FROM THE HEADMASTER
It has been a lovely start to the term with pupils returning in good spirits and our new pupils appearing to settle in well so far. It has been rather nice too to have a three-day week to ease ourselves into the new term!
Staff News
I am pleased to welcome Mr Ed Lewis who is joining the school this term as a Gap student. I do hope he enjoys his short time with us.
Residential Trips
I have heard excellent reports from Conkers where Year 5 have enjoyed a few days on their first residential trip. I have really enjoyed seeing the pictures and videos on our social media pages with lots of smiling faces. I am sure they will be looking forward to getting back this afternoon and recounting tales of their few days away.
Similarly, our Year 8 children had a wonderful time on their ski trip to Italy in the Easter holidays. They were treated to fantastic snow conditions and very good weather and members of staff accompanying the trip said the children were an absolute pleasure to be with from beginning to end. Well done to them all!
Car Park Changes
Although the first morning back was always going to be slow with cars needing to park to unload games kit and parents finding their way round the new layout, the new car park system seems to be running smoothly. We will soon be in a position to mark the white lines and remove the traffic cones.
I would like to reiterate two very important points: 1. The disabled parking spaces are now in the bays opposite the front door. Please do not park there unless you are a disabled badge holder. 2. Please do not drive to the Underwood car park to unload games kit. Having cars stop outside the Underwood, with some parking on the zebra crossing itself, causes a hazard to our pupils and prevents staff from getting to their car park.
As ever, thank you for your support in car park matters.
SHSPSA
As you will know, SHSPA are holding a Mums’ Afternoon Retreat on Friday 9 May at 3-5pm in the school grounds. Full details and how to purchase tickets can be found later in the newsletter. The SHSPA team do put on a variety of events, and this new event sounds like it will be a real treat. I do hope many of you are able to support it.
Spratton Athletics Meeting
Next Tuesday, we will be holding our annual Spratton Hall Athletics Meeting starting at 4.30pm, as always with a number of schools joining us to take part. This is the first Athletics Meeting of the new season and so I wish our team all the very best.
Thank you and do enjoy the weekend.
Simon Clarke
Headmaster
PRE-PREP
I love the energy and positivity that the first day of a new term delivers – it is almost as though you can feel the excitement buzzing in the air! Each morning, the classrooms have filled with cheerful chatter as the children greet one another and, by playtime, the air is alive with laughter and joyful squeals. There is something truly magical about being back at school, and that feeling has certainly filled every corner of Pre-Prep this week.
Welcome to Our New Families
The excitement of a new term has most certainly been heightened by the wonderful addition of new friends. A warm welcome goes to all of our new families – we are thoroughly enjoying getting to know the children, who are settling in beautifully, and who already feel like part of our Pre-Prep family.
New Topics Unfold
Inside the classrooms, the children’s curiosity is being sparked. Colourful displays and imaginative role-play areas have already promoting plenty of questions about what their new topics may entail. Whether exploring ‘Australia’ in Year 2, venturing ‘On Safari’ in Year 1, or nurturing plants, seeds (and bugs!) ‘In the Garden’ in Reception, the children are bubbling with ideas and excited to get going, as new areas of learning unfold.
Keeping You Updated
To help keep you informed about your child’s learning, a Curriculum Overview will be sent home this afternoon. It offers a glimpse into each of the areas of learning to be taught, covering key knowledge, skills and concepts across the curriculum. Whilst it is important that we remain flexible to meet the evolving needs of the children, the overview provides a helpful guide to what lies ahead. Please do speak to your child’s class teacher if you have any questions about this.
Stretch, Tuck and Jump ~ Gym Club Takes Off!
This week saw the launch of a new Gym Club for some of our Pre-Prep year groups, where it wasn’t just excitement flying through the air … but hands, arms, legs and feet! After a bendy, stretchy warm up, the children practised forming shapes like pikes, straddles, bridges and tucks. Their energy and focus was a joy to watch – we can’t wait to see how their confidence and skills grow over the coming weeks.
Ready, Steady, Bake (or buy!) – Pre-Prep Cake Sale, Tuesday 29th April
It’s mixing bowls and whisks at the ready this weekend, as we prepare for the Pre-Prep Cake Sale next week. Known for its icing laden cupcakes, sprinkles galore and Smartie studded cookies (all absolutely nut-free, of course) our cake sale always creates huge waves of excitement, thanks to the generosity and support of our Pre-Prep parents. Donations of cakes can be brought into the Pre-Prep middle area on Tuesday morning, with all monies raised (a donation of 50p per cake is suggested) going to a charity very dear to our hearts, the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Pupil Achievements
Congratulations to the following children for their swimming achievements:
Claudia Wolstenholme – Level 1 and 5m, Isaac Cochrane – Level 2 and 5m, Charlotte Inchley – Octopus 4 and Penguin 4, Wilf Canty – Level 5, and Alice Sharnock – Level 1 and 5m.
