solve during
lessons, either in pairs or in groups. This means they
support one another in understanding, and engaging
with, the area of study. By challenging each other
to think harder, their interest is sustained and their
understanding is strengthened.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
The use of themed learning enables boys to see
the purpose behind their activities, and they’re
frequently invited to participate in the planning of
topic work. Exciting books and other resources
are integrated into all aspects of the curriculum
and whenever possible, learning is taken outdoors.
Right from Reception, we offer specialist teaching
in swimming, music, PE/games and French. As boys
progress through the Junior School, the range of
subjects delivered by specialists will increase.
From the earliest stages in their development, boys
benefit immensely from positive male role models.
The right men can prove that learning, schooling
and achieving are important and desirable things
to do. That’s why, from their first day in Reception,
our boys benefit from a positive balance of male
and female teachers.
Boys begin their QEGS
adventure aged 4 years
old in Centenary House,
with plenty of indoor and
outdoor spaces (including
a woodland kitchen)
where they can run,
explore, play and learn.
Reception
——Boys join Reception from Mulberry House Nursery
or one of many private day nurseries
——To help with familiarisation, Reception staff visit
all boys in their present childcare setting prior
to joining us
——Reception classes follow the Early Years
Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, with
reading and writing featuring prominently
——Plan, Do, Review — our boys follow a pictorial
timetable each day, reviewing it at the end of the
day with their Key Person. It’s an early introduction
to self-reflection, and helps with settling in and
establishing a routine
——The Reception base consists of indoor and
outdoor learning areas including the small
world (to fuel imaginations), science garden,
adventure playground and the nature and
growing area
——As soon as they join Reception, each boy is
assigned to one of the four school houses
——Boys work on specific tasks and objectives
in discrete ‘focus learning areas’
——A music specialist introduces rhythm and beat
——Fine and gross motor skills are developed through
structured PE lessons (with a PE specialist) as well
as free-play activities
——Regular swimming lessons are led by a swimming
coach in the QEGS Junior pool
Forest School
Forest School provides practical,
play-based learning for boys, nurturing
a connection with the environment.
We deliver part of the core curriculum through
sessions which draw on the outdoor environment.
Years 1 and 2 have activities on-site in the Owls’
Den, our own woodland area featuring an outdoor
classroom and pizza oven, while Years 3 and 4
go off-site into real local woodlands.
Throughout the academic year, our boys enjoy
structured Forest School sessions led by QEGS
JS staff. These are eagerly anticipated; boys thrive
on carefully controlled practical woodland tasks which
greatly benefit their social and emotional development.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
Working together outdoors helps to develop
motivation, confidence and self-esteem. Boys
learn to co-operate and communicate, enhancing
their social skills while developing an appreciation
of physicality and healthier lifestyles. They are
helped to recognise and manage risk, and they
build a positive attitude towards learning. Outdoor
Education
We take education outdoors —
it’s part of our philosophy of
promoting boy-friendly learning.
From Centenary House through to Year 4, boys
follow our Forest School curriculum; we then build
on this in our Outdoor Education programme in
Years 5 and 6.
Traditionally, physical education has taken a gamesbased approach. However, QEGS pupils experience
exciting activities such as mountain-biking, kayaking
and climbing. Our approach pushes individual
boundaries, enabling boys to feel the thrill of
success after overcoming personal challenges.
The activities develop essential practical skills as
well as a range of soft skills which are transferable
to other aspects of schooling and wider life. These
include independence, resilience, teamwork,
responsibility and communication.
We offer an extensive range of activities, most of
which take place off-site at venues across Yorkshire.
Your son could enjoy kayaking, sailing, windsurfing,
raft-building, climbing, walking, abseiling, bouldering,
orienteering, camping, mountain-biking, survival
skills and bush craft.
Residential trips in Years 5 and 6 build on the theme
of Outdoor Education, with specialist activity trips to
Wales and Shropshire.
As they continue their QEGS journey, our boys are
eager and well-equipped to extend their skills and
experiences. Through the QEGS Enrichment and
Development Programme (QED), they can enjoy
plenty of outdoor education opportunities in the
Senior School.
Curriculum
Boys thrive on purposeful work,
and our creative curriculum
encourages them to connect
their learning through practical
work, ICT and problem-solving.
