Habs Weekly - Pre-Prep and Prep edition - Friday 9 December

Head of Prep School’s Message

Ms K Umpleby

It has been our final ever week at Hazel Road for the Pre-Prep this week. The Reception children began the week with an exciting trip to the pantomime, to see Beauty and the Beast in Watford. For some students this was their first ever experience of a live theatre performance, and they all loved it. Although some were not too keen on the nasty magician, he turned good in the end, so all was ok! The teachers have been busy packing up and saying goodbye to the building and on Saturday morning, bright and early, the removals lorries are arriving to move us into the new Pre-Prep building in Elstree. Very exciting times ahead! There will be an additional communication in the near future for Pre-Prep parents explaining the logistics of drop off and pick up at the new Pre-Prep from January – so watch this space.

As many of you know, last week’s Pre-Prep Winter Concert, was sadly Mrs Pritchard’s final performance for Habs Boys Prep School, she will be missed greatly by many, but we will her the very best of luck with the new adventures ahead. The Winter Concert was full of festive fun, dancing, singing and poetry. Incredible costumes and enthusiasm and energy by the sack load, all the more impressive considering each and every student on the stage had only been at the school for 11 weeks, and for half of them this has been their first ever term going to school. The progress in their confidence, focus and ambition - memorising poems, song lyrics

and dance moves is truly commendable. As well as Mrs Pritchard, I must thank the Reception and Year 1 teams, and Ms Huggett for their commitment (and patience) in getting the students ready for such a fantastic show.

The Prep Winter Concert yesterday was equally magical, and from conversations I had with so many parents afterwards, I know that you were as blown away by it as I was. The sheer breadth of musical talent that was showcased was awe inspiring. From the vocal Indian ensemble group to street dance, strings to woodwind, jazz to festive favourites. I am sure you will all agree that there were many future professional musicians on that stage, with the Royal Albert Hall or West End ahead of them. The support from the Senior School students was also an opportunity for our younger musicians to see what they should be aspiring towards. The vocal pieces are always some of my favourites, there is something incredibly special about so many young voices coming together, and to hear each and every one of our Year 2 to Year 6 pupils sing together for the whole school song - and with such joy shining out from their happy faces – wow, what a finale. If you were unable to attend, and my glowing review has made you feel even more disappointed, then I do apologise, but don’t worry – we will be sharing a link to the full recording, and some professional photographs soon.

Thank you so much to all those involved in the concert, we did experience some last minute unavoidable logistical, technical and absence issues but everyone - students, and staff, faced these challenges with flexibility, adaptability and a fantastic ‘can do’ attitude. To those behind the scenes as well as front stage –well done and thank you. A special thank you to Ms Gozzard, who nurtures such an incredible love of music in so many of our students.

I look forward to finishing our final full week of the Autumn Term 2022 with the Carol Concert in St Albans Abbey.

Pre-Prep looking ahead

Welcome to Elstree, Pre-Prep!

We are incredibly excited to be welcoming our Reception and Year 1 pupils onto the Elstree site in the new year. It will be fantastic to have all our pupils, from Reception to Year 6 all on the same site and we are looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Click here for a letter with more information.

Reception

Co-curricular

CHESS CLUB

Reception Chess Club will begin on Wednesday 11 January. Clubs run by Pre-Prep staff will begin after February Half Term. Children may choose from one of the following - STEM, Drama or Book Club. Further details regarding how to sign up will be published nearer the time.

Y1

Co-curricular

CHESS CLUB

Year 1 Chess Club will commence on Tuesday 10 January. Your child may also participate in one club lead by a member of the Pre-Prep team. Please click here to register your child and indicate their first, second and third choice by Monday 9 January. Clubs will begin week commencing Monday 16 January. During the first week of the Spring Term, you will be notified as to which club your child has been allocated to.

Co-curricular

CHESS CLUB

Year 2 Chess Club will commence on Wednesday 11 January. Clubs run by staff will begin week commencing Monday 16 January. During the first week of the Spring Term you will be notified as to which club your child has been allocated to.

