KPS KIF 22/23

KINGSWOOD PREP IN FOCUS

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME

The academic year 2022/23 will be remembered for the Prep School once again running at full throttle after the Covid era. Far from being a gradual transition, it was a rapid return to ‘full steam ahead’!

There have been so many highlights. The Year 6 production of ‘Madagascar’ was vibrant, and energy-filled; considering that the children involved had had no public performances in Year 3 and Year 4, the quality and exuberance of the show were an absolute pleasure to watch. Year 4 matched their older counterparts with their production of ‘The Greatest Show’, which was really entertaining. Other features of the year that immediately spring to mind are the 70+ after-school clubs, brilliantly masterminded by Ms Worrall, and Christmas Carols sung by our Choir to the babies and toddlers of The Garden and their parents.

The quality and exuberance of the show were an absolute pleasure to watch.

It can be difficult to put into words the spirituality, which is at the heart of our school, but this aspect of our communal life is in very good hands with Rev Katy. She loves being part of the school and her presence in all areas is very much appreciated by the children and staff.

It remains an absolute pleasure to lead KPS. We have waiting lists in Years 2-6, The Garden is completely full, and there is only the odd space for 2023/24 in the remaining two Year groups. Our teaching staff, support staff and Early Years Educators are outstanding. The curriculum is now well established, but there is no complacency; we continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.

308 parents contributed to the Parental Questionnaire and their feedback has been factored into our documentation for 2023/24, which will be Inspection Year under the new ISI framework.

Our children are happy; they love school, and they know that their individual strengths are celebrated, and that they are known and valued as individuals. As a staff, we work really hard on attitudes, manners, communication

...a passionate desire to make a difference to young children’s lives.

and having a growth mindset. These values are lived and breathed by all the staff, who have a passionate desire to make a difference to young children’s lives - they truly are the ‘dream keepers’!

This summer, Summerhill Mansion gets a new roof, ‘The Patch,’ our new playground, is being extensively used, and we have a new Outdoor Classroom. We will have raised well over £10,000 for two local charities, we have gained twelve Scholarships to the Senior School, and we have played a wide range of sports in local, regional and national tournaments and festivals.

I am really encouraged by the way in which our children are able to move so seamlessly and easily between Art, Science and Engineering. We want them to be creative problem-solvers, with the attitude that if attempt number fifteen does not work, they will simply try again with option sixteen!

We all know how hard our parents are working to afford an education

for their children at KPS and KSS in the future. Their desire to do the very best for the education of their children is inspirational and they know that every decision that we make has the children’s best interests at its heart.

As I left school today for a Governors’ Meeting, three Year 3 boys informed me of a new band they had started -‘Red Hot Metal’. We love that sort of creativity, the willingness to work really hard at something, and the fact that they are growing up with a passion. You never know - they just might

be on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2033! It is moments like this that make our job so special.

I really hope that you enjoy our magazine. Please remember that you are more than welcome to drop in to KPS at any time to see for yourself what an incredible environment it is for your children to learn and grow during what is arguably the most important chapter of their lives.

Mr Mark Brearey (Headmaster)

STAFF NEWS

FAREWELLS AND WELCOMES …

NADINE ROBINSON

Mrs Robinson joined KPS from the Senior School to lead MFL at KPS. Mrs Robinson is a highly skilled linguist, who will also be teaching Year 7 and Year 8 at the Senior School.

JACK HARVEY

Mr Harvey arrived to us from a local prep school, having previously worked in Cambridge. He is a fine sportsman, with rugby being a real passion.

ALEX CARLTON-PORTER

Mr Carlton-Porter stepped in for Mr Openshaw when he was recovering from his broken leg and did a superb job.

SIAN HIGGINS

LARA BUCK

Miss Buck is a highly experienced teacher, who has also benefited from time teaching abroad. She has a passion for Drama and English and is an excellent addition to our strong team.

DANNY OPENSHAW

Mr Openshaw has brought his special brand of positivity to our school as a member of the PE and Games Department. Sadly, he broke his leg playing for Clifton after Christmas and has needed all his resilience and motivation to make a full recovery.

KRISTIE STEWART

OLIVIA POPE

Miss Pope has worked in our Reception on Maternity Cover this year. She has great expertise, patience, and energy, and has guided the children with enormous skill. Miss Pope leaves at the end of the year to take up a teaching position in London.

Mrs Stewart has been a wonderful addition to the KPS team and runs our Getting Better Bay, in addition to helping out in the office and putting our Newsletter together. She is always smiling, kind and thoughtful – the children love Mrs Stewart.

Mrs Higgins leaves our school after 18 years of dedicated service, mainly in Key Stage 1, but also as a Maths Specialist, leading the Maths curriculum across our school. She loves Maths, as do the children that she teaches. She makes the subject easy to follow and manageable for those who are struggling, while at the same time really stretching the most able and confident.

Mrs Higgins also loves her music, playing the ukulele, and is passionate about cricket and dogs. As she whizzes past the study, she gives Test Match updates. I am really hopeful that her retirement will give her more time to indulge these pleasures.

My abiding memory of Mrs Higgins will be delivering ice creams to the Key Workers during Covid times – a random act of kindness that we all became very used to experiencing. I have not mentioned the Welsh Cakes… hopefully they will continue to magically appear in the staffroom! Good luck, Sian!

HANNAH RIZZUTI

Mrs Rizzuti is a highly skilled and experienced classroom practitioner, who has excelled with our Reception this year. She is a true all-rounder in the Kingswood mould, offering a range of activities outside the classroom.

VICKY BOYD

Mrs Boyd joined us as a Teaching Assistant in Year 6 and has excelled. She is always going the ‘extra mile’ for the children and never has a bad day.

A YEAR OF CELEBRATION & REFLECTION

Once again as I flick through the pages of KIF, I cannot help but marvel at how the children fully embrace the breadth of opportunities offered at KPS which are integral to the holistic education that we know is able to transform young lives. The pages are brimming with life!

As a whole Foundation, our 275th anniversary year has not only allowed us to celebrate this significant occasion, but has also given us the opportunity to reaffirm our values and reflect on John Wesley’s mission to “do all the good you can” within our community. It is affirming to see these values so strongly rooted within our Prep community and so eloquently expressed by the Charity monitors, who lead the wonderful range of fundraising activities in service of this mission.

The 275th anniversary has also provided the opportunity to launch a campaign to raise funds for a range of initiatives, including transformational bursaries to attract talented pupils from around the world whose parents are not in the position to afford the fees. Thank you to the many parents and alumni who have supported the campaign and helped contribute to make a difference.

Whilst achievement should be lauded, the journey of a Kingswood education is also about the development of character and the acquisition of wisdom. It is a real privilege therefore to lead a Foundation with a palpable sense of community and a culture of kindness and compassion. Thank you to Mr Brearey and all of the KPS team who nurture this culture on a daily basis and guide our charges in this way, helping them to thrive as they graduate from KPS to the Senior School.

Mr Andrew Gordon-Brown (Headmaster & Principal of The Kingswood Foundation)

BIRTHDAY!

1748-2023

On 26 June, 2023 we sang happy birthday to the School. The King and the NHS had both turned 75, but we were celebrating becoming an amazing 275 years old!

The children enjoyed looking at our earliest photos from 1880 and paintings of the original School buildings in Kingswood, Bristol but they did not like the sound of the 4am wakeup call with periods of study all the way through to 8pm.

John Wesley, our founder, sought to establish a Model School rooted in love and kindness, where teachers were patient and children could study a wide range of subjects, introducing Science which was rare back in the 1700’s.

