On Sunday 9^th October the Chapel Choir sang evensong at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the hamlet of Warminghurst. The church which is no longer used for regular worship was beautifully decorated with displays of fresh fruit, flowers and vegetables and provided a stunning setting for evensong.

The service was led by the Reverend Derek Spencer the Rector of St Mary, Sullington and St Mary, Thakeham. The Chapel Choir led the hymns including favourites, ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’ and ‘The Day Thou Gavest Lord, Is Ended’ as well singing music by Mary Plumstead, Anthony Hutchings and John Rutter. The choir of children and adults was on excellent form and led on this occasion by Matthew Bright. The congregation, which filled the church, was made up of parishioners as well as parents and friends of Windlesham. The evening ended with refreshment for all, including Rachel Webster’s famous chocolate brownies!

There was a retiring collection in aid of the Churches Conservation Trust – a national charity which aims to save historic churches such as that at Warminghurst.

Lancing Prep Schools Piano Day

Tuesday 11^th October

Our annual visit to Lancing College on Tuesday was a huge success and saw our pupils showcasing their piano prowess to a delighted audience of staff, fellow pupils and parents.

After a busy morning of small group classes including Performance Practice, Improvisation, and a visit to the College’s impressive chapel to learn about the history of organs, pupils set off for a trip around the Farm to see the llamas and other farm animals.

Restored by doughnuts and squash (and an obligatory visit to the Grubber) pupils returned to their groups for classes in Accompaniment and Composition. We were delighted that so many of our pupils were chosen to perform their solo and duet pieces at the end of the day. A special mention went to Kate Aston whose composition was selected for a special mention and played by Dr Shepherd.

Well done to all those who took part!

On Sunday 11^th September 2011 the seniors of Windlesham assembled in the MFT Theatre to witness the opening of the debating year.  Ten celebrities from the past spoke for their lives as they pleaded for the one and only parachute in a plummeting, fiery balloon.

Sir Winston Churchill (George Hilton) gave another great war-time address and reminded everyone of his invaluable intervention in history which allowed things to be as they are today.  His confessions about a poor school record won him some sympathy votes too.

Charles Darwin (Toby Hurry) pointed out that his bravery in taking on the religious reactionaries with his Theory of Evolution allowed greater enlightenment and deeper understanding of our origins and, possibly, our future too.

Rudyard Kipling (Charles Moody-Stuart) appealed to the youthful side of the audience and looked back to childhood happiness buried in The Jungle Book and Just So stories.  There were some very tender moments of sad losses in Rudyard’s life which moved many voters.

Gleb Koteinikov (Jake Olszowski), that well-known inventor of the back-pack parachute, spoke next in a witty protest that the parachute was his by rights and that without him all others would fall to their death anyway.

Dr Joseph Lister (Minna Howorth) argued that the arrival of his antiseptic practices made him a saviour beyond compare.  Some stomach-turning descriptions made sure Minna’s speech was more than vivid.

Martin Luther King Jnr (Toby Johnston) gave a typically impassioned Baptist sermon about his march to equality and his eligibility for the parachute.  Toby’s speech was most informative and punctuated with well-placed outbursts.

Nelson Mandela (George Barbieri) gave a quiet summary of his political climb to stardom after discrimination and persecution in South Africa.  George tried to galvanise the rebels into voting for him and made the most of Mandela’s great reputation.

Dr John Pemberton (Oliver Allman) also gave a low-key pitch as the inventor of Coca-Cola.  He even argued that Pepsi owed him credit in the competition-driven bid for excellence, and he gave himself the accolade of re-inventing Santa too.

Wilbur Wright (Rupert Dennis) won over many fans by reminding all those listening that his invention of the aeroplane allows all those exotic holidays to take place (not to mention the fly-past displays and flying doctor rescues).  He begged voters to make the ‘Wright choice’ over the parachute.

The evening, though, belonged to Blaise Pascal (Otto Pyper) who invented not only the calculator (the embryonic computer and therefore forerunner to Face Book), but also the life and pet-saving syringe and the ever useful wrist-watch (among other things).  A combination of humour and convincing logic made Blaise a hero and his words a winning speech.

Rachel and I are having a very busy time away from Windlesham during the half-term break.

I was delighted to be given the opportunity by Gabbitas to give a speech on Saturday, 22nd October, at the British Council Hall in Tokyo to a group of 100 or so delegates about  British education and its system.

