Wishing you all a wonderful Easter break with your children.
Here are some seasonal teasers which I hope you will share with your children to keep everyone's minds ticking over until we return. Answers on a postcard, please!
I’m an oval shape, full of delight,
You’ll find me hidden—out of sight.
Crack me open, what’s inside?
A tasty treat, in chocolate I hide!
(What am I?)
I hop and bounce but have no ball,
In fields and burrows, I stand tall.
Though I bring eggs, I lay none,
Who am I? Let's have some fun!
I grow on trees, in pinks and whites,
When the wind blows, I may take flight.
I bloom in spring, then fade away,
What am I? Can you say?
I come after winter, fresh and new,
With raindrops, flowers, and skies so blue.
I wake the world from its deep sleep,
What am I? Take a leap!
Joff
Nursery - The Joy or Spring and Easter!
Sarah Wolford - Head of Nursery & Kindergarten
The Little Vines Nursery has been full of the joys of spring as we celebrate Mother's Day and Easter!
The children have been learning about new life and growth and, with this in mind, we planted our spider plant babies to give as gifts for Mother’s Day.
The sun has been shining for us all and on Thursday we went on an Easter Parade to show off the beautiful Easter crowns the children have created. Chef Bear helped us to bake one of the children’s favourite cakes, which are scrummy chocolate Easter nests, of course!
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!
Kindergarten - Easter Celebrations and Exciting Adventures!
Catherine Garlick - Kindergarten Teacher
What a fun-filled last week of the Lent term we have enjoyed. The week started with the class dressing up and acting out the Christian story of Easter and it was a joy to see the awe and wonder on the faces of the children as they took on various roles and retold the story. On Wednesday we enjoyed our first school trip. Everyone was very excited to go on a school bus to the De La Warr Pavilion where we were treated to an enthralling production of ‘The Smartest Giant in Town.’ We have also enjoyed watching to see what would happen to our frog spawn and we now have tadpoles! The week ended with a wonderful Easter Assembly, an Easter Egg hunt and a visit from the Easter bunny.
Reception - Exploring 3D Shapes, Celebrating Mother’s Day, and Growing in Confidence!
Holly Newton - Reception Teacher
This week we have been learning about the properties of more 3D shapes, so we have now been introduced to the cube, cuboid, cone, sphere and cylinder. We went for a shape hunt around our school and looked for ‘real’ 3D shapes in our school environment. We were so excited when we found each one! We learnt how a tally chart works and completed our own tally chart for shapes we found. This was so much easier than trying to remember them all!
We have also been thinking about the traditions associated with Mother’s Day and all the things our mothers do to look after us and to show us that they love us. We thought about what we could do to say thank you and we hand-printed our own heart-shaped card for our mothers with what we hope are their favourite colours! We then loved rubbing our hands together to see what new colour we made with the two colours we had chosen!
We had a wonderful time in the pool this week and have been getting better at floating on our front and backs. We had a go at holding hands and floating on our fronts to make a sunflower shape. It was hard to keep hold of two other people's hands but we tried and tried and didn’t give up! We have also been swimming on our fronts with ‘rocket arms’ and some of us even swam out of our depths on our backs. We were very brave!
Year 1's Journey Around the Continents: Exploring Animals and Sharing Knowledge
Jacklyn Garwood - Year 1 Teacher
Year 1 used atlases this week, discovering which animals are found on each of the seven continents. We drew our own animals and plotted them completing our ‘continent ‘map’ for the term. The children worked in small groups researching animal groups and recording facts about them. At the end of the week the children became ‘Animal Experts’ extending their learning to the other children in Pre-Prep by sharing all that they had learnt. What a super end to our term Year 1 - well done!
Year 2 - A Week of Creativity, Learning and Fond Farewells
Louise Hawtin - Year 2 Teacher
We have had a busy week making Easter cards, Mother’s Day cards and writing non-chronological reports about honeybees.
As well as this the children were treated to a trip to the De La Warr to watch 'The Smartest Giant in Town'. Everyone had a lovely time and there was lots of laughter during the performance. Everyone was shocked to spot Mr Attwood on the way back to the minibus!
