Habs Weekly
Pre-Prep and Prep School edition Friday 8 July 2022 Summer Term
Acting Head of Prep School’s Message Mr G Thomas A part of my last assembly addressing the boys today, was focused on the simple word of ‘appreciation’. If someone does something nice for us, it can bring a great deal of positivity to the rest of our day. Let’s imagine, therefore, what would happen if we took the time to thank that person. It reflects the positivity back to them and creates a wonderful domino effect for everyone around us. It’s a fundamental part of our school community. As the term draws to a close, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank my colleagues for all their hard work and commitment, which has facilitated some amazing opportunities for the pupils this year. I too thank you, parents, for your support and constant partnership that helps us to both best support your children. It has been an absolute pleasure leading the school this term, and to give the pupils the very best experience possible. Although far away, September will bring some exciting new developments. In addition to the arrival of the new 4+ cohort, the school timetable will be amended to align itself more closely with the Senior and Girls’ School, with lessons moving to 30 minute blocks. This will provide opportunities for greater cross school collaboration, as well as allowing the pupils a slightly longer lunch break to take part in co-curricular clubs. A greater number of lessons in the morning, before lunch, will also best suit the younger year groups. Next year, we are delighted to extend our successful modular Habs+ scheme to both Years 5 and 6, with specialist language teaching also being introduced in Year 3 to 6, that will include French (Years 3 and 4), Italian (Year 5) and Mandarin (Year 6). The school will write to you again late in August, to update you on the start of the Autumn Term. In the theme of appreciation, my final thank you goes to our wonderful pupils for all of their enthusiasm, compassion and willingness to stretch themselves this year. They continue to do us proud. I wish you and your families a very relaxing summer break and look forward to seeing you in September.
Autumn Term 2022 Arrangements New timings for school days Prep School
Pre-Prep (Years 1 and 2)
30 minute lessons START END Registration 8.30am 8.45am Period 0 8.45am 9.15am Period 1 9.15am 9.45am Period 2 9.45am 10.15am Period 3 10.15am 10.45am Break time 10.45am to 11.05am Period 4 11.05am 11.40am Period 5 11.40am 12.10pm Lunch 12.10pm to 1.30pm Assembly/ 1.30pm 1.55pm Form time Period 6 1.55pm 2.25pm Period 7 2.25pm 2.55pm Toilets/ 2.55pm 3pm Snack break Period 8 3pm 3.30pm Period 9 3.30pm 4pm
30 minute lessons Registration Period 0 Period 1 Period 2
START 8.30am 8.45am 9.15am 9.45am
END 8.45am 9.15am 9.45am 10.15am
Break time 10.15am to 10.30am Period 3 Period 4 Period 5
10.30am 11am 11am 11.30am 11.30am 12pm Lunch 12pm to 1pm Registration/ 1pm 1.30pm Period 6 Period 7 1.30pm 2pm Break 2pm 2.15pm Period 8 2.15pm 2.45pm Period 9 2.45pm 3.15pm 3.15pm 3.30pm Storytime/ Get ready for home time
Pre-Prep (Reception) START END Morning session 8.30am 11.50am Lunch 11.50am to 1pm Afternoon session 1pm
3.30pm
Autumn Term 2022 Arrangements Breakfast Club and After School Care Prep School
Pre-Prep
Breakfast Club (at the Girls’ School)
After School Care
We now offer the facility of Breakfast Club every day from 7.30am to 8.15am. Parents may book by telephone or by email to Mrs Walsh at the Girls School mwalsh@habsgirls.org.uk and the charge for each session is £4.50 (with less than 24 hours’ notice the charge will be £8).
After school care until 4pm will take place at the Pre-Prep School and is free of charge. Please Park on Hazel Road when collecting your child, inform reception that you have arrived and then wait outside reception for your child to meet you.
After school care for children will be housed at the Prep school. This will operate from 4pm until 5.30pm (Monday to Friday) Parents collecting their child should wait outside Prep reception in the covered area. Pupils attending until 5.30pm will be charged £4.50 per session. Please note that late bookings made after the online form has closed will be subject to an increase charge of £8.
