IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE HEADMASTER REMEMBERING QUEEN ELIZABETH II MICHAELMAS ENSEMBLES’ CONCERT SPORTS ROUND-UP LEARNING THROUGH WORKSHOPS SHAKESPEARE SCHOOLS FESTIVAL BEHIND THE SCENES WINTER 2022 Assembly ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
FROM THE HEADMASTER
If one theme has emerged this term it has been our connectedness to the wider world. Arnold House provides a wonderfully happy and secure environment in which boys can thrive. But we must never be inward-looking, and a great school will always find ways to engage with issues beyond our walls and respond to global events.
We returned from long sunny summer weeks with big smiles and high energy. Sad news from Balmoral soon put us into a somber mood but I was very proud with the way in which the school engaged with the historic events and their significance. It was fitting to see red blazers lining up in Whitehall, and boys of all ages were helped to understand what was happening not just on their televisions, but also in the streets around us.
We have, for the first time for several years, had a full programme of trips, starting with the seniors heading to France, and ending with many going skiing. Taking every opportunity to broaden horizons, we have also had a wide range of speakers join us to give the boys time to interact with guests from different arenas. In addition, the strong engagement with our chosen charities, Sufra, St Johns Hospice and Father Al’s Hackney appeal, has been super to see.
We had some other visitors late in the term, as a team from the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate stayed with us for three days as part of the regular three-yearly cycle of inspection. They were truly impressed with all they saw and I look forward to sharing their report with you in the new year.
Of course, there has also been a World Cup to keep our sporting, geographical and political interest and, although England have now made their way home, I know there has been continued Arnold House involvement with the remaining teams.
And the weather has made its presence felt: a timely snowfall brought a suitably wintry setting for Christmas decorations and two wonderful Carol services.
This has been a full and excellent term and it would be a nigh-on impossible task to sum it up in just a few words. Fortunately, the following pages provide a colourful record of so much that has happened since September.
Giles Tollit Headmaster
Front Cover: Armistice Day, St Cyprian’s Baker Street
1st row images from left to right: Y8 French Trip to Burgundy, Funky Headgear Charity Day in aid of Sufra
2nd row images from left to right: Y1 Tractor Day, Early Years Trip to Golders Hill Park, Celebrating the School’s 117th Birthday.
3rd row images from left to right: Y2 Nativity Play, Y1&2 Harvest Festival.
4th row images from left to right: Y4 Trip to the Verulamium, Reception Christmas Performance.
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
Until a few months ago, almost everyone in the country, on the occasions they sang the National Anthem would have included these words, probably without too deep a reflection on what they were asking for. It is remarkable to think, looking back now, that the request that the Queen was “long to reign over us” was granted in such a fulsome way: the longest reign in British history.
The death of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in September and the Accession to the throne of His Majesty King Charles III was a moment when the nation paused to reflect and Arnold House was very much part of a national mood which combined many different aspects: commemoration, sadness, thankfulness, looking back on tradition, looking forward to the future and a sense of national unity.
Given the great age of Her Late Majesty, her death was obviously going to take place one day in the not too distant future. Many institutions had made plans, practically sensible, in order to mark a dignified and seamless transition of royal power. As long ago as last summer, the School had obtained two official photographs, which, as planned, once the death of Her Late Majesty was announced, were placed at the entrances to our buildings on Loudoun Road and Marlborough Place. The Book of Common Prayer contains a service to mark the start of a new reign and this too had been prepared in advance, for use at assemblies.
The news of Her Late Majesty’s death came on the evening of Thursday 8 September. School protocol and personal reactions would come the next day. Although there was no request or suggestion from the School for it to happen, many staff arrived at school on Friday 9 September, wearing black – it was notable that this was most evident among the younger members of staff. It seemed to be, for them, the right thing to do. Others spoke about how surprised they were about their personal reactions to the death of a woman most of them have never met, but who had been
a constant background presence all their lives. The boys too could sense the historic nature of unfolding events. For them, Queen Elizabeth II, was a very old lady, but they knew that she was widely admired and the discussions that took place at School and the media coverage over the following days meant that the story of her life became one they would learn about in much more detail.
Assembly on that Friday was a service in honour of Her Late Majesty and ended with the National Anthem. It was first time that the phrase “God Save the King” had been sung by anyone present and the first time since February 1952 that is had been sung at Arnold House or anywhere in the United Kingdom. You could sense that those at assembly, of whatever age, understood the importance of what was unfolding.
