Banbury area preschool hosts pirate treasure hunt for children with help of local charity

Cropredy Pre-School and Cropredy Primary School worked together with help from a local charity to provide a treasure hunting pirate adventure for the pupils moving up to primary school in the autumn. The charity, Second Time Around in Banbury donated some treasure to Cropredy Pre-School to use for the pirate adventure.

Laura Hale, Cropredy Pre-School manager, and Phil Goldsworthy, headteacher of Cropredy Primary School worked together to create a special adventure with the children, who are moving from Cropredy Pre-School to Cropredy CE Primary School in September 2021.

Laura Hale said: "Cropredy Pre-School believe Early Years is about the excitement of new experiences, imagination and discovery, being able to be curious and inquisitive is often a child's first adventure into learning. Learning through 'play' in an incredible way for our children to learn, a child's imagination is full of wonder and is quite simply bursting with potential.

"This special adventure with the children would hopefully create a lasting memory of re-school, before the children transition to primary school to continue their learning adventure, moving up to big school and becoming a Cygnet in the reception class of Cropredy CE Primary School.

"Both settings fully appreciate that the last year with Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our children. The passions and drive established through the strong partnership between Cropredy Pre-School and the new headteacher at Cropredy Primary School, aims to build and extend on the children’s existing outstanding provision, inspiring, engaging and instilling joy and wonder in the children who move into the Cygnets class at Cropredy Primary School.

"The children’s pirate adventure began at pre-school with an old map, delivered by Mr Goldsworthy.

"The new reception class teachers joined the children’s quest for the treasure. The excitement was evident as the children started to decipher the map. The ancient story was shared about the pirates who travelled up the canal, stopping at Cropredy Primary School to find a safe spot to bury their booty. One of the children quickly identified that 'X marked the spot’ and where the treasure might be found. The joint search for the treasure had begun.

"Miss Jackson asked the children what we would need to dig up the treasure? In a blink of an eye, the pre-school children collected up wheelbarrows, spades and forks and began their journey to the 'forest school area' within the Cropredy Primary School grounds."

Mr Goldsworthy and the reception staff team led the journey to forest school, previously unvisited by the pre-school children.

Laura Hale added: "After studying the map together, the children located the position of the treasure and started digging into the ground. Suddenly, they discovered a brown leather bag and with real excitement, excavated it, retrieving the booty! The children’s excitement was delightful to see. They could not believe their eyes! Real pirates' treasure had been found!

"The reception team then shared a pirate story, helping the children to think, ponder and reflect on the booty that they had found, where it had come from and why the pirates might have travelled up the canal to hide it safely in the grounds of Cropredy Primary School.

"Instilling passion, curiosity and a real excitement for learning are a huge drive within the two partnership-based settings. The morning’s adventure led for real excitement and engagement, with huge smiles, engagement and enjoyment from the children, building and establishing strong relationships for the children as they progress from Cropredy Pre-School’s care to their new Cygnets class for September.

"The journey ahead for all the children building from this joint setting work is now set on very strong foundations, a huge partnership and a real drive for all to achieve, enjoy and thrive in the care of the staff team at Cropredy Primary School.

"We all hope that this exciting adventure helps mark a real steppingstone for all the children at Cropredy Pre-School as they start their new and exciting journey as Cygnets at Cropredy Primary School."