The Curriculum at Cargilfield follows the independent schools' curriculum and to this we add Latin, Greek, Spanish, Mandarin and Philosophy.
What you can learn at Cargilfield.
Upper School (7 1/2 – 13)
Although Cargilfield is fully aware of the curriculum set down by the department for education in Scotland, ultimately we follow the independent schools’ curriculum which prepares for Common Entrance either at 11 plus or 13 plus and for the senior school scholarship which is taken at 13 plus.
The independent schools’ examination board is in charge of setting down the curriculum which is followed by over 600 Prep Schools and over 250 senior schools. Generally speaking the curriculum followed at Cargilfield is about a year – or even more in one or two subjects – beyond the curriculum set down by the government.
The core subjects of Mathematics, English and Science are taught right through the school; in addition, History, Geography and RS are taught as individual subjects and all Cargilfield children take at least one language. Latin is taught to every child in the Upper School from the age of 8 1/2 and classical Greek is taken by over 20 children at the top of the school.
In addition to the above subjects, boys and girls can also attend clubs in Mandarin and Spanish.
Nearly 4 hours a week are allocated to Art, Design and ICT and both Drama and Music are taught throughout the school up to form 7. Games and PE are taught to all boys and girls everyday of the week.
The breadth of the Cargilfield curriculum ensures that all our children are prepared correctly for senior schools whether they be in Edinburgh, other parts of Scotland or in England. Indeed it is possible for a pupil at Cargilfield to be prepared for an international school in Europe or the United States.
Nursery and Pre-Prep
In our Nursery class, we recognise that the best way for our children to learn is through purposeful play-based activities, which allow them to investigate and question the world around them while laying a secure foundation for future learning. The Nursery environment and the extensive range of experiences the children have, help to nurture all aspects of their development and encourages them to become enthusiastic, confident, happy individuals with a love of learning.
As the children move up through the early years in the Pre-Prep, the small classes allow learning to be tailored to the individual to ensure that they have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Literacy and Numeracy form the basis of the curriculum and the skills and knowledge gained enable our children to access and learn about the wider-world through topics which encompass History, Geography, Science, Technology, Art and Drama.
Educational visits also play a major role here in supporting learning in the classroom for all children aged between 3 and 8.
Pupils have the opportunity to develop their skills in French, Music, Drama and Physical Education with our specialist teachers and with our extra-curricular programme to experience a range of sporting, creative and charitable activities.
