Junior School

List of 2 items.

• Grades 3 and 4 at RSGC: Building Foundations for Belonging and Growth

  The Grades 3 and 4 cohort at RSGC is a vibrant community where curiosity, play, collaboration, and relationships are at the heart of learning. Grade 3 marks the entry year into RSGC, with a focus on ensuring every child feels known, loved, and valued. Through strong relationships with teachers and peers, boys develop a sense of belonging that is foundational to their success. Differentiated instruction ensures that each child is appropriately challenged, celebrated for his unique abilities, and supported in his growth. Teachers use ongoing assessment for learning to guide personalized feedback, support meaningful goal setting, and nurture reflection to help each boy grow in independence, deepen self-awareness, and develop a lasting love of learning. 

   

  Our academic program is informed by the science of reading and emphasizes foundational skills alongside hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Students become researchers, designers, developers, and presenters, engaging in projects that encourage creativity and critical thinking. Literacy development focuses on individualized instruction, small-group reading, novel studies, and cultivating a lifelong love of reading. Writing is integrated across subjects, helping boys build communication skills while exploring their ideas.

  In math, foundational numeracy skills are paired with the development of mathematical processes, including problem-solving, reasoning, connecting, representing, and communicating. Concepts are revisited throughout the year to deepen understanding and prepare boys for application-based challenges.

   

  STEM and humanities come alive through hands-on projects that connect learning to real-world contexts. Boys explore topics like plant life, habitats, Indigenous culture, and community structures, fostering a sense of responsibility and social awareness. Through design projects, students build, test, and present their ideas, developing skills in research, collaboration, and reflection.

   

  Play and curiosity are woven into every aspect of learning, creating joyful experiences that nurture creativity and confidence. Small class sizes ensure boys are seen and supported, with timely feedback and opportunities for self-reflection to foster growth. Grades 3 and 4 builds the foundation for a successful journey as lifelong learners and active contributors to their community.

• Grade 5 and Grade 6: Building Independence and Confidence in Community 

  Grades 5 and 6 at RSGC are transformative years where boys grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity through a hands-on, dynamic curriculum. Students develop a strong sense of community, forming meaningful relationships with their peers and teachers. Collaboration is a cornerstone of the program, with boys frequently working together to share ideas, solve problems, and celebrate each other’s successes.

   

  The science of reading informs literacy instruction, focusing on building comprehension and improving oral reading fluency. A love of reading is nurtured through choice-based novel studies and independent reading challenges, which allow boys to explore texts that resonate with their interests. Writing plays a central role in the program, with boys engaging in the writing process to brainstorm, draft, revise, and edit, growing into confident and creative communicators. 

   

  STEM learning is brought to life through hands-on projects that engage boys as researchers, designers, developers, and presenters. These projects build comfort with the design engineering process, which continues during a dedicated weekly coding and design period where students explore programming, problem-solving, and innovation. Mathematics emphasizes problem-solving, reasoning, and communication, helping boys articulate their thinking while developing foundational skills and tackling application-based challenges. 

   

  Throughout the learning process, teachers differentiate instruction based on ongoing assessment gathered through conferences, observations, and examination of student work. The program encourages boys to become self-directed learners by offering meaningful choices about their projects, processes, and goals. Reflection and feedback are integral, helping students deepen their understanding of themselves as learners and build the skills to advocate for their needs. Organization, collaboration, and social-emotional skills are intentionally cultivated through daily routines and structured group work. Together, these experiences foster a growth mindset, resilience, and a sense of belonging, building the confidence and curiosity boys need to embrace challenges with joy.