Dear King’s Hawford Community,
As we gathered at Speech Day to reflect on another extraordinary year, I was filled with immense pride and gratitude for each member of our community Speech Day 2024 was a wonderful celebration of more brilliance from our children and the commitment of an extraordinary staff body, both underpinned by the steadfast support of our parents . This year has truly exemplified the spirit and values that define King’s Hawford .
We are a personal best school, where the focus is on individual growth and striving to be better versions of ourselves each day This philosophy has been at the heart of our journey this year, encouraging children to celebrate their efforts as much as their achievements Our commitment to
fostering a supportive environment, where every child is encouraged to give their best, has been evident in every aspect of school life The warmth and togetherness of our community have been particularly striking, providing a strong foundation for our children to thrive
Academically, we continue to make significant strides, with innovative approaches and creative teaching methods that have inspired our students from Kindergarten to Year 6 . Our Foundation values of Ambition, Resilience, Humility, Creativity, and Kindness are not just words but are ever more embedded in all we do These values have guided our children to approach each day with confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves The achievements of our Year 6 students, many of whom have been awarded scholarships and awards, are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and the supportive environment that is cultivated
Our children have excelled not only in academics but also in sports, music, and the arts Our sporting programme has continued to deliver outstanding results, with sky-high participation and notable achievements in various tournaments Music and performance have played pivotal roles in building confidence, and our outdoor learning approach has provided enrichment through residential trips and sustainability initiatives These experiences have had a profoundly positive impact on our children, fostering a sense of community and personal growth that is the very DNA of King’s Hawford .
In these pages, I invite you to explore the stories that have defined this year and to celebrate the successes of our children together with us
Best wishes,
Tom Butt
Early Years & Pre-Prep
Early Years
It’s been a remarkably busy year in Kindergarten and the children have been excited about the different opportunities they have engaged in throughout the terms . The children have opportunities to investigate and experience things whilst playing and exploring through engaging hands-on activities They learn to concentrate, to solve problems for themselves, develop their own ideas and to make links by thinking creatively and critically, all supporting their development Our aim in Kindergarten is to introduce children to the joys of learning whilst building their confidence and encouraging new skills, whilst working closely with parents to ensure every child reaches their full potential
In Kindergarten, members of staff carefully choose topics and themes which are based on the child’s interests, that are then intertwined into their daily routines, such as the seasons to fairy tales . We also ensure a focus on the three prime areas and ensure that each child has the key skills in which to develop and progress throughout their time in Kindergarten
We have a huge emphasis on play and children use both indoor and outdoor provision all year round, whatever the weather Our continuous provision provides stimulating resources to spark curiosity For example, we visited the Gruffalo Trail over the summer and
participated in a music session by Singing Sarah from Shake, Rattle and Grove
Both Kindergarten classes make use of the whole school site and are regularly seen exploring out and about The children experience two swimming sessions a week as well as visiting Forest Schools; they particularly enjoy having a campfire Through making full use of the exceptional school site, our Kindergarten children feel an integral part of the school community .
Throughout the year Kindergarten 2 have been learning outside the classroom by visiting various places Cadbury World introduced the
children to chocolate making which they all enjoyed and were immersive in the experience The children also visited Hatton World as part of our “Farmyard” topic, to encourage the children to learn more about farm animals by seeing them in their natural habitats
This year, Kindergarten 2 children had the opportunity for a handson learning experience with chicken eggs, understanding the full process; from incubating the eggs, learning about the life cycle and the joy of seeing one chick hatch The children called the chicken “Midnight” as its feathers were black!
In the Summer Term we experienced
our first ever Early Years sports day The enormous success of this was in no small part due to our enthusiastic parent participation and strong community spirit, the event encouraging teamwork, physical activity and fun for both children and parents
During their time in Kindergarten, children encounter endless opportunities to fire their imaginations through adventurous play and embed a staunch sense of belief in themselves by learning the importance of self-expression We have a strong focus on each individual child and ensure children leave Kindergarten confident, independent, and fulfilled learners
RReception
September is always an exciting time when we welcome a new cohort of Reception children to King’s Hawford, some of whom have never been in a school setting before . The Autumn Term means helping the children to settle into their new daily routines; introducing them to school life is one of the most important things we do
Our starter topic of “All About Me” helped the children focus on who we are and what makes us amazing as well as using The Colour Monster story to talk about how we are feeling, especially during this very new time in our lives
From here we progressed to learning about where we live The upcoming Harvest Festival prompted us to
consider where our food comes from, a conversation of great interest to the children, and activities included baking our own bread and even whipping cream into butter To celebrate the end of the first half term, we walked from school along fields to the farm shop to purchase locally sourced beef for burgers and hosted a BBQ with parents invited – a perfect end to our first half term in Reception
Upon our return from the half term holiday, we learnt about Bonfire Night, why we celebrate it and remembered the soldiers during a Remembrance Day focus The children were fascinated to learn about Diwali, finishing the topic by making Diya lamps and holding a Diwali party with food and dancing
This year’s Nativity for the first time we joined with Year One and Two and put on a fabulous full Pre-Prep Christmas show
The new Spring Term saw the introduction of new topics, starting with “People Who Help Us” We had a fun filled, memorable day when Matron showed us how to use a stethoscope and apply bandages in the Barn, followed by an exciting visit from the police, who let us go in both the car and the back of the van!
