Natural Curiosity
We seek to foster a natural curiosity, enthusiasm and love of learning in every girl. Our wide and varied curriculum encourages excellence and empowers girls to reach their full potential. An array of themed days, visiting speakers and trips all help to bring classroom learning to life.
Developing Character
As they embark on their journey through Prep school, our girls develop the confidence to forge their own path and to celebrate their unique identity. They are welcoming and supportive of each other and enjoy celebrating each other’s success within our happy learning community. Our staff work in partnership with parents to maintain high standards of achievement and motivation; creating a supportive network for every girl.
The Curriculum
The academic curriculum has been designed to provide outstanding educational opportunities that will challenge, provoke, stimulate and celebrate learning, helping each girl to reach her potential. Core subjects assist with the development of a firm foundation, with support available for girls requiring additional assistance in literacy and numeracy, and more challenging activities to engage girls seeking extension. It is an exciting curriculum full of learning opportunities…
We have specialist teachers in Physical Education, Performing Arts, Science, Art, Design Technology, Food and Nutrition, Computer Science and Languages. We help girls develop critical and creative thinking skills through stimulating and innovative activities, and through broad co-curricular opportunities in including robotics, public speaking and debating and coding.
Academic excellence
Every girl can reach her full potential at RMS, and our Prep School girls receive a thorough grounding in core subjects to establish a firm foundation. We tailor learning so that girls receive additional support according to their needs – whether intensive assistance in literacy and numeracy, or extension activities to challenge the most advanced girls.
With a focus on inquiry, the girls learn about real-world issues to drive curiosity, questioning and problem-solving skills.
Inclusion
At RMS our Inclusion department is called PALS (Provision of Assisted Learning and Support). Our aim is to support students with additional needs to access the mainstream curriculum, reach their academic potential, and thrive at our school.
What types of need can be supported at RMS?
At RMS, we support our pupils across the four broad areas of need:
- Communication and interaction. For example; autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties
- Cognition and learning. For example; dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia
- Social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. For example; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Sensory and/or physical needs. For example; hearing impairments, processing difficulties
Students at RMS need to be able to access our mainstream school environment independently, but we appreciate that some may need supportive strategies.
Who can the parents talk to about their child’s needs?
Mrs. Morris, the Head of Inclusion (SENDCo), would be more than happy to discuss how we can work together to support your child’s needs.
Pastoral Care
The wellbeing of our girls will always be our number one priority. We know that happy girls succeed, so from the moment they arrive at Cadogan House we ensure every girl knows that her individuality will be celebrated.
Pastoral Staff
Our staff build strong relationships with our girls so they know that they always have somewhere to turn. The class teacher is responsible for a girl’s welfare, and they are supported by a dedicated pastoral team. All staff are trained to help our girls navigate through the challenges they will inevitably encounter, and are always on hand to provide expert guidance to parents in times of need. Many of our staff are trained Mental Health First Aiders.
Community and Pupil Voice
We work hard to ensure that our girls know their voices are heard, so we always listen to what they tell us about their school experiences. We provide opportunities for pupil leadership, including Head Girls and Year 6 Heads of Houses, class monitors and representatives on the School Council, and Environmental Action Team.
Pupils in Years 3, 4, and 5 are members of Community Council and Class Responsibility Group (The 3cs), while pupils in Year 6 are grouped as ‘leaders’ or ‘learners’ taking responsibility for areas around the school. Prep school pupils also come together with the Senior girls regularly for assembly providing a wonderful opportunity for reflection and celebration as a community.
Counselling
Life isn’t always easy, and occasionally some girls may require additional support throughout their time with us. Our school counsellors, have over 40 years of experience working with young people and are popular members of the whole school community. Our pastoral leadership team supports girls who may be struggling with challenges such as family bereavement or low self-esteem.
Safeguarding
Our staff share their commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We maintain a culture where young people feel able to share concerns, know how to approach adults if they find themselves in difficulty and where support is easily available and accessible. Our Cadogan House safeguarding team comprises staff who meet regularly to deal with cases and analyse pastoral trends. The team is led by Melanie Horn, and supported by the leadership team, who work closely with the Senior School safeguarding team to ensure the transition of pastoral information between our schools.
Beyond the Classroom
Whether inside the classroom or out, our girls are encouraged to create, explore and innovate. Through outdoor learning, an unrivalled co-curricular programme and a classroom-enhancing trip schedule, the inspirational learning experiences never stop.
Sports and Exercise
It is our job to help our girls to develop a love and appreciation of sport and exercise, which will provide lifelong benefits to their physical and mental wellbeing.
