Prep has been buzzing with activity this week. Trips, assemblies, IAPs athletics matches, music concerts, Year 7 transition days and gym competitions have made it a pretty busy week in Prep! Next week's Watch Dance Week will start with Year 6 Class Assembly and Moving Up Day on Monday, and don't forget that Curriculum Information sessions with information about your child's next academic year start in the first week of July. Please see all key dates in the Prep School Dates and Notices below.
What happened in School this week?
Well done to all our Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils for their fantastic performances at the Cakes and Concerto evening on Wednesday and a huge thank you to all parents for their ongoing support. The evening was a delightful blend of instruments and voices, highlighting the incredible talent within our school community.
Forest Explorers
The Euros have begun, and we have been getting into the football spirit! A new goalpost has been installed in the Prep School, and we have been enjoying penalty shoot-outs and taking on the roles of referees.
Reception
As part of our ‘Me and My Wonderful World’ topic the children in Reception have started learning about minibeasts. They have been on a minibeast hunt around the school grounds and the children have been fascinated by the minibeasts they have found and where they live! We have enjoyed stories about minibeasts and the children have enjoyed finding out facts about minibeasts too. The children have begun making their own minibeast books, full of facts about their favourite minibeasts. We are looking forward to sharing them with our buddies.
Year 1
Year 1 had a fantastic day at the Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium and we were treated to perfect beach school weather as we explored the coast line completing an ID of the area. The children made a series of interesting finds, such as crabs, sea gull feathers, cuttlefish and different types of seaweed as well as a collection and of interesting shells and pebbles! We even found a mermaid's purse, the egg casing belonging to a dogfish or shark. They also enjoyed seeing who could throw the furthest and a spot of sunbathing!
We were shown round the aquarium by Ali, an aquarist who is in charge of the welfare of the creatures in the centre. She taught us lots of interesting facts, including demonstrating how the archer fish feed - by spitting an arrow of water at their food! We also had the opportunity to see the fish and sharks having their lunch. The children were all brilliant; they asked excellent questions and shared their knowledge on the tour confidently. What a lovely day!
Year 2
On Monday, the Year 2 pupils delighted in reciting "Commotion in the Ocean" poems, immersing themselves in the wonders of marine life and the rhythmic beauty of poetry. These lively and imaginative poems captivated their attention and fully engaged them in our Under the Sea topic. They performed to the class and all used wonderful expressions and actions to help bring the playful language and vivid imagery alive.
Year 3
In maths Year 3 have been learning about 2D and 3D shapes. They have enjoyed using equipment to help them recognise and draw 2D shapes. In small groups they sorted 3D shapes into a venn diagram according to the types of faces they have.
Year 4
In a burst of colour and rhythm, Year 4 transported us to the heart of the Amazon rainforest during their captivating assembly on Wednesday. The stage came alive with vibrant costumes and the beat of carnival music filled the hall. There was much learning to share with parents and pupils and wonderful retelling of the Kapok Tree, using the children's own writing.
Year 5
In drama, Year Five faced the challenge of showing character and emotion without using speech. Instead they used their body, movement and a trestle mask. In addition, they were asked to find ways to 'pass the focus'. Groups used stage positioning and their heights to allow each performer to 'shine'.
Science lessons have been filled with questions and learning about the human life cycle. Adolescence, foetus, and embryo were new vocabulary words for some pupils but all were confident to discuss changes, rates of change and the key features of each stage of a human's life.
Year 6
On Tuesday, Year 6 took on the challenge of the Confidence Course! We had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon crawling through tunnels, climbing high walls, tackling the monkey bars and scrambling through the spiders web. It involved a lot of team work, collaboration and resilience. We look forward to repeating the fun next week. Alongside this, Year 6 have been measuring angles in maths, painting watercolours in art and finessing their assembly performances. We look forward to seeing you there on Monday!
Sport News
Year 2 and 3 gymnasts showcased their skills at the ISGA U8 competition hosted by Guildford High School. Mabel secured 1st place individually in the U8 category, while Harriet took 2nd. Margot also impressed, earning 2nd place in the U7 competition. Our Royal team clinched 1st place overall, with Mabel, Harriet, Margo, and Hannah leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Sky team secured 4th place, with Megan, Charlotte, Olivia, and Isla giving their best. Special kudos to Charlotte, who dazzled with the sparkliest floor routine.