Prep for the Week Issue 1845

Prep for the Week Issue Number 1845 – 2 December 2016

In this week’s issue…

Headmaster's Blog and Commendations Christmas Arrives at The Prep Kingfishers and Lower School News Book now: Christmas with Cheltenham Activity Camps Calendar and Notices

read o t 3 Page o t n r Tu ation r i p s n i the t u o b a as m all t s i r h r's C a e y s i h t all! behind H g n i n e Di h t n i s tree

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Headmaster's Blog Dear Parents Last week's interviews for the post of Boarding House Parent have prompted me to consider the role of boarding. Whilst the senior part of the College remains primarily a boarding school, The Prep is now a day operation with a healthy boarding contingent.

The main reason that we continue to offer boarding is to care for children of members of the Armed Forces.

This is a service of which we are immensely proud.

We also attract children from a variety of countries who value a traditional English independent school education.

Probably the biggest phenomenon to affect preparatory school boarding has been the move away from full and weekly to flexi-boarding.

Personally, I think this has been an understandable shift in the attitude of parents who no longer need to or want to board their young child full-time. For some flexi-boarding is only useful as a child minding service or a glorified sleep-over. However, for the majority flexi-boarding is viewed as a valuable education experience in its own right. The feeling of responsibility, the need for a degree of independence and the enjoyment of that sense of successfully organising one’s belongings like a grown up, all combine to make boarding an extension of the Cocurricular provision. Children are learning the soft skills of communication, co-operation and, as they grow older, leadership. This week I was fortunate enough to take boarders’ tea and, as a novice, I was very grateful for the guidance of a boy in Year 4!

My recommendation is that all children should try boarding, even if it results in them only doing one night a week. If they don’t try, they don’t know and parents should not be worried about being accused of ‘emotional abuse’ for allowing their children to spend one night in the company of friends: except the surroundings and the need for definite bedtimes, what is the difference between a sleepover at someone’s house and flexi-boarding?

If not yet completely recovered from the disruption caused by the high level of illness, we are certainly at the end of the tunnel. To those parents who took the decision to keep their ailing child off school I say ‘thank you’. Hopefully we can now press on towards the end of term and the festive period – there is no better place at Christmas than a decorated, lively and busy prep school!

Headmaster's Commendations Mia Evans for displaying a very mature attitude to a potentially difficult situation and for accepting the consequences with grace and humour Ed Critchley for kindess and patience with another pupil Paras Aggarwal for an amazing Sun, Earth and Moon painting

Christmas decorations are up all around The Prep: don't forget to come and have a look!

Jon Whybrow Prep for The Week Issue Number 1845 2 December 2016

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Islam

Hinduism

Judaism Sikhism

Christmas arrives at The Prep!

For the 7th year running, the whole school collaborated on a special festive project – decorating the Dining Hall’s five Christmas trees. The vision behind this collaboration was that every child at The Prep could see their own hand-made decoration on one of the 5 trees.

Each year, Head of Art Alayne Parsley comes up with a new theme, but this year was overheard lamenting her lack of inspiration… thankfully, after an inspirational chat with Mr Patterson, The Prep’s new Head of Religious Studies, the idea of the six main world religions was suggested. However, there are only 5 trees! ‘Easy,’ thought Prep for The Week Issue Number 1845 2 December 2016

Buddhism

Mrs Parsley. ‘We’ll do them all except Christianity, which can be represented by the Star in our beautiful stained-glass window – genius!’

The trees are now on display in the Dining Hall representing Sikhism (by Years 5 and 7 who illustrated the 5 Ks; the Year 7s also drew inspiration from the work they have been doing on artist, Micheal Craig Martin), Judaism (by Years 6 and 1; Year 1s made Stars of David out of lolly sticks and the Year 6s made Menorahs out of sparkly pipe cleaners), Hinduism (by Lower School, who made Decorated hands and elephants out of paper and clay), Islamic

Christianity

(with mosaics designed and created by most of Year 8 and all of Year 2) and finally, Buddhism (represented by colourful bunting and Dharma wheels created by Nursery and Reception boys and girls).

The main idea behind this year’s theme was to be inclusive, welcoming and understanding of all religions. For many, Christmas is about family and sharing love, no matter what beliefs you follow, and we are delighted to recognise other religions during this time of festivity and celebration. Merry Christmas everyone!

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Kingfishers St Andrew's Day Celebrations!

On Wednesday, the Reception children celebrated St Andrew’s Day. They made Scottish flags, delicious shortbread and had a wonderful time dancing the Gay Gordons and attempting the Sword Dance (although they did decide that it would be safer without swords!). I am sure the children will be happy to teach you if you would like to have a go.