So, what would John Wesley make of KPS 275 years later? Well, I think he would be blown away by KPS, finding a truly Model School still rooted in love and kindness, where students are excited by learning, have a joy in serving and grow in a loving community with patient, passionate teachers. It would surpass all his expectations!

The children also saw photos of people from Methodist Schools all around the world, many of them named after Kingswood, who came to visit us in April. It is very special to know that we are part of a larger School family giving us even more reason to celebrate our birthday!

Rev. Katy Thomas (Chaplain)

TIME IN THE OUTDOORS FOREST SCHOOL SESSIONS

As part of their weekly timetable, the children attend weekly sessions in The Secret Garden, providing them with regular, repeated access to the same unstructured natural environment.

Our Forest School approach provides the children with opportunities to establish a progressive relationship with their peers, teachers and the environment. Sessions in The Secret Garden are influenced by factors such as the season, weather, children’s interests, the landscape, the community and tools & resources available.

Through self-directed, child led play and learning in the woodland, we help children develop knowledge about the natural environment, whilst they learn team building skills and cooperation with their peers. They also become more empowered to use their own initiative to solve individual challenges.

Enhancing the holistic development of the child through emergent, experiential, inquiry oriented and play based learning, time in the Forest provides benefits which lead to improved mental health and wellbeing.

...they learn team building skills and cooperation with their peers.

NEW SPACES THE PATCH

AND THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

In December 2022, we were lucky enough to open our new outdoor play space called ‘The Patch’, which was only made possible due to the incredible generosity of our parent body who funded the whole project.

The play space is an all-weather pitch which is used by the whole school, from our babies all the way through to Year 6, and for a range of activities including Balanceability, PE lesson, Games lessons, Football after school clubs and playtimes across the School. The incredible fundraising efforts of the Friends of Kingswood Prep School committee enabled us to buy some flood lights so that it can be used in the winter months as well.

In the Summer of 2023, we were also lucky enough to open our new Outdoor Classroom, which was again paid for by the incredible fundraising efforts of the Friends of Kingswood Prep School committee. The outdoor classroom provides shelter on wet days, a calm space for learning and a space for mental wellbeing; just for children to ‘be’. It is a very special place to sit, look at the beauty that surrounds our school site and have a moment of calm.

We have over 70 activities a week....

ACTIVITIES AT KPS

We are incredibly proud of our Enjoyment and Enrichment Programme (EEP).

We ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills across a wide range of areas, spend time with different members of staff across the School and develop confidence, resilience and a wide range of interests.

We have over 70 activities a week including: LAMDA, hockey, ultimate frisbee, Mandarin, Chess, Debating, Big Builds, Science and Ethics, Forest School, Music Makers, Art, Drawing, Yoga, Ballet, Street Dance, Mindfulness, Netball, Tennis, Coding, Climbing, Small Worlds, No Cook Cooking to name a few and it is fair to say that the KPS school site buzzes with excitement and energy between 4.15pm – 5.15pm.

YEAR 3 MAGDALEN FARM TRIP MARCH

2023

Year 3 had their biggest ever sleepover when they visited Magdalen Farm in Dorset, with 48 children and five teachers having fun down at the farm.

Activities included ‘Survival in the Wild’ (building dens in the mud); Natural Crafts (sawing wood to make medallions, weaving ‘Gods Eyes’ and working with clay); singing silly songs and roasting spiced apples around a campfire; feeding the pigs, goats, cows, including beautiful Red Ruby Devons, and collecting eggs from the hens; and finally doing some organic gardening in the polytunnels and tasting leaves (sorrel was quite a hit!).

Other highlights were sharing a dormitory with friends and eating delicious home-made food – the teachers had never seen children eat such a big breakfast! There were several requests to have another residential trip the week after! Sadly, Year 3 will need to wait a bit longer before their next big trip together.

YEAR 4 FOLLY FARM TRIP JUNE 2023

Staff were impressed with the lateral thinking andcreativity they all showed.

In June, Year 4 enjoyed the most engaging residential at Folly Farm.

The children were excited to arrive on the first morning, in the sunshine, and see the beautiful setting. The friendly staff were keen to immediately engage the children in their first activity, so they had a snack, dropped their bags and split into groups. One group went on an adventurous hike through the stunning woodland on the 250 acre reserve.

The other group enjoyed a pond dipping session, identifying many interesting species of water bugs and insects. They caught newts, water spiders, mayfly nymphs and Ramshorn snails, amongst many other things! Having had a delicious picnic in the orchard, and a little rest, the first group set off for their pond dipping session, and the second group dissected

owl pellets and learnt about how owls hunt their prey!

The next day, the children were all up bright and early, ready for the day's activities. After a delicious cooked breakfast, they gathered in their day groups. One group set off for the shady woods and learnt about mammals, camouflage and building habitats. They played games, pretended to be bunnies and took part in a woodland game of 'I Spy'. They found 20 items hidden along a woodland path and we were impressed with the groups that found them all!

The other group took part in a variety of team building and orienteering activities, designed to improve cooperation, help form new relationships and build on their negotiating skills. Staff were impressed with the lateral thinking and creativity they all showed.

After another delicious picnic lunch in the orchard, and another sun cream application due to the heatwave, the groups swapped over. Year 4 returned home after two nights, having thoroughly enjoyed their time away.

YEAR 5 MILL ON THE BRUE TRIP MARCH 2023

WOW, what an adventure! Year 5 had the most amazing time at Mill on the Brue, experiencing a whole host of exciting, challenging and really fun activities. As well as some very interesting weather!

The centre is run by expert instructors who made the trip extremely enjoyable, whilst keeping safety in mind at all times. The children were a pleasure to take away and did themselves proud at every turn. There were so many highlights, too many to mention individually, however the growth mindset themes are an excellent place to start. Co-operation was key in most activities, resilience was definitely required when the going got tough and creative thinking got the children out of a sticky situation, or two!

The children adapted to every situation that they were thrown into...

We encouraged a huge amount of independent thinking and learning and the children had to be organised and punctual throughout their stay. Those with an enquiring mind got the most out of the trip and there were some amazing questions being asked.

The children adapted to every situation that they were thrown into and overcame nerves and fears at every turn. Communication was obviously key and it was wonderful to see the development of team spirit and leadership through effective, inclusive and positive communication. Well done Year 5 –YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!

YEAR 6 ANGLESEY TRIP

The Year 6 residential is one of my favourite weeks of the year. Not only is it a chance for me to spend a week back in North Wales, a place I have a lot of love for but also because I have been able to share that love and passion for outdoor adventure with over 400 KPS children.

EThis was the best school trip of my life. I did so many things and not a second was wasted.

very year, seeing the children overcome their own personal challenge, be it even getting on the bus to begin with or stepping out into the abyss as they leap from a cliff onto a zip wire or into the waves crashing below. As the week goes on the children and staff begin to tire but the fun just keeps on coming.

The children were fantastic throughout the week and were a credit to the School and their families. The instructors and centre staff often comment on how well behaved, mannered and confident our children are, and regularly compare them to older school groups. This year was no exception and by the end of the week, the instructors were taking the children to the venues which they would normally only take secondary school children too.

What you see here is a snapshot of the smiles and enjoyment that was had on this year’s Year 6 Leaver’s trip to Anglesey, along with some of the reflections and memories made by Year 6.

Mr Murphy

On arrival at the centre amongst the beautiful North Wales countryside, with my friends at my side I felt so much excitement. Mrs Boyd was my group’s teacher, and she was forever giving us smiles and encouragement. It was a group who worked well together and supported each other through some of the harder moments.