In Reception, the curriculum is planned around
the seven areas of learning for the Early Years
Foundation Stage (EYFS). This curriculum is
designed to develop the whole child and help
them reach their full potential.
French is introduced in Reception, with lessons
delivered through songs, rhymes and games.
During Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2), there is a strong
focus on the three core subjects of Mathematics,
English and Science, where we use the latest National
Curriculum updates to form our schemes of work.
In Year 3, the delivery of the curriculum and class
sizes is adapted to give extra support where it
is needed. In Years 4 to 6, boys are taught in
mixed-ability classes but are put in sets for English
and Mathematics, to allow boys to be enthused
and challenged in the classroom relative to their
attainment levels.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
In Years 5 and 6, we encourage our boys to become
more independent and organised. This helps them to
get ready for the transition to Senior School. As they
move from classroom to classroom, we introduce
them to a range of teaching styles, with an increasing
emphasis on independent learning.
We connect all curriculum and non-core subjects
through topic work. This brings meaningful purpose
to the boys’ learning, and we further enrich it with
a range of trips and visits. Centenary House’s WOW
Week, which interprets and celebrates one theme
across every aspect of school life, is an amazing
experience.
We place a special emphasis on sports and the arts,
so we allocate extra time to both subjects. This allows
pupils to enjoy some form of PE and Games every
day, and to compete and gain recognition at local,
regional and national level. Each pupil’s progress is continually monitored.
This benchmarks them against national averages,
and helps to identify any individual’s particular needs.
Pastoral
Our caring, family atmosphere
means that we can identify and
meet each boy’s individual needs.
There is a strong bond between staff and the
boys. Individually, boys are encouraged to
approach a member of staff if they have any
concerns or worries.
Collectively, class Circle Time each week allows
boys to share ideas and opinions, as well as
encouraging them to respect the views and
feelings of their peers.
The Class Teacher has an important role in
developing each individual pupil. He or she
acts as a parental figure for the boys in the
class, someone who will always try to help
and sort out any problems which may arise
within the class, either individually or as a group.
Each form has a Class Buddy who helps new
boys settle in quickly and makes sure everyone
has someone to play with at break time.
The QEGS
Community
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
Each boy is a valued individual
within the thriving QEGS community,
where mutual support for one
another are paramount.
Happiness underpins all aspects of school life.
Mutual respect exists between staff and boys, and
between pupils themselves, with the expectation
of good behaviour and courtesy to others.
During the Autumn and Spring Terms, the school
holds a Charity Day, which are wonderful, fun-filled
occasions, enjoyed by everyone, and a key part
of the Junior School experience.
Boys are encouraged to be ‘the best version of
themselves’. Leadership opportunities exist from
Year 2 upwards, whether as a Class Monitor, Sports
Captain, School Council Member, Prefect or as
Head Boy/Deputy Head Boy. Boys can even be
a Guinea Pig monitor for the school guinea pigs!
These usually involve an element of dressing up,
with the boys raising money for charities nominated
by the School Council through various initiatives.
All boys belong to one of the four Houses —
Bentley, Cave, Freeston or Savile — during their
time in the School. Inter-House activities take
place throughout the year, and are a crucial part
of nurturing camaraderie and individual pride
amongst the school community.
Boys build on the
excellent formative
experience in Reception
and Year 1, growing
in confidence and
responsibility, ready for
their transition into Year 3.
Year 2
——Boys are introduced to a more independent
school routine
——Boys are taught as a class group, with specialist
teaching taking place
——Humanities, DT and Art all tie in with topic
work, and support the key learning areas
——Outdoor learning in Maths, Literacy and Science
takes place when appropriate
——Reading is encouraged at home — alongside
spelling, phonics and talking homework, with
ad hoc meaningful topic research
——Forest School sessions take place in our own
woodland outdoor learning area — the Owls’ Den
——Being part of the School Council helps develop
decision-making and leadership skills
——Positions of responsibility are introduced —
such as Playground Buddy, Form Monitor,
House Captain — as Year 2 boys help support
their younger peers
——Inter-house competitions take place, particularly
in Sport and Music
——Boys attend formal school events — Carol Service,
Speech Day, Founders’ Day, Remembrance Service
——The Annual Sleep Over and Year 2 Leavers’ Play
are highlights of the school year, a fun way to end
their Centenary House career
Sport
The QEGS attitude to sport
is all-inclusive and exemplifies
sportsmanship, participation
and teamwork.
