Great Walstead School
Encyclopedia
Great Walstead School is a day and weekly boarding school for girls and boys between the ages of 2½ and 13 years with a Christian
ethos . It has some 350 children in the school's Nursery
, Pre-Prep and Main School departments. Academic, music, sports and drama scholarships are available. The school is a member of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools
.
The school is set in 265 acres (1.1 km²) of grounds just a mile and a half from the village of Lindfield, West Sussex
in the countryside and has extensive playing fields and woodlands that are used regularly.
The teaching facilities consist of 19 classrooms with use of Interactive whiteboard technology. There is also a science lab which is used to teach the combined sciences.
Students in both the Pre-Prep and the Prep school have access to separate libraries.
There is also a Learning support unit which helps pupils that have learning difficulties.
The school has an eccentric tradition called "Q Day". A series of coloured dots were posted in the Big Hut (at one time by Mr Alban, the music master), indicating the likelihood of Q-day happening. One boy would have been told a secret code, when he heard this code spoken in a public place (the dining hall, chapel, sports field, etc.), he'd jump up and shout "Q Day", at which the entire school decamped to live in the woods for a few days in pre-built camps that each team had worked on all summer. Here, assorted adventures and plenty of muddy chaos was organised, such as attempting to invade enemy team camps to explode bangers, kidnap boys, navigate with maps, cook meals for staff and generally enjoy the great outdoors. In recent years, health & safety laws have had their effect on "Q-day" with bangers replaced by party poppers! However the great tradition of "Q-day" continues into the 21st Century.
is the spiritual heart of the school, where daily assemblies are held. It is also where music, concerts and drama take place - performances which are a regular feature of Great Walstead life. On any normal morning, the service will consist of a hymn
, a short talk based on the Bible
, and a prayer
. The seniors have a rota of chapel readers who read a Bible passage each morning. There is usually a termly theme and staff may use drama, visual aids or simply a talk to convey their message
centre. This has aided the teaching of Drama and the Arts at the school. Every year, there is a drama production put together by year groups 5 to 8. This allows many people to showcase their dramatic abilities. In addition, there is a Performing Arts Week each summer term which consists of an Art Exhibition, usually opened by a local Senior School Head of Art, and various showcase concerts performed by different year groups. Dance, both modern and ballet, is also a feature of these concerts.
Musically, the school has a large music school which has a "Keyboard Lab" a large room containing 12 electronic keyboards all connected to the teachers central computer allowing music to be recorded and listened to by the whole class.
In addition there are regular concerts throughout the academic year, which allow the children to perform musically.
Furthermore, there are four workshops on the school campus designed for Arts, Home Economics, Pottery
and Design Technology.
, golf
, archery
, and games in the woods.
In the heart of the campus, there was once a very large ropes course consisting of large swings, bridges and ladders built by a teacher, now retired, Mr. Cripps. However following the 1987 hurricane, when a number of trees were blown down, the assault course was replaced with a ground level "Challenge course".
The campus also features a covered swimming pool, used all year round, but an indoor facility is occasionally used off-site.
The campus is surrounded by a large oak forest, and it is common for activities and day trips to be held in the woods.
Every November the school has its Bonfire Night celebration. In the 70s and 80s the bonfire was constructed in the clearing in the woodland whilst fireworks were let off in the walled garden. Until the late 1980s pupils would bring in a firework of their choice with a teacher putting together the fireworks display. Nowadays a more professionally organised fireworks display (and the bonfire) take place in the field immediately to the north of the school. Prior to the display mulled wine
and hot dogs are sold in front of the dining room.
One of Great Walstead's long held traditions is a day of games and activities held in the woods during the summer term.
The Juniors (Years 3 & 4) take part in Mudlarks. This is when they spend the whole day in teams out in the woods cooking food, playing games and competing for first place.
The Middles (Years 5 & 6) take part in Woodlanders . They spend the term building camps out in the woods and have a similar format to the Juniors on Woodlanders Day.
