From the Head Master
Queen Elizabeth II
Mirroring the mood of the nation, it has been a sombre few days in school but the children continue to be in good spirits and happily going about their business.
Like so many people, I have been moved by some of the images and scenes of recent days. From the Queen’s coffin emerging into public view for the first time at Balmoral, to watching that first leg of the journey to Edinburgh through the Scottish countryside, to the striking images of the plane carrying the Queen to London and then the scenes of the last few days, of her final journey to and then from Buckingham Palace and her lying in state in Westminster Hall – all have been so very poignant.
In our assemblies this week, I have talked about Her Late Majesty but importantly I have kept the tone as one of celebrating her life whilst showing gratitude for all that she did in service and duty. A number of children have told me that they are, with their families, travelling down to London this weekend to witness and be a part of the commemorations. I have told the children several times this week that this really is a ‘moment in history’ and we are unlikely ever to see anything quite like this again.
Sport
It has been a most impressive start for our sports teams this week, with the 1st VII Girls’ Hockey team winning the Stowe tournament on Monday and our Jets A team also taking part and coming a very close 2nd. The 1st rugby team played in the Dragon School Festival on Wednesday, playing 4 games and winning 3 of them, only losing to Pinewood, one of the strongest rugby schools in the country. A fine start by all!
New Match Tea Mugs
With the first home matches of the new school year having taken place on Wednesday, our new match tea mugs were used for the first time. I am so very grateful to SHSPA, our parents’ association, who have very kindly funded these new mugs. They will get a full workout tomorrow as we expect many people here for our rugby matches against Bedford Prep. I am sure that the new mugs will help to cement our position as the market leader in match teas!
Outspan School, Uganda
We were very pleased yesterday to welcome speakers involved in supporting Outspan School in Kampala, Uganda to talk to Years 4 and 5. For a number of years now, we have sponsored a young girl, Flavia, through her education in Uganda. Flavia’s school report continues to impress and she is so very grateful for the opportunity to attend school. Supporting and fundraising for Flavia has always been the responsibility of our Years 4 and 5 pupils, and this year will be no different. Without our help and support she would not have been able to receive an education and her life would have been so very different.
Hot Air Balloon
Danny and I were lucky enough to experience a hot air balloon ride on Tuesday morning at drop-off time, a birthday present we have waited since last November to enjoy. We were so very lucky with the wind direction, as the balloon, having taken off from Hanging Houghton drifted almost directly over Spratton, then travelled quite low over the Chapel Brampton to Spratton Road, before landing in Lower Harlestone. We have some rather lovely videos and aerial photos of the school, which I will bore the children and staff with at some point soon!
I do hope you all have a very good weekend and I look forward to seeing you all again on Tuesday morning.
Thank you
Simon Clarke
MUSIC
Exam Success
Congratulations to Athena Adam for achieving a merit in her ABRSM Grade 5 music theory exam and also to Shyla Pal for achieving a merit in her Grade 1 oboe exam.
NMPAT Music Groups
Well done to Mara Hamilton who has gained a place in the NMPAT Singers following her successful audition.
Meet the Music Department Peripatetic Staff
It was lovely to see so many parents at our Music Department coffee morning. If you were unable to make it and have any questions regarding music lessons at Spratton Hall, please contact Miss Morrell at ncm@sprattonhall.com.
Oakham Music Day – Tuesday 4th October
All Year 6 Choir members will be invited to the Oakham Music Day. A letter will be sent out next week containing further information.
Music Clubs
If your child has individual instrumental lessons or singing lessons, please be reminded that we do expect them to participate in the relevant music ensembles where possible. The only exception to this is for those pupils having drum lessons.
ART
Artist of the Week goes to Dakshan Premkumar (2M) for his wonderful detailed drawing of flowers for the Queen. Well done.
SCHOOL LIBRARIANS
The Townsend Library welcomed it’s new Autumn Term Librarians this week: Kitty, Sofia, Theo, Josh, Olivia, Charlotte, George, Isaac, Georgina and Teddy.
Mrs Alexander – Librarian
HARVEST
Over the coming weeks, leading up to our school Harvest Festival, we are asking all our children to bring in products we can send to HOPE. This is a local organisation that supports the homeless or those in real need of support in our community. Some Year 8 pupils will be visiting the HOPE learning unit to learn more about how they provide a vital service within the community. Each year group has been asked to focus on a particular product, although all contributions are hugely appreciated. These should go into the box by the Hunter Hall foyer where the Year 8 pupils will display them.
Pre Prep – bringing items off the Summer Wish List
Y3 Breakfast items – cereal: UHT milk, coffee, tea, sugar, breakfast bars, porridge, long life juice
Y4 Tinned products – meat, fish, spaghetti hoops in particular as well as fruit, beans, tomatoes etc.
Y5 Toiletries – toothbrushes, tooth paste, deodorant (especially men), shower gel, toilet rolls
Y6 Dried foods – various pasta, rice (microwave rice is particularly useful), pulses, oats, lentils
Y7&8 Selected items off the Summer HOPE wish list (suggesting 4 if possible)
Other items often asked for are second hand towels, gloves, hats, socks and new pants (male).