Over the weekend, the new King was officially proclaimed at the Accession Council and by Monday morning, it was clear that many boys had been watching ceremonies such as this and were very interested by the detail of them. The level of knowledge and inquisitiveness was impressive. The questions I was asked ranged from, “Will all the bank notes (with the Queen’s portrait on) be taken out of circulation?” to, “Why did the King have to swear an oath to protect the freedom of the Church of Scotland as the first act of his reign?”. One boy even asked if the hospital opposite the School would now change its name from St John and St Elizabeth to “St John and St Charles”. A touching confusion – unconsciously profound, since the St Elizabeth in the hospital’s name does refer to a much admired and kindly Queen Elizabeth, but a Hungarian one from the Middle Ages, not a British one.
REMEMBERING HER LATE MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II
“Send her victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over us. God save the Queen.”
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
Monday’s assembly was the special service for the accession of a new monarch, taken from the Book of Common Prayer. The language of the Prayer Book is beautiful, but not always immediately accessible to modern ears – however, the boys had no problem in saying the responses in the litanies:
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us. And grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, save the King; Who putteth his trust in thee. Send him help from thy holy place. And evermore mightily defend him.
Be unto him, O Lord, a strong tower; From the face of his enemies.
Endue thy Ministers with righteousness. And make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people.
And bless thine inheritance. Give peace in our time, O Lord. Because there is none other that fighteth for us - but only thou, O God.
O Lord, hear our prayer; And let our cry come unto thee. The Head Boy too was able to read perfectly a special prayer, written centuries ago, for the new monarch. The “old fashioned” language in many ways highlighted the importance and dignity of what we were commemorating – indeed in many ways it echoed the style of events at the Accession Council on the Saturday, which had for the first time been televised. As would become evident during the period following the death of Her Late Majesty, Britain is very good at doing ceremonial and just like the boys tackling the cadences of 16th Century English at a special assembly, the British people as a whole unselfconsciously responded to the pageantry and ritual that marked these days, with the sense that this is what we do at times like this.
Obviously the older boys were most able to articulate their questions and observations, but boys of all ages found things that they wanted to know more about. One of the more general themes that some boys raised was about death itself. This is obviously not an easy subject and the staff were sensitive in their responses, especially among the youngest boys.
By the middle of week, the focus of events was moving from Scotland, where Her Late Majesty had died, to London, where many major events would take place. One of these events was the procession on Wednesday 14 September, when the coffin was taken from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, escorted by members of the Royal Family and the military. Since this was taking place so close to the School, we took the Y8 boys to Whitehall to watch the procession pass by. Obviously it was very busy and we had to be there well in advance, but the chance to see living
history was very much appreciated. The boys were able to see the Crown on top of the coffin as it passed a few metres from where they were standing, the new King, the royal princes and hundreds of soldiers on horseback in splendid uniforms, accompanied by military bands. The images are likely to stay with the boys for a very long time and the decision to go to Whitehall was one we were glad to have taken. It was only on the way back that I noticed we had been the only school party there – the boys in their red blazers obviously stood out (and the crowds noticed them and many complimented them on their behaviour), but it seemed a pity no other school in London had turned up.
The way Arnold House responded to the royal events in September 2022 showed that the School community was very much integrated into the national response and that the boys were very interested in what was unfolding. Perhaps, because we, as a School, have a strong sense of our own traditions, it was easy for us to enter into events national events that carried such a strong sense of tradition too. This is not to say that everyone at Arnold House is a die-hard monarchist, any more than in the nation as a whole, but there was a mature sense that history was taking place and that they were part of it. It was not so much the passing of an age, but the passing on of modes of behaviour.
When the time comes for Prince William and then Prince George to ascend the throne, Britain and our boys, while likely have changed hugely, but I am sure that the memories and impressions of September 2022, will impact on what our boys will say and do decades from now. If nothing else, the older they get, they will be among a dwindling number of people who will remember “the Queen”, because baring some unforeseen events or constitutional changes, we are likely only to have kings for the rest of the 21st Century. Although Her Late Majesty wasn’t actually “long to reign” over the current generation of Arnold House boys, their childhood experience of her reign will be a unique feature of their lives in years to come.
God save the King!
John Hill Deputy Head Academic
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
SHAKESPEARE SCHOOLS FESTIVAL A PALPABLE HIT!
