Pre‑Prep

Regardless of the challenges posed by this past year, life within the Pre-Prep continued to flourish. The children rose to every occasion and gave their absolute best. As you will see from the delight on their faces, they are dedicated to fun and laughter. With such an upbeat outlook, every child reaches success and thoroughly enjoys the journey along the way.

Mrs McConkey, Head of Pre-Prep

Year 2 Lend a Hand

Mrs Károlyi’s first Monday assembly of the Autumn Term saw Year 2 play an important role in showing the whole school the importance of hand washing in helping to prevent germs spreading. They filmed a special song that they learned, which came complete with hand motions, on how to wash our hands carefully and correctly. Thank you, Year 2!

LEARNING A NEW SONG, ‘BIG RED COMBINE HARVESTER’, IN NURSERY

YEAR 1 EXPLORED OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IN THEIR GEOGRAPHY LESSONS RECEPTION EXPLORED THE SCHOOL GROUNDS ON A LISTENING WALK

YEAR 2 CREATED PIRATE PUPPETS

YEAR 2 WITH THEIR PIRATE PARROTS

Reception Bring in the Harvest

Reception made the most of the late summer sunshine in September, visiting the school orchard to pick apples that they then turned into delicious apple crumbles. Yummy! BUTTERCUP THE RABBIT MADE NEW FRIENDS IN NURSERY

YEAR 1 LEARNED ABOUT FICTION AND NON-FICTION BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY

RECEPTION EXPLORED SIGNS OF AUTUMN

Clay Play with Year 1

As autumn set in, Year 1 made their own delightful hedgehogs out of clay and let them snuffle around in autumnal leaves collected from the school site. Each hedgehog had its own character and was given its own name too.

NURSERY WENT ON A CONKER WALK AND USED THEIR FINDS TO PRACTISE THEIR COUNTING YEAR 2 MADE THEIR OWN COMPASSES AND LEARNED ABOUT DIRECTIONAL LANGUAGE

YEAR 2 CREATED SOME TERRIFIC TIGER ART

RECEPTION CELEBRATED KIPLING DAY BY CREATING 3D ELEPHANTS INSPIRED BY THE JUNGLE BOOK

Teddy Bear Sharing in Nursery

For Music and Movement, Nursery brought their teddies into school to take part in the teddy bear sharing song. Everyone got very good at passing the teddies between their friends.

YEAR 1 LISTENED TO ANIMAL STORIES AND PRACTISED THEIR OWN WRITING

Year 2 Uncover Treasure Trove

Year 2 discovered a box of treasure and used it to think of as many interesting adjectives as possible to describe the delights inside. They also learned about alliteration and similes, before writing their own descriptive treasure poems.

RECEPTION WENT ON A PUMPKIN HUNT YEAR 1 PLAYED “PREY AND PREDATOR” IN FOREST SCHOOL

NURSERY EXPLORED PUMPKINS IN ANTICIPATION OF HALLOWEEN

YEAR 1 WORKED IN GROUPS TO ACT OUT SCENES FROM A BOOK

NURSERY EXPLORED THE MINI FOREST IN FOREST SCHOOL

WE WELCOMED OUR NEW YEAR 2 CATERING COMMITTEE AND SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE AUTUMN TERM

Bonfire Night with Reception

After learning about Bonfire Night and with Covid restrictions in place preventing fireworks parties, Reception decided to build their own bonfire! and celebrate together. Miss Moore went to the shops to pick up marshmallows and everyone enjoyed “toasting” these over the “fire” and drinking hot chocolate. For some it was their very first taste of marshmallows and the jury was very much out on whether or not they were delicious! After refilling mugs with the last of the hot chocolate, everyone retreated inside to the lovely warm classroom.

YEAR 2 PRACTISED THEIR HOCKEY AND SAW HOW EXERCISE AFFECTS THEIR BODIES

Reception Honour Remembrance Day

Reception learned all about why we wear poppies for Remembrance Day. Everyone worked together as a team to make a class poppy wreath to lay in the school’s memorial garden. The class also made their own poppy art, which they sent to the residents of Highland House Care Home with a note that read: “These are my hands holding a poppy to show you that on this day we’ll forever remember you”.

