Prep for the Week - Week 10

Prep for the Week Issue Number 1873 – 10 November 2017

In this week’s issue…

Headmaster's Blog Kingfishers Update Maths Enrichment Lower School Update Vienna Tour New Beacon Match Report Sports Update Week 11 Calendar Birthday Announcements Notices

e r e h k e we y s u b r e h t o pe n o A h e W . p e r P s a at The t i d joye n e l l a you've e! v a h e sw a h c u m

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Headmaster's Blog

Dear Parents Welcome back. As we set up for the second half of term, it is clear that the children have taken advantage of the two week Half Term; energy levels, if not at early September levels, have certainly been topped up. The second half of the Autumn Term brings its own special challenges and opportunities, not least coping with the end of British Summer Time. With the shorter days, it is essential that children take every opportunity during the day to get out and exercise, even if this is just for a good old fashioned game of ‘it’. Of course, The Prep will continue to offer its games and PE programme – “mens sane in corpore sano” – and I will be especially encouraging to those who seek the company of the radiator rather than generating their own warmth.

In the classroom, children must seek to build on what has already been achieved.

Year 7 and Year 8 have just sat, or will be sitting, examinations in the next two weeks and the advice that I offer to them, and their parents, will stand the test of time for those in the years below.

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These examinations are just a staging post on the path to more challenging and important tests, whether they be academic or otherwise. Adopting a balanced and measured approach to success and failure is critical. Disappointing results demand review and response, not despondency and defeat. Successful outcomes require satisfaction and further ambition, and certainly not complacency. The most searching question anyone can pose to themselves after any form of test is “Did I do my best?”. If one can look in the mirror and reply with one’s hand on one’s heart “Yes”, then one can do no more.

Mr Jon Whybrow Headmaster

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Kingfishers Update Reception have had a very creative first week back in Kingfishers. The children have been busy flicking paint with toothbrushes to make some lovely firework pictures.

(Feel free to try this at home!) They have also been practising their number formation and colours by making fortune tellers for their toy topic.

This week Kingfishers was visited by our Head Chef Jake Oliphant who was keen to talk to the children about healthy food choices and to find out about their favourite foods. The children are looking forward to seeing some new dishes on the menu in the next few weeks and being able to broaden their choices. They have promised to try all the new dishes so watch the Try Something New board in Kingfishers to see how they are doing.

Year 2 have been looking at non-fiction books and their features. They began by working in groups to identify each feature in a book. The children are working towards creating their own information pages on Australia which is the 'Away' part of our 'Home and Away' topic.

Reading Challenge Over Half Term Kingfishers completed their Reading Challenge to see if they could read ten times either on their own or to a parent. The children had a great time reading a range of books and excitedly shared their achievements in Kingfishers assembly this week.

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Christmas Cards

Kingfishers Update

This week in Kingfishers, the children were really excited to receive a professional sample of their amazing, self-designed Christmas cards. The children are looking forward to taking these home to show off to their families. If you would like to order some copies of these cards to send to family and friends over Christmas, please look out for the clarion with instructions of how to go about this.

Maths Enrichment Pupils in the Year 8 scholarship group took part in a Maths Enrichment activity lead by Dr Enright, the Head of Maths at College.

After a brief introduction to some new maths concepts on prime numbers and divisability, the pupils conjectured and discussed in order to formulate rules, prove theorems and solve problems.

They certainly gave the session their ‘undivided’ attention.

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Lower School Update

A warm welcome back to Lower School. We are all refreshed and revitalised for our very busy term ahead.

Everyone is back to their hard-working ways and it is clear that pupils have thought about their targets from their progress reports and are rising to the challenges set. As the term progresses, it is important to remember that all the fun and activities will inevitably take their toll on energy levels so early nights are to be recommended!

This week we stopped to understand the significance of Armistice Day. Our Lower School Assembly has helped us to know when Armistice Day started, why we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and who we are remembering. Taking part in this week’s Act of Remembrance will surely be a meaningful experience for them.

In Week 12 and 13 we have our Year 3 Egypt Day and Year 4 India Day. These are great opportunities for everyone to immerse themselves in their learning through a variety of practical activities and themed lessons. There will of course be a bit of dressing up, lots of fun and great memories made.

Looking further forward, we have our Christmas Production in the last week of term. Rehearsals started in earnest this week, to much excitement from the cast. We are already very impressed by the hard work and effort that has gone into learning lines and participating in the production. Songs are being rehearsed, programmes being illustrated and costumes sorted. This is always a highlight of the year and something that everyone looks forward to, despite all the hard work that goes into it. We hope to see everyone there and will follow with more information closer to the time.

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Over the final weekend of the Half Term break, The Prep U13 1st XI Football Team welcomed visitors from The New Beacon School, an all-boys preparatory school just outside of Sevenoaks, Kent. This is a continuation of a now four-year tradition of the Schools meeting for a fixture.

Prep Football Vs the New Beacon

The event started off with a training fixture for the boys against the staff on the final Friday of the first half of term, a close-fought encounter which ended 3-2 to the pupils, a result of a high pressing formation and good application during the regular Friday Football Squad Training. My thanks to colleagues for giving up their time to give the boys some excellent match preparation.