The biggest youth drama festival in the world, the Shakespeare Schools Festival has been part of life at Arnold House since 2009, seeing a range of Shakespeare plays (eight in total, including ‘Macbeth’, ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘A Winter’s Tale’).
This year it was Year 7’s turn and we chose a play with a big heart, ‘Hamlet’, to showcase their talents. A cast and crew of twenty-one Year Seven boys transported themselves to The Shaw Theatre and a large audience to the ghostly, Shakespearian world of Elsinore.
The play opened with Bernardo and Francisco (Aryaveer Singh and Kian Rahgozar) on their cold guard, hoping for a quiet night, joined by an inquisitive Horatio (Noah Simmonds) and Marcellus (Isaac Lewell), who have heard reports of ghostly sightings. No sooner has Horatio staunchly suggested it is all a hoax, the night watchman are visited by the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father (Obi Okoabah), illuminated against the dark stage by ten hand torches, expertly wielded by a constantly moving ensemble and gripping our large audience from the beginning.
Charlie Nicolson’s scheming King Claudius brings us back to daylight with a political speech, before holding court and battling with his nephew, the eponymous young Hamlet. This introduced us to our four actors (Pranay Lakhwani, David Landmann, Lore Aofolaju and Kamran Salmanpour) taking the daunting role of Hamlet, or at least one aspect of Hamlet, who commanded the stage from the start. Once his ghostly father reveals Claudius’ murderous hand in his death, our young Hamlet(s) are set into a quandary; to shuffle off his mortal coil or to take arms and seek revenge.
The effortless command of Shakespeare’s iconic speeches, especially notable from Willoughby Sanders delightfully pompous portrayal of Polonius, Thomas Outred’s sensitive and tragic Ophelia and our four Hamlets, who delivered a litany of iconic speeches was incredibly impressive.
Hamlet’s plots lead to the performance by a company of players led by Orlando Hennebry. The play within a play, an attempt to tease guilt from Claudius but also creating villainous and sumptuous visuals. None more villainous than our masked player poisoner, Paco Van Den Berg-Tejedor who terrorised not only the ‘fake’ audience but also the real, I think some poor primary school students may still be having nightmarish visions.
A furious Laertes, played with unyielding
anger by Cyrus Ghaffarpour then entered the stage and the production hit double time, spiralling towards its tragic crescendo. The audience see Ophelia drowning, underpinned by a beautiful speech delivered by Vihaan Singh as Gertrude to powerful imagery and physical theatre by the whole cast. A moment of real comedy was provided by Ethan Shaer’s looming grave digger, but the play swiftly doubles back to its true tragic roots. Laertes, reeling from the double loss of his sister and father, joins forces with the malevolent Claudius, challenging Hamlet to a rigged fencing match. What followed was some exhilarating fight choreography utilising the funeral flowers as fencing foils and, finally, an epic conclusion.
A special mention must go to the sound and lighting team; Seb Bunting and Zak Farthing, who were professionalism personified, precise to the split second with every cue and every fade, with able tech design support throughout the rehearsal process from Aiden de Alwis and Oscar Kneller.
The boys were heavily praised by theatre staff and organisers for their politeness and behaviour, and by their audience for their excellent ensemble work and command of character and language. Each member of the company deserves huge praise in creating such a triumph. A sterling set of West End Debuts!
Luke Ofield Performing Arts Assistant
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
MICHAELMAS
CONCERT
The Michaelmas Ensembles’ Concert highlighted a wide variety of performances featuring almost one hundred pupils from Year 2 to Year 8. As in previous years, the music department were welcomed back to host the event in the theatre of the American School, London.
The Y8 Exhibitioners were on hand to introduce the concert and to guide us through the concert with introductions to all the pieces and ensembles. The concert began with an energetic performance of a Swahili anthem, Amani Utupe from the Junior Choir, followed by a more lyrical contrasting piece by Carl Strommen called ‘Wings.’ Other highlights included the Y7 String Quartet who gave a performance of a piece called ‘Survivor’, it was impressive as the boys directed the performance themselves and their ensemble communication during the concert was excellent.
