News from
the Pre-Prep
Autumn Term 2023
It has felt more like summer than September since we returned and the boys have settled back into their new year groups with ease. The Year 2 boys are enjoying the responsibilities that come with being the eldest in the department and greet the news that they will be a playground friend with smiles and a sense of excitement – long may that continue! Year 1 are adjusting to their new classmates and are getting stuck into their activities. Of course, we also welcomed 40 newbies to the Pre-Prep and Reception have really made a great start to their Davenies Life and it has been a pleasure to see their smiley but somewhat tired faces at the end of the day.
This has been a week of firsts for Reception. Our first PE lesson with Mr Allen, our first Computing lesson with Mrs Walker and our first swimming lesson with Mr Locke-Hart and Mr Burrell. The boys have shown courage when trying new things and working hard to be independent. We are so proud of them. In Literacy lessons they have been exploring letters and sounds and have started our RWI (Read Write Inc) scheme. The boys have learnt all about ‘m’ and ‘a’. We also read a story called Only One You, by Linda Kranz. The underlying message of this story is how we are all different and all special. The boys decorated their own fish to make each one different using a variety of media including paint, collage and felt tips. They have celebrated families this week and the boys drew a picture of who lives in their house. It is International Dot Day today and as part of this, the boys listened to the story Dot, by Peter Reynolds and learned how we can be creative from just a single mark on paper. In Mathematics, they have been exploring their counting, ordering and number recognition skills through a variety of structured tasks.
The first week back at school has truly been an exciting and productive start for our Year 1 boys. They have dived headfirst into their new subjects and topics with enthusiasm. In our English lessons, the boys embarked on a captivating journey into the world of Traditional Tales, with The Little Red Hen taking centre stage. Through lively discussions and debates, the boys explored the moral dilemma of whether the Hen should have shared her bread. They also delved into the intriguing question of why the other animals didn’t lend a helping hand in making the bread. This exploration has ignited their imaginations and sparked thoughtful conversations. In Topic, the focus has been on our local area, Beaconsfield. The boys have been discovering the array of facilities that make up our community, including medical centres, supermarkets, open spaces, and educational institutions. They have contemplated the significance of these amenities and, in doing so, gained a deeper appreciation for the role they play in our town’s daily life.
Year 2 boys have been embracing the many new challenges and responsibilities. Topic has roared them into life with a discussion on the characteristics of various dinosaurs with the boys playing a matching game in small groups. They then researched their own facts which they wrote in an outline of their chosen dinosaur. In English, they started the week by looking at questions marks with the boys looking at a variety of pictures and thinking up interesting questions. In keeping with the Topic, they read Dear Dinosaur, which focuses on a little boy Max, writing letters to a T-Rex at his local museum. The boys then had a go at planning and writing their own letter to their favourite dinosaur. In Maths, the focus has been on place value and writing numbers to 100. They have had the opportunity to make the numbers using dienes, drawing and writing the numbers. In Science, they started the topic ‘Healthy Me’ with the boys discussing how to keep themselves healthy and then recording this in their books. Finally, we had tremendous fun in Art with the boys creating a dinosaur skeleton using straws and black card.