Our grounds and indoor sports facilities provide the perfect setting for girls to play a wide variety of sports. Pupils play team games but also have the opportunity to pursue individual sports to a high standard, often with the support of specialist coaches. Our girls mostly play hockey, netball and cricket, but we also field football, gymnastics, athletics, swimming and tennis teams.
Whilst a number of pupils play for local teams and have won representative honours at local and national levels, we are careful to balance elite performance with participation, and our PE staff work hard to create an environment where girls of all abilities can flourish.
Music
Music enables our girls to develop invaluable personal attributes such as self-discipline, initiative, imagination and sensitivity. We are proud that many of our girls who sing in a choir or play as part of an ensemble develop friendships with girls in other year groups, which contributes to the deep sense of sisterhood at Cadogan House.
In addition to regular class music sessions, many girls have individual or group instrumental lessons. These take place with professional musicians who also teach girls in the Senior School. We host formal and informal concerts every term and invite parents to see their children perform.
Drama
Our girls love to perform and we know that our parents love watching them too! Every year, Cadogan House girls wow us with their spectacular drama and dance performances, which allow them to express themselves and to build self-confidence and resilience.
We offer group Speech and Drama lessons from Year 4 upwards, often leading towards graded examinations.
Clubs and activities
Our wide array of after school clubs allow girls to uncover new passions and skills. From Sewing to Spanish, Computing to Cookery, Board Games to Ballet, they are spoilt for choice!
Forest School (RMS GO)
At RMS, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to explore, learn, and grow in the great outdoors. That’s why we’re so proud of our RMSGO programme, a year-round outdoor learning experience that begins in Ruspini and continues through to Year 6 and beyond.
Our students have the chance to immerse themselves in nature, guided by our qualified forest school leader. They learn important skills such as risk assessment, tool use, and fire safety, all while having fun and exploring their natural environment. Each session is tailored to the needs of the students, with the flexibility to follow their interests and ideas.
Not only do our students gain invaluable knowledge and practical skills, but they also develop important social and emotional skills such as resilience, independence, and self-reflection. These skills carry over into the classroom, helping our students to engage more creatively and confidently with their learning.
From den building to pond dipping, compass use to team building activities, RMSGO offers a range of activities that encourage our students to be active, curious, and adventurous. And the benefits extend beyond just physical health; regular time spent in nature has been proven to have positive effects on mental health and wellbeing.
We’re proud to offer our students access to our beautiful school grounds and the enriching experiences that come with exploring the natural world. At RMS, we believe that RMSGO is an integral part of our curriculum, helping to foster a love of nature, a passion for learning, and a sense of responsibility for our planet.
Trips and activities
We all remember the excitement of a school trip and the moment of revelation when something learnt in the classroom comes to life. We offer a huge range of excursions – cultural, physical, and residential – to broaden our girls’ horizons and show them something that they wouldn’t experience in school. What better way to learn about Egyptians than to visit The British Museum?
Residential trips in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 teach the girls important social skills – teamwork, sharing, courage to challenge themselves and independence. Current trips include Devon, Shropshire and the Isle of Wight.
We also have an extensive programme of visiting speakers who come to share their knowledge, experience and skills to engage the girls and stimulate their learning.
Moving up to Year 7
Having been at Cadogan House, our girls will have benefited from the best of both worlds: the security and intimacy of a small school and the wealth of opportunities and facilities that come with being part of a larger school. The Senior School will already feel familiar to our girls; they will already have been taught by some Senior School staff and will have explored many parts of the school site. All these elements combine to ensure a seamless journey from the Prep to Senior School, where our girls can hit the ground running and seize new opportunities from the outset.
Cadogan House girls are automatically allocated a place in our Senior School, but they will sit the entrance examination alongside external entrants for benchmarking reasons. Girls that perform well may be offered a scholarship for Year 7.
Private Visits
We take great pleasure in welcoming families to enjoy a private tour of our Prep School.
Our private tours are an excellent way for families to gain an in-depth understanding of our school and its values. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to meet our Prep School Staff and the Head of Cadogan House, Mrs Melanie Horn.
You will see our state-of-the-art facilities and learn about our unique educational approach. Our knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have and provide a comprehensive overview of our curriculum and extracurricular offerings.
Simply give the Admissions team a call on 01923 725354 to arrange a time to suit you or email admissions@rmsforgirls.com.
Prep School Open Events
Come and see our outstanding learning environment for yourself at an upcoming Open Event.