We also said a fond farewell to Mrs Parsk who has been teaching the class every Friday. The children have loved seeing her each week and have particularly enjoyed her wonderful RE lessons. We will all miss her lots.
Year 3 - Creative Writing, Outdoor Adventures, and Teamwork!
Carina Everist - Year 3 Teacher
After completing their compositions inspired by a Michael Foreman book, Year 3 fully embraced their English lessons - even after a late night at 'Cinders!' They read their stories aloud to one another, offering thoughtful feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Year 3 also made the most of the sunshine during Forest School, where they crafted delicious garlic bread using wild garlic, created dream catchers, built wooden animals with nails and found materials, and worked together to construct a massive den.
A big thank you to Amy and Laura for another fantastic morning!
Cinders!
Mary Alderson - Head of Drama
On the evening of 25th March 2025 the Chaplin Theatre was transformed into the fairy tale world of poor, downtrodden Cinders, her three very ugly sisters, an obnoxious prince, an old and rather hopeless fairy and a loyal friend, as Year 3&4 mastered Nick Cornall’s rhyming script, a retelling of the Cinderella story.
Sia A was a charming Cinders, with Percy A as her devoted Buttons. Annabel B, Isabel VG and Daisy W looked amazing in their outrageous costumes and ridiculous make-up, making Cinders’ life a misery and squabbling with each other incessantly under the watchful and exasperated eye of their father, William C. The “monumental wally” Prince Charming was played with great aplomb by Amelie V, with his sycophantic chum Lord Witty (Barnaby P) always at his side. Evie E and George S made very imposing royalty, carefully waited on by footmen, Xavier OR and Ned E. Teddy W was a wonderfully hapless fairy, wielding her broken wand with varying degrees of success. Monty C, Jacob E, Indigo LS and Vivi L were an excellent group of Lords and Ladies.
Our lovely Year 3s were a delightful chorus of mice, enhancing the singing and dancing with great skill.
Sue Glossop has worked hard all term to teach the children so many charming songs and some of the Year 4 cast opted for solos. This is tremendously brave for such young children and showed off their talents very effectively. We were delighted to have Caroline Fox, our excellent peripatetic piano teacher, accompany the action, with IT Superhero, Dave Clarke, on recording duties.
Huge thanks to Head of Art, Tracey Konyu, for facilitating the eye-catching backdrop, and to all the staff and parents who supported the production throughout. But even bigger thanks to the wonderful Kate Hunt for her creativity and skill; the costumes were an absolute triumph and, as always, my appreciation of, and gratitude to, Kate is boundless and heartfelt.
It was wonderful to see the children’s confidence and skill blossom as rehearsals progressed. An experience such as this is proof enough of the many valuable opportunities provided through working as a group, overcoming difficulties, trying to support one’s peers and learning that it is a huge amount of work to produce something worthy of public performance. There can be no doubt that our children rose to the challenge and each one of them shone like a little magical fairy and deserved the standing ovation!
Year 5 - Visit to Woodside Farm
Jennie Clease - Learning Support
This week Year 5 visited Woodside Farm in Iden Green. Prior to their visit, they had each thought about questions they would like answered and enjoyed their Q&A session as budding reporters, delving into what it is like to be a farmer, and life on a farm.
As we have been reading 'Charlotte's Web' by E B White in English and it has been the focus of our drama lessons, visiting a farm with a real pet pig was a superb opportunity and the children really enjoyed meeting Ethel, seeing some new-born lambs and watching their clever Border Collie, Poppy, rounding up some mischievous sheep.
We would like to thank Tobin and Jo Bird for giving us such a fascinating and interesting tour of the farm.
Year - Creating rainbows in the lab
Becky Prior - Head of Science
Year 7 pupils have been exploring the fascinating world of chemistry by creating their own rainbows using acids, alkalis and neutralisation reactions. Using universal indicator solution, they observed vibrant colour changes as they carefully balanced substances to achieve different pH levels. Some pupils even managed to produce every colour on the pH scale: a true testament to their precision and scientific curiosity!