It has been a very successful first week and half and I am immensely proud of the boys. I hope you all have a great weekend.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RG: Arthur Hale & Louie Lyons | RSW: Miles Cooney-Brinkworth and Noah Duncan |
1T: Jackson McCarroll & Aaran Patel | 1W: Harry Budge & Kavi Derry |
2JP: Alexander Whelan & Jasper Morgan | 2LC: Joshua Bennett & Arthur Lovelock |
Kindness Cup: Archie Bourke | |
House Appointments
| Cook House Captain: Nicolas Azoulay Vice-Captain: Ethan Edwards | Drake House Captain: Sammy Parker Vice-Captain: Benjy-Burrard Lucas |
| Scott House Captain: Archie Bourke Vice-Captain: Patrick McHugh | Shackleton House Captain: Jude Boyle Vice-Captain: Nirvair Bhamra |
On Thursday, 2JP kicked off our class assemblies for the year. With not a nerve in sight the boys spoke clearly and shared an important message with us – one of kindness. Ask them about everyone’s invisible bucket and the actions that result in it being full. I know from the smiles I saw from the staff watching that they certainly helped to fill theirs and I hope that all boys and you end the day with full buckets! Well done to all involved it was certainly a great way to start the day
Reception have celebrated all things red this week in line with their ‘Rainbow of Possibilities’ topic. They began with a story entitled, No Dragons for Tea by Jean Pendizwol. This story explored some fire safety elements as well as what it would be like to have a friend that is a dragon. They had a go at some tricky pencil control, marking out their dragon scales. We thought about all the things we could think of that are red and made our own collage fire engines. They also celebrated the colour red by decorating the red arch of their rainbows. RWI sessions have explored the letters ‘s’ and ‘d’. and some colourful snakes have appeared alongside some dotty dinosaurs! In Maths they have continued to explore numbers and counting, perfecting their knowledge of the Numicon shapes and matching these to the correct numbers. Following the story Ten Red Apples, by Pat Hutchins, there has been some apple printing and a great deal of counting. They have also had a go at writing the number and have visited ‘King One’ in Ten Town, learning the rhyme to help us form this number; ‘Top to toe, there you go’.
The standout event of this week for Year 1 was undoubtedly the visit to Rushall Farm, a trip inspired by the timeless tale of, The Little Red Hen. During this enriching experience, the boys actively engaged in a variety of activities, including wheat grinding, chicken feeding, and gaining an insight into the lives of other farm animals. A highlight of the day was the tractor ride through the woods, culminating in a visit to the farm’s cows and calves. The immersive day at the farm served as an inspiring educational opportunity, deepening the boys’ understanding of rural life while instilling values of responsibility and kindness towards animals. Back at school, the boys eagerly recounted their trip and wrote a letter of explanation to the story’s other animal characters, explaining why the hen needed help to make the bread. In Maths, the boys honed their counting skills, both forward and backward, and began to find one more and one less than a number. In Topic, the boys learned about how to address a letter, applying their newfound knowledge to compose the school’s address.
The Gigantosaurus exploded onto the scene this week much to Year 2’s joy! They enthusiastically read the story and then acted it out using a text map. The boys relished the opportunity to use a thesaurus to look up more interesting words for the volcano; characters from the story and the dinosaur skeleton. They also encountered their first comprehension exercise on The Boy who cried Wolf which shared many parallels with The Gigantosaurus story. In Maths, they continued with Place Value with the boys focusing on partitioning, writing numbers in expanded form along with estimation, writing on the number line and comparing objects. In Science, we continued with our focus on keeping healthy with the boys writing letters to their Reception buddies to give them tips on keeping fit. In Art, the boys had tremendous fun creating a colourwash and cutting out various shapes in order to give the effect of a silhouette. 2JP obviously worked very hard with their assembly on Kindness and made the whole Year 2 team very proud.
Well done boys, it has been a busy week!
I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Rohan Nijhar & Theo Shell | RW: Philippe Cayirgan & Buddie Goldsmith |
1T: Ford McCoy & Julian Sutton | 1W: Noah Farrell & Aarav Mehta |
2JP: Archie Fuschillo & Tomas Payne | 2LC: Eisa Haque & Sammy Parker |
Kindness Cup: Idris Mead | |
This week 1W delighted us with their class assembly based upon all that they have learnt so far. They most certainly have had a busy start to Year 1 and taught us the number bonds for ten in a very entertaining manner! It was lovely to see how confidently the boys spoke and it was a great way to start a Thursday. Well done to all involved.
