From Mrs Hall:

On Monday, we gathered together for our Remembrance Assembly, reflecting on the importance of remembering those who have given so much. On Tuesday, the boys joined the Prep School for the two minutes’ silence. They stood beautifully still, showing great respect and understanding. Later in the day, several boys were spotted pretending to play The Last Post, a lovely sign that the significance of the moment had resonated with them.

Nativity rehearsals are now well underway, and excitement is building! The boys had their very first read-through this week, and the Year 2 boys were thrilled to have the autonomy to choose their own characters! We can already tell it’s going to be a performance to remember. We will be providing all the costumes, and while we may need some small additions, we will contact you directly if this is required.

As this busy term rushes by, please do keep an eye on the school calendar for upcoming dates and events. A reminder that next Friday, 21st November, the whole school finishes at 1200 for the Exeat weekend. There will be no After School Clubs on this day, please ensure you collect your sons at midday. 

Finally, a little update from the animal world—this time last year, George Sheldon had gone into hibernation! Thanks to the milder weather this November, he is still very much awake, active, and eating heartily. We’ll be keeping an eye on him as the temperatures drop and hibernation time approaches.

Wishing you all a restful weekend.

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Shell awards:

Year 2: to Skerdi for his engagement and enthusiastic learning.

Year 1: to Artie for always engaging in his learning in thoughtful and unique ways and for his personal motivation towards his challenge jobs. Well done, Artie!

Year R: to Louis for gaining in so much confidence this term.

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Save the Dates !

Saturday 15 November	09:00		Pilgrims' Parley (see details and booking form in SchoolPost emails)
Monday 17 November	all week		LAMDA Exams
22-23 November			Exeat weekend
Friday 28 November	15:00 19:00		Pre-Prep Cathedral Assembly - all welcome PPA Christmas Drinks for parents and staff
Saturday 29 November	08:15-09:15		Wellbeing Matters: LIVE 1 (See details and booking form in SchoolPost emails)
Tuesday 2 December	all day		Christmas jumper day and Christmas lunch
Thursday 4 December	09:00-09:45		Pre-Prep Nativity dress rehearsal
Friday 5 December	11:00		Pre-Prep Nativity performance: The Shining Stable
Monday 8 and  Tuesday 9 December	08:15-08:45		Open Classrooms (You are warmly invited to join us during Open Classrooms. A special time for your sons to proudly share the work and learning they have been exploring over the past term.)
Wednesday 10 December	am 13:30		Pre-Prep to the pantomime: Puss in Boots End of term for Pre-Prep

 

Notices

Menus are available here on My School Portal. 
^{Reminder: no food is to be brought into the school and/or given to boys at any time, especially at sign-out.}

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The Pilgrims' Singers - an invitation to parents and staff

The Christmas Rush is almost upon us, and with it comes an annual invitation to join The Pilgrims' Singers.

We usually have about fifty adults for the Carol Service, giving the boys the opportunity to sing SATB repertoire, as part of a massed choir of about 150. Members range from seasoned choral singers to those who have not sung since their own school days. With a hundred trebles to balance, Tenors and Basses are always especially welcome!

This year’s carols include: 

• Macmillan O Radiant Dawn
• Carter Hodie Christus Natus Est
• Hely-Hutchinson The First Nowell
• Rutter Dormi Jesu 

If you are keen – or even vaguely tempted! - please get in touch by emailing me directly.

This year's rehearsal pattern is below: 

• Pilgrims' Hall
  Monday 24 November 2000-2115
  Saturday 29 November 0915-1030
  Monday 1 December 2000-2115
  Saturday 6 December 0915-1045 (with the boys)
  Monday 8 December 2000-2115 
• Cathedral
  Wednesday 10 December 1000-1100
  Wednesday 10 December seated by 1515 for 1530 service 
   

Russell du Plessis
rduplessis@pilgrims-school.co.uk

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Upcoming Events

 

Pilgrims' Parley tomorrow - Saturday morning

 

Please refer to the SchoolPost booking form from the mailing on 5 November at 16:30 or send an email directly to: aslater@pilgrims-school.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Year 1

