2024 Summer Term 2

Dear Parents and Carers,

The Summer term has been an excellent term enjoyed by all pupils at the school.  Seeing so many pupils engaging in their learning and progressing in all classes has been great.  Many pupils have enjoyed end-of-term trips and shows to celebrate their hard work over the year.  This year, we have managed to take every pupil to see a live theatre performance; many of these have been a West End show. This will hopefully inspire and interest more pupils in to Drama at the school.   

Sports day was a great success. Staff provided a range of activities for pupils to compete against each other in. The day was enjoyed by all. I would like to thank the PE department for organising this so efficiently.

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful summer together and look forward to welcoming all pupils back to school on Tuesday, 3^rd September.

I would like to thank you all very much for your continued support of the school throughout this academic school year. 

Best wishes,

Mr Anderson

Principal 

Muntham House School KS4 Football team took part in the National Engage tournament at the home of Football, St Georges Park National Football Centre.  Schools took part from the Southern, Northern and Midlands regions and competed against each other in difficult, hot, sunny conditions.  The whole tournament was played in the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship.    

Our team from Muntham finished the day as champions, which was certainly a great achievement. All pupils demonstrated great teamwork and togetherness to play against and overcome each of the other 9 schools participating in the tournament. Goals were shared amongst the team, and our defence managed to keep out most of the goals from the other teams. The behaviour and attitudes of all of the team were excellent throughout the tournament, and our team was a credit to the school. 

Well done to all pupils for their part in this great achievement.   

This year, Muntham House’s Battle of the Bands competition was back with a bang! 4 Schools battled it out, contending courageously for the chance to be named champions. 

Last year's winners, Muntham House, set the stage on fire with an awe-inspiring cover of ‘Go Your Own Way’ by Fleetwood Mac. They were followed by St Anthony's, who brought a different energy with ‘Blue (Dabadee)’. New Barn then rocked the whole building with some loud and heavy ‘Green Day’. Oak Grove College finished things off with an incredible version of ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries. Each performance was unique, adding a diverse and entertaining element to the competition.

Each band commanded the stage with immense presence and virtuosity. The standard of musicianship this year had risen to outstanding. The judges had the unenviable task of choosing the winner between the four incredible performances. In the end, New Barn was pronounced the victor. They walked away with their medals as well as the coveted recording studio prize.

All had a fantastic day. The Muntham House Music Department wishes to express our heartfelt gratitude to all who took part. Your passion and talent made the event a huge success. We look forward to hosting this amazing competition again next year. 

This year’s Peer Mentoring Fair took place on Wednesday 3rd July.  The peer mentors, primary pupils, and staff started planning in March. The day had lots of fun and enjoyment, and there was a fantastic atmosphere around the school. Splat the Teacher was a huge success run by Rabbits class, with many pupils lining up to throw sponges at their favourite teachers. Rabbits also made cakes and flapjacks to sell. Deer had an Oreo roll, which was great fun, and a Pokémon splat game. Badgers class went sporting with a crossbar challenge and archery. Foxes had a lucky dip, with many prizes won, and some delicious milkshakes. Mice ran the ice cream stall, where chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry were available. Squirrels ran a tombola where we had some amazing prizes donated by local shops and staff. Squirrel also had cloud dough making. Hedgehogs ran the hook a duck stall and some marvellous face painting by Mrs Dawkins and Mrs Headford. Guess the name of the Shark was won by Mrs Luff – the name was Sharkinson.

Due to everyone’s generosity, we raised £327.63, which the Primary Student Council will spend.

Thank you to everyone involved in the fair and for everyone’s donations.

On Friday 5th July the Hedgehog class braved the wind and the rain and ventured to Brighton to watch the glorious Bluey live on stage! We were in awe watching our favourite characters come to life at the Brighton Centre. There was singing, dancing and a lot of laughter. We got to dance in a shower of bubbles, play keep the ball up and take an up-close look at the stage.

After this, we were hungry, so we got ourselves lunch and then went back into the wild weather and made our way along Brighton Pier. The rain stopped for long enough so that we could look at the sea and explore some of the sights. We then got to play in a four-floor indoor soft play zone. We zoomed down the biggest slides and ran through the maze.