Reception have celebrated the colour orange this week, which has resulted in them thinking about the change in season and exploring the colours of autumn. Taking a sticky pumpkin, they went on a nature walk around the school grounds finding signs of autumn to stick to the pumpkin. Following a story called The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade, the boys used their cutting skills to cut a leaf shape. They then shared a time when they needed to be brave. ‘T’ and ‘I’ have been the focus in RWI and some colourful tractors have been produced. They enjoyed listening to the story The Gingerbread Man before enthusiastically making their own! They also sequenced the story using pictures. In Maths exploration of number order, counting and recognition has continued. Using The Gingerbread Man story as a stimulus the children also explored pattern and symmetry when decorating a Gingerbread man template.
The past week has been a delightful journey for Year 1, filled with vibrant learning experiences that have ignited their curiosity and creativity. In Art, the week began with an exploration of the fascinating world of colour mixing. Armed with paintbrushes and an eagerness to discover, the boys delved into the magical process of blending colours. In Topic, a captivating perspective was introduced – the bird’s eye view. Boys familiarised themselves with the concept of looking at objects from high above, just as a bird would see them. They looked at a bird’s eye view of a house, a bedroom, and even their very own school classroom. In English, they continued learning about The Little Red Hen. Building upon their prior experiences with this tale, they delved deeper into character development. The week’s focus was on the use of adjectives to vividly describe the characters. In Maths, a new concept was introduced – the greater than and less than signs. They used the signs to compare numbers as well as answering reasoning-based questions.
What a busy week it has been in Year 2! The boys have been eagerly completing their dinosaur timeline in Topic working out which dinosaurs belonged in either the Triassic, Jurassic or Cretaceous period. In English, they have enjoyed making changes to the story of Gigantosaurus and innovating their own ideas as a group. They continued to hone their comprehension skills with a tricky piece on Dinosaurs. In Maths, we have continued with Place Value, ending the week on the 2’s, 5’s and 10 times tables. In Science, they had a fabulous time looking at the safety features of a bicycle helmet and had much fun designing their own helmets for a hard-boiled egg before testing them to see if the egg survived! The boys expanded their creative skills with a pointillism piece on Dinosaurs, which can be seen displayed in the classroom. The highlight of the week will hopefully be today’s trip to Paradise Wildlife Park where the boys will explore The World of Dinosaurs exhibit.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Auberon Brand & Aidan Goodwin | RW: Henry Freudmann & Joshua Marshall |
1T: Woody Garner & Krish Modha | 1W: Nicholas Bergstrom & Frank Heal |
2JP: Oliver Dickinson & Archie Kirkpatrick | 2LC: George Mowat & Will Schindler |
Kindness Cup: Jasper Lou | |
RSW were simply amazing as they wowed us with their first ever class assembly this week. On the subject of colour they showed us pieces of art work, sang and spoke so well that even standing at the back of the Pre-Prep Hall, I heard them all. They most certainly left us with that yellow feeling (ask the boys) and it was a great way to start our day. A big thank you and well done to all involved.
Reception have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Through role play and the use of props, including porridge oats, the story has been retold in the children’s own words. They have sequenced the story using pictures and been encouraged to have a go at writing it. RWI sessions have explored the letter sounds ‘n’, ‘p’ and ‘g’ with the cursive letter formation providing a challenge. Our Maths focus has been on understanding how to subitise. Various patterns have been explored and the boys have been able to match numbers to various dot arrays. Using Goldilocks and the Three Bears we have also explored vocabulary related to size, matching the items to the correct size bear. Yellow has been the colour of focus. The children have thought about all things yellow including Goldilocks’ hair. They have completed their yellow arch on the rainbows which are now looking very colourful. In our exploration of autumn, the children were taken on a scavenger hunt, finding natural objects that were shiny, rough, smooth, dull and so on. They discussed the sense of touch and had a go at sorting items found according to how they feel. Wonderful descriptions were used including, spikey, fluffy, hard, squishy and many more.
