FROM THE HEADMASTER
IAPS Conference
As reported in last week’s newsletter, I am currently in Brighton for the IAPS annual conference with 350 other prep heads. I have enjoyed many keynote speakers, seminars and round table discussions, but one message continues to come through loud and strong, that this is a time of unprecedented change in the independent sector, with mergers, acquisitions or closures being announced almost on a weekly basis. Nationally, independent school pupil numbers are down 5%, which in smaller schools can really hit those tight margins. I continue to be grateful that Spratton is in such a stable position and long may this continue.
Trips
You may have seen on our social media pages the fantastic photos of Year 6 having a splendid time in Edale. Although the weather was not always kind, they got stuck into the many activities and I am sure they will come home with fun tales to tell, before a much-needed early night!
Harvest Festival
Next Wednesday, 24th September, will be our first church services of the school year. We attend St Andrew’s in the village two or three times a term to celebrate the more important festivals, starting with Harvest with the Years 6, 7 and 8 service at 8.45am, followed straight after by the Years 3, 4 and 5 service at 9.10am. Parents are welcome to attend but please do park at school and then walk to the church.
Thank you also in anticipation of the harvest produce and goods that are coming into school which we donate to the Hope Centre, Northampton. Each year. I am always so proud and grateful for the sheer volume of goods we receive and donate.
Winter Uniform
With the weather having turned decidedly autumnal in the last few days, we will aim for Monday 29th September when all children should be in winter uniform please. Further details about that can be found on our website in the Parents’ section, but the main point being that the children should no longer be in the summer dresses. Please do also note that the children should be in winter uniform for the form and individual photographs next Tuesday.
Weekend
I am looking forward to visiting Wellingborough School tomorrow morning, to meet the new headmaster and then to watch the Years 7 & 8 girls’ matches between our two schools with him. Good luck to the girls and all those involved in matches tomorrow.
Simon Clarke
Headmaster
PRE-PREP
A Roar-some Morning with Reggie and Trixie!
Well, it is not every day that dinosaurs make an appearance at school, but that is exactly what happened this week, when we welcomed Trixie the baby armoured stegosaurus and Reggie the humongous T-Rex into our morning assembly! Spellbound and giddy with excitement, the children listened with fascination as our visitors from ‘Giant Journeys’ shared a fabulous array of fossils and facts with us.
Following the assembly, our budding palaeontologists in Year 1 rolled up their sleeves for a Jurassic fossil excavation workshop—an unforgettable way to ignite their brand-new topic on ‘Dinosaurs’.
Woodland Wonders in the Forest School
This week, a steady parade of welly boots has been making its way down to Forest School, where the children have been busily scooping up seedpods, leaves, pine needles, feathers, and cones—nature’s very own craft box! With imaginations unleashed in the fresh air, Year 2 set about sculpting whimsical woodland creatures, whilst in Reception, the children cleverly brought the trees to life with characterful clay faces moulded onto their trunks. ‘Five Acres Wood’ has certainly been alive with creativity!
Let the Music Begin!
There are two ‘firsts’ in the school year that never fail to fill me with joy. Picture the children gathered eagerly around the keyboard in the middle area, eyes shining in anticipation—will today bring a lively sing-along, or perhaps the magical clatter of percussion instruments? And then it happens: Mrs King or Miss Govier arrive, arms cradling boxes of brightly coloured recorders and ocarinas. Gasps ripple through the room, little hands clap with delight, and the buzz of excitement is almost tangible. 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!
Pupil Achievements
Congratulations to Isaac Cochrane who has completed all the levels on Numbots, achieving the Diamond Award.
Very well done to Flora Hodgson who achieved 4th place in the 30cm equestrian show jumping event at the Kilworth Show.
Congratulations to the following children for gaining awards in Swimming: Emilia Docker – Level 4, Hettie Dean – Level 1, Pepa Lilley-Crews – Level 3 and Toby Podesta – Level 2 and 5m.
Very well done to Bea Higgs who achieved a distinction in her recent Ballet exam.