We made it back to school, with some of us still awake. It was an incredible day, and we were so proud of ourselves, we were brilliant!

Exciting Shield-Making Project at Key Stage 3 

Key Stage 3 pupils recently showcased creativity by designing and making shields using various techniques. The project involved intricate processes such as sketching designs, cutting shapes, and mastering the art of papier-mâché. Each student added unique touches with paint and embellishments, demonstrating their individual flair. After weeks of dedication and hard work, the pupils were thrilled with their final results, displaying beautifully crafted shields that combined traditional craftsmanship with modern creativity. This hands-on project honed their artistic skills and instilled a sense of pride and accomplishment in their work. 

Key Stage 4 Create Atmospheric Art 

Meanwhile, Key Stage 4 pupils have been responding to the evocative art of John Piper. Inspired by his style, they created atmospheric wax-resist images of Bramber Castle ruins. This technique allowed them to explore contrasts and textures, capturing the haunting beauty of the historic site. The pupil's artworks reflected a deep engagement with Piper's methods and an impressive command of the wax resist technique. Their pieces, rich with mood and detail, were a testament to their growing artistic maturity and ability to convey powerful visual narratives. 

KION IS A JACK OF ALL TRADES

Kion is the latest Muntham House pupil to participate in work experience at DAF GB. However, Kion is the first pupil to work in both the workshop and the office. This enabled him to see how both areas help DAF to work efficiently and keep fleets of Lorries and trucks on the road. Kion really enjoyed working with the DAF employees, who were very welcoming and enjoyed sharing their trades/jobs with him. Kion is now considering a Career in motor mechanics, particularly working with bigger vehicles such as Lorries & Trucks. 

Design & Technology pupils have been working hard on a Hovercraft project and learning to solve problems and work as a team during the STEAM week. This aims to use the pupil's science, technology, engineering, and maths knowledge to enjoy fun activities.

After being shown a set of resources, they had to plan and develop their idea for the craft.

The pupils are thoroughly enjoying the process of making a hovercraft powered by a leaf blower. They have found the task challenging, yet fun, which is a testament to the engaging nature of the project. We are hopeful that this experience will inspire some of them to pursue a career in Engineering.

Firstly, congratulations to our Year 11s who have taken all their exams and begun a well-earned summer break. They have all worked exceptionally hard and should be proud of their efforts. 

Our Year 10s have been writing their own short stories this half term in English based on different prompts and tasks. They have written stories using pictures, word banks, and starter sentences. 

Pupils have focused on writing using the senses to add depth and detail to their work. They have also been using key language features such as personification, metaphor, and similes to add further interest to their writing.  

It’s fair to say that they caught the writing bug! They have produced an amazing standard and amount of work that they, and the English Department, are all immensely proud of. 

Pupils are also eager to see who will win the ‘Word Nerd’ of the term – ‘Word Nerd’ is awarded daily to the pupil who uses formal English and language techniques in the most creative way. Eric B was delighted to be the winner of this highly coveted prize for accumulating the most daily awards in the Spring Term.  

Happy and Healthy summer to you all.

Our Eco-committee has been very busy this half term as the deadline is approaching. We have made a video of our thoughts, feelings, and concerns for all things that will help our school and, in general, help protect our health and environment, and some very passionate views have been shared. The pupils have been taking Surveys to investigate energy waste, types of litter found around the grounds and types of rubbish thrown in Classrooms. This is to educate and encourage staff members and pupils about waste and litter and to see where recycling bins can be more effectively located.

Also, lessons have been set up for pupils to learn about climate change, renewable energy forms and the human impact on biodiversity. Many pupils have taken part in the Global sustainability quiz, details of which can be found below. This then gives advice on actions that can be taken to support and promote the causes they feel strongly about. We strongly recommend that you take a look. The committee chair has written a new Eco-code that clearly and eloquently states our mission and vision. This reflects our pupils' motivation level with this movement; well done to all those pupils who have participated. 

Hello and happy summer to everyone. It has been a superb summer science term this year.