It has been another productive week in Year 1. Our young learners were introduced to the captivating tale of The Elves and the Shoemaker. Throughout the week, the boys demonstrated their creativity by composing lists of tools and materials essential for a shoemaker’s workshop. Furthermore, they designed their very own shoes, wrote descriptive sentences to entice customers to buy them, and explored the vocabulary in the text. In Maths, the boys have been systematically ordering numbers and objects, and have begun to place numbers on a number line. Our exploration of the senses has continued in Science, with a focus on the sense of taste. The boys’ inquisitive palates sampled an array of foods to determine if they were sweet, bitter, salty or sour. Topic took us to new heights once again as we explored aerial photographs of Davenies and the local area. The boys added labels to show the different areas and landmarks. In Art, the boys continued their exploration of colour and shade, manipulating colours through the addition of white and black.
Following on from their fabulous day out to Paradise Wildlife Park, Year 2 returned to school with renewed vigour! Judging by their enthusiastic recounts in their Topic lesson, I think it is safe to say that both the boys and staff had a brilliant time. The boys also enjoyed matching the habitats to different dinosaurs which they completed well, demonstrating how much knowledge they have already secured this term! In English, they have been inventing their own versions of The Gigantosaurus with stories ranging from the deserts to jungles! Maths has been all about addition and subtraction, with teachers reminding the boys about the different signs to use and encouraging them to learn their times tables in order to speed up their mental maths. In Science, they looked at the very relevant subject of Coughs and Sneezes with the boys designing their own posters to display in the Pre-Prep to remind everyone about keeping healthy and maintaining good hygiene! In Art, we tried something very different by introducing the artist Giacometti who is known for his foil designs. This week, the boys simply explored what they could make with some most interesting results!
Another great week boys – well done! Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
| RSW: Jack McGee and Cameron Rush | RW: Henry Hoy & Arlo Riches |
| 1T: Monty Joy & Jovan Khullar | 1W: Aaryan Jafri & Ranveer Sehgal |
| 2JP: Nicholas Azoulay & Harrison Lunn | 2LC: Jasnoor Bhatia & Josh Holder |
Kindness Cup: Will Schindler | |
In assembly this week, I told the story of James the Giant who gained pleasure from helping others. I am hoping that the boys have acted like James and have helped not just in school, but at home too!
Following the story Zog and the Flying Doctors by Julia Donaldson, Reception had an opportunity to explore people who help us in the medical profession. Doctors, nurses, ophthalmologists, dentists and paramedics. They discussed what it would be like to be a flying doctor and thought about who they would treat and how. Personal experiences were shared when they themselves needed medical attention. We talked about Mrs Rose, who helps us in school when we are hurt or do not feel well. The children understood the importance of hygiene, looking after ourselves and keeping clean. With green the focus colour, the children have been encouraged to follow in the footsteps of the green colour monster bringing a bit of calm to the classroom and endeavouring to always be calm around the School! In Mathematics, the boys have been learning about composition of numbers to 5 and to 10. They have used a variety of practical manipulatives to explore pairs of numbers that make the same answer. In understanding the world, the children have observed the changing state of ice to water and have shared their thoughts about why this happens.
In Year 1, the boys started the week by planning an imaginative twist to the classic tale of The Elves and the Shoemaker. Their creative minds pondered over the question of who the elves could lend their magical assistance to next. The possibilities were endless; from a visit to a dressmaker, a tiemaker, or even a hatmaker! Using a story map template, the students planned their narrative, which unfolded over the following days, eventually culminating in a story complete with a captivating beginning, a gripping middle, and a satisfying end. The sense of accomplishment that washed over the boys upon completing this storytelling journey was nothing short of immense. In Topic, the boys undertook a survey within their class to learn which methods of transport for commuting to school are popular. In the process, they contemplated the reasons behind their chosen methods of travel, sparking thoughtful discussions. In Maths, the boys developed their understanding of fact families, particularly focusing on addition. They used the part-whole model and the bar model to show their understanding. In Science, they embarked on a captivating sensory walk throughout the School premises. This tactile journey allowed them to delve into the world of sight and touch. With excitement bubbling, they reached out to feel a diverse array of items, ranging from bumpy and smooth textures to those that were soft and hard, thus broadening their understanding of the fascinating world of the senses.
