From the Head Master
Activities Week
The children in Years 3 to 7 appear to have had a quite fantastic time this week. There has been such a range of activities going on, from treasure trails, to dance competitions, to fish puppet making, to sleepovers for Years 5 and 6 (albeit without much sleep!), not to mention all the wonderful trips that the children have been on this week. My enormous thanks to the members of staff for putting all these special activities and events together at what is already a very busy time of the term.
Outward Bound
Year 8 return from Outward Bound later this afternoon where, I am sure, they have had a splendid time themselves doing a variety of water activities, hiking and camping in the Welsh mountains. I am sure they will sleep well this weekend before returning for their final week as Spratton Hall pupils.
National Prep Schools Athletics Finals
I would like to wish all the very best to Emelia Hull and Ellie Allsopp who, having won through the Regional rounds, are competing in the National Prep Schools Athletics Finals in the Hurdles and Long Jump respectively, at Nuneaton on Monday. Good luck, girls!
Summer Concert
I am very much looking forward to this event next Tuesday evening, the culmination of the musical year. It is always so pleasing that so many children are involved in our music groups, choirs and ensembles and so wonderful to see them performing together on the stage.
Speech Day
With just a week to go until Prep School Speech Day, I would like to inform you of some of arrangements for the day. Firstly, the marquee will be located on the lower fields. Year 8 parents will be parking on the second terrace below the marquee so that they can unload their cars easily for the Year 8 picnic after the Prize Giving. All other parents will at first be filling up the car park spaces at the top before being directed down to the lower fields to park there.
I am sure it will be a wonderful event – the first time in three years that it will be ‘back to normal’ with all parents welcome to attend. Just to remind you that that our Guest Speaker is Bonita Norris, who was the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest at the age of 22. I look forward to seeing you there – it will, no doubt, be a very special day.
Thank you
Simon Clarke
MUSIC
Summer Concert – Tuesday 5th July
We are looking forward to our Summer Concert on Tuesday where we will get the opportunity to hear all of our music ensembles perform. A letter was sent out by Clarion earlier on this week with all of the details. Tea will be provided for all performers. Should you require a sibling tea, please inform the school office before the end of Friday at the latest. Refreshments will be served during both intervals.
Exam Success
Congratulations to Oscar Beynon and Archie Wright for achieving a Merit in their Grade 2 guitar exam. Congratulations also go to Matthew Bose for passing his Grade 3 guitar exam.
Musical Instruments
Please can all musical instruments be taken home at the end of term.
ACTIVITIES WEEK
It is the week all the children look forward to in the Summer term, Activities Week!
With Years 3-7 going out on visits to Harry Potter Studios, Sealife Centre, Alton Towers, Twycross Zoo, Pitsford Reservoir and Kidzania, then with Year 8 away all week at Outward Bound in Wales, it has been a full-on week of excitement. The children have also been taking part in ‘off-timetable’ activities within school. Click the link to the Galleries at the end of the newsletter to see more photographs.
TEMPORARY SCHOOL SHOP OPENING HOURS
Due to appointments for new pupils, there will be some changes/reductions to the school shop opening hours.
If you do experience difficulty visiting the shop during these times, please email schoolshop@sprattonhall.com with your order.
w/c 4th July Opening Hours:
Monday 4th July: 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Tuesday 5th July: Closed
Wednesday 6th July: 8.00am – 9.00am
Thursday 7th July: Closed – appointments only
Friday 8th July: Closed – Speech Day
PARENTS’ SPORT
Some Spratton Hall Dads (aka Hair Loss United) had their first competitive match this week, taking on a team a few decades younger and emerging with a creditable 6-4 loss.
You may have spotted them creaking around the car park this week!
PRE-PREP
STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are both an exciting and essential part of early education. At this critical stage of development, a young child’s brain will be making connections at speeds that it will never reach again. Therefore, immersing children in activities where they are communicating, solving problems, thinking critically, and creatively, is enormously valuable. Mrs Smith set up an intriguing afternoon of STEM activities in 1S this week, where the children worked with curiosity and determination in response to a range of challenges, such as … What is the tallest structure you can create using marshmallows and dried spaghetti? Every group has the same amount of paper, but who can create the longest paper chain? When dropping an egg from a small height, how can you stop the shell from breaking? Finally, using playdough and plastic cups only, who can create the longest marble run?
The egg experiment was particularly fascinating. Whilst the adults spent time carefully wrapping different materials around their eggs to protect the shell, the children immediately focused on creating a soft, cushioned landing pad – there were certainly plenty of marshmallows put to good use that afternoon!
On Thursday, Year 2 delivered a brilliant and heart-warming Final Assembly to reflect on their time in Pre-Prep. Many of the children’s memories stretched back to their early days in Reception and, watching them perform, it was wonderful to see how much the children have grown, not just in height, but in their abilities, skills and confidence too. The strong bonds of friendship that connect the children were clear to see and, as they sang ‘Because the friendship that you gave, has taught me to be brave. No matter where I go, I’ll never find a better prize (Giorgio Moroder, Electric Dreams) our heart strings were well and truly tugged.
With the Pre-Prep and Prep School Speech Days just around the corner, it will not be long now until the huge white marquee appears on the field. Marking the end of another productive, rewarding and successful year at school, our Pre-Prep Speech Day is a wonderful opportunity for all parents, friends and family to come together to celebrate the children’s achievement and effort, whilst also saying a fond farewell to our Year 2s as they make the move into the Prep School. It is a very special afternoon indeed and I look forward to seeing many of you there.
Finally, you will have seen from my letter emailed to you on Thursday, that Pre-Prep are proudly supporting the charity, ‘Sal’s Shoes’, once again this year. Instead of throwing away your child’s outgrown school shoes at the end of term, we are inviting you to donate them, should you wish to, by leaving them behind on the last day of term. It is quite humbling to think that, what may seem like old, worn shoes to us can, somewhere around the world, make a small child’s dream of attending school become a possibility.
Mrs Sanchez
Pre-Prep Pupil Achievements
Congratulations to Connie Darbon (2H) who gained a certificate for her effort and skill in Tennis.
Further congratulations go to Giles Bushell (RY) who has achieved his blue belt in Karate.
Very well done to Bethany Lofts for gaining a medal for her cricketing skills.
Congratulations to Jessica Dorrian (2H) for gaining her Level 6 Trampolining Award.
Pre-Prep Forthcoming Events
Monday 4th July, 2pm – Nursery Managers’ and Key Persons’ Information Sharing Tea
Wednesday 6th July, 9am – Aero the Pony Visiting for some Fuss!
Thursday 7th July, 2pm – Pre-Prep Speech Day (All parents, family and friends are welcome to attend.)
Thursday 7th July, 3pm – Pre-Prep End of Term (Children with siblings in the Prep School to be collected by 4.00pm please)
Thursday 7th July, 3pm – School Shoes Charity Donation (For those wishing to take part, a donation of £1 please with each pair of shoes will help with the shipping costs – plus the children will need an extra pair of shoes/trainers to go home in)
NON-SCHOOL EVENTS
Holiday Archery Coaching
Long Buckby Rugby Club – Mens’ Veteran Team
Please follow this link for further details.