Fiona Sanchez
Head of Pre-Prep
YEAR 3 – FOREST SCHOOL
Year 3 have had great fun in the Forest School this week testing out the new bug hunting equipment and swinging in the new hammock!
MUSIC
Exam Success
Congratulations to Wilf Canty for passing his Grade 1 drum exam last term.
Harvest Church Service – Wednesday 24th September
Spratton Singers and the Year 5 Choir members will be singing as part of the Junior Service and the Year 6, 7 and 8 members of the Senior Choir will be singing as part of the Senior Service. Parents are welcome to attend.
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.
HARVEST
Our Harvest at Spratton is fast approaching and as usual we are asking each year group to focus on a specific area and bring produce to school. In school we will be writing messages of encouragement to attach to our produce. This is a suggestion for our children to work together to make a difference. All the proceeds go to Hope in Northampton, a day centre that feeds and provides food bags, support and workshops to the most vulnerable in our wider community, and they have provided a poster of additional items you may feel you can donate. Hope is always incredibly appreciative of the generosity of Spratton parents and pupils and it really does support the centre and enables it to reach out to those needing that extra help in very difficult times. We do hope you will be able to support our collection again. Please leave any items in the box which will be labelled by the entrance to the Hunter Hall.
Y3 – Variety of cereals and breakfast products
Y4 – Tinned food (savoury and sweet but please check the best before date)
Y5 – Toiletries such as toothbrushes and paste, soap, shower gels, deodorant etc
Y6 – Dried carbs such as rice, pasta, noodles, beans, lentils, mash and cuppa soups
Y7 and 8 – Please bring in a stand-alone meal. 4-5 items that could make up a meal as well as a hot drink OR if possible ask for a £5-10 donation and go shopping, keeping within a budget and selecting items that would make a meal (long life produce)
Thank you all for your continued support and help in making a difference.
BOOK FAIR 2025
The Scholastic Book Fair will be visiting us on Monday 22nd September until Friday 26th September. It will be open for parents (with or without their children) to visit on the Monday afternoon from 4.00—5.00 pm in the Hunter Hall Foyer. A letter has been sent for you to indicate if your child can choose a book which will be added to your school account.
Ms Willoughby
Librarian
CAKE SALE
Thank you to everyone who made and bought cakes for the Year 8 Cake Sale on Monday. We managed to raise £347.80 for Air Ambulance.
SHSPA
MEDICAL – NITS
As this is a problem throughout the school at the moment, please could you take the time to check your child’s hair and treat accordingly.
Head lice are wingless insects that live on the scalp and neck. They are grey or brown, have six legs and when fully grown are about the size of a sesame seed. Females attach their eggs to your hair close to your scalp. The eggs hatch about 7–10 days later and it takes 10 days for them to be adults and laying new eggs.
When the lice hatch they leave empty shells called nits attached to the hair. Nits are white and you may mistake them for flakes of dry skin. Nits stick to the hair and you will not be able to remove them with normal shampooing. You can only get head lice through head to head contact. They cannot hop, fly or swim. Although head lice may be embarrassing and sometimes uncomfortable, they do not usually cause illness. However, they WILL NOT clear up on their own and you need to treat them promptly.
Treatment of Head Lice
There are many treatments available including: Insecticides – e.g. Full Marks liquid or Derbac M, Wet Combing with special fine toothed comb, Non–insecticide based products – e.g. Hedrin.
Insecticides and Non-Insecticides
When using these products for treating lice they are available as lotions, liquids and shampoos. Always follow the instructions carefully. Usually the insecticide lotion should be rubbed onto scalp and hair, left for approximately 12 hours before you wash it out. Then comb using a fine toothed comb. This process should be repeated after 7 days to kill any new lice that may have hatched.
Wet Combing
This is a method of removing lice with a fine toothed comb. You need to spend 20–30mins combing through the entire head of hair. It is easier to remove the lice and nits if the hair is wet and conditioner still on hair. The process needs repeating every 3 days until there have been 3 consecutive sessions without seeing any lice.
Debs Hadfield – Matron
STEM HOLIDAY CLUBS AT SPRATTON
