MSJ Prep (Years 3 – 6)

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years-3-to-6 header - Malvern St. James Girls School

MSJ Prep

A warm welcome awaits you at MSJ Prep.

We passionately believe the Prep at Malvern St James provides the best possible start for your child. By building solid foundations to last a lifetime, we begin each child on their personalised learning journey. Our staff are incredibly committed, dedicating time and care to ensure your daughter feels safe, confident and happy from her very first day.

Pre-Prep at Malvern St James spans the three years from Reception (age 4) to Year 2 (age 7). It sets the scene for a child’s educational journey in a warm, secure and creative learning environment.

Meet the team

Mrs Bedford

My name is Mrs Bedford and I am proud to be the Head of Prep at Malvern St James. I oversee the Early Years (MSJ Minis), Key Stage 1 (Pre-Prep) and Key Stage 2 (Prep).

Teaching and inspiring young girls and giving them the best possible start in life is my passion. At Malvern St James, we use diverse and imaginative teaching methods to foster rapid progress and ignite a lifelong love for learning. I hold high expectations for all of the girls in my department and strive to help them become the best versions of themselves.

At Malvern St James, there is something for everyone. Whatever your daughter’s interests, we provide quality first teaching, support and guidance so that every girl can find her passion, allowing her to be successful and achieve.

I have taught at Malvern St James for ten years and have seen the department go from strength to strength. We recently developed our early years, accepting pupils from age 3 into MSJ Minis. Excellent early education is so vitally important for future success, having solid foundations to build upon is what we provide at Malvern St James.

We are a very close knit department, offering that warm, family feel to girls so that they feel safe, loved and supported in all aspects of their lives. Promoting wellbeing and educating young children to be resilient and aware of their own mental health is a huge part of the curriculum here in MSJ Prep.

I encourage openness and inclusivity amongst our girls and we embrace diversity in every form.We work closely with MSJ Seniors and many specialist staff teach girls in MSJ Prep. As the girls progress through MSJ Prep, they are gradually introduced to different areas of the school and different staff across the school, given more independence and responsibility as they go.

For example in Year 3, pupils start having Science lessons in our specialist Prep Science Lab, in Year 5 and 6 the pupils use the specialist Design and Technology rooms. In Year 6, our Transition Program means girls take part in different events each term to prepare them for life in MSJ Seniors, some academic events, some pastoral events including how to manage their friendships.

All of these initiatives are planned so that our Year 6 pupils will make a smooth transition into Year 7, to MSJ Seniors.Our Prep Department is made up of outstanding staff who relish teaching and are eager to educate our next generation of women. We work in partnership with our families to give girls the best possible academic and pastoral start in life.

When the girls are in Year 6 and getting ready to move into MSJ Seniors, activities such as transition meetings and a Year 6 and 7 pizza party night are arranged, to make sure that our girls are comfortable and supported in the next stage of their learning journey with us.

MSJ Prep Co-curricular

In Year 3, pupils start having Science lessons in our specialist Prep Science Lab, in Year 5 and 6 the pupils use the specialist Design and Technology rooms. In Year 6, our Transition Program means girls take part in different events each term to prepare them for life in MSJ Seniors, some academic events, some pastoral events including how to manage their friendships. All of these initiatives are planned so that our Year 6 pupils will make a smooth transition into Year 7, to MSJ Seniors.

We believe that for girls to be all-rounded individuals, co-curricular activities need to be embraced alongside academic studies.

At Malvern St James we aim to foster talents that girls may already possess and strive to encourage new hobbies too. With around 30 MSJ Prep co-curricular clubs and societies, from football, self-defence, choir or horse riding, there is something for everyone taking place within the school day.

Malvern St James has some very impressive facilities. Pupils enjoy excellent sporting facilities and equipment, with fantastic opportunities to take part in competitive events.

The girls at Malvern St James are supported in the extra-curricular studies by our teaching team. The staff have an incredible range of skills and specialist knowledge in all sorts of extra-curricular areas, enabling the girls to explore a wide range of interests. Many of the sports and music clubs involve the girls in training and rehearsals with staff who are specialists in their subjects. The performances they give are a testament to their excellent knowledge and inspiring approach!

performingarts 1 - Malvern St. James Girls School

Most importantly, the girls are encouraged to experiment with their learning and to enjoy variety in their daily life at school.