Yesterday I flew to Hong Kong and today Rachel and I have met with current Windlesham families who live in Hong Kong and tomorrow night I will deliver a similar speech to the Tokyo one at the Hong Kong Club.

 
Tokyo – 22^nd October 2011

It is generally recognised all round the world, and I firmly believe it to be true, that an English Boarding Preparatory School is the best start to full-time education any parent can give their children, especially if they have aspirations for their child to go to one of the prestigious English Public Schools (Senior Independent Schools) and, indeed, a top English University.

There are a considerable number of reasons why this statement holds validity.  I am going to elaborate on ten of the most significant of these reasons.  I do not necessarily put them in any order of priority because they are all interrelated, but I will give explanations in the same order as listed.

• Highest Academic Standards

Individual work ethic: Love of learning

• Outstanding All Round Education

Development of social skills and life skills, respect and kindness towards others

• Level Of Pastoral Care And Communication With Parents

General welfare of the individual of paramount importance

• Secure And Safe Environment

Wonderful setting: fresh air and healthy living

• Opportunities To Develop Interests And Talents

Music, sport, art, drama, ICT

• Ability To Develop Physically And Mentally

Work hard, play hard, team and individual sport excellence

• Encouragement To Take Informed Risks And Develop A Taste Of Success

Enjoy and celebrate the pride of achieving

• Make Lifelong Friends

Preparation for global world, respect for different ethnic backgrounds

• Develop A Sense Of Humour

Enjoy life, having fun, happy childhood

Highest Academic Standards

Traditional English Boarding Preparatory Schools are totally focused on preparing children to sit the Common Entrance Examination for entry to the very best Senior Independent Schools.  The curriculum and syllabus is set by the Independent School Examination Board and is a very high standard.  On top of this the very brightest children have the opportunity to sit Academic Scholarships.  Where GCSEs/A Levels and the IB Examinations papers are marked centrally by various  agencies,  Common Entrance Examination Papers are marked by the individual Senior Schools.  This means standards are driven by the Senior Schools and it goes without saying these are increasingly high and more and more competitive.

English Preparatory Schools were first started and continue to exist because they have all the necessary expertise, experience and resources to prepare children best individually to attain the highest academic results possible – by their nature Common Entrance and Scholarship exams have no boundaries so even the very brightest individuals are stimulated and challenged.

The ability to ensure a child reaches his/her academic potential at 13+ years old is a requisite of the best Preparatory Schools and their records are most impressive.

The boarding Preparatory School goes several steps further not only in the child being fully stretched academically seven days a week but they are being prepared in every other  way to become independent and confident so as to make the very most of the opportunities at Senior School and most importantly no time is wasted having to settle in and get accustomed to being away from home.

Such is the standard reached by the top Common Entrance Candidates and those who sit Academic Scholarships they are quite capable of sitting GCSE exams at least a year early.  Sometimes even whilst at the Prep School!

The academic rigour of an English Boarding Preparatory School with homework being done and supervised at school, extra study periods and subject clinics creates a work ethic that is second to none.  The diversity of the curriculum enhances the children’s desire to extend themselves, they develop a love of learning.  Once this has been achieved in these all important formative years it never leaves an individual: it is surely one of the most significant life skills you can ever master.

Outstanding All Round Education

Notwithstanding the ultimate importance of academic excellence and the need to have an environment that gives each individual child the opportunity to fulfil their academic potential there is much more to a first class education than academic pursuit. The development of social skills that the ability and confidence to communicate with people is of paramount importance.  General manners and common courtesy are the principle ingredients in an English Preparatory School.  In a boarding environment these skills have all the more chance of being instilled because the child is away from home and all the distractions that come with that.

Life skills such as treating others with respect and developing  attributes of kindness have to be learnt they cannot just be handed out.  A boarding school environment is the natural place to practise these skills on a daily basis.  Children learn from each other and gain much pleasure and satisfaction from this whole process.

Qualified and highly experienced E.F.L. teaching /tuition is available; many Preparatory Schools even have these staff on site and resident.

Preparatory School Heads have very close links with their Senior Schools colleagues indeed I personally count many of them as my best friends.  Senior School Heads regularly visit Preparatory Schools and the children are often treated to visits by very distinguished people including members of the Royal Family, mayors, famous sportsman and other celebrities.

No other environment can provide this level of education better than an English Preparatory Boarding School.

