James Allen's Girls' School on growing confidence

JAGS Head of Junior SchoolVictoria Goodson and Head of Pre-PrepElizabeth Channon on how its community-focused and specialist approach develops forward-looking and confident students

JAGS offers specialist teaching from earliest years. How does this help to develop both curiosity and strong learners?
Our pupils arecurious and enthusiastic learners who show passion for new knowledge from the earliest stages. Through our specialist teaching provision, they fully explore a variety of subjects, building strong foundations and confidence for future learning.

We consider the diversity of our pupils to be one of our greatest strengths and many of our pupils speak more than one language prior to joining us. From Reception, pupils take part in French immersion lessons, which help spark an interest in language and improve language development. In Year 6, this is built upon further through lessons in Latin.

Likewise, our specialist Music teaching inspires pupils to develop a genuine love and curiosity of Music from Reception. The provision now features a new Strings programme for pupils in Year 2 who learn to play the violin, cello or double bass as a group, with the development of musicality and a love of music as the core aims of this provision. We believe there is no better way to learn music than playing an instrument. Pupils support each other and engage with a growing confidence each week.

Our specialist Sports and Swimming lessons provide the highest quality of coaching. We believe that sport is for all and our programme is broad. Enjoyment and functional skills are fundamental elements, built upon as children progress. Pupils enjoy specialist swimming lessons from Reception. In the Junior School, there is something for everyone, pupils play hockey, football and cricket. They enjoy gymnastics, dance, yoga, badminton basketball and can even take part in skateboarding classes or rock climbing.

James Allen's Girls' School on growing confidence — Access to outdoor spaces is plentiful on the 22-acre JAGS site, with Copse and Botany Gardens and Eco lessons running from Reception year onwards

Outdoor learning is an important part of the mix. How do nature-led experiences foster growth in early years?
It is an integral part of our offering, with Forest School and Eco lessons also running from Reception. We are somewhat unusual in that, despite our proximity to central London, we are lucky to have an extremely green 22-acre site which features our Copse and extensive Botany Gardens. This provides the perfect setting for pupils to fall in love with nature.

We know that young children learn best through play and hands-on experiences. Our specialist Forest School programme teaches children not only about the outdoor environment but also about the essential skills that are needed for us all to thrive. Children learn to collaborate, to take turns, to try new experiences and to use their problem-solving and enquiry skills.

JAGS offers education from 4-18. What are the key benefits, and how does the progression process work?
From the moment our pupils join JAGS, they are taught in an environment which empowers them, which encourages them to be risk takers, and which shows them there are no limits. Whether they are taking cues from our older girls during mentoring sessions or by those who visit as part our Inspiring Female speaker series, pupils are constantly exposed to a stream of positive influences.

As an all through school, JAGS provides stability for its pupils, a consistent vision with shared values and ethos. Be it the Pre-Prep, Prep or Senior School, each fosters a genuine sense of individuality and lack of stereotyping. Our schools are both forward-looking and forward-thinking.

There are also economies of scale which comes from educating so many pupils, all of whom benefit from our exceptional facilities. This includes our 22 acres of grounds, a state-of-the-art sports hall complete with gymnasium, 25-metre swimming pool and climbing wall. Elsewhere, the Prissian Theatre offers the perfect arena for both lessons and stage shows.

Pupils automatically progress from the Pre-Prep to the Prep, and it is the school’s expectation that all pupils will continue through to the Senior School. This removes the pressure of the uncertainty of the 11+ and allows our pupils to continue to enjoy their learning in a meaningful way.

Community, diversity and sustainability are key principles at JAGS. How do these important principles play out in school life?
These values provide a through line for our pupils – from Reception to the Sixth Form. Our pupils bring great richness of culture and experience into our school and we delight in sharing this with them. Cultural and religious festivals, assemblies and celebrations are regularly shared within our school, often with the engagement of our parent body.

From the moment they join, pupils are empowered to take an active role in the community and understand the positive impact they can make. They are given the autonomy to choose charities important to them, help organise fundraising events and make a real difference. Pupils also learn the value of being part of a community. We work closely with other local schools, hosting large community events such as The Big Sing, author talks and other visiting speakers.

This sense of responsibility is also extended in our approach to sustainability. Designated Eco Champions across JAGS help set the agenda and work alongside our Sustainability Lead to bring in sweeping changes. For example, girls enjoy using our on-site composter to reduce our food waste and improve their knowledge of practical ways to live more sustainably.

You offer wraparound care. What benefits does it bring for both pupils and families?
We know from experience that our families appreciate the flexibility our Breakfast and After-School Clubs provide for their drop-off and collection arrangements.

Breakfast Club begins at 7.35am, where pupils from Reception to Year 6 can join us for a hearty breakfast which sets them up for the day. Our After-School Clubs run until 6pm and includes a light tea. Additionally, a wide range of co-curricular clubs run before and after school.

There’s a very relaxed approach to the wraparound care; parents can pre-book an After-School Club or enroll their child on a more ad-hoc basis. We are flexible to the needs of our close-knit community. Our pupils really enjoy the time to unwind and play together and we have dedicated wraparound care staff with whom our pupils develop positive relationships.