We have been focussing on energy forms, transfers, and resources since the year 10s, with the foresight to learn about renewable energy during this time of climate change and ways to improve our impact on the environment.

As you may be aware, our year 9s have been learning to a GCSE standard, which will help them prepare for their exams in year 11. They have taken this challenge particularly well and have successfully completed several year ten topics.

Our year 8s have also been learning about energy transfers. They extended their learning by completing speed/ distance/time formulaic equations, making electrical circuits with solar panels, and making miniature wind turbines. 8b has also just completed their topic on forces and has done very well with their assessments.

We have very much enjoyed having the year 6s attend some exciting Science lessons with lots of bright lights and enthusiasm. 

Overall, a big well done well done across all year groups.

For many people, including myself, reading is a way of escaping reality by settling into a quiet space with a calming atmosphere. As promised in the last newsletter, look at the finished result. All residential pupils are free to use this area.

Nothing is more relaxing than reading surrounded by books in a cosy place. It might be a quiet corner in a beautiful library, a table by yourself, or a cosy book corner, like the one created for the pupils' boarding. The pupils can use this area to escape into a world of fantasy, drama, adventures, and the supernatural and enjoy reading for pleasure.

Some of my greatest reading experiences have been in places like this one. I’m sure it will be a great place to experiment with different kinds of books and genres. And being surrounded by other readers reminds them of this great thing they all have in common.

The space has been transformed from an everyday space into a unique, memorable resource that hopefully sparks curiosity and imagination and allows the reader to explore the whole space, including the small details within.

Well, it is that time of year again when we have to say goodbye to some of our residential pupils as they move on to the next chapters in their lives. It is always sad to say goodbye to pupils after they have been with the school for several years. It may be sad, but it is also a very happy time as you’ve seen them develop into young adults transitioning into new surroundings as they leave Muntham.

This year, we say goodbye to Callum G and Alfie B. Callum is moving to Plumpton College to continue his agriculture courses, and Alfie is moving to Brighton to further his music career. Both pupils have been at Muntham for many years, and we wish them the best of luck and happiness in the future.

As others move on, we welcome Matthew P from year 11, who will join us in post-16 residential. Matthew has transitioned from the main school into his newly decorated flat and is looking forward to learning many new life skills and attending Music College in September.

We are extremely proud of another of our students, Alfie Gorringe, who has attended Chichester College and is studying a catering course. Alfie has produced some wonderful food dishes and served front of house in the college’s restaurant.

Alfie recently won an award for producing the best dish while attending work experience through Chichester College. All the pupils were asked to produce a dish of their choice to present to the judges. Alfie came up with his beef and red wine pasta recipe and was up against stiff competition. Alfie won first prize in a hamper packed with goodies, and the judges commended him for his excellent food and work ethic. Well done, Alfie. Can you please make this dish for the Post-16 staff next term?

We all hope that you have a lovely, safe, and enjoyable summer. We look forward to welcoming back our pupils in September.

Year 11 transition trip to London

Year 11 pupils joined some of their Post-16 peers on a trip to help build relationships as part of their transition period. A few Year 10 pupils were invited as a reward for their great attendance and consistent positive behaviour. The group had a wonderful time in the Capital City, enjoying each other’s company and experiencing exciting activities. We visited the Natural History and Science Museums; watched a West End show, Back To The Future; lounged in Everyday Cinema for A Quiet Place; retail therapy in M&M and Lego Worlds; bunked in shared accommodation at Elephant and Castle hostel; travelled the Underground and shared meals together. It was great to see our older pupils, away from the school setting, getting along positively as young adults. We finished off the trip with an old-fashioned sleepover in the Post-16 lounge! All had lots of fun. As a staff team, we are also incredibly proud of Year 11 for sitting their GCSE exams this term, and it was nice to reward their hard work as a group.

PSHE 

As the academic year ends, I am beyond proud of the pupils in PSHE lessons. The most telling moments were Mr Anderson and our Ofsted inspector knocking on the classroom door as 8A was introduced to contraception! The level of respect and kindness this term has been incredible. Progress has certainly been made in every class regarding relationships and emotional well-being.