If you would like your child to stay later than 4pm, After School Care will operate in the Prep School from the end of the school day until 5.30pm (Monday to Friday). Pre-Prep pupils will need to travel to the Prep School via the shuttle bus. Pupils will be provided with a snack. Parents collecting their child should wait outside Prep reception in the covered area. Pupils attending until 5.30pm will be charged £4.50 per session. Please note that late bookings made after the online form has closed will be subject to an increase charge of £8.
Booking
Click here to find out more.
After School Care
To book your child into either early/breakfast club or after school care either weekly or for the entire term, a link will be sent out at 4pm each Friday in our parent communications for the week ahead and closed at 12pm the following Friday before the new form is sent out for the next week at 4pm. Spaces will be limited and should be booked in advance so that the school and caterers can arrange as appropriate. Late bookings can only be requested by emailing prepoffice@habsboys.org.uk in the Prep and preprepoffice@habsboys.org.uk in the Pre-Prep. Please be aware that it may not always be possible to accommodate late requests, so please wait for confirmation from the school office. Click here to find out more.
Autumn Term 2022 Arrangements
Start of term
Reception
Year 1
For Reception, school will start at 9am on Thursday 8 September. As this is your child’s first day at Habs, we would like you to please walk them into school. Please park on Hazel Road and come directly to the Pre-Prep playground. Reception will finish at 12pm. Please park on Hazel Road and then wait outside the classroom to collect your child.
For Year 1, school will start at 8.30am on Thursday 8 September. As this is your son’s first day at Habs, we would like you to please walk him into school. Please park along Hazel Road and come directly to the Pre-Prep playground anytime between 8am and 8.30am.
Click here to find out more.
Year 1 will finish at 3.30pm. Please park along Hazel Road and then wait outside the classroom to collect your child.
Year 2 Year 2 should arrive at the Prep school in Elstree between on Thursday 8 September at 8am and 8.30am unless they attend breakfast club from 7.30am.
Year 3
Please follow the one-way system and park in the North Drive car park (marshals will be on site to direct you). Please walk your child to the front of the Prep School in time for registration at 8.30am. You can then collect your child outside the Prep School at 3.30pm.
We are looking forward to welcoming your child to the Prep school. On your child’s first day on Thursday 8 September, they will start at 10.00am. Please arrive no earlier than 9.45am and make your way around the one-way system and park by the Astro turf pitches where they will be greeted by members of staff who will guide your child to the Prep school to meet their form tutor.
Children should arrive wearing their school uniform and have their school bag. They need to bring their own water bottle and a morning snack please.
Children should arrive at school wearing their school uniform and bring in their games kit and trainers for their first games session.
Years 4 to 6
For us to have a clear list of the arrangements for the first day home, please click on this link to enter your child’s going home arrangements – 11am deadline on Thursday 8 September.
Prep children should arrive at school on Thursday 8 September after 8am unless they attend breakfast club from 7.30am. All children should enter the school using their normal route. Your child should arrive wearing their school uniform and have their school bag and pencil case with them. They need to bring their own water bottle and a piece of fruit or cereal bar for a morning as well as an afternoon snack.ck here to find out more.
Autumn Term 2022 Arrangements Car Parking - arrival and collection Parents should use the morning one-way circuit system around the Boys’ School and drop their child(ren) in the designated area. Please enter the site via the one-way system via Butterfly Lane. The North Drive Car Park is the designated parking area for parents coming onto campus at other times. On arrival, the Gate Security Porter will direct you to this car park which is the first turning on the right once you have passed the first security barrier. Please park in marked bays and avoid blocking the entrance for other users of the car park. Parents are requested not to jump the second barrier to drive into the heart of the school and are kindly asked to use the pedestrian footpaths from the North Drive Car Park.
Safe pedestrian routes Pedestrians are requested to use the school footpaths and avoid walking on the campus roads when there is a high flow of vehicle traffic. The school bridge on the main route to Aldenham House is out of bounds to pedestrians and the route along the side of the Bates building should be used to walk to the Prep School.