Year 2 have had another fabulously busy week. In Topic, they explored the fascinating job of a palaeontologist and discussed the process of fossilisation which the boys greatly enjoyed. Art was closely linked with the boys trying out their newly acquired skills with foil, endeavouring to create dinosaurs which was wonderful! In English, they looked at building sentences and ensuring that the right components were there before focussing on punctuation with the boys identifying where to use exclamation marks, question marks and full stops. In Maths, they have continued learning about addition and subtraction, particularly looking at number bonds to 100. Science took us to our diets with the boys looking at what a healthy diet comprises. They had great fun cutting and sticking a variety of foods onto their grid.
The boys have eagerly worked hard at learning their Harvest songs in preparation for Monday and we look forward to welcoming you all to our Harvest Festival.
I wish you all an enjoyable weekend.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Oren Dhillon & Luke Leeds | RW: Fox Baber & Nicolai Olsson |
1T: Jasper Coe & Henry Leyland | 1W: Jacob Smith & Max Woodward |
2JP: Rahil Bhasin & Freddie Tarr | 2LC: Ben Lomax & Zephan Warren |
Kindness Cup: Noah Duncan | |
The boys have come back following Half-Term full of enthusiasm, approaching their tasks with great gusto and enjoying the company of their friends
Reception have continued to explore colour and have focused on purple. Using shades of purple, the boys made a class octopus using purple paper chains. Their colourful rainbows are now complete having added hues of purple and they are very proud of them. The boys revisited the letter sounds learnt last half of term, they have concentrated on ‘u’ and ‘b’ in RWI sessions ensuring they are forming their letter shapes using the cursive script (very tricky). The Mathematics focus has been on 1 more. The children have explored the concept of more and have demonstrated their understanding using a range of practical resources. They have also begun to understand the concept of addition, adding 1 more and seeing this as a number sentence. Using our Decision 1 scheme, they listened to the story Rainbow is Angry with Purple, before discussing the feeling of anger and what things can make us experience this emotion. The boys thoroughly enjoyed using their knowledge of primary colours to mix these and make secondary colours, displaying their colour mixing skills on some colour wheels, incorporating collage materials.
In English, Year 1 delved into traditional tales, learning the captivating narrative of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Through drama, they skilfully retold the tale, which helped them to sequence the story. Furthermore, the boys explored some of the vocabulary embedded within the text, thinking about synonyms for the words ‘big’ and ‘small’ in order to expand their vocabulary. In Maths, the boys have used their understanding of number bonds to support with adding; they have begun to solve addition-based word problems, honing their critical thinking skills. In Science, the boys have embarked on an engaging exploration of the seasons and have discussed the characteristics that define each season. Harnessing the creative potential of 2PaintA Picture in Computing, the boys drew inspiration from Kandinsky’s renowned concentric circles painting, using the ‘spinner’ feature to recreate this image.
In English, Year 2 looked at the art of Instruction Writing with the boys eagerly working in small groups to write instructions to make a jam sandwich! It is fair to say that we did not end up with anything edible if we had followed their initial instructions; however, as the week has progressed, they have improved immeasurably with the week culminating in written instructions on “How to make a monster sandwich”! In Topic, they continued to look at fossils with the boys having a go at producing their own fossils which were most impressive! This led to drawing them in Art with some brilliant ammonites. In Maths, the boys have been working on the tricky concept of adding and subtracting across ten. The boys are being encouraged to both show their workings as well as use the practical equipment available to them so that they can gain a thorough understanding of the method. In Science, they discussed the importance of looking after our teeth and instigated an experiment looking at tooth enamel and the dangers of different liquids such as squash, vinegar, cola and water. They are eagerly anticipating the results next week!
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Yuvan Goyal and Raheem Osman | RW: Louis Coyle & Fraser Kirkpatrick |
1T: Harry Boon & Bryn Lewis | 1W: Arthur Busby & Calhan Rochford |
2JP: Benjy Burrard Lucas George Du Beke | 2LC: Felix Hobbs & Hudson Witsberger |
Kindness Cup: Ethan Loftus | |
2LC kicked off the class assemblies for this half of term with an assembly all about Remembrance. They spoke with reverence taking into account the sensitivity of this annual event. With a retell of ‘Where the Poppies Grow’ and a song, it was a lovely assembly and one the boys should be very proud of. A big well done to all involved.
