Academic Excellence at the Heart of Teaching and Learning 26th September 2025 Academic At Copthorne Prep, our teaching team are committed to keeping up to date with educational research and best practice, to ensure pupils have the best possible educational experiences, both in and out of the classroom. Last week, our focus was on Rosenshine’s principles of instruction, which provide a bridge between research and classroom practice. They link to countless effective teaching strategies which are rooted in cognitive science and are considered ‘best practice’ in education. Some of the cognitive science that underpins Rosenshine’s principles of instruction are: Retrieval practiceThis is asking children to recall information previously learnt, rather than recapping it for them. The process of retrieving learnt information strengthens children’s memory of it, thus enabling it to be stored as long-term, secure memory. Therefore, they improve not only in terms of learning retained, but also in their ability to recall and retain, which strengthens them as learners. Cognitive load theoryThis means avoiding overloading children’s working memory, so that they can focus on assimilating new learning effectively and securing it in long-term memory. This means that we put in scaffolds and support to help children with things that are not the primary learning focus of a lesson, enabling them to really target their attention on new learning. Growth mindsetThis is the belief that skills, abilities and intelligence can be developed. Growth mindset encourages us to embrace cognitive conflict – we teach children that finding something difficult is a positive part of the learning process, and that working through challenge is beneficial for developing long-term resilience. Keeping these principles and their grounding in research in mind helps us to ensure our lesson design and delivery maximises pupils’ learning potential.
Sport Science in Year 3 26th September 2025 Science In Year 3 science, we have been learning all about the human skeleton. The children were fascinated to discover that the longest and strongest bone in the human body is the femur (thigh bone). To put their learning into action, they carried out an exciting investigation: Can someone with a longer femur jump further? The children carefully measured and recorded their results, using their scientific skills to think about fair testing and what might affect the outcome. It was a fun and active way to explore how our bones help us move, and Year 3 loved combining science with a bit of sport!
It’s a Matter of State in Year 4 Science 26th September 2025 Science Year 4 have been busy investigating how heat changes different solids. Using careful observation, they measured the time taken, temperature reached, and the changes in state when the solids were heated. The children were fascinated to see how some solids melted at different rates, sparking lots of discussion about why materials behave in different ways. It was a fun, hands-on way to explore science in action!
Year 6 Look at the Life and Work of Carl Linnaeus 26th September 2025 Science This week, Year 6 pupils have been learning about Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist known as the “Father of Modern Taxonomy.” Linnaeus developed the Linnaean System for classifying living things and introduced the binomial nomenclature — the two-part naming system for organisms that we still use today. The children researched his life and achievements before presenting their findings to the rest of the class. It was a fantastic opportunity to develop their scientific knowledge and presentation skills. Well done, Year 6!
Year 5 Learning from London Landmarks 26th September 2025 Co-curricular Global Last Tuesday, Year 5 set off into London for a special Global and English combined trip. Their class reader is set in Elizabethan London, so it was a fantastic opportunity to visit such wonderful historic sites, that are both featured in the story. At the Tower of London, the children learnt all about Sir Walter Raleigh and Alice Tankerville and their daring deeds and escapes! At St Paul’s, the Year 5 s had an opportunity to take in the wondrous architecture, paintings and mosaics. As they were guided through the cathedral, the children sat where the choristers usually sit as well as touch and talk about Henry Moore’s sculpture, ‘ Mother and Child’. What a brilliant day!
Year 5 Explore the Impact of the Tudors 26th September 2025 Global History is in full swing in Year 5 as the children begin their study of the Tudors. They have been learning to distinguish between primary and secondary sources and exploring the impact each Tudor monarch had on the country. Was the change positive or negative? And which monarch left the biggest mark on history? Year 5 are enjoying debating these fascinating questions.
Year 4 Making an Impact! 19th September 2025 Science This week Year 4 became space scientists! We carried out a crater experiment to mimic the impact a meteor would have when crashes into a surface. Using different “meteors,” we created impacts and carefully measured the width and depth of the craters left behind. Before we began, we made predictions about what we thought would happen. Then we made sure our test was fair, recorded our results, and finally wrote up our conclusions. It was fascinating to see science in action!
Using Maths to Crack the Space Code 19th September 2025 Academic Today, we took part in an exciting Maths Investigation Morning! Using our number skills to become space codebreakers. Working in teams, we tackled the challenge with addition and multiplication facts, testing different strategies to crack the code. Once the puzzles were solved, we came together to share our ideas, compare methods, and reflect on how many different ways there can be to reach the same solution. It was a fantastic morning of teamwork, problem-solving, and mathematical thinking – with a little bit of space adventure too!
Celebrating Summer STEM Success! 12th September 2025 Academic Science This week, we proudly awarded four outstanding pupils—Georgina, Meera, Ena, and Sienna—for their dedication to Maths over the summer break. Their hard work and enthusiasm truly shines, and we couldn’t be prouder! As part of our ongoing commitment to encouraging girls in STEM subjects, this achievement is especially worth celebrating. Well done, girls—you’re inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians!