Prep for the Week Issue Number 1890 – 4 May 2018
In this week’s issue… Headmaster's Blog and Commendations Kingfishers Update A view from the Geography department Boarding House News Sport Updates Karting Success Invitations to meet Tom O'Sullivan Birthday Announcements
m a h n e t l he C t a e nd Everyon a u o y s e h s i w Prep y p p a h ya l i m a f your day i l o h k n a b d n a Exeat ( ! ) d n e k e we
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Headmaster's Blog
Dear Parents This week I have attended the Boarding Schools' Association conference in Brighton. As one would expect, my time was spent attending lectures, ‘workshops’, even ‘break out sessions’; essentially, I spent most of the time being talked at. I can’t say that I am a fan of running conferences in this fashion, much preferring an opportunity to discuss and debate. Nevertheless, I still gleaned plenty of ideas to bring back to The Prep, and not just those relevant to boarding. Probably the most interesting opinion was that one of boarding’s relatively new formats, ‘flexi-boarding’ (it’s called Day Boarding in College), has transposed itself from being a convenient service to parents to a cocurricular activity. As full boarding in prep schools slowly became restricted to those who had to send their children to board (members of the Armed Forces, the Diplomatic Arm, those with a business abroad), instead of those who chose to, boarding slowly evolved into a much more flexible service.
Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018
In my experience, and in the experience of many delegates at the conference, flexiboarding is not used for convenience, but instead as a means to develop those soft skills of which the independent sector is rightly proud. Learning to look after your own belongings and how to share accommodation, even for just one night, is a useful experience. Add to this having to be responsible for your own personal hygiene and the opportunities for shared play and one has a useful set of skills which one is developing. I prefer this forum not to be a ‘sales pitch’, but I cannot over emphasise the value that I attach to the benefits of one or two nights each week flexi-boarding, especially when children reach Year 6. Jon Whybrow Headmaster
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Kingfishers Update Nursery News The Nursery have been learning about spiders as part of their minibeast topic. They have been very creative in their craft work, using a variety of techniques to make some wonderful webs. A Maths challenge included having to negotiate a 'web' in order to solve a problem. Challenges and solving problems have been a theme of this week! The children took it upon themselves to find a way to roll the tyres along the apparatus. Great perseverance was shown as they tried many different ways to negotiate the ups and downs!
The Reception classes have turned into a mini zoo this term. We have tadpoles, caterpillars and a mysterious spider's web has appeared in the classrooms. Feel free to pop in and visit our growing menagerie.
A message from Mrs Mash... I am in the process of updating the ‘Culture Board’ in the Kingfisher Hall, in celebration of the Royal Wedding. If anyone has any photos or memorabilia that they would like to share, contributions would be very welcome. Thank you very much.
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Kingfishers Update Parent Lunches This week our boys and girls really enjoyed having lunch with their families. We hope you liked being hosted by your children and enjoyed being part of their daily lives in school. Thank you to all of you who were able to come, we look forward to our next Parents' Lunch Week in the Autumn Term.
Morris Dancing Reception class have showed off their dancing skills this week when they celebrated May Day with some traditional Morris Dancing. A great time was had by all, skipping and waving hankies in time with the music.
Crazy Cricket Capers On Saturday, Kingfishers enjoyed Crazy Cricket Capers. It was an exciting morning and the children tried a range of activities including batting and fielding.