There were other lively and exciting performances from all our instrumental ensembles as the pupils in the Cello Ensemble played music from the James Bond Theme, the Y6 Rock Band played a hit by Muse, Grieg’s infamous ‘Hall of the Mountain King’ was ably performed by the Senior Orchestra. With a nod to Christmas
around the corner, Mr Lawton arranged a medley of Christmas tunes for our Jazz Band. The ensembles, led by our talented team of visiting music teachers, all gave polished performances, and it was clear that they had been working hard in their weekly rehearsals.
It was a lovely evening of music making and the pupils and staff had obviously worked hard to produce such a varied and inclusive concert.
Christopher Wray Director of Music
ENSEMBLES’
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
PE and Games is a much loved aspect of AH life. PE relates to timetabled lessons occurring (mainly) at Loudoun Road, whilst Games takes place (mainly) during afternoons, with Canons Park our amazing home base. Each term, different sports are focused on. At AH, we play football in the first term. As you will discover, AH boys across the age ranges have enjoyed a very successful and busy time on the football field. This term, we broadened our Games offering by including golf, equestrian and swimming options. This initiative proved popular with the boys; we will aim to develop this in the future.
AH boys had plenty of opportunities to show off their football skills in competitive matches and events. Every boy in Year 2 up played in at least one school match. In all, 182 fixtures were played! The boys in red certainly didn’t win them all but it was brilliant to watch them regularly play with passion, determination and sportsmanship.
Boys in Years 7&8 have Games together on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. The 1st XI played 14 matches. Once again we entered the ISFA Cup - The FA Cup for independent schools! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to record a ‘giant killing’ in our first round match against Latymer Upper School, losing 2-1. However, the boys were a pleasure to work with and they made great progress during the season; a bright spot was a hard fought victory over City of London School. The 2nd team’s highlight, according to their coach Mr Harahap, was their performance in a 2-0 victory over Durston House. At 3rd XI level, Mr Ingram’s team’s 5-1 over WUS was something to be savoured. Whilst the 4th XI were proud of their three game winning streak which came mid-season!
Years 5&6 teams are referred to as ‘The Colts’ (Year 6s) and the ‘Under 10s’ (Year 5s). They have Games on Monday and Thursday afternoons. The Colts A Team played 13 regular season matches. They won 11 of them; an amazing feat. There were many highlights but the 4-0 win over our great friends and rivalsThe Hall will live long in the memory of Mr Cox. The Colts B Team also enjoyed great success, remaining undefeated save for a loss in the first game of the term! The Bs’ coach Mr Ingram had many special moments but the 8-2 win over Wetherby was a highlight. Mr Matthews’ Colts C Team also enjoyed success; the team played 8 matches and he was proud of the way the team gelled. The Colts Ds often have a secret weapon; Arnold the school dog is a regular pitchside; Arnold and Miss Hall have been pleased with the way the team has shown resilience during every game, the highlight being the win over Devonshire House. The Under 10s had a full fixture list with The A Team, marshalled by Mr Luytens, playing some brilliant football at times and recording wins over the likes of Falcons and Durston House. The B,C and D Teams led by Mr Millburn Fryer, Mr Swain and Miss Smith, respectively all showed pleasing progress in training and matches; hardwork and sportsmanship were the hallmarks of their approach.
Year 3 and 4 boys go to Games on Tuesdays. The Under 9 A team is one to watch in the future. Mrs Matthews’ team played a mature and eye-catching style and they recorded many memorable performances. The Under 9 Bs contained many boys who in any other year would have been stars in the As; unsurprisingly, they impressed Mr Cox with their approach to their training sessions and matches. The C and D teams also developed their skills during the season; the teamwork and camaraderie was always in evidence when they played. The future is in safe hands as the Year 3s are another determined and enthusiastic group. Whenever they had the chance to represent AH against other schools they played in a cooperative and cheerful manner. The Year 2 boys love their football too and they all also got the chance to represent AH in a block fixture with Wetherby. House football is another important aspect of the Autumn Term and each double year group plays a series of House matches; these games are always hotly contested!