YEAR 1 LEARNED ABOUT SIGHT AND LIGHT IN SCIENCE BY CONDUCTING AN EXPERIMENT NURSERY EXPLORED THE NIGHT SKY IN THE MOON SCRAPE MESSY TRAY

THE CHILDREN ADORNED THE NURSERY READY FOR CHRISTMAS

YEAR 2 LEARNED ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL TEXTS, RECEIVING A PACKAGE TO HELP THEM MAKE JAM SANDWICHES

Year 1 Celebrate Diwali

Year 1 made lanterns to coincide with Diwali celebrations. They assembled their own lanterns by using mathematical nets, cutting them out and putting them together to make three-dimensional lanterns.

RECEPTION MADE MUD PIES IN FOREST SCHOOL

Nursery in the Christmas Spirit

As Christmas approached, Nursery spent time learning about why Christians around the world celebrate this special day. They discovered the Nativity story and spent plenty of time roleplaying in the stable and with “small world” Nativity characters. The children also thought about what they are grateful for this Christmas and wrote a Christmas Prayer together.

YEAR 1 LEARNED TO DESCRIBE POSITION, DIRECTION AND MOVEMENT

RECEPTION HELD A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR GLADYS, THE CLASS GIRAFFE – EVEN BERTIE THE TORTOISE ATTENDED YEAR 2 CELEBRATED PIRATE DAY IN STYLE

Christmas in Pre-Prep

YEAR 1 TRAVELLED BACK IN TIME TO LEARN (AND PLAY!) LIKE THE VICTORIANS

Year 2 Celebrate British Science Week

Year 2 enjoyed learning about British Science Week in March and discussing this year’s theme – “innovating for the future”. They worked together in teams to complete two STEM activities: the Paper Tower Challenge and the Paper Cup Challenge. Excitement and tension abounded as pupils worked hard in groups to use logic and scientific reasoning to succeed in the tasks.

NURSERY EXPLORED THE FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING IN FOREST SCHOOL

RECEPTION READ THE STORY OF THE GINGERBREAD MAN AND UNDERTOOK A HOST OF DELICIOUS THEMED ACTIVITIES

YEAR 1 DID SOME EGGCELLENT EASTER ACTIVITIES TO GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAY

Year 1 Searched for Signs of Spring

Year 1 went for a walk around our beautiful school grounds to look for signs of spring. Before they went on their walk, they thought about what they might see: flowers blooming, blossom on some of the trees, nesting birds and seasonal flowers like daffodils. RECEPTION WERE ABUZZ ABOUT BEES IN THE LENT TERM

THE NEW YEAR 2 CATERING COMMITTEE AND SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS HELD THEIR FIRST MEETING

YEAR 2 CREATED AN EARTH CANDLE IN FOREST SCHOOL

YEAR 1 PLANTED BEANS TO HELP THEM OBSERVE THE PROCESS OF GERMINATION NURSERY LEARNED ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE HUMBLE BUT FASCINATING CATERPILLAR

Reception Celebrated Earth Day

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year and this year, Reception thought carefully about why we need to look after the Earth. They learned about how bad oil spills are for birds and investigated this further by creating a mini ocean in their water tray. They started with pristine water and happy fish but then an oil tanker hit a rock and spilled crude oil (vegetable oil and cocoa) into the water, polluting it. The children observed how the oil sat on top of the water and launched a rescue mission to stop it from getting to the animals. Eventually, we were able to clean the oil off the creatures with cotton wool but they learned that it is very hard to return the ocean to its original, clean condition once it’s been polluted. Reception decided to keep thinking of new and better ways of cleaning and protecting our oceans.

YEAR 2 MADE PLEDGES FOR EARTH DAY TO DO THEIR BEST FOR OUR PLANET RECEPTION LEARNED ABOUT RABBITS AND MET A NEW FURRY FRIEND

Nursery Were Full of Bluster

Nursery enjoyed some windy day activities outside during the windy weather we had at the beginning of the Summer Term. They took full advantage of the bluster and blow by playing with rippling fabrics and using teamwork to prevent the wind from stealing their parachute.