I have been hugely impressed with the level of information the Year 1 boys have processed about Remembrance Day this week. They have been thoughtful in their responses in whole class discussions after watching the King lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on Sunday and when discussing the different colour poppies and what they mean. They have chosen various stories to read in Calm Time that Mrs Hall alerted them to at the beginning of the week. They used their fingerprints to create a field of remembrance. Two of our challenge tasks this week were directed towards poppies and remembrance, and the boys have responded to their learning of this topic in their own unique and interesting ways during free exploration time. Henry and William created poppies out of Unifix cubes. Artie came straight back from the two-minute silence on the Quad and built a trumpet out of cubes which he proceeded to play whilst boys made further poppies. This was a touching and thoughtful moment that shows how 6-yr-olds can respond with creativity, empathy, and understanding of the occasion. I particularly like the different ways the class have interpreted the challenge of creating a poppy on a peg board.

 

Year 2

This week, our learning has been guided by the beauty and power of nature. In English, we have been exploring The Girl Who Planted Trees by Carly Hart — a wonderful story that reminds us that even the smallest person or idea can make a big difference in the world. The boys enjoyed comparing this to The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers, noticing the similarities in theme and the authors’ use of imagery.

You may have spotted our stunning poppy artwork in the Pre-Prep library, inspired by the vibrant style of Georgia O’Keeffe. For some, it was a challenge to balance imagination with observation — allowing their artistic flair to shine while keeping their scientific minds grounded.

In Maths, we have continued to build confidence in both addition and subtraction, looking closely at patterns in numbers and how they connect.

Finally, the boys enjoyed developing their map skills and putting their knowledge of the capital cities of the United Kingdom to the test. 

Mrs Maxine Kent
Year 2 Teacher

 

Reception

This week, the Reception Class boys have been learning about Remembrance Day and the importance of remembering those who have shown bravery in the past.  The boys explored the significance of soldiers and everyday heroes, discussing what it means to be courageous and how people’s actions can make a difference.

As part of their learning, the boys made their own poppies, carefully crafting each one with pride and thoughtfulness. Through this activity, they not only practised their fine motor skills but also reflected on the meaning behind the symbol of the poppy and the sacrifices it represents.   As well as each member of the class making their own paper poppy to wear, they have created beautiful collage poppy pictures, built poppies from multilink and playdough, and watched an animation that showed how the war affected not only people but animals too.  You may like to share this animation again at home and discuss it further.

The highlight of the week for me was joining the whole school for a two-minute silence.  The boys demonstrated remarkable respect and focus as they stood quietly alongside their peers, showing a developing understanding of the occasion.  It was wonderful to see them engaged in the wider school community, recognising the importance of this shared moment of reflection.   A special moment for the boys was listening to the Last Post being played.  They stood quietly as they heard this moving piece of music.  No doubt they will recognise this music when heard again and learn more about its significance as part of the Remembrance Day tradition.

We are very proud of the thoughtful approach the boys have taken throughout the week.  Their curiosity, care, and engagement during Remembrance Day activities exemplify the values of our school community and remind us all of the importance of remembering and showing respect.

I hope you have a restful weekend.

Forest School

Can you guess who is behind the leaf mask? Trying to choose their favourite leaves proved to be quite a challenge for the boys in Year R, as there were so many wonderful leaves to choose from. However, decisions were made, and the boys enjoyed playing hide and seek in their beautiful masks.

Once again, the leaves were our inspiration, and Year 1 very much enjoyed creating an autumn ball. Leaves were carefully selected for their colour and the length of their stalks and then secured into the ball of clay. The ball of clay was transformed into a vibrant and colourful autumn ball, and it was fun watching the designs evolve.

As the nights start to get longer, many animals start to think about bedding down for the winter months. The boys in Year 2 were introduced to a small group of British mammals that hibernate during the winter, and we chose to focus on the protected dormouse. The boys tried to create a cosy home for our imaginary dormice to curl up in and sleep through those long, dark months.

Mrs Fiona Walker
Forest School and LAMDA Teacher