Habs Weekly - Prep and Pre-Prep edition - Friday 14 October

Head of Prep School’s Message

Ms K Umpleby

It has been brilliant to have met so many of you in recent weeks, whether at Curriculum Evenings, the Open Day, our rugby festival, Lunchtime Live, the Harvest Celebration, at Parent Drop-Ins or during the Donkin Cup today. All of us at the Prep want to thank you for your support at all the events we have had so far this half term; seeing the pride on the face of our pupils as they show off their work, inside and outside the classroom, to you has been utterly fantastic.

I am so proud of our pupils and all they have achieved already this academic year and I am very grateful to be a part of our wonderful Habs community. Wednesday’s Harvest Celebration was proof of what a tight-knit community we have here at Habs. Our pupils performed beautifully and with the confidence of children much older than them. Their enthusastic singing and their expressive recitals were truly commendable. Most importantly though, was their enjoyment, which was evident during the event. Well done to them and thank you, our parents, for your generous Harvest donations. These were delivered to the Trussell Trust, Borehamwood Foodbank yesterday.

Another event which made me proud of our pupils was the school’s Open Day. Our Year 6 guides were incredibly respectful and displayed fantastic listening and leadership skills. Meanwhile, our Year 4 and 5 pupils confidently engaged in conversation with our visitors and eloquently answered questions about life at Habs.

Our community came together again today for our Donkin Cup. I am sure

anyone who joined us this morning will agree that the atmosphere at this annual, and much anticipated, event was electric. It was brilliant to see so many of the student’s demonstrating ambition, courage, resilience and perseverance, cheered on and motivated by a crowd of parents, staff and fellow students. It really was heart-warming.

Now, going into half term, we encourage our pupils to rest and build their energy for the second half of the term, where so many new and exciting events await. We look forward to stories of them spending time with friends, family trips, the books they read, their play outdoors and the puzzles and board games they completed.

We have spoken to them about not spending too long gaming or on devices or watching TV. On the portal you will find some resources from Tooled Up that we hope you will find useful to support with this.

I hope you all manage to have a restful half term, and for those of you celebrating Diwali – may your Diwali light the way for a year full of wisdom, truth, love, and joy. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Pre-Prep looking ahead

Whole school

Harvest collection

A THANK YOU

Thank you for your generous donations for our Harvest collection. The food is being collected by the Keech Hospice, a charity which provides care for children and adults with life limiting illnesses.

Pre-Prep reminders

Whole school

Snacks

Please may we remind you that only fruit and vegetables are permitted at snack time. Grapes are a good healthy fruit snack but if you include grapes in your child’s snack box, please remember to always cut them lengthwise first to avoid choking.

After School Care

POLITE REMINDER

A polite reminder that the school day ends at 3.30pm. If you would like to book your child into After School Care until 4pm you must notify the Pre-Prep office in advance.

Prep looking ahead

Whole school

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

MONDAY 31 OCTOBER TO FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER

We are very excited to announce that we will be holding Neurodiversity Celebration Week immediately after half term, from Monday 31 October to Friday 4 November.

The purpose of this week is to inform pupils about some specific learning differences, such as Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD. In celebrating neurodiversity, we hope to encourage pupils to focus on the positive aspects of learning differences and to understand that we all have strengths as well as things that we find more challenging.

Across year groups, there will be competitions, art projects, information sessions, book readings and opportunities for children to talk about learning differences. While we aim to educate children about neurodiversity all year round, we will hopefully stimulate some interesting discussions and further promote inclusivity across the school.

The pupils will be launching their poster and iMovie competition titled Thinking Differently . Posters will be displayed around the school and the movies shown on the screen in the front hall. Entries will be judged week commencing 31 October.

Swimming - Neurodiversity Celebration Week

SUNDAY 13 NOVEMBER

Neurodiversity Celebration Week will be running from the 31 Oct - 4 November. We will be using our swimming lessons to help understand the difficulties and differences that others may experience, by swimming in our pyjamas!! This will give us the opportunity to experience how it feels overcoming new obstacles and difficulties that we may normally find simple.

Please bring a pair of pyjamas with you for your swimming lesson week commencing Monday 31 October. These should be light material, not heavy, and ideally be short sleeved.