YEAR 1 ILLUSTRATED LUSCIOUS FRUITS AFTER BEING INSPIRED BY THE DRAWINGS IN HANDA’S SURPRISE BY EILEEN BROWNE

RECEPTION LEARNED ABOUT BIG HANDS AND LITTLE HANDS

YEAR 1 MADE THEIR OWN JULIA DONALDSON-INSPIRED STICK MEN NURSERY PAINTED SYMMETRICAL PATTERNS ONTO BUTTERFLY WINGS

Year 2 Welcomed May

During Forest School, Year 2 “woke up” the Earth by hopping from foot to foot and chanting at the same time to encourage the growing season. Then they enjoyed the tradition of dancing around the Maypole wearing their own beautiful handmade garlands.

Year 1 Created Happy Places

In honour of Mental Health Awareness Week in May, Year 1 talked about “happy places” and thought about what makes them happy in our learning. They then made their own miniature garden environments and populated them with toys brought in from home to create their own happy place. They were given free time to play with the gardens in the sunshine together to help spark their imaginations for a creative writing task. And at the end of the week they were even able to take the whole thing home!

NURSERY LEARNED ABOUT SPIDERS AND MADE THEIR OWN HAIRY, SCARY ARACHNIDS, COUNTING THEIR EIGHT LEGS

YEAR 2 EXAMINED AND COMPARED SEEDS AND BULBS IN SCIENCE

RECEPTION LEARNED ALL ABOUT DINOSAURS AND PLAYED IN A PREHISTORIC SWAMP

If You Go Down to the Woods Today...

Pre-Prep celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week by thinking about “happy places”. They took a mini walking trip in their bubbles out to the nearby woods with Mrs McConkey’s dog Teddy and Miss Moore’s dog Winston to see the beautiful carpet of spring bluebells. Everyone had a wonderful time in the bluebell wood “happy place”, admiring the flowers and playing and laughing with friends.

YEAR 1 WENT ON A FACT-FINDING MISSION TO ST NICHOLAS’ CHURCH

YEAR 2 DECOUPAGED PLANT POTS FOR THEIR GROWING PLANTS

NURSERY LOOKED FOR BUGS IN THE GARDEN WITH THEIR MAGNIFYING GLASSES

Reception Dissected Dino Dung

In May, Reception thought they spotted a dinosaur stomping around the playground! It didn’t cause any damage, but it did leave behind some droppings. The children decided to investigate the droppings (cunningly recreated with chocolate Play-Doh) and discovered that there were meat and bones inside them. This led to lots of discussion about different types of dinosaurs and their diets. They learned that some dinosaurs were meat-eaters (carnivores), some ate only plants (herbivores), while some dinosaurs ate both plants and meat (omnivores).

Bee-eautiful Summer Days in Nursery

Nursery were as busy as the bees they were investigating in May. They held their own minibeast dress-up day and learned all about how bees make honey and how it’s extracted from honeycomb and stored in jars. They also made their own honey sandwiches and cut them into squares, rectangles and triangles. They were very fortunate to have Mr Brinton, George’s daddy, come to school to talk to them about beekeeping. He brought a hive into Nursery to show how the bees use this to make honey. Everyone was fascinated to learn that bees provide their own central heating in winter to keep warm and their own air conditioning in the summer to keep cool. Thank you, Mr Brinton, for such an informative visit and for allowing us such a fantastic hands-on experience!

YEAR 1 LEARNED BASIC PROGRAMMING SKILLS IN THEIR COMPUTING LESSONS RECEPTION MADE THEIR OWN BOOKS ABOUT A DINOSAUR’S LIFE CYCLE

YEAR 2 REHEARSED THEIR BEATRIX POTTER CHARACTERS FOR THE SUMMER SHOW

The Sun Eventually Came Out For Sports Day

After heavy rain forced Pre-Prep Sports Day to be postponed in Summer Term, the children were so excited when they finally hit the sports fields a week later!

YEAR 2 LEARNED ABOUT OUR RESIDENT TORTOISE BERTIE ANDREW TOLD YEAR 1 LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT HIS BIKE

Forest School

During their time in the Pre-Prep department, as well as the formal curriculum, children are given the opportunity to take part in Forest School activities. These take place in our own woodland site on the school grounds, Forest Park, and aim to provide experiential education – that is, interaction with the natural environment, which is proven to promote health, learning and emotional well-being. Within this learning programme, the children develop a variety of life skills – independence, competence, cooperation, communication – and are encouraged to assess safety issues for themselves and others. The programme also intends to engender a sense of respect and appreciation for woodland and begin to instil an environmental ethic.