Our Class 1 is a class that helps with the transition between the Early Years and the Primary School.

At the beginning of the year, as the children are still young they will continue to flow freely between the two Class 1s to visit different learning centres. They will also continue to learn using IEYC Units.

However, as they develop and are able to focus for longer periods of time they will engage in class learning activities in Literacy and Numeracy. They will be introduced to phonics allowing them to begin reading and writing.

To develop their pleasure of reading our Class 1 children also visit our library once a week. They choose books to take home and share with their parents.

In addition to French, Music and PE they will also start developing their computer skills during ICT lessons.

Children in our Primary classes learn through the National Curriculum strategy from England for Literacy and Numeracy, and the IPC for all the other subjects.

Through the IPC they will be engaged in specific learning activities to develop their International Mindedness and the Personal Goals.

Specialist teachers teach them French, Music, PE and ICT. During their PE time Classes 3 to 5 have PE for half of the year and go swimming for the other half of the year. Children who like to sing can join the Lower or Upper School choirs.

To develop the pleasure of reading our Primary children also visit our library once a week. They choose books to take home to read independently or to share with their parents.

Classes 4 to 7 go on Residential Trips at the end of the school year. Often these trips are the first experiences children have of spending time away from their parents. Supported by their caring teachers they develop confidence, social skills and independence in a new environment.

Class 8 follow the same curriculum as Classes 2 to 7. However, to prepare them for Secondary Education they follow a special ‘Transition to Secondary Programme’.

Through their IPC Units they will learn about the Physical and Emotional changes that take place as they become teenagers. They discuss how to deal with situations they might face in the future, such as how to respond to Cyber Bullying, exposure to soft or hard drugs, the dangers of the use of Social Media or addiction to gaming. A presentation on these topics is also offered to parents at the "My child is becoming a Teenager so what?" presentation.

At the end of the year, instead of covering a class IPC unit each child will choose and work on their own unit. This will be a subject that interests them or where they feel they can make a difference. This will result in an End of Primary Exhibition where they will share all their findings with the school community in different ways. This will reflect how they have learnt whilst at BEPS, demonstrating skills such as oral presentations, written articles, results of their own surveys and a Power Point presentation.

They will also spend a day in a Secondary School to discover how they are organised. They will attend classes to find out how these work and what is expected from them.

A 'Peer Feedback' session will give them the opportunity to engage with former students and learn how they learn in Secondary School. The students will share their transition experiences and answer the children's questions or concerns.

Class 8 children play an important role in our Winter Concert as they co-write the script and take the main roles.

The Class 8 Residential Trip is at the beginning of the year and takes place abroad. If we have snow in the winter, they also spend two or three days in the High Fens where they develop their Nordic Ski skills.

BEPS coordinates a 'Preparation au CEB' for French speaking children aiming to transfer to Belgium schools. This is within our after- school club programme.

The children will also learn to become more independent and responsible by:

• Moving around the school independently and be on time at various specialist classes
• Planning and organising their own homework time
• Volunteering to represent the children on the Student Council. They organise a campaign to present the candidates for the Upper School election.