Shrewsbury House Autumn Term Alta Peto

ALTA PETO

AUTUMN TERM 2022

WELCOME FROM OUR EXECUTIVE HEAD

As we welcomed boys and their families to school at the start of the new academic year, we had the opportunity to come together as a community for the opening of the new Sports Pavilion at the Shrewsbury House Sports Ground. The boys have been delighted with the new facility and certainly enjoyed their sports masterclasses which inspired them to aim high for the year ahead.

We were also delighted to launch the new Discovery Programme and Seminar Series for Years 7 and 8 which sees the boys select their own options for learning outside the regular curriculum. With subjects as diverse as Paper Engineering, German, Spanish and Leadership currently being offered, they are certainly expanding their horizons.

In true Shrewsbury House style, this term has been packed with learning, performances, sporting opportunities and events across all year groups. Enjoy reading about the many activities, competitions and success of the pupils this term, culminating in a joyous Carol Service and much merriment in the end of term House competitions and Christmas lunch.

MRS JOANNA HUBBARD EXECUTIVE HEAD

1 Year 3 welcome

FIRST TERM AT SHREWSBURY HOUSE SCHOOL FOR YEAR 3

The Year 3 boys have made a confident and enthusiastic start to life at Shrewsbury House, adapting well to the opportunities that Prep School brings. The boys are now experts at navigating around the school for their lessons and we have been impressed with how the year group have been doing their best to live out the school values and follow the Shrewsbury House Way.

Once again, wonderful and supportive friendships between the Year 3s and their Year 8 buddies have blossomed. The Year 8s should be congratulated on how they have approached this position of responsibility. There have been a number of lovely occasions for the boys to develop these relationships. These include the Year 8s giving an initial tour of the school to their buddies, helping the Year 3s look for lost property and teaching the Year 3s a variety of fun games and activities during their buddy meets.

As the term has progressed, Year 3 have grown in confidence and are now well and truly Shrewsbury House boys. They have approached their lessons with positivity and hard work, enjoying the range of subjects offered. Particular highlights

include their enthusiasm for the specialist teaching rooms, the sporting fixtures and, of course, reading with Raffy our wellbeing dog! It has been a very busy term for all and Year 3s should definitely be congratulated on their enthusiastic approach. They have made a fantastic start to their time at Shrewsbury House. Well done Year 3!

I love the bus because you spend time with friends.

CASPAR M

I love doing history, maths, my games lessons and geography.

I enjoy the football at school because you get triple sports and you get to play fixtures against other schools.

HEDY B

OTTO R

I like being with my buddy and being a defender with him in goal.

I love lunch because the food is amazing!

SONNY H

KUMAYL S

Awards

EXECUTIVE HEAD’S COMMENDATIONS

Congratulations to Arthur T, Year 7 and Jack W, Year 6 for receiving an Executive Head’s Commendation.

Arthur, his father and uncle drove an ambulance with 70 boxes of much-needed medical aid to the Poland-Ukraine border during the summer holidays. Mrs Hubbard presented Arthur with a well-deserved Executive Head’s Commendation for his voluntary work for charity.

Jack set himself an amazing challenge over the holidays: he challenged himself to swim 10,000m in 5 days – that’s at least 80 lengths a day (25m pool). He swam for just under 1 hour a day for the 5 days and totalled a distance of 10,150m (406 lengths).

He swam to raise money for Tom’s Trust, a charity caring for children with brain tumours, and he raised £1,117. The Trust have told us this is enough to support one newly diagnosed child and their family for a whole year. An incredible achievement, well done Jack!

LEADERSHIP ROLES

Congratulations to the following Year 8 boys on their leadership roles.

Prefects

Charity, Sustainability and Community: Victor M and Luke W

Sports: Luca F, Charlie H, Henry H, Archie R, Amar S and Jax W

Drama: Ayush A, Seb F, Stein M and Ollie N

English: Ali J, William M and Theo O’D

Music: George C, Joe H, Ruairidh M W and Brannon W

Art & Design: Jasper R, Alexander S and Alexander W

Younger Years: Liam G, Thomas H, Zach P and Charlie V

House Captains and Vice-Captains

Grenville: Captain: Tom S

Vice Captains: Josh B and Toby M

Drake: Captain: Rory C

Vice Captains: George H and Oliver S Nelson: Captain: Seva M

Vice Captains: Luke A and Tristan M

Raleigh: Captain: Reuben G

Vice Captains: Arun S and William C

Music Captain and Head Chorister: Thomas B and Arun S

Football Captain: Charlie V

Vice-Captains: Luca F and Tom S

Drake Grenville

Music Captain and Head Chorister

Nelson

Raleigh

Football Captain & Vice Captains

SCHOOL COUNCIL

AWARDS

Extra-Curricular Awards

Chess Club on Mondays:

Bronze – Ishaan D

Silver – William D-E

Gold – Aneesh A

Chess Club on Tuesdays:

Bronze – Jacob B

Silver – Oscar S Gold – Isaac B

Target Shooting

British Sporter League 6yd Sup Division 18: William D

British Sporter League 6yd Sup Division 19: Hugo D

British Sporter League 6yd Sup Division 23: Oscar S

British Sporter League 6yd Sup Division 25: Ramsey K

Target Shooting

Sport Rugby Positions of Responsibility

Captain of Rugby – Henry H

Vice-Captains of Rugby – Reuben G and Charlie H

Sport Awards

(Tropies will be presented during the summer term)