We then shifted our focus onto Chinese New Year We looked at how people celebrate this around the world, learning about the story of The Great Race, ending our twoweek mini topic with delicious fortune cookies, and trying to eat with chopsticks .
To finish off a busy first half of term we moved the focus to our community We held a collection for the local foodbank and listened
carefully as we were told where our donated food would go A visit to the residents of Fernhill House, a local care home, included activities such as decorating cookies and singing songs, with the children’s infectious enthusiasm resulting in visible delight for all The second half of the Spring Term saw us launch into space when we were absolutely amazed with the speed in which the children learnt facts about all the planets in the solar system
After Easter, Miss Lane flew to The Gambia with one of our school charities to see how our fund-raising money is spent The children were excited to see photographs of this visit, including some of the aeroplane, and we were inspired to make our next topic “Transport and Travel” Deciding themselves they wanted to visit The Gambia, we arranged a visit from a flight attendant and set up our own flight from the Cobb Luggage scanned and passports checked, Mr Butt made a brilliant pilot safely navigating the way to Africa and back in a single afternoon We finished the topic with a road safety day where children brought in bikes and scooters, practised manoeuvring around a course and learnt how to ride safely on the road
During the final half term, we focused on dinosaurs and animals We began with a visit to All Things Wild to see the dinosaur models and the animals that live there A huge favourite is the story The Tiger Who Came toTea Using this as a stimulus we looked very carefully at the lives of tigers and found out where they live, what they eat and their natural behaviours Ending the year with a Tiger Party, the children really enjoyed choosing a range of orange and black food, plus preparing their own sandwiches and decorations for the event . The party was such a hit we were even joined by some of the Year 6 children who could not resist the temptation of a dance in the teepee
Reflecting on this has made us appreciate what a creative, fun-filled year we have had in Reception, giving the children numerous opportunities to be curious and independent in their learning We have covered a wide variety of topics, created memorable learning experiences, and given the children an incredible start to their journey at King’s
Year 1
Year 1 at King’s Hawford has been a whirlwind of excitement, exploration, and hands-on learning! Our journey began with “A Right Royal Fiasco,” where we delved into the fascinating history of the British monarchy The highlight of this topic was our Great Fire of London project, where we recreated Pudding Lane through junk modelling and watched in awe as we safely set our models ablaze, bringing history to life
Next, we embarked on our “Awesome Africa” adventure This vibrant topic took us across the continent, learning about its diverse cultures, wildlife, and landscapes Our trip to the safari park was unforgettable, as we got up close with some of Africa’s most iconic animals, sparking curiosity about conservation and the natural world .
Our “Home and Away” theme took us on further adventures We explored the differences between local and faraway places, leading to exciting trips to Bishop’s Wood and Avoncroft Museum . At Bishop’s Wood, we immersed ourselves in nature, learning about local habitats and wildlife Avoncroft allowed us to step back in time as we explored historic buildings, giving us a glimpse of life in the past
Throughout the year, our learning has been enriched by these incredible experiences, making Year 1 a year to remember From
royal mishaps to African safaris, and historical recreations, we have explored the world around us with curiosity and enthusiasm Here’s to more adventures ahead for this wonderfully curious year group as they embark into Year 2!
Year 2
This year, in their final year of Pre-Prep, Year Two have wholeheartedly immersed themselves in every activity, seizing every opportunity . With many exciting external trips alongside various diverse and engaging projects within the school site, the children have enjoyed a busy and funfilled year of learning!
The Autumn Term involved diving into the fascinating topic of “Explorers”, in which the children immersed themselves wholeheartedly From steering katakanus down the canal, to acting out stories such as Jack and the Flum Flum Tree, there was something to inspire each child
The children enjoyed the weekly Forest School, building a shelter and bug house together and worked hard at junk modelling to make ships to attempt to sail across the swimming pool, with mixed success and much learning acquired! Not only this, but the children’s design skills were also put to the test in KAPLA when building Viking ships in The Barn, at which they excelled Two popular highlights of the term included an inspiring visit to the Thinktank museum in Birmingham
and our Christmas Show ‘Lights, Camel, Action’ linked to Strictly Come Dancing, with Year 2 taking the leading roles
Our Spring Term topic was “Dungeons & Dragons” Much enjoyed was a Maths dragon quest to unlock scrolls by following clues and then learning to make fires, building dragon aeroplanes, and writing key words to describe how they move A trip to Warwick Castle included finding out about bowmen and how they planned the night before a battle, and a tour around the dungeons and castle grounds .
