HEAD’S MESSAGE
FROM THE HEAD
The achievements this term, ranging from the record-breaking 11+ results to the consistent academic and personal growth of pupils from Reception to Year 6, truly exemplify the high standards of teaching, the dedication of the children and the supportive community around them. The children’s love of learning shines through all aspects of school life, exemplified by their positive wellbeing. It is a joy to see the children happy and excited to learn. I wish everyone a joyous and restful festive break and I look forward to welcoming the children back for a very exciting and productive Summer term.
Dr Edmonds
MINDFULNESS AND WELLBEING
This term we welcomed our new Wellbeing Shed in the garden, creating a new and calming space for the children to explore during their break times. During our mindfulness assemblies, the pupils have enjoyed participating in a variety of different mindful activities such as yoga, mindful colouring, listening to calming music and much more. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed their sushi demonstration, an idea put forward by our amazing Wellbeing Committee. The pupils also enjoyed participating in Children’s Mental Health Week, exploring a variety of different activities to support their wellbeing.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The School Council have been instrumental in the development of the school from recommendations for outside play areas, rules for the Titan and the importance of everyone understanding the school’s core value of respect: respect for self, for others and for property. The introduction of additional themed days at lunchtime has been very much enjoyed with the sushi day a particular favourite. Thank you to this year’s School Council members for their continued commitment to helping the school evolve.
ECO COMMITTEE
We have focused on two main projects this term. First was the ‘Great Bird Watch’. As part of this national scheme, the Eco Committee asked pupils at PGP to record all the birds they could see during their break and lunchtimes. These results were tallied and shared with the ‘Great Bird Watch’. Towards the end of term, the Eco Committee began their second project; planting edible plants into PGP’s flower beds, which may hopefully be used by our wonderful catering team.
HOUSE CUP RESULTS
The top three places in the House Points were closely contested this term. Congratulations to Attenborough who came first with an average of 5.5 house points per child per week. Shackleton came 2nd with 5.3, Williams 3rd with 5 and Earhart 4th with 4.3. Well done everyone.
THE ARTS
ART
We have been inspired by the Ancient Egyptians, traditional Indian crafts, London past and present and environmental art. The pupils have enjoyed learning new techniques, experimenting with a variety of mediums and creating amazing pieces. Pupils in Prep have made batik cushions, canopic jars, sculptures made with wire and watercolour paintings. Pre-prep have been learning about colour theory and using objects from nature to create designs based on the artist Andy Goldsworthy.
This term has been very exciting for the LAMDA cohort at PGP. Mr Max and Miss Jordon delivered individual LAMDA classes across Pre-prep and Prep, with record numbers of children signing up and discovering the benefits of studying voice, performance, communication, acting and poetry. Another successful season of results saw almost every pupil receive a Distinction.
PGP’S POETRY COMPETITION
Reception impressed with their confident poetry readings, inspiring Years 1-6 to deliver equally remarkable recitals. The poems showcased exceptional creativity and literary talent across the school.
MUSIC, SINGING AND CHOIR
In choir this term, the children have learned Fireflies by Owl City, Thank You for the Music by ABBA, and What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. It is a pleasure to hear the choir rehearse every Monday morning; their harmonious tones inspire us and create a super start to the week. In singing lessons pupils confidently prepare songs for productions and assemblies, performing with expression and skillfully integrating music and choreography.
OUT AND ABOUT
MILL ON THE BRUE
Year 4 had a super time at Mill on The Brue. With resilience and teamwork being the two aims of the trip, Miss Lydia was so impressed with the maturity and independence Year 4 demonstrated throughout. All the pupils enjoyed a range of activities, including climbing, canoeing and archery. They were fascinated to hear all about the ingredients of their delicious meals and how the leftovers are composted. Everyone conquered fears and reservations completing the 'Leap of Faith' and whizzing down the zipline. A fantastic, fun-filled week away.
