Nursery
Toddlers Little Owls
This week in our Little Owls room has been vibrant and exciting as we welcomed everyone back and greeted new families joining the Hatherop Castle community. The children enjoyed playing with lavender-themed play dough and explored the sensory experience of oranges in our citrus tray. We crafted welcome back cards, unleashing a burst of creativity, and explored our environment with enthusiasm. Role play as builders was a big hit, along with making lots of pretend tea.
Our days were further enriched with music, dance, and PE, adding rhythm and movement to our routines. We added a touch of magic by creating enchanting moments with magic wands and immersing ourselves in the story of Room on the Broom. It’s been a week filled with exploration, imagination, and joyful discovery.
Next week, we will immerse ourselves in the beauty of autumn, exploring the fabulous grounds for autumn treasures and bringing them back to nursery for creative play. We welcome any autumn-themed treasures from home if your little ones find any over the weekend!
Pre-Reception Owls
It's been wonderful to welcome back our Owls and their families to the new classroom! The children have enjoyed exploring their environment and settling into their new nursery routine.
This week, they learned about leaves, apples, and acorns. From nature walks to creative activities, the experiences offered sensory play, maths, and self-expression. During their nature walk around the castle grounds, the children noticed the changing leaves, animal traces, and weather, sparking conversations about autumn. In the classroom, they shared the colours they'd seen, creating leaf confetti and crowns.
Healthy eating was introduced through the topic of apples. The children played with the apple pie tuff tray, exploring smells and textures. Using spoons and forks to mix and transport the mixture helped develop cutlery skills. The children also loved a science experiment with fizzy paints, predicting the reaction of baking soda and vinegar.
To learn about where fruit comes from, they planted apple seeds in a transparent tube, fostering responsibility as they nurture the seeds to grow.
"Shake the acorn!" involved putting acorns in a biscuit tin with paint, creating art and a new musical instrument! Next week, they'll explore hedgehogs and owls, collecting feathers and twigs to enhance their play and projects.
Pre-Prep
Reception
What a busy first week in Reception! There is so much to remember now that we are in the stable yard. To help with lining up, we learnt a rhyme: “My feet are facing forward, my hands are by my side, my lips are zipped together, I'm ready for the line!” This helps us create a silent, straight, still, and smiling line.
In class, we began phonics lessons. Miss Crane’s phonics box contains objects matching the sound of the day. For the letter 'a', we made apple crumble, with children using their funky fingers to cut apples and rub the butter and flour together. When learning 't', Ted the Tiger asked the children to help him make tea and toast! The children cut mint, strained tea, and squeezed tea bags to brew tea. They also taught Ted how a toaster works, using words like soft, bumpy, crispy, and crunchy to describe the toast. Ted is very grateful for their help!
Prep 1
Prep 1 have thoroughly impressed their teachers with their positive attitudes and keen interest in learning this week. Highlights have included making a class counting book, designing dragons from junk (inspired by our class text The Adventures of Egg Box Dragon), and drumming rhythms inspired by the mouse battle scene in The Nutcracker. Using A.A. Milne’s poem Now We Are Six as a stimulus, the children reflected on key milestones in their lives so far in order to plot a timeline. They were also excited to be given a design brief in DT to design and make a magical clay dragon eye – we can’t wait to see how these will turn out!
Prep 2
Prep 2 have risen to the challenge of taking on greater responsibility now that they are at the top of the Pre-Prep! Roles include friendship buddies, lost property monitors, and gate monitors. A gate monitor’s role is to greet the children arriving at the Pre-Prep in the morning. As well as offering a cheerful welcome, our monitors help children carry their belongings and accompany them to the classroom if they need support. They have been a lovely addition to our morning routine, and we look forward to seeing different faces each day!
Middle School
Prep 4’s First Science Lab Adventure: Exploring Bunsen Burner Flames
Our Prep 4 children had their first exciting experience in the science lab this week, learning about the different types of flames produced by a Bunsen burner. Donning their safety goggles, the young scientists eagerly gathered around the lab tables to experiment with the burners under the careful guidance of Mrs Lazenby.
