week ending 19 Jan

Dear Parents,

I hope you are all well.

As head of Creative Arts, I am lucky enough to see many of the fantastic creative endeavours your children
take part in. Whether that be their mesmerising science fiction inspired art exhibition at the recent
production of Frankenstein, their dramatic skills in play rehearsals for Peter Pan, or their musicianship
when performing in school concerts.

This week, however, was a particular highlight for the department as we took 41 enthusiastic singers to the
O2 to take part in a Young Voices concert. We joined 9,000 other school children to create the world’s
largest school choir and the result, as you can imagine, was spectacular! The choir has been busy
rehearsing the repertoire of songs for weeks, but nothing could prepare them for the moment they walked
into the 02 arena and realised the scale of the event they were about to take part in.

During the afternoon, the children saw all the professional performers rehearsing their parts and it was a
fantastic opportunity for them to see a range of musical skills in action and realise the importance of
practising their musical instruments until you can’t get it wrong.

For the concert itself, we were joined by 70 family members in the audience of thousands and, even
though they seemed very far away, we managed to spot them waving at us! I know that I will always
remember the feeling of singing in a choir made up of so many voices and having heard the buzz of chatter
on the coach home, I know the children will never forget it too.

Best wishes
Mrs Hougham

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back! I hope this message finds you well and that the new year has started on a positive note for
you and your families. As we embark on another term filled with excitement and learning, I wanted to share
some highlights from the first two weeks back at Pre-Prep.

Belated Happy New Year to you all! I trust that the festive season brought joy and warmth to your homes.
Our little ones have returned with boundless energy, and it’s been a delight to witness their enthusiasm for
learning.

Our Reception classes set off on a magical journey through Traditional Tales with a delightful dress-up day,
sparking their imaginations and creativity. Year 1, on the other hand, dazzled us with their finest costumes
as they delved into the enchanting world of ‘Turrets and Tiaras.’ Whilst the adventurous Year 2 children
embarked on a culinary exploration of China through a fascinating food tasting session and tested their
chopstick skills! Kindergarten have started their topic on ‘Pets’ and Nursery have been learning all about
‘Colours’ creating their own rainbows this week and moving into work on ‘The Colour Monster’ to discuss
their feelings.

In addition to these captivating starts to their curriculum, we are thrilled to introduce our new soft toy
puppets, companions in enhancing our students’ Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education (PSHE)
lessons. These playful characters are designed to nurture confidence, success and positive interpersonal
skills among our young learners, preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead.

But that’s not all – meet Angus, our newest and furriest team member!

Angus, our wellbeing dog, has already stolen the hearts of our Pre-Prep community. While he starts with us
one day a week, we are open to extending his availability based on demand. The joy and anticipation
surrounding Angus’s presence have been palpable, and we’re excited to share some of his upcoming duties,
including the ‘Walkies’ lunch club, reading time and casual chats with our children.

Research into the impact of wellbeing dogs in schools has shown numerous benefits, including increased
attendance, enhanced confidence, reduced anxiety, improved learning outcomes and stronger peer and
teacher relationships. We are eager to see the positive influence Angus will have on our school community.
Mrs. Mott and I will be coordinating Angus’s schedule, and we encourage you to share your thoughts and
suggestions as we embark on this exciting journey with our four-legged friend.

Here’s to a year filled with joy, discovery, and the boundless enthusiasm of our amazing pupils. Thank you
for being an integral part of the Sevenoaks Prep family!

Warm regards,

Helen Cook