The Prep struck first after some good passing and attacking flair. However, the opposition On Saturday evening, The Prep entertained the were quickly back in the game with an equaliser. visitors with bowling and pizza in Cheltenham.

After the break, The Prep took control and This was a great chance for the boys to meet sustained pressure resulted in two goals, with a the opposition and for some of the Year 8s final scoreline of 3-1, the first ever victory for The to catch up with those who played last year.

Prep against The New Beacon.

The opponents then stayed the night in the Boarding House.

I would like to thank the team for their hard

work in training, performance in the match and In the morning, The New Beacon were refor being such great hosts and ambassadors joined by Cheltenham, this time on the fields, off the pitch, as well as The New Beacon and ready for the game. In previous matches, The their staff for good company and competition.

Prep have been outplayed by The New Beacon I would also like to thank the parents for their who play football for the majority of this term loyal support, as well as Mr Yiend for refereeing before switching to rugby and, being an allthe match and helping with the coaching over boys School, have twice as many boys to choose the last few weeks. My thanks also go to the from. However, the visitors were slightly lacking ground staff for providing an excellent pitch, in 1st team players (due to their progression the catering staff for turning up on a Sunday in a national five-a-side tournament) and as a during Half Term and providing a superb match result, their side was made up of 1st team and tea with bacon rolls (!), as well as Mr Simpson and Mr Whybrow for allowing the fixture to go ahead and for use of the school.

We look forward to returning to The New Beacon in 2018 as we continue in what is becoming a great tradition. Year 7s, the countdown to next year’s fixture has started!

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On Friday 20 October, a group of 26 pupils ranging from Years 5 to 8, accompanied by four members of staff set off early in the morning for the five-day music and cultural trip to Vienna. Most, but not all, of the pupils were members of one of the choirs, and we had two performances whilst in the city – one a communion service at St Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, the other an afternoon recital at the spectacular St Peter’s Church right in the centre of the city.

Mu sic Tou & C r of ultu Vie ral nna

Having flown out from Heathrow, we settled into our hotel, unpacked, had tea and an initial rehearsal. In addition to the performances, the following days saw excursions to the Schoenbrunn Palace, Mozart’s House, Haus der Musik (five floors of interactive music museum!), a walking tour of the city, St Stephen’s Cathedral (an ascent up the north tower – all 346 steps…!), the Catacombs, bowling (Mr P-W was, of course, the champion bowler), lunches out at The Hard Rock Café and TGI Fridays and fun at The Prater (amusement/ theme park). Phew! The pupils were fabulous company, very well behaved and they performed brilliantly to full-capacity churches.

We have yet to decide where the next music and cultural tour will be in 2019, but be sure to sign up when it next comes around!

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GIRLS' SPORT This Week's Results 4th/5th VII vs Kitebrook House 4-1 U11A vs The Elms 4-3 U11B/C vs Kitebrook House 3-0 U10A vs The Elms 6-2 U10 B/C vs Kitebrook House 6-1 U9A vs Richard Pate 0-4 U9B vs Richard Pate 0-1

U13 IAPS Regionals The first day back after our two week Half Term, saw the 1st team girls up early and off to Millfield for the IAPS regional qualifiers.

We were in a group primarily with schools that we never usually play against, so it was great experience for the girls. We finished fourth in our group which unfortunately was not enough to qualify, but our victory over local rivals Wycliffe put us in to the plate competition. We played three more matches but it was ‘one of those days’. The first match was a draw at the end of open play and went to five minutes extra time golden goal – with only 10 seconds left on the clock, the opposition scored the winner.

Our next match was another draw, and still tied at the end of extra time, it went to penalties. Both our penalty takers and our goalkeeper remained calm and performed extremely well, but when it went to sudden death, the opposition got the upper hand.

Although results may not have gone our way on the day, the girls really progressed as the day went on and in terms of building for the remainder of the season, it was a positive and productive day.

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BOYS' SPORT On Wednesday afternoon the boys came back from Half Term with energy levels refreshed (most of them) and hit the fields ready for action. The only group who lacked a little energy were the 1st VII who went straight from the exam hall to the Severnside 7s pitch. The boys didn’t hit the heights they normally reach, but focus was definitely elsewhere and we will see the best of them again this weekend against Beaudesert. Also at the Severnside 7s, the U12s had a great afternoon and came within a couple of tries of winning the overall title. For a team who failed to win a match last season, the turnaround is fantastic to see and is clear proof that a child with self belief can achieve so much.

Our U11A and U10A teams both had strong showings at the Severnside A Festivals at Beaudesert and it was a similar scenario for our other teams at the Severnside B Festivals at Down’s Wraxall. Being festivals, there are no scores to report, but the coaches came home happy with the progress being made.

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Back at Cheltenham we were joined

by Dean Close for a terrific U13 and U12B team afternoon of 7s. The whole focus of the afternoon was for the boys to learn how to play this different format of the game and both schools approached the event with a great spirit. By the end of the day there were some superb examples of 7s play taking place and it was a worthwhile afternoon.

