Prep Department - 7-11 years

"Pupils are supported by a well balanced curriculum which provides a wide range of opportunities. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and pupils benefit from subject specialist teaching, and very good classroom control.".
(Independent Schools' Inspection Report - 2011)

Admission to the Preparatory Department

Girls and boys can be admitted directly into the Preparatory Department, although the majority of our pupils move up from the Pre-prep department at the end of Year 2. Valuable scholarships can be won by those applying for entry into Year 3 from outside Bow, Durham School.

Our Flexible School Day

In the "Prep" department, the school day is longer and girls and boys are introduced to a wide range of teachers and areas of learning. The day begins at 8.30 a.m. with registration and children can leave at 4.10 p.m. However, a number of extra-curricular activities between 4.15 and 5.15 p.m. and a supervised homework session between 4.30 and 5.15 p.m. mean that many pupils are still purposefully occupied until 5.30 p.m. and can be supervised until 5.45 p.m. A snack is provided at 5.30 p.m. for pupils requiring it.

Sporting Opportunities

Pupils in the Prep Department enjoy two hour-long games sessions per week at age 7 and 8, rising to three sessions by the time they are 9. The main sports are currently rugby, hockey, soccer,netball, cricket, rounders, cross-country and athletics. Pupils swim on a regular basis throughout the year, using the indoor pool at the Senior School. The activities programme also allows pupils to take part in fencing, judo, gymnastics and table tennis, karate and winter cricket nets, with the ever-expanding range allowing for other areas to be covered in the future.

The Performing Arts

Music, art and drama flourish at Bow, with all pupils taking part to a greater or lesser extent. Participation is our watchword and the opportunities are many. Well over half of the pupils learn an individual musical instrument and the choir and jazz band are lively groups. A newly established "fiddle" group is providing much enjoyment and we are looking to expand the music-making as much as possible. Two dramatic productions are performed each year and pupils can take part in speech and drama classes after school if they wish.

Trips and Excursions

Pupils in the Prep department benefit from a wealth of trips and visits to support the curriculum. Pupils have recently visited Durham Castle and Cathedral, Bede's World, Beamish Museum, Binchester Roman Fort, Arbeia Roman Fort, Monkwearmouth Railway Museum, Rheged in Cumbria, the Life Museum in Newcastle and the facilities at the University of Durham. There are frequent theatre trips to the Gala in Durham, Empire in Sunderland or Theatre Royal in Newcastle. We also organise sporting and cultural trips abroad, for example to Venice and Rome and our Easter ski trip to Northern Italy has become a very popular biannual event.

Links with the Senior School

Links with the Senior School are very strong and Bow pupils frequently visit the Senior School to use its facilities, so your son or daughter will have had plenty of experience of the Senior School before it is time to move up at the end of Year 6. There is close liaison between teaching staff at Bow and at the subject teachers at the Senior School.

Parents of Bow pupils are kept well up-to-date with events and developments at the Senior School, including special sessions for those parents of pupils in Years 5 and 6 as they look towards moving up to the Senior School.

The transition from Bow to the Senior School is, therefore, very smooth.

To make an appointment to visit please contact the Headmaster's Secretary, Mrs Jane Green, 0191 3848233

next event

U10A v Choristers
Monday, 06 February 2012

More forthcoming events.

recent news

Bow 2012 calendars for sale
It’s not too late to buy your copy!

Read more recent news.

photo gallery

See more photos of the prep school in the photo gallery.

Testimonials

"When you join the school, you get a buddy who is there to help you around the House and she is just like a big sister. I found that I soon made friends with all the other girls in MacLeod and many of the Pimlico girls. So settling in was not as scary and hard as I thought it would be - it was actually quite fun! "
Emily Phillips (MacLeod, Year 9)