"I like coming to school because I get to learn new things."
Lily, F7 student
Classes at St Stephen's
St Stephen’s School is organized over seven year groups starting with Reception and running through years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The children start school in the year in which their fifth birthday occurs and they leave for secondary school at the end of the year in which their eleventh birthday occurs.
Class Structure
There are two classes per year at St Stephen’s.
We admit children into Reception according to age; that is to say that there is a younger class (Class 1) and an older class (Class 2). Typically, Class 1 contains children with birthdays from March/April to August 31st and Class 2 contains children with birthdays typically between September 1st and March/April. Of course, all of this depends upon the relative ages of the children making up any single year group’s roll. We reserve the right to occasionally place children out of logical class (according to birthday) for specific reasons e.g. Special Educational Needs.
Key Stages and Phases
In most primary schools, the children are organized into Key Stages, with Reception being a separate stage and part of the Foundation Phase. Key Stage 1 then covers Years 1 and 2, and Key Stage 2 covers Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.
At St Stephen’s, we do things slightly differently. Phase 1 includes all the children from Reception to Year 3. Towards the end of Year 3, we move the children over into Phase 2, which includes the end of Year 3 plus Years 4, 5 and 6.
This is done to reflect our understanding of child development rather than the organizational norms nationally. It is our belief that nothing of any significance generally happens to a child over the summer holidays at the end of Year 2. They return to school at the beginning of Year 3 much the same as the little boy or girl who left at the end of Year 2. However, during Year 3 something really remarkable happens in terms of maturity and development. So we feel that it is far more logical to organize the phases around these general, natural changes rather than to impose a more arbitrary system.
Phase 1 is overseen by Mrs Gail Gammage.
Phase 2 is overseen by Miss Emma Dangerfield.