Chandler Cup for U8 Sportsman of the Term: Jack K

Coerver Shield for U9 Sportsman of the Term – Elias T B

Long Ditton CC Cup for U10 Sportsman of the Term: Ishaan D

Grant Shield for U11 Sportsman of the Term: Jonty R

SHS U12 Sportsman of the Term: Jack W

Rickerd Trophy for most goals scored (1st XI): Luca F

William Hitchcock Cup for Maximum Effort: Archie R

De Croos Cup for 1st Team Soccer Player of the Year (Y8): Charlie B

Chess Club Tuesday

Values Awards

Integrity and Respect – Immediately volunteered to play for the other side and impressed their coach with the effort they put in: Luke C – Year 8

Integrity and Respect – Immediately volunteered to play for the other side and impressed their coach with the effort they put in: William F – Year 7

Compassion – Open and supportive of others in need of help: Kevin R – Year 6

Respect – of our equipment and facility, volunteering to clear up without being asked: Elliott C – Year 4

Integrity – Immediately admitted the ball went off him in a crucial period of a game: Nicholas C – Year 7

Compassion – Supported a team mate when he missed a penalty: Ishaan D – Year 5

Aspiration – Despite being off games, Roy has always tried to find ways to be supportive to all staff and boys in Games Lessons: Roy G – Year 4

Perseverance – Despite taking several knocks in a game, he continued to play eventually scoring a decisive goal for the 1st XI: Tom S – Year 8

Respect – of our equipment and facility, volunteering to clear up without being asked: Caspar Hart – Year 5

Compassion – Looking after a friend that was upset: Beau P – Year 6

Integrity – Told the referee that the ball had come off him last and that it should be the oppositions throw in: Zach C –Year 5

Compassion – Supported a boy who needed help on the bus: Mats S – Year 5

Integrity – Owned up to the ball being played off him when it went out: William S – Year 6

Chess Club Monday

Rugby Captain & Vice-Captains

Music Awards

Year 6 – Hugo J

Year 7 – Felix W

Year 8 – George C

Subject Awards Geography

For tremendous work ethic and drive to attain the highest standard in the subject: Thomas B and Oliver S.

Design Technology

For overall performance:

Thomas B, Zachary C, JJ McS and Kirill P (Year 3).

Lucas B, Rufus D, Benji F and Samuel P (Year 4).

Lorenzo B, Oscar H-A, Fisher L and Declan M (Year 5).

Ollie C, Ayaz D, Charlie L and Jack W (Year 6).

Alexander C, Magnus H, David K and Leo P (Year 7).

Thomas B, Seva M, Jasper R and Alexander W (Year 8).

Mathematics Gold Award Winner in the Primary Mathematics Challenge – Eric S

Colours

Drama

For excellent contribution to Drama and highly positive attitude: Ayush A, Adam D, Seb F, Stein M and Arun S. Art

For excellent attitude to their learning in art: George H, Jasper R and Alexander W. Music

For very positive attitude and commitment to music: Philip M. Football

Charlie B, Luca F, Reuben G, Victor M, Archie R, Tom S, Charlie V and Jax W.

Music

Design Tech

Design Tech 2

Drama Colours

Football Colours

Art Colours

Music Colours

Geography

Mathematics

House Results

Plus and Minus Results

1. Nelson – 58.5

2. Grenville – 55.3

3. Raleigh – 54.45

4. Drake – 54.44

House Quiz Results

4th – Nelson

3rd – Drake

2nd – Grenville

1st – Raleigh

Nelson

HOUSE QUIZ

The annual House Quiz saw teams from each year group compete for precious points in a lively general knowledge competition. With questions covering a range of curriculum subjects as well as current affairs, the boys certainly demonstrated their depth of knowledge and quick thinking as they raced to be first to the buzzer.

The final round saw staff from each House go head to head and caused much amusement for the boys as they were challenged to solve anagrams, sing and recall Christmas events past and present. Quiz Masters, Mrs Hubbard and Mr Eaves, gave bonus points generously and the final outcomes were:

4th – Nelson, 3rd – Drake, 2nd – Grenville and 1st – Raleigh.

Overall Cock House Trophy:

Plus Minus Shield

House Quiz

Cock House Trophy

School Awards

Gold Status for Travel Plan

Shrewsbury House School was awarded the TfL’s ‘Gold’ status again!

This means SHS are in the top 10% of London schools, setting high standards to inspire others to transform travel habits. These include fully engaging the wider community to promote best practices and seeing a measurable reduction in the number of journeys made by car every day.

STARS is TfL’s accreditation scheme for London schools and nurseries. STARS inspires young Londoners to travel to school sustainably, actively, responsibly and safely by championing walking, scooting and cycling.

Eco Schools Green Flag Award

We

The Green Flag Award is given to schools that have clearly defined goals and are able to back their goals by having a step-by-step plan to achieve them. The Eco Committee chose three topics: the environment, healthy living and waste management.

A huge ‘well done’ to our Eco Committee, who have helped secure our Green Flag thanks to their hard work.

are delighted to announce Shrewsbury House School have been awarded the Eco Schools Green Flag Award.

School Events

SHREWSBURY HOUSE WELCOMES HARLEQUIN PLAYER TO OPEN NEW SPORTS PAVILION

Boys, staff and parents at Shrewsbury House School were thrilled to welcome Harlequins and Premiership rugby player Jack Musk, who is also a former Shrewsbury House pupil, to open the new sports pavilion. Jack spoke fondly of his time at Shrewsbury House before Executive Head, Joanna Hubbard, officially opened the new Pavilion.

