August 10, 2019

Tuck boxes, inkwells, weekly baths, Sunday letter writing … What life was like for the boarders at Sompting Abbotts in the 1960s

August 10, 2019/ sarah monaghan

Tuck boxes, inkwells, weekly baths, Sunday letter writing … Life for pupils at Sompting Abbotts was very different in the 1960s compared to today! Luckily, we have a colourful glimpse into the past thanks to Old Abbottonian Dr Richard Stillman who has written this vivid account of his memoirs. Dr Stillman, now a retired GP, attended the school from 1960 to 1964 and was aged 8 when he arrived.

August 05, 2018

A step back in time: the people behind the history of Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School

August 05, 2018/ sarah monaghan

Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School is an independent school in Sussex that owes its existence today to two families and their descendants. Those families were the Rutherfords and the Sinclairs. We're lucky enough to be able to travel back in time through their memoirs.

February 07, 2018

Wartime letter discovered under Sompting Abbotts' floorboards links son to family’s past

February 07, 2018/ sarah monaghan

The unearthing of a letter from 1939 at Sompting Abbotts' Preparatory School has connected an Australian man to his British family during WW2. The letter was found under the floorboards of an old dormitory. Now, the school, intrigued by the letter’s discovery, has succeeded in tracing the identity of ‘Jim’ across continents to his son, Craig, in Australia.

October 12, 2017

Remembering the Great Storm of 1987 at Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School

October 12, 2017/ sarah monaghan

It's over 35 years since the Great Storm of 1987 which tore through the South East of England, ripping great trees from their roots, damaging properties and causing loss of life. West Sussex independent school Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School, located high on its hilltop overlooking the south coast, would take the brunt, as the winds turned south-westerly and smashed straight into its path.

August 23, 2017

What did an old letter, dated 1939 and found under the floorboards of a dorm at Sompting Abbotts, reveal?

August 23, 2017/ sarah monaghan

There's a guilty thrill that comes with reading other people's letters, and doubly so, when that letter opens a window into the past. A well-thumbed hand-written letter, dated 1939, to a pupil at Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School, a private school near Worthing, was discovered under the floorboards of an old dorm. It's a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Sompting Abbotts named finalist in Independent Schools of the Year 2023 Environmental Achievement Award

Following our earlier announcement in July of the shortlisted entries for the Independent Schools of the Year 2023 awards, we're delighted Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School has been selected as a Finalist in the Independent School of the Year for Environmental Achievement category.

Conkers and golden moments: an autumnal tradition at Sompting Abbotts

What child doesn’t love to collect handfuls of glossy brown conkers? At Sompting Abbotts, they don't just fill their pockets — even socks become makeshift pouches. And so, at this time of the year, we send the children out into our school grounds to look for shiny conkers (not that they need any persuading).

New Beginnings at Sompting Abbotts: Introducing Our New Headmaster

Sompting Abbotts warmly welcomes Mr Chris Gunn as Headmaster, taking the mantle from Mr Stuart Douch who served from 2013-2023. We're grateful that Mr Douch will continue to enrich our community as Head of English and History. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for his excellent past leadership.

Our Environmental Ethos: Outdoor Classrooms and Woodland Coronations

At Sompting Abbotts, we adopt a school-wide ethos that embodies our commitment to the environment. Its principles – 'Embrace Nature; Embrace Learning; Embrace Childhood' – are threaded through our teaching, influencing every child's journey from Pre-Prep to Upper Prep. Our 30-acre grounds and woodland in the South Downs National Park are at its roots.

Sompting Abbotts launches annual Speech Cup of Poetry and Performance

Sompting Abbotts’ annual Speech Cup of Poetry and Performance saw every child from Years 3 - 8 learn and recite a poem by heart! The best performances were chosen at a special competition in front of an audience of their peers and their parents. It was judged by an external expert adjudicator.

Lab detectives: owl pellet dissection and analysis

Pupils have been working as dissection detectives in the science lab at Sompting Abbotts Prep School. They have been investigating Barn Owl pellets found in the school grounds.