This hands-on experiment not only enhanced their understanding of chemical reactions but also brought science to life in a fun and engaging way. Well done to all our budding chemists for their enthusiasm and impressive results!
Year 8 - Steam Punk Letters
Tracey Konyu - Head of Art
This term, the theme of the lessons has been 'Identity' and the Steam Punk Art movement.
The Year 8 pupils have been studying the style by creating photomontages in Photoshop and using an array of digital skills to capture this sometimes bizarre art style.
They furthered their project work with three-dimensional faux metallic letters. They constructed their letter and embellished it with Steam Punk inspired elements such as washers, bolts, clock parts and other mechanical found objects. The letters were embellished with stencils, capturing both man-made and natural form. Some will be hung on a wall and some used as bookends.
Year 8 - 8L Treating Ms Linney to their Piano Playing
Ally Linney - Deputy Head Pastoral and DSL
I was delighted to receive an invitation from Sue Glossop and 8L who asked if I would like to come along to their Music lessons and to see what they have been learning this term. Pupils have been studying various arias from Bizet's opera 'Carmen' and have all learned to play an arrangement of the Toreador's song with chordal accompaniment.
It was lovely to see the pupils working collaboratively and courageously performing for me. The pupils in 8L do not take formal piano lessons, so it was very impressive to see how they have developed their piano-playing skills this term. I am already looking forward to future visits to the Music Department and to see (and hear) my Form group shine.
Thank you, Sue! Thank you, 8L!
Year 8 - Macbeth
Mary Alderson - Head of Drama
This being my absolute favourite Shakespeare play, I have enjoyed teaching Macbeth this term to enhance the work the children are doing in English. A firm believer that the Bard wanted his material performed, rather than ripped to academic shreds, after some initial sessions on themes, images and characters, I used a short script I had prepared, using some of Shakespeare’s most famous dialogue, interspersed with scenes paraphrased by me. We had an interesting session on whether a section was Mr S or Mrs A and I was surprised (and secretly flattered) that they sometimes mistook me for him! The resulting performance on Thursday must have been somewhat difficult for the younger children to follow, featuring at least five Macbeths, three Lady Ms and 30 weird sisters, but I was very proud of all the performers.
Knitting Club
Acorn Clayton - Head of Modern Languages
Knitting Club was a cosy retreat during the dark cold evenings early in Lent term.
Six novice knitters picked up their needles for the first time in January. They learned to cast on, hold wool and needles at the same time, knit neat rows and concentrate on finger skills while chatting and getting to know each other better. We have had a very relaxed end to our Mondays this term, resulting in some lovely friendships across year groups and some super creative knitted puppets and toys.
Mahaut is making a very cosy chunky knit scarf. Kelly has knitted very cute finger puppets (a dinosaur and an Easter chick) to take home to her family, Teddie is making a pretty lacey lilac scarf, and Aayat made a hand-warmer and a little cuddly creature.
Saxton Charity Event
Artiom, Fleur, Monty and Max - Saxton House Leaders
Saxton raised £90 during our House charity event! Last Friday, everyone had the chance to wear comfy clothes or pyjamas to support the cause. It was asked that pupils and staff could bring in a box of cereal for the foodbank in Hastings. With the cereal boxes, Saxton decided to create a circle of dominos around the top of the school library. The money raised will be donated to our House charity, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
What is a food bank?
- A food bank is a place where someone can donate food, and they can give it out to the homeless or people that can’t afford food to eat.
- Can anyone come to a food bank? Well, no you need a voucher where they scan it and ask how much you would like and how many people you are trying to feed.
- How do you get these cards? You can get them from your school or the local police station or social care.
Where does the food get sent to?
After donation, food normally goes to food banks, shelters, and communities that distribute it to individuals and families in need. These organisations may further process the food through programmes like meal services, pantries and community kitchens.
Why are food banks made?