Jack was joined by Olympian and England players, alongside Harlequins and London Irish players and coaches, who inspired the boys with their wealth of experience. It was also a pleasure to welcome Heather Fisher, Shane Geraghty, Henry Arundell, Will Joseph, Ben Goldie, Nathan Spratt and Jack Musk to Shrewsbury House Sports Ground and we thank them for taking the time to coach the boys throughout the afternoon and ignite their passion for sport.

The boys then enthusiastically participated in sports masterclasses throughout the afternoon.

The new Pavilion building has been designed to promote high energy savings. Enhanced insulation materials were used and all materials were chosen from a sustainable source.

The building is all electric and heated via state-of-the-art ‘air source’ heat pumps which are highly energy-efficient together with electric car charging points, which have been incorporated into the design and are ready for the next generation of school transport.

Large areas of wild flowers have been planted to encourage biodiversity and detailed surveys took place to ensure the quality of the natural environment remains protected. Bat boxes have also been installed and the external landscaping enhanced together with a base for a new forest school area in the future.

This impressive architecturally designed Pavilion will also benefit the local community, with sporting groups already using the wonderful facilities.

PROGRAMME FOR SENIOR BOYS

Seminar Series

Year 7 and Year 8 were greatly inspired by the first talk in the Seminar Series. Dr John Bradshaw outlined his career in the army, then in the academic world, and the challenges he has faced as he lost his sight. His lively and interactive talk centred around four core words: honour, courage, compassion and humility, and the boys asked many thoughtful questions. John’s talk will remain firmly imprinted in the hearts and minds of all who heard it, and left us all with a sense of positivity and hope.

In the second of our Seminar Series for senior boys, we were delighted to welcome Adam Webster, Deputy Head Innovation, from Caterham School. He led the boys through a highly engaging talk entitled ‘A Beginner’s Guide to being a Genius’, which certainly captured the boys’ attention. Exploring examples of many ordinary people who became extraordinary, and looking ahead to the evolution of AI, the boys were taken through a journey from past to future and left with some key messages which will further their own aspirations.

Discovery Programme

The Discovery Programme is offered to all boys in Years 7 and 8 and Photography, Battle Strategies, Ancient Greece, Danish,

Spanish, Robotics, Coding, Paper Engineering, Digital Composition, Exploratory Science (the discovery of DNA) and ‘Maths in the World’ all feature.

These lessons go beyond the regular curriculum, offering a space to think in depth and to explore new avenues without worrying about grades. They are a way to expand pupils’ perspectives and develop their appetite for learning. It also allows them to make choices, taking ownership of their learning, nurturing the variety of interests and talents of our pupils and building their confidence. The course content has been designed to appeal to the curiosity of the boys and each option will encourage the pupils to ask questions, not just find answers. It is all about discovering and cultivating the joy of learning.

BATTLE OF WATERLOO HISTORY TALK

Gareth Glover, a former Royal Navy Officer, historian and writer of more than 40 volumes on the Napoleonic wars, visited the School this term to talk about one of the most famous battles in European history – the Battle of Waterloo.

The talk was very well attended by over 125 boys, parents, staff and even a few Shrewsbury House ex-pupils. They were treated to a detailed and sometimes gory history of this battle, its characters and key turning points with a chance to handle genuine items from the battle: cannonballs, muskets, bayonets and medals. There was an opportunity for the boys to ask Gareth questions and he was very impressed by their interest and enthusiasm.

HARVEST FESTIVAL

On 7th October, the School celebrated Harvest Festival through songs and readings. As well as discovering the history of this long-standing tradition, we learnt how harvest is celebrated around the world and gave thanks for the food we have. Many boys donated to their local food bank and we thank parents for their generous donations which will do so much to help others in need.

A SCROOGE-TASTIC PERFORMANCE FROM YEAR 3

The Year 3 boys delivered a wonderful performance that encapsulated all of their hard work over recent weeks. The energy and confidence displayed by the year group was a pleasure to see and the clear enjoyment that emanated from each character was memorable - who would not be inspired to pick up a recipe and try French cooking?

A big thank you to all the staff who supported the production. In addition, the Year 7 and 8 Advanced Drama group’s support was invaluable as they displayed an impressive ability to combine supporting groups of actors at the same time as making tricky, technical decisions under pressure.

YEAR 5 CONCERT

Year 5 boys performed to a packed house of Governors, staff, friends and family. There was an array of talent on display, ranging from pianists to rock guitarists, passing oboe, violins and a French horn on the way.

The evening was concluded with a very spirited rendition of Bobby McFerrin’s classic song ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’, sung by the assembled voices of the Year 5 boys.

YEAR 6 CONCERT

It was wonderful to welcome parents and guests to the Year 6 Concert. The evening featured a wonderful range of instrumental and vocal performances by our talented musicians. All musicians played well and gave spirited performances. The evening concluded with a lustrous rendition of the Johnny Nash classic ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ by all Year 6 boys.

Very well done to all the Year 6 boys and a huge ‘thank you’ to Mr Hamilton and Miss Spence for organising such a wonderful concert.

During the autumn term, we held our first ever Shrewsbury House School Trust Wellbeing morning. The boys participated in a wide range of activities that focused on many different aspects of their wellbeing. Mr Eaves and Mrs Hubbard led a Wellbeing assembly where they welcomed a ‘new boy’ – ‘Raffy’.

Raffy, the wellbeing dog, has already proved to be a hugely popular addition to the school and was very warmly welcomed by the boys and staff alike. We then launched our ‘Say Something’ icon that will appear on all Chromebooks. The icon allows the boys (when at school or at home) to flag anything that might be on their mind to a member of the pastoral team, who will then be able to support them further.

The Wellbeing Day continued with Year 3 and 4 taking part in an invigorating Dance Workshop where they focused on the importance of movement and exercise to their wellbeing.