Reception’s learning focus has been on seasonal change and how the season of autumn affects nature. The boys have explored the various seasons that happen throughout the year and how each affects our climate. They have learnt about animals that explore their environment by day and which are nocturnal. Following the story Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, the boys created effective owl art using various collage materials and paint. They then wrote their own facts about owls. Our RWI sounds have been ‘f’, ‘e’ and ‘l’. Having listened to the very popular The Rainbow Fish, they created their own colourful fish and had a go at writing how we can be a good friend. In Mathematics, the boys have explored making one less and have looked at this as a take away calculation. They have also used number lines to understand the concept of one less as counting back. Our ‘Ten Town’ visit allowed us to meet ‘Seal Six’. They have been getting ready for our Remembrance Service on Friday and have been talking about what the service involves.
This week in Year 1, the boys have been busy with a writing project where they planned an alternate version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. They explored various options for changing the story, such as altering the characters, ultimately deciding to change the three animals crossing the bridge in the valley. In Maths, the boys have been working to deepen their understanding of fact families, specifically focusing on addition and subtraction operations. In Art, the boys used their skills in blending techniques to create a poignant Remembrance Day piece. Their artwork captured the imagery of the sun setting over Flanders Fields, paying tribute to this important day. For Science this week, they enthusiastically shared their observations of seasonal changes, specifically those occurring during autumn. They also pondered the potential transformations they might witness as winter sets in. Overall, it has been a tremendously productive and successful week for Year 1.
Year 2 have had a fabulous week filled with excitement as they have started their Nativity Rehearsals! The boys have been working hard at their lines, learning how to inject expression and drama into their character. Alongside this, they have been learning about verbs with the boys identifying different verbs within a picture and then using these within in a sentence. In Maths, they have continued to work on honing their addition and subtraction skills both crossing and not crossing ten which is a tricky concept to master. Lots of practical work has taken place to aid consolidation. We have also focused on adding and subtracting in tens which the boys have enjoyed. In Topic, they sorted the dinosaurs according to what they eat using the boys’ prior knowledge of carnivore, omnivore and herbivore. In Science, the boys were eager to see the results of their teeth experiment and were astonished by the results – who would have though squash could do so much damage? Finally, they have thought about the importance of Remembrance and produced a beautiful poppy watercolour painting.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Idris Mead & Louis Mileham Robin | RW: Austin Howarth-Hough & Vivaan Mehta |
1T: Charlie Edgar & Yuvraj Kataria | 1W: Khuśh Arjan & Joshua Thompson |
2JP:Hugo Carter Shaw & Coareigh Rochford | 2LC: Nirvair Bhamra & Jude Boyle |
Kindness Cup: Jack McGee | |
1T shared an important message in their assembly this week, that of perseverance. With a retelling of the story The Hope-o-potamus and an excellent song that included the line ‘I can’t do it …..yet’ they managed to get across the importance of keeping on trying, one that I am hopeful the boys in the audience have taken on board. Congratulations to all involved for a truly super assembly!
Reception have stepped up a gear with learning new letters and sounds and embarking on their first digraph ‘sh’. The children are doing very well in forming their letters using the cursive script and are word-building as well as constructing some sentences. The Maths focus has been on composition of numbers to 10, in which the boys have explored how to make various numbers using different practical apparatus to help with the understanding of how two parts can make a whole and these can change. The weekly visit to ‘Ten Town’ has enabled them to meet ‘Sir Seven’. Thoughts have turned to the festive season and the boys have already begun some Christmas art and craft. They have begun to learn about the Christmas Story and have spoken about Diwali too.