Very well done to the following children who all received awards for their effort and skill in Skiing – Rafe Naden-Robinson, Willa Mercer, Pixie Morris, Reuben Lofts, Arthur Woodhouse and Romilly Boyson.
Congratulations to Bea Higgs who has achieved her Level 7 Gymnastics Award.
Well done to Hector Jack who received recognition for his effort and skill in Rugby.
Many congratulations to Isabella Wiseman who achieved 5th place in the 40cm NSEA Show Jumping competition and 13th place in the 50cm event. Willa Jack must be congratulated for coming 1st in the 40cm event and 15th in the 50cm jumps. Both girls qualified in the top 6 for an individual place at the championships.
A final well done to Hugh Berry who has successfully achieved the Diamond All Star Award in Numbots, after huge amounts of hard work and effort.
Fiona Sanchez
Head of Pre-Prep
YEAR 8 SKI VISIT
Year 8 had an unforgettable week in Pila, Italy during the first week of the Easter holidays. They enjoyed ideal snow conditions and mastered red runs, parallel turns and …… chair lifts!
PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS
Well done to Martha Miles and ‘Peter Rabbit’ who raised over £300 for the Leicestershire MS Therapy Centre during the Easter activities at their family farm business.
Congratulations also to Veryan Moss who achieved a distinction with a score of 134/150 in her harp exam performing ‘Charlotte in Spring’.
Well done to the Northampton Saints Hockey Club players who attended the East Midlands Regional Tournament in the holidays. They played well and were placed 10th overall out of 16 teams which is a great result considering there were 80 teams entered to get to that stage. Alice Berry was awarded Most Improved Player this season having made some amazing strikes.
During the Easter holidays Jeevan, in Year 4, won a silver medal with his hockey club – Rugby and East Warwickshire U10s – at the Midlands Regional Finals. His team won through to the final and only lost out on penalties! A fantastic achievement, especially as Jeevan was the youngest player in his team.
MUSIC NEWS
Pupil Success
We are delighted to celebrate the success of Florence Granger who has auditioned and be offered a place in the prestigious National Youth Guitar Ensemble. This is an amazing achievement as the audition process is extremely competitive and there are only a limited number of places.
Exam Success
Congratulations to the following pupils for their excellent music exam results:-
Organ
Grade 4
Nathaniel Benn – Distinction
Jazz Saxophone
Grade 3
Reuben Lindsay-Smith – Distinction
Tenor Horn
Grade 2
Olivia King – Distinction
Singing
Grade 1
Alice Berry – Merit
Grade 2
Luke Mackaness – Pass
Amelie Inman – Merit
Grade 4
Mara Hamilton – Merit
Grade 5
Juno Dow – Merit
Piano
Grade 4
Leilana Patel – Merit
Harp
Grade 1
Veryan Moss – Distinction
Music Theory
Grade 5
Jessica King – Merit
Mrs King
Director of Music
EQUESTRIAN NEWS
NSEA Competition
The Spratton Equestrian team did well in their recent NSEA competition, qualifying for the championships at Hickstead in August.
Congratulations to Isabelle Corbett and Florence Mills who competed in the 70cm class. They took 1st place in their class as a team with Florence coming in 1st and 6th as an individual and Isabelle 2nd. Isabelle then competed in the 80cm class and came 4th as an individual.
Show Jumping
40cm Willa Jack 1st/Isabella Wiseman 5th
Team 1st and both qualifying top 6 for an individual place at the Championships
50cm Isabella Wiseman 13th/Willa Jack 15th
Great clears but out placings
60cm Aoife Morris 5th/Martha Miles 14th
Aoife has secured individual place at Championships
70cm Florence Mills 1st and 6th/Isabelle Corbett 2nd
Team 1st and both qualifying top 6 for an individual place at the Championship
80cm Isabelle Corbett 4th
Isabelle has secured individual place at Championships
Arena Eventing
The Team of Chloe and Emily Spencer and Florence Mills have qualified for Hickstead Arena Eventing Championships.
70/75cm Team 2nd
Chloe 2nd individual/Flo 8th Individual/Emily 9th individual
80/85cm Team 6th
Emily 10th Individual
Good luck to them all for the championships!
GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Congratultions to William and Freddie who represented Spratton Hall at Collingtree Park Golf Club in the Northamptonshire Schools Golf Championships on 3rd April.
They came in a fantastic tied 2nd place in the team event out of 13 teams and were the youngest players in their field, competing against children up to 18 years old. In addition, Freddie came 1st in the U14s with a net score of 70.
SHSPA EVENTS