On and around Anglesey we did a wide range of activities. My favourite was coasteering which was an adventure around the coast with climbs and scrambles along rocks and jumps into the water. One of my biggest challenges was taking the first step down when abseiling, I had to take a deep breath before making my move. Once I relaxed into it was still great fun.

Overall, I had an amazing time at Anglesey. Being put out of my comfort zone was hard but I it was a great opportunity, and I was able

to share it with my friends before leaving KPS.

Edie

The Breakfast, they were the best, cooked breakfast every morning! I loved the climbing activity the most, we were able to go right up a cliff and it gave me such a feeling of freedom. The trip is a step up from the Mill on the Brue trip in Year 5 with a lot more independence and the activities are bigger and bolder. We spent every evening as a whole year group, either down on the beach running wild or playing a wide range of games on the centre grounds.

Charlie

Our five night stay in Anglesey started on Sunday with a five hour coach trip. We went on the trip to have fun and to show independence from our parents.

We waved goodbye and hopped onto the coach ready to try new challenges out of our comfort zone. I was in one of the big dorms which was a bit of a shock as I was worried about being able to sleep. I wanted to have enough energy to enjoy and take part in the next day’s activities. I recommend taking an eyemask and ear plugs and before I went away I learnt a few techniques for helping me sleep. It really helped and I slept like a log. I now know that I can stay away overnight from my family with ease.

This was the best school trip of my life. I did so many things and not a second was wasted. I enjoyed all the activities but sea level traversing, coasteering and abseiling were my favourites. I learnt that having my comfort zone stretched is okay and that you might just enjoy it. I did!

Rachel

DEVELOPING A LOVE OF LITERACY

English incorporates so many important skills that our children will learn in many exciting ways through their time at KPS. This year has been no exception.

Whether they have been developing speaking and listening skills through dramatic performances or in class debates, growing their spelling and grammar skills through our exciting new Spelling Shed programme or delving into exciting texts in our dedicated library areas, KPS children have immersed themselves in English skills this year!

PRE-SCHOOL

...we try to bring our book of the week alive.

Early literacy is all about helping children develop a love of books and we try and bring our book of the week alive. This may be through art and craft activities linked to the story, by going on a Gruffalo hunt around the grounds or by having tea with a tiger! Sharing a book with a teacher or a friend is actively encouraged with lots of cosy corners to snuggle down and get comfy in. Alongside this, our children develop their listening skills and early phonics through dedicated circle times, preparing them so well for their more formal literacy lessons in Reception.

RECEPTION

Our Reception curriculum is built around a wonderful array of books, ensuring the children develop a love of reading and are inspired by language-rich literature that reflects all of society. Fun activities are planned around the texts to further develop their knowledge and skills, which encourage the children to write their own stories by the end of the year. We follow the Read Write Inc scheme for phonics, giving the children a solid foundation to start KS1.

YEAR 1

Each term we use our topic work to inspire our English curriculum. We have written pirate adventures, created under the sea fact files, retold woodland stories, written poems about animals around the world and have composed letters to Rishi Sunak regarding plastics in our oceans. Differentiated phonics groups have developed skills for reading and writing, alongside opportunities for drama, guided reading and public speaking.

”I liked making fact books about sea creatures.”

Toby T

YEAR 2

”I loved hot seating The Gruffalo characters and wearing masks.” Eloise

The children have worked on increasing their fluency using their phonics knowledge. English Reading Comprehension Fluency isn’t everything and children must also understand what they are reading and what is being read to them. Children will listen to, discuss and give their own thoughts and opinions on a range of books. This year we have been travelling along Literacy Roadmaps; developing the skills needed to produce a final piece of writing. The highlight this year has been the amazing River Poems.

”I loved writing my own story called Poppy and the Beanstalk as I could use my imagination.”

Poppy L

”I loved doing alliteration because I could make it really funny.” Poppy S

YEAR 3

The writing journey in Year 3 has been most enthusiastically followed - linked to some of the best topics in the School (Chocolate, Dinosaurs and South Africa), output ranged from poems to recipes, newspaper reports to traditional tales, with many more chapters in between.

YEARS 4 - 6

The early part of the Autumn Term was spent delving into all things Poetry. Children explored poetry in their classes and were given the opportunity to perform a poem to their class, with the winner from each class invited to perform to parents at the POL evening.

Our guest judges from the KWS English department were blown away by the depth and quality of some inspired performances from across the School.

As we approached Christmas, children entered the KPS Christmas Writing Competition. The standard of writing from all those that entered was quite incredible, with the winners from each year group awarded a place for their work at the Mid-Somerset Festival.

We launched our new Spelling Shed programme for Years 3 to 6 at the end of the year and children enjoyed the interactive nature of the lessons and games. It’s a fun programme and we are looking forward to seeing how this helps the children even more next year.

MID-SOMERSET FESTIVAL

Five of our pupils were invited to have their work read as part of the Mid-Somerset Festival competition. Adjudicated by Sophie Kirtley, each entrant did extremely well and performed brilliantly in the creative writing and Poetry categories. Kingswood children took home the ‘MSF Literary Trophy’, winning the Year 2 poetry competition and the ‘MSF Cup’ for an outstanding short story in the Year 5 and 6 creative writing competition. A further three children received ‘Distinction’ or ‘Commended’ for their pieces, and Kingswood pupils were praised by the organisers for their overall success. We look forward to supporting the competition again next year after such a positive engagement from across the School.

Cressida Cowell event

Pupils loved meeting

Cressida Cowell as part of the Bath Children's Literature Festival.

In March, World Book Day is always a day to remember, and this year was no exception. Each class had a different text to focus on, resulting in many spectacular costumes on show. In true KPS spirit, the staff entered into the fun of the day too with some particularly impressive teamwork in coordinating their outfits! The day was full of different activities including artwork, treasure hunts and quizzes. Favourite books were shared, new books were introduced, and the children were inspired. Some amazing pieces of creative writing emerged at the end of the day, inspired by a day full of such incredible activities!

WORLD BOOK DAY

WHY IS MATHS IMPORTANT?

Maths is essential for everyday life, future job prospects and for our children’s understanding of the world.

We want children to enjoy and love learning maths, to build confidence, resilience, and a passion for all things numbers related. Our aim is for them to become fluent and confident mathematicians who can apply their knowledge and skill across other areas of the curriculum and in the real world.

PRE-SCHOOL

This year we have introduced a daily ‘maths meeting’ into our Preschool curriculum, where the children learn a number and a shape of the week and take part in interactive games on the whiteboard. However, much of their early maths learning comes through purposeful play, where mathematical vocabulary, counting, number recognition, measuring and shape are woven into the activities they take part in throughout their day.

RECEPTION

The first few years of a child’s life are especially important for mathematical development, and the more grounded in mathematical concepts young children become, the better their later outcomes. Our Reception curriculum therefore provides frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding, developing a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. Maths is taught through discrete lessons and maths meetings, as well as linked to books, topic work and continuous provision. It is always a joy to see the children using their maths skills independently in their everyday play – counting how many blocks they need to complete their model, writing receipts in role play shops, having conversations with friends about which month their birthday is in or making repeating patterns using items in the classroom.

YEAR 1

Maths skills this year have focused on using and applying numbers, telling the time, shape and space and measurement.

Children have enjoyed opportunities for problem solving and applying their skills into real life context. Sessions have been a variety of practical reinforcement of concepts plus a carousel of activities linked to the learning.

I liked learning how to tell the time and timing ourselves for 1 minute to do fun things - Caspar

I like explaining ways to work things out - Jacob

We want all our children to see Maths as a creative and powerful discipline...