The Seniors (Years 7 & 8) take part in Q Day. (see below). Throughout the term they build camps in teams in preparation for Q Day. The actual day is kept secret from the pupils until one evening when a password is given and all pupils arrive at school at 9.30pm when they venture into the woods and spend the night in their camps supervised by staff. The following day they cook food on a camp fire and take part in all sorts of activities including mountain biking
, First Aid
, a treasure hunt
and a walk on the South Downs
. One of the most exciting parts of Q Day happens during the nighttime when the students take part in the Banger Operation. This is a competition in which some members from each team must defend their camps whilst other teams try and gain a "flag". In recent years bangers have been replaced by the much safer (although arguably less exciting) party poppers!
The sports that take place are
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ethos . It has some 350 children in the school's Nursery
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
, Pre-Prep and Main School departments. Academic, music, sports and drama scholarships are available. The school is a member of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools
Independent Association of Preparatory Schools
The Independent Association of Preparatory Schools is a professional association for headteachers of independent preparatory schools in the UK and worldwide. The association is based in Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, England...
.
The school is set in 265 acres (1.1 km²) of grounds just a mile and a half from the village of Lindfield, West Sussex
Lindfield, West Sussex
Lindfield is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. The parish lies to the north-east of Haywards Heath, of which the village is a part of the built-up area. It stands on the upper reaches of the River Ouse...
in the countryside and has extensive playing fields and woodlands that are used regularly.
The teaching facilities consist of 19 classrooms with use of Interactive whiteboard technology. There is also a science lab which is used to teach the combined sciences.
Students in both the Pre-Prep and the Prep school have access to separate libraries.
There is also a Learning support unit which helps pupils that have learning difficulties.
History
The school was founded in 1925 by Robert James Mowll (1895–1963), the last Baron Mowll of the Cinque Ports. It was originally situated at Enfield, north London and known as Kilvinton Hall school. The school was moved to its current location in 1927 and was renamed Great Walstead school. Headmasters since Mr Mowll have been Gordon Parke (1960), Nick Bawtree (1986), Hugh Lowries (1991), the Reverend Jeremy Sykes (2006) and Colin Baty (2010).The school has an eccentric tradition called "Q Day". A series of coloured dots were posted in the Big Hut (at one time by Mr Alban, the music master), indicating the likelihood of Q-day happening. One boy would have been told a secret code, when he heard this code spoken in a public place (the dining hall, chapel, sports field, etc.), he'd jump up and shout "Q Day", at which the entire school decamped to live in the woods for a few days in pre-built camps that each team had worked on all summer. Here, assorted adventures and plenty of muddy chaos was organised, such as attempting to invade enemy team camps to explode bangers, kidnap boys, navigate with maps, cook meals for staff and generally enjoy the great outdoors. In recent years, health & safety laws have had their effect on "Q-day" with bangers replaced by party poppers! However the great tradition of "Q-day" continues into the 21st Century.
Chapel
The ChapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
is the spiritual heart of the school, where daily assemblies are held. It is also where music, concerts and drama take place - performances which are a regular feature of Great Walstead life. On any normal morning, the service will consist of a hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
, a short talk based on the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, and a prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
. The seniors have a rota of chapel readers who read a Bible passage each morning. There is usually a termly theme and staff may use drama, visual aids or simply a talk to convey their message
Creativity
In 2006 the school invested in the construction of a new performing artsPerforming arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
centre. This has aided the teaching of Drama and the Arts at the school. Every year, there is a drama production put together by year groups 5 to 8. This allows many people to showcase their dramatic abilities. In addition, there is a Performing Arts Week each summer term which consists of an Art Exhibition, usually opened by a local Senior School Head of Art, and various showcase concerts performed by different year groups. Dance, both modern and ballet, is also a feature of these concerts.
Musically, the school has a large music school which has a "Keyboard Lab" a large room containing 12 electronic keyboards all connected to the teachers central computer allowing music to be recorded and listened to by the whole class.