Co-curricular clubs and activities AUTUMN 1 2022 All clubs and activities will commence from Monday 19 September, except for music lessons which will commence from Monday 12 September. An assembly will be held at the start of term, and teaching staff will run through all clubs and activities that run during lunchtimes and after school. Your child will then sign up for the clubs that they are interested in via SOCS. Click here to view the timetable. Please encourage your child to become involved, but please help them to keep a balance with their commitments and not to overstretch themself. Year 3 will be assisted by their Form teacher when making decision about which clubs to join.
Parent Portal change...
Parent Portal to Firefly We are pleased to inform you that we will be moving from our current Parent Portal system to Firefly Parent Portal. This new platform enables us to bring both school communities together and simplify our communications between students, parents and teachers. The Parent Portal will close and all data will be removed on Wednesday 3 August 2022. Please may we kindly ask you to download all data stored on Parent Portal, such as fees bill, reports, mid-year grades and any exam information before Wednesday 3 August. All data will be permanently deleted from your account on Wednesday 3 August. Firefly will launch for parents and students on Wednesday 31 August and we will send log in instructions and a how to guide on Wednesday 31 August (please note that your email address held by us on Wednesday 3 August 2022 will be used for Firefly, so if you change your email details after this date please notify the school).
Prep School Looking ahead...
Curriculum Evenings SEPTEMBER 2022 We will be hosting our Curriculum evenings, in person at the Prep School, during the Autumn Term. You will have the opportunity to hear from your child’s form tutor, who will provide you with an overview of the year ahead and outline ways in which you can support your son at home. The curriculum evenings will take place in the Prep school at the following times: • •
Years 3 to 4 Years 5 to 6
Tuesday 20 September Thursday 22 September
6.30pm to 7.30pm 6.30pm to 7.30pm
We will provide videos at the start of term from the following members of staff: • • • • • • • • •
Mr Swindell – Academic Mr Swindell outlines the new Prep School curriculum, the academic vision for the year and what you can do to support your son. Mr Thomas - Pastoral care: Mr Thomas outlines key pastoral messages that include character, inclusivity, values and communication. Mrs Pullen - Co-curricular provision: Mrs Pullen discusses the breadth of club provision in the Prep, including how to sign up and supervision arrangements for boys attending after school clubs. Miss Gozzard - Music: Ms Gozzard covers the Prep’s music programme, and outlines the changes to the curriculum this year, including the introduction of the instrumental scheme into Year 3. Mr Barnett and Mr Williams - Sport: Mr Barnett talks about the importance of sports values in the Prep School
Prep School Looking ahead... Routine reminders Please click here for our end of year, routine reminders.
Transport notices Please click here for a letter with updates regarding our coach service, including information about tickets next academic year, route and timetable changes and capacity on routes.
Forest School Please click here for a letter regarding Forest School curriculum next academic year.
PE and Games information Please click here for a letter regarding PE and Games information for the 2022 Autumn Term.
Summer Reading Please click here for a suggested reading list for Years 3 to 6.
Sports fixtures - Autumn Term 2022 Please click here for all of our sports fixtures for the 2022 Autumn Term.
Outgrown uniform sale The Habs Boys Parent Uniform team are continuing to collect outgrown uniform. Click here to find out more.
Summer Act MONDAY 15 AUGUST TO FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2022 BUTTERFLY LANE, ELSTREE, HERTS WD6 3AF Habs is excited to announce its Summer School for 2022. Open to everyone aged 8 to 12, it is a great way to enjoy favourite activities and discover new ones in a stunning environment with enthusiastic and experienced staff. The Summer Activity School provides exciting opportunities for children to develop skills whilst making new friends along the way. We focus on helping children build different skills, encouraging them to be ambitious and step out of their comfort zones. We want to inspire them to be courageous, try new activities and allow their curiosity to flourish. There will be three packages to chose from – so you’ll be spoilt for choice!
Limited spaces available. Book now: https://bit.ly/HabsSummerSchool2022
tivity School PACKAGE 1
PACKAGE 2
PACKAGE 3
ADVENTURE
ARCHERY
COOKING
CLIMBING
ART
DANCE
CRAFTS
BUSHCRAFT
DRAMA
SPORTS
CHESS
EXPERIMENTS
SWIMMING
CODING *
FOREST SCHOOL
WATER POLO
DESIGN
STOP ANIMATION *
PROBLEM SOLVING
SUMMER SPORTS
* Please note robotics will replace coding for week two.