The lesson focused on observing how adjusting the air supply changes the colour and intensity of the flame. From the cooler, yellow safety flame to the roaring blue flame used for heating, the children were fascinated by the transformation. Their curiosity sparked further discussion about the science behind combustion, temperature, and the practical uses of Bunsen burners in various experiments.
This hands-on experience not only ignited their passion for science but also gave them a sense of responsibility and excitement as they engaged in real lab work for the first time. It was a fantastic introduction to the world of chemistry, and Prep 4 can't wait for their next adventure in the lab!
Prep 5’s Epic Adventure
Prep 5 returned to school brimming with pride and excitement after a successful three-day, two-night residential trip with Cumulus. The adventure was packed with challenges and new experiences, where children faced their fears head-on and discovered that determination, perseverance, and a great big dollop of friendship could help them conquer even the toughest tasks.
Each day brought something new and thrilling. From navigating tricky orienteering courses to working together on axe-throwing skills, the children developed a sense of teamwork, trust, and self-belief. The experience of making their own lunch proved a fun and valuable lesson in self-sufficiency, as they prepared burgers and snacks, bonding over the task and sharing in the results of their hard work. The children also tried their hand at clay printing, where their creativity shone as they crafted beautiful pieces to take home as a reminder of their adventure.
Beyond the physical activities, the trip was filled with opportunities to build friendships and create memories that will last a lifetime. Whether they were supporting one another through a challenging task or simply laughing around the campfire, the bonds that formed were undeniable.
The Prep 5 pupils returned to Hatherop Castle not only with a sense of achievement but also with a deeper understanding of their abilities and how teamwork and perseverance can lead to success. The residential trip has undoubtedly given them the confidence to face future challenges with the same resilience and positivity they showed during their Cumulus adventure.
Upper School
Prep 8 Geography Trip
Our Prep 8 pupils embarked on an unforgettable adventure on their first day in Swanage. The trip kicked off with a scenic coastal walk to the iconic Old Harry Rocks, where the children explored the stunning cliffs and learned about coastal erosion and various geological formations. Mr. Williams led the group, explaining how natural forces like wind and water shape the landscape over time. As they walked, the children observed the dramatic chalk stacks and cliff formations, bringing their geography lessons to life in a way that only hands-on learning can provide.
However, while the pupils found the geography fascinating, it’s safe to say their favourite moments of the day were less academic. Before the walk, they enjoyed a well-earned meal of fish and chips on the beach, basking in the fresh sea air. Another highlight was a energising pre-walk ice cream, which, according to the pupils, may have rivalled Mr. Williams' lesson as the highlight of the trip!
Activities
The Wild
This week, the children have enjoyed the Clubs and Activity programme in Pre-Prep. In addition to external offerings such as street dance, art, and karate, we also provide after-school clubs run by our Hatherop staff. In Wild Club this week, the children explored the grounds for signs of the changing season. They noticed that the weather had become cooler, the leaves were changing colour, and some were beginning to drop from the trees. Mrs King showed the children how to do rubbings from the interesting leaves they had collected, and the children decided that this technique was like a magic trick! The Prep 2 ‘Forest Fun’ group braved the rain and made it to the forest, while the Whizz Pop Bang children kicked off the term with the classic vinegar volcano experiment!
Mini Monkeys Art Class
Mini Monkeys enjoyed their first week on site at Hatherop Castle. This week their story was The Queen's Hat by Steve Antony. The children made crown puppets with colourful streamers, coloured their own hats for The Queen and decorated crowns with lots of shiny sequins! There was also an opportunity for sponge painting and stamping with royal themed stamps and stencils as well as some sensory play. And of course, a chance for their grown ups to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a catch up too!
Mini Monkeys is held in The PAC every Wednesday morning during term time from 9:15-10:15am and is suitable for toddlers and preschoolers. Sessions cost £7 per child (siblings £4). Booking is advised but not essential and full details can be found online at www.artycraftylittlemonkeys.co.uk