We also learnt how to be a knight in school, making our own horses, shields and drawbridges in DT
Year 2 started off the Summer Term with their topic “Wicked Worcester”
and looked through the eyes of a hedgehog (quite literally, having made masks!) linked to our key text
The Hodgeheg In Science there was a focus on minibeast habitats, when the children enjoyed a visit to the Fish Pass where they also were lucky enough to observe Sand Martin fledglings Other activities inluded an epic engineering workshop on Diglis island, going underground into the Fish Pass, and even a history tour around the city with an historian taking in The Hive and Worcester Cathedral
An eventful and educational visit to Bishops Wood outdoor learning centre was followed by an overnight camp in The Barn, pizza making and campfire Towards the end of term was a busy Arts Week, including carnival day, Zumba fun and KAPLA making crocodiles, penguins and even crew ships! Term ended with a superb Pre-Prep Speech Day, which included rousing singing, to end an exciting and fulfilling year
Prep School
Art & Design Technology
It has been another busy and vibrant year in the Art and DT department Children work both on their own and in collaboration with others, using a wide range of materials and processes including paint, collage, printing, textiles, digital media, and sculpture Where possible, the creative curriculum supports and informs their topic work to enrich their learning
In Year 6 original WWI artwork was created, taking inspiration from the work of M C Escher and P Nash Digital artwork provided the opportunity to produce selfportraits in the style of Frida Kahlo, as part of our celebration of Latin America in Arts Week The work of John Piper inspired mixed media coastal paintings, linking with the Humanities topic In DT, children designed and made battery powered carousel models
In Year 5, children designed mechanical toys with an ecomessage and linking to Humanities . They also studied the work of Henry Moore, creating their own version of his sheltering style artwork, giving the chance to experience drama freeze framing
The children in Year 4 explored mixed media techniques to make a collage inspired by Henri Rousseau’s rainforest paintings and developed their sewing skills Later in the year, pupils made super, bird observational drawings and created celebratory carnival masks as part of this year’s Art Week theme .
Year 3 delighted in making clay, coil pot canopic jars as part of their Ancient Egyptian art project and used tiles to create their own mosaics stimulated by their work on the Ancient Romans In DT, they made a picture frame for a chosen family member and looked at the cut-out art of Henri Matisse which also inspired a painted still-life
In Pre-Prep, Year 1 worked hard to develop their painting skills through the exploration of hot and cold colours, and through drawing they learnt about the shapes needed to draw the face and painted selfportraits In DT they made models of playground toys and were thrilled to share their work with the reception classes
Year 2 had great fun creating soft toy drawings, exploring shape, tone and texture A variety of media was used to create space scenes with themselves pictured as astronaut explorers! For DT, the children designed coat of arms shields and learnt how to make a pulley toy of a castle drawbridge
The year ended with Arts Week activities inspired by Latin American
art From the beautiful digital portraits by Year 6 children, to the Pre-Prep paper collages inspired by the creations of the Kina women in Panama, to Year 5’s embossed ornate designs into aluminium based on the traditional tin art called ‘Hojolata’, there was huge inventiveness and skills displayed A Summer Exhibition of all the children’s work was shared with the wider community during Grandparents’ Day and both Speech days, to celebrate the children’s wonderful creativity and achievements
English
We have had another wonderful year enthusing the children in English lessons, reading a fantastic variety of books allowing the children to travel to many different places and time periods through the medium of words They have met heroes, villains, animals and aliens to name but a few
We continue to enjoy using the wonderful facilities and grounds of King’s Hawford to enhance our teaching of English, using Forest School for descriptive work, the garden area for trails and word hunts, in addition to our wonderful
library bus to encourage a continued love of reading .
World Book Day was once again an opportunity to celebrate books and reading Through a carousel of activities in which year groups
combined, the children explored books about diversity and kindness
Our Book Cover Competition was very successful with some superb entries, ranging from paintings to drawings and even collages We were very impressed with the children’s work
Many children entered the Young Writer’s Competition as part of Worcestershire Literacy Festival, writing a story no longer than 300 words on the theme of clues Congratulations go to Teddy C who won the 7-11 category
Digital Learning
This year, the introduction of Sphero products revolutionised the way we teach our computing curriculum at King’s Hawford, with the integration of Sphero Indis and Sphero Bolts . Our approach has become more engaging and hands-on, giving pupils the opportunity to interact with technology in exciting and meaningful ways
In Pre-Prep, the youngest learners have been exploring technology using Sphero Indis; small, interactive cars that can be controlled using colours These devices are perfect for introducing the basics of logic and sequencing . The children have learned how different colour patterns can direct their Indi vehicles to move in specific ways, helping them to grasp the fundamentals of cause and effect in programming
In Prep, the children have moved on to the more advanced Sphero Bolts They began their journey by controlling these spherical robots via Bluetooth, familiarising themselves with basic commands
As their confidence grew, they progressed to coding through drawing commands and blockbased programming, giving them a practical understanding of coding principles For some pupils, the next step is using Python to control the
Sphero Bolts, adding complexity and providing a deeper insight into realworld programming languages
The introduction of both the Bolts and Indis has brought our computing lessons to life, offering an experiential, practical focus that makes abstract concepts easier to understand The children are not only excited by what they can create but are also developing vital skills in problem-solving and logical thinking
They learn the importance of planning and thinking clearly before embarking on writing their code, which is a key skill in both computing and beyond
We are proud of how these new tools have enriched our curriculum and allowed our pupils to thrive in the ever-evolving world of technology and we look forward to further integration of the Sphero products across our curriculum
Humanities
Humanities continues to be a strong aspect of the King’s Hawford curriculum Our pupils from Reception to Year 6 engage in at least seventy minutes of Humanities per week Research continues to suggest that the Humanities (History, Geography and Religious Education) are an essential part of a young person’s education
Our budding historians enjoyed studying a wide range of topic areas, often relating these to the present day Super starter events and fantastic finishes have topped and tailed a wide range of subject areas in our Pre-Prep, including a spaceship crash within our forest school and Year 1’s recreation of the Great Fire of London, always bringing plenty of excitement to the school
Our children are fortunate to experience a high number of inspirational off-site visits throughout the year.