YEAR 2

In Maths, we aim to equip all pupils with the ability to think independently in applied and abstract ways. By finding connections, children can learn to reason, solve problems and assess risk. We want our children to see Maths as a creative and powerful discipline, with its own unique language. We provide all children with a high-quality mathematics education, to be used as a foundation for understanding the world. We support children in developing the ability to reason mathematically. We want them to grow a love and appreciation for the beauty and power of Maths, and an instilled sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

”I like adding and taking away numbers.” Henry

”I have liked the x tables lessons because times tables are fun!” George

YEAR 3

Year 3 marks an exciting change in the children’s maths learning, as they are now part of the Prep School and can bring their pencil case to the lesson!

The principal focus of Mathematics in Year 3 is to develop the children’s fluency with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value.

Children deepened their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, delving into simple fractions and decimal place value. Through practical activities and investigations, the children enjoyed developing their accuracy with measuring instruments and began to connections between measure and number.

YEARS 4-6

At Kingswood Prep School, we believe mathematics is an important part of children’s development throughout school, right from an early age. We intend on delivering a curriculum which:

• Allows children to be a part of creative and engaging lessons that will give them a range of opportunities to explore mathematics following a mastery curriculum approach.

• Gives each pupil a chance to believe in themselves as mathematicians and develop the power of resilience and perseverance when faced with mathematical challenges.

• Recognises that mathematics underpins much of our daily lives and therefore is of paramount importance in order that children aspire and become successful in the next stages of their learning.

• Engages all children and entitles them to the same quality of teaching and learning opportunities, striving to achieve their potential.

• Makes rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems.

• Provides equal opportunities for children to apply their mathematical knowledge to other subjects (cross-curricular links).

I can jump high on a trampoline

I know hard words and sounds

...a rock star as I want to be famous. I’m going to dye my hair when I’m 17 and it will be black and long.

Inventor

I like drawing Pokémon

I can look after my brother by hugging him

I love nature and forest school is one of my favourite things. I would like to be a vet

I enjoy cooking

I love maths I love swimming

I am a good den builder I am brave

WE CAN DO AND BE ANYTHING WE WANT…

Gymnast Rugby Player Footballer

Scientist

One of the most important elements as a teacher in learning support is to discover children’s strengths and the areas they enjoy. With this knowledge, we can build on developing their confidence and self-esteem together, helping them to achieve in the subjects or with the skills that they find more challenging.

This year we asked each child two questions: What amazing things can you do now? and What would you like to do in the future? Here are just a few of their answers to those questions. Thank you to everyone and a special mention to our wonderful artist in Year 6 who helped to illustrate this page.

Golfer

Sailor Artist Hockey Player

Be a person who talks to people about their worries

Either a YouTuber, Programmer, Fireman, Builder or Singer

I hope I’ll be a game designer and tester

I hope I can be a professional judo fighter or a doctor

An underwater photographer would be cool

I’d like to be a teacher like Miss Howe

I want to be a chef and have a restaurant in California called ‘Max’s Marvellous Meals!’ I am also going to have a big truck in Devon and travel the world with it and try other foods

I am good at acting and singing. I’d like to be a performer when I am older

I can speak different languages I am brilliant at Nessy

I’m great at gardening

Minecrafter

I’d like to produce films in Egypt

I am a good friend I’m passionate about being a designer I can draw a panther

I’d like to be a tennis player

I am funny and I make my friends laugh I can write really good stories. I would love to be an author and illustrator

Actor Skier

PRE-SCHOOL

Science has truly become part of our Pre-School curriculum this year, with weekly experiments, often linked to our book of the week. The children have investigated forces, materials and the natural world and amazed us with their general knowledge of the world around them.

KPS SCIENCE

RECEPTION

The children have learned about a variety of scientific concepts through their topics over the year, starting in the Autumn term with Space. The highlight of the term was a Rocket Detective workshop where the children got to design and make their own rockets and help launch them in the drama studio.

During their topic on the human body, they carried out lots of amazing experiments to learn more about how their bodies work and were lucky enough to have visits from parents who were able to teach them about fascinating subjects such as bones and blood. In the Spring we had a visit from the Zoo Lab, who brought with them a whole variety of animals for the children to learn about. The children asked lots of questions about the animals, and some were even brave enough to stroke them.

YEAR 2

The Year 2’s explored the properties of materials through a range of scientific principles via investigations; they made predictions, designed methods to test them, collected data, and drew conclusions. They found out which material caused the most friction and learnt about different kinds of forces. Through our Whizz Bang Pop topic, we learnt about how x-rays worked and matched animals to their x-ray! We learnt about how our eyes and ears work and did some fascinating experiments to see how sound waves travel through air and solids. The children enjoyed making simple electrical circuits. As part of our topic on waterways, we classified animals and learnt about their features. The children enjoyed creating food chains. Our bean experiment gave a us a conclusive result that we need water, warmth and light to grow our plants at home.

”I loved holding the Giant African snail; it felt so slimy.” Kitty

”I liked learning about electricity and making a circuit. My group made a bulb light up and made the motor spin too.” Maya

YEAR 1

Our creative curriculum has enabled the children to explore and develop their scientific skills. In the Autumn the focus was trees, seasons and light and dark linked to our ‘Woodland Wonders’ creative curriculum topic. We learnt about different methods of seed dispersal and recreated each one on the field. In the Spring the children enjoyed specialist lessons learning about sound and forces. In the Summer term we explored floating and sinking and the children created and tested junk model boats. They thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Bristol Aquarium reinforcing our topic on ‘What’s Beneath the Ocean Splash.’

”I liked using the slinky as vibration.” Harry

”I liked making a junk model boat and testing it to see if it would float!” Elliot

...creative curriculum has enabled the children to explore and develop their scientific skills.

In Science, we find out the proper meaning of things...

YEARS 3-6

This year, the end of the Science Department’s second year, I’m handing over to the children themselves. I’ve asked Years 3 to 6 to reflect on a year of Science. What does ‘Science’ mean? Is it important? What have they found most memorable? We have had the best year, and I think I have the best job in the world. Dr TJ

In Biology, there are just so many ‘wow! I didn’t know that!’ moments. I understand so much more about the world and myself.

In Science we find out the proper meaning of things – where everything comes from, from the atoms in our cells to the limits of our knowledge of the human universe. I like this.

The topics are interesting because we learn something new about life. I think about it on the way home from school sometimes. Why there are clouds, why flowers have evolved to be pretty, or why I need to keep breathing.

Dr TJ gives us proper tools and equipment. I’ve used a scalpel in Year 3, and I feel like a real scientist. We can now use them whenever we need to dissect things.

I have especially loved electricity. I never knew exactly how to make a circuit, and what the symbols were – I can now read a circuit diagram and make something in real life. That’s pretty cool.

Science is a different experience to other subjects. You get to figure out so many different parts of life and the world. It is everything. It is amazing. Learning about atoms was SO satisfying. They make up cells and oceans. Wow.

The snails are amazing and we get to handle them. It’s very peaceful watching a giant snail look around.

We wanted to learn more about insects being a sustainable food source, so we just ordered a load and tasted mealworms, plain crickets and BBQ roasted crickets! We want them as a school snack now.

Learning about animals by handling them and watching them over the seasons is the best. We’ve watched Darwin (the tortoise) through all four seasons: he managed a lap round the room in 40 degrees in the Summer but slept most of Winter and only woke up for his baths. He was very excited by the Spring clover!

