Prospect House - News & Events Roundup
Individualised Learning
Kelly Gray has recently written an article about the individualised learning programme on offer at Prospect House where she is the headteacher. It is recognised that every child’s journey is unique and that some children develop at different speeds as they transition through their school years. Tailored instruction is provided throughout Prospect House where teachers are involved in a regular review of progress and evaluation of changing needs as the children develop, enabling all to achieve their full potential. Read the full article here:
Art Pathway
The art pathway at Prospect House is now in full swing! This initiative is aimed children who not only demonstrate a high ability in art but who also show a passion for the artistic process. The Director of Art, Mr Clavis, takes his inspiration for this programme from university-style coursework: setting a theme; developing individual ideas; curating an exhibition. At the end of the summer term 2024, the children showcased their individual projects based on the theme of ‘autobiography’ in the school’s very first art exhibition. Students are now working on the next theme: time.
Dukes Festival of the Arts
Dukes ÍÑ¿ã°É will be celebrating their tenth anniversary this year. As part of the festivities, the whole of Year 5 and Year 6 at Prospect House will be joining over 700 other children to perform in the Dukes Festival of the Arts at the Royal Festival Hall. The children have been enthusiastically learning all the music in preparation for this unique event and are very excited about the upcoming performance!
Cross-Country Competition at Epsom College
Almost 600 children from 39 schools recently competed in the 2024 Cross-Country Competition in the grounds of Epsom College. The 1.8 mile course proved tricky in its terrain but only seemed to inspire the athletes from Prospect House. The boys and girls from Year 5 and Year 6 produced very promising results notably, a 2nd place team award for the Year 5 boys. The standout result of the event, however, was certainly the quite extraordinary Year 6 boys race in which Jamie from Prospect House won by a clear 16 seconds, having demonstrated an absolute masterclass in tactics.
Sustainability Initiatives
Inspired by the work being done across the Dukes ÍÑ¿ã°É schools, Prospect House have launched several new initiatives this term focussed on sustainability and the environment including a dedicated Eco-Council. A new Gardening & Sustainability Club has been excitedly received by the children. They are redeveloping garden spaces in both the Lower and the Upper Schools over the course of the term with the aim of maintaining a vegetable patch next to the on-site forest school. Hopefully the local wildlife will cooperate in this endeavour!
Poetry Together
As part of the English extension programme, some of the Year 5 and 6 pupils from Prospect House got the chance to attend the Poetry Together launch event in Westminster run by Dukes ÍÑ¿ã°É. The children fully immersed themselves in the experience and relished everything about the day, getting the chance to work with some acclaimed poets and hear some powerful stories and performances.
The event was started by Gyles Brandreth, poet, broadcaster, and author, who introduced the children to the workshops taking place during the day including smaller activities such as fridge magnet poetry and a portable collection of poems where you could ‘take what you needed’.
The first workshop for the Prospect House pupils was run by Steven Camden, also known as Polarbear. He got the children to quickly brainstorm about a mystery location, a mystery character, a sound, and a pet amongst other things. With all the ideas buzzing around, the room became electric with the energy of excited voices and inspiration fizzing between friends. With those imaginings, Steven emphasised that something magical can come from what was once an organised mess!
For the second workshop, the students were lucky enough to be joined by Joseph Coelho, acclaimed author, poet and the 2022-24 Children’s Laureate. The children listened to his poem If all the World Were Paper and were enthralled by how he performed as well as the message behind his words. They then wrote a few lines inspired by this particular work.
The Dukes Annual Poetry Competition, closing on 20 December, encourages children to write a poem encompassing the theme ‘friendship’. Any school can take part and it is free to enter. If selected, children can win book vouchers for their school, be invited to perform on ITV’s This Morning or go to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen Camilla.
November 2024