Earlier this week the England and Wales packs came together for a joint set-piece training session – if they can do it, then maybe more prep schools should work together for the educational benefit rather than always for competition. An interesting thought to leave on...

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CALENDAR

Sunday, November 12, 2017 - Sunday, November 19, 2017 Sunday, 12 November 2017 10:30

College Remembrance Sunday Service: Schola Cantorum Girls’ and Boys’ Voices (Chapel). Pick up 11:30

13:00

Boarders’ Ice Skating (Full and Regular Flexi-Boarders Only)

Monday, 13 November 2017 Week 11 (11) 13 - 19 November Cheltenham College 13+ (Year 8) Sports Scholarship (Sports Hall) 11+ (Year 6) Assessments (Internal Candidates) 16:30

Pupils’ Informal Concert (Lake House)

Tuesday, 14 November 2017 Cheltenham College 13+ (Year 8) Sports Scholarship (Sports Hall) Year 7 Examinations (All day) 16:30

Years 6 and 8 Shakespeare Schools Festival Rehearsal (Assembly Hall). Pick up 18:00

Wednesday, 15 November 2017 Year 7 Examinations (am) 08:30

Q&A with Pupil Support for parents of children in Kingfishers and Lower School (Library)

12:45

Departure for Rugby v Abberley Hall (A): U11A IX, U11B IX, U10A VIII, U10B VIII. Start 14:30. Pick up 17:30

14:30

Hockey v The Elms (H): 1st VII, 2nd VII. Pick up 16:15

14:30

Rugby v Abberley Hall (H): U13A XIII, U12A XII, U12B XII. Pick up 16:15

15:30

Hockey v St Edward's (H): U10A, U10B, U11A, U11B. Pick up 16:45

19:45

History Club Trip to The Wipers Times (Everyman Theatre). Pick up 21:30 from the Everyman Theatre

Thursday, 16 November 2017 08:00

Friends of The Prep Coffee Morning until 9:00 (Drawing Room)

08:30

Years 6 and 8 Shakespeare Schools Festival Technical and Dress Rehearsal (Roses Theatre). Return 13:00

17:00

Departure for Years 6 and 8 Shakespeare Schools Festival Performances (Roses Theatre)

19:00

Shakespeare Schools Festival Performances: Year 6 Julius Caesar, Year 8 Romeo and Juliet (Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury) Pick up 21:45 from Theatre or 22:15 from School

Friday, 17 November 2017 00:00

Council Day

11:15

Lower School Team Photos

12:00

Middle School Team Photos

12:00

Years 7-8 District Cross Country Championships (St Edward's)

14:00

Shakespeare Schools Festival performances to Years 3-8

14:30

Kingfishers Open Afternoon for current parents until 15:30 (Classrooms)

15:00

Upper School Team Photos

Saturday, 18 November 2017 08:30

Departure for Rugby v King’s Hawford (A): U11A IX, U11B IX, U11C IX. Start 10:00. Pick up 12:00

08:45

Departure for Prior Park Hockey Festival (A): U8B. Start 10:00. Pick up 12:45

09:15

Departure for Hockey v Dean Close (A): U8A, U9A, U9B. Start 10:00. Pick up 11:30

09:30

Middle School House Hockey. Pick up 11:00

09:50

Departure for Rugby v Abingdon School (A): U13A XIII, U13B XIII. Start 11:00. Pick up 13:15

10:00

Upper School Pre-Season Netball Training. Pick up 11:30

10:00

Rugby v King’s Hawford (H): U10A VIII, U10B VIII, U10C VIII. Pick up 11:30 All changes and additions to the School Calendar are highlighted in yellow.

Duty Mobiles: Follow us on Twitter: Like us on Facebook: MS/US 07867 505721, LS 07789 938512, Kingfishers 07789 938514 Please email absentprep@cheltenhamcollege.org inform us of any absence from school @CheltPrep should you need tofacebook.com/CheltPrep

Cheltenham College Preparatory School Tel - 01242 522 697 Thirlestaine Road Fax - 01242 265 620 Cheltenham Email - theprep@cheltenhamcollege.org Gloucestershire GL53 7AB Website - www.cheltenhamcollege.org

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Notices Happy birthday to the following pupils who had their birthdays this week or during Half Term: Grace Shiu (5) Charles McKee (8) Callum King (6) Will Nelder (3) Toby Jones (13) Eva Brown (8) Finn Merheim-Kealy (13) Harrison Brown (7) Tanvee Harrar (7) Robyn Bell (7) Ludo Conner (6) Ollie Sutton (4) Finn Cutts (12) Anna Stubbert (4)

BIRTHDAYS And happy birthday to the following pupils whose birthdays are coming up this week: Monty Campbell-Black (9) Henry Hiscock (13) Rufus Campbell-Black (4) Ivy Checketts (4) Willoughby Cooke (13) Carys Bradford (11) Claudia Hiscock (8) Isaac Elbanna (4)

Shakespeare Schools Festival Performance A cast of Year 6 and Year 8 pupils will be performing Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar at the Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury on Thursday 16 November, starting at 19:00.

Tickets are available from the box office - 01684 295 074.

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