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY - At KPS, we believe that language learning should be a journey of discovery, fun and achievement.

Lessons include modelling, recycling, reviewing and reusing language, helping to build understanding and confidence. A comprehensive curriculum has been developed that allows all children to access languages; whether its recalling topic vocabulary, giving opinion, short sentences or being able to extend with conjunctions, frequency words and intensifiers. There is also a cultural element added, which explores everyday life, geography, food, art and other aspects to ensure that learners are more aware of the world around them.

A positive experience of languages is at the core of all planning and teaching. We will ensure that all children at least can recognise key vocabulary and grammar, most will be able to use a writing frame and some will be able to write independently using a vocab sheet.

At KPS, language learners will be offered French, Spanish, German and Latin on a rotational basis. I will teach the French, Spanish, Latin and some German content, whilst the majority of the German curriculum will be delivered by the assistant who will visit from the Senior School to Year 5 & 6 from January to May.

As Head of Languages, I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to develop, teach and grow languages at KPS and I am really passionate about lifting its profile so that we not only become a leader in primary languages provision, but also instil a curiosity and love for learning languages throughout the School and into the future.

Miss Robinson

WHY LEARN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES?

It improves making connections between languages, recognising patterns and also logical thinking. It’s widely known that language learning is one of the most successful forms of brain training.

Your creativity increases due to contact with other cultures. You will change your perspective on the world. Understanding differences in customs will transform you into a multicultural individual.

More importantly, if your child continues their educational journey into Kingswood Senior School, they will be able to make a much more informed decision when choosing their first language to learn. A second will be allocated at random, then Latin will be introduced in Year 8.

A positive experience of languages is at the core of all planning and teaching...

Year 5 and 6 children were asked about their language learning experiences last year and I would like to share their comments with you:

 The stamper chart encouraged me to work harder.

 I loved French and Spanish!

 I liked that we had a taster of each language.

 I liked that we covered lots of topics in French and German.

 It’s fun.

 I loved German!

 I liked how we all talked about things together.

 I think that languages were amazing this year and I loved the way it was taught.

 I liked getting stampers and earning prizes.

 I liked Spanish the most.

 More Spanish please!

STEM

What another fantastic year in STEM! The children have, once again, proved that they are all capable of wonderful things, be it coding, making, designing, problem solving or being a part of a team to complete a project.

This year the teaching of STEM refocussed to help the younger children in their learning across the curriculum, with Pre-Prep and Reception Form teachers supporting the children superbly. In addition, Mr Seal and Mr Whitby also taught these year groups in Specialist Design and Computing Lessons.

Mr Murphy

...develop skills in creative thinking, planning, designing, and evaluating.

PRE-SCHOOL

Our Nursery children have many opportunities to practise their designing, construction and creating skills across the year. At Forest School they learn to use simple tools safely and to follow the rules around fires. In their rooms, they design items for a fashion show, test materials to see which make the most effective kites, replicate famous landmarks in their construction and work together on large scale projects.

YEAR 1

In computing, children have learnt how to use a laptop, focusing on using applications, as well as editing and saving their work. Over the year they have used a paint application experimenting with using different brush strokes, changing colours and fonts; used bee-bots to develop basic programming skills; learnt about the importance of Internet safety, making posters with rules for how to stay safe; and used the Word programme to develop keyboard skills. In engineering, the children have had opportunities to develop skills in creative thinking, planning, designing, and evaluating. They have learnt about how dangerous oil spills can be to the environment and made a waterproof group shelter, thinking about the different materials they could use.

”I enjoyed creating pictures using different shapes and learning how to change colour.”

George

”I liked writing information about different animals on Word.” Emmy

”I enjoyed building a hedgehog home.” Toby

”I enjoyed learning about oil spills and finding out how to clean different materials.” Xander

YEAR 2

The children have enjoyed using their new laptops for their computing lessons whilst learning about internet safety and how tech is used around us. They became experts at taking photos and using the computer to improve them; programming Bee Bots; using a fun programme called Scratch Jnr for coding; and using Chrome Music lab to create their own music thinking about tempo, pitch and rhythms.

In their engineering lessons the children explored measuring accurately; ways of fixing 2 materials together to create a scary spider; weaving materials to make a pennant and made levers for dragons popping out of an egg! The children also worked as a team to create bridge structures making them strong and stable - we even made a replica of Clifton Suspension Bridge! Year 2 are engineers!

”I enjoyed using the Bee Bots because you can control them to move in different directions. Mine kept bumping into things!” Kit

”I liked using Chrome Music Lab and using the animated animals play the instruments.” George H

YEARS 3-6

In Year 3 to 6, the children applied their skills through project-based tasks.

The Year 3 chocolate bar project went one step further than ever this year with the 3D printing of their chocolate bar designs. We now have five small scale 3D printers within the Prep School. These were also used to print Year 5 labyrinths, products for the young entrepreneur project and many, many parts for the Year 6 escape rooms. Their use of CAD software is helping to build the children’s design thinking and turning their ideas into reality. One of STEM strands is ‘Sustainability and the Environment’, which this year has seen us switch to using recycled filaments for our printers. Building on this strand of the curriculum, Year 4 and Year 6 were encouraged to consider the Sustainable Development Goals when making their products for the Year 4 £5 Challenge (which raised over £1,000 this year for charity) and the Year 6 Mobile Phone App project.

Saws, glue, nails or screws are often a key part of an exciting and challenging lesson, and seeing

the Year 3 lighthouse, the Year 5 Labyrinths and the Year 6 rocket cars rise up from paper designs to physical creations is always a thrill. A highlight for me was seeing the rocket cars launch across the Kingswood Association Hall at great speed. The Senior School now have a F1 in Schools track so next year this particular project will be changing as Mr East shares his wisdom following winning several trophies in this year’s competition.

Beyond the curriculum, after a Covid delay and a whole year group birthday party, we were finally able to enter and attend the Green Power Green Goblin competition. The children fully assembled and tested their electric go-kart, whilst also leading and organising themselves as a team on the day. They have all learnt so much this year and are clearly excited about what next year will bring.

We hosted two STEAM enrichment events on Saturday mornings for the Year 5 and 6. We were very

lucky to have parents, guests and experts in their field share their professional journeys. They shared a presentation with information about their world of work, and with the support of the STEAM teaching team, led an hour-long workshop. During these workshops the children were able to: dissect hearts; deliver vaccines and learn how to bring a medicine to market; become a landscape architects, abstract artists and upcycle waste materials into art. An eye-opening experience for the children and staff alike.

Mr Murphy

Saws, glue, nails or screws are a key part of an exciting lesson...

PRE-SCHOOL

Our nursery children were very lucky to have lots of visitors this year, who have helped them learn about various occupations, and differences between people. They became very knowledgeable about bees after a visit from a local beekeeper, found out about how guide dogs help others, and we had lots of budding firefighters after a visit from a fire engine. Various festivals and national events are marked throughout the year, so the children gain an understanding of their local community and the wider world. Our weekly assemblies with Rev Katy are a highlight of each week.

HUMANITIES

YEAR 1

The children have fully engaged in all our topic work this year.

During the Summer term, Year 1 dived into the depths of the oceans learning about sea creatures, ocean zones, ecological impacts, pirates and physical and human features of a coastal landscape. Children revelled in dressing up as pirates as part of our pirate week and took part in a variety of fun activities including walking the plank! History this year has focused on influential figures from the past, including Grace Darling, Jacques Cousteau, Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. We have also compared then and now with seaside holidays and homes. In Religious Education, children have learnt about different religious celebrations and traditions. They have been reflective in class discussions, sharing their own views and listening to others.