Level of Pastoral Care and Communication with Parents

When encouraging parents to board their children at a young age the level of pastoral care has to be of paramount importance.  In order to reach his or her academic, physical and social potential a child has to be happy in his or her environment.  Parents are kept completely up to date with daily communication from their child and indeed their Houseparents, Tutors etc. Access to email, skype and telephone means that families are in close touch with each other at all times.

Children are very discerning and totally understand what it means to be valued and cared for.  English Preparatory Boarding Schools simply have to offer the very highest level of pastoral care in order to exist and attract customers.  Long gone are the days of a ‘sink or swim’ philosophy; every child matters and their general wellbeing is the most important factor in a boarding school environment.

The modern day parent expects the standard of accommodation to be very high and the personnel looking after their children have to have their total trust. Boarding schools have excellent medical facilities and highly qualified nurses to look after children if they are ill.  There is a rigorous system of inspection by the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) and the BSA (Boarding Schools Association) also has distinctive minimum standards.   All travel arrangements to and from airports are arranged by the school.

I think it would be hard to find fault with the level of pastoral care in an English Preparatory Boarding School in this day and age.

Secure and Safe Environment

The settings of most (if not all) English Preparatory Boarding Schools are stunning.  The schools are totally safe and secure and those is the countryside are especially healthy.  The opportunity and benefits from fresh air and playing outside in open spaces with acres of green grass and woods is what a child needs.  To be with nature and be able to have a proper childhood is fast becoming a total luxury given that the vast majority of people in the UK or overseas live in urban environments.  There are opportunities to observe nature first hand within the school grounds but also through regular educational outings/field trips to farms, National Parks etc.  English Boarding Preparatory Schools offer the most perfect environments in which to live and grow up in – as they also deliver the level of all round education outlined above it could be said there is no better environment for a child to grow up in.

Opportunities to Develop Interests and Talents; To Discover Lifelong Hobbies

Fulfilling a child’s natural talent and giving each individual every opportunity to reach their potential is a key part of the English Boarding School philosophy.  There is a real desire to encourage and help each child discover what they enjoy, where his or her talents are and how he or she can best use and develop these natural gifts.

Whether it be in Art, Drama, DT, ICT, Music or sport there are staff with considerable expertise and experience who are passionate about their subject. What is especially significant about a boarding school environment is these same staff are on hand to inspire, encourage and teach children over and above the normal school day.  To have this support on site early in the mornings right up to bed time seven days a week goes a long way to explaining why children feel so animated, stimulated and eager to develop their talents and skills.

Interests started at preparatory school become lifelong pastimes and hobbies.

Ability to Develop Physically and Mentally To Learn How To Play Team and Individual Sports

So many children are deprived the opportunities to play in open spaces and to enjoy sport be it both team sports and individual sports.  English Boarding Preparatory Schools offer children an abundance of opportunity – sport is an integral part of the curriculum and children take physical exercise on a daily basis.  The standards of coaching are exceptionally high and it is not just the gifted and talented children who receive the attention.  Every child takes part in organised team games and there is the opportunity for every individual to represent their house and the school in matches.  Competition is strong and for the more able games play there is the encouragement to become involved right up to national and international level.

Those children who are more inclined to enjoy individual sports have the full range of indoor and outdoor sports available to them.  These again all take place on site with fully qualified coaches.

Judo, karate, fencing, badminton, tennis, swimming, sailing, shooting, gymnastics, dance …

Every child is encouraged to take part and they are extremely well informed about the merits of keeping fit and healthy.  There is an emphasis on trying one’s hardest for the good of the team, and of learning how to win and how to lose graciously.  ‘Healthy in body: healthy in mind’ is synonymous with Boarding Preparatory School life.  Plenty of encouragement to audition for plays and shows, try out for teams, perform in public, etc.

Encouragement to Take Informed Risks and Develop the Taste of Success and the Pride of Achieving

The only way to learn properly is by making mistakes and taking risks.  The modern generation of children are increasingly reluctant to take informed risks because society has become over protective and stifles an individual’s natural instinct to experiment.  In a controlled and sensible way the atmosphere within an English Boarding Preparatory School allows and encourages children to have a go, to try something new.    Plenty of encouragement is given to try out for teams, perform in public, audition for drama productions and concerts etc.  Children have the freedom to make informed decisions for themselves.

They learn to enjoy the taste of success and most importantly to share the success with their friends because they are living together.  They learn to take a pride in what they achieve.  They learn to accept disappointment and how to turn disappointment into success.