LONDON WETLAND CENTRE
Year 1 had a fantastic trip to Barnes Wetland Centre where they became plant detectives, identifying different parts of a plant and their functions. The children observed leaves and classified them into various categories. Their excellent science knowledge really impressed the adults - well done Year 1. The adventure continued in the playground, with some children bravely tackling the zipwire, navigating tunnels and balancing on a wobbly bridge. They spotted a variety of wildlife including a heron, otters, ducks and even a surprise sighting of a sparrowhawk. The day ended with a brilliant den-building workshop, where the children showed great teamwork and creativity.
SCIENCE MUSEUM
Mr Brendan is immensely proud of his enthusiastic young scientists in Year 3. The class had a thrilling day out at the Science Museum, where they delved into fascinating exhibits and took part in an engaging 'Forces' workshop. The hands-on experiments, interactive displays and exciting discoveries brought science to life, making learning both fun and memorable. A massive thank you to the Science Museum for hosting such an inspiring and educational ex-
THAMES EXPLORER TRUST
Year 5 went down to the banks of the river Thames to explore its ecology, history and impact on the city of London. They explored the river's history, from the earliest settlements 6,000 years ago and the infamous Big Stink of Victorian times to its achievement in 2012 as the cleanest urban river in the world. Year 5 enjoyed wading through the river's shallows and searched the banks for tiny invertebrates and historical objects. What an exciting and educational trip this was.
HINDLEAP WARREN
Year 5 had a wonderful trip to Hindleap Warren, where they overcame fears, worked as a team and had a lot of fun. They did a variety of activities including team-building exercises, abseiling, a night walk, archery, pioneering, high ropes, map reading and orienteering, forest skills and the most popular activity of the week, ‘The Forest Adventure’. Everyone in Year 5 showed excellent resilience, perseverance and a ‘go get it’ attitude to make it a truly fantastic week.
STEAM
FULL STEAM AHEAD
STEAM lessons are a hive of creativity, innovation and collaboration. The interdisciplinary approach inspires the children to explore the interconnectedness of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Hands-on activities, from crafting papyrus paper in Year 3 to designing electric circuits in Year 4, make learning fun and engaging. From Year 6 diving into the mysteries of ocean life to Reception enjoying the tactile learning in the mud kitchen, every detail of teachers’ planning reflects a commitment to the development of children’s life skills and to fostering in children a genuine love of learning.
It is heart-warming to see and hear the Reception classes working with Year 6 on separate projects, showing care and consideration towards not only each other, but in designing activities for the arrival of baby chicks and games to enjoy at playtime. STEAM is a perfect blend of rigour, practicality and collaboration to achieve a common goal.
ECONOMIC EDUCATION & CAREERS
The children in Reception have learnt about money matters through their roleplay. This understanding extends into Year 1 where they calculate the cost of items. The pupils’ understanding of profit and loss, simple and compound interest, budgeting and how to calculate discounts is extended in Years 3-6.
This term all the children have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to listen and learn from a range of visiting parents who talked about their careers. Talks have included how to become a successful author, a Chief Operating Officer within the financial sector, founding and managing real estate private equity and how to run a successful business and thrive.
COMPUTING
SAFER INTERNET DAY
The children truly embraced Safer Internet Day and worked together in teams across year groups to take part in this year’s theme of ‘Protecting oneself online’. The tasks were interactive and sparked excitement, promoting meaningful and thoughtful conversations. It was fascinating to see how each year group approached the topic in ways tailored to their understanding and curiosity. They know how to keep passwords secure and how to recognise phishing emails.
In computing the children learnt how to use word processing software and explore the evolution of the technology and its influence in shaping their experiences. They have discussed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) may change people’s lives now and in the future. Coding encourages logical problem solving with the use of a visual language to develop characters and stories fostering imagination and creativity. Buddy computing with Year 6 teaching Reception keyboard skills has also been a huge success.
CLUBS
BALLET AND IRISH DANCING
It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and excitement of the children when they get ready to participate in the Irish Dance and Ballet clubs. Both clubs support children’s physical development. Irish Dance also enhances their cultural awareness through an understanding of its heritage. The children are learning the reels, light and slip jigs and have progressed to hard shoe exercises. In Ballet the children are showing great skill and development of their ballet technique and are making super progress with the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus.