It has been a productive week in Year 1. In English lessons, the boys successfully completed their alternative version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. They skilfully used their story plans, incorporating a variety of sentences openers and adjectives to enhance the richness of their writing. In Mathematics, the focus has been on subtraction. The boys constructed subtraction stories, employing the key vocabulary, ‘first’, ‘then’ and ‘now’. They demonstrated a keen understanding of using a number line to answer subtraction questions. In PSHE, the boys found inspiration in the story, A Pig is Moving In, contributing to meaningful discussions during Anti-Bullying Week. The week is concluding on a high note with a captivating PSHE workshop led by A-Life, centred on the theme of Being Healthy, taking place today.
Year 2 have had another fabulous week with the Nativity really starting to take shape thanks for the hard work from the boys. They all know their lines, which is excellent at this early stage. In Maths, we have continued to consolidate the tricky topic of addition and subtraction both crossing and not crossing 10 as well as introduced the boys to vertical addition. In English, they had the pleasure of watching The Snowman as this forms the basis of their learning over the next couple of weeks as we work to reinvent this fantastic Christmas Story. In Science, they started the new topic of Materials with the boys sorting different materials and then discussing all the different uses for them. The final topic session on Dinosaurs looked at what led to their extinction, with many theories flying around the classroom; ultimately, it was decided that the asteroid hitting earth was the most likely – but still, it was a brilliant discussion. In Art, the boys produced a beautiful winter painting of the moon silhouetted with branches.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Owen Byers & Harman Singh | RW: Harjaap Bhatia and Gabriel Hussain |
1T: Ethan Loftus & Ibrahim Rahman | 1W: Yuvraj Kotecha & Jasper Lou |
2JP: Ethan Edwards & Henry Johnson | 2LC: Jenson Goodwin & Patrick McHugh |
Kindness Cup: Luca Robb | |
RW brought this term’s class assemblies to a close with a wonderful assembly on the Seasons. The boys spoke clearly about the subject and discussed the story Bear Snores On which they had obviously enjoyed sharing. Their hibernation song was simply fabulous – their enthusiasm, energy and joy made the whole Pre-Prep, staff included, smile – what a wonderful way to start the day! The very apt prayer on remembering to take time to appreciate what we have and to take time for ourselves was a very important message to spread. Well done RW!
Christmas has begun in Reception with various Christmas craft projects as well as our first Nativity rehearsal with the rest of the Pre-Prep. The children have enjoyed learning the new letter sounds ‘j’, ‘v’ and ‘y’. Their word building skills are developing at pace as is their sentence writing. In Mathematics the boys have learnt about 2D shapes which include introduction to some complex shapes, such as Pentagon, Hexagon and Octagon. The children have displayed wonderful enthusiasm for the multiple sided shapes. We took the boys on a shape hunt around the School, spotting shapes in the environment. This has continued throughout the week. Whenever we have left the classroom, the children have searched for various shapes. Properties of shape have been discussed, encouraging them to use relevant mathematical vocabulary. Following the story Tree, by Britta Teckentrup, we explored the various seasons that we have in the UK and completed some art work reflecting what we had learnt.
In English, Year 1 were captivated by the alternative fairytale Prince Cinders, where they used their pre-existing knowledge of the classic Cinderella tale to predict key plot developments. Employing their inference skills, boys observed the correlation between story objects and their respective characters. In Maths, the boys enthusiastically embarked on a new topic—Shapes. They delved into the intricacies of 2D and 3D shapes, carefully listing their distinctive properties. Meanwhile, in Science, where they showcased their creativity by fashioning wind measurement devices. With card, tissue paper, and glue, they crafted windsocks, exploring the School grounds to ascertain wind direction and identify sheltered areas. In Music, their enthusiasm continued, with the boys practicing songs for the upcoming Nativity performance. The joy and passion emanating from their singing sessions are truly heartening to witness, reflecting their genuine passion for musical expression.