Boys from Reception to Year 6 enjoy timetabled PE,
swimming or Games each day, supplemented by
the option of many extra-curricular sports activities.
Centenary House has a fully equipped, multi-purpose
indoor Sports Hall. Younger boys are introduced to
gymnastics and a wide range of indoor games such
as football, basketball and hockey. When the weather
permits, Games and PE lessons take place outside
in the marked playground.
In Years 1 and 2, boys have Games lessons on
the spacious Junior School playing fields, led by
specialist PE teachers from the Junior School.
Each week, boys in Years 3 to 6 will receive PE,
swimming or Games lessons, delivered by specialist
PE teachers. In PE boys will experience gymnastics,
hockey/unihoc, basketball, tennis, athletics,
football and cricket.
The Junior School has its own playing fields which
include four rugby pitches, a cricket square, cricket
nets, an athletics track and long-jump pit. There is
also a swimming pool, a putting green and access
to the Senior School sports hall for activities such
as cricket nets.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
Boys can enjoy Games sessions tailored to their
specific needs and interests, which helps to capture
and maintain their enthusiasm. The main school
sports — rugby, cross country, cricket, athletics,
chess and swimming — have regular Inter-School
fixtures. At Inter-House level, boys compete in all
these sports plus football.
A busy fixture list is organised at U8, U9, U10
and U11 in the main sports, and where possible,
B—F fixtures are created to involve as many boys
as possible.
Junior School teams regularly enjoy outstanding
success in all sports in both local and national
competitions. These achievements highlight our
boys’ sporting talent as well as their self-belief.
They prove the value of comprehensive squad
training throughout the school year.
Sports Dinners, Tours and the annual all-inclusive
Sports Days add an extra dimension to sport
at QEGS.
Extra-Curricular
The Junior School has an
excellent and wide-ranging
programme of well-planned
extra-curricular activities.
Our clubs offer plenty of opportunities for boys
to develop a wide-range of interests, and to enrich
and deepen their learning.
The clubs are open to all boys, from Reception and
up, either at lunch time or after school. Most are run
by members of the Junior School staff, and they
range from coding, cookery and Italian to golf,
martial arts and orienteering!
This diverse range of opportunities allows our
younger boys to explore their own preferences and
talents. This means they’ll be ready to embrace over
90 extra-curricular activities through QED (QEGS
Enrichment and Development) every Wednesday
afternoon when they enter Year 7 in Senior School.
Trips
From Reception onwards, enjoyable
and educational school trips form
an important part of school life.
Day trips enhance understanding of curriculum
topics, and take boys to many different locations
across Yorkshire and beyond during the
Academic Year.
Throughout their QEGS Junior School journey,
boys can enjoy a number of residential trips both
in the UK and further afield.
Year 2 boys enjoy an overnight sleepover in
Centenary House — an evening full of fun
activities, and great preparation for the many
residential trips for older boys in the Junior School.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
Residential trips are introduced from Year 3,
and are an important introduction to staying
away from home. Responsibility, camaraderie
and teamwork skills are developed, and boys
return brimming with memories.
Trips include the annual Ski Trip, Outward Bound
adventures, the choir tour, the rugby tour to
Scotland and the Year 6 Bushcraft Adventure.
Our boys flourish thanks
to all the opportunities on
offer at QEGS. They thrive
on competition, which is
encouraged in and out
of the classroom.
Year 4
——Boys are put in sets for English and Maths,
to allow boys to be enthused and challenged in
the classroom relative to their attainment levels
——Inter-school sports fixtures really take off in
the main school sports including: rugby,
cricket, swimming and athletics
——Boys enjoy an overnight residential to the
National Forest — team-building and outdoor
adventure, and even the opportunity to show
their moves (and fashion!) at the disco
——Teamwork both in and out of the class room
as boys work together and support each other
in all aspects of school life
——Culmination of their Forest School experience
ready to participate in the two year Outdoors
Education curriculum in Years 5 and 6
——The Year 4 Nativity is one of the highlights
of the School Year. Angels, devils, dancing
sheep and of course the camel, always
ensure the performance featuring all the
Year Group is full of laughter
——Boys start to get hands on with cookery
and DT, both within the curriculum and
through lunch time clubs
——Boys can begin work on their QEGS Diploma,
tackling a number of tasks and activities to
gain their Bronze, Silver or Gold awards
Performing Arts
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
Drama and Music are highly valued
aspects of a boy’s development —
so they’re are an integral part of
school life, with opportunities for
all ages and abilities.