They have lots of opportunities to discover interests and develop new skills; our aim is to nurture potential and provide opportunities to let their interests and skills flourish.

Athletics (Years 3 – 6)
Ballet (all years)
Calligraphy (Years 3 – 6)
Coding (Years 4 -6)
Cricket (in the summer Years 5 – 6)
Dance (All Years)
Eco Club (Year 5 – 6)
Fencing (Years 5 – 6)
Gym Club (Years 3 – 6)
Hockey (Years 5 – 6)
Homework Club (All Years)
Jewellery (Years 3-6)
Just Dance Club (All Years)
Learning Development Drop-In (Years 3 – 6)
Netball (Years 3 – 6)
Pottery (Years 3 – 6)
Prep Choir (Years 3 – 6)
Prep Orchestra (All Years)
Prep Production Design Club
(Year 5 – 6)
Riding (Years 2 – 6)
Sketching (Years 5 – 6)
STEM (Years 5 – 6)
Swimming (Years 3 – 6)
Tennis (Summer term – Years 5 – 6)
Touch Typing (Years 3 – 6)
Track Club (Years 3 – 6)
Trampolining (Years 3 – 6)

A Day in the Life

Registration (all girls should be in their classroom for Registration)	08:20
Assembly/Tutor Time/Hymn Practice	08:30 – 08:50
Period 1	08:50 – 09:25
Period 2	09:25 – 09:50
Break	09:50 – 10:20
Period 3	10:25 – 10:50
Period 4	10:55 – 11:25
Period 5	11:30 – 12:00
Period 6	12:00 – 12:25
Lunch	12:30 – 13:30
Registration	13:30 – 13:35
Period 7	13:35 – 14:05
Period 8	14:10 – 14:40
Period 9	14:45 – 15:15
Year 3-4 Reflection/Tutor Time Girls are encouraged to participate in the extra-curricular activities but parents may collect their daughters at the end of reflection time if they wish.	15:15 – 15:35
Period 10	15:20 – 15:50
Year 5-6 Reflection/Tutor Time Girls are encouraged to participate in the extra-curricular activities but parents may collect their daughters at the end of reflection time if they wish.	15:50 – 16:05
Early Minibuses Leave	16:10
Supper	18:00
Minibuses Leave	18:10

Wraparound Care at Malvern St James

Wraparound care is offered for all pupils and girls can be looked after in School before morning registration and following the end of the School Day.

Wraparound care in MSJ Prep is run by a team of dedicated and qualified Play Leaders from 15:15 onwards for the benefit of parents who cannot collect their children when school finishes. Pupils in Years 3 – 6 who remain in school after lessons have finished for the day will automatically attend either After School Club or any activities, including prep.

Boarding at Malvern St James

Girls from Year 3 upwards can full board, weekly board or flexi-board. Flexi-barding is a great option, some girls who come from slightly further afield, perhaps Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, Warwickshire or Staffordshire, take advantage of one to three nights flexi-boarding a week. This allows girls the chance to engage with evening activities, whether academic or social and allows for a slightly later wake up call in the morning.

Day girls are each given two nights boarding per term at no additional cost so every girl can take advantage of boarding life at Malvern St James.

Find out more about prep boarding

Transition to Year 7

In Year 6, our Transition Program means girls take part in different events each term to prepare them for life in MSJ Seniors, some academic events, some pastoral events including how to manage their friendships. All of these initiatives are planned so that our Year 6 pupils will make a smooth transition into Year 7, to MSJ Seniors.

Day Girls

Day girls at MSJ Prep are mostly from Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. We are the only all-through girls’ school in the county and therefore we are the school of choice for many local families looking for an enriching single-sex educational experience for their daughter.

Getting to School

Whilst some girls are dropped off by their parents, many girls use the school bus. There are ten Malvern St James bus routes, serving five different counties, each with a number of collection points.

A place on the School bus is available on a termly basis. If you have more than one child using the service we offer a sibling discount of 50% for the second child.

A place on the bus can be shared between two families, for example, if your daughter only uses the route in the morning, you would be welcome to ‘share’ the place and cost with a friend whose daughter uses only the return trip.

The School is happy to offer occasional use to families, in the case of emergencies and if there is a seat available on the required route (for example, if a parent’s car has broken down).