Specialist Learning Areas...

We consider our curriculum to be like a blanket. The key threads that run through all that we do are considered carefully based on thinking and learning. We are blessed to have dedicated specialist teachers coordinating their specific fields:

Music:

Tudor House has fantastic facilities for engaging children in a comprehensive music programme. For a boy to be fully educated, he needs to have learnt skills that are culturally based. He needs to appreciate "The Arts" in order to appreciate and understand his world.

All boys are encouraged to sing. This may include solo singing in front of the School, being in the Chapel Choir or singing as part of a "School" Choir - Senior (Upper School) or Junior (Lower School). For some it may be part of Chapel and hymn singing practices.

Bands are a new innovation. All Year 4 boys have a year learning a Brass or Woodwind instrument. These boys form the Junior Band and younger boys may also belong.

The Senior Band is for boys with at least a year's instrumental tuition. Individual tuition in a range of instruments is a large program within the School.

Visual Art:

Aims to continue to inspire and encourage the development of creative ability in every boy. Lessons are planned to be enjoyable, to ensure boys feel supported in order to build confidence, and to enable our boys to acquire and practise the language and skills of art with which they may then express themselves.

Over the course of each year pupils engage in a balanced art and design programme. They spend time working from observation, working from the imagination and being inspired by artists, designers or craftsmen.

The approach is thematic and various resources are used to stimulate practical work - such as interesting objects and artefacts, literature, music, the environment and reference to famous works of art. Lessons take place in an art studio where there are specialist facilities, such as a kiln.

Pupils will gain experience of a variety of materials, tools and techniques associated particularly with drawing, painting and modelling. They will be encouraged to develop the ability to control these materials sensitively.

Pupils will also develop their understanding of the principles of colour mixing and composition, and the formal elements: line, tone, pattern, texture, shape, form and space.

Languages - French:

Our boys experience learning another language with a focus on French. This focus gives our children an understanding of another culture, broadens their horizons and awareness, and promotes a basic understanding of simple linguistic differences.

Drama:

Experiences in Debates, Public Speaking and Poetry Reading Competitions, Variety Concerts and Productions are part of life for a Tudorian.

The Tudor House Talent Quest enables all boys to "have a go" at performing a dance, jokes, a song, a skit, a play, juggling, instrumental playing, but most of all, learning to have the confidence to perform before others on stage. This is a fun event where great encouragement is given to each performer by his peers.

Boys are selected to be part of the annual Red Cross Concert. This variety concert has all boys "on stage". Class, House and individual items are put together to create a celebration of "The Arts".

Design Technology (Workshop):

Boys love to build and make things. Tudor House has a long-standing tradition of offering a workshop to hone our boys' interest and skills. Our workshop is fully equipped with all the necessary tools. This opportunity is not found in many other primary schools.

The boys work with timber to create items more likely to be found in a High School programme. Under close supervision, our boys learn to build, incorporating the skills of following plans, heeding instruction, working tough to ensure quality and taking pride in their work.