”I loved seeing the big shark at Bristol Aquarium.” Molly

”I liked going inside the Concorde plane and seeing all the buttons.” Toby B

YEAR 3

What better way to launch a year than a trip to England’s very own chocolate factory! The children travelled up to Cadbury World where they learnt the history of chocolate, and the process from bean to bar. They saw the factory in action and had a go at tempering the liquid chocolate themselves. Our topic ‘Footprints from the past’ captured the imagination of all the children - understanding the timeline involved when learning about dinosaurs is no mean feat. The children used skills of classification to sort dinosaurs as well as researching and presenting information to their class about the different dinosaurs and the periods they lived in. Our topic on South Africa started with a drumming workshop, safari paintings and learning an African dance. The topic leant itself beautifully to the history of apartheid and learning about the life of Nelson Mandela. We were fortunate enough to have a live clip from a grandparent who had met Mandela personally, many years ago, who shared his memories with us. Our visiting speaker, Mr Louw, talked about life growing up in South Africa and of course his outstanding rugby career.

YEAR 2

The children have fully engaged in all our topic work this year. They learned where people and events they studied fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. As part of the ‘Amazing Quests’ topic, Year 2 experienced a visit from The Black Knight, learning about life in Medieval times and how to joust. During the ‘Whizz, Bang, Pop’ topic, the life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel is always a highlight and how lucky are we to have Box Hill so close to Bath. As part of the ‘Riverbank’ topic, we became confident at using an atlas independently to locate capital cities and main rivers throughout the United Kingdom. We finished the year with an amazing boat trip around Bristol Harbour, sailing past the SS Great Britain and learning about the history of the city.

”I liked learning about the trains Brunel designed because one was the first train to carry people.” Oscar

”I liked learning about Isaac Newton because we still use Newtons to measure today.” Ted

YEAR 4

In the Autumn term, Year 4 delved into the meaning of Buddhism, learning about Buddhist principles and enjoyed finding many ways in which they could apply these philosophies to their own lives.

In topic they learnt about the active planet Earth and how natural disasters have affected the lives of others. Maps, safety posters, tectonic plate jigsaws and fact files were enthusiastically created, and the Natural Theatre Company visited to host a day in Pompeii. During the Spring term, they explored the lives of ancient Egyptians and learnt to analyse historical artefacts. Children enjoyed deciphering hieroglyphics, creating ancient Egyptian maps, and debating whether the Rosetta Stone should be returned to Egypt, and whether archaeologists should unwrap mummies to conduct research. In their Religious Studies, they explored Christianity and considered what it means to belong to a religion. Summer brought the buzz of ‘Young Entrepreneurs’, and the children entered the Dragons’ Den. Several incredible cereal creations were planned, designed, manufactured and pitched. The Dragons were impressed and decided to make several investments. Well done Year 4 for a fabulous year in the Humanities!

YEAR 6

YEAR 5

It has been a year of excitement, new challenges and plenty of fun for Year 5.

In the Autumn term, we jumped straight into one of our favourite cross-curricular topics - 'The Great, The Bold and The Brave'. Our learning was centred around the concept of legacy and particularly the impact that various civilizations have had on Britain itself.

The children moved onto the ever-popular 'Lego' and 'Weather and Climate' topics. Our learning was focused on how Lego has developed to become one of the most recognised global brands and how it operates as a Multinational Company. The children were very fortunate have Mr Gillard come in to talk to them about another MNC – Boeing.

We rounded off the year with our ‘Rivers’ and ‘Georgians’ topics. The children enjoyed their Geography Topic of Rivers, learning how the shape of a river is always changing and how it changes the land through which it flows. We then delved into our history topic – The Georgians! As we live in a Georgian town, we used the wonderful architecture and history that surrounds us to understand more about this era.

Year 6 spent each half term getting to know a different continent; it is safe to say many of them would now be very knowledgeable and persuasive travel agents!

Their learning spread all the way from the origins of Machu Picchu, how we can protect the Great Barrier Reef, how Europe has been shaped by conflict and migration and investigating the ancient Benin Empire. We were fortunate during the Autumn Term to be hosted by the American Museum, Bath, who gave the children the opportunity to handle Native American artefacts and learn about the culture and lifestyle of these incredible people. Alongside our topic lessons, we also had time during the year to really delve into the range of different belief systems and faiths around the world. The children at KPS are encouraged to really develop their own views and opinions, whilst keeping a respectful, empathetic attitude towards others when we discuss the amazing diversity we have, even within our own community.

Our buddy system works incredibly well and all children have someone to buddy up with.

SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

‘Time to Talk’ has been a huge feature of school life at KPS over the last few years and staff and pupils alike see the benefits of sharing thoughts, ideas and worries. Our aim has been to create safe spaces for children to talk so that they feel valued, listened to and able to share things on their mind.

Wellbeing sessions may be held as a class, in smaller groups or on a 1:1 basis, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to talk. As our children are unique individuals, we approach these sessions in a way that suits them and use the skills of our ‘Mental Health First Aid’ trained staff to get the very best out of the sessions. It may look like a team game where collaboration skills are encouraged, or it may look like a walk in nature observing all of the little things are wonderful about our grounds. Some staff create worry jars or diaries with children, whilst others get stuck into arts and crafts, all the while allowing conversation to flow naturally.

We encourage our children to share their views about our school in the form of pupil voice surveys, suggestion boxes and school council. This is invaluable feedback for us and provides us with another insight into how our children can help us to improve life at school.

Our buddy system works incredibly well and all children have someone to buddy up with. Our younger pupils love to spend time with older friends and they really look forward to sharing books and toys with them. The walk between different parts of our school site can take longer than expected due to the number of high fives and waves between buddies!

Another great addition to our pastoral team this year has been Kindness Champions. A child or two from each class was nominated to be a kindness champion, looking out for others on the playground, helping to create group games, talking to teachers about any issues and wearing their Kindness Champion badge with pride!

The ‘Great Outdoors’ features heavily in our curriculum and alongside formal Outdoor Education lessons, we now have a fantastic outdoor classroom for children to use. The benefits of being in nature have been well documented and we are so lucky to have a myriad of outdoor spaces for the children to enjoy.

KPS ART

The Prep School Art Department has had a truly collaborative year, welcoming in professional artists and our whole community to be inspired creatively. From art competitions involving the whole family, to Saturday workshops celebrating the School’s 275 years, we have really enjoyed being artistic together.

In the Autumn term, our whole school Steam competition was entitled ‘Families’. Working together with siblings, parents, friends or wider members of the family, pupils were invited to create a collaborative piece in any media. Having fun and creating wonderful memories shone through in all of our entries.

YEAR 2

Year 2 started on a journey to develop their own style and have enjoyed using a range of tools for painting, such as hands, brushes, rollers to create marks. They had great fun predicting which secondary colour would be made when mixing two primary colours, and experimented making tints and tones of different colours. They used watercolours for landscapes and otters with watery backgrounds and pastels to create vibrant kingfishers exploring pattern making to create texture.

YEARS 4-6

Visiting artists came to work with our Year 6 children on Saturday mornings, introducing colourful abstract paintings with Georgina Belford and exploring exciting Reuse and Recycle ideas with Steve Griffiths. In class, Year 4 were introduced to elegant calligraphy with local artist Kate Downey to enhance their book cover design project. Year 5 worked with Helen Stanfield to decorate river animal drawings with sophisticated tonal patterns. The children were captivated by their professional insight.