Music
Drama
All boys from Reception to Year 6 have music
lessons with specialist music teachers. Music
is important to pupils of all ages, allowing them
to develop a sense of culture and experience
a wide variety of musical styles.
Throughout the year, all boys from Reception
to Year 6 take part in a stage production. This
encourages teamwork, develops language skills
and social interaction, and provides valuable
experience in drama and musical performance.
The spacious Junior School Music Suite is fully
computerised and equipped with midi keyboards,
recording pods and traditional classroom instruments.
All areas of music education embrace technology,
including listening and appraisal, performing and
composing.
Drama has natural links to English through
language, literature and poetry. The annual
Speaking and Reading Competition involves all
boys from Year 3 upwards, giving the opportunity
for individual performance.
The school has three choirs — the Year Two Choir,
the Lower School Choir (Years 3 and 4) and the
Junior School Choir (Years 5 and 6). Choirs take
part in local festivals and national competitions.
Group music-making, through a number of musical
ensembles, is particularly encouraged, providing
the opportunity for boys of varying abilities and
instruments to play together regularly.
Individual music tuition is offered on a wide range
of instruments by a team of Visiting Individual
Musicians who greatly enhance Music provision
and offer a wide and constantly evolving choice of
instruments. The school has always enjoyed close
links with Wakefield Cathedral and currently provides
choristers for the Cathedral Choir through a scheme
of Choral Scholarships.
The Year 6 summer production involves the
whole year group and is the culmination of the
boys’ time in the Junior School. Stunning scenery
and costumes, and scripts peppered with subtle
humour, come together in highly entertaining
performances full of colour and action.
By encouraging imagination and self-discipline,
Drama unlocks a boy’s hidden talents and
potential that may otherwise not be seen in the
normal course of a day. But above all, it is fun!
Out-of-School
Care
Out-of-school care is offered at both
ends of the school day — offering
parents flexibility and the reassurance
that their son is well cared for.
Before-School Care
Centenary House boys can be dropped off at
8.00am for Before-School Care, before joining
their classes at 8.30am. Before-School Care is
fully supervised and takes place in the Centenary
House Hall. This service is free of charge. For boys
in Years 3 to 6, the main Junior School playground
is fully supervised from 8.00am, before boys join
their classes at 8.45am for the start of the school day.
After-School Care
‘Hoots’ (Reception to Year 2) and ‘Owls’ (Years 3
to 6) offer After-School Care until 6.00pm. Boys can
play games and use outdoor areas, as well as relax
and enjoy a light tea of sandwiches and fruit.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
Boys are able to join After-School Care following an
after school activity such as Orchestra, Martial Arts,
Tennis or Rugby Squad training.
There is a small charge for After-School Care
payable on a termly basis. Parents can choose
to register their son by term or, where necessary,
on a casual day-to-day basis.
Holiday Club
A Holiday Club is run by members of Junior School
staff for all boys during the first two weeks of the
Summer Holiday. Sporting, science and creative
activities take place. Older boys enjoy the use of
some of the Senior School facilities, whilst the
younger boys are based at Centenary House.
Year 6 boys are
happy, confident and
well-mannered 11-year
olds, well-equipped to
take on the stimulating
challenges on offer in
the Senior School.
Year 6
——Progression to Senior School is seamless,
based on a boy’s academic performance
during his time in the Junior School
——Boys enjoy specialist teaching in a wide
range of subjects, with English and Maths
taught in sets
——Year 6 offers more positions of responsibility
including Head Boy, Deputy Head Boy, Senior
Prefects and House Captains
——All Year 6 boys act as role models to the
Junior School community. They are involved
in every aspect of school life, helping to
support and guide the younger boys
——Year 6 boys prepare and host lunches for
Governors and special guests — a culinary
and entertainment masterpiece!