* Please note engineering will replace stop animation for week two.
Prep School Reminders... Summer Cricket camp S U M M E R H O L I D AY D AT E S JHC will be running a summer Cricket camp through the summer holidays for all pupils in Years 1 to 9. Click here to find out more.
Forms for Autumn Term 2022 We are delighted to confirm which class your child will be in for the next academic year. As you will appreciate, your child’s teachers have taken a great deal of time and care to ensure that the pupils will continue to flourish with their new form teacher. Year 6 pupils have also had the opportunity to meet with their new class teacher and visit the MFL block as part of their familiarisation.
Current Form 3BG – Mrs Bruce Green 3MJ – Ms Jeffries 3NG – Ms Grossman 5NB – Mr Bowley 5EF – Ms Flynn 5DS – Ms Shah
New Form 4SH – Ms Shah 4DS – Mrs Sanghrajka 4MJ – Ms Jeffries 6MN – Mrs Newfield 6SA – Mrs Adat 6RP – Ms Palmer
School Community Year 6 Commendation Prize Giving
Please click here for the Prize Giving programme. Pictures from the event will soon be available on the school’s social media channels.
Year 6 Leavers’ video We are delighted to share with you the Year 6 Leavers’ video! Please click here to view it.
Pre-Prep Eco Council The Pre-Prep ECO council have successfully and enthusiastically completed their last initiative of the year. Over the Summer Term, they have been working on putting together a classroom garden. Not only have they planted young plants, they have also shared the benefits of indoor plants with their peers and organised a classroom vote. Today they were presented with their final plant. They are looking forward to nurturing the gardens over the holidays and passing the legacy onto the new ECO councillors in the Autumn Term.
Please
Pre-Prep Summer Production The Pre-Prep entertained us all with their end of term production of ‘Zany Zoo’. It was a wonderful way to end another busy term and really highlighted just how far the pupils had come since they joined us at the start of Year 1. They impressed us with their confidence, loud voices, ability to remember their lines and their energetic dance moves! We would like to thank Year 1 and 2 from Habs Girls for being a great audience and watching our dress rehearsal. Please click here to view the performance.
Year 1 butterflies The Year 1 pupils have spent the last few weeks nurturing their caterpillars and watching them metamorphosis into beautiful butterflies. The pupils sent them off this afternoon, wishing the butterflies a fluttery life!
Miss Ellen Flynn’s wedding We wish Ellen Flynn and Matty her husband to be, the very best for their forthcoming wedding in August where they will exchange their vows at Micklefield Hall!
Parent Voice committee The school would like to thank the following committee members for their support in 2021/2022. Mr Aggarwal 6MN, Mrs Valanju 6RP, Mrs Menakaya 6SA, Mrs Hugh 5SB, Mrs Larholt 5NB, Mrs Bengani 5NB, Mrs Patel 5EF, Mrs Bernstein 4HP, Mrs Rosen, 4DS, Mrs Kaur 4SB, Mrs Radia 3BG, Mrs Kaushal 3NG, Mrs Dalal 3MJ, Mr Shah 2JP, Dr Lemke 2NY, Mrs Cohen 1SS, Mrs Popat 1NP.
Sports Sports Day 2022
Well done to all the pupils in the Prep school who took part in our Sports day last week. It was a great afternoon of activity in which all the boys took part in 6 events. We also had a 1500m final for year 5 and 6, House 4x100m relay and a whole house relay. Each position the boys achieved went to their House and the effort the boys put into their events was excellent. Well done to Patricks, who for the 2nd year in a row won sports day to the delight of all the boys in Patricks. Please click here to purchase photographs.
Year 3 tennis pair crowned Hertfordshire Schools Champions Well done to Alex and James who represented Habs at the Year 3 Hertfordshire School Tennis Finals at Welwyn Garden Tennis club last Thursday afternoon. James and Alex, won all five of their doubles matches to win the shield. Very well done, Alex and James!