get hands on with artefacts from Roman Worcester, as well as from WWII
Year highlights include Year 2 kicking off their exploration topic with a Katakanu expedition, as well as a summer trip to Thinktank in Birmingham; Year 3 pupils visiting ‘Big King’s’ for a map skills workshop with the friendly Upper Sixth pupils; and Year 1 visiting West Midland Safari Park as part of their “Amazing Africa” topic
Prep school pupils grappled with the making of modern society in Victorian England and the challenges that it created, as well as looking at the causes and consequences of WWI Visits from the Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service located at The Hive allowed the children to
Geography topics were, again, designed to help children to understand their place in the world and the impact of change both locally and globally In addition to developing pupils’ knowledge of the geography of UK and the
earth’s topography, individual topics allowed pupils to explore key questions around subjects such as transportation and rivers and waterways, as well as making local and international comparisons
The newly established Pupil Parliament allowed for more King’s Hawford children to have a voice within the school and its development in three key areas: eco, wellbeing and co-curricular The
Eco Council worked tirelessly to be awarded the Green Flag award for another consecutive year
It is always enormously rewarding to see children at King’s Hawford broadening their understanding of their place in the world and their responsibility to look after others and the Earth itself This continues to be important as the world experiences challenges that have not been seen before
Maths
Last year, our maths lessons were filled with fun, exploration, and hands-on learning! We focused on engaging all students through creative approaches, practical activities, and interactive tools to make maths more enjoyable and accessible for everyone
A key focus of the year was our increased use of practical tools; physical objects like counters, blocks, and number lines . These tools allowed our pupils to see and touch mathematical concepts, making abstract ideas more concrete It was wonderful to see the children develop their understanding of complex topics such as fractions, geometry, and multiplication through play and exploration Manipulatives helped build confidence and deepened understanding, making maths come alive in the classroom!
We also embraced a cross-curricular approach to maths, integrating it into other subjects to make learning more meaningful In science, pupils used data handling skills to create graphs and charts for their weather projects In art, they explored symmetry and geometric shapes,
while in history, they used timelines to understand chronology This approach helps children see the connections between subjects, deepening their appreciation of how maths is interwoven with the world around them
Our use of Showbie continued to transform how we share and celebrate learning . Teachers provided immediate feedback and showcased pupils’ achievements in real-time, encouraging independent learning and self-reflection It also strengthened our home-school connection by giving parents a window into their children’s progress
We also took maths outside the classroom! From measuring objects in the playground to mixing and measuring liquid potions in our outdoor learning sessions, pupils had a chance to apply maths in creative and
exciting ways These activities fostered a love for learning and showed how maths is all around us
We are incredibly proud of our children’s achievements last year
and are excited for another year of engaging, fun, and meaningful maths learning
Here’s to another year of amazing maths adventures!
Modern Foreign Languages
It has once again been a joy to hear our pupils chanting, singing, having conversations and lots of fun in a modern foreign language (MFL) They have taken delight in being able to communicate with each other in another language and have enjoyed finding out about cultures different to their own With curiosity and confidence, they have risen to the challenge of learning French, German, and Spanish as curriculum languages, and Russian and Mandarin as extra-curricular activities
Pupils in Years 4 – 6 have achieved impressive results in end of unit assessments this year and, in addition, Years 5 and 6 have written outstanding extended pieces of work in French, German and Spanish Record numbers of pupils in Years 5 and 6 have worked independently and in their own time to achieve their MFL badge for which they are required to produce a presentation on a country of their choice and to teach a unit of vocabulary to friends or family My thanks go to those parents, grandparents, carers, friends, and family members who have all been willing ‘students’ and have been put through their paces!
