From Mrs Hall:

We were delighted to welcome Nerys Pearce, a Commonwealth athlete, to school this week. The boys began their morning with an energetic fitness circuit, eagerly throwing themselves into each activity. Their enthusiasm didn’t wane as they gathered to listen to Nerys share her extraordinary story. She spoke openly about the accident that led to her disability and her inspirational journey to becoming a Commonwealth powerlifting competitor, as well as many other sports. The boys were completely captivated—her resilience, courage, and positive mindset left a lasting impression on us all.

Nerys left the boys with the message: 'Be better tomorrow than you are today'.  A motto we will proudly carry with us through the weeks ahead.

Christmas is coming, and the Pre-Prep is brimming with excitement!
Although the boys were under ‘strict’ instructions not to utter the word Christmas until the 1st of December, I suspect that many of them were thinking it very loudly indeed! Now that the magical month is almost upon us, the festive floodgates have opened—and the excitement is palpable.

As any infant teacher knows, the run-up to Christmas is one of the most enchanting yet wonderfully busy times of the year. We are doing our best to keep the boys focused while still embracing the joy of the season. Between rehearsing for the nativity, creating festive crafts, and filling the classrooms with cheerful songs, the boys are truly absorbed in the Christmas spirit.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been supporting the boys with learning their lines. I am genuinely impressed not only by how quickly they have memorised their words, but also by the brilliant comedic timing some of them are already showing. In fact, we’ve had plenty of ad-libbed lines during rehearsals, which have provided some truly delightful—and often hilarious—moments for us as teachers too! We can’t wait to share our performance with you next week.

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

* * * * * * * * * * * 

 

Shell awards:

Year 2: to Rory for showing kindness and celebrating a friend's achievement

Year 1: to Maxi for his focus and attention towards reading and maths. You are making great progress, Maxi!

Year R: to Arthur for making all round progress at school, including making good choices with his words and actions.  Well done Arthur!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * 

Save the Dates !

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 In the Pilgrims' Hall with refreshments from 10:30
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.}

^{* * * * * * * * * *} 

Upcoming Events

* * * * * * * * * *

Reception

What a busy week we have had in Reception! And even though it is very busy, I always love this time of year. It is particularly special teaching the youngest boys in the school. Their smiles, enthusiasm, bubbling excitement and growing confidence always make this a truly magical time.  

This week our Reception boys have been full of festive cheer. They have been busy preparing for their upcoming Nativity performance. Excitement is building every day as they practise their songs and take on their special roles with great enthusiasm. From singing loudly and clearly to remembering where to stand on the stage, the boys are working incredibly hard and showing fantastic focus and building confidence.

Alongside rehearsals, the classroom has been buzzing with creativity as the boys have taken part in a wide range of Christmas craft activities. We have seen beautiful Christmas cards, sparkly decorations, colourful paper chains, and even some very impressive Christmas tree symmetrical cutting. These activities have given the boys wonderful opportunities to practise their fine motor skills while expressing their creativity and celebrating the festive season.

We are incredibly proud of how hard the boys have worked. We can’t wait to share their Nativity performance with you next week. It’s certain to be a heart-warming celebration of all their efforts! I hope you have an enjoyable weekend.

Year 1

The Christmas Story
Practising for our nativity, The Shining Stable, has been in full swing this week. We began in the Pre-Prep Hall, learning lines and deciding where everyone would sit. By the end of the week, the boys had practised twice in the Pilgrims’ Hall, where our final performance will take place. It is no small task for them to remember their lines, know exactly when to speak, and sit patiently until their turn, but they are rising to the challenge wonderfully.

Back in the classroom, the boys have delighted in retelling the Christmas story in their own words. After reading several different versions, they worked in pairs to sequence the key events. They then chose how to retell the story in a storyboard format, writing a sentence for each picture. Their creativity shone through once again, not only in their storytelling, but also in the challenge of constructing a stable for baby Jesus using Polydron.

Art – clay angels
One of my favourite afternoons of the entire term took place this week. We shared the most wonderful time together making clay angels. All the boys listened beautifully as they followed the step-by-step instructions. It was clear just how much they loved working with clay. Every one of them was focused, careful, and eager to do their very best. I was extremely proud of them, and they are equally proud of their angels. We can’t wait to paint them and attach their wings and halos next week.

Mrs Victoria Ford
Year 1 Teacher

 

Year 2

As we head towards the end of term, excitement is building with the joyful sound of Nativity songs and a colourful array of costumes hanging on every spare peg. The boys have also been busy focusing on using apostrophes in their writing. Mind breaks have included games of Rock, Paper, Scissors, simple breathing techniques, and even the occasional race to 100—either with a friend or solo! In Craft Commoner, creativity has brought two year groups together in a wonderful way. This week, the focus was on paint, glitter, and, for a few determined boys, continuing their friendship bracelets. With calm concentration, they twisted their circles clockwise and carefully rearranged their strands of thread at each third hole.

Mrs Maxine Kent
Year 2 Teacher
 

Forest School

Year 1’s Forest School session linked in with their Science curriculum this week. Building on previous knowledge, the boys had fun testing different materials and identifying their unique properties. Testing to see if the material was waterproof was definitely the favourite activity. 

Mrs Fiona Walker
Forest School and LAMDA Teacher