Year 7 classes have engaged in conversation starter activities and learning the difference between romantic and platonic relationships.

Year 8 has learned about relationship values and the impact of expectations, as well as different terms for gender identity and sexual orientation.

Year 9 has exceeded all targets for maturity and engaged appropriately in their intimate relationships topic, learning about different forms of contraception and the risks of STIs.

Year 10 has also demonstrated great levels of maturity in learning about challenging topics regarding healthy relationships.

Year 11 worked hard preparing for their GCSEs and celebrated with a pizza party after the final exam. It was also our opportunity to say goodbye to Miss Porterfield, who left the tutor group and PSHE.

Miss Gill’s final days are approaching, and I’d like to personally thank both amazing women for their dedication and overall fabulousness. Have a safe and happy Summer, even if it is wet!

Mechanic's pupils have done very well in the lead-up to summer to complete the modules they have been working on.

It has been great to see the progress the year 10's have made over their first year of Mechanics, and we look forward to further progression next year. 

The Year 11 pupils have not only demonstrated their skills by preparing the Malle Mile race bike and completing their final modules, but they have also shown great potential as future leaders. Next year, as they move into Post-16, they will have the important role of mentoring the Year 10 pupils, a responsibility we are confident they will handle with grace and skill. 

It is looking to be a big year for Mechanics ahead!

Every Monday since the start of the academic year, Primary has come to the Food Technology room in the Secondary school to learn how to prepare and cook a variety of food products led by Mrs Barratt. They have enjoyed learning how to make many different baked products, sweet and savoury, from sausage rolls to pizza swirls to savoury scones to cookies and cupcakes.  

The last dish that they made was a huge success, and they felt that they did some ‘proper’ cooking. Rabbits, Deer, and Badger class made Chicken pasta bake, which required them to use a number of processes and the hob! They learnt about the different coloured chopping boards and how to cut an onion safely. Some of them were worried about the ingredients sizzling away in the pan but eventually got used to it as their confidence grew.  

In the end, they had a great food product and were very proud of it. We are also very proud of them!  

As I write, it is raining again. While the plants need the water, it is not great for gardening.

The Sun did show its face for a couple of weeks, and we worked quickly to get everything planted out. Our veg beds outside are bursting with cabbages, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas, beetroot, parsnips, kale, pumpkins, salad crops and flowers. The polytunnel has tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, chillis, peppers and aubergines. We are harvesting carrots, beans, peas and lettuce, chef has some, but the pupils really enjoy eating the vegetables fresh from the garden.

We bought some painted lady caterpillars to watch. They started tiny and grew quickly into big, round caterpillars that have now changed into chrysalis. The pupils are patiently waiting for them to hatch into butterflies. 

Some of the older pupils enjoyed a trip to Spring Gardens to pick soft fruit. We ended up with Strawberries and Raspberries. The pupils ate some and used the remaining ones to make jam in their food tech lesson; it was very good.

We have harvested a good crop of garlic, which will dry in the polytunnel over the summer and be used in Autumn.

Our grape vines are heavy with fruit, the pumpkins are rapidly growing, and the blackberry bushes are covered in tiny fruit. Hopefully, this will all be ready to enjoy when we return to school in September.

Enjoy being outside, and have a great summer.

Lambs

After 10 weeks of lamb madness, we sadly said goodbye to our loan lambs at the end of this term. The farm is certainly a lot quieter now. Both the lambs and the pupils have really enjoyed the few months' stay here with us at Muntham. They have been a great contribution to the farm, allowing the pupils to feed, muck out, walk and generally just hang out and cuddle the lambs. It’s been great to see all the pupils get involved and make close relationships with the lambs, even those who do not have animal sessions this term.

Donkeys

Buzz and Woody are a firm favourite here at Muntham as they are non-judgemental friends to the pupils. The pupils often sit on the bench and chat with either Buzz or Woody. This enables the pupil to regulate their emotions and helps them if they are having a tricky day. Muntham Farm is a quiet and tranquil space that welcomes pupils during break and lunchtime to spend time in a calm environment when the school rush gets too much. The donkeys are enjoying the warmer weather, which means more trips to the village shop to pick up ice cream and carrots for the pupils. They enjoy their afternoon rolling in the dust and lying down in the heat.

