From Mrs Hall:

The Pre-Prep boys have shown great resilience, adapting brilliantly to the soaring temperatures while continuing to approach each day with enthusiasm, kindness and smiles. We have been incredibly proud of how sensible they have been, remembering to drink plenty of water, wear their hats and look after one another throughout the heatwave.

One of the many highlights of the week was seeing the wonderful kindness and care the boys showed towards one another. They happily shared their handheld fans, making sure everyone had a chance to cool down. One particularly special moment for me was when one of our Year 2 boys took it upon himself to organise some of the other boys across each year group, so that they could each enjoy a refreshing spray of cooling face mist. His thoughtfulness and leadership brought smiles all round. In fact, Miss Wilcocks, Mr Clark and I couldn't resist joining the queue ourselves for a cooling spritz! It was a lovely reminder that some of the most memorable moments in school are often the simplest ones, and it perfectly captured the caring spirit of our Pre-Prep boys.

Another highlight of the week has undoubtedly been our swimming session in the school pool. It was wonderful to see the boys splashing, smiling and growing in confidence in the water. Every boy embraced the experience with enthusiasm. There were smiles all around, and it was a joy to see so much encouragement, determination and enjoyment on display. A huge thank you to all the staff who helped make the sessions such a success.

We hope you all have a wonderful weekend and, if the sunshine continues, enjoy making the most of the beautiful weather!

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Save the Dates !

Diary dates for next half-term appear below. Remember the whole school diary is displayed on My School Portal here:

The Pilgrims' School – Whole School Diary

Tuesday 30 June			New Boys' Day
Wednesday 1 July	1900-2000		Pre-Prep Introduction Meeting for Parents
Friday 3 July	1600-1700 1700-1900		Pre-Prep and Lower Prep LAMDA Showcase Summer Art and D&T Exhibition
Monday 6 July	0815-0845 1330-1500		Open Classrooms Pre-Prep Sports Day
Tuesday 7 July	0815-0845 0915-1545		Open Classrooms Pre-Prep Trip to Meon Shore
Wednesday 8 July	1500-1530 1545		Celebration Assembly Term ends 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.}

Upcoming Events

 

 

 

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Shell awards:

Year R - Vladimir for your super positive attitude towards everything at school, even in the heat! 

Year 1 - to Artie for choosing to swim a length of the Puddle on his own without a float! A great achievement, Artie.

Year 2 - to Willoughby for the progress he has made with his spelling. Well done!

 

 

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Year 1

Treasure Hunters: Shells, Birthstones and Coins
This week, Year 1’s learning has centred around the theme of treasure, inspired by the gems, pearls and precious objects that captured our attention in A Muse (Calliope?) by Cosimo Tura. Following the boys’ fascination with the jewels in the painting, we began by investigating birthstones. Each boy discovered the birthstone linked to his birth month and explored what made it unique. We examined the colours, patterns and qualities of these precious stones, discussed what they reminded us of and generated thoughtful questions about how they are formed, where they come from and why they are associated with different months. The boys showed great curiosity and enthusiasm as they developed their enquiry skills and followed their own lines of investigation. Using the iPads and the child-friendly search engine Kiddle, they researched their questions and discovered answers to many of the mysteries that had captured their interest.

Our treasure investigations then led us to become money detectives as we explored all the coins used in England. We learnt how to recognise each coin by its size, shape, colour and value, and discussed the features that help us tell them apart. The boys enjoyed handling real coins, sorting them into groups and playing games to test their knowledge. We discovered that the larger coin is not always worth the most money and were fascinated to learn that some coins have special designs that form a picture when placed together. By the end of the week, the boys are increasingly confident at identifying coins and understanding their value, developing an important life skill through practical, hands-on learning.

Our Word of the Week was “valuable”, and we have kept returning to the question of what makes something valuable. The boys shared many thoughtful ideas: a family photograph, a shell collected on a special day, an irreplaceable toy, or even ourselves. It has been wonderful to see them begin to recognise that value is not always about money, but can also come from memories, feelings and personal significance.