Fortunate to be blessed with such a magnificent school site, we have certainly made the most of our outdoor areas for role-play
performances, German and French cafés and even the traversing wall and garden area for vocabulary learning
Using our MFL learning as a vehicle by which children right from their beginnings in Kindergarten, are introduced to diverse cultures and traditions, we have celebrated a fun packed European Day of Languages, a European Bake Off, German Karneval celebrations in February, Chinese New Year, MFL House competitions, House quizzes and lots more in between
Once again, I am grateful to all parents and carers for your support of modern language learning at King’s Hawford and to our committed, inquisitive, and determined pupils for their hard work
Outdoor Education
It’s been a busy and exciting year in the outdoors at King’s Hawford Ranging from weekly Forest School sessions for Kindergarten through to Year 2, to regular outdoor learning lessons throughout the whole school On site, we continually use our beautiful setting and local area to support the children’s learning Our visits programme is very extensive, using the local area as well as travelling further afield to such places as Warwick Castle, Thinktank, Cadbury’s World and West Midlands Safari Park These visits support and reinforce the learning and topics that are taught in the classroom
Reception experienced a new offsite trip this year, when they walked to ‘The Three Counties Farm Shop’ using the local pathways, and despite the many stiles, the children showed resilience and determination to reach their destination .
The whole school has been making the most of the Worcester city centre location of its Senior School and other Prep school, King’s St Alban’s, not only to form strong links across all the schools, but to use them as springboards for visits
to The Diglis Fish Pass, The Hive, The Commandery, walks around the historical city centre and along the nature-rife river
Again Reception, pushing the boundaries, with the help of staff and parents, went by train to Thinktank museum in Birmingham It was another successful experience for the children, many of whom had never been on a train before Another new experience for Year 5, was their Survival Day at Bishops
Wood, where they worked in teams to learn how to tie knots and build shelters, collect firewood and light a fire using a flint and steel, plus toast delicious marshmallows
In a society where children’s worlds are shrinking due to outside pressures, residential trips are still an important feature at King’s Hawford They create opportunities for the children to become more independent, learn new skills, build resilience, be curious and take risks in safe environments
All our outdoor experiences, whether on or off-site, enable the children to foster and develop the King’s Hawford core values: to be curious, build resilience, form humility, ambition and kindness
PE & Games
Sport remains a vital part of school life at King’s Hawford Over the past year, the children showcased their enthusiasm, determination, and skills across all sports It is always heartening to witness each year group embody our belief in progress through enjoyment in PE and Games Pupils in Years 3 to 6 engage in three and a half hours of scheduled sports weekly, while Pre-Prep children benefit from one hour and forty-five minutes of specialist instruction Our outstanding facilities foster a love for sports, reflected in the high attendance at our extra-curricular clubs
This year our school teams continued to enjoy impressive success locally, regionally and further afield Year 3 and 4 children quickly adapted to the privilege of representing the school on the sports fields and impressed us all with their commitment, progress and performances in their local fixtures and festivals
Our Year 5 and 6 pupils continued their sporting journeys at King’s Hawford with several key highlights across the school year that included the girls’ U11 hockey and netball teams both reaching the semi-finals at the IAPS regional competitions, whilst the U11 girls cricket team consistent efforts culminated in them winning the IAPS competition,
making them one of the strongest teams in the country Meanwhile, the U10 hockey team claimed victory at the RGS tournament and the U10 netball team won the Warwick tournament
The boys’ sports teams have enjoyed similar successes with the U11 rugby side achieving third place at the IAPS competition as well as producing outstanding performances as a combined team with King’s St Alban’s at Hymers College . Additionally, the U11 boys football team won the Matty Thacker Cup after a penalty shootout and the U11 boys cricket team claimed victory in the RGS tournament
In October, Year 6 children enjoyed a wonderful time on the annual sports tour to Cardiff, during which they tested their sporting skills against Monmouth School and Llandaff
Cathedral School, as well as taking in some culture by visiting the historic Cardiff Castle and the home of Welsh sport; The Principality Stadium
The last academic year also saw our continued passion to join the King’s Foundation together through sport This included the Year 5 sports transition afternoons with our friends at King’s St Albans and senior school sports staff, in addition to several sporting competitions in which we entered joint Hawford and St Alban’s teams
In addition to team sports, the school continued to excel in several individual pursuits, most notably swimming and athletics The U10 and U11 swimming squads travelled to Millfield School for the regional IAPS gala where they produced outstanding performances, regularly winning races against much larger schools The results led to Pippa and Harry qualifying for the IAPS National Swimming Finals at the
London Aquatic Centre, who both did themselves proud on the day, thoroughly enjoying the amazing experience of competing at the Olympic pool