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Boarding House Update The Boarders enjoyed another weekend in the House. Unfortunately the colder weather has meant more time indoors, but we have still managed to get in plenty of activity. Saturday afternoon saw the introduction of Mr Baird's own Star Wars Monopoly and several competitive games ensued. On Sunday morning, many of the Year 5 - 8 Boarders chose to take part in the Charity Tennis Tournament organised by Dr Gilmour. There were some great partnerships between Gaps and Boarders and some closely fought matches. In one of the semifinals, Timofei and Mr Wood took on Aidan and Mr Baird, with Timofei and Mr Wood just coming out on top. Well done all for taking part and for helping raise money for Heal Romania. In the afternoon, the whole House headed to The Warehouse Climbing Centre in Gloucester. There was a rotation of climbing, bouldering and caving. The Boarders were great at challenging themselves and helping each other out. Thank you to the Gaps and also to Mr Newson and Mrs Reid for taking the trip. Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018
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A view from the Geography Department As we move into 2018, the world continues to provide news stories that surprise us (the forthcoming summit between the US and North Korea), shock us (Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria battering the Caribbean), amaze us (the total solar eclipse across all of the USA), and inspire us (the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Pyeongchang). Some stories have been far away, such as the regime change in Zimbabwe or the earthquakes in Mexico City. Some have been closer to home, such as the Catalan independence crisis or the rising of political tensions across Europe. Whichever story you read, Geography remains at the heart of all these global events. Here at The Prep we strive to ensure that our students continue to become informed, curious global citizens. To achieve this, we offer a varied and dynamic syllabus designed to enrich the children’s appreciation and understanding of the ever-changing world we live in. The Geography department actively encourages students to think and learn for themselves in a manner that suits them best; this philosophy is then coupled with contemporary case studies and a variety of resources that require students to think creatively. Lessons this year have included learning how eggs can help us save lives in earthquakes, using a crown to learn more about volcanic hazards, and how a Norwegian pensioner has helped save the world. This ‘tailored learning’ approach has paid dividends for nearly all children in terms of their progress over the year. Middle School students have been learning about water, rivers, coasts and tectonic processes (earthquakes and volcanoes). To this end, Year 5 students have experienced the water cycle first hand by studying the movement of water on the school grounds. In order to build upon this learning, we then visited a water treatment plant to understand how water goes from the drains to our taps – a commodity many of our children may have taken for granted, until now. Year 6 students have continued to learn about water in a slightly different context, and looked at how the power of water can be managed at the coastline. Naturally, a fieldwork visit to Westonsuper-Mare was in order, and the students devised questionnaires and fieldwork activities, using a variety of professional equipment, to determine how well protected the area was from the sea. This data was then used to determine the best way to protect vulnerable areas, as part of a wider decision-making exercise. Students also made use of their analytical skills to determine the best type of ice cream on the seafront too… As well as gaining valuable experience out 'in the field', Year 6 students have also managed to successfully use Drama to further their understanding of the processes that lead to earthquakes and volcanoes. Back in January we welcomed back the Freshwater Theatre Company who led the students on a whistle-stop tour of the world, showing the children the causes and impacts of earthquake and volcanic activity, using a number of historical and contemporary examples. Who would have thought the children could visit Naples, Chile, the USA, Iceland, and Japan all in 90 minutes and without leaving the Hall...? Once more this was a positive experience where a lot of learning took place.
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In Upper School, Common Entrance (CE) examination results continue to improve, with well over half of last year’s cohort attaining a B grade or more in their final CE examination, which is testament to the hard work of both students and colleagues. Coursework continues to play a large part in determining final CE grades and this year’s Year 8 cohort have excelled, with nearly 25% of students attaining full marks in their coursework, and all students attaining a score of 75% or more. A superb effort by all, and these results bode well for the summer examinations ahead. Instead of coursework, the Year 8 Scholarship students successfully completed their entrance examinations earlier this year, with all students performing well in their Humanities assessment – an excellent achievement. Subsequently, the students have been immersing themselves in contemporary GCSE topics such as biodiversity, climate change and oceans, using the latest GCSE and International Baccalaureate (IB) resources. It is pleasing to see that the Scholarship students are enthusiastic about learning these topics; as climate change and global warming become more prevalent, it may well be that some of these students play a part in tackling these issues in the future. Through all of these varied activities and topics, the Geography department continues to go from strength to strength as we move into an era of great change and uncertainty around the world. Whatever the outcome, you can be sure that Geography, in some form or other, will play an important role.
Year 6 Trip to Weston On Tuesday, Year 6 embarked on their Geography field trip to Weston-super-Mare, with the exciting expectation of sun, surf and ice creams on the beach! The sun was in place, the ice creams were eaten, however, the surf was unfortunately elusive as we turned up just while the tide was going out. This didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits and the children performed their data collecting activities full of enthusiasm, measuring wind speed and temperature along a strip of beach, and experimenting with sheltered and open spaces. Following that, they completed some map work, locating both physical and man-made local features, and drew a field sketch of what they could see from our spot on the beach. After lunch, and some vigorous beach sports, we set off to explore the various sea defences and tourist attractions along the coast, which was led by Mrs Conner, who, once again brought her extensive Geographical knowledge and experience to this annual Weston trip, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. We managed to beat the rain to finish our outing and had an excellent day on the beach. The children behaved impeccably, garnering praise from members of the public and should be proud of how they conducted themselves; a successful Prep for The Week Issue Numberfield 1890 4 May 2018 trip!
