From 'shaking out the sillie's' to jumping off a cliff. 3 to 13 - the Prep School journey

Our Nursery

It has been wonderful to see the children back after their well deserved half-term to more glorious weather in Devon.

As  I  went  round  all  of  the  classrooms  on Monday morning, I was lucky enough to join Kindergarten for their morning dance and to ‘Shake the sillies out’ - a most enjoyable ten minutes which left myself and Mrs Brenton a little breathless! All staff and children are looking forward to the half term ahead with much in store including the Christmas Fair, a huge highlight, which I am looking forward to immensely.

Year 8 Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl

“Yes! We did it!” The Cross Keys Award for Year 7 and Year 8s has been running  this  week  with  both  year  groups  attending  their  ‘Spirit  of  Adventure Days’. I have witnessed team building games on the lawn, 1 to 1 personal development  and  leadership  coaching  with  an experienced  trainer  for  all  of  Year  8,  camp building and firemaking.

Leadership skills experts attend the school and spend six days over the two years with the children. The Cross Keys is like a junior version of the ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ Award with awards gained of bronze, silver and gold. It is inter-woven throughout the curriculum for the top two years at St. Peter’s.

Adventure programme in Year 8

The adventure element takes place on expeditions for each year group. Year 7 plan ahead and are trained for their expedition looking at food, kit, camp building, raft building and practical survival skills. Year 8 plan and undertake a ‘Major Expedition’ on Dartmoor. The groups are mostly self-reliant by this stage (with support in the wings!). They are responsible for their group’s navigation, shelter, catering and group management. They  have  to  deal  with  ‘unexpected  events’,  build  grit  and determination and experience personal challenge.

The award is made up of different elements. Firstly, it develops leadership skills, but also valuable life skills. Children are expected to plan and cook a meal for their family and to do some charity and volunteer work. They also undertake a lifesaving course and a separate first aid course. They spend time with the younger children planning and taking  them  for  activities. Personal  development  is  also  tracked  and  points  are awarded for resourcefulness, helpfulness, organisation, politeness and appearance. A log book is updated regularly by each child and becomes a journal keepsake of their last two years at St. Peter’s. We feel that there is something very special about these top years, where children reach the end of their prep school, where they come further together as a close unit leading and becoming ambassadors for the school. With a surfing trip, a no expenses trip to France and the opportunity of a culture trip to Rome next year the opportunities for personal development continue. I feel very proud of the journey which St. Peter’s provides from ‘Shaking their sillies out’ at 3 to leaping off cliffs at 13 and embracing their future with confidence.

Next week I will be writing with advice on choosing a Senior School for your child. I look forward to seeing Year 6 parents at a Future Schools’ presentation evening next Thursday 17th November at 6pm and Year 4 and Year 5 parents at a similar evening next term. The Next Steps Schools' fair, where Senior Schools visit St. Peter’s, is taking place at the beginning of the Trinity Term. Please put 4th May in your diaries.

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