School Life
What is life like at Kensington Wade?
As children arrive at Kensington Wade each morning, they are welcomed by English and Chinese staff ready to fill their day with challenge and fun.
This positive start to the day sets the tone for a supportive, engaging and stimulating learning environment.
How does the bilingual immersion work day-to-day?
Alongside receiving a first-class prep school education, pupils at Kensington Wade will leave fully able to speak, understand, read and write Chinese.
We achieve this through an immersive model so the children at Kensington Wade spend:
- Half their day being taught in English in an English environment
- The other half of the day in a Chinese classroom being taught in Chinese
This consistent exposure enables children to develop confidence and fluency in both languages naturally over time.
What does a typical school day look like?
A typical day at Kensington Wade would see mathematics followed by comprehension, writing, music, science, PE and reading – just the same as in any other prep school – the only difference is that at Kensington Wade for half the day those lessons are taught in Chinese.
This familiar structure helps children feel comfortable, while the bilingual element adds a unique and enriching dimension to their learning.
How is the curriculum delivered?
At Kensington Wade we take curriculum delivery very seriously. We have a slightly extended school day so we are able to teach more English and more mathematics than many other prep schools as well as first-rate specialist teaching with a strong focus on computing, coding, STEM subjects, sport and music.
Our approach ensures that pupils benefit from both academic rigour and a broad, balanced education.
What does the wider school day include?
At Kensington Wade we have a whole school assembly twice a week and one assembly each week includes presentations or performances from our pupils in both English and Chinese.
The school day also includes:
- A mid-morning break
- An hour break at lunchtime
School finishes at 3.30pm but many children stay at school to participate in a wide range of co-curricular clubs. We also offer after school care until 6pm.
These additional opportunities allow pupils to explore their interests and develop new skills beyond the classroom.
Where can I see a timetable?
See a sample timetable for Year 3 and Nursery.
This provides a helpful insight into how the school day is structured across different age groups.
