week ending 13th October

Dear Parents

I hope you are all well.

We ended last week with a fabulous House Music Competition.  This is always an energetic and loud event with pupils performing with determination and passion for their House.  This year’s winners were Seal – huge congratulations to them and to everyone who took part.

Thank you to Mr Collings for arranging the Years 3 – 8 Scholastic Book Fair this week.  It was good to look through the stock provided and see which titles proved most popular with the pupils.  It is clear that dinosaurs continue to fascinate!

I had the pleasure of accompanying Years 7 and 8 on the creative arts trip to London where we visited the Hockney exhibition at The Lightroom Gallery followed by dinner and an evening at the Haymarket Theatre to see Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off” – regarded by many (including me) as one of the funniest plays ever written.  The production did not disappoint!  (I have always wanted to do this as a school play but the set is rather complicated and the cast is rather small.)  School theatre trips have, in all my years of teaching, always amused me as the moment one sets foot in a theatre with a group of pupils, you can visibly see other audience members nervously looking to see if you are going to be sitting anywhere near them.  What is always great is that we undoubtedly get comments from members of the public about how well behaved and well mannered our pupils are and how nice it has been to see them enjoying themselves.

One could have predicted the rain would arrive as we approach half term!  Oh well, at least the lawn will get a drink and, if the temperature drops, it will be an excuse to have the first log fire of the season…

Best wishes

Luke Harrison

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It’s hard to believe that the first half of the autumn term has flown by so quickly! I’m delighted with how well the children have settled into their new classrooms and routines, and it’s heart warming to see them walking in happily and saying their goodbyes in the car park each morning.

We’ve certainly faced some challenges in the past couple of weeks, particularly with the water issues. I want to express my sincere gratitude to our parents for understanding the difficulties we’ve encountered. As we approach the most exciting part of the year, I hope for a calm and smooth term after the break. I also want to extend a big thank you to my exceptional team of staff who went above and beyond during these challenging times, ensuring a calm atmosphere and taking excellent care of your children in very difficult circumstances. They truly deserve a well-earned break.

On Wednesday, the Pre-Prep hall was abuzz with excited children, and the energy in the room was infectious. I had the pleasure of sitting down and listening to their enthusiastic chatter as they engaged in their maths puzzle workshops. They embraced the challenges, took risks, and enjoyed problem-solving. It was equally wonderful to see so many parents attending the workshops after school.

I hope you found the parent-teacher meetings this term valuable. It’s an excellent opportunity to hear about your child’s progress and how they’ve settled into the classroom, as well as to discuss their next steps in learning. Remember that all parents have the opportunity to meet with their child’s class teacher twice a year, and you’ll also receive a written report.

As we head into the half-term break, I hope you enjoy a wonderful and relaxing time. I deeply appreciate the many supportive messages I’ve received this term, and we have been truly touched by your kind words and care. My own family and I are looking forward to some time away in Center Parcs, where I’m certain I’ll end up looking like a shrivelled prune by the end of each day due to hours spent in the pool!

Best wishes,

Helen Cook