Curriculum

A complete curriculum based on the National Curriculum and/or the Common Entrance/Belmont syllabus is followed by both schools.

At MHS, our full-time children study every subject, other than French. At the beginning of each term we send home comprehensive “Topic Sheets” showing what we will cover in all areas other than English and Maths. These details are also posted on our website so that prospective parents may gain a clear idea of the curriculum taught to each year group. In Reading, Spelling and Maths, dyslexic children need a great deal of reinforcement; this makes it difficult to predict accurately exactly what ground we will cover in Literacy and Numeracy. We therefore supply this information retrospectively at the end of each term.

Moon Hall School's aim is to enable children to master basic Language and Maths skills to a point where they can achieve their potential in a normal classroom. Specialist tuition in very small groups enables us to address the remedial needs of the individual child.

In our Year 6 Form, pupils are prepared for Key Stage II SATS Tests which take place towards the end of the academic year. Although we do not have to enter our children, we opt to do so to give them a nationally recognised target at which to aim. Self-esteem is boosted as they feel the equal of their non-dyslexic peers and many actually achieve better results than are expected of children of this age!

Our English Staff are specialists in their field. They are entirely conversant with highly structured multi-sensory remedial programmes - based on the work of leading dyslexia theorists. We offer a full English course, based on the National Curriculum, incorporating the “Phono-Graphix” system of teaching reading and spelling.

As far as we know we were the first specialist school in the United Kingdom to adopt Phono-Graphix throughout. This programme enables us to address the difficulties with phonology which dyslexic people experience. Additionally it allows our pupils to access the English language code with relative speed. Our results have always been good but Phono-Graphix has enabled us to help our children to achieve gains in reading much more speedily.

Since Phono-Graphix employs rather “different” methodology, it is vital that parents understand how best to listen to reading and to support generally. We therefore hold special Information Evenings shortly after new children start with us.

If you would like further information about Phono-Graphix now however, do visit our website and follow the Link accessed from “Information” in the Index. You might also find it interesting to read the entry on “Literacy Attainment”.

Specialist Departments

Moon Hall believes in looking after the whole child. We do everything possible to help him or her to perform efficiently in all ways - intellectually and physically. Our Speech and Language Therapist assesses all new pupils and works with dyslexic pupils who have associated speech and language problems. There is high demand for this service and our therapist will be available daily, from September 2006, assisted by the Therapy Assistant. Our visiting Occupational Therapist assesses all children prior to entry and devises suitable remediation when needed. Emphasis is placed on empowering teaching and support staff to implement recommended programmes and we employ a Therapy Assistant who works with the children at the direction of the therapists. Where appropriate, small groups are run to address specific areas of difficulty.

The “Ansua Programme” is a series of exercises we have taught since September 2001 and which we have seen produce great benefit. Some of our children have a degree of difficulty with gross motor control and this programme (illustrated inside the back cover of our prospectus) brings about noticeable improvement. We also have our own “monkey bars” on land adjacent to MHS and activity on this apparatus further improves strength of the upper body.

“Hand Gym” activities are devised by our O.T. to help handwriting and fine motor control and are again supervised by teaching staff and by our Therapy Assistant.

A Visiting Optometrist, who has specialized in the visual effects of dyslexia, screens pupils for visual problems that could affect learning. Where necessary programmes of eye exercises are prescribed and are carried out for a short time each day for as long as needed.

A doctor also visits to conduct audiology tests.

In all instances, the primary need must be dyslexia. We are not the right school for children who require considerable input for severe language processing difficulties, severe dyspraxia, or other developmental difficulties.