In addition there are regular concerts throughout the academic year, which allow the children to perform musically.
Furthermore, there are four workshops on the school campus designed for Arts, Home Economics, Pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and Design Technology.
Activities and traditions
The school provides many activities which include drama, fencingFencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, and games in the woods.
In the heart of the campus, there was once a very large ropes course consisting of large swings, bridges and ladders built by a teacher, now retired, Mr. Cripps. However following the 1987 hurricane, when a number of trees were blown down, the assault course was replaced with a ground level "Challenge course".
The campus also features a covered swimming pool, used all year round, but an indoor facility is occasionally used off-site.
The campus is surrounded by a large oak forest, and it is common for activities and day trips to be held in the woods.
Every November the school has its Bonfire Night celebration. In the 70s and 80s the bonfire was constructed in the clearing in the woodland whilst fireworks were let off in the walled garden. Until the late 1980s pupils would bring in a firework of their choice with a teacher putting together the fireworks display. Nowadays a more professionally organised fireworks display (and the bonfire) take place in the field immediately to the north of the school. Prior to the display mulled wine
Mulled wine
Mulled wine, variations of which are popular in Europe, is wine, usually red, combined with spices and typically served warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas and Halloween.-Glühwein:...
and hot dogs are sold in front of the dining room.
One of Great Walstead's long held traditions is a day of games and activities held in the woods during the summer term.
The Juniors (Years 3 & 4) take part in Mudlarks. This is when they spend the whole day in teams out in the woods cooking food, playing games and competing for first place.
The Middles (Years 5 & 6) take part in Woodlanders . They spend the term building camps out in the woods and have a similar format to the Juniors on Woodlanders Day.
The Seniors (Years 7 & 8) take part in Q Day. (see below). Throughout the term they build camps in teams in preparation for Q Day. The actual day is kept secret from the pupils until one evening when a password is given and all pupils arrive at school at 9.30pm when they venture into the woods and spend the night in their camps supervised by staff. The following day they cook food on a camp fire and take part in all sorts of activities including mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, First Aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, a treasure hunt
Treasure hunt
A treasure hunt is one of many different types of games which can have one or more players who try to find hidden articles, locations or places by using a series of clues. This is a fictional activity; treasure hunting can also be a real life activity. Treasure hunt games may be an indoor or...
and a walk on the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
. One of the most exciting parts of Q Day happens during the nighttime when the students take part in the Banger Operation. This is a competition in which some members from each team must defend their camps whilst other teams try and gain a "flag". In recent years bangers have been replaced by the much safer (although arguably less exciting) party poppers!
Sports
Great Walstead has many opportunities for sport. The school has a large sports fields in which all sports are played. There is also an "All Weather Pitch" on which hockey is played and tennis courts where netball and tennis take place. There is an annual Sports Day for each part of the school and matches in most sports are held weekly against local schools, as well as regular participation in local tournaments, both inter-school and IAPS.The sports that take place are
| Term | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Football Football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball... and Rugby union Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... |
Netball Netball Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ... and Hockey Hockey Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:... |
| Easter | Rugby Rugby football Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:... and Hockey Hockey Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:... |
Netball Netball Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ... and Hockey Hockey Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:... |
| Summer | Cricket Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the... , Athletics and Tennis Tennis Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all... |
Rounders Rounders Rounders is a game played between two teams of either gender. The game originated in England where it was played in Tudor times. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a round wooden, plastic or metal bat. The players score by... , Athletics and Tennis Tennis Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all... |
Houses
Each pupil belongs to one of the four houses for whom they compete in various sporting activities and academically. Pupils also sit in their houses at lunch and have a house assembly once a week.| House | Colour |
|---|---|
| Carey | Yellow |
| Grenfell | Green |
| Livingstone | Blue/Black |
| Mowll | Red |
External links
Website- http://www.greatwalstead.co.uk/Websites/greatwalstead/Files/Content/726232/OFSTED_GWBoarding%20InspectionMarch2009_SC014537_SC.pdf OFSTEDOfstedThe Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
Report, March 2009