Pupils must also pack their normal items, trunks, towel, swimming hat.

Y4

Year 4 Medieval workshop

MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER

Please click here to read a letter regarding a Medieval workshop taking place for Year 4 on Monday 14 November 2022.

Y6

Year 6 Open Morning

THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER

Please click here to read a letter regarding an Open Morning at the Senior School for Year 6 pupils.

Remembrance Sunday service

SUNDAY 13 NOVEMBER

As in previous years, we are delighted that our Year 6 pupils have been invited to take part in the Radlett Remembrance Service Parade. Together with pupils from Haberdashers’ Girls’ school, pupils will lay wreaths at the War Memorial on Radlett High Street. It is such an honour receive this invitation and to be part of the Service, which will provide a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to march alongside other people from within the community, to pay our respects to those that have fought for our country.

Attendance at the Remembrance Service is optional to all pupils and more details relating to this event will follow in due course. In the meantime, for those that are interested in their child representing Haberdashers’ Boys’ School, please make a note of this date in your diary – Sunday 13 November 2022.

Year 6 Parental Information Evening Dr Aric Sigman

TUESDAY 15 NOVEMBER

Please click here to read a letter regarding a Parental Information Evening with Dr Aric Sigman on Tuesday 15 November at 7pm.

Y3

Year 3 Rugby

THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER

All the pupils in Year 3 are playing Rugby v St Johns on Thursday 3 November. Kick off time is 2.30pm and parents and guardians are welcome to spectate. The matches will all take place on the Parks Pitches near the Girls’ School. The pupils will be free to leave at the normal time of 4pm.

Y4

Year 4 Rugby

TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER

All the pupils in Year 4 are playing rugby against St Johns at St John’s Prep, Potter Street Hill, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 3QY on Tuesday, 1 November. The matches will start at 2.30pm and your child will be in one of the teams playing. Parents are welcome to spectate.

Please can you make sure your child knows how they are getting home and that they write one of the following three options in their homework diary:

1. Pick up from St Johns at 3.30pm

2. Pick up from Habs Prep at 4.30pm

3. Coach home from Habs Prep at 5.30pm

Y3&5

Year 3 and 5 Instrumental Scheme Open sessions

MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER

We are looking forward to welcoming families to our Instrumental Scheme Open sessions on Monday 14 November. This is a fantastic opportunity to see your child’s instrumental lesson or Chamber coaching session in action and chat with their instrumental teacher.

You do not need to let the school know if you are coming, but please report to Prep reception to sign in before making your way to the Seldon Music School. There will be notices at the main entrances around the music school directing you to the correct studio/room for your child.

Individual emails have already been sent with the specific time of your child’s session. These sessions take place in small groups and it would be appreciated if you stayed for the whole lesson.

Please do use the opportunity to ask any questions to Miss Gozzard or the instrumental teacher.

Prep

Whole school

Co-curricular QUERIES AND QUESTIONS

We hope your child has settled well into their co-curricular activities. Should you have any queries regarding this, please direct them to your child’s Form Teacher in the first instance. Any ongoing queries should be directed to Mrs Hilary Pullen at pullen_h@habsboys.org.uk

Lunchtime Live

THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER, 12.20PM TO 1PM

We have a Lunchtime Live concert on Thursday 3 November in the Seldon Hall, from 12.20pm to 1pm. This is a short concert and a wonderful opportunity for children to play or sing solo or small ensemble pieces in a quality concert venue. Families and guardians of performers are invited and children and teachers will come to support. All performers are awarded a silver star.

If your child wishes to be part of this concert, they must upload an audio or video track to the Padlet link which they will find on their Teams page. All entries need to be uploaded by the end of Wednesday 12 October.

Mrs Gozzard will email the parents of those who are invited to perform on Friday 14 October. We welcome all styles and genres and levels - the only requirement is that your child’s piece is ready to perform, rhythmically and melodically accurate with appropriate dynamic variation and without hesitations (and preferably by memory but this is not a prerequisite).

Senior School Scholarships

INFORMATION

Please click here to read a letter regarding the application of Senior School scholarships.

Pre-Prep & Prep reminders

ABRSM application

MONDAY 12 AND TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER

Please click here to read a letter with information regarding the December session of ABRSM music examinations.

