Enrichment

from The Whinchat 2021-2022

Cross-Country

At Bedford Prep School, enrichment opportunities, alongside our extensive extra-curricular programme, are at the centre of our drive to develop confident, enthusiastic, and versatile young people. This year we have focused on developing oracy, and so many of the opportunities provided have given boys the chance to use their voice, engage with other ideas and perspectives while learning to express themselves succinctly and effectively.

In October, we celebrated Black History Month with a specific focus on Black British history; this gave all boys the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture. Boys in all year groups were encouraged to research a significant figure in black British history and prepare a speech and presentation about this person’s achievements. Eben Clarke (5RR), Daniel Joaille-Burge (6L), Berkeley Barnicoat (7AG) and Cormac Hayes (8KD) were highly commended for the way they approached the issues of race and equality in their individual speeches, and all received a copy of David Olusoga’s widely celebrated book ‘Black and British’ as a reward for their efforts. We look forward to continuing to promote diversity and inclusivity.

This autumn saw the launch of the Year 8 Academic Studies club – an enrichment club that provides supplementary academic support with the aim of widening boys’ intellectual horizons. These subject-specific sessions aimed to strengthen skills and knowledge and provide the opportunity for staff to deliver on a topic not covered in the curriculum. The sessions often took the form of discussion-based teaching and boys covered basic study skills, interview technique, analytic skills, and more advanced mathematical concepts and formulae. After a successful first year, we look forward to offering this opportunity to boys across the Prep School.

In November, all boys in Year 5-8 took part in a new and exciting debating programme. Enrichment came in the form of carefully planned English lessons which focused on what debate is, why it occurs, how it fits in the real world, rhetorical strategies, and effective delivery. KS2 class heats culminated in year group finals with topics ranging from space exploration to vegetarianism. All boys spoke with courage and conviction, and we look forward, with interest, to seeing boys participate in more debates next year.

In January, boys participated in the

ENRICHMENT REPORT

WORDS BY Miss Sophie Bamber, Head of Enrichment

All the world’s a stage!

Shakespeare Slam: Challenged with learning a Shakespearean monologue off-by-heart, boys took part in a workshop led by practitioners from The Royal Shakespeare Company. As the boys explored the layered language, they experimented with their delivery and learned how to bring the words to life with energy and charisma. Following two days of inspiring workshops, our boys had until mid-February to learn their chosen piece, and it is certainly true to say that the boys were resoundingly brilliant. Following class heats, we held three separate fi nals simultaneously in three different locations and were delighted to announce Major Grewal (Y4), Cayo Sinclair (Y6), Nathaniel Fletcher (Y7), and Aryan Sohanpal (Y8) as this year’s winners. Harry Hodgson (Y7) and George Simmonds (Y8) were also highly commended for their performances.

In the spring, all boys across the school rose to the challenge of a gripping House General Knowledge competition. Class heats took place in form time with the top-scoring boys from each House progressing to a nail-biting fi nal in the EMH. With fi ngers on buzzers, boys in Years 3-8 impressed with their rapid responses to questions ranging from ‘What was John Blanke well-known for in Tudor England?’ and ‘Which sea did the Romans refer to as Mare Nostrum?’ The latter question being answered with rapid speed by Bunyanite, Jeremy Dunn (Y4).

All teams put up a valiant fi ght, but overall victory was claimed by Bunyan. It was terrifi c to see the audience wrack their brains for the answers, cheer on their House, and demonstrate the camaraderie that the vertical House system promotes.

In the summer, there were more oracy

Challenged with learning a Shakespearean monologue off-byheart, boys took part in a workshop led by practitioners from The RSC

opportunities for our boys with Year 7-8 debating competitions being held during lunch times. The level of commitment and calibre of debating was high, and competition was fi erce with many audience members showing up to offer support. Boys engaged with the subject matter which ranged from the development of artifi cial intelligence to whether protests do more harm than good. While all boys spoke fantastically, a nod must be given towards exceptional speakers, Ralph Franklin, Andrew Wright, and Seth Baines of Year 8 – the Upper School Debating Society will be lucky to have you. Gabriel Borelli, Harry Maling, and Oliver Bodfi eld showed much fl air, and we very much hope to see them take the fl oor again next year.

Finally, this term we welcomed the English Speaking Union to the Prep School to host Bedfordshire’s Public Speaking competition. The Bedford Prep team of Eben Clarke (questioner), Oscar McCartie (speaker), and Jacob Schouten (chairperson) debated the topic ‘Space exploration is worth all of the money being spent on it by everyone involved.’ The boys planned and researched over May half term, and it paid real dividends as they were confi dent and composed in the face of fi erce competition.

This year, all boys have been involved with some sort of enrichment opportunity, and we hope that boys continue to engage with the plethora of activities and competitions that are on offer here at the Prep School.