Handcross Park - The Prep School

BE TR EWE

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Welcome

From the Head We are a Google Reference School, which enables us to apply all the latest technology, including the use of Chromebooks and other ICT tools, to enhance the learning experience of our pupils. We are determined to ensure that all our pupils are ‘future-ready’, and so we ensure that our curriculum enables them to develop ‘skills for life’ such as problem-solving, collaboration, communication, creativity and public speaking.

A very warm welcome to Handcross Park!

Handcross Park is a popular co-educational, day and boarding Prep School for around 400 pupils aged 2 to 13. Set in large, idyllic grounds, we are part of the Brighton College Family of Schools and about 30% of our Year 8 children move onto Brighton College each year. Others secure scholarships and places to a wide variety of leading independent senior schools, both locally and throughout the country.

Ultimately, we provide outstanding and inspiring teaching within a community where children are known and valued as individuals, where they are encouraged to explore and discover their strengths and interests and where the prevailing culture is one of kindness and trust. I would love to welcome you to our school so that you can see and feel the positive energy and the inspirational setting for yourselves.

Childhood is precious and we want our pupils to enjoy it for as long as possible, within an environment that offers a wide range of stimulating opportunities for growth and development, both inside and outside the classroom. Our school is purposeful, ambitious, forward-thinking and, most importantly of all, it is kind.

Our motto is Be Trewe, and it encompasses a set of core values that we work hard to weave through the fabric of all that we do. I believe that if children are happy then they will grow in confidence and flourish in all areas of their lives.

Jonnie Besley Headmaster

Pupils of all ages develop a scholarly ethos and a love of learning ISI Inspection Report

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A culture

of kindness

At Handcross Park, we know that happy children make better learners. Our outstanding pastoral care supports each child individually in their health, well-being and mindfulness, as they make their way through an exceptional educational journey.

Our school is a happy, safe and caring environment which fosters kindness, individuality, concern for others, independence and a growth mindset.

Everything we do at Handcross Park is underpinned by a culture of kindness. This is reinforced in lessons and assemblies and every child can tell you the three most important things in life are ‘kindness, kindness and kindness’.

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our pupils, we also host a number of events for parents to help tackle important areas of parenting, such as staying safe online, sensible use of screens, managing your child’s emotions and building resilience.

All pupils are taught PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education). We address all aspects of personal, social, moral, spiritual and health education as appropriate to the age of the children.

It’s impossible to resist the happiness of this place The Good Schools Guide

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A love

of learning

Academic excellence and rigour are at the very heart of a Handcross Park education. We strongly believe that all pupils have their own gifts, and we focus on enriching their individual talents as well as providing an innovative education that extends our pupils in many ways. Our dedication to ensuring that each pupil is given every opportunity to succeed is shown by our impressive results at Common Entrance and Scholarship at the end of Year 8.

We challenge our pupils to adopt a ‘growth mindset’, to strive to achieve their best and opt into all the challenges presented to them. In return, we will inspire, excite, enthuse, nurture and show the children how to be successful learners, both academically, and in the key competencies towards lifelong learning.

We offer a wide range of academic subjects, all of which are taught by promoting individual pupil engagement in the learning process. We have a clear understanding of each pupil’s needs and strive to ensure that they reach their potential.

Academic excellence is at the heart of a Handcross Park education The Week Schools Guide

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Technology and innovation

Technology use is at the forefront of life at Handcross Park. From individual Chromebook provision across the school to virtual-reality headsets used in numerous subjects, the school is approaching technology in a balanced and holistic way.

Handcross Park has been recognised as a leading technology innovation school, being shortlisted for the TES ‘Technology School of the Year’ and ‘Best Use of Technology’ Awards. The School was awarded the status of ‘Acer Innovation School’ for our work with Technology, one of only fifteen schools around the world to achieve this accolade.

Preparing our pupils for the future of education, the workplace and the world in general, is key to our curriculum. This is accomplished through gaining experience of collaborative working, conducting video-linked lessons with other schools around the world and, of course, how to be safe online.

Handcross Park is a Google Reference School and regularly hosts educators from around the world to demonstrate how we use technology effectively throughout the curriculum.

Handcross Park also stands out from the crowd in its use of technology The Week Schools Guide

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Future skills

At Handcross Park, we believe strongly in giving our pupils the skills they will need to thrive in a world that cannot even be imagined today. We strive to ensure that our pupils develop key life skills that set them apart from the majority. We have taken bold steps and a creative approach to future-proof the education of our pupils.