Children throughout the school have a real passion for athletics and this is seen every year at the wonderful sports days This year saw several new school records being set, most impressively in the high jump by Cassian, Persie and Zara The older children love the opportunity to compete at the Mercia Athletics, this year’s highlight produced by Harriet who secured qualification to the national finals in the shot put This was a significant achievement both for Harriet but also for our school since we have had one or more pupils qualify for the athletics
national finals in each of the last seven years; a truly outstanding feat for a school of our size
The house sporting system has continued to go from strength to strength at King’s Hawford with children enjoying the opportunity to represent their houses in several events including cross country and even tug of war! This year saw the introduction of the new house biathlon competition and the everpopular end of term mayhem that is the Apache Relay
As a school, King’s Hawford is always striving to be innovative in our offering of sporting
opportunities for the children
This has been further evident this year with the introduction of the open water aquathon that tested the children’s skills at open water swimming combined with their stamina and endurance in the run
We also enjoyed success in the Malvern College aquathon in which our U11 girls team finished first place
the U11 girls cricket team
consistent efforts
culminated
in them
winning the IAPS competition, making them one of the strongest teams in the country.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all parents and carers for their outstanding support of sports at King’s Hawford this year, as well as to our dedicated team of exceptional sports teachers for their hard work and commitment
Music & Performance
The 2023-24 academic year at Hawford was a musical triumph, filled with energy and excitement! The year ended with a bang, featuring the spectacular Year 5 and 6 production of Scheherazade, which involved every Year 6 pupil in a speaking role This vibrant performance capped a year brimming with musical highlights from across the school
Earlier in the year, the Year 3 and 4 production of Robin Hood and the Sherwood Hoodies delighted audiences with its humour and creativity The festive season also brought joy, as the younger pupils shone in their Christmas performances Pre-Prep’s show, Lights, Camel, Action, and Kindergarten’s Twinkly Nativity demonstrated the young talent blossoming at Hawford
The Early Years Nativity was another festive highlight Kindergarten students melted hearts with their adorable costumes, singing, and dancing, while Year 2 led Year 1 and Reception in a charming nativity performance The growth in confidence and performance skills of the younger pupils was evident, making these special occasions even more memorable
One of the year’s standout moments was the Year 5 and 6 musical production of Scheherazade, a leavers’ show featuring four classic stories from Tales of the Arabian Nights Adapted by Nick Perrin, the play combined comedy, mystery, and vibrant storytelling It was particularly impressive to see every Year 6 student take on a speaking role, supported by a strong Year 5 chorus . The class dances further showcased the cast’s enthusiasm and willingness to embrace creative challenges
In the Spring, Year 3 and 4 dazzled with their hilarious rendition of Craig Hawes’ Robin Hood and the Sherwood Hoodies The children’s strong singing, acting, and dancing performances hinted at a bright future for this group of performers, thanks in no small part to Mr Roberts’ direction
Throughout the year, the school’s choirs were busy with various performances The Junior Choir, consisting of Year 3 and 4 pupils, participated in an Informal Concert, the Carol Service, and Grandparents’ Day, always delivering lively, energetic performances The Senior Choir, made up of Year 5 and 6 students, had an especially impressive year They successfully retained their title in the ‘School Choir 11 years and under’ category at the prestigious Cheltenham Music Festival, earning a remarkable 92% score and an ‘Outstanding’ rating They also performed at Worcester Cathedral for the 40th Anniversary of St Richard’s Hospice, an event that highlighted the choir’s commitment to community service
Hawford’s music calendar is packed with year-round performance opportunities for students of all ages and abilities Ensembles such as the String, Brass, Woodwind, and Harp groups perform at events like the Charity Concert and Grandparents’ Day, while half-termly Informal Concerts allow individual students to showcase their talents . These concerts have become very popular, drawing over 25 performers each time With around 130 lessons delivered weekly by nine visiting music teachers, the school ensures a wide variety of
musical experiences for all students
This year also saw great success in music exams, with 80 students entering ABRSM exams, from Initial Grade to Grade 5 Nearly two-thirds of the students earned Distinctions or Merits, a testament to their hard work and dedication Additionally, four Year 6 students were awarded Music Scholarships or Exhibitions to King’s, recognizing their commitment to music Congratulations to James Bailey, Benjamin Lee, Darcy Bramble, and Ava Woollaston for their achievements .
Mrs Hughes extends her heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making this year such a memorable and rewarding experience for all involved in music at Hawford
Science
At King’s Hawford, science is more than just a subject—it’s a gateway to exploration, creativity, and critical thinking Our approach to science education is designed to ignite curiosity and foster a deep understanding of the natural world, preparing our students not only for academic success but also for the challenges of the future
From the earliest years, our pupils are introduced to hands-on, inquirybased learning that encourages them to question, experiment, and discover Whether it’s observing the life cycle of plants in our extensive outdoor spaces or conducting exciting chemistry experiments in our laboratory, students are