In addition to the extensive weekly fixture list. AH boys get the chance to participate in a variety of tours, competitions and tournaments. Both the 1st XI and the Colts A team spent a weekend playing in a tournament at St George’s Park in Burton; the Headquarters of the FA. Matches were played on the Beckham Pitch and the boys stayed in bedrooms that were adorned with pictures of England legends and as a Leicester City fan, I was ‘over the moon’ to have been accommodated in Peter Shilton’s room! The Colts team brought home some silverware, winning the Bowl Competition. The 1st XI successfully competed in the IAPS Soccer 7’s tournament. This year, the SouthEast region heat was hosted by Bishop’s Stortford College. Agonisingly, we lost in the quarter-final stage; one win away from booking a place in the national finals. The U13 7 aside team went one better on home turf, with a win in the 2022 edition of the Arnold House School 7s tournament. The Colts also played plenty of tournaments. In the ISFA 7 aside London heats, hosted by Alleyn’s School in Dulwich, the team played brilliantly but missed out on making the national finals by a whisker. In the Thomas’ School 5 aside tournament the team lost in the quarter finals and they also competed successfully in the Durston House 7 aside tournament. The Under 10s and Under 9s experienced tournament football too. Both teams entered the Hall School’s 7 aside
SPORTS ROUND-UP
Tournament and they also enjoyed success at our very own AH Football Festival Tournament at Canons Park.
In an attempt to broaden the Games programme during the Autumn Term, we offered some additional sports options for the boys. Miss Hall, a very passionate and talented rider, instructor and polo player, led the equestrian team. Utilising the excellent training facilities at the Trent Park Equestrian Centre, boys in Year 5&6 learned how to be confident both on and around ponies. They were taught how to lead a pony, mount and dismount, hold the reins, understand and show the correct riding position in halt, walk and rising trot, and to ride independently. They started off in the indoor arena and progressed to hacking out in the forest. The final session culminated in a visit to Silver Leys Polo Club where the boys were able to ride polo ponies for the first time. They got to grips with holding the reins in one hand and the polo stick in the other, finishing off the term by playing in
a mini chukka. Ex golf pro and current AH PE teacher Mr Millburn Fryer, led the golf option. The sessions - which were specifically for the boys in Year 7 & 8- made use of the driving range and the 9 hole course at the Metro Golf Centre. All the boys made pleasing progress; they particularly enjoyed the opportunities to get onto the course for match play. The golf option will continue into the summer term with a view to selecting an AH team to compete in the IAPS Under 13 Golf Championships. Swimming, for boys in Years 5 and 6 was another new venture for this term. The pool at Barnet Copthall provided an excellent venue for Miss Smith and I to teach our sessions. During the term we discovered that we have several talented swimmers at AH and so will look at ways to tap in this in the future.
Chris Kerr Director of Sport
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
LEARNING THROUGH WORKSHOPS
Our curriculum is enriched by the offering of workshops, which reflect the interests seen, current themes of learning, whilst also depicting culture and diversity. Workshops present learning opportunities across the curriculum, enabling boys to engage in a broader experience that they may not typically have exposure to.
This term we welcomed over 15 external visitors to the school, from authors to parents, to share their knowledge and expertise with groups of boys from across the school. Here are just a few of their experiences:
‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’
The Early Years boys had great fun involving themselves in an immersive story-based workshop, run by Perform for Schools, focussing on the key text ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen. The boys acted out the familiar story, joining in with key vocabulary and phrases, whilst showing high levels of involvement and lots of expression!
Victoria McKenzie Head of Early Years Bright Sparks
Year 2 recharged their batteries by attending a Bright Sparks electrical workshop at Canons Park as part of their Science topic this term on Electricity. The boys looked at electricity from its discovery in Ancient Greece to its arrival in our homes. They learnt about how electricity is generated, how it is made safe to use, how a battery works and how a circuit flows. Atoms and electrons, circuits and conductivity, friction and magnets were all brought to life using props and costumes to add to the excitement. Much fun was had by all the boys!
‘You’ve got a friend in me’
The Year 2 boys attended a workshop to discuss the theme of friendship. It started with a discussion about how they can be good friends to each other. The boys came up with some lovely ideas and suggestions which created a list of behaviours that demonstrate good friendship. A lively, interactive hand puppet show followed with Catrina the cat, Daphne the duck, Danny the dog and Mr Lion, the headmaster! The characters tell a tale about a friendship fall out and how this gets resolved. The boys had the opportunity to decide what some of the characters should do, which linked back to the class discussion about friendship. After the puppet show, the boys were divided into groups where they created a “freeze frame” from different parts of the friendship puppet show story, which again helped to reinforce the friendship message of this workshop. The boys had a
most enjoyable afternoon, and back in the classroom we have continued to further develop their thoughts about friendship and to remind them how to be good friends to each other.