All pupils in the Prep School take part in a programme to work on their communication, collaboration, creativity, innovation, critical thinking and problem solving skills. Leadership is a key focus of this programme. Pupils are taken to evermore demanding challenges, such as camping and trekking in the Brecon Beacons, South Downs or summiting

Snowdon. Here our pupil’s learn how to work collaboratively to achieve a goal.

These key skills become embedded during a pupils time at Handcross Park, helping them to be ready for what the future may hold in this ever-changing world.

Handcross Park pupils are well prepared for a future that can’t even be imagined today Tatler

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Sport

for all

Sport is an integral part of school life and provides a platform for children to explore new challenges, discover hidden talents and ultimately have fun, whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sport at Handcross Park is not only competitive but inclusive. Through sport our pupils learn the importance of sportsmanship: how to win with grace and lose with humility.

All of our children play competitive sport from Year 3 through to Year 8 against other local Prep Schools.

Matches are played on Wednesday afternoons, and parents are always welcome to come and support our teams and join us for match tea.

every fixture to end-of-season ‘Coach’s Player’ and ‘Players’ Player’ awards. The ‘Team of the Week’ are also treated to tea with the Headmaster every Thursday too. Children in the Upper School work towards earning their ‘Colours’ in Year 8 or may even earn the distinction of becoming Captain of a particular sporting area or be supported through our Sports Scholarship Program in their application to senior school.

We celebrate the successes and efforts of our children and recognise them in a variety of ways from nominating girls or boys of the match after

The School promotes a strong sporting ethos with over 500 fixtures every year ISI Inspection Report

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Performing Arts

Pupils at Handcross Park are exposed to Music, Drama and Dance from an early age and enjoy performing in front of their peers and parents on a regular basis.

Every child receives lessons each week in Music and Drama with our specialist teachers. Essential skills are developed, including singing, internalising rhythm, coordination, confidence and public speaking.

peripatetic teachers, who are all successful practising musicians outside of their teaching commitments.

In Drama, pupils are given every opportunity to flourish and develop their skills, both on and off the stage. Each term sees a different large-scale production. Recently we have been treated to Mary Poppins, Mystery at Magpie Manor, Aladdin and The Lion King, to name but a few.

Most of the children at Handcross Park play a musical instrument and are involved in a plethora of ensembles and bands. All individual instrumental and vocal lessons are delivered by our team of excellent

Most pupils here learn instruments, and music lessons are an energetic business The Good Schools Guide

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Creative Arts

Art is taught in a modern, purpose-built, light and airy Art and Design Centre, with an incredible gallery to showcase our pupil’s superb work and its own relaxing garden space for outdoor artwork.

The Art department at Handcross Park is a truly creative environment for all our pupils. There is a kiln and wheel available for pottery, a number of sewing machines available for textiles and state-of-the-art cameras available for photography. We are hugely proud of the high number of Art and Photography Scholarships achieved, which bear testament to the brilliant teaching and environment in this department.

Design and Technology is taught in a spacious and well-equipped workshop. Pupils discover the different stages of the design process and the various tools, materials and techniques to turn their dreams and ideas into reality.

The swish Art and Design Centre houses art of all sorts, including pottery, textiles and photography The Good Schools Guide

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Brighton College

Handcross Park is proud to be a member of the Brighton College Family of Schools.

Brighton College has been selected as England’s Independent School of the Year 2019 by The Sunday Times. This is the most prestigious award in UK secondary education. The College was praised above all else for its culture of kindness which has made possible the remarkable academic success of the school. This has placed Brighton as the highest achieving co-educational school in England.

As a Brighton College School, Handcross Park has a very close relationship with the College, and many of our pupils leave Handcross Park to attend the senior school. We benefit hugely from this relationship with the College, through the sharing of knowledge and best practice as well as the use of facilities and termly visits for events and lectures. The relationship between us and the Brighton Family of Schools is an advantage to every Handcross Park pupil, regardless of whether or not they go on to Brighton College as their senior school.

United Kingdom School of the Decade The Sunday Times

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BE TR EWE

HANDCROSS PARK A

B R I G H T O N

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W W W.H A N D C R O S S PA R K S C H O O L .C O. U K