constantly engaged in learning that is both fun and meaningful
One of the cornerstones of science at King’s Hawford is our commitment to real-world applications We believe that science education should extend beyond textbooks, so we regularly incorporate projects
that connect classroom concepts to real-life challenges For example, our eco-friendly initiatives allow students to explore environmental science in action, promoting sustainability through projects like our school garden and recycling programs
Our dedicated teaching staff inspire
young minds to think critically and solve problems creatively, fostering a deep understanding of the natural world . Through projects, clubs, and interactive lessons, we prepare our students to become the innovators and thinkers of tomorrow Science at King’s Hawford is where learning truly comes to life
Parents’ Association
As ever, the school community came together throughout the year, thanks to events developed and run by the King’s Hawford Parents’ Association Cornerstones of the school calendar such as Fireworks Night, The Christmas Fayre and The Summer Ball were extremely well supported, enjoyed by all and run with unwavering efficiency These events continue to raise significant amounts of money for added value projects within our school, for the benefit of the children Newer events, established in recent years such as the Quiz and Easter Extravaganza provided great all-round entertainment for children and adults alike
The carnival atmosphere of Welcome Home Hawford is always a great curtain raiser to the new academic year. Whether supporting non-profit making events for the children and wider school community, or raising funds for special projects, the role of the Parents’ Association is key in binding
the school community together
The PA funded the King’s Fort, which rises majestically from The Mound and has quickly established itself as a firm favourite with the children and has become another key school landmark A huge thank you goes to the continual efforts of the parents that are the driving force of the PA
Charity & Events
Many of our events at King’s Hawford are well-established, firm favourites – our European Languages Day kicks off the year in with a little bit of continental je ne c’est quoi Children dress in the traditional dress and colours of countries across Europe, compete in competitions and we hold a Euro themed charity bake sale No Autumn would be complete without Harvest Festival Once again, the King’s Hawford community displayed their customary generosity with over 120 highly decorated boxes of provisions going to the Worcester Food Bank The Pancake races were as ever, hotly competitive and the Christmas Fayre was full of seasonal cheer Our Latin American themed Arts Week had a carnival atmosphere throughout and featured a huge KAPLA build, poetry slams, dance, and music sessions and, on the Thursday, over 300 of our loved ones joined us for Grandparents’ Day, which was a fiesta of musical performances
Other events and activities were geared to raise much-needed funds for our three main charities this year King’s Hawford continued our link with Project Gambia for the third year, alongside teacher’s choice, Cool Earth, who support communities in the Amazon Rainforest and the pupils’ vote went to The Midlands Air Ambulance We also separately raised money for The Royal British Legion and Worcester Cathedral
We ran four key fundraising events this year. The Pre-Prep Santa Scramble was a variation on last year’s Reindeer Run, with a few mischievous obstacles for the little ones to negotiate The event
raised £1,800 The school turned into a thriving marketplace for two days a week in the Spring Term for the Tenner Challenge, where our Year 5 and 6 children attempted to turn an initial investment of £10 in their company into a larger pot for charity This year, our 22 teams of entrepreneurs turned £220 into an incredible £2,881! Not to be left out, a new event that will become a permanent fixture on the calendar was the Year 3 and 4 sponsored Aquathon Every child took part, swimming 6 lengths of the pool and then running, jogging or, sometimes walking, three laps of the Top Field, many still sporting their swimming caps and goggles and raising an impressive £1,250
Charity Day marked 100 years of Disney During the day, teachers supposedly in trouble gave pupils the upper hand! By making donations, the children were allowed to vote for which teachers they wanted to walk Captain Hook’s plank into the pool and who they wanted to give a head start to in the Mary Poppins HobbyHorse Derby – two laps around the hard surface, with jumps for good measure! The Gala Showcase in the evening was a feast of music and dance with the show run twice on one evening, attracting a total audience of over 350 A fantastic and fun filled day was experienced by all
If you add a few cake sales, Duvet Day and retiring collections at school
productions, you get to a grand total and record breaking, £10,106 raised In total we collected 50 binbags of clothes, 500 Hygiene Items and 18 bags of books for Project Gambia and 28 binbags of food for the Food Bank; overall, a very productive year We are immensely proud of this fantastic sum achieved for so many worthy causes and we are hugely grateful to all the immeasurable efforts of parents, carers, teachers, and children alike
Sustainability
The idea of that education can play a key role in sustainable development has become increasingly important Four years ago, King’s Hawford took its first real steps to becoming an Earth Conscious school, staging a climate protest on Earth Day This led to the formation of the first Eco Council and a decision to try to win our first Eco-Schools Green Flag We have subsequently been awarded with three Green Flags, with distinction due to the hard work of our children and support of the school community Each year, after undertaking a comprehensive environmental audit in school, the Eco Council decides of three key areas of focus This year, they were Marine, School Grounds and Global Citizenship .