Pigs

You can regularly find Bangers and Mash enjoying their new wallow made by the pupils; now, they are able to cool off and cover themselves in the mud, and it also helps them not to get sunburnt. The pupils have been helping to keep the pigs cool by bathing them and oiling their coats, which helps to keep them in good condition; this is super important to keep the pigs happy and healthy. In the hotter weather, Mash is commonly found fast asleep sunbathing. On the other hand, Bangers is always up for spending time with the pupils and enjoying the fresh fruit snacks.

Goats

The goats happily waved off the lambs and welcomed back their full enclosure. The group leader, Gizmo, enjoys looking out over “his” land up high in the wendy house. On the hotter days, the pupils have been able to freshen up the goat's coats, washing and grooming them. The pupils have been working on training the goats to do different tricks. They have mastered getting on and off the trampoline and are encouraged to jump between some tree trunks in the woods. Occasionally, a pupil can get one of the goats down the slide with a lot of persuasion and treats.

Chickens

The chickens are happily spending their days between the goat enclosure and their own, eating fresh fruit and veggies. They are the most spoilt chickens in West Sussex! Some pupils have consistently caught our two more shy girls, making them calmer and seeming happier when held. Well done to the boys; that’s a great success.

Wild Muntham Ducks

Our resident Mummy duck sat on her eggs again this year in the primary playground. Once all 13 were hatched, she walked them up to Mr Pusey’s pond, where they all lived for two weeks. During this time, the pupils were able to get close to the ducklings, and the patient pupils even got some ducklings to eat from their hands! Mummy duck and ducklings then walked all the way to Sumners Pond down the road. Hopefully, we will see her again soon.

I have been taking the primary boys to the beach for Beach School this half term! The ethos of Beach School is the same as Forest School; however, it's at the beach. 

We visited Selsey Beach near Chichester. I chose this beach as it's small and quiet, the tide does not go out far, and it's also a marine conservation zone, so there's plenty of wildlife. 

Whilst at the beach, the boys learnt about keeping safe. This included looking at tides and how they travel. They also saw some of the wildlife found on the beach and in the sea, including flora and fauna. 

Although there was an educational element to Beach School, I ensured it was a relaxing day where the boys could enjoy themselves while exploring and learning. The balance between education and enjoyment was carefully maintained, ensuring that learning was always a fun and engaging experience.

Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award – Snowdon 

This term, only one expedition went out due to the busy schedule of the 3 Peaks and Sailing trips. Eric B, Rio W, Jamie W, Stan G and Joe T travelled with Mr Blewett and Mr Imbert to Snowdonia with the goal of taking on Mount Snowdon. The first two days of the expedition were spent revisiting their navigation skills around some beautiful waterfall-filled scenery. Despite being made up of three different year groups, the pupils instantly showed outstanding support for each other when taking on some gruelling uphill sections and some tricky boulder terrain. 

On the third day of the trip, it was time to take on Snowdon. The weather was glorious, and the group met with Tom, their Mountain Leader from RAW, in the brilliant sunshine. Soon into the trip, Joe T was struggling, feeling quite daunted by the task ahead of him. However, he took a moment to break the day’s journey down into smaller sections in his head and again had the support of the other boys around him to take the hike one bit at a time. It was a hard slog, but Joe T and the rest of the group reached the peak of Snowdon after several hours to be rewarded with completely clear and stunning views! After the euphoria of reaching the peak, the descent journey began, bringing its own challenges. Rio W went above and beyond to support Joe T down the remainder of the descent, whilst the two of them loudly sang Beatles’ songs along with Mr Imbert to keep the spirits high. 

Well done to this small group for accomplishing something so momentous together! What an adventure to remember. 