Lunch Menu WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 31 OCTOBER

Please click here to view the Pre-Prep lunch menu.

Please click here to view the Prep lunch menu.

Breakfast and After School Care BOOKING INFORMATION

Click here to book your child into the breakfast club or After School Care (ASCF) the week commencing Monday 31 October. Prearranged bookings can be made up until 12pm the Friday before.

After this time, please email ascf@habsboys.org.uk for Prep pupil bookings and preprepoffice@habsboys.org.uk for Pre-Prep pupil bookings.

Please note, there may be a small charge for ASCF after 4pm.

Pre-Prep & Prep School news stories

Year 3 Roman Day

Year 3 spent a fabulous day investigating various aspects of Roman life. Among the activities they experienced were army training using javelins and their fantastic homemade Roman shields, an archaeological dig searching for coins and other artefacts as well as tasting Roman food. One pupil said:

It helped me learn more about the Romans because we took part in the activities the Romans did instead of reading it in a book.

Joint Mini Marathon

On Tuesday 11 October, Habs Boys’ Prep and Habs Girls’ Junior School joined countless other pupils from around the country by participating in the Mini London Marathon. Whether running or walking, all pupils covered the 2.6 miles distance using their physical fitness as a platform to have fun, meet new people, and possibly even learn something new about themselves.

Well done to every single person who took part, or helped to make the morning so special, it was brilliant to see Boys’ School and Girls’ School pupils come together as such an active and joyful community.

PRE-PREP CALENDAR DATES

MONDAY 17 TO FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER Half Term

MONDAY 31 OCTOBER Return to school

FRIDAY 18 NOVEMBER Children In Need (Non-Uniform Day)

MONDAY 21 NOVEMBER Reception and Year 1 Wellbeing Day

WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER Year 2 Wellbeing Day

TUESDAY 29 NOVEMBER

Year 1 and 2 trip to Pantomime Cinderella at Stevenage Theatre

WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER

St Andrew’s Day Winter Concert Rehearsals – Seldon Hall

FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER Winter Concert – Seldon Hall

MONDAY 5 DECEMBER Reception trip to Pantomime Beauty and the Beast at Watford Palace Theatre

WEDNESDAY 7 DECEMBER Reception and Year 1 Nasal Flu Immunisations

For further dates, please refer to the school calendar on Firefly.

PREP CALENDAR DATES

MONDAY 17 TO FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER

Half Term

MONDAY 31 TO FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER

Year4 Rugby (away fixture)

THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER

Senior School Open Morning

Year 3 Rugby (home fixture)

* Year 6 IAPS Rugby (away fixture) Parent Voice Committee Meeting (7pm Olympian Suite)

SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER

* Year 6 Rugby Festival (away fixture)

TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER

Years 3 to 6 Parents’ Evening (1)

WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER

Year 6 Martin Impey Workshop

THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER

Remembrance Service

Years 2 to 6 Lunchtime Live (Seldon Hall)

SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER

* Year 4 and 5 Rugby (home fixture)

For further dates, please refer to the school calendar on Firefly.

PREP CALENDAR DATES

SUNDAY 13 NOVEMBER

Radlett Remembrance Service

MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER

Year 3 Music Instrumental Scheme Open Afternoon (1.55pm to 3.30pm)

Year 4 Medieval Workshop

Year 5 Rugby (away fixture)

Year 5 Musical Instrumental Scheme Open Morning (9.15am to 10.45am)

Year 6 talk by Stephen Clark on Cleopatra (2pm)

TUESDAY 15 NOVEMBER

Year 4 House Rugby

THURSDAY 17 NOVEMBER

Year 3 House Rugby

Year 3 to 6 Parents Evening (2)

FRIDAY 18 NOVEMBER

Year Children in Need (Non-Uniform Day) 6 House Rugby

MONDAY 21 NOVEMBER

Nicholas Wolmsey WWI Workshop

Year 5 House Rugby

TUESDAY 22 NOVEMBER

Years 2 to 6 Flu Immunisations

Year 4 Rugby Quad (home fixture)

* Selected pupils will be invited to participate via Evolve