The Micklefield curriculum is centred on nurturing creative, critical thinkers who are able to communicate effectively and who recognise the importance of reaching their individual potential. We strive to integrate traditional aspects of teaching and learning with modern concepts such as Habits of Mind, Growth Mindset, and Philosophy for Children, which allows for a holistic and individualised curriculum.
Habits of Mind are thinking behaviours that push us far past simple answer retrieval. They change our pattern of thinking to help us when we don’t know the answer to a question or problem. Most successful people, regardless of their profession, have mastered these habits. This makes teaching the Habits of Mind crucial as we strive to teach the whole child.
Since they are cross-curricular, the following skills can be applied to all subjects and grade levels:
Using this language and mindset in the classroom results in resilient students who are able to tackle real-world problems without giving up.
Micklefield prides itself on its individualised teaching and learning approach. Twice a year, each class teacher, from Grade 1 to 7, spends some time with each pupil in order to find out about her strengths and what she finds challenging both in and out of the classroom. The teacher then helps each pupil to set realistic and achievable goals. This one-on-one time builds a positive relationship between teacher and pupil and assists the pupils to understand the importance of having a Growth Mindset.
Understanding what is important to each pupil allows us to create a curriculum that caters to the needs of all, and to choose a theme for the year.
In order to develop curiosity and encourage the development of questions that spark an interest in the world, Micklefield has incorporated Philosophy for Children into its curriculum. This engaging part of the curriculum uses a stimulus (book, picture or video) to allow children to develop keen questioning and conversational skills.
Micklefield follows the Singapore Maths curriculum, endorsed by Professor Ben Har. This programme ensures a sound development of skills and concepts through a spiral curriculum which builds upon and develops a thorough understanding of mathematical concepts. We focus on establishing an excellent and concrete understanding of concepts before progressing to the abstract. This allows for the development of a deeper understanding of numbers and problem-solving abilities.
Micklefield has incorporated a number of different programmes into their curriculum to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Programmes such as P4C and Habits of Mind have clearly contributed to the climate of enquiry and level of questioning and divergent thinking witnessed. (IQAA Mentor’s Report)