3 Peaks Challenge 

Last July, when Mr Imbert returned from a trip to Snowdonia with pupils from MHC, Mr Anderson pulled him aside. He said he had an ambitious plan: to take a group of pupils to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge – hiking the three tallest mountains in Great Britain. Fast forward to the Spring term of 2024, and after some initial trials and conversations, eight pupils were selected for the weeklong challenge scheduled for June. Lewis E, Oliver S, Sky L, Ben E, Ryan H, Dylan S, Charlie S and Kion S also showed great fitness and determination during training sessions to earn a place on this challenging expedition. 

After two months of training, the challenge date arrived. The group, accompanied by Mr Imbert, Mr Anderson, Mr Bolton and Mr Johnson, flew to Glasgow airport from Gatwick to meet their Mountain Leader guide for the week, Tom (from RAW Adventures) and their driver, Pete. The first stop was Fort William, where the pupils booked a hostel. For many, this was their first experience of staying in a hostel where spaces and resources were shared amongst strangers. The staff was so proud to see the pupils conversing with travellers from different countries and of different ages, talking about their cultures and travels. This was an insight into a different way of seeing the world, and the boys demonstrated such positive pro-social behaviours that the school even received an email of gratitude from one of the other hostel guests explaining how much of a delight the boys were to be with. 

The first mountain was Ben Nevis (the tallest of the three), which stands at 1,345 metres. The mountain was covered in clouds for the last third, but just before they ascended, the group saw a mountain rescue operation – a sober reminder that the mountains can be dangerous when unprepared. The peak was very atmospheric, with snow still on the group and the old observation station buildings peering through the fog.  

Next up was travelling to the Lake District to climb Scafell Pike. Fellwalker and author Alfred Wainwright once wrote of Scafell Pike it is ‘the toughest proposition the collector of summits is called upon to attempt, and it is the one above all others that, as a patriot, he cannot omit.’ His words were true, as Scafell Pike was steep from the word go! However, the two accompanying Mountain Leaders, Tom and Josh, were so impressed with the group’s ability that they chose an alternative route to travel up that required some challenging but rewarding scrambling. With a clearer peak to enjoy this time around, the group made the 978-metre ascent in good time. A rest day was going to be needed to prepare for mountain number three. 

Last on the list was Snowdon, standing at 1085 metres. By this point, the legs were very tired, but the spirits were still high. The group took quite a scrambly route to eventually join the very steep approach of the Watkins Path, which the group had to complete in the worst weather conditions of the week: there were strong winds and the occasional shower that meant everyone extremely relieved to be out of the cloud base when descending. 

To finish the week off, the group went swimming in lake Llyn Padarn in Llanberis, which definitely stimulated muscle recovery. 

The staff was incredibly proud of the group's determination to complete the challenge (some with relative ease!) and the learning and adapting they showed in different weather conditions and environments. However, Mr Imbert’s highlight was seeing how well the boys got on with each other and strangers in the hostel settings, making some lifelong memories and meeting people who’d greatly impacted them in such a short time. Lastly, the effort shown by Dylan S needs to be mentioned: Dylan had only recently started recovering from a chest infection ahead of the trip and had really struggled with his breathing. Ben Nevis provided an opportunity for him to test himself, and he found a pace that worked for him – occasionally stopping to hack up a great big cough! However, Dylan never backed down from the challenge and remained positive and his usual comedic self throughout, able to reach all three peaks with the rest of the group. He showed extreme mental fortitude to push through and communicate when he encountered moments of difficulty. Well done, Dylan; you should be proud of yourself – or, as you would say: “It is what it is.” 

KS3

This last half term has been a huge success in PE, with an array of engaging activities in school and extracurricular activities. The focus has been on growing self-esteem through sports and enhancing fine motor skills with consistency. The pupils have learnt and reinforced these skills through numerous sports and activities. The main sport used to enhance these skills has been pickle ball, a unique sport providing excellent, fun and inclusive learning opportunities. Furthermore, this has given all pupils the creative confidence to perform in various challenging and different sports while still focusing on learning the same skills. Well done all, and we look forward to welcoming you back in September! 

