The structure of Secondary School education is based on subject-specialist teaching rather than the class teacher system used in Primary schools. The transition from one to the other may cause difficulties for some children. In order to make this change a more gradual process, the curriculum and daily life of Classes 4 and 5 is designed to increase progressively the amount of subject specialist teaching.
Class 3 pupils are taught mainly by their Class Teacher but also by a limited number of Subject Teachers. The children move to specially equipped rooms for some of their subjects. When the pupils move on to Class 4 and 5 they have a larger number of specialist teachers.
The Class 5 curriculum is specifically designed to articulate both with that of the Class 4 and with that of Class 6, who have the full range of Secondary specialist teachers. Class 5 students’ pastoral needs are catered for by Class Tutors, who also teach their class for one or two subjects.