Year 5 and Year 8 enjoyed a talk from Mrs Keevil (Deputy Head of Epsom College) and four Shrewsbury House Old Boys (SHOBs) – Matthew, Nihal, Stefano and William – on ‘screen time’ and the importance of staying safe online. The Year 11 students are trained by Epsom to be peer mentors on this very relevant topic and shared their top tips on reducing screen time and staying safe when using the internet.

The day continued with a visit from Josh Quigley, world record-breaking athlete, cyclist, inspirational speaker and ambassador for our catering company Thomas Franks. As part of Wellbeing Day, Josh spoke to the boys about nutrition followed by a practical session making smoothies.

Josh cycled around the world, set the fastest-ever time to cycle the 516-mile North Coast 500 and cycled 2,179 miles in 7 days to set a Guinness World Record for the Greatest Distance Cycled in One Week, which was also awarded ‘Outstanding Achievement of 2021’ at the Cycling Weekly Awards.

The boys were enthralled by Josh’s story and he also emphasised one of our school values of perseverance. He encountered many setbacks on his journey around the world but, using the support that was around these, was able to bounce back from them and complete his journey. During break, the boys got the chance to channel their ‘inner Josh’ and have a go on a smoothie-making bike, where the only way to blend the smoothies was to pedal as hard as possible. They also enjoyed delicious healthy fruit snacks from some of our catering suppliers.

We were delighted by the way in which the boys embraced the day and the many very real tips and techniques that they learnt for helping them to manage their wellbeing in and around the school.

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

On Friday 11th November, a special Remembrance Day Service was attended by the whole school.

Head Boy and Deputy Head Boys JJ A, Luke C and Carter J led the service and read out the ‘final unanswered roll call’ of former pupils and staff who went off to war and did not return.

The Last Post was played by trumpeters Thomas B, Ruairidh M W and Brannon W before a two-minute silence. House Captains Rory C, Reuben G, Seva M and Tom S then joined Mrs Hubbard to lay the wreath at the SHS War Memorial.

YEAR 7 PRODUCTION –SHERLOCK & CINDERS

During this term, Year 7 boys waited eagerly in the wings for the curtain to rise on the first show of the academic year –Sherlock and Cinders!

Every boy was in full costume and some had donned fancy wigs and sparkly eyeshadow! The audience’s response was one of joy and amusement as the year group managed to pull out all the stops on a fantastic production. Their hard work paid off and it was a near-faultless performance.

The school play is a wonderful opportunity for the boys to showcase hidden talents and build upon their wealth of skills. So much confidence and enthusiasm was on display that you would have been hard-pressed to leave the performance without a smile on your face.

Played Imelza in Act 1: I really appreciated having the bigger role and I learnt a lot from the experience.

Zihao X

Played Monsieur Boutons in Act 1: I loved that I did my French accent was perfect and that people thought I was really funny.

Christopher C

Played Prince Charming in Act 2: Every single person from my family was in the audience to watch me.

Tobias D

Played King Charming in Act 2: I really enjoyed the rehearsals and watching what everyone else had done in the act. I loved the police song and the clothes song.

Hector T

Played Narcissa in Act 2: I liked singing and all the feedback I got. Loads of people told me that I made them laugh!

Rishaan K

TOM PALMER AUTHOR VISIT

Year 5 and 6, along with pupils from both Rowan Preparatory and St Matthew’s C of E, had the wonderful opportunity to welcome award-winning children’s author of 57 published children’s books, Tom Palmer, to Shrewsbury House. Captivating the whole audience, Tom spoke openly about his struggles as a reluctant reader during childhood to how reading about football in magazines and newspapers changed his life.

Hearing about his latest novel ‘Resist’, it really is no wonder that Tom is described as a true reading hero. Listening to the background of Audrey Hepburn and why Tom chose to write this book has not only inspired many of the children to eagerly begin reading the fascinating ‘Resist’ but a lot of the staff too!

MEL TAYLOR-BESSENT AUTHOR VISIT AT THE ROWAN PREP SCHOOL

Year 4 boys were very fortunate to be able to travel to Rowan Prep School in Claygate to hear bestselling children’s author Mel Taylor-Bessent talk about her fantastically festive series, The Christmas Carrolls and The Christmas Competition.

Mel spoke about the magic of writing and the power of spreading cheer through books and stories. She also talked about the importance of perseverance and how it took her 15 years to become a published author. It was an interesting, inspiring and entertaining afternoon which the boys enjoyed thoroughly.

CAROL SERVICE

The annual Carol Service took place in Epsom College’s Chapel during the last week of term.

It was wonderful to see the chapel packed to the rafters with all the boys, parents, governors and colleagues. All performances were of a very high standard with carols intermingled with traditional readings. There were stand out musical performances from the SHS Voices, Training Voices, Middle and Junior Choirs, along with the Brass and String Ensembles who accompanied the congregational carols. The readings were delivered with confidence and clarity and a particular highlight was Mr Eaves’ address which reminded us all of the true meaning of Christmas.

WORLD SPACE WEEK

As part of World Space Week at the beginning of October and to supplement their science topic ‘Earth and Space’, Year 5 had the fantastic opportunity to walk inside a mobile planetarium.

The WonderDome, as it is very aptly called, created a morning of excitement and wonder. The sessions were run by an astronomy specialist who was able to take the boys on an interactive journey through space. This started with our solar system, and we were able to appreciate its small scale in comparison to other galaxies. The journey then moved on to discuss black holes and different types of nebulae. The favourite was definitely the Butterfly Nebula, which is among the most complex ever observed. There was then the opportunity to learn a little more about the 1969 moon landing, and how rovers are able to help us to detect if water is present on different planets or even planets orbiting moons.