CHESS CLUBS
Chess for both Pre-prep and Prep pupils is a popular activity with players honing their strategic planning abilities. The children are thinking ahead, solving problems and staying focused while they move the 16 chess pieces to achieve checkmate of the opponent’s king in an ethos in which friendly competition is encouraged.
YOUNG ENGINEERS LEGO CLUB
Our Young Engineers Lego Club is fun, handson and supports the development of fine motor skills. It involves problem-solving and fosters creativity through Lego-based activities. The children love the combination of engineering and robotics in their designs. The children can be as creative as they wish, which inspires their engagement. This term they have made, amongst other items, a motorbike, road sweeper and Ferris wheel.
QUIZ CLUB AND DEBATING
Participation in Quiz Club often leads to participation in national quiz competitions in general knowledge, mathematics and science. These events require a depth and breadth of knowledge as well as teamwork and an understanding of strategic decision-making to succeed. Topics in Debating Club this term have included: Could AI replace teachers? Which would be the best country to land a hot air balloon in?
IN THE CLASSROOM
RECEPTION
We have covered Seasonal Changes, Space and Quirky Stories. The children’s creativity has shone through a wide range of activities. They have begun their computing lessons with their Year 6 buddies and it has been great to see these bonds flourish. As part of the Quirky Stories, the children went to the Polka Theatre to watch The Pea and the Princess. The children have risen to the challenge of including their learnt phonics sounds and are becoming independent writers.
YEAR 2
In the Spring term the children in Year 2 have been solving problems on money, multiplication, division and measurements. In English the class have been working on expanding their vocabulary, using punctuation accurately and levelling up their writing by checking and correcting any marvellous mistakes. We had a school trip to the Western Riverside Waste Authority and took part in netball and football fixtures. As a class they have listened carefully throughout, resulting in them producing wonderful pieces of work across the curriculum.
YEAR 1
The class demonstrated excellent determination this term. In English pupils used adjectives and verbs across various writing opportunities, focusing on Beegu, The Odd Egg, and The Sea Saw. They were also introduced to poetry, writing wonderful repetitive poems. The children explored place value to 50 and measured length, mass and capacity in maths. In Topic they grew plants and applied their knowledge at the London Wetland Centre and they also put on a fantastic performance in Pirates vs Mermaids.
YEAR 3
The class have demonstrated remarkable learning, creativity and achievements. Our exploration of Ancient Egypt proved to be an enriching experience, culminating in a captivating class assembly where the children impressed all with their outstanding performances. The mystery writing unit, inspired by Harris Burdick, ignited their imaginations, honing their storytelling abilities In maths they showcased commendable effort, mastering multiplication and division in the first half of the term and tackling fractions with enthusiasm in Spring 2. Congratulations to Year 3 on their exceptional work and success.
YEAR 4
In English we have focussed on two different books, The Mermaid of Zennor and The EverChanging Earth. With themes of nature throughout, Year 4 wrote beautiful descriptive narratives and poetry inspired by the world around us. In maths we have learnt the importance of knowing our times tables and really enjoyed exploring fractions. It was fascinating to learn all about volcanoes and earthquakes in humanities and we have loved exploring Hinduism, complete with a trip to the Hindu Temple in Neasden.
YEAR 6
We are incredibly proud of Year 6 for their outstanding efforts this term. Their determination and resilience in preparing for and completing their 11+ exams and interviews have been truly inspiring. These achievements are a testament to their hard work and dedication. Highlights this term include designing a playpark for the chicks in the self-led STEAM project with their Reception buddies and creating theme parks in the maths project, applying problem solving and creativity to real-world scenarios. These projects showcased their teamwork, innovation and practical skills.
YEAR 5
What an excellent term Year 5 have had. Alongside the hard work in maths and English, the class have raised awareness of several endangered species in their STEAM projects, they have explored the Thames and identified wildlife that depends on it, they’ve challenged themselves in a variety of activities on their residential and have learnt the art of a sidestep in touch rugby. It’s been amazing to see Year 5 challenging themselves and striving to improve.
ADVANCED FRENCH PROGRAMME
What an exciting term we have had during the Advanced French Programme lessons in the Spring term. The Reception children are very receptive and enjoy learning new vocabulary and singing new songs. Miss Claude also very proud of the older children as they master the grammar and conjugation. The French library is a great success too: children have their favourite author or collection of books that they can read in class or at home. Joyeuses Paques et bonnes vacances!