Victorian Homelife & Toys
Year 2 attended a hands-on interactive Victorian workshop at Canons Park. The boys were greeted by Mrs Brown, the housekeeper of Sudbury Manor, to instruct the “new servants”. They had to complete all the household chores to her satisfaction if they were to enjoy the Victorian toys at the end of a long day. The children had lots of hands-on experience to explore the different aspects and chores of a Victorian household, including doing the washing, sweeping the floor and polishing the silver! After working hard, the boys played with a variety of Victorian toys, including pick up sticks, wooden cup and ball, story card sequencing, and a yo-yo.
Susie Dart Head of Years 1&2
Ancient Egypt
As part of the Year 3 boys’ History studies, they attended a fun-filled Ancient Egypt workshop at Canons Park. The day consisted of four educational sessions led by two actresses who involved the boys through story-telling, interactive discussion, performance and examination of artefacts. Throughout the course of the workshop, they cemented their understanding of life in Ancient Egypt; explored the key features of some of the main gods and goddesses; discovered how and why names were given according to family prominence and position; and the roles individuals played within society. The boys developed their acting, projecting and team-building skills and were encouraged to participate in every aspect of the day. Needless to say, they all now possess a wealth of knowledge and their interest in the subject has further developed.
Sound
Year 1 met an eccentric professor whose science machine was in danger of imploding. They used their enthusiasm for science and the knowledge of how sound is made to help her save the machine. It was delightful to see the boys enjoy learning new and interesting facts about the way we hear and expanding their knowledge of travelling sound. Luckily,
1st row from left to right: Victorian Day, ‘You’ve got a friend in me’, Bright Sparks 2nd row from left to right: ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, Author Chris White 3rd row from left to right: Ancient Egypt, Author Steve Cole
the boys topped up the machines knowledge banks and saved the day.
Patricia Legan Y1 Form Teacher
Visiting Authors
Without doubt, one of the most exciting school literary events is when an author visits - and this term Arnold House has been lucky enough to host two wonderful writers, who between them entertained pretty much the whole school from Pre-Reception to Year 8. Visitors such as these are not cheap, but the enjoyment and excitement that the boys show - and the ongoing effect on their reading - is priceless. First to entertain us was Steve Cole, a writer who manages to write brilliant books for children from pre-school to Young Adult. Accompanied by his ukulele he told stories, sang songs - complete with newly formed boy-choirs - and allowed the younger boys to create the most fantastical sentences - which he then acted out. Honestly? There was a LOT of laughter. For those a little older he focussed on his books that deal with current global issues, such as wild fires, child slavery and fast fashion, finishing off with the senior years and the history of spying, James Bond - as well as how to preserve our planet. He was tireless, signed endless copies of books
and was, without doubt, a hit with staff and boys. Next to show their wares was Chris White. No ukulele this time but a flip chart and a lot of pens as Chris is an illustrator as well as a writer and he visited all the younger boys, from Marlborough Place to Year 2. For the very youngest he created their own crazy pet, made up of a patchwork of the animals they suggested. Songs were invented - and the Loudoun Road boys were all very excited to be talked through drawing their own version of the crazy pet - and then writing a poem about it! Once again there was much hilarity, some wonderful imagination was put onto paper and the visit was a real success.
Leonie Flynn Librarian
Parent presentations
We value all attributes within our school network and keenly welcome parents in to share their skills. This term, the boys were treated to a Diwali delight with a number of parents throughout the younger year groups coming into school to talk about the meaning behind the festival and how it is celebrated at home. We have also been fortunate to receive presentations on Chanukah, dental hygiene, building and construction and a harp recital by a talented parent musician.
ARNOLD HOUSE - ASSEMBLY WINTER 2022
BEHIND THE SCENES
Earlier this year, the boys had the opportunity to make their onscreen debut as we created our first promotional film. With a professional film crew on site for a whole week, the boys were able to catch a glimpse of the intricacies involved in the production of such a piece.
They were fascinated to observe the setup, the numerous retakes, the constant repositioning, the vast amount of lighting
and filming equipment and the detail and patience required for every millisecond of film recorded. We were delighted to launch the finished product on our website and social media platforms in mid-November but if you haven’t had an opportunity to see the boys in action please click on the QR code.
Stephanie Miller Head of External Relations
ARNOLD HOUSE SCHOOL, 1 Loudoun Road, St John’s Wood, London, NW8 0LH Tel: +44 (0)20 7266 4840 Email: office@arnoldhouse.co.uk