Pre-Prep News, Friday 30 January

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From Mrs Hall:

Opera in the Pre-Prep
One of the true highlights of my week was watching Harrison, one of Hammie’s big brothers, perform for the Pre-Prep boys. From the very first note, his deep, rich operatic voice filled the room, and I wish you could have seen the boys’ faces. They sat utterly transfixed, it was a real goosebump moment!

There was plenty of toe-tapping, and at one particularly dramatic crescendo, one Year 2 boy couldn’t contain himself and flung his arms into the air in sheer delight! Harrison also spoke to the boys about his journey into opera and shared his passion for singing, helping them to understand that music comes in many wonderful forms.

The boys especially loved singing alongside him, sharing the joy and excitement of making music together. It was an unforgettable experience, listening to a voice so different from their own, a magical reminder of the impact live music can have, even on our youngest learners.

A huge thank you to Mrs Ford for organising this special visit, and to Harrison for so generously sharing his time and talent with us. If any parents or family members have a talent, skill, or experience they would like to share with the Pre-Prep boys, we would love to hear from you. These opportunities are incredibly valuable and truly enrich our curriculum.

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Shell awards:

Year 2: to Lucas – for showing determination and working his hardest, tackling challenges with a positive attitude.

Year 1: to Henry B for working hard all week to make good choices. You have shown enthusiasm and positivity. Well done, Henry!

Year R: to Kai for always showing great respect and integrity. Well done Kai!

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Save the Dates !

Saturday 31 January	0900	Pilgrims' Parley (please email aslater@pilgrims-school.co.uk if you would like to come.)
Thursday 5 February	0930-1030	Musical Shells for pre-school children
Friday 6 February	1900 1500	PPQ Quiz night - BOOKING NOW AVAILABLE*** Link to MSP: PPA Quiz booking form Pre-Prep Cathedral Assembly, all welcome
Thursday 12 February	1800	Pre-Prep Winter Warming evening
Friday 13 February	1500 1540	Pre-Prep Celebration Assembly Break for half-term
Monday 23 February	0830	Return to school
Thursday 26 February	morning	St Swithun's join Year 2 Forest School session
Friday 27 February	0830-0900 1000-1100	PPA Coffee by the river Little Shells for pre-schoolers
Monday 2 March (Please note change of day from Tuesday)	All day	Year 2 trip to the Hawk Conservancy (details to follow)
Thursday 5 March		World Book Day
Friday 6 March	All day 1500 1800-1900	PPA Book Sale Reception trip to Weald and Downland Museum (details to follow) Pre-Prep Cathedral Assembly, all Welcome Year 1 and Year 2 Stargazing evening (details already mailed to parents via SchoolPost)
Monday 9 March	1600-1800	Year 2 Parents' Evening (Details of booking will follow)
Tuesday 10 March	1500-1700	Year R and Year 1 Parents' Evening
Wednesday 11 March	1500-1600	Christ Church visits the Pre-Prep
Thursday 12 March	am	Mother's Day in the Woods (Invitation and details to follow)
Monday 16 March	0815-0845	Open Classrooms, all welcome
Tuesday 17 March	0815-0845	Open Classrooms, all welcome
Friday 20 March	1500	Red Nose Day Pre-Prep Celebration Assembly and term ends for Pre-Prep (Prep School term ends for Y4-8 Saturday 21 March)
Monday 20 April	0830	First day of Summer term

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.}

Weekend M3 Closure Junctions 8-9
Please be aware that the M3 will be closed this weekend in both directions between Junctions 8 & 9 (Popham - Winnall) from 21:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Monday.

Please plan ahead for travel to school or away matches.

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Upcoming Events

Friday 6 February, 7pm, All parents welcome
Please book on My School Portal, Bookings and forms - or click the link here:
PPA Quiz night - booking form

FOR ALL OPEN DAY ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE

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Year 1

Personal Coat of Arms
As part of our medieval topic, this week we explored the fascinating world of heraldry and brought it vividly into the present by creating coats of arms that represent who we are.

A coat of arms could show a knight’s family, values, achievements, or personal strengths, allowing others to identify them instantly from a distance when dressed in a full suit of armour. The boys were challenged to design their own personal coats of arms. First, they reflected carefully on their own character and chose a quality they felt they possessed or were working towards. This quality was then represented by an animal, just as animals were often used in historical heraldry to symbolise character traits.

We had an interesting discussion about character traits that made us special, and the boys were extremely perceptive about their choices. For example, Ralph and Henry R chose the cockerel because it represented protecting others and their family. William chose this, but he also wished to add the hare to show he had speed. Hammie chose the stag because it represents being wise and trying to make good choices. Joshua and Henry B chose the eagle for energy and being staying strong even when things get tough. Rufus chose the lion because it represents facing your fears and the badger for not giving up. The Griffin represents courage, which we discussed means being brave, even when you feel a little scared. Artie chose this along with the dog for being reliable.

