Exploring the Journey to Senior School 27th March 2026 Academic It’s been a week of looking ahead for pupils and families in Years 4 and 5! On Monday morning, parents were invited to join a presentation from our senior leadership team giving insight into how we prepare our pupils academically and holistically for their time not only in Years 5 and 6 here at Copthorne but in readiness for their move on to their chosen senior school. As part of the Caterham Family of Schools, our children can choose the through school route to our award winning senior school, Caterham School. Our Early Offer process avoids the stress of an 11+exam for pupils and gives peace of mind early on for parents. With this in mind, we were delighted to welcome Mr Ceri Jones, Headmaster at Caterham School to the presentation. Mr Jones talked about the ethos, diverse culture and academic ambition at Caterham that is shared here at Copthorne and welcomed families from all year groups to visit Caterham. Transition from Year 4 to Year 5 is an exciting step for our pupils, as they move to a senior school model of subject specialist teaching and begin to navigate their timetables independently. This week, Year 4 had a taster of life in Year 5, visiting the Year 5 and 6 corridor for English and maths lessons led by Mrs Litchfield (Head of English) and Mrs Potgieter (Head of Maths). They rose to the challenge and impressed us with their maturity and engagement! In the afternoon, Year 4 visited the impressive Performing Arts Centre at Caterham School and were able to watch the Lower School production of Emil and the Detectives. They were thrilled to see lots of former Copthorne pupils on their route through the school to the Humphreys Theatre who spotted our distinctive red blazers in the sunshine. Year 5 also visited Caterham this week for some senior school taster sessions. They enjoyed a bug-tastic art lesson with Head of Visual Arts, Mrs Veldtman where they played with a limited colour palette before they donned 3D glasses to pop their bugs into life. They also visited the science lab and carried out some investigations into forces. Mrs Hills-Matthew, Head of Prep Science was very impressed with their energy and enthusiasm! A pit stop for lunch in the big refectory and then straight off to an EDGE session with Mr Lang, Deputy Head Innovation, for some collaborative problem solving, including some time on the ever popular spheros. The Copthorne – Caterham shuttle bus awaited at the end of a busy morning to whizz them back to school. Thanks to all our Caterham colleagues for a wonderful visit!
Into the Wild with Year 3 at the Bigwood Estate 27th March 2026 Global This week, our Year 3 children enjoyed a fantastic spring visit to the Bigwood Estate. They had a wonderful time exploring the outdoors with Farmer David and were excited to meet horses and spot cows with their calves – including a magnificent Highland cow! The children loved spending time in the woodland, where they discovered a variety of plants and even had the chance to taste wild garlic. In our English lessons we have been studying the classic story of Charlotte’s Web and at Bigwood we were able to go on a mini‑beast hunt, searching for spiders on their webs! We saw lots of beautiful, intricate webs and little, delicate spiders to inspire our creative writing back in the classroom. What a brilliant morning out in fresh air immersed in nature. We loved it!
Reception Explore 3D Shapes 27th March 2026 Academic Pre-prep Reception have been exploring 3d shapes this week and as part of outdoor maths day we decided to test different 3d shapes. We had to work with a partner and investigate which shapes were able to stack, roll or slide. We had a wonderful discussion working out if certain shapes were sliding or just rolling.
Reception to Year 6 Maths in Motion 27th March 2026 Academic Pre-prep This week, following the completion of our end‑of‑term maths assessments, pupils across the school celebrated their hard work with a series of collaborative and active outdoor maths lessons—a wonderful example of the Copthorne approach in action. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 took part in a unique Place Value Bootcamp, led by Mrs Richardson, complete with a rousing place value “army chant” and a range of fun, physical games designed to build confidence and understanding. In Years 3 and 4, pupils worked together to solve maths problems hidden around the school in an exciting scavenger hunt, combining reasoning, teamwork and resilience. Our Year 5 and 6 pupils rose to the challenge of the much‑loved Copthorne Escape Rooms, where demanding mathematical problems required collaboration, communication and perseverance, helping some teams unlock the treasure sooner than others. These experiences perfectly reflect our belief that maths at Copthorne is active, inclusive and deeply rooted in collaboration and thinking.
Year 3 Uncover the Secrets of Seeds 27th March 2026 Science This week, Year 3 explored the fascinating world of seeds. From tiny snowdrops to mighty oaks, every plant begins with a seed, and the children enjoyed examining a variety of fruits to discover the seeds hidden inside. They learned that seeds come in many shapes and sizes and there are some that we can eat, and some we can’t. The classroom was buzzing with lots of curiosity and discussion.
Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock Joins Space Day 20th March 2026 Academic Community Science Uncategorised This week, we were honoured to welcome the amazing Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, renowned space scientist, television presenter, and passionate science advocate, for a special Space Day. Dressed to impress, our curious Pre-Prep children watched Maggie star in her own episode of The Clangers and learnt how the children’s TV series had ignited her interest in space. They then thoroughly quizzed real-life Maggie about black holes, white holes, aliens and black flips in space. Dr Maggie also stopped by StarLab, the space observatory, here on site at Copthorne Prep and run by members of the Crawley Astronomical Society to check out the big night sky telescope along with the new solar scope that offers fascinating views of solar flares and sun spotswith pupils from Years 3 and 4. Our Years 5 and 6 pupils welcomed Maggie to the senior science lab where they were investigating food in space and how being in space affects our senses. Maggie was thrilled to see our facilities and shared some wonderful insights into creating and adapting your own observational equipment. An amazing day ended with a heartful talk to a packed hall of families and friends. Maggie has spent her career helping others understand the wonders of space, from her work on the James Webb Space Telescope to presenting The Sky at Night. Yet what resonated most with everyone was not just her incredible achievements, but her personal journey. She spoke openly about attending 13 different schools, navigating dyslexia, and discovering that her diagnosis was not a barrier, but a superpower that shaped her creativity and determination. Her message – that resilience, curiosity, and dreaming boldly can take you anywhere – left our children absolutely captivated. She even shared stories of how her love of The Clangers and Star Trek inspired her early fascination with the universe and pushed her toward a life in science. Her warmth, humour, and honesty lit up the room, and paired perfectly with our space‑themed day, where pupils immersed themselves in scientific questions, models, and cosmic wonder. At the end of the talk, Maggie spent time chatting with families and signed copies of two of the many books she has written. As part of her visit, Maggie also visited the new satellite school, Moon Hall Copthorne, opening in September 2026. Maggie shared her own journey with dyslexia and was thrilled to learn about the partnership between Copthorne Prep and Moon Hall School and the wonderful opportunities it will bring for all pupils. You can find out more about Moon Hall Copthorne. Huge thanks to Maggie for spending a magnificent afternoon with us, we are your biggest fans! Our thanks also go to Crawley Astronomical Society, who helped bring the universe even closer.
Year 6 Head to London for Creative Arts Enrichment 20th March 2026 Co-curricular Creative Arts Global Last week, our Year 6 pupils enjoyed a truly memorable day in London as they explored some of the city’s most iconic cultural landmarks. Our first stop was the Globe Theatre, where the children were taken on an extremely informative and engaging tour. They learned all about the theatre’s rich history, from its Elizabethan origins to its reconstruction, gaining a real sense of what theatre‑going was like in Shakespeare’s time. A particular highlight was the rare opportunity to sit inside the auditorium and watch part of a live rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet. The pupils were fascinated to see the actors at work, gaining a behind‑the‑scenes insight into how a performance comes together. After the tour, the group took part in an energetic drama workshop based on Macbeth. Through a series of drama games, they explored characters, themes, and key moments from the play, bringing Shakespeare’s work to life in a fun and physical way. To round off the day, we visited the Tate Modern, where we explored exhibits linked to our learning on Materials. There was plenty to discover, but a firm favourite was the wonderfully tactile wall of carpet, which sparked lots of curiosity and discussion. Our Year 6s returned full of excitement, new knowledge, and a deeper appreciation for Shakespeare and the arts. A fantastic day of learning and creativity!
Creative Research Challenge Marks International Women’s Day 13th March 2026 Academic This week in assemblies, the children learned about International Women’s Day and explored stories of women who have shaped history, driven change, and inspired others across the world. To build on this learning, pupils have been set a creative research challenge. This is aimed at children in Years 3 to 6 but children in Pre-Prep are welcome to make a poster on a similar theme if they would like to take part. Over the next week, they are invited to create a short presentation about a woman they find significant or inspiring. This could be a historical figure, a modern trailblazer, or even someone from their own community. The focus is on celebrating women who have made a positive impact through courage, creativity, leadership or resilience. Pupils have been given clear guidance on what to include, such as: who their chosen woman is and what she is known for the challenges she overcame how she has influenced others or changed the world what they personally admire about her This project also links closely to our English curriculum expectations. Pupils are expected to present research in their own words, use accurate spelling and punctuation, and structure their slides clearly and thoughtfully. To recognise excellence, we are using our new Academic Excellence Rewards: ⭐ Merit Certificate (10 stars) for excellent work 🌟 Head’s Distinction (25 stars) for exceptional work, originality and independence We can’t wait to see the variety of women pupils choose to celebrate, and the high‑quality work they produce. Thank you for supporting your child by encouraging good research habits and helping them take pride in their final presentation. We look forward to seeing the excellent work the children produce!
Macbeth Live: Year 6 News Reports from the Castle 13th March 2026 Academic Performing Arts In Year 6 English, the children have been exploring the drama and suspense of Macbeth through Act 2 Scene 2 – the death of King Duncan. Inspired by the classic “Kermit the Frog News Flash” segments from Sesame Street, pupils planned and performed their own short news reports on this pivotal moment in the play. They had great fun scripting and filming their broadcasts, live from Inverness Castle, skillfully weaving in features such as emotive language, alliteration, and powerful vocabulary to bring the scene to life. Their creativity and enthusiasm shone through in every report.
Year 5’s Botantical Journey at Wonderful Wisley 6th March 2026 Co-curricular Global Although the skies were overcast and grey for our visit to RHS Garden Wisley, the conditions inside the Glasshouse were warm and tropical for our first activity. Year 5 pupils stepped into the indoor rainforest to discover spectacular Amazonian climbers, opulent orchids and a variety of exotic plants, as well as a beautiful waterfall hidden within. Our next stop was the Old Laboratory, where the children learnt about Wisley’s fascinating history, including the important role it played in saving the daffodil from possible extinction. Despite the cold and very wet winter, we could see that spring was very much in evidence across the gardens, with stunning swathes of crocuses, snowdrops and daffodils bringing colour to the landscape. During the Plant for the Planet workshop, pupils learnt how to take cuttings from certain plants and discovered how to plant and care for pea shoot seeds, which they were able to sow themselves. As one Year 5 pupil put it: “It was incredible and I loved it because I learnt so many things about plants.”