Enjoyable Challenge

Because it’s there. George Mallory

Chafyn Grove aims to provide an environment of enjoyable challenge for boys and girls from 3 to 13 years old. Too much challenge is stressful, too little is dull. In between exists the essence of a first class education, achieved by high quality relationships between staff and pupils and a breadth of opportunity. The latter aspect is a key component of our success: that each child discovers their strengths. We hope that all of our children will develop habits and attitudes which will serve them throughout their education, through school and life. As well as building on strengths, it is also healthy for our children to encounter areas of relative weakness, and learn from them too. Our provision sets out to exercise Curiosity, Courage and Compassion, enabling our children to explore all of their potential and develop it.

Chafyn Challenges

Each child at Chafyn Grove is encouraged to enjoy challenge. We have enshrined this in our ‘Chafyn Challenges’ – a series of tasks designed to help the children immerse themselves in our core values, learning who they can be in the process. The following is from the booklet which records their progress:

When George Mallory was asked why (on earth) he wanted to climb Everest, he memorably replied: ‘Because it’s there.’

The unspoken challenge of an unattained feat was urgent enough to draw him into an extraordinary feat of endeavour. That spirit, to be intrigued by possibility and impelled to see where that might lead, is at the heart of everything good at Chafyn Grove. The enjoyment of challenge on its own, however, is not enough. Our motto challenges us to be mindful of how our actions affect others. Therefore, Compassion should be exercised alongside Courage and Curiosity.

The Chafyn Challenges are constructed to help children get the most out of school. The virtues they are built upon are our school colours. The completion of all of them by the time a child leaves is a commendable achievement, but each one tackled is a worthwhile step towards the summit.

As our children enjoy these challenges, they are helped to face others.

VIEW OUR CHAFYN CHALLENGES

READING PASSPORT

The older children at Chafyn each have a Reading Passport. This log charts and guides them through different reading routes. The Passport contains trails through Europe, Africa and the Americas. You travel from country to country by reading books; when you encounter a particular landmark, the teacher chooses a book for you (to provide a different challenge). When you complete a continent, you are given a book in assembly as a reward; thanks to this scheme, more children are reading more books.

In fact, the success of the Reading Passport has led to an Extension. Here the continents of Australia, Antarctica and Asia are laid out, via the journeys of Burke & Wills, Shackleton and Marco Polo. Now there is a defined selection of more challenging books as your tickets and companions. (Though landmarks still offer a free choice). An appetite for reading is one of the most impactful habits to develop at Prep School. Our Reading passports encourage all levels of reader to stretch themselves and become more seasoned travellers.

Chafyn Grove Reading Passport

Chafyn Grove Reading Passport Extension