Ages 11 to 13 are transformational for pupils and in the Senior Prep School (SPS), we take that responsibility seriously.
The SPS Pupil Handbook is called ‘Prepared for Life’ as is the Monday morning tutorial programme, covering a diverse range of topics and skills from Sustainability and AI to Zones of Regulation and Touch Typing. Both the assembly and PSHCE programmes sit beneath the ‘P4L’ umbrella, serving to reinforce and complement its messaging. The programme draws a diverse range of speakers, both internal and guest, to deliver messages linked to poignant historical events – such as Remembrance Day and Holocaust Memorial Day – as well as the annual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) education our wonderful group of staff and pupils deliver.
Our Futures team also deliver their careers programme across Years 7 and 8.
Throughout the Senior Prep School pupils are encouraged to complete the Hurst Challenge, earning bronze, silver and gold badges while completing tasks that are not about the classroom, but life lessons such as ‘working in a team for the greater good’.
In Year 8, pupils research, and then present, on a topic of their choice – encouraged to explore topics that extend beyond the curriculum and their ‘Sussex bubble’.
The Year 8 Challenge is a week which tests the pupils mentally, socially and physically in a three-day walking and camping pilgrimage from Eastbourne to Hurst. It is entwined within are many ‘unteachable life lessons’, from pitching a tent to cultivating morale. When the pupils arrive back at Hurst, they do so ready for the Middle School, and more ready for life!