SPORT
HOCKEY
Year 6 pupils have been actively participating in hockey lessons on the on-site astro. They have made significant progress in essential skills such as passing, dribbling, shooting and tackling. They have enjoyed incorporating these skills into internal matches, which has also helped them strengthen their teamwork and deepen their understanding of roles on the pitch. They have improved their positioning and explored effective defensive strategies and techniques to outwit defenders during attacks.
TAG RUGBY
This term tag rugby took centre stage as the primary sport for the Prep school. Through their games lessons the children focused on developing the essential skills of handling and evasion and applying them to matches. The highlight of the term was PGP’s annual Year 3 interschool tag rugby festival, where we hosted five other schools at Hurlingham Park. The children have made excellent progress this term and we have had impressive victories against Brighton College Prep Kensington, Kew College, the Roche School and
HOUSE MATCHES
This term it was the turn of tag rugby for Prep House matches. In the Y3/4 matches, Attenborough secured first place with two wins and an opening-round draw. Shackleton followed closely in second, showing grit with two wins of their own. In the Y5/6 matches Attenborough and Earhart both showcased their skills, finishing level on wins and earning a hard-fought draw against each other. However, Earhart triumphed overall, claiming the top spot on tries scored - a true testament to their attacking flair. Williams came third after their victory over Shackleton.
PRE-PREP GAMES
Year 1 have been actively engaging in an outdoor PE module called ‘Invasion Games,’ where they have been focusing on developing their understanding of key attacking and defending strategies. Throughout this module they’ve also been refining their skills in sending, receiving and dribbling, using both their hands and feet. Year 2 have progressed to playing organised five-a-side netball games, further enhancing their teamwork and communication skills through participating in three competitive netball fixtures against The Merlin School.
DANCE
Reception and Year 1 have been learning fundamental movements through imaginative themes like ‘At the Circus’ and ‘Under the Sea’. These lessons have nurtured creativity and engagement, providing a fun and expressive introduction to dance. From Year 2 the classes have explored diverse styles like Bollywood, freestyle, samba and flamenco, offering them opportunities to embrace different cultures while improving choreography skills.
EVENTS
CHARITY ROUND-UP
This term Earhart arranged a Fashion Show, raising funds for Fulham Good Neighbours (www.fulhamgoodneighbours.org), which supports elderly and disabled individuals in our local community. Additionally, Shackleton House organised a day of problem-solving inspired by the television show Taskmaster, raising money for Doorstep Library (doorsteplibrary.org.uk). This charity is dedicated to bringing the magic of books into the homes of children in need, ensuring that they have access to vital reading resources.
WORLD BOOK DAY
PGP truly celebrated World Book Day in style this term. The excitement was clear as pupils and staff dazzled in creative costumes, showcasing their favourite characters. The day kicked off with a lively parade, followed by engaging activities that sparked lively discussions about books. Highlights included a fun ‘Drop Everything and Read’ session and school library visits, where pupils explored our fantastic collection. It was a memorable day filled with joy, fostering a shared love for reading and storytelling.
FRIENDS OF PARSONS GREEN PREP
We kicked off with the annual children’s disco, featuring the popular Sharky & George, and wrapped up with one of the school’s most beloved events, the Quiz Night and Art Auction, which helps raise funds for FOPGP initiatives. Thank you to everyone that came and donated and a special mention to George for auctioneering. Next term: an ice cream van visit, the summer fair and a uniform sale on Friday 25 April.
Kate Forrester
EASTER BONNET PARADE
Lights, cameras and strut. It was that time of year again where PGP pupils donned their best homemade Easter Bonnets and trod the catwalk for the Spring 2025 Easter Bonnet Parade. The theme this year was ‘Sustainability’. We saw an array of colour, design and flair. The pupils proudly presented their sustainable Easter bonnets, which ranged from the classic to the extravagant. PGP also held an exciting Easter egg hunt in the school gardens. Look out for the pictures on social media and have a very Happy Easter!