Below are some quotes from the boys following the visit to the WonderDome:

What I learnt was that the Earth will get sucked into the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way in millions of years. The best part was when we watched the videos about the moons of Jupiter and how they may have life. The part that was the most enjoyable was when I was told that the astronauts left space buggies on the moon and they are still there!

Alexander W

What I learnt was that there are many galaxies and that they come in many shapes. The best part was when we saw the nebulae – they were very beautiful! The part that was the most enjoyable was when I saw how the spaceships disconnected and then blasted apart!

Benji C

What I learnt was that there is a moon that orbits Jupiter that, despite having a frozen surface, has oceans of water underneath. The best part was when I saw the underwater vents (that could be on Jupiter’s moon) blast out hot water. I thought they looked like cola bottles! The part that was most enjoyable was when I saw galaxies being sucked into black holes.

Thomas S

Trips

ECOLOGY TRIP

Year 8 boys walked to a local nature reserve as part of their Science ecology topic where they were able to put their learning from the classroom into their practical work.

The boys looked at different ways that an area can be sampled, using quadrats and transects to find the biodiversity and abundance of different species. Identifying the different flora proved quite a challenge, as even the slightest variations meant that a new species was observed.

This is part of their Common Entrance and Scholarship syllabus where boys will be able to use their primary data to make suggestions as to why certain species are more abundant than others or the impact humans, roads or developments have on an ecosystem.

CHANGING FACE OF THE UK HIGH STREET – TRIP TO KINGSTON

Year 8 boys spent a few hours in Kingston town centre to collect fieldwork data on the changing face of the UK high street. They were given the task of recording the current land use of 50 shop units to allow comparison with data from 2010. They also counted pedestrians and shopping bags, which proved quite a task given how surprisingly busy the High Street was on a Friday morning. The boys also asked questionnaires and got an insight into people’s shopping habits on the high street and online.

The weather was perfect and the sun shone all morning as ordered. In the coming weeks they then analysed their data and produced structured fieldwork reports to outline their findings. This work is worth 20% of the Common Entrance mark in Geography and the boys will be learning some key skills as a foundation to their future studies.

Shrewsbury House musicians enjoyed a thoroughly inspirational Orchestral Day at Wellington College. Playing alongside pupils from 11 other Prep Schools (totalling 120 pupils), the boys were put through their paces by the internationally renowned Venezuelan conductor Natalia Luis-Bassa, who had chosen a challenging repertoire for them to rehearse.

The boys’ hard work culminated in a wonderfully accomplished concert to parents in Wellington’s impressive G.W.A. Performing Arts Centre. An incredible day which challenged and inspired in equal measure.

A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

Year 3 pupils thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the King’s Centre in Chessington for The Christmas Journey experience.

The interactive presentation through drama and music explored the Christmas story, from the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to the birth of baby Jesus.

The boys' interacted with much enthusiasm as they imagined Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and The Wise Men’s travels to see the new baby.

The Christmas story has been studied during the Year 3s’ TPR lessons and this was an excellent consolidation of their learning.

The afternoon was thoroughly enjoyed by all and the accompanying staff were proud of the boys.

The event organisers gave wonderful feedback, saying: ‘We had a great afternoon with Shrewsbury House Boys this afternoon. They were a credit to you and really engaged enthusiastically with the event.’

MARY ROSE MUSEUM TRIP

Year 8 travelled to the award-winning Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth on a history trip to help develop their knowledge of the Tudor period further.

Once inside the museum, one group was taken on a tour of the museum and the other into a workshop in their bespoke education centre where the boys could handle some artefacts and explore some of the theories why the Mary Rose actually sank in the Solent in 1545.

The boys were extremely fortunate to enjoy a guided tour around HMS Victory, the flagship of Admiral Nelson, and were amazed by the cramped conditions in which the men had to live and work.

The museum staff commented on the excellent engagement and knowledge of our boys and the enthusiasm with which they responded to the many questions that they were asked. The interactive nature of the day meant that they got a huge amount out of the experience and were excellent ambassadors for the school throughout.

External Examinations

LAMDA

Well done to the following boys who were awarded with their LAMDA Acting Certificates:

Aneesh A, Ayush A, Oliver C, Sam C, Charlie D, Avik G, Ruzhen G, Oliver H, Chien Jui L, Aaron M, Barney M, Raphael M, Beau P, Felix R, Max S and Milo T.

Also congratulations to Christopher C, Emmanuel D and Hans Christian K-H, who also received their LAMDA Certificates.

Congratulations to Alexander Da C, Alexander H, Alexander N, Arun S and Elijah S, who were awarded with their LAMDA Certificates.

Congratulations to all the Year 3 boys who were presented with their LAMDA Certificates.

Congratulations to all the Year 3 boys who were presented with their LAMDA Certificates during assembly this week:

Danny V-K, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Paul L, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Liam S, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Lenny R, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Toran M, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Lakshman K, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Agastya K, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Felix H, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Merit

Jean Pierre D T, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Nathan N, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Zachary C, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Cameron B. Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

Huxley A, Solo Introductory Grade 1 with Distinction

ABRSM

Congratulations to Felix C who received his Grade 4 in Piano Grade1 with Merit.

Congratulations to the following boys who received their ABRSM Certificates:

Thomas B, Grade 5 Theory with Distinction

Yoonjoon B, Grade 2 Clarinet with Distinction Ruzhen G, Grade 1 Classical Guitar with a Pass Joseph R, Grade 1 Piano with a Pass Arun S, Grade 5 Theory with Merit and Grade 4 Piano with Distinction

Congratulations also to Arthur G, who was awarded Debut Classical Guitar with Merit.

