Lianne Lauder, Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning at Walhampton, on how its Pre-Senior Baccalaureate prepares pupils for the next phase of their educational journey
‘The PSB sets it apart from other schools and really benefits pupils.’ This quote from a recent parent survey fills me with joy, not because of their perception of us but because they see the impact this has on the children. Here at Walhampton School, we are in our third year of following the Pre-Senior Baccalaureate (PSB), a model for 21st century education which nurtures curiosity and global thinking. The PSB is not a curriculum but a model of assessment and a programme of study that aims to prepare pupils for the challenges of life in an ever-changing world. It does so by developing and tracking knowledge, skills and attitudes – preparing children academically, socially and culturally.
The PSB is about challenging perceptions of school and developing a love of learning. At the heart of the programme are the six core skills: leadership, collaboration, independence, thinking and learning, review and improvement, and communication. Our commitment at Walhampton to a fully rounded education allows teachers to provide a breadth of pathways tailored to the needs of the individual. The PSB model enables our staff to focus on how they teach, not just on what they teach.
We can all agree, whether as teachers or as parents, that the future challenges our children will face are hard to predict, but what is abundantly clear is that they will enter a world where issues including climate change, social inequality, technological advancements and maintaining both mental and physical wellbeing will need solutions. Cross-curricular thinking is actively encouraged, as children make links between subjects and recognise the transference of skills. The PSB enables broad cognitive skills, equipping children to progress, solve problems and be ready to adapt to changing conditions.
At Walhampton, this is a whole school initiative from ages 2-13. Our Pre-Prep fosters enjoyment and nurtures a joy of learning, building on the core skills of collaboration alongside thinking and learning. Classrooms are spaces in which the children can expect to have their voice heard. As our children progress through the Prep School, increasing levels of independence are developed. The ability to review and improve inspires pupils to be better learners, as well as understand how they best learn, acknowledging that their approach might be different to their peers. Year 8 pupils complete a PSPQ (Pre-Senior Project Qualification) during their Leavers’ Programme which is a chance for them to explore a self-chosen topic and present on this to a panel. This advances their project and presentation skills before they head off on their 13+ adventure.
A recent visit from the Learning Skills Trust to Walhampton School provided feedback on our PSB model. It identified that pupils were supportive of the core skills and articulate in their ability to reflect and move forward with new targets. This acknowledgement that the children are able to understand and see the benefits gives me confidence that we are helping to shape learners of the future, ready to go out and tackle those ‘new world’ skills. We value our work with the Learning Skills Trust, which helps us to further grow our PSB model and share our learnings with other schools as we learn from them.
Walhampton aims to be a radically traditional school, academically rigorous but experiential and focused on creating resilient, lifelong learners. I have no doubt that the PSB is key to us achieving this aim.
Walhampton School walhampton.com
Further reading: TASIS England on supporting healthy relationships
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