Year 2 have enjoyed a packed week as we busily prepare for our wonderful Nativity next week. The boys have worked hard to remember their lines; song words and stage directions and the Year 2 team are very proud of them. Away from rehearsals, they have continued with addition and subtraction incorporating both vertical addition and subtraction using the Dienes to help explain the regrouping and exchanging. The boys also looked at comparing sentences using the language of greater than/less than and equal to. In English, they had great fun inventing their own snow creature ready for the re-write of the Snowman. The boys thought carefully about which adjectives to use and even came up with their own expanded noun phrases. We have also looked at word classes with the boys sorting nouns/adjectives/verbs and adverbs. In Science, they continued with the topic of Materials and discussed the importance of recycling. Art saw them finishing the lovely ‘Moon by Night’ pictures which are proudly displayed around the Year 2 classrooms.
We hope you all have a great weekend and look forward to welcoming you all to our Nativity performances next week.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Noah Clare & Jacob Middleton | RW: Luca Prothon & Isaac Windsor |
1T: Ethan Farrell & Edward Ross | 1W: Luca Robb & Joey Tonkyn |
2JP: Yusuf Ali & Archie Bourke | 2LC: Morgan Barnfield & Arjan Rai |
Kindness Cup: Zephan Warren | |
It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in the Pre-Prep with a Santa’s grotto appearing as if by magic and, of course, three performances of our Nativity. The boys have simply been amazing throughout and I am extremely proud of them all. Year 2 have led the way articulating their lines well, taking account of the various stage direction they have been given and of course singing with smiles on their faces. Year 1 for their part have added their voices beautifully, whilst Reception simply melted hearts! A big well done and thank you to all involved.
This week Reception have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the story Ruby’s Worry, by Tom Percival. This has provided creative opportunities which have been embraced across the curriculum areas. In Literacy they have thought about feelings, beginning with what makes them happy and how they can make others happy. They have also discussed certain worries that they may have. The boys had a go at scribing their ideas using their knowledge of letters and sounds. We have also discussed various emotions that the story has touched on, the main theme being empathy. The boys used various sized pom poms to make their own worry. As the story refers to various mathematical concepts, including the passing of time as well as size as Ruby’s worry gets bigger, these ideas have been explored in Mathematics sessions by sequencing activities that take place in the day and in the evening. The boys have also learned the names of the days of the week and have put these in order. Using a range of objects, they have sorted these according to size using relevant mathematical vocabulary. As the weather has begun to cool the children created some watercolour winter trees in their Art sessions.
It has been another brilliant week in Year 1. With a crispness in the air and the enchanting Nativity performances, the Spirit of Christmas has certainly graced their classrooms this week. In Topic, the boys displayed enthusiasm while learning about Continents and Oceans. Using an atlas, they labelled the seven continents and five oceans, thoroughly enjoying learning the songs to help them remember the names. In English, the boys wrote recounts of the narrative, Prince Cinders. Using a text map to support them, they organised their thoughts into sentences and paragraphs, and enriched their compositions with adjectives. In Science, the boys engaged in thoughtful contemplation about winter activities and how we keep warm. They learned about various strategies employed by animals during the cold winter months, including migration, hibernation and adaptation. In Maths, the boys identified and named 2D shapes. They thought about how they could group the shapes based on their unique properties.
Year 2 have been brilliant this week and we could not be prouder of their efforts throughout the Nativity. Aside from the last minute rehearsals, they have still managed to pack in a lot of work. In Maths, they have completed addition and subtraction work whilst introducing Shape which they have really enjoyed. In English, they have spent the week working on their invent story of a snow creature with the boys producing box-it-up plans, text maps as well as writing the full version of their story. They all had a fun afternoon on Wednesday with the boys making a variety of Christmas themed art.
I look forward to seeing you all at the Christmas Market this evening, and I wish you a lovely weekend.
Mrs Battersby, Head of Pre-Prep
Star Boys
RSW: Ethan Clark & Rupert Scott | RW: Arthur Hale & Arjan Rai |
1T: Hugo Hughes & Clifford Labuschagne | 1W: Edwin Coldham & Frank Heal |
2JP: Oliver Dickinson & Oscar Lowden | 2LC: George Hamilton & Felix Hobbs |
Kindness Cup: Aaran Patel | |
What others say about us…