——Science Week gives boys the opportunity
to participate in a scientific challenge with
their parents
——The Year 6 production is the culmination
of their Junior School career — always very
amusing and a tremendous team effort
——The residential bushcraft trip builds on
the Outdoor Education curriculum —
a muddy, energetic and fun time spent
in the real outdoors
——Year 6 boys are heavily involved in the
organisation and running of our Charity Days
and helping at community charity events
History of QEGS
and the Next Step
History of QEGS
Next step of the journey
Numerous schools bearing the name of Queen
Elizabeth were founded during the reign of Elizabeth I
and many survive today; outstanding amongst them
is our own ‘Free School of Queen Elizabeth’.
Boys progress from QEGS Junior School as
confident and articulate pupils, ready to grasp the
next part of the QEGS adventure with both hands.
On November 19th, 1591 the charter was granted to
fourteen men to act as Governors of the new school,
with the charter still in existence today.
Five of the fourteen men designated to be governors
bore the name Savile. Generations of the Savile family
have played important roles in the school’s history
and hence the reason why the Old Boys’ Association
is called The Old Savilians’ Club.
The School Crest came into existence soon after
the school was founded and features a lion, an owl
and a Bible. The school motto — Turpe Nescire —
means “It is a disgrace to be ignorant”.
The school prospered and grew in numbers and
in 1854 moved from the original school building
to its present site in Northgate. Bequests and
grants enabled the school to attract pupils from a
wide catchment area and a broad range of social
backgrounds. This trend continues today through
Foundation Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries.
In 1910, the Governors of the day saw fit to invest
in a Junior School separate from the main Grammar
School, and in September 2010 QEGS Junior School
proudly celebrated its Centenary. Most recently,
in September 2011, new facilities were opened at
Centenary House specifically tailored to the needs
of young boys from 4 to 7 years.
QEGS
Junior School
Prospectus
They move to Senior School aged 11, where they
are joined by new boys entering Year 7 from a wide
number of schools across South and West Yorkshire.
QEGS Senior School has been educating boys
for well over 400 years. Woven into its unique
DNA are the twin strands of academic excellence
and extra-curricular opportunity. Building on the
foundations laid in the Junior School, Senior School
offers a boy-friendly environment where lessons
are challenging and fun; where teachers genuinely
enjoy working with boys and understand implicitly
what makes them tick; where there is so much going
on outside the classroom that everyone can find
something they can excel at — whether that being
scrum half, jazz saxophonist or mountain biker!
Every Wednesday afternoon, all boys get immersed
in QED — QEGS Enrichment and Development,
which through a menu of 96 different activities (both
on and offsite) allows boys to personalise a small
corner of their timetable — whilst having a huge
amount of fun — whether dog training, quad biking,
playing Ultimate Frisbee or doing voluntary work.
Having joined our Junior School as inquisitive young
boys, our pupils leave Sixth Form as polite, caring
young men who are deeply proud of their school
and all the opportunities it has offered them.
Joining QEGS
Junior School
Boys can join the school in any year group and at
any time throughout the academic year (subject
to places). Many boys spend a year in Mulberry
House Nursery (Co-ed 3-4yrs) before entering
Reception aged 4 years and continuing their
journey through QEGS.
First steps
If you are interested in your son joining QEGS,
please get in touch either by telephone, email or
through the WGSF app. Our Admissions Secretary
will be happy to advise you on the entry procedure.
Come and visit
Prospective parents and pupils are encouraged
to come and visit QEGS either on a personal visit
or at our Open Mornings held throughout the year.
Visiting the school will allow you to meet the
staff and pupils, take a tour of the facilities and
get a feel for life at QEGS.
Making an application
An application form needs to be completed and
returned to the Admissions Secretary, along with
the small application fee, in order to register your
son for entry into QEGS.
Please note: the completion of an application form
is no guarantee that your son will be offered a place
at QEGS. Entry to the school is subject to your son
meeting the necessary entrance requirements.
Taster days
Following testing, if your son would like to
experience QEGS life, he is welcome to
spend a day in school by prior arrangement
with the Admissions Secretary.
Further information
Further information about the application
process, Entrance Examination guidelines
and fee assistance can be found in the relevant
sections of the website — www.wgsf.org.uk,
as well as in the WGSF app where an entry
calculator can also be found.
Visit www.wgsf.org.uk or telephone
01924 373821 for further information.
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
Junior School
158 Northgate
Wakefield WF1 3QY
Telephone 01924 373821
[email protected]
@QEGSYorkshire
www.wgsf.org.uk
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the Apple App Store