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Karting Success In the Autumn Term, the Karting Club was born! Since then, the team of karting engineers and racers have accomplished so much. The team, consisting of Alexander McCombie, Zara Leach-Herrero, William Donaldson, Isabella O’Neill, Toby Ellis, Tessa Leung and Ben Mace, have built the kart from scratch. Along the way, they have carefully followed guidance to learn about construction and maintenance, electronics, materials, CNC machinery, safety, race driving and teamwork. All of this has culminated in our first official karting event against 11 other schools. With nerves of high expectations, we took to the track, having passed the scrutineering with flying colours. There were three main race formats; Drag, Slalom and knock out Sprint races, and a few other prizes up for grabs. With a healthy dose of competitive spirit, the team managed to bring home 1st place in the Slalom, 2nd place in the Sprint races and Best Presented Team (being particularly noted for their politeness and matching uniforms). With this being our first attempt, the children have exceeded expectations and we hope this is only a glimpse of things to come! My sincere thanks go to all the parents for their support and willingness to help. We will also be exhibiting at the Summer Fête on Saturday 16 June, so please do visit and ask the children about their experiences. Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018
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Girls' Sport Cricket Team of the week U10 and U11 The decision to start introducing girls cricket is proving to be a popular one. The girls have responded very enthusiastically and are keen to learn. The Middle School girls who were not involved in tennis matches this week got to put what they have learned so far into practice when Wycliffe joined us for a training game. The torrential downpour in the middle did not dampen any spirits as the girls played their first full game. The emphasis was on fun, and some were hitting off tees but everyone got a good shot at bowling, batting and fielding and it was clear that we certainly have some budding stars of the future.
Tennis Results Upper School A vs Wycliffe 6-9 Upper School B vs Wycliffe 14 - 1 Upper School C vs Wycliffe 16 - 0 Upper School D vs Wycliffe 7 - 18 Upper School E vs Wycliffe 14 - 1 U11A vs Wycliffe 6-3 U11B vs Wycliffe 8-1 U10 vs Wycliffe 7-1
U11, U10, U9 and U8 all enjoyed successful friendly cricket matches against Wycliffe, well done girls!
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Sport Update Cricket Team of the Week Colts D The Colts D made the long trek to Abberley Hall on Wednesday for their second match of the cricket season following a thrilling draw against Beaudesert. The home side, who were playing their first game this term, won the toss and elected to bowl first. After a promising start under sunny skies, the weather then deteriorated, but undeterred by the wind and rain, the Colts set about trying to achieve a decent total to defend. The home side's lack of bowling practice was evident, but the batsmen showed good technique to score runs whenever they could. After our seven pairs of bowlers had faced three overs each, we had amassed 171 runs for the loss of just four wickets, with a significant number of runs coming as extras. After a quick, but refreshing, match tea, the Colts then set about bowling and fielding in an attempt to secure their first win of the season. A much improved bowling performance saw them take 10 home wickets during their 21 overs, with the home side scoring just 103 runs in what ultimately proved to be a comfortable win. Very few runs were scored off the bat by the home side, with the vast majority of runs coming from extras; whilst the Colts batted and fielded well, there is still work to be done in the nets to ensure all members of the squad can bowl accurately. Undoubtedly there will be much tougher challenges ahead.
Boys' Cricket Results U9A vs St Hugh's Lost by 1 run U9B vs St Hugh's Won by 3 runs Colts C vs Abberley Hall Won by 27 runs Colts D vs Abberley Hall Won by 64 runs
Charity Tennis Tournament Last Sunday morning The Prep held its annual charity Tennis Tournament. Over twenty couples comprising of pupils paired with either their parents, staff or peers took part in the competition comprising of a round-robin group stage followed by knock-out finals. Despite the very chilly conditions, everyone had a really enjoyable time and the standard of tennis was exceptional. Congratulations to the overall winners, Evie de Quincey Adams paired with her father. The event raised over £200 for The Prep’s charity Heal Romania. Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018
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Year 5 Art Trip Last week, pupils from Year 5 took a trip to this year's SATiPS National Art Exhibition at Bromsgrove School, which included a display of their own artwork! As well as enjoying seeing their own work displayed, they also took a lot of inspiration from the other work and even had some time to do some sketching! Here are some of the best pictures from their day out...