Food banks are a way to show community support, and not merely about handing out groceries. They foster a sense of community, enabling volunteers, donors and supporters to give back to the community.
On Thursday 27th March 2025, the pupils who went to the foodbank were the Saxton Year 8s: Monty P, Max P, India P, Poppy O and one of our House Captains, Fleur L. And the Year 7s were Pauline Y and Lucie B. Mrs Alderson, of Saxton, and Ms Linney came to help too.
Hastings Foodbank
We were greeted by a young man who is a volunteer at Hastings Foodbank. From him, we learnt that they will weigh the food/cereal and then count the boxes. When they get back to us we will learn the total weight of the food/cereal and the amount of boxes. In recent years, Hasting Foodbank has been the busiest one in England. He taught us how the voucher system works and how they store the food items that are donated. Visiting the food bank was an interesting experience because none of us had visited a food bank before.
Eco Committee Walk
Alara K and the Eco Committee
This Wednesday, the Eco Committee led a nature walk around the beautiful grounds, as we decided this would be our Lent Term Two project. We invited parents and dogs. The sky was sunny and the birds were chirping. We walked around the big trees and back. Staff, children and parents alike started their morning joyfully, after a happy time in the sunshine. We are already planning our next walk for the Summer Term.
Boarding - A Fun-Filled Weekend: Easter Egg Hunts, Bowling and Sweet Treats!
Kath Kirkwood - Head of Boarding
Saturday morning started with the Easter egg hunt in the grounds. The boarders joined staff, parents and children from both Marlborough house and Vinehall for a lovely walk through the grounds. They had ice cream, bacon butties and had a wonderful time culminating in a chocolate Easter egg reward.
On Saturday afternoon we took a trip to the big Tesco to stock up on tuck and to buy gifts for Lenten friends. Once back at school everyone was relaxed and we spent the afternoon watching a movie in the common room.
On Sunday morning the children had an enormous breakfast and then we went to Tunbridge Wells to bowl. Nearly everyone was still full of breakfast, so we waited until late afternoon and then ordered pizza from Battle. Finally, it was time to start getting ready for the week and we even started tidying rooms and getting suitcases ready for the trip home.
I hope everyone has a lovely Easter holiday.
Inter-House Girls' Football Matches Report
Laura Percy-White and Jon Newman - PE
This week saw plenty of excitement and enthusiasm as the Inter-House Girls' Football matches took place.
On Tuesday, the Year 3 and 4 girls proudly donned their House tops and took to the pitches with great energy and team spirit. Throughout the afternoon, there were plenty of enthusiastic tackles, impressive goals and determined teamwork on show. After a series of well-fought matches, Rushton emerged as the champions, collecting an impressive 13 points. Saxton followed closely behind with 10 points; Paxton finished third with 8 points; and Ashton secured 1 point.
On Wednesday, it was the turn of the Year 7 and 8 girls, who also played with great determination and a sense of fair play. Under glorious sunshine, the older girls showcased some excellent football skills, making for an enjoyable and competitive day. In the end, it was Saxton who claimed victory with 13 points, while Ashton finished as runners-up with 8 points. Rushton and Paxton shared third place, each earning 6 points.
Across both days, there were smiles all around, lots of fun, and fantastic displays of house spirit and teamwork. Well done to everyone who took part!
Sport - End of Term Round-up!
Matt McKinnon - Director of Sport
What a wonderful week of sport to finish the term. With football and hockey House matches dotted between regular fixtures the pitches were as busy as they have been all term. I apologise for starting to sound like a stuck record, but is really pleasing to see the progress all the pupils have made on the football and hockey pitches over the last few weeks. It is always a shame that we have to stop and move onto to the next sport, but that is the beauty of a Prep school. I would like to thank all the staff for their hard work over the last ten weeks and the parents for their continued support on the side of the pitch on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
A few statistics from the term:
- 13 Rugby matches;
- 23 Netball matches;
- 69 Hockey matches;
- 46 Football matches;
- 3 Swimming Galas;
- 3 Hockey Tournaments;
- 1 Cross Country event.