The Pre-Prep Department at Sussex independent school Sompting Abbotts
Experience a typical day in the Nursery and Pre-Prep at Sompting Abbotts. Duration: 2.5 mins.
The Pre-Prep at Sompting Abbotts is where your child officially begins his or her education. The department comprises Pre-Prep 1 (Nursery); Pre-Prep 2 (Reception); Pre-Prep 3 (Year 1) and Pre-Prep 4 (Year 2). These year-groups are housed in the 'Old Stables' building.
A great start for your child's education
Class sizes are kept small, with most classes having maximum 15 pupils. Children are taught by a close team of experienced teachers supported by teaching assistants. It means our friendly department has the time to really build firm relationships with your child and your family.
“Pupils are confident, articulate and listen well to one another. They are courteous and well-behaved and have a sense of their own self-worth, which is encouraged by the celebration of each individual’s talents, progress and behaviour. ”
We strongly believe that the first years of school are a period of rapid cognitive development and that the teaching children receive at this stage will have a significant impact on their future attainment at senior school level. Evidence-backed research shows this.
As a school, Sompting Abbotts is unashamedly passionate about the importance of ‘anchoring’ our children in nature and promoting well-being.
For our Pre-Prep, this has a special relevance. Many were ‘pandemic pupils’ during a critical time for social development. Having observed higher levels of anxiety, we now run weekly outdoor mindfulness sessions (sharing feelings, yoga and ‘quiet listening’ to the sounds of the breeze or birds), as well as our daily in-class Circle Time, where children share news, thoughts and feelings with their teacher and peers.
In the Pre-Prep, pupils are taught English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, RE, Cookery and Design Technology by the class teacher. Specialist teachers are used for Music, Art, French and PE. Classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards, computers and digital tablets. We have a shared Junior Library with comfy cushions.
Modern technology supports our curriculum, and coding starts with Beebots, advancing to block-based visual programming with Scratch on Chromebooks, with iPads being used for lots of purposes, including for making videos and nature identification.
Pastoral care is a strong priority for us. We encourage our children and their parents to share life events, problems or successes. We keep you up-to-date on your child's progress both in person and through twice-yearly reports.
One-to-one attention
The Pre-Prep department places a strong focus on early literacy skills. and carefully selected reading books and a reading diary are sent home daily. Watch the video to find out more.
“All our children read individually to their class teacher for at last 15 uninterrupted minutes a day. It’s also an invaluable ‘check in’ time for the teacher to catch up with the child and listen and engage with his feelings – whether that’s something out of school or a falling out with friends!”
Video: 2 mins. Could the amount of time you set aside to listen to your Key Stage 1 child read aloud at home make a difference to his or her future academic achievement? Sompting Abbotts’ Pre-Prep teachers share their advice on how to help your child practise reading at home.
Skills for life
All our children perform in assemblies in front of their peers and parents. It's all about learning to stand up and talk in public – a skill that will be important later in life. We know that with encouragement even those of a shyer disposition become more comfortable and gain confidence when they're given the support they need to 'shine'. Self-confidence is gained from each small success, which leads to more success.
Extra-curricular clubs after-school are offered three days a week. The topics change every term. They include art and crafts activities, science and nature, indoor and outdoor games, and cookery. Ballet, speech and drama and music lessons are offered. We also organise regular topic-based educational trips outside school and invite interesting visitors into Pre-Prep.
Outdoor play and discovery
Pre-Prep children play together at break time. At midday, they eat a home-cooked lunch on communal tables with their teachers in the Dining Room. They have a large walled garden to explore, play hide-and-seek, clamber on the adventure equipment and role-play their passion of the moment – whether it's Harry Potter, the Gruffalo or The BFG!
Outdoor play on equipment in the school’s walled orchard garden. (Originally this was Sompting Abbotts Manor House kitchen garden). Learn more about the school history here.
Wraparound care is free to our parents. Children in the Pre-Prep attending our West Sussex private school Sompting Abbotts are welcome in the Early Room from 8am and in the Late Room until 4.30pm. If you're unavoidably delayed, your child will be taken to main school and supervised with the Prep pupils in the Library.
Baking fun in a Reception class when flour finds its way onto a nose!
Second language learning in the Pre-Prep
All children in the Pre-Prep department begin learning French from age 2. From age 2 to 4 years, we use immersion teaching methods via song and music. From Reception onwards, we begin more formal language teaching.
Learning a language from an early age can boost overall academic achievement. Children begin learning French from age 2. By Year 8, many are working at GCSE-level French.
A glimpse at Sompting Abbotts Sports Day for the Pre-Prep (Reception to Year 2). Parents get to fun-race too and a sandwich tea is served for everybody on the school terrace afterwards.
Click to see the full scheme of work for your child
Our top 30 story book recommendations for Key Stage 1 children (age 5 - 7)
Outdoor learning
Forest-school-style activities happen weekly for the Pre-Prep children. Find out more here.
What child doesn’t love to collect handfuls of glossy brown conkers? At Sompting Abbotts, they don't just fill their pockets — even socks become makeshift pouches. And so, at this time of the year, we send the children out into our school grounds to look for shiny conkers (not that they need any persuading).