Junior School Curriculum

High-quality children’s literature lies at the core of the English curriculum, inspiring girls to develop as independent readers and confident writers. Starting with our ReadWriteInc Phonics scheme in Reception, the girls explore the possibilities of the English language through lessons in: creative writing, comprehension, grammar, spelling and handwriting. The girls also have dedicated time to engage in Reading for Pleasure (RfP) where reading aloud, independent reading, book talk and book recommendations are promoted in a social reading environment. The girls are invited to choose what they want to read whilst support is available. They are offered additional relaxed opportunities to hear stories and invited into the engaging world of reading by a rich RfP pedagogy and reading curriculum, supported by teachers who are motivated to find ways to inspire them.

Library

We are proud of our library, where we have an excellent collection of fiction and non-fiction books, which the girls can borrow. Weekly Reading for Pleasure (RfP) sessions with the librarian enhance the curriculum; the girls in Years 1 to 6 are also encouraged to visit the library during lunch break. The library is also open some days before and after school for girls to visit with their parents/carers.

We teach the Power Maths curriculum – a whole-class mastery programme designed to spark curiosity and excitement and nurture confidence in Mathematics. It is built around a child‑centred lesson design which models and embeds a growth mindset approach to Mathematics, and focuses on helping all children to build a deep understanding of concepts. Power Maths combines interactive teaching tools, quality textbooks and activities to strengthen and deepen understanding as well as Practice Books for children to complete independently. Activities are always practical and adapted according to the individual attainment level of each pupil. In order to develop a deeper understanding of key mathematical concepts, teaching focuses on a CPA (concrete-pictorial-abstract) approach.

We follow Jigsaw a progressive and spiral scheme of learning that promotes mindfulness. This is core to our curriculum, helping the girls develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to become responsible citizens, now and in the future. Throughout each year group, we guide the girls to develop morally, socially and culturally fulfilling lives, and nurture the ideals of inclusion and tolerance that support a strong spiritual awareness.

Throughout the Junior School, pupils are supported to utilise Kimochis: a system for helping children grow and transform by dealing skillfully with their feelings. Cuddly Kimochis critters and bowls of emotions are deployed effectively by the staff to support the girls to feel happy, safe, confident, compassionate and successful. These approachable tools are used to help the girls establish and sustain strong friendships and to help them become resilient.

The Kimochis curriculum enhances and extends our Character Education programme, teaching the girls to be:

• Respectful: Use a respectful voice, face, words and actions; listen to upset feelings
• Responsible: Speak up for self or others; admit and own mistakes
• Resilient: Work through emotion alone or with help; bounce back from difficult moments
• Compassionate and Kind: Have empathy or concern for others; look for moments to be kind to self and others

We follow a scheme called Friendology, which is tailored to address children’s challenges using their own language, coupled with visual tools designed to resonate with the way children think and learn.

At its core, Friendology follows a skills-based curriculum aligned with each stage of social-emotional development. Through engaging, relatable scenarios and role-play activities, children can practise and internalise essential friendship skills. This progressive learning model builds year after year, equipping children with tools to navigate emotional regulation, conflict management, and relationship dynamics.

The programme focuses on empowering children—particularly girls—with the confidence, language, and strategies to build meaningful, healthy friendships. They will learn how to make friends, address common friendship issues, and cultivate feel-good relationships.

The practical, hands-on teaching of Science stimulates a spirit of enquiry through encouraging natural curiosity and reasoning. We develop the skills of observation, investigation and interpretation and equip our girls with valuable knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live. Science is all around us and is ever changing, so it is vital that the girls are aware of their environment, the huge advances that have been made and the challenges we face. Helping the girls to understand as much as possible about Science, stimulates their imagination and their intellect and gives them a true passion for the subject.

Computing is integrated into the curriculum and is a thread throughout all areas of teaching and learning. We equip our pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to enable them to be active participants in today’s digital world. The girls are familiar with, and skilled in, using computational technology and programming software, control, data logging technology, digital tablets and Chromebooks in a challenging and stimulating environment, both inside and outside the classroom. Online Safety is taught through the PSHE curriculum as well as discrete Computing lessons, using ProjectEVOLVE resources. These ensure a vast library of content is available based upon the statements from UK Council for Internet Safety’s (UKCIS) framework “Education for a Connected World”. Teaching materials and resources are up-to-date; relevant and engaging and moves online life education into the third decade of the 21st century.

The girls are challenged to develop their chronological knowledge, appreciate continuity and change and develop an understanding of why people behaved as they did.They explore why events happened and then consider their wider significance to the period. The girls view and handle a range of primary and secondary sources and continue to hone their historical enquiry skills. Through History, the girls are given a context from which they can understand themselves, others and the ever-changing world around them.

The girls gain an understanding of places in the world and increase their knowledge of other cultures. In doing so, they learn respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in a multicultural country. The girls gain an understanding of the world’s physical features, continents, climates and ecosystems. Additionally, the girls learn how to use, draw and interpret maps to enable them to understand local and global environmental problems.

The girls explore the core concepts behind all major religions; this allows them to foster an appreciation for religious diversity. In KS1, they begin by exploring holy places and texts, reflecting on the moral teachings of each religion. In KS2, they then focus on learning about the religious stories, teaching and practices, comparing them and further exploring the similarities and differences.

In Philosophy lessons, our pupils take part in philosophical enquiry. Class discussions enhance thinking and communication skills, boost confidence and self-esteem, and improve behaviour, well-being and academic attainment. The girls are supported to think more deeply and philosophically by encouraging the 4Cs: – critical, creative, collaborative and caring thinking. They demonstrate emerging philosophical thinking and language; give reasons, to agree or disagree respectfully and to build on other’s ideas. Additionally, they recognise and start to discuss big ideas/concepts and ask open questions with increasing philosophical potential.

Starting in Reception, the girls benefit from weekly Spanish lessons, with weekly French lessons introduced from Year 3.  Our Specialist language teacher develops the girls’ linguistic skills whilst fostering an appreciation of the cultures and countries of the languages the girls are learning about.

In Art, the girls are inspired by famous artists and paintings, as well as through Art workshops, stories,picture books and visits to galleries in central London. In DT, alongside the skills and techniques, the girls begin to learn the basics of physics and engineering, designing and building projects, working to a brief and incorporating  gears, levers and circuits.

We are committed to fostering a love of music and providing enriching opportunities for all our pupils.

The KS1 music curriculum (Years 1 and 2) provides a rich foundation in singing, playing, listening, and composing through engaging themes. Reception explores singing together, musical games, basic rhythm notation, and percussion control. Year 1 focuses on rhythm, pitch, and timbre through topics like dinosaurs and The Nutcracker, while Year 2 builds on these skills with ensemble work, notation, and character-based composition in projects such as The Wizard of Oz and The Magic Flute. A specialist-led strings programme in Year 1 and Year 2 enhances instrumental skills, deepening pupils’ understanding of ensemble performance and rehearsal skills.

The KS2 music curriculum (Years, 3 to 6) builds on foundational skills, offering a broad and exciting range of musical experiences. Children develop their singing, instrumental, and compositional skills through diverse topics such as country music, samba, Tudor music, and ceilidh. They engage with notation, rhythm, harmony, and digital composition tools, with opportunities for ensemble work in class bands and percussion groups. Specialist instrumental tuition is available across the full range of orchestral instruments, and extracurricular opportunities include mariachi band, folk band, brass band, and chamber orchestras. Through this rich curriculum, students gain confidence in performance, creativity in composition, and a deep understanding of musical styles and traditions.

From Year 3 onwards, we offer a diverse range of music lessons covering various instruments. Pupils can choose from a comprehensive selection, including woodwind, brass, and string instruments, as well as harp, classical guitar, and piano. Lessons can be scheduled during school hours, with rotating times to ensure that students do not miss the same lesson each week. For more information about music lessons, please contact us at juniormusic@channing.co.uk

Beyond the classroom, we provide a wide array of extracurricular music activities, including: Key Stage 1 Choir, Recorder Club, Year 3 and 4 Choir, Spears Choir, Training String Orchestra, Folk Band, Samba Band, Mariachi Band and Brass Ensemble.

The girls are encouraged to express themselves and develop their confidence through drama, starting with role-play, story-telling, singing and action rhymes, later enjoying improvisation and reciting ballads. The girls enjoy many opportunities to participate in a range of drama activities from year group assemblies, theatre visits and workshops to the very popular school productions in Reception, Year 2 and Year 6 that are staged in our purpose-built theatre on the Senior School site across the road. The performances are a testament to the girls’ creativity, talent and dedication. The girls’ commitment, enthusiasm and hard work in Drama is evident in every performance.

The girls enjoy PE lessons twice a each week, utilising the extensive sports facilities. Initially the curriculum includes field games, movement lessons and dance. From Year 3, girls learn to play a variety of sports, including: football, netball, cricket, uni-hoc and hockey, athletics, and basketball. In Year 3 and 4, the girls have two separate weeks of intensive swimming lessons at a local pool. Throughout the Summer Term of Year 5 and 6, the girls learn to sail and kayak at a local watersports centre. The girls also have many opportunities to take part in inter-school fixtures and competitions.

Chatting with Channing

In this episode we talk to Miss Bolton, the Head of Junior Sport at Channing School. In this episode, Miss Bolton shares her journey of cultivating a love for sports among young girls, fostering a culture of inclusion, and celebrating sportsmanship and teamwork within the school.

Outdoor Learning has numerous educational benefits, including building resilience, self-esteem and confidence, developing problem-solving skills and giving children the ability to assess risk. This enhances creativity and encourages a connection with nature. Originating in Scandinavia, Forest School is a way of learning in a woodland environment where children can develop socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually through child-led activities, following individual and preferred learning styles. All pupils in Reception – Year 4 have weekly Forest School sessions. Resources within our dedicated Forest School area include a mud kitchen, an outdoor classroom and a pond, all of which are used in a variety of exciting ways.