KS4

This half term, the focus of learning has been developing leadership qualities, effective communication and living a healthy, active lifestyle. The pupils have done this by engaging in various learning activities and different sports, sometimes linking two sports together to create a multi-sport alternative game. It has been fantastic to see pupils taking pride in their learning and supporting their peers using appropriate communication skills. The KS4 pupils have mainly done this through a combination of football tactics/rules and basketball rules. Well done all, and we look forward to welcoming you back in September!  

Primary PE

Rugby Academy 

For the last term, we have brought Rugby Academy back. The players have all done fantastically well, and we have taken advantage of our brilliant grass rugby pitch. The players have been working on utilising different types of passes during a game, and they have been practising conversion kicks from a variety of angles and distances. The players have been immersed in different types of games such as touch, 2 touch and tag Rugby. We have also been using the tackle bags and learning different techniques to tackle players. Well done to all the players who participated in Rugby Academy this term. 

Football Academy 

We have had an eventful Football Academy for this last term of the school year. The weather has been hot and dry, allowing us to make full use of the exceptional grass football pitches here at Muntham for our academy sessions. This term, we have been working on our long passing and our short passing in small-sided games. We have also been focusing on the game's technical side, such as ball control and dribbling. The team have also been learning how to communicate with each other to help their teammates, learning different phrases and terms to support their teammates. Well done to everyone who has participated this year in Football Academy, and you should all be extremely proud of yourselves.  

Cricket Academy  

We have had another successful term at Cricket Academy and a good year-end. The focus of this term has been communicating as a team when fielding and batting. The pupils have been working on communicating when in a Batting team, learning what to say to gain as many runs as possible. The pupils have also been working on communicating as a team when fielding to get the ball to the correct wicket as efficiently as possible. The team had a staff versus pupil match at the end of the term, which had lots of people joining in. Well done to all the players who participated in Cricket Academy this year. 

Primary Football Academy  

This half term, the Primary Football Academy has focused on match situations and working as part of a cohesive team. The pupils have focused on passing and moving the ball forward to create attacking situations and scenarios.  

At the start of the half term, the group looked at finishing and creating space. We have embedded this into match play, and it’s great to see the pupils showing confidence in travelling into space and creating goal-scoring opportunities while being pressured by defenders. We are now seeing more of this at break times and in match situations, which is fantastic! 

Primary Sports Day

On Monday, July 15th, we held our Annual Primary Sports Day. All seven Primary classes participated in the day. We had many exciting events, including the slip-and-slide, human bowling, high jump, 60-meter sprint, obstacle course, and football skills time trial.

All the pupils did fantastically well, challenged themselves, tried new activities and most of all had fun. We ended the morning with an opening ceremony and handed out medals to our competitors.

At the end of the morning, we had some refreshments. The secondary pupils made some chocolate cookies for the primary pupils, and the ice cream van visited, delivering some tasty ice cream for our pupils. Overall, it was a fun and successful morning; well done to all the Primary pupils who participated.   

Secondary Sports Day

On Wednesday, 17th July, we hosted our annual sports day for our Secondary and Post-16 pupils. We wanted to make this sports day the biggest and best it has ever been, and we had 8 events for our pupils. These included slip and slide, human bowling, 60m sprint, Shotput, Nerf throw, high jump, tug of war, and a time trial of football skills. All our classes participated in all the events fantastically throughout the day. The day had a competitive element where the pupils earned points for each event, and then the pupils with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd most points in their tutor classes received a gold, silver or bronze medal.

The pupils completed 4 events in the morning, and then we had a break, and the chef kindly made us a BBQ for lunch. Then, in the afternoon, each class had four more events.

At the end of the day, we had our closing ceremony, during which we gave out gold, silver, and bronze medals. We had some pupils who gave their all in the events and set some Muntham records. Charlie K threw the shotput 12.5 metres. Stan G ran the 60m dash in 7.2 seconds. Oli C threw the Nerf 70 metres, and James C jumped 1.55m in the high jump. We also had some special competitors who displayed great sportsmanship throughout the day, and each of them received a sportsmanship medal, one from each class.

After our closing ceremony, the ice cream van visited, and the food tech team kindly made the participants milkshakes and cookies. Well done to everyone who took part in the day; it was a huge success.  

