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SCHOOL NEWS
Harvest Festival Celebrations
Harvest Festival on Thursday was a joyous occasion, marking the first time our new school community has come together to celebrate. This was made even more special by the presence of parents and grandparents, who we hope enjoyed listening to the children's singing, reading and prayers - from the energetic waving, it was clear that the children enjoyed having their families in the audience!
The children in Pre-Prep performed brilliantly, with even our youngest members of the school joining in with enthusiasm. Adorned with homemade crowns and nature necklaces, the joys of autumn were brought to life through their songs and prayers, all delivered with confidence and pride. Well done, Pre-Prep.
Celebrations continued with the Prep School's Harvest Festival. In her usual fashion, Mrs McEwan had prepared a range of wonderful, energetic performances from each year group, and it was clear from the smiles of pupils and audience members alike that they were enjoyed by all. Our prefects delivered their poems and prayers with confidence, and it was wonderful to see them stepping into their roles of responsibility with such maturity.
Many thanks for all the kind donations for Dom's Food Mission. These will no doubt make a huge difference within our local community.
Rebecca Henderson, Head of English
Equestrian News
🐎 Lots of Firsts for Our Young Riders!🐎 - Very well done to Romilly C and Maggie S, who competed for MHV for the very first time at the weekend. Both girls looked incredibly smart in their new riding kit and showed great confidence around the show jumping course. They came home with many rosettes, including a first place and a first clear round unassisted. A fantastic start to their riding journeys at MHV, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve next!
Please contact Sharon Jones on sjones@mhvschool.co.uk if you would like more information about the MHV Equestrian Team.
🎯Shooting Success 🎯
A huge congratulations to Luella P who has recently won the Kent County Summer 2025 Shooting League (Division 4, 25 yards), proudly representing the Tunbridge Wells Target Shooting Club. Luella first discovered her talent for shooting during school activity sessions with Mr Mathers last year. We look forward to following her continued success. Well done Luella!
Football Tournament
It was a fantastic day of football as teams from MHV, St Ronan’s, SVPS, Bedes, Sacred Heart, Dulwich, Claremont, Rose Hill, and The Mead came together for an exciting tournament. The sun shone brightly, providing the perfect conditions for a day full of energy, enthusiasm, and great sportsmanship.
Throughout the day, spectators were treated to plenty of goals and some truly impressive displays of teamwork and skill. Every team played with determination, supporting one another and showing excellent spirit both on and off the pitch.
The tournament was a wonderful celebration of football, friendship, and fair play. Well done to all the players, coaches, and supporters for making it such a memorable and enjoyable event.
In addition, a huge congratulations to the U9A team for winning their tournament — unbeaten against some tough opponents! ⚽👏
PRE-PREP
Pre-Prep Autumn Walk
Families from across Pre-Prep joined us today for our much-loved Autumn Walk around the school grounds. With golden leaves underfoot and a crisp breeze in the air, it was the perfect way to celebrate the season together. Children, parents, and even a few four-legged friends enjoyed exploring the beautiful surroundings and spotting signs of autumn along the way.
Nicky Whitaker, Head of Pre-Prep
A big thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a warm and joyful community morning.
PREP
Boarding News Update
Over the past few weeks, the boarders have really settled into life at MHV. We’ve enjoyed a variety of weekend activities, including a trip to see the new Jurassic Park movie, an afternoon of bowling and mini golf, and, of course, some delicious ice cream by the beach!
We’ve also made the most of the lovely weather by spending plenty of time outdoors on the school grounds. The boarders have played “getting to know you” games and even built tree swings on the golf course.
This coming weekend, we’re looking forward to visiting Arena Pursuits for some exciting outdoor adventures before we begin packing up for half term.
The six weeks since the start of term have flown by, and I hope all the children have a wonderful and restful half term break!
Kath Kirkwood, Head of Boarding
Flexi - Boarding
The Boarders enjoyed a twilight treasure hunt around the school grounds on Wednesday night. Armed with torches and an insatiable appetite for edible treasure, they followed a trail of flour. Without even realising it, they covered 2km of paths before discovering Mr Powis’s hiding place — and a pile of giant marshmallows. Oh, to be an eternal child!
Joff Powis, Senior Deputy Head
Last night, the boarders enjoyed a make-your-own ice cream sundae evening. The sundaes featured a broad spread of Cornish cream vanilla ice cream, topped with chocolate and raspberry sauces, marshmallows, and sprinkles. Much ice cream was devoured — but, pleasingly, no sore tummies followed!
Nick Jensen, Deputy Head Pastoral
World Mental Health Day
Today is Mental Health Awareness Day. To recognise this, children were invited to wear a splash of their house colour with their uniform — whether a hairband, a pair of socks, a necklace, or (in one case) a pair of Marigold dish gloves!
Mrs Walker led a special chapel service encouraging us to consider the mental health — how our brains are feeling and thinking — of others. She also reinforced the message that we must take care of ourselves just as much as we care for those around us. Our own mental health matters.
Good mental health brings the sense of happiness that all children should be able to experience. Seeing all the colourful splashes around school was a joyous sight, and we hope it served as a subtle but powerful reminder to our young people to look after themselves — and each other.
Nick Jensen, Deputy Head Pastoral
Flexi Boarding Activities
We ensure that a night in the Boarding House is a really positive experience for our full, weekly and flexi boarders. In addition, we have two dedicated activities every week which may be of particular interest to our flexi boarders. Activity nights are on a Wednesday and Thursday and details of activities up to half-term are available below.
To arrange for your child to flexi board, please contact the Boarding Team on the link below:
CALENDAR
Please find below the calendar for next week.
MENU
Please find below the menu for next week. The menu is complemented by a wide selection of salads, jacket potatoes and cold food options, available daily to all pupils in the Prep School.
Coming Up
Fireworks
We are really looking forward to our next FoMHV event!
There will be mulled wine, sweets, candy floss, hot chocolate and glowsticks on sale from FoMHV, along with external catering offering hot dogs, burgers and a veggie option - please note both card and cash will be accepted on the night!
Due to licensing rules, tickets are limited (max 499 on site), so each family may book for 2 adults plus MHV children and their siblings. This ensures all MHV families can attend and we are exploring a larger licence for next year.
Please use the link below to book your tickets - it promises to be a fantastic evening!
Useful Links
Please note that the SOCS password is: mhvsport