ENGLISH SPEAKING BOARD EXAMINATIONS

As part of the English Speaking Board (ESB) examinations for group speaking, an examiner was invited to watch Year 3 boys retell a story. With the help of music, props and a great deal of enthusiasm, the boys gave a great performance, delighting the audience.

The following day parents were invited to watch their performances of several fairy tales including The Gingerbread Man, Puss in Boots, Jack and the Beanstalk and The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Competitions

HISTORY COMPETITION

2022 marks the anniversary of several key events in history: the Battles of El Alamein, the Battle of Stalingrad, the fall of Singapore and the Falklands War of 1982. The competition was designed to commemorate any or all of these events. We received more than 20 brilliantly detailed models from boys across all year groups, making judging very difficult!

Congratulations to the following boys for their creative model making:

Joint runners-up: Max B, Oli C, Jono H, Pip M, William M and Roshan P

Joint First Prize: William D-E and Arthur G

YEAR 3 PYRAMID COMPETITION

As always, the annual Year 3 Model Pyramid Competition presented a wealth of impressive entries, which were displayed so all of the School could enjoy the Year 3s’ creativity. The high standards of the pyramids made selecting a winner incredibly hard, but huge congratulations to the overall winner, Zach C in 3HMA. Well done also to the class winners: Leo LD in 3DCB, Henry B in 3HMA, Liam S in 3RRA and Kirill P in 3RRB. We also had a number of runners-up, whose entries came highly commended: Huxley A in 3RRA, Alex B in 3DCB, James B in 3DCB, Leo D in 3HMA, Matthew H in 3RRB, Jay J in 3HMA, Lenny R in 3RRB and Max S in 3HMA.

CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION

Well done to all the boys who entered the Christmas Card Design Competition. Congratulations go to Roshan P, Year 5, for his ‘Christmas stockings over the fireplace’ artwork that displayed the SHS values of Respect, Aspiration, Perseverance, Compassion and Integrity. Roshan’s artwork will be displayed on the front of the SHS digital Christmas card this year.

Otto R, Year 3; Alexander W, Year 8; Rafe R, Year 6; Alexander S, Year 8; and Benjamin H, Year 4 were awarded Highly Commended for their festive designs – superb effort, boys!

SIR ED DAVEY MP CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION

Many congratulations to George R, Year 6, for winning third place in the Sir Ed Davey MP Christmas Card Competition in the 1116 age category. George met Sir Ed Davey MP at the official prizegiving ceremony at Surbiton Station.

CHRISTMAS BAUBLE COMPETITION

Well done to all the boys who entered the Christmas Bauble Competition. Congratulations goes to JJ M, Year 3, for his winning ‘origami design’.

Max B, Year 4, Ollie C, Year 6, Robert C, Year 5, Bertie M, Year 5, Roshan P, Year 5, Hugo R, Year 6, were awarded Highly Commended for their festive designs.

All the boy’s baubles were all displayed on the School Christmas tree.

Sport Round-Up

SPORT ROUND-UP

Our new timetable has revitalised the delivery of sport at Shrewsbury House School (SHS). The broadening of opportunity for boys to participate, and develop their skills, across all disciplines has been very welcome; and the boys have responded superbly! The football season has been

(again!) A great success following the triumphs of 2021. Add to that one of the highlights of the term in the SHS Primary Festival of Sport in which we support and host a fun and developmental morning for boys and girls from our local schools.

SHS Sport delivers again! Add a brilliant term of fun and success on the football field to rugby and swimming success –marvellous!

1st XI – Parkside Tournament

FOOTBALL

Early in the term we saw the talented SHS 1st XI crowned champions at the Parkside tournament. All of the football teams performed well this season with some notable highlights. These include the 1st team not only winning at Parkside but also qualifying for the Independent Schools’ Football Association (ISFA) National Cup last-sixteen, the U11A football team winning the coveted Surrey Plate final in some style, and the Year 4 boys impressing with the U9B team winning the Downsend event and the U9A team winning the ACS (Cobham) tournament. For the first time in quite a while we topped the 300 mark in terms of football matches played –a super effort from all the boys!

U9B Football Team Downsend Tournament: Winners

U9A Football Team ACS (Cobham) Tournament: Winners

U11A Football Team Surrey Plate Championship: Winners

1st XI Football Team Parkside Tournament: Winners ISFA National Cup: quarter-finalists (to come)

House Football

What a wonderful event this is every year. The 2022 version certainly did not disappoint! Run over five separate events to culminate in another sensational season, the boys really impressed. All the matches were played with great vigour and in a tremendous spirit. The positive manner in which the boys perform is always an inspiration. Hearty congratulations to the Green Machine (aka Grenville House) who ran out deserved winners in a very tight contest.

Year

Year

Year

Year

Result

Grenville Nelson

Raleigh Drake

A

U9A – ACS Cobham Tournament

U9B Downsend Tournament

House Football

U11A – Surrey Plate Winners

ROWING

A welcome return to the water was enjoyed by the SHS senior Year 7 and Year 8 boys this term. A short journey down to our friends at Kingston Rowing Club each week has seen the boys show incredible promise. Following past success in supporting rowing scholarship to senior schools, hopes are again high that the current crop of scullers will not only push on with their skills acquisition, but also develop a lasting enthusiasm and commitment to this amazing sport.