Mrs Victoria Ford
Year 1 Teacher

Reception

During this very hot week, the boys have thoroughly enjoyed spending time at our woodwork bench. It has been wonderful to see how much confidence they have developed over the course of the year when using a wide range of tools. From hand drills, clamps, screwdrivers and hammers to the Japanese pull saw, the boys have shown great care, skill and enthusiasm in their work.

One of the most exciting aspects of woodwork is that the boys are able to choose what they would like to create. This year, vehicles and animals have been particularly popular! The boys have such imaginative ideas and are always keen to bring their creations to life. Often, they just need a little helping hand to support with joining materials together to make their designs work exactly as they envision them.

Working with wood and real tools offers so many valuable learning opportunities for young children. As well as developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and strength, woodwork encourages problem-solving, perseverance and resilience as the boys learn to overcome challenges and adapt their ideas. It also promotes creativity, independence and confidence, helping them to take pride in their achievements and see themselves as capable learners. Perhaps most importantly, it teaches children to assess risk, use tools responsibly and work safely, skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom.

I have taught the boys how to measure, saw, brace, join and assemble materials successfully, using both wood and a variety of junk-modelling resources. It has been fantastic to watch their skills and independence grow as they tackle increasingly ambitious projects.

The boys absolutely love woodwork and are incredibly proud of their finished pieces. We are looking forward to sharing our creations with you at the Art and DT Exhibition next Friday, where you will be able to see first-hand the creativity, perseverance and problem-solving skills that have gone into each project.

If you have any odds and ends at home that you think might be useful for model making and woodworking, we would be very grateful for your donations. Corks, curtain rings, bottle tops, sticks, bits of wood offcuts, small boxes and other interesting recyclable materials are always welcome. The boys are always inspired by new materials, and we are sure we will be able to put them to excellent use. We will put a collection box outside our Pre Prep front door for donations.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and look forward to sharing our work with you at the exhibition.

Happy weekend!

Mrs Sarah Huntley
Reception Teacher
 

Year 2 

Year 2 News
Despite the extraordinary heat this week, the boys have shown remarkable perseverance, resilience, enthusiasm, energy and enjoyment in all that they have done. They should all feel very proud of their efforts and positive attitudes.

Our ocean-themed artwork is really beginning to come to life with colour, and we cannot wait to unveil the finished pieces at our upcoming Art Exhibition and Celebration Assembly. The boys have taken great care and thought into their creations. Painting in miniature, on a scallop shell, is a skill that requires precision, patience and time, and they have approached the challenge brilliantly. As part of their ocean work, the boys thoughtfully included pieces of plastic around their sea creatures to help raise awareness of the issue of ocean pollution.

In Mathematics, the boys enjoyed collecting and presenting data. They created tally charts and block diagrams using information gathered from their classmates on topics ranging from favourite dinosaurs and Star Wars ships to favourite foods. It has been wonderful to see them applying their mathematical skills in such engaging and meaningful ways.

Of course, the heat has been challenging at times, but we discovered a fantastic way to cool down! A tray of cool water for tired feet provided plenty of fun while helping everyone stay comfortable and refreshed.

As we look ahead to our final full week of the academic year, there is still so much to enjoy. Transition activities have continued, with the boys spending time with their Year 3 "cousins" and becoming increasingly familiar with the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. They also enjoyed a PE lesson up at the Priory, where they had great fun playing pool, air hockey and table football. We are all looking forward to Moving Up Morning and the many exciting events still to come. We wish everyone a restful and relaxing weekend and look forward to seeing the boys for another busy and enjoyable week ahead.

Mrs Maxine Kent
Year 2 Teacher

 

Forest School

The boys in Year R loved being King for the Day and wore their summer crowns with great pride. They carefully selected items from the forest floor to decorate their crowns and shared their ideas about how they would care for our planet.

This week's Year 1’s Forest School session linked closely with the boys' science curriculum. We learned about the structure of a flower and explored how flowers are pollinated. The boys thoroughly enjoyed imagining they were bees and discovering the life cycle of a flower.

Following our successful Father's Day activities, the boys in Year 2 had a go at creating larger summer plaques. They worked sensibly and creatively together, collecting items from the forest floor and picking natural materials responsibly. The boys were delighted with the finished results.

Mrs Fiona Walker
Forest School and LAMDA Teacher