Marine centres around the care of our lakes, rivers and oceans
Inspired by the ideas of Surfers Against Plastic we started to look at where we could make an impact in school and immediately banned glitter and laminate King’s Hawford have a strong relationship with one of our previous charities, the Canals
& Rivers Trust, and they are frequent visitors to school, often talking about water pollution and the environment . We helped them develop a lock system game that they funded with our charity donation Marine has also entered other areas of school life from Year 5 making CAM Toys in DT, to clear ups on visits to canals, lakes
and the Atlantic Ocean On Earth Day, pupils audited the school’s plastic resources and undertook personal audits to see where changes could be made at home going forward
Our work on School Grounds looked at how we could best affect our immediate indoor and outdoor
environments to benefit the planet In an attempt to get some greenery into every classroom, an avocado growing competition was launched - it is fair to say some were far more successful than others, but everyone gave it a try The Living Wall, which was created on Earth Day, saw one of the more ‘uncared for’ areas of the school
reinvigorated, using a recycled plastic structure and plants kindly donated by the school community We also now have designated ‘no mow’ areas around school to encourage biodiversity
We have also invited larger wildlife to visit this year and welcomed sheep
and Tilda the pig on site for a visit Earth Day saw Pre-Prep clearing up the school with litter pickers and recycled, biodegradable gloves . Our Gardening clubs and skills groups have tended the flower beds and ensured that our biodiversity beds remained a haven for mini beasts We have also installed three specially designed tubes that will
form the basis of our recycling centre for batteries, crisp packets and plastic bottle tops, the latter that will be sent to The Gambia as Maths counters
Global Citizenship mainly centres around the incredibly close relationship we have developed with Project Gambia over the last four
years and Bev Hodt, who runs the charity, is a frequent visitor This year the school community came together to ship out second-hand uniform, home clothes, shoes and books to The Gambia and, most recently, hygiene products to people living in a village next to a rubbish dump . Our own Miss Lane took the opportunity to go out to the Gambia with the charity, visiting many of the schools and villages that the charity assist This included Wisdom School who King’s Hawford have supported the most, funding major renovations to the school building and playground, as well as helping to fund the food programme
On Earth Day, as Chair of the Sustainability Committee and Eco Council, Robyn, made a statement in assembly to declare a climate emergency on behalf of the school, stating that we recognise the current plight of our planet and the need to take immediate action We raised environmental concerns with Nigel Huddlestone MP when he visited the school in December and our Year 5 and 6 cohort followed this up by writing to him regarding environmental issues on Earth Day
It is fair to say that we have had a busy year but have a lot more work to do
Holiday Clubs
Holiday Club runs during every school holiday at King’s Hawford and we welcome children from Reception to Year 8 We offer supervision from 7-30am to 5-30pm, with activities running from 9-30am to 4-00pm Most of the staff working at our Holiday Club are either former pupils or current members of staff at King’s Hawford, so this helps the children settle in as they are familiar with the adults on-site The children have had a great year at Holiday Club, with lots of different activities on and off site
Each day the children take part in a variety of activities Baking, arts and crafts, sports, swimming, dancing, team games and outdoor fun are just a few of the exciting activities offered and are included in the daily cost The children also swim daily in our indoor, heated swimming pool
In addition to these exciting and lively school-based activities, we run several fun external trips venturing beyond the school site Easter saw a trip to Worcester Woodland Explorers for the younger children, while we put the ‘crazy’ in Crazy Golf with the older children Other off-
site trips later in the year included locations such as the cinema, the bowling alley and West Midlands Safari Park
The Summer Holidays saw a huge range of extra included activities on offer, including a pizza party,
Olympics Week, KAPLA Day, Forest School Day and a joint Sports Day with King’s St Alban’s at the KSW playing fields All of this took place alongside the usual arts and crafts, sports, swimming and baking
The children also welcomed several guests to school in the summer. Guests ranged from the Scalextric People to a pottery workshop, while Mrs Redman also ran a fantastic Forest School Day There were plenty of chances for children to embrace the creative arts too A
fantastic Graffiti Workshop was truly inspirational and pushed the children out of their comfort zones .
The summer weeks finished with an inflatable fun day, that was enjoyed by everyone, staff included!
Year 6 Leavers
Year 6 have had an excellent academic year, enthusiastically embracing all aspects of school life They have shown themselves to be ready to move on to new things at senior school, where we know they will make the most of all the opportunities available
“We had lots of laughs on our school trips to Broadhaven, Dukes Barn and Carsington.”
From drama to sport to music, they have left an indelible mark on school life The production of Scheherazade and their contribution to the annual Carol Service showed their ability to rise to the occasion Watching many of them sing so beautifully with the Senior Choir at Cheltenham Festival and Lights of Love were special memories of the year
Within sport, they have worked hard as teams, demonstrating excellent sportsmanship and representing the school with great panache In the
classroom, they have worked hard, supporting each other and showing an enthusiasm for many aspects of learning
Saying goodbye is always hard but we know that they are well equipped to make the most of their next step in life and hope to see them back at King’s Hawford to inspire those following in their footsteps We look forward to hearing all about their continued successes and exciting adventures in the years to come
Year 6 Memories
Year 6 Memories
“Lessons in forest school, the teepee, the library bus and the outdoor classroom are special memories that not many children have.”
“Kindergarten was great fun. Every day was one long playtime!”
“We were lucky to get to Malvern Outdoors and had a great time there.”
“The Year 4 camp-out was good fun. We enjoyed the katacanoes.”
“We have so many brilliant memories from our residentials. Playing on the beach at Broadhaven was amazing!”
“I’ll never forget processing into the Carol Service in Worcester Cathedral with my friends behind me. It really made me feel ready to step up to life at Big King’s.”
“I have loved all the sport I have played. Winning the RGS cricket tournament was a particular highlight for me.”
“We’ve had great fun experiencing the 60s, the 80s amongst many other decades, singing, dressing up and dancing our way through each showcase and charity day.”
“It was funny chasing the chickens when they escaped all of the time.”
Most proud moments “I was most proud of going to an IAPS sports event representing the school.”
“Becoming a prefect made me feel proud.”
“I loved having one of the main parts in the Year 6 Production.”
“Winning the cricket tournament made me feel proud.”
“I was thrilled when I achieved my two star badge meaning I had worked for 10 activity badges.”