Fencing success in the Hertfordshire School Championships Over the weekend Seth and Joseph competed in the Hertfordshire School Championships representing Haberdashers. Despite being only a team of two, they competed brilliantly, came in second place for the Year 4 competition and most importantly had lots of fun!
Staff news Staff leavers NINA BYROM Nina, Librarian at the Senior School and Prep School, joined us in Spring 2022 from City University of London where she graduated with an MSc in Library Science. Nina will be solely missed in the Prep, however we wish her all the very best for the future in her new role as Librarian at NLCS Jeju Island, South Korea.
S O P H I E B U R F I T T- B R O W N Sophie leaves us at the end of term to move back into the world of HR. We wish her all the very best for the future.
Staff joiners K AT E U M P L E B Y We look forward to welcoming Ms Kate Umpleby to Habs as Head of Pre-Prep and Prep from September. Ms Umpleby joins us from Harrow School in Bangkok as Head of Early Years. We are extremely excited for her to join the Habs community.
K AT E L AV E R I C K We welcome Ms Kate Laverick who joins us as Teaching Assistant and After School Care Supervisor.
LI GU We welcome Mrs Li Gu who joins us from Wellington College International School in Shanghai. Mrs Gu has been appointed as Design Technology and Mandarin Teacher.
N ATA S H A P E A R S O N We welcome Miss Natasha Pearson to the Pre-Prep School as EYFS Lead and Reception Teacher. Miss Pearson joins us from Kellett, The British International School in Hong Kong.
LUCY LEWIS We welcome Miss Lucy Lewis to the Pre-Prep School as Reception Teacher. Miss Lewis joins us from Mount Pleasant Lane School.
CLAIRE ARMITT We welcome Mrs Claire Armitt to the Pre-Prep School as Reception Teaching Assistant.
PRE-PREP CALENDAR DATES
PRE-PREP CALENDAR DATES
T H U R S D AY 8 SEPTEMBER Autumn Term starts: 9am - Reception 8.30am - Year 1 8am to 8.30am - Year 2 (Prep School, Estree site)
S AT U R D AY 8 O C T O B E R Open Day
M O N D AY 1 9 SEPTEMBER Reception and Year 1 Individual and Year Group photos W E D N E S D AY 2 1 SEPTEMBER Year 2 Coffee and Curriculum meeting (9am to 10am) T H U R S D AY 2 2 SEPTEMBER Year 1 Coffee and Curriculum meeting (9am to 10am) W E D N E S D AY 2 8 SEPTEMBER Year 2 Individual and Year Group photos T H U R S D AY 2 9 SEPTEMBER Reception Coffee and Curriculum meeting (9am to 10am)
W E D N E S D AY 1 2 O C T O B E R Parent Consultations (Online, 3.30pm to 7pm) T H U R S D AY 1 3 O C T O B E R Parent Consultations (Online, 3.30pm to 7pm) F R I D AY 1 4 O C T O B E R Reception to Year 6 Donkin Cup M O N D AY 1 7 T O F R I D AY 1 8 O C T O B E R Half Term M O N D AY 3 1 O C T O B E R Term resumes
PREP CALENDAR DATES
PREP CALENDAR DATES
T H U R S D AY 8 SEPTEMBER Autumn Term starts: 10am - Year 3 8am - Years 4 to 6
M O N D AY 1 7 T O F R I D AY 1 8 O C T O B E R Half Term
T U E S D AY 2 0 SEPTEMBER Year 3 and 4 Curriculum Evening (6.30pm) T H U R S D AY 2 2 SEPTEMBER Year 5 and 6 Curriculum Evening (6.30pm) W E D N E S D AY 2 8 SEPTEMBER Individual and Class photographs T H U R S D AY 2 9 SEPTEMBER Years 3 to 6 Lunchtime Live T H U R S D AY 6 O C T O B E R Year 3 Roman Day S AT U R D AY 8 O C T O B E R Open Day W E D N E S D AY 1 2 O C T O B E R Harvest Service (2pm to 3.30pm) Drop-in sessions (3.45pm to 4.45pm) F R I D AY 1 4 O C T O B E R Reception to Year 6 Donkin Cup
M O N D AY 3 1 O C T O B E R Term resumes