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Notices Puberty Clues
BIRTHDAYS Happy birthday to the following pupils who have their birthdays this week: Autumn Conner (12) Raif Nelson (10) Lily Brown (13) Maya Forde (10) Chloe Gifford Nash (7) Maryam Nurjanov (5) Freddie Greenfield (13) Niamh McBride (13) Edward Lait (11) Grace Ren (11)
Following on from recent Thrive sessions with Years 7 and 8 during which we talked about changes during puberty, we would like to share the interactive App, 'Puberty Clues' with you. It is a safe, fun way to equip your 10 -12 year old with the correct information and to illustrate both the physical and emotional changes they will experience during puberty. You may also feel that now is an appropriate time to have some discussions regarding the onset of puberty with younger children too and this fact based App is a valuable tool for starting these conversations.
Year 8 Clinics & Prep
As Common Entrance examinations for Year 8 approach, we recommend that Year 8 pupils use Prep and Catch Up sessions after school when they are able. We also recommend they choose which clinics to attend to support them with their revision: staff are offering lots of different sessions during the week to help them. This means they can do a concentrated spell of revision in school and, hopefully, come home for some relaxation and down time after a productive day. Clinic sessions often work best with focused, directed work such as looking at vocabulary or a particular topic with which they may need help. We have talked to pupils about making sure they attend the clinics most helpful to them, and check the schedules in school. We are also continuing to work on Study Skills and effective revision. Looking ahead to Half Term, rest and relaxation for Year 8 is key, together with revision before the start of exams after Half Term. Pupils should make sure they have the relevant materials to take home, and ask for any guidance from their teachers if they need extra advice. We are always pleased to support the boys and girls in this final run up to the examinations. Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018
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Invitations to meet Tom O'Sullivan Notices
To reply to these invitations, please click on the relevant links that can be found in the email you were sent containing this week's edition of Prep for the Week.
Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018
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Notices
Friends of The Prep invite you to join in the fun at the...
PARENTS’ CRICKET AND TENNIS TOURNAMENT
SUNDAY 10 JUNE If you would like to enter the Doubles Tennis tournament, please contact Lucy Hill on lucy24bennerley@yahoo.co.uk Don’t worry, you don’t need to have a doubles partner - this is a friendly tournament where partners swap after each match! If you are a cricketer and wish to participate, please contact Tim Buttress on tim.buttress@hotmail.com A delicious match tea will be served at 15.30. Thank you and we really hope you can come, the event will be a lot of fun!
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Notices
Invites you to drinks at
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS on
Thursday 21st June 7.30pm - 10.30pm To Book Card Payments: 01242 265694 Online Booking: cheltoniansociety.org Cheques Payable to: Cheltenham College Post to: Rebecca Creed, Society Manager Cheltenham College Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org
Price: £40pp Includes: Welcome drink & canapés Cash Bar
Subject to demand, a return coach from Cheltenham will be available at £10pp.
Invites you to
THROUGHAM COURT GARDEN on
Thursday 5th July 2018 Througham Court, Througham, Gloucestershire, GL6 7HG To Book Card Payments: 01242 265694 Online Booking: cheltoniansociety.org Cheques Payable to: Cheltenham College Post to: Rebecca Creed, Society Manager Cheltenham College Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org
2.30pm - 5.00pm Price: £30pp Programme 2.30pm Garden Tour with Dr Christine Facer 4.00pm Tea in The Garden Room
Invites you to
THE BREWIN DOLPHIN CHELTENHAM CRICKET FESTIVAL Gloucestershire v Durham The Specsavers County Championship Game on
Sunday 22nd July 2018
To Book Card Payments: 01242 265694 Online Booking: cheltoniansociety.org Cheques Payable to: Cheltenham College Post to: Rebecca Creed, Society Manager Cheltenham College Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD Prep for The Week Issue Number 1890 4 May 2018 r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org
Price: £60pp or £50 for under 16s Programme 10.30am - 6.00pm Cash Bar Open 11.00am Play Starts 12 noon Welcome Drink 1.00pm (approx) Buffet Luncheon 3.40pm (approx) Afternoon Tea 15