Making Lifelong Friends, Preparation for the Global World, Respect for Different Ethnic Backgrounds

The friendships made during these formative years are very often lifelong and this is especially so in a boarding environment.   Children growing up together are very likely to bond because they know so much about each other.  English Boarding Preparatory Schools are increasingly more and more attractive to families from overseas.  Not only are the children guaranteed to speak English fluently but they learn about other countries and other cultures.  In the mix of their year group will be children of several different nationalities.

Home languages are catered for with individual or group tuition – schools trips abroad (French Week, Chinese New Year, Spanish Meal Day, Japan’s National Day etc.)

Given the global world this and future generations of children are facing the exposure provided in an English Boarding Preparatory School is an education for life.

Develop a sense of humour, enjoy life, having fun, experiencing a happy childhood

Whilst education is a very serious business and there are very necessary disciplines to learn and cultivate, children must develop and have a sense of enjoyment, a love of life.

A sense of humour is only gained through interaction with other people and there is no better environment than an English Boarding Preparatory School for this to be nurtured.  Children feed off each other at a very early age and the ability to laugh at oneself becomes instinctive.

Unless a child is happy he/she will not fulfil themselves at school.  It is vital that they have lots of fun and are not inhibited in enjoying their childhood.

Growing up too fast is an endemic problem in many environments and cultures.  The English Boarding Preparatory School system allows children to grow up naturally, nothing is enforced on the individual; they are able to feel very comfortable and content about themselves for what they are and who they are.

Peer pressure so often is seen as a force of evil – driving youngsters into drugs and violence.  It can, however, be the most positive of influences in the right setting.  Cheers from friends on Sports Day, applause from peers after a concert, laughter from classmates at a play, singing from dormitory mates on a birthday are powerful forces which, although external, build children from within.

The traditional average age for a child to start boarding at an English Preparatory school is 8½ (National Curriculum Year 4).

Parents living overseas might feel this is too young to send a child to school in the UK so there is the option to delay this to 9½  or even 10½  years of age.

I would urge parents to give a child at least three years in a Preparatory School, two years is a possibility but from my experience it is too short to be of full value.

I close with an account of life at my school seen by the eyes of a boy who lives in Dubai.  His father is an airline pilot.

If you were a pupil at Windlesham House School, one of the things you would learn is that human beings have five senses with which to experience life. Those are Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch and Taste.

I would like to borrow these to show you aspects of the wider life at Windlesham.My name is Will Line and I am in the Ones, others may call this Year 8. I am in SG Form, Uppingham Dorm and Raleigh House. My friends range from 13-yearolds down to the five-year-olds at Little Windlesham; all of these facts belong under the heading ‘Keeping in Touch’. If there is one thing we are good at it is ‘keeping in touch’. I am, of course, in touch with my family. I phone, skype and email home regularly and share news every week in my letter-writing session. I represent the School and my House in sports, music and drama productions. I enjoy being part of the debating and public speaking teams.

Most recently I took part in a presentation about the extraordinary ten day adventure I had in the south-east region of Andhra Pradesh during half-term which involved working at St Joseph’s School, for disadvantaged children. If I switch to the sense of Sight, I might have to limit all I have to say. We certainly get to see life at Windlesham. The Art Department has spilled out all over the school, and there are mosaics and paintings pretty much everywhere. Pottery pieces

and jewellery often decorate the Front Hall, and there is even a totem pole amongst the outdoor displays.

Have I mentioned how beautiful the grounds are? Whether the weather is sunny and green fields roll out towards the Downs or whether everything is white with snow, it is very difficult not to be happy when you are at Windlesham. I see the South Downs from my dorm, I see the cricket pavilion from the golf course, I have seen the school from the branches of the climbing trees, and I see England from the windows of the coaches that take us to watch international sports matches in London. I see the world through the web in one of the ICT suites.

Sound is really important. Our Director of Music is an inspiration and there are very few pupils who do not learn a musical instrument. If you haven’t heard of our outdoor Summer 2010 musical, Odyssey, visit our website www.windlesham.com.  Odyssey was amazing, we all took part and performed alongside the Red Devils and the Gurkhas with live messages of encouragement from the astronauts aboard the International Space Station, amongst fireworks and laser lights illuminating the backdrop of the South Downs!

Taste is easy. It brings to mind birthday party picnics in the woods, grub-days, cooking lessons, pancake days, Easter eggs, Christmas celebrations, match teas, all of which help to fuel us.

