Horsham pupils bury time capsule

The project entitled ‘Exceptional futures’ gave everyone in the year group the opportunity to look reveal their own personal predictions and aspirations for the future and place these inside the specially made time capsule.

The entries which were submitted on an A4 piece of paper asked each student what they hope to be doing in 2018 (when they will be in Year 11), what they want to have achieved by then and their predictions on what everyone will be doing. In addition, students were able to complete the form with any other thoughts they had which they might like to reflect on in the future.

Aspirations included: being A* students, achieving music grades and being a prefect. Some of the more specific hopes including: completing a lifeguard course, being able to do a front flip, being noticed for guitar playing skills, being able to gallop on a horse, reading 30 books and hoping everyone has thoroughly enjoyed their time at Tanbridge House School.

Some of the more unusual predictions included: major companies creating more appealing ways to educate people, writing with new types of pencils, everyone having bright rainbow and spikey hair, travelling on hover boards and a mutant alien invasion of Earth.

The capsule is made of acrylic with a polypropylene rim and was created by students attending the school’s technology club. It was buried half a metre down in the school’s grounds by Headteacher Mr Jules White and students that helped make the time capsule in technology club and some who were submitting entries.

The time capsule with all the ‘exceptional futures’ locked firmly inside will be exposed again in 2018 when the students are in their last year of school to reveal whether their thoughts were correct and demonstrate how much they have all achieved during their time at Tanbridge House School.

Headteacher Mr Jules White said: “We decided to create and bury a time capsule with a difference. Most time capsules are buried for other people to find years from now, however we decided to make one for our students so they can reflect upon how much they have grown over four years and demonstrate how quickly the world around them changes. Hopefully, the revelations in 2018 won’t be too shocking but will raise a few smiles and a sense of enormous accomplishment for all.”

Kirsty MacKay, Leader of Year 7, said: “I’m so pleased that our year group was chosen to take part in the project. It has been really worthwhile for the students to think about their futures and what they would like to achieve. Some of them have set themselves goals and it will be fascinating to come together again in four years’ time and see if the students have followed the paths that they thought they would.”

Ella Bidmead, Year 7 student aged 12 said: “It was great to be involved with the project as I also helped make the capsule. It was a really special occasion and I’m looking forward to when we dig the capsule back up and see whether our predictions have come true.”

Nina Burke, Year 7 student aged 12 said: “The time capsule was like a very special present to ourselves in the future as we know what we are going to get. I couldn’t wait to see the finished time capsule as I also helped make it in technology club. With all the dreams sealed inside it was surprisingly heavier than I thought it would be.”

Report and pictures contributed by Tanbridge House School.