CAKE SALE
Thank you to everyone who made such a wonderful array of cakes for our Year 8 Cake Sale this week. We managed to raise £332 for Cancer Research.
OUTSPAN SCHOOL PROJECT IN UGANDA
On Thursday we welcomed Georgina Miles from the Outspan School Project to give Years 4&5 an update on Flavia, the girl we sponsor enabling her to attend school.
Flavia has just completed her Year 6 and is about to start Year 7 in the secondary school in January. She works very hard, is doing really well and wants to be a dentist. Her aim is to work even harder in Science so that she can fulfil this dream.
We will be doing a walk/run for Flavia, trying to run/walk 1 kilometre which will represent 5 real kilometres towards our imaginary journey from Spratton to Bwaise in Uganda where Flavia attends the Outspan School. Details of this will be available soon.
Mrs C Williams
PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations to Joe Griffiths who earned his PADI and SDI Junior Open Water Scuba Diver qualifications in the Summer holidays. He scored an amazing 90% on the exam and passed the practical sections first time.
Well done also to Blake Purcell who won a karate competition and came second in ‘Kata’, a display of karate skills.
Well done to Mara Hamilton who gained her level 1 Lifesaving and Gymnastics level 2 certificates.
Well done also to Mimi Hamilton who gained certificates in level 1 Lifesaving with a distinction in her grade 4 RAD ballet exam.
LAMDA
Congratulations to Jaypaul Sehmi who gained a splendid Distinction at the Public Centre in his Grade 3 Acting exam just before the end of term.
Current Pupils
We have a very full list this term and my thanks to everyone who has been as flexible as they can be. The timetable is extremely tight so please impress upon your child the importance of being on time and with relevant books and texts. This – the first week – has been a mixture of children not knowing their time and others who just seem to do everything very, very slowly! If you are unsure of your child’s time, or your child is unsure, do please ask. Otherwise, writing it at the front of their Lamda books might help.
If your child is going to be absent or engaged in matches or other school/out of school activities, please let me know as soon as possible. It saves a lot of waiting around and, more importantly, with enough notice, I can sometimes offer the slot to another child.
Waiting List
Thank you to all who have contacted me about your child taking Lamda classes. I am sorry but there are absolutely no spaces and the waiting list is very long so I am afraid there will be little or no movement for quite a while.
Kate Calnan
Lamda Teacher
NON-SCHOOL EVENTS
Charity Outdoor Cinema Showing (A Knight’s Tale) – 17.9.22
Please follow this link to our ‘Out of School Activities‘ page on the school website for further information.
PRE-PREP
It has been a joy to watch the Reception children, and our new pupils, continue to settle happily into the routines of Spratton life and embrace all the learning opportunities offered to them. Mrs George and Miss Yeo skilfully immerse their classes in a range of Phonic activities every day and, already, a variety of coloured letter shapes are popping up on mini whiteboards, the Smartboard, on chalkboards, in coloured sand… in fact, on any surface where the children know that they can practise and take pride in their emerging writing skills. If you listen in carefully, the children can often be heard repeating little ditties, such as “slither down the snake” or “round the apple, down the leaf,” as they learn to link letter sounds to letter shapes and delight in their new found skills.
All the Pre-Prep children continue to settle into their new classes and year groups. With a full week now under their belts, all specialist subject lessons have been enjoyed and new topics are well underway.
There are two particular ‘first’ lessons of the year that I always look forward to… picture if you can, the children nestled in front of the keyboard in the middle area, readying themselves for a Music lesson. What will it be today? Fun, upbeat, sing-a-long tunes or a delve into the box of percussion instruments? Then, gasps of utter delight as Miss Morrell or Miss Govier enter the room clutching boxes of brightly coloured recorders and ocarinas – joy knows no bounds, you can literally feel the buzz of excitement in the air! Since starting the new school year, our Year 1 and Year 2 children have become the proud owners of a new instrument and, with such eagerness to play, I am sure they are treating you to plenty of impromptu practices at home too!
Finally, as you will see from the calendar, next week plays host to two exciting events. All the children will be having their individual and form photographs taken on Thursday, for which they will need to be in their Winter uniforms please. This is followed in the afternoon by a ‘Reception Parents’ Tea’. This informal get-together provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to chat with myself, Miss Yeo, Mrs George and the Reception Teaching Assistants about the daily routines in our Early Years classrooms. It is also a valuable chance to get to know other Reception parents – and, of course, to indulge in some of the catering team’s very tempting homemade cakes!
Pre-Prep Pupil Achievements
Very well done to Arthur Darbon (1S) and Arthur Strike-Doyle (1N) for completing the Library Reading Challenge over the Summer.
Congratulations to Orion Adam (1N) for achieving his brown Belt in Taekwondo.
Further congratulations to Bodhi Higgott (2L) who achieved a medal in cricket for his effort and skill, and for earning himself a Blue Peter Badge.
Very well done to Dakshan Premkumar (2M) who has been recognised for his commitment to Indian culture.
Pre-Prep Forthcoming Events
Thursday 22nd September
Sibling, Form and Individual Photographs
(Winter uniform to be worn please)
Thursday 22nd September
3pm in the Drawing Room
Reception Parents’ Tea
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