Kate Downey

Steve Griffiths

Georgina Belford

Helen Stanfield

Y2 colour mixing Y1 printing

WORKSHOPS

We held three Saturday morning workshops in the Summer term for Years 4-6. Parents came along with their children to design beautiful ceramic flowers to be permanently displayed around our school.

COMPETITIONS

Our enthusiastic Year 6 art monitors introduced two exciting art competitions over the year and a particular highlight was their Valentine’s art workshop with the Nursery Pre-school children. Watching our oldest and youngest children treasuring their time together was a real joy.

CLUBS

Art clubs throughout the year produced a wonderful variety of ambitious art, from oil pastel and glue drawings to stained glass effects with black card and cellophane. We were also lucky enough to have some helpers studying for their GCSEs, who shared their wonderful sketchbooks with us.

Working in the art room with its wide variety of resources, from our ceramics kiln to long printing tables, it is always a vibrant place to be. Lunchtime open-door sessions filled the room with a buzz of creativity with close friendships and happy conversations inspiring their imaginations. What a lovely place to be!

Valentine's workshop

Pre-school art

...open-door sessions fill the art room with a buzz of creativity...

KPS ART GALLERY

DRAMA

As

a part of Kingswood Prep School's vibrant curriculum, Drama gives students the opportunity to explore the world of acting, emotions, and creativity.

The halls of Kingswood Prep School have echoed with laughter, passion, and applause, as children from all year groups have not only honed their dramatic techniques but also developed their confidence and the ability to speak articulately in public. Weekly drama lessons have provided students across year groups with the chance to delve into a wide range of dramatic techniques, cultivating skills that extend far beyond the stage.

RECEPTION, YEAR 1 & 2

Drama lessons in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 focus on listening skills, use of mime and facial expressions, working together as a team and to have fun whilst developing imagination. The children grew in confidence and thoroughly enjoyed performing in front of one another. Each lesson began with a warm-up game and the children often asked for the games again at the end! There was no end to their enthusiasm and creativity.

YEAR 3

As the children moved into Year 3, they continued to hone these skills throughout the year culminating in a performance of

...they wowed the audience with their clear delivery of lines along with comic timing.

African plays and songs to their parents in the Summer Term. In Drama lessons the children had read three African Tales: ‘Ananse and the Impossible Quest’ from Ghana, ‘The Great Hunter’ from Swaziland, and ‘Masilo and Masilonyana’ from Lesotho. The stories were turned into a script and everyone chose a part. The children had to think about miming, facial expressions, movement, props and cues for exits and entrances. The children had great fun performing these to their appreciative audience!

YEAR 4

Drama in Year 4 began with creating freeze frames and beginning to learn the rules of the stage for

effective performance. The children then crafted the skill of creating engaging dramatic performances through their use of characterisation and the impact of listening and responding on stage. All of this built towards their production in the Summer term - ‘The Greatest Show’. The children worked together to create a stunning performance which included gymnastics, dancing, singing, compères, scientists, and so much more! They wowed the audience with their clear delivery of lines along with comic timing. It was a truly memorable show!

YEAR 5

In Year 5, Drama lessons focused on devising collaborative performance and the art of conveying emotions through body movement, facial expressions, and vocal range. The students embarked on an exploration of theatrical conventions that ranged from the unity of the chorus to the

exploration of masks, from the intricacies of comedic timing to the controlled chaos of stage combat. Their journey culminated in a spectacular Year 5 Showcase, an event that demonstrated their growth as both directors and performers. The delighted audience was treated to a tapestry of poetic verses, captivating short scenes, mesmerising mime acts, and compelling improvisations. The grand finale, a meticulously choreographed battle scene, left spectators in awe!

YEAR 6

Year 6, the culmination of Drama at the Prep School, required the children to draw upon everything they had learnt in their previous years of Drama. The children did not disappoint and delivered two captivating performances at the Senior School Theatre. The first, "An Evening of Shakespeare," saw the students dive into the timeless works of Shakespeare. By dissecting the complexities of Shakespearean characters and breathing life into iconic scenes, the Year 6’s mastered centuries-old language and portrayed their characters’ layers of motivation and emotion through their masterful performances.

The grand finale of the year, the musical extravaganza "Madagascar," was a testament to their unrelenting dedication and boundless enthusiasm. From auditions to rehearsals, each member of Year 6 assumed their role as a vital piece of the ensemble, working tirelessly to ensure that every note, every step, and every emotion resonated with the audience. The result was a resounding success that reverberated through the Senior School Theatre, and marked a triumphant conclusion to their journey through Prep School.

As the curtain falls on an extraordinary year of Drama at Kingswood Prep School, the echoes of applause and the memories of standing ovations linger in the hearts of students, parents, and staff alike. Beyond the stage, Drama has been a transformative force, nurturing confidence, camaraderie, and creativity among the young stars of Kingswood.

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Music in Nursery and Pre-School is great fun. We sing with lots of actions, play all sorts of instruments, dance and move a lot, and listen to sound stories together. This year we particularly enjoyed the piano mats and the big harp. We also performed on the stage in a fantastic Christmas Concert and our Pre-School Graduation.

RECEPTION

In Reception we had fun singing songs for different festivals; learned about how sounds in music can describe animals through ‘The Carnival of the Animals’; enjoyed trying out lots of instruments, including the violin, ukelele, tongue drum, piano; with some of us starting individual

music lessons. We also performed in a Christmas Nativity, a Spring Concert and a Summer Graduation.

YEAR 1

Year 1 learned to move to music and to feel rhythms, beats and musical emotions within our bodies.

We learned to pitch notes using Sol-Fa and grew more confident using our solo voices. We played all sorts of percussion including djembes and glockenspiels. Lots of us started individual lessons in piano, violin, singing, recorder and ukelele. We performed dances and songs in ‘The Big Little Nativity’, all performed in our Spring Concert and sang songs in our summer Special Assembly. Some of us joined the choir and Music Makers clubs too.

YEAR 2

Year 2 marks the end of the PrePrep and so the children took the lead in many of our musical

activities this year. We sang songs for Harvest and Remembrance Day, and then learned and performed ‘The Big Little Nativity’, all playing different roles with lines, songs and dance moves to remember. In the spring we worked hard on our musical knowledge, learning about reading and writing music on the musical stave. We all performed solos, duets, and group items in our Spring Concert, as well as enjoying lots of musical clubs.

YEAR 3

In Year 3 we learned all about orchestral instruments, how they work and how to play them. We took part in a Carol Service in the chapel at Christmas. We formed a Rainbow Bell Orchestra and all performed in our Spring Concert. In the summer we learned African folk songs and performed an afternoon of African Folk Tales combining drama, percussion and songs. Lots of us were part of choirs and ensembles.

YEAR 4

The highlight of music in Year 4 was the Summer performance of ‘The Greatest Show’, which was a showcase for our drama, dance and musical skills. Everyone learned to work as a team and help each other on stage. Alongside the show, this year we also improved our skills reading and writing music, formed a xylophone band, sang and read in our Carol Service, played recorders altogether, and performed in a Spring Concert.

YEAR 5

Year 5 spent the Autumn term learning about the history of classical music, with a few detours into multi-cultural music along the way. In the spring we formed a boomwhacker orchestra and learned to play and perform together as an ensemble. We took part in performances in our Spring Concert and our Summer Adventures Evening, where we all sang classic Disney adventure songs. As a year group who love to sing, more and more of us joined the choirs and some of us took part in the Mid-Somerset Festival too. We enjoyed musical theatre, rock band, music tech and orchestra clubs.

