Copthorne Prep Review

Effingham Lane, Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3HR | Tel: 01342 712311 | Website: www.copthorneprep.co.uk

spring term 2016

The 2016 ski trip was another spectacular success for the 42 children and 9 adults who took part and all returned with a healthy glow, having skied enthusiastically all week. We enjoyed beautiful blue skies and perfect snow in Pila, with plenty of interesting après-ski activities including “tubing” and “ice-cream eating”. Now taking bookings for 2017!

Nursery

Pre-Prep

Children from 2 years old can now be part of The Coach House Nursery, from 7.30am to 6.00pm, and for up to 48 weeks per year. The slightly more structured term-time is filled with bear hunts in the woods, whatever the weather; visits from tarantulas, lizards and corn snakes; weekly football, Spanish and even swimming lessons for the older Nursery (with the occasional class taught by the Headmaster); baking Gruffalo crumble and designing Super Hero costumes. Holiday Hi5 club is also run in the Nursery with a little more emphasis on free play with board games, ball games and bouncy castles! No wonder it’s so popular!

Stringbabies lessons are taking over the Pre-Prep! Over 25 children aged 5, 6 & 7 now have weekly lessons and we even enjoyed a mini violin concert in chapel. Dressing Up Day featured characters from a different story book per year group so we were awash with Willy Wonkas, witches on broomsticks, Saucepan Men and Moon Faces …. Reception even made a Magic Faraway Tree under which to play! Mother’s Day was full of smiles, sun, songs and happy tears!

Science Day

History Lessons

... focused on renewable energy and reducing waste. Year 8 presented their solar powered and recycled toys, ‘Dragons den’ style to the Headmaster and Mr Paul Virgo from Ardingly College. The whole prep school had a turn in the solar powered car, built by Ardingly students and kindly lent to us for the day. Art work was made from plastic bottles and waste material, seeds were sown in recycled bottles, and all children had great fun whilst learning how to reduce waste. Pre-Prep children looked at making gardens out of bottles and were involved in looking at the biodiversity of the school.

… always more memorable if they can be brought to life! Year 7 re-enacted the Third Crusades, recreating the exploits of Richard the Lionheart and Saladin! Year 4 learnt to march like Romans as part of their ‘Roman Day’ which included a feast of dates, olives, bread they baked themselves and dormice (not really, but it was a delicacy in Roman times!)

Out of School Fun!

We went number crazy! The Decagons took on the Pentagons, the Quadrilaterals did battle with the Triangles, the Heptagons tried to outwit the Undecagons and Hexagons, Octagons challenged the Dodecagons but they were no match for the victorious Nonagons! All followed by an afternoon of selling yummy treats, raffles, hook the duck and the human fruit machine… raising an incredible £1300 for the NSPCC.

Rugby, Netball and Hockey

Reward for a term’s hard work was paint balling at Skirmish. A fun afternoon of running, hunting and surprising your opponents left Year 8 the victors over Year 7, and certificates were awarded to particularly notable ‘Warriors’. Well done everyone! Team building at Blacklands involved blindfolding Years 5 & 6 while Reception’s transport theme included a bus ride to Three Bridges railway station, using tickets to get through the turnstiles and some fun trainspotting! (Plus yummy hot chocolate in the Coffee Zone!)

NSPCC Maths Day

With well over 70 rugby fixtures playedand more than 40 wins this was a verysuccessful season with pride of placegoing to the undefeated U9 B’s. Alsothe best set of results for the 1st XVfor some years. The main thing is thateverybody played and all improved.Similar improvements were noted in bothnetball and the indoor hockey teams. Amongst other teams, the U8A netball squad did particularly well, winning all their matches in emphatic style!