16 February 2022
Sixth Former receives Silver CREST Award
Congratulations to Lower Sixth student Varun for receiving the Silver CREST Award! His VEX robotics project was titled ‘Robots: Building and Testing’.
Read what Varun had to say about securing the Silver Award, after receiving the Bronze Award a few years ago, and his plans to go for a Gold Award…
“My CREST journey started in Years 7 and continued into Year 8, where I achieved my Bronze CREST award for my project on ‘Bouncing Bubbles’. The plan was always to do my three awards (Bronze, Silver and Gold) in each of the three sciences (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics).
Having done my Bronze Award by looking at the Chemistry behind bubbles, I wanted to do either Physics or Biology for my Silver CREST award. My CREST mentor, Dr Weinberg, gave me the idea of doing a project on robotics. She suggested using a VEX robotics kit, which we then ordered. I am delighted we had the opportunity to use this kit because VEX robotics has since been a huge success at our school. We have a VEX robotics club, a VEX robot training space and students have built robots that can be used for VEX competitions.
As soon as I received the kit, I started to build the robot with my dad and we built a joystick-controlled robot that could pick up an object and place it somewhere else. We built the robot from scratch and at the age of 14 I learned how to use Keps Nuts, Nyloc Nuts, spanners, Allen Keys and so much more. For the rest of my project, I tested the robot’s speed and strength, and then I looked at the real-world implications of my project. I only received my award recently because the testing processes were delayed due to the pandemic. However, all the hard work paid off when I finally received my certificate. I would like to thank Dr Weinberg for all her help and advice in being my mentor for my Bronze and Silver CREST award.
Looking ahead, I will do my Gold CREST Award on Biology and specifically medicine. My project will be on vitamin supplements, inspired by my TEDx, and this will fit perfectly into my application for medicine.”
– Varun (Lower Sixth)
We provide a wide range of sporting activities and opportunities for all pupils.
At our Prep School we concur with educational theorists who emphasise the importance of the creative mind and ‘emotional intelligence’ and ‘wellbeing’ – the need to develop the whole personality and our pupil’s imaginations especially. Drama has the power to liberate the mind.
We encourage our pupils to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. 
At our Prep School, Computing covers the use of electronic technology in all its forms, including computers and other communication devices.
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Art is an integral part of our Prep School’s curriculum, providing our pupils with a unique means of expressing their ideas by allowing them to explore new thoughts and give life to their creative minds.
History is taught throughout the School and pupils are encouraged to find out about events and peoples.
Planet Earth is our only home. It is an mind-blowing, diverse and constantly changing place of awesome beauty and power. 
French is the language of our nearest neighbours, probably the easiest foreign language for English speakers to learn and, after English, one of the most widely-learned languages worldwide.
The core of every science lesson at our Prep School is about developing every pupil’s curiosity in the world around them. 
Mathematics is a key subject for children of all ages at our Prep School.
English is taught using lively and creative methods through a variety of texts and resources incorporating ICT from Pre-Prep onwards.