YEAR 6

Year 6 musicians have been very busy this year. We visited the elderly residents of Stratton House to sing songs and carols at Harvest time and at Christmas. We also sang to a Dementia group and entertained the Kingswood Association Christmas Dinner as well as performing at the School Christmas Fayre. We listened to a wide range of music from different eras and in different genres to learn about what made a piece of music ‘good’ and to think about what music we preferred and why! We formed a handbell ensemble and a drum circle. We took the lead in a wide range of choirs, ensembles, music clubs and activities. We helped out with music clubs for the younger children in school and helped to organise exam days, concerts and other music events. We enjoyed Saturday music workshops, playing together on a range of instruments. In the Summer we learned and performed ‘Madagascar’ in the Kingswood theatre. We did four performances which were watch by around 1000 people over two days. What a fantastic musical year we've had!

We enjoyed musical theatre, rock band, music tech and orchestra clubs.

KPS PHYSICAL

We believe School Sport at KPS should be quite different from sports we see on the TV. It is different from the sport children might play in local clubs too – the same game, but with a different, truly child-focused intention at its heart.

Children from Year 1 upwards are taking part in rugbybased activities in their weekly games lessons. However, if you ask them about the games they play, they are likely to tell you about dragons, swamp monsters and castles or rabbits, farmers and vegetables rather than scrums, tackles and tries. The key, of course is to make the activities engaging, meaningful and exciting, with simple skills of running, dodging and passing thrown in so that everyone looks forward to their weekly hour of activity. We are not teaching everyone to be rugby players of course – we are teaching them that being active is fun and something they want to do more of - maybe using some rugby-type ideas.

Equally important, however, are those with little experience of the game who might be playing “Star Wars” or “Interceptors” in their games lessons, or perhaps an adapted game of 3v3 or 2v2 (or even 1v1) to ensure maximum involvement and engagement. There are countless stories to tell of how physical activity works differently for different children and we are so lucky to have the facilities, resources and desire needed to make this happen every single week of the term.

At KPS we are seeking to provide children with a physical activity experience that is so enjoyable, it will be something that they want to be involved in now, and that they are always going to want in their lives.

Mr Shrubsole

A new initiative for Pre-school this year has been our Balanceability Scheme.

PRE-SCHOOL

A highlight of our Pre-schoolers week is always their PE lessons with Mr Shrub.

As well as learning new physical skills in their lessons, they are also learning the important skills of being able to listen and follow instructions, follow rules and work as part of a team. The year ends with a fun sports day when they can showcase to their parents some of the things they have been practising.

A new initiative for Pre-school this year has been our Balanceability Scheme. This is a structured programme of lessons and fun activities that build confidence, spatial-awareness, and dynamic balance skills, enabling young children to cycle without ever needing stabilisers.

A big thank you to the Friends Association for purchasing the balance bikes, helmets and resources for this, and providing the funds for two members of staff to attend the training sessions.

THE HEDGEHOGS’ NEST

In the Hedgehogs’ Room we provide a warm, safe and secure environment for our babies, allowing them to develop and flourish.

Our day to day routine allows lots of opportunities for learning to take place and curiosity to develop. With a mixture of open ended resources as well as planned activities, our babies are surrounded by a range of activities and opportunities, each designed to engage their attention and capture their imagination. We are very lucky to have a range of open spaces for our babies to explore; from our garden area to having the whole school grounds to roam, our babies love to explore and discover.

Our babies love to explore and discover.

Most mornings the children and staff do some morning stretching and yoga, which is a lovely way to start the day and the children all join in trying to touch their toes and reach high to the sky.

Rhyme Time is another favourite activity with the sounds of key nursery rhymes that connect to colours, numbers, and sounds filling the air. Outside we love to encourage the children to spend time in the large sandpit with pots, pans, buckets and other utensils; exploring, filling and emptying.

THE SQUIRRELS’ DREY

They love to play in the mud kitchen and soil planter using the kitchen equipment and trucks and vehicles in the soil. There are bikes, cars and trikes to whizz around on too. Wellies are the order of the day with their first taste of Forest School - once in the Secret Garden the children love to sing the Forest School songs and have so much enjoyment and freedom.

IN THE FOXES’ DEN

In Foxes, our motto is very much: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!”

We are proud to say the children are outdoors in all weathers; we are not afraid to get our hands dirty and love to collect leaves, play in the mud, sand and water, whilst having fun exploring natural materials. The children have loved going on natural treasure hunts to find leaves, feathers, conkers, flowers and grasses. The children also love a visit from Darwin the tortoise and have really enjoyed meeting the African Land snails, a hedgehog and the Guide dogs for the Blind who have visited several times over the last year. Looking back over the last year only confirms what an exciting and amazing year of learning our toddlers have had in the Foxes Room!

...what

an exciting and amazing year of learning our toddlers have had...

FUN TIMES AT THE GARDEN

GOODBYE TO YEAR 6

Each cohort at KPS is remembered for different things, and whilst our pupils share similar values and experiences, there is often something that stands out in our memories. The legacy left by the wonderful Year 6s that left us in July is a sense of fun!

Whether it was cheeky penguins in the end of term production of Madagascar, throwing shapes in the Christmas dance off, being chased around the field by 5-year olds at buddy playtimes or presenting their homework using interactive PowerPoints, this year group know how to have fun.

They have been positive ambassadors for the School and represented KPS at sports fixtures, Maths and History quizzes, showing visitors around our wonderful campus, on trips and the residential, and have embodied the Kingswood spirit in all of their endeavours.

In the Autumn term, our pupils worked hard to prepare for exams to enable them to join the senior schools of their choices. They dazzled us with spectacular performances of a variety of Shakespeare plays and settled into their monitor and positions of responsibility roles. They had a fantastic time at the American Museum early in the year, examining Native American artefacts and learning more about the fascinating history of the continent. The children also enjoyed trying on some of the costumes and playing the traditional games on offer.

During the Spring term, and to celebrate World Book Day, Year 6 certainly set an example for the school with their enthusiasm, sense of adventure and love of a good story! They dressed up in some outstanding pirate gear and spent the day designing their own treasure maps and writing the introductory chapter of the accompanying fiction. There was even an impromptu performance of ‘Peter Pan’ given to the children by the willing Year 6 staff children during their lunchtime.

There were regional sports events to compete in and there was a brilliant visit to The Wild Place Project, Bristol. The children hugely enjoyed the chance to see the wildlife up close, soaking in all the site had to offer; they engaged in creative workshops, handson demonstrations and really immersive presentations.

The Summer term, in particular, was crammed full of fun! Our pupils enjoyed the opportunity to explore the beautiful sights of Anglesey and develop team skills, often overcoming personal fears as they encountered challenging activities. The Year 6 musical ‘Madagascar’ was an extravaganza of colour, comedy and brilliant performances! They presented their hard work to many parents, staff and children in the Baccalaureate exhibition, showcasing what a wide range of interests they really have.

positive ambassadors for the School...and embodied the Kingswood spirit in all of their endeavours.

Half the year group attended the UK Junior Maths Challenge, from which we achieved a school record number of bronze and gold certificate. This award attracts 700,000 children each year, so our students did exceptionally well!

Additionally in the summer term, our series of trips included a visit to Lifeskills in Bristol. The ‘Lifeskills – Learning for Living’ programme uses an interactive hands-on approach to teach safety skills to Year 6 children, and is used by dozens of schools in the Bristol-Bath area. The trip met our aims to improve the children’s awareness of potential dangers, their knowledge, their self-confidence and their performance of safety routines.

We wish each and every one of them the very best for their onward journeys and hope to hear about the new adventures that will inevitably come their way, as they continue to grow and flourish.