Colour choice was just as important. In heraldry, colours are rich with meaning, and we learned that every shade tells its own story. Red traditionally represents bravery and energy, blue stands for loyalty and truth, green symbolises growth and hope, yellow or gold is linked to generosity and confidence. The boys had to think carefully about which colours best matched their chosen qualities and animals, making thoughtful decisions rather than simply picking favourites. This was a tricky task!

Each finished coat of arms is unique, just like its creator, and together they form a wonderful display of individuality, imagination, and pride.

Mrs Victoria Ford
Year 1 Teacher

Year 2

This week, the boys began their new unit on multiplication and division. We explored the idea of making equal groups, and the boys worked in pairs using counters and everyday classroom objects to build and check their own sets. They enjoyed the collaborative, hands‑on challenge of ensuring each group was truly equal, and many were able to explain their thinking clearly to their partners. This practical approach helps the boys develop a secure understanding of how multiplication represents 'lots of' a number and how division focuses on sharing into fair groups.

The boys enjoyed meeting Rosie Revere, Engineer, a much‑loved character who inspires children to design, imagine and persevere. The boys made wonderful connections between Rosie and Ada Twist, Scientist, noticing the similarities in their determination, creativity and curiosity. They were quick to discuss how both characters keep trying—even when things don’t work the first time.

In Topic, the boys were introduced to the many different flags of Africa. We explored how colours, shapes and patterns can represent aspects of culture, geography and history. The boys enjoyed discovering the meanings behind the designs and spotting similarities and differences between the flags, which led to rich discussions about symbolism and identity.

Finally, a big thank you to Mrs Hido‑Evans, who kindly came into Year 2 for Show and Tell and inspired the boys with her insights about climate change. After watching Newsround, Lucas heard about COP30 and remembered that his mum had attended COP15. The boys listened intently during the session and were thrilled to become their own ‘Forest Guards’, taking inspiration from her visit to design thoughtful ideas to help reduce carbon dioxide.

It has been a busy and purposeful week, and Year 2 should be very proud of their enthusiasm and growing independence across all areas of learning.

Mrs Maxine Kent
Year 2 Teacher

Reception

The boys in Reception Class have been thoroughly enjoying their weekly Art sessions, where they have been exploring The Northern Lights inspired by the artist Anna Boberg. The boys learnt that Anna Boberg was a Swedish artist who spent many years in the far north of Sweden, where she was fascinated by the dramatic landscapes and the Northern Lights. She used bold colours and expressive brushstrokes to capture the movement, light and atmosphere of the skies she observed, often returning to the same theme to explore it in different ways.

Using chalk on black paper, the boys practised creating the magical effect of the lights by using upward strokes to show movement, as if the lights were dancing across the night sky. They watched short video clips of the Northern Lights forming a variety of patterns and colours and also learnt a little about how this incredible natural phenomenon is created.

Each week, the boys have built upon their skills and confidence, beginning with experimenting with chalk, then learning how to smudge colours upwards together to enhance the sense of movement, and this week adding mountains to create depth and interest in their scenes. Great care has been taken in their work, with clear progress evident over the weeks.

We are very much looking forward to completing our final artwork and showcasing our class 'gallery' for everyone to enjoy.

Maybe you would like to have a go at creating your own Northern Lights artwork at home? You could use any type of medium; paints, oil pastels or watercolours are all equally effective. It is a wonderful mindfulness activity. I have really enjoyed joining in and creating my own Northern Lights picture alongside the boys too.

I hope you have an enjoyable weekend, especially as the mornings and evenings are getting a little lighter.

Mrs Sarah Huntley
Reception Teacher

Forest School

This week at Forest School, Year R spent time thinking about the challenges faced during the colder months by our small invertebrates. We chatted about what makes a suitable place for these small animals to survive the long winter months. Each group was given a small plastic invertebrate and asked if they could make a suitable home for their little creature – one that was safe, warm and dry. At the end of the lesson, we had fun testing the homes to see how waterproof they actually were and I am pleased to announce all the insects stayed dry!

It was Year 1’s turn this week to have a go at making some food for our wonderful garden birds. We managed to make a delicious selection of fat balls and Cheerio garlands, which were all added to our bird feeders. The Bower House became a perfect spot to sit quietly and watch to see who visited the feeders.

Year 2 learned how to create some beautiful ice artwork during Forest School. We chatted about the process of freezing and how we could use the ice to create some unique pieces of ephemeral artwork that would change as it melted. The boys carefully collected some unique natural items and placed them in their trays. Look out for our results next week!