RUGBY

Rarely has the enthusiasm for the sport been so strong as has been seen this term. A great majority of the boys have been, to put it mildly, super keen! This has been borne out in tremendous sports lessons and in the boys’ eagerness to throw themselves into competition. Some of this has been led by an excellent SHS after-school club, as well as the strong peer drivers among all the year groups. If evidence were required then look no further than the performances delivered by those teams who were fortunate to pit their skills and grit against local opposition. Chief among these would be the afternoon spent at Caldicott School with the senior boys and their teams. In matches against the hosts and Northcote Lodge scheduled this calendar day can, historically, provide a challenge too far. But not this year. With the promising 1st XIII recording two hard-fought victories and the remaining teams all performing to a high standard, the future certainly looks bright!

SWIMMING

Chief among the advantages of the new timetable is the extension of the swim opportunity for SHS boys. Many of our pupils will now see more time in the water than in previous years. Swimming represents a core skill that can be enjoyed for the whole of life. Competition is always supported for those willing and able to represent the school in swim galas. As we look forward to a busy and important spring term of events we must celebrate the early season meet at Feltonfleet School – a brilliant swimming effort, support and noise!

TOP 50 PREP SCHOOLS IN CRICKET

It was an honour and privilege to be judged as one of the UK's Top 50 Prep and Junior Schools in the Cricketer Schools Guide 2023!

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME

The SHS boys are so lucky to have the chance to extend and enrich learning with a number of co-curricular programme clubs. With a strong mix of their internal SHS-led staff and external professional experts, the boys had plenty to choose from. This term the list included basketball (proving very popular), table tennis, karate, swimming, shooting, rugby, cookery, chess badminton and fencing.

Charity Fundraising

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING

The school was filled with green to celebrate the Macmillan Coffee Morning fundraiser on 30th September, with boys and staff wearing an assortment of green items ranging from hats to socks and from ties to welly boots!

At break time the boys collected a croissant from the beautiful stands decorated with balloons and bunting by the catering staff. It was obvious to see that they enjoyed the delicious pastries.

Thank you to all the SHS community, boys, parents and staff for coming together in support of this worthwhile cause.

THE CHANGE FOUNDATION NOMINATED AS SCHOOL CHARITY

The School Council have assisted in selecting The Change Foundation as the School Charity for 2022–23. This year we had over 30 entries from boys and staff across the school making the decision a very difficult one. Thank you to all the boys and their families for discussing ideas at home and putting forward so many worthwhile causes. The shortlist was selected and then voted on by the School Council, who also found the selection process challenging as they wanted to help everyone.

We welcomed two members of The Change Foundation to our assembly, who explained more about their work and how SHS boys can help. They explained how they support disadvantaged children, both locally and overseas, through sport and the boys were eager to hear how these opportunities have changed the lives of others.

The Change Foundation was nominated by Mr Baker who said the following:

‘We all have a sport or an activity we love, but imagine not being able to access it due to your finances, your disability or your personal circumstances. The Change Foundation is a charity supporting disadvantaged young people in London and overseas who use sport to learn lifelong lessons. I worked for the charity for nearly a decade visiting some of the world’s most dangerous and poverty-ridden countries seeing the impact the charity had on disadvantaged communities and am delighted to see Shrewsbury House support this amazing charity’.

Thank you again to all the nominations and for being part of such a supportive community.

10 Christmas Spirit

CHRISTMAS LUNCH & CHRISTMAS JUMPERS

It was wonderful to see so much festive cheers from the boys and staff on the last day of term. Wearing colourful Christmas jumpers, they enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch from our amazing new catering team – Thomas Franks.

The lunch culminated with a whole school rendition of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ and a huge round of applause for all the catering team.

Future Schools

CONNOR LLOYD – REED’S SCHOOL

Reed’s School is a successful HMC independent day and boarding school for just under 800 pupils between 11 and 18, with girls in the Sixth Form. The values-driven education that pupils experience at Reed’s equips them not only with the excellent academic qualifications and the interpersonal skills they will need for the future but ensures that when they leave, they possess a strong moral compass and a desire to go into the world and improve it.

Set amongst 40 acres with a well-equipped campus providing an inspiring setting, its boarding element brings the best advantages for day pupils, such as wrap-around care and outstanding pastoral support. A co-educational Sixth Form helps establish a community which prepares pupils for their transition to university and for life beyond Reed’s. At the heart of the school is exceptional pastoral care – fundamental to shaping pupils’ happiness within an educational environment where they nurture and encourage, stretch without stressing and push without pressurising.

How did you find starting at your new school?

Reeds is a much bigger school with lots of different buildings. It took me a couple of weeks to get to know my way around. They use different IT systems to SHS and so that was something new to learn too.

How did you find settling in, making friends?

I found that settling in was a bit tricky at first, but everyone was really kind and supportive. I made new friends very quickly, along with spending time with my fellow ex-SHS boys.

Are there any similarities between your new school and SHS?

Obviously there are similarities, such as them both being sporty schools with only boys up until Sixth Form.

Have you experienced some new opportunities? Sport? Music? Clubs etc?

At Reeds, I get to play tennis twice a week as part of a squad. I have also started the DofE programme and I am enjoying golf and badminton club. There are lots of other opportunities in music and arts, if that is what you’re interested in.

SHOBS – FIRST TERM AT THEIR SENIOR SCHOOLS

We recently interviewed two Shrewsbury House Old Boys (SHOBs) about their first term at their new senior schools.

It is wonderful our Alumni boys are so willing to stay in contact and let us know how they are getting on. We hope you enjoy hearing about Reed’s School and Tonbridge.

What new skills have you had to develop? How did SHS prepare you for your senior school?

