Education

Individualised Learning at Prospect House

11/11/2024

Prospect House is a co-educational prep school with a distinctly village feel overlooking idyllic Putney Heath. They aim to provide a truly unique education which inspires children both inside and outside the classroom.

In the educational landscape of today, the Prospect House team believes there is no one-size-fits-all approach and thus they have developed a fully individualised learning programme that forms the cornerstone of their teaching philosophy. With care and attention, the right balance of support and challenge, the children can blossom to become the best version of themselves and reach their full potential.

At Prospect House, this begins at age three in Nursery: teachers identify individual strengths and areas for growth enabling them to tailor the activities to engage and challenge from day one. An autumn adventure walk on Putney Heath provides a significant haul of conkers which can be turned into a number line in the classroom. Some children can already recognise the numbers as figures whereas others count using dots. All are engaged with the task and differentiation allows for a variety of challenge levels.

It is recognised that every child’s learning journey is unique and that some children develop at different speeds as they transition through their school years. Play-based learning in early years at Prospect House nurtures early literacy in a way that feels individualised and natural, helping each pupil build their confidence and allowing them to progress at their own pace as early readers and writers.

Kelly Gray, head at Prospect House, strongly feels that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and to be challenged. She has therefore built on the foundation of smaller tutor groups for the teaching of English and maths to promote the use of daily timetabled ‘intervention’ lessons. This allows for tailored instruction throughout Key Stage 2 that can either stretch those ready for more or provide support in an individualised target area and is based on careful ongoing gap analysis. Teachers are involved in a regular review of each pupil’s progress and evaluation of changing needs as the children develop, enabling all to thrive.

For more able pupils, Prospect House offers pathways in art, music, sport, English and maths from age seven onwards. These sessions provide opportunities for deeper exploration and enrichment with dedicated scholarship groups for the older children. The art pathway, for example, enables pupils to develop their sketchbook and research skills through a coursework style approach before culminating in a termly art exhibition showcase. Pathways not only hone the knowledge base but also focus on independence and commitment.

Individualised learning is not just a concept at Prospect House; it is a practice that they implement at every stage of a child’s education. With this framework, the abilities of each pupil are polished and shaped until their full potential is revealed. The goal of Kelly and her team is to create an environment where every student’s brilliance can shine brightly and inspire a lifelong love for learning.