Pre-Prep News, Friday 20 March

Happy Easter to everyone!

From Mrs Hall:

Our final week of the Lent term has been a perfect example of a ‘typical’ Pilgrims’ week, full of amazing academic achievement and endless extra activities. There has been enthusiasm, learning, and growth, and we are incredibly proud of all our Pre-Prep boys.

We were delighted to welcome so many of you into school for our Open Classrooms. The boys were incredibly proud to share their hard work, and it was a lovely opportunity for them to celebrate their learning with you. Thank you for your support in making this such a special experience.

We have also begun our spring planting this week, with great excitement and care. The boys have loved getting their hands dirty and learning how to nurture their plants ready for our plant sale next term.

Finally, may I wish you and your families a peaceful and happy Easter break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the start of the Summer Term on Monday 20 April, refreshed and ready for more exciting adventures ahead.

Happy Easter!

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Save the Dates !

Monday 20 April

0830

First day of Summer term

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Reception

As we reach the end of what has been a short but incredibly busy term, we are delighted to share just how much the boys have packed into our final week before the Easter holidays.

It has truly been a fun-filled and memorable week (like most actually!) Our Open Classrooms were a wonderful opportunity for families to come in and see the fantastic learning taking place, and the boys were so proud to share their work and achievements. We have also been busy planting seeds with Mrs Ford, which we are looking forward to nurturing and watching grow as we move into the Summer Term.

In keeping with the seasonal celebrations, the boys enjoyed getting creative by making their own Easter cards using egg boxes and learning what Easter time is all about and why eggs can be given to others at this time of year. 'New life' is linked to Springtime, and we chatted about how eggs are a symbol of 'new life'.

The focus text for this week has been The Gingerbread Man. There was great excitement in the Pre-Prep kitchen as the boys baked delicious gingerbread biscuits with Miss Whitmore. Thankfully, they stayed firmly on the trays and did not jump out of the oven like they did in the story!

Although this has been a shorter term, it has been packed with learning, creativity, and enthusiasm. The boys have worked incredibly hard and have made us very proud. I hope you all enjoy a restful Easter holiday filled with sunshine, relaxation, and happy family memories. Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Mrs Sarah Huntley
Reception Teacher

Year 2

As the term draws to a close, we are so proud of everything the boys have achieved. It has been a wonderfully productive and busy few weeks, filled with curiosity, creativity and plenty of hard work. A particular highlight was our fantastic trip to the Hawk Conservancy, where the boys not only behaved impeccably but also soaked up an enormous amount of learning during the demonstrations and workshop. The boys have continued to grow in confidence and independence, and we are delighted with the progress they have made. Well done, Year 2!

We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the parents who joined us for Open Classrooms this week. It was wonderful to see you spending time with your son as he shared what he is most proud of this term and reflected on the progress he has made in his learning. Your support and encouragement mean so much to the boys—and to us.

Mrs Maxine Kent
Year 2 Teacher

Year 1

Measuring

Last week in Year 1, we used cubes to measure the length and height of objects around the classroom. We then learned to use a ruler to measure in centimetres. In Home Learning books, I have seen lots of interesting objects measured at home as well!

This week, we have investigated how to measure mass, volume, and capacity. The boys have been using balance scales in the classroom to find out how many cubes an object weighs. Some very clever maths has been on show when the boys were challenged to count the number of cubes used. I have spotted boys grouping their cubes into 5s, 10s, and even 6s to help them count more quickly. We also experimented with scales in Cookery Club this week, weighing out the right amounts of ingredients in grams for our Red Nose Day biscuit recipe.

The weather has been kind to us, and we have needed no encouragement to investigate volume and capacity using the water table set up outside the classroom. Will this differently shaped container hold the same amount of water as this jug? How many small cups will fit in?

The boys have shown a brilliant understanding of all the vocabulary associated with measurement: heavier, lighter, balanced scales, full, empty, volume, capacity, mass, and so on. They have also been using this vocabulary amongst themselves during their free exploration time.

Eating our Red Nose Day biscuits was a fantastic finale to this Easter term and our jam-packed days of learning. A very Happy Easter to you all.

Mrs Victoria Ford
Year 1 Teacher

Forest School

There is a spring feel in the air, mornings are getting lighter and the birds are singing. This week, Year R learned about the challenges faced by birds when building a nest. After chatting about the materials to use, the shape of a nest, as well as finding a suitable place to build one, the boys worked in pairs to make a suitable nest for our little toy birds. I challenged them to use a pair of tweezers as a little beak, which made it even harder to pick up the sticks and carry them back to their nest. The boys had to work hard to create their perfect nest!

Music is an important part of our school, so we thought we would bring music to our Year 1 Forest School session this week. The boys discovered how they could make a woodland instrument using sticks, logs, and small plant pots. We had fun playing a class rhythm together.

Year 2 also focused on birds during their session. We chatted about the life cycle of a bird, and the boys were given the challenge of trying to match the correct eggs to the right bird. They had to read the clues hanging in the trees, and then, by a process of elimination, identify the correct bird the egg belonged to. The boys were surprised at how similar some of the eggs were, but by the end of the session they were all eggsperts!