Smell is interesting. You might think I am going to mention the smell of fresh laundry from Matron’s room or the smell of wood in the DT Centre, or perhaps the smell of sun-block in the Medical Centre or the unmistakable smell of theatre make-up before a show. I was thinking more of the smell of mown grass, or the smell of fish and chips on Fridays.  But perhaps I could give away one of the best reasons I love Windlesham so much and that is the sweet smell of success at Prize Giving when all those glittering cups are awarded or the smell of sorrow when the Ones shed a tear at the Leaver’s Ball.

Well, there you have it. Those are the five senses which make my time at Windlesham so special and help me to make sense of a wonderful world of opportunities!

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Team: Emily Baring, Stella Clarke, Lily Margaroli, Gaia Mizzi, Becx Radford, Jemima Spurr, Laura Tipple, Issy Woolvine, Esther Banks, Emma Thornett

1^st round:   v Highfield 1-0

V Danes Hill: 2-0

V Hurstpierpoint: 1-0

Won through section as winners, played semis against runners up of section 2

Edgeborough :0-3

Play off for 3^rd/4^th v Highfield :1-2

Placed 4^th overall or losing semi finalists

After a week of successful hockey all round the county this week, the girls had a whole afternoon to hone those skills at Cranleigh’s annual tournament. They fought hard against three tough teams and through guts and determination won through without conceding a single goal. The girls used the width of the pitch well and passed with speed and accuracy, playing a confident and intelligent game. However when it came to playing against Edgeborough (highly placed in the national completion)the girls were amazed at the high standard of astro play. However despite conceding three unstoppable goals, they fought back with great spirit and had most of the play in the second half.  In the play offs, we took an early lead against Highfield, but two breakaway goals caught us off guard and they turned the tables on our earlier encounter and won 2-1.  All in all the girls had a great day, but I think that they just ran out of steam after an extremely hectic but fruitful sporting six days. All of the girls played an intrinsic role this week to the superiority of the play and it bodes well for the rest of the season.

Gill King

On Sunday 16^th October 2011 six intrepid Seniors set off to north to compete against eight other prep schools in the Marlborough College Debating Day.  After a workshop and lunch, the six were put to the task of preparing, with only 15 minutes notice, two speeches for the grand debate.  Otto Pyper was to be the seventh of eight speakers for the Proposition and Grace Day was the second speaker for the Opposition. The motion was ‘This House believes there should be no compulsory subjects at school’.

Grace spoke with poise and determination and handled the interruption of the dreaded ‘Points of Information’ very well.  Otto Pyper was described by the adjudicator, Dr Hamilton, as ‘bouncy’ because of his energetic delivery and Otto was praised for his smile and resounding conclusion.  In the summation Otto was named as one of the top four speakers out of the sixteen competitors.  When the debate was opened up to the floor George Barbieri spoke twice (delivering multiple comments from his notebook) and Rory Law and Minna Howorth raised good points too.  Avalon Ffooks almost got to add her observation but time ran out.

After praising the sacrifices made by so many to make the day such a success the Master of Marlborough College, Mr Samson, awarded the trophy to the Windlesham Team and the six went off to celebrate at a restaurant in the High Street (where they were surprised by a visit from the Marlborough College Debating Society President, ex-Windlesham pupil Lottie Pyper, who congratulated everyone and who could not have been more proud of her young brother!).

On Friday the Ones went to a talk in the M.F.T called ‘In the Line of Fire’ by Captain Garth Banks.  We were joined by members of the public who came to support the event.  Captain Banks started by showing us a fascinating video portraying the life of a solider in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban. The video also described the soldiers’ goals of: Shape, Clear, Hold and Build.

The soldiers were positioned in a Southern Helmand Province called Lashker Gah.  Each day they were faced with the threat of an assault by the Taliban and the dangers of suicide bombers.  One problem for the soldiers is that all the cars in Lashker Gah are white Toyota sedans and the soldiers have to have trained eyes and look for suspicious behaviour to identify the occupants.

Captain Banks experienced three incidents, the third of which ended his career as a soldier. He accidentally stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device) which decapitated his two legs leaving him only his upper body and thighs.  Following the accident he was immediately taken to Camp Bastion which houses some of the world’s best surgeons.  Following surgery and a short stay he was airlifted to Selly Oaks Hospital in Birmingham.  He stayed at the hospital in Birmingham for eight weeks before being transferred to Headley Court.   Headley Court helps to rehabilitate soldiers who face injuries such as those sustained by Captain Bank’s.  He was fitted with artificial legs and continues to be monitored by  the hospital and receives regular check-ups.