Beep Beep! Day As part of Road Safety Week, a national initiative run by the charity Brake, Kingfishers had their very own Beep Beep! Day, and enjoyed lots of fun activities, which helped to teach the children the basics of road safety.

Reception children did a survey of cars in the car park, whilst boys and girls in the Nursery practised crossing the road safely during a practice in the playground, with play cars and even a little a policeman to direct the 'traffic'!

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Lower School

Year 3 Egyptian Day Travelling back in time, Year 3s ended up in the time of Pharaohs, mummies and hieroglyphs.

The children began with some pyramid work, either building or measuring them. One group found out that the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza could have covered the whole grounds of The Prep! Starting at the corner of the playing field, one side went up, past the astro and, apparently, as far as Old Bath Road (though the children didn’t trundle that far!) It was also three times taller than the Eagle Star building – wow!

After an English lesson focusing on turning a body into a mummy (do be careful, parents – the children now know how to scoop your brain out!), they moved on to some art activities.

Bookmarks were made using real papyrus (all the way from the Egyptian branch of Amazon) and the children wrote their name using the ancient art of picture writing. They also made their own version of a death mask like that originally modelled by Tutankhamun, whom they researched, alongside Howard Carter.

A varied day full of cross-curricular adventures!

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Monday 19th to Wednesday 21st December Drop your kids off while you go shopping

3 day Camp & Swim just ÂŁ135 or half hour swimming lessons each day for ÂŁ25

www.cheltenhamactivitycamps.co.uk

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All changes and additions to the School Calendar appear in pink.

Calendar

Sunday 4 December 2016 14:00 Boarders at the Movies (Full and Regular Flexi-Boarders Only) Monday 5 December 2016, Week 14, 5 - 11 December 09:30 Cottage and Reception Nativity Dress Rehearsal (Assembly Hall) 11:00 Lower School House Rugby 11:00 Lower School House Hockey Years 1-2 Nativity Dress Rehearsal (Assembly Hall) 14:30 Tuesday 6 December 2016 14:30 Years 1-2 Nativity Performance 1 (Assembly Hall) Wednesday 7 December 2016 12:45 Departure for Rugby v Abingdon Prep School (A): U12A XII, U12B XII, U11A IX, U11B IX.

Start 14:30. Pick up 17:30 14:00 Middle School Netball Pre-Season. Pick up 16:15 14:00 Upper School Netball Pre-Season. Pick up 16:15 14:00 Year 4 Netball Pre-Season. Ends 15:00 Cancelled 14:30 Cottage and Reception Nativity Performance (Assembly Hall) 14:30 Rugby v Abingdon Prep School (H): U13A XIII, U13B XIII, U11C IX, U10A VIII, U10B VIII,

U10C VIII. Pick up 16:30 15:00 Year 3 Netball Pre-Season. Ends 16:00 Cancelled 16:30 Staff v Year 8 Hockey. Pick up 17:30 Thursday 8 December 2016

Years 3-8 ABRSM Music Examinations (Lake House) 14:30 Years 1-2 Nativity Performance 2 (Assembly Hall) Friday 9 December 2016

House Cross Country Competion 09:00 Lower School Dress Rehearsal (Assembly Hall) 14:15 Christingle Service in Chapel for Years 1-8 (parents welcome) Saturday 10 December 2016 10:00 Rugby and Netball v Dean Close (H): Year 2 Boys and Girls. Pick up at 11:30 10:30 Lower School 1st Christmas Performance (Assembly Hall). Pick up 12:00 10:30 Middle and Upper School Focus on The Arts 18:00 Boarders at The Panto Sunday 11 December 2016 11:00 Friends of The Prep Santa Fun Run (College) 13:00 Boarders' Fun Day (Full and Regular Flexi-Boarders Only)

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NOTICES Happy Birthday to the

following pupils this week!

Seren Archer 6 Zandra Games 6 Ted McQuitty 7 Thomas Martin-Harrington

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Oliver Smith 11 Rafferty Turner 12

Nathan Chancellor 13

Finlay Hurst 13

Aidan Portch 13

Simon Evlyn-Bufton 14

Keep up to date this festive season with news and events on our Facebook page!

Visit www.facebook.com/CheltenhamPrep and like our page to see photos of all the Christmas performances, parties, events and celebrations! You can also find us on twitter at @CheltPrep.

Prep for The Week Issue Number 1845 2 December 2016

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