At senior school, you develop more independence and are treated more like an adult. My time at SHS prepared me for senior school in terms of becoming more independent and taking on more responsibility in the senior years. The CE curriculum and exams ensured that academically it wasn’t too much of a step-up.

What advice would you give to a current Year 8 SHS pupil?

My advice would be to put yourself forward and sign up for lots of clubs and activities. This is a great way to form new friendships.

What are your lasting memories from SHS?

It is hard to say what memories are the most lasting, but I think receiving my ‘baggy cap’ and 1st XI cricket team shirt was a very prominent memory. Completing CE and celebrating wearing our leavers hoodies is also something that stands out.

The CE curriculum and exams at SHS ensured that academically it wasn’t too much of a step-up.

MAX STUTTARD – TONBRIDGE SCHOOL

Tonbridge is one of the leading boys’ boarding and day schools in the UK and is highly respected, both here and internationally, for providing a world-class education. The school occupies an extensive site of 150 acres in Kent and is just a 40-minute train journey from London Charing Cross. There are some 800 boys, aged 13 to 18, in seven boarding houses and five day houses.

One of the key strengths of Tonbridge is that it blends tradition and innovation successfully, with high-achieving boys wearing their gifts lightly. The school is renowned for highquality, innovative teaching and learning, and for academic achievement. Pastoral care is based around an outstanding house system, and there is a vibrant programme of cocurricular breadth and depth.

We encourage our boys to make connections – from the idea to the reality, from tradition to innovation, from a fine mind to a good heart. Our ethos is summed up in just two words: ‘Only Connect’.

How did you find starting your new school?

Starting off at Tonbridge was definitely nerve-wracking, which is natural for such a big change, and for the first few days I found it tough to get to grips with my surroundings, especially because I only knew a few people and I had never boarded before. But since then, my experience at Tonbridge has been great, especially because you are given a lot more responsibility and independence in what you choose to do with your time.

How did you find settling in, making friends?

I think, as a boarder, both of these things were made a lot easier as you live at the school so you are constantly around your mates. Therefore, after getting over homesickness, it was great, I got to socialise and become good friends with my housemates (who I almost have to get along with because I live with them after all!) and the first few weeks it’s predominantly based around trying to get you settled in, like the house activity day you will have in the first week

CONNOR L

where you spend a whole day doing different sports/activities with everyone else in your house around the school so you feel settled in. The workload also isn’t too heavy especially prep so that you have more time to get to grips with your surroundings.

Are there any similarities between Tonbridge and SHS?

I think both schools are passionate about getting pupils involved in as many extra-curricular activities as possible; and encouraging you to try out and enjoying new things. For example, at Tonbridge every Monday and Friday there are hour-long ‘pursuits sessions’ where you can try out different activities that wouldn’t typically be available out of school such as critical thinking club, ultimate frisbee club or filmmaking. I also think both schools share a similar ethos of ‘work hard, play hard’ where you are definitely expected to get your work done (and to a high standard), but once it is done you should enjoy what else there is in school life.

Have you experienced some new opportunities?

Definitely, especially with sports, I have tried and properly got stuck into so many sports already, including rackets, ultimate frisbee, basketball and, a personal favourite, squash. Also, on a Wednesday, every 1st year will take part in ‘Wednesday activities’, which is a 2-hour session with your house where you try out an obscure, unique activity which you probably wouldn’t be able to try otherwise. This includes Conservation, Psychology and Fives. Also, boarding at Tonbridge means there’s a lot more time in the evening to really utilise the facilities at your disposal (including the amazing sports centre), which you must do to get the most out of your first few weeks.

What new skills have you had to develop?

I’ve definitely needed to be resilient and tolerant especially in my first few weeks, because not everything will click straight away, and it can definitely take a few days or weeks to get to know people and get used to the big changes; but you just need to be ready to get stuck in and socialise with people who may be nothing like you, or have nothing in common with you, because it will definitely be worth it in the end.

How did SHS prepare you for your senior school?

The main thing SHS prepared me for was the work and syllabus that we would be covering. With what I’ve learnt at Shrewsbury I haven’t had to focus solely on my studies and I’ve been able

to get settled, meet new people and try new things every day. Shrewsbury also helped me to realise that grit and determination will always pay off, especially in sport. If you put your ‘everything’ into every day and you fight for what you know what you deserve, you will eventually reap your rewards.

What advice would you give to a Year 8 pupil?

Try not to feel overwhelmed when you start off at your new school. It’s a big change going to a senior school, but if you seize the opportunities you’re given and make sure you are diligent and get what’s needed done (because repercussions are definitely worse at senior!!), you will have a great time – particularly because you have a lot more freedom to do what you want when you want. Whilst you’re still at SHS, I’d say that you should definitely focus in your final few months, but at your new school you’ll be given a fresh slate regardless of how well (or badly!) you did on your Common Entrance/scholarship…so don’t be concerned too academically, especially with the strong basis you’re given at SHS.

What are your lasting memories of SHS?

I think for me it’s got to be the amount of fun I had in my final year with my friends, with the amount, and calibre, of sport we were able to play and the Ardèche trip, which was honestly a great way to end the year.

SENIOR SCHOOLS VISIT

We were delighted to welcome Sally-Anne Huang from St Paul’s School and James Dahl from Wellington College to Shrewsbury House School in September. They shared some insights into the educational landscape, exploring the different pathways available for our pupils as they progress to senior schools. This event was very well attended and the audience appreciated the candid information shared with eloquence and humour.

Shrewsbury House helped me to realise that grit and determination will always pay off, especially in sport.