The event was incredibly interesting and we hope to have other fascinating talks in the future.

By Eddie Gunning and George Barbieri (Ones)

The week of the 3^rd – 7^th October was our annual Windlesham Book Week and this year’s theme was ‘Pirates’.  The whole school, including Pre-prep joined in the week’s book related activities commencing with a ‘Pirate Dress Up Day’ on the Monday. It was simply wonderful to see all the costumes in assembly – even the staff were adorned with cutlasses and eye patches!

The following is a summary of the week’s events:

Monday 3rd October

Dress Up Day: The children (and staff) wore their Pirate costumes! (‘Ship ahoy… mi’ hearties!)

Scholastic Book Fair in the Theatre Foyer

Pirate Stories in Library at Break

Tuesday 4th October

Competition Day – Design a Pirate Book Cover, Tell a Pirate Joke, Find the Treasure on our Ancient Treasure Map

Pirate Stories in Library at Break

Wednesday 5th October

Scholastic Book Fair in Theatre Foyer

Thursday 6th October  (National Poetry Day)

Author Visits

Justin Somper (Vampirates) in the Theatre for 2s, 3s, 4s

Sara Starbuck (The Dreaded Pirate Fleur) in St Ed’s for  5s and Transition

Sea Shanty Workshop

Friday 7th October

Deadline for Pirate Competitions

Author Visits

Yo, ho, ho me hearties!

Sara Starbuck, a children’s author living in Horsham, dropped in to Windlesham during Pirate Book Week to give an extremely lively and fun talk to the Fives and Transition.

She began with a hugely engaging game which involved children bursting balloons to find the ‘story starter’ hidden inside.  She then pulled in ideas from all the children to show how, with everyone’s input, a story could progress in leaps and bounds and she highlighted that vital ingredient for all good stories – the imagination.

Sara then moved on to Pirates – the theme of our Book Week and subject of her books about the Dreaded Pirate Fleur.  Using a selection of Pirate Props (cutlasses, pistols, hats, cutlasses, not to mention hooks and patches) she enlisted two Pirate Crews and ran a Pirate Quiz where wrong answers were dealt with by walking the plank.  Oliver Andrew and Phoebe Munn were chosen as the Pirate Captains (because they were able to answer some testing literary questions) and Hector Kent stood out as being extraordinarily well versed in pirate lore (where did you learn all that, Hector?).

The children were then able to buy some signed copies of Sara’s books before saying a hearty goodbye and going off to lunch.

Aly Thornton

On Thursday, as part of our exciting Pirate themed Book Week, we invited Justin Somper to talk to the 2s, 3s and 4s. He is a bestselling children’s author and he came to the school to discuss his series of ‘Vampirate’ books. He has sold over one million copies worldwide across 34 countries and in 24 languages. There is also a stage show of Vampirates that has just started touring the U.K.

The subject matter was an instant hit, merging vampires and pirates together is fascinating to most youngsters and the children sat entranced for an hour listening to his revelations and readings.  As it was also National Poetry Day, Justin opened his lecture with a sea shanty that he had written for one of his novels. It instantly created an atmosphere of sinister piracy and the children were so quiet you could have heard a pin drop! He then launched into the Pirate Rules for his Windlesham Pirate Crew and asked the children to join in with lots of audience participation.

After a rousing chorus of, ‘Aye, aye, Captain!’ the children were then given a brief synopsis of Justin’s Vampirate stories and we realised just how exciting and gory the stories were. The books are set in Australia in the future (2505) where piracy has once again become a way of life for many people.

The children asked some excellent questions at the end of the talk  and we discovered that Justin has been writing Vampirate books for about nine years. We also learnt that it takes him six to nine months to write each book and each one contains about 100,000 words.

The lecture concluded with Justin reading a Vampirate prayer from the second book in the series which used stunning imagery and inspired the children with their own creative writing. The children then had the opportunity to purchase a book from the Vampirate series through Steyning Bookshop and Justin Somper kindly signed them.

It was a super talk and we are very grateful to Aly Thornton for organising the event, to Steyning Bookshop for providing the books and to Justin Somper for his super performance.

Lucy Beedell