Reception - Year 4

Welcome from the Headmistress

 

Here at Bellan House we believe that the development of the children in our care is the single most important thing in the world.  They come to us open and eager to learn and we nurture and cherish them as they explore their own completely individual abilities and talents in relation both to themselves and the world around them.

 

Truly the school with a heart in the heart of town, Bellan House combines a warm and caring family environment with a convenient central location.  Staff and parents work closely together to ensure the children are happy so they can enjoy success in all areas of their lives.

 

With its long co-educational tradition, Bellan House offers small classes and specialist teaching in all areas, ensuring very high standards.  Our close links with the Senior School extends the amenities available to the children and enables them to make a seamless transition when the time comes for them to move on.

 

Quite simply, we consider it a privilege to fulfil the trust parents place in us to walk alongside their precious children in this most important educational journey.

 

Jackie Greatorex

Headmistress – Oswestry School, Bellan House

  

The School Day

Our morning starts with registration, followed by assembly taken by either the Headmistress or Assistant Head of Bellan House, the School Chaplain or the Headmaster. The general theme of assemblies is moralistic encouraging the children to learn how to live and work together, how to treat each other and how to distinguish between right and wrong.

Once a week we have a Gold Leaf assembly, where we celebrate the varied achievements of the children. Through these we commend academic success and progress, as well as small things such as good manners, kindness or even something as simple as eating all their crusts at teatime! Children are presented with a Gold Leaf, a piece of leaf-shaped gold paper with their achievement written on it, for them to keep. Another is placed on the School’s Gold Leaf Tree for all to see. The children are incredibly proud of their achievements.

We also have a weekly Sharing and Showing assembly, where children share work which they have completed in class. We take every opportunity to celebrate individual achievements that the children have gained outside school, in areas such as music, gymnastics, rugby, horse riding and many more.

The children enjoy a healthy mid-morning snack of fruit and a drink of milk or water before a 20 minute playtime. A wide range of hot food, salads and fruit is available at lunchtime; our children have healthy meals, prepared on the premises by our school catering staff, current holders of the Shropshire Platinum Award for Healthy Eating. Children with special diets are catered for e.g. individually prepared meals for acute allergy sufferers. From the age of 6, children have a choice of main meals and puddings, but are encouraged to choose a varied diet, with fresh fruit and vegetables served daily. The infants also have a mid-afternoon break before listening to a story before home time. The cost of lunch and snacks is included in the school fees.

High standards of work and behaviour are expected from the children. Children wear the school uniform, which is simple and practical, and discipline is consistent and gentle, yet firm. We believe strongly in positive reinforcement and children are rewarded with stickers, House Points and Gold Leaves for good work, behaviour and manners. The School is divided into two houses, Swallows and Amazons, and children are encouraged to gain House Points, which are added up and announced once a week in assembly. Year 4 children have the opportunity to become prefects and House Games Captains. Being a prefect is a huge compliment and children take on many additional duties and responsibilities over the course of the year to provide a fitting end to their time at Bellan House.