Greenfields Lower School is the equivalent of Year Groups 1 to 6 in the English state school system.

The age range of students in the Junior school is normally 7 to 11 years.

Reading

In this age of television and computer games Greenfields is aware of the importance of vocabulary building and reading. We have an excellent reading programme which starts in the Infants, continues throughout Juniors and into the Lower Seniors. Ever wider reading is constantly encouraged. There is a strong emphasis on the use of phonics throughout the school.

Writing

The children learn how to write stories, poems, instructions, letters, reports, etc. They study and analyse the writings of others to help stimulate their own creative writing. Handwriting is taught with the aim of each student acquiring a neat, legible, cursive style through continuous practice in the Junior years, and students also complete a special Grammar and Communication Course.

Mathematics

Greenfields is proud of our mathematics programme which incorporates two avenues of instruction. Each Year Tutor has a series of games and activities to teach his or her class as a whole, and every child is also on an individual programme which allows each student to work at their own optimum rate.

Science

This subject is taught in projects. The first steps are an introduction to simple concepts such as weather, the human body and simple machines. In the next class, children study more of the actual biological and physical environment such as plant life and sound. In the older Junior classes, the students begin simple experiments and observations related to everyday life and the world around them.

Dictionary Course

This course opens doors for those who would otherwise be unable to understand even the simplest of terms. If reading opens doors to other worlds, dictionaries can be seen as one of the keys. The use of a dictionary is an almost universally overlooked fundamental in learning, but its full use is priceless.

Learning How to Learn

A unique aspect of the methodologies that are used at Greenfields is that all students literally learn how to learn, without study or memory “tricks”. They have to really understand and use what is studied.

The Learning How to Learn course is the first of several courses which train a student how to study with understanding.

Music, Art, Sport and ICT are also taught, and students have timetabled swimming lessons.

Graduates of the Lower School

When students complete their education in the Lower School they have all their English and Maths basics in place and are ready for the more specialised curriculum of the Senior School.