Evolution Autumn 2018

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e v o l u t i o n Stroud’s Autumn Newsletter 2018

Only in a prep school… I have just left a ‘Victorian hospital’ where Year 1 Florence Nightingales were tending to the wounded soldiers. No more than fifty metres away, Year 5 were gearing up for a trip back in time to visit the Aztecs; and Early Years were in full-swing with Christmas songs. This was tempered by Year 8 pupils discussing the properties of different lenses and the refraction of light, whilst Year 7 debated the merits of William’s strategy in the Battle of Hastings. Stroud really is a busy place to be! I am delighted to be able to regularly visit classrooms and see pupils engaged in their work. Our Stroud Spirit curriculum is working hand-in-hand with the academic provision, and the pupils are gaining valuable insight into the skills that they need to make their knowledge relevant. In a world that is now firmly rooted in digital and instant technology, I am comforted to know that our children are learning to analyse, review and estimate, not simply to calculate. This is reflected in the recent media announcements from senior public school Heads at Westminster, St Pauls and Wellington College who have joined a growing majority of schools recognising the value of a content-rich Year 7 and 8 programme. As of this year, they have abandoned the intensely-focused, and often unreliable, snapshot of 13+ Common Entrance examinations as a requirement of entry. Our Monday ‘celebration’ assemblies have been filled with evidence of just how much our children achieve, both inside and outside of school. From charitable giving in our Harvest Festival to team sporting achievements and individual accolades in English, Maths, Music and Drama. We are very proud of the social responsibility shown by the whole Stroud community, and no more so than the generous donation of Christmas gift boxes for the ‘Link to Hope’ charity. Through our section charities, we raised almost £1000 for The Murray Parish Trust, £1560 for Children in Need, and all the donations from the recent fireworks event were donated in support of Naomi House children’s hospice. It was good to see so many of you in the audience for our many wonderful end of term celebrations, and I wish all Stroud families a fabulous festive season. Joel Worrall Headmaster


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