This academic year seems to have flown by. It has been filled with much fun, laughter, and learning for all our young people, with trips out, extracurricular clubs, new boarders, and new friends.

It has been a pleasure to watch our Hever floor boarders grow “holistically”, both individually and as a group, along with their social and emotional progress. Not to mention that they have all seemed to shoot up in height this year, too!

The last few weeks have been dedicated to preparing our young people for their transition to our secondary provision. We understand that this is an exciting yet anxious time for all. Rest assured, we are committed to supporting our boarders as they return after the summer holidays, ready for the next chapter in their Muntham journey.

As we approach the end of term, we are excited to share the many activities and adventures our pupils on Bodiam Floor have experienced. Despite the occasional wet weather, we made the most of every sunny day.

Outdoor Fun and Games

Our pupils took advantage of the school's beautiful grounds, often seen riding bikes and enjoying the fresh air. A particular favourite has been “Runouts,” a lively game played with peers from other floors that has become a beloved activity.

Golf Lessons and Boxercise

Two of our pupils completed courses in golf and boxercise, finding great success and enjoyment in these activities. Due to their popularity, we look forward to continuing these next term, where the pupils will move up a group.

Beach Trip

A highlight of this term was the beach trip. Pupils from across the floors relished a refreshing dip in the sea, followed by fish and chips and ice cream.

Colouring Competition

Creativity shone brightly as one of our pupils won the colouring competition. His impressive artwork earned him a giant chocolate bar, which he generously shared with peers and staff.

End-of-Term Trip: Doughnuting and Dinner

Our end-of-term trip to the dry ski slopes for Doughnuting was a tremendous success. The pupils had a blast and showcased their amazing skills. The day was capped off with a relaxing dinner at Nandos, where they shared laughs about their adventures.

It has been a busy and fulfilling term on Bodiam Floor, and we are already looking forward to the activities and achievements the next term will bring.

We hope our pupils enjoy the summer holidays and look forward to seeing them all in September.

Much has been achieved on Arundel floor this academic year. We have been busy learning how to use public transport, with two of our pupils earning their independent travel certificates. This is an excellent outcome as they look to enter college and become more self-reliant. We have noted a huge improvement in their confidence and esteem because of this.

Learning is a core principle of Arundel, and the pupils have been working well to complement their learning from education and taking part in relational learning and activities. The pupils enjoy sitting around the dinner table, opening up the laptops to undertake their learning with a cup of tea and snacks in reach for sustenance. This has been a great way of linking the educational and residential to show the pupils how to work together in different environments to achieve a long-term goal. 

We take the environment extremely seriously on Arundel and recycle everything we can. This includes Terra cycling, for which we are fortunate to have a drop-off point in the village. This helps to promote the pupils and the school and build strong community links. 

On Arundel, we understand the importance of leisure and play. We keep the pupils physically and cognitively fit with a range of activities to stimulate the body and the mind. We enjoy evenings of football, cricket, runouts (hide and seek), and trips to the local gym. We also enjoy completing jigsaw puzzles; we have completed eight 1000-piece puzzles this year, and the pupils enjoy sitting down for a couple of minutes to put in a few pieces. This has been a great communal activity and teaches the pupils about the benefits of occupying their minds, as well as sequencing, forward planning and strategising. 

We have enjoyed trips out as a group, often visiting the coast for a paddle and fish supper. We have also enjoyed cinema trips, bowling, the escape rooms at Tully’s farm, and many other group activities, all of which help the pupils practice their social skills with their peers and the public.  

We promote the importance of independence in all parts of their lives, and the pupils are now cooking for themselves, baking delicious delights, and helping to prepare the evening meals. Again, this is a great way of engaging the pupils positively to work on their life skills, and as usual, they always rise to the occasion. 

So, it was an excellent, productive, and enjoyable term on the Arundel floor, where we laughed, cried, and supported each other as we grew into well-rounded, thoughtful, and independent young men.  

PLEASE NOTE THAT PUPILS RETURN FROM

SUMMER HOLIDAYS ON:

TUESDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2024

Term dates are on the school website.

 Term Dates