Curriculum

Our Junior School Academic Curriculum

We create an environment where your daughter genuinely loves to learn.

With small class sizes and a team skilled in teaching girls, our personalised approach supports each child to thrive both academically and personally. We combine a clear, structured foundation in literacy and numeracy with active, purposeful learning that encourages curiosity and creativity.

Progress is carefully monitored throughout the year, particularly in core subjects, so we can ensure each pupil is developing as expected and receiving the right level of support and challenge.

Our curriculum is intentionally dynamic, with a strong focus on STEM, digital skills and leadership development. Pupils are encouraged to engage with their learning through collaborative planning and clearly defined success criteria tailored to their needs. This student-led approach deepens their enjoyment of school and builds lasting confidence and independence.

As girls progress through Junior School, their timetable broadens to include specialist-taught lessons in Music, PE, Art and Languages. These enriching experiences are an essential part of our commitment to a balanced, well-rounded education.

Our teaching staff bring both subject expertise and a shared commitment to educational excellence. In the lower primary years, class teachers are supported by dedicated classroom assistants, allowing more tailored attention to each child’s learning journey.

A Strong Pupil Voice

Pupil voice is a central part of Junior School life. Every pupil plays an active role through participation in school committees including the Pupil Council, Eco Council, Charities Committee, Health Committee, Junior Librarians and Junior Road Safety Officers.

We also prioritise one-to-one learning conversations, where pupils reflect on their learning, share ideas, and offer feedback. As one teacher shares, "That is probably the tool that we find to be the most empowering for the girls, and lots of ideas have come out of those conversations that we have then been able to put into practice."

Girls clock classroom edinburgh stgeorges

Curriculum Structure

Encouraging a Lifelong Love for Reading in Junior School

The Role of the Junior School Librarian

St George’s Junior School's library is a dynamic environment for inspiration, creativity, and fun. Leading this vital space is Brette Phebus, the Junior School Librarian, whose passion for inspiring a love of reading has transformed the lives of many students. Originally from the United States, Brette brings a wealth of experience, holding degrees in Early Childhood Education and Library Sciences. Her journey to St George’s began with a placement during her master’s studies at the University of Strathclyde, and she has been inspiring young readers here ever since.

"World Book Day is the best day ever. Last year, I dressed up as the Snow Queen from Narnia. I loved dressing up as a character from my favourite book and seeing what everyone else came as. This year, I’m thinking about being Alice from Alice in Wonderland." P5 pupil*

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St George’s boasts three distinct library spaces which includes one in the Junior School. Across the three libraries, the collection includes over 12,000 books, magazines and journals, over 500 ebooks and audiobooks plus subscriptions to 9 online research databases.

Classes in Primary 1 through Primary 5 attend library lessons once a week. They’re led in a library activity or story time with the librarian before having an opportunity to browse and borrow books and enjoy quiet reading time individually or in small groups. Find out about our school libraries.

Find out more about our Libraries

In the Junior School, digital skills are developed by classroom teachers. Much of the learning is play-based, and with a focus on engagement and gamifying learning. A range of iPad-specific applications are used to make learning fun, and to demystify technology; parallel to this, students engage in lessons using laptop and desktop computers, gaining important hand-eye coordination skills, and initial exposure to the Microsoft 365 apps they will rely on as they progress through the school.

Find out about our whole school approach to E-Learning and digital skills

Our Support for Learning team works alongside class teachers to provide specialist assistance to students in developing early literacy and numeracy skills. Our Early Intervention programme works hard to ensure all students have a strong foundation for literacy and numeracy.

P1 and P2

In P1, pupils may participate in our Early Intervention programme, which aims to ensure all the students have a good foundation for literacy. By intervening early, it is hoped that the foundation will be achieved through consolidating class work. The length of time students participate will vary depending on their individual needs.

In P2 our Early Intervention programme also helps those children who need support with early numeracy skills as well as early literacy skills.

P3, P4 and P5

In P3, P4 and P5 students identified either by class teachers or outside agencies, as requiring support in meeting their long-term targets, are taught either individually or in small groups. This means that students in Junior School with identified additional support needs have access to a specialist member of staff who works in conjunction with their class teacher to ensure that their individual needs are met.

Find out about our whole school approach to Support for Learning