Pre-Prep looking ahead

Co-curricular Reception to Y2

Click here for the Reception to Year 2 Chess flyer.

Fencing Y1

Click here for the Year 1 Fencing flyer. Spaces are first come, first served.

Y1&2

Performing Arts

Click here for the Year 1 and 2 Performing Arts flyer. Spaces are first come, first served and it is £10 a session. Please email Miss Edwards to sign up.

Pre-Prep reminders

Drop off

IMPORTANT NOTICE

When you arrive at school in the morning to drop off your child, the Prep and Senior Schools operate a one-way system from Butterfly Lane.

Starting from Monday 21 November, Year 2 parents have the choice to either park in the North Drive car park and walk their child over to the Prep School or alternatively, parents may drive around the Astro-turf pitches and park up next to the blue cones behind the Aske Hall so that your child can hop out of the car ‘airport style’.

Members of Prep staff will be present during the first few days at the Aske Hall drop off, to direct the pupils safely to the Prep before they become fully accustomed to the route. If you do choose to use the Aske Hall, drop off, then we would ask that your child is sat on the lefthand side of the car to allow them to hop out safely and easily.

All pupils should be dropped off at school between 8am and 8.30am

Prep looking ahead

Whole School

Prep Co-Curricular Clubs – Spring Term

The Evolve payment links for all Prep clubs that are run by external providers for the spring term will be available from early next week. Please ensure you make prompt payment to secure your child’s place once you receive the payment link. All clubs will start the first week back commencing 9 January.

Inter House Photography Competition

THEME: SAVE OUR PLANET

Calling all Prep budding photographers! We are very excited to announce our Inter House photography competition. Over the holidays, pupils should take a photograph, with their iPad, of anything that shows we are saving the planet. Be creative! Pupils only have one entry for their House, so make sure to choose the best one. The House with the most participants will win the award as winners of the House Photography Competition.

The House leaders will also choose the best four photographs that will be judged independently. The winning entry, along with the House that has the most pupils entering, will win House points. We will display the 16 finalists photographs on the Prep board.

Prep Sport - Spring Term fixtures

Please click here to view the Spring Term fixture information.

National Gallery visit

MONDAY 30 JANUARY

Year 6 will be visiting The National Gallery on Monday 30 January 2023. Please click here for further information. Payment and consent for the trip will need to be made via the Evolve payment and consent links.

Y3 to 6

PE Event with Habs' Girls’ Junior School

SATURDAY 4 MARCH

On Saturday 4 March, Years 3 and 4, and separately, Years 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to play games of netball and football alongside Habs Boys Prep. Students from both schools will form into mixed ability teams on the day. This will be an opportunity for learning and skills development whilst improving match play. Further details will be sent out early next term. Please save the date.

Prep reminders

Whole School

Swimming

Please be reminded of the school policy regarding absence from Swimming lessons - which are a compulsory aspect of the National Curriculum. If a child is well enough to be in school, they must be well enough to be participate in the full timetable, which includes Swimming, Forest School, and PE. If your child cannot swim due to injury or any other reason, we ask that you submit a doctor’s note stating such. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Pupils wearing hoodies

Prep pupils are allowed to wear school hoodies during days in which they have PE or Games. They may also wear them during Games lessons if they so wish. Pupils must also be wearing their school blazer every day to school, including on PE and Games days, as this is a key component of their school uniform.

Morning arrival at Prep School

REMINDER

A gentle reminder that morning drop off is from 8am. Pupils should not be arriving earlier than this time as they will not be supervised in the playground or in the classroom. Breakfast club is available from 7.30am at the Girls’ School.

Swimming lesson updates

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please click here for a letter regarding swimming lesson changes on Tuesday 13 December.

Hazard Alley Safety Centre trip

THURSDAY 12 JANUARY 2023

Year 3 will be visiting Hazard Alley Safety Centre on Thursday 12 January 2023. Please click here for further information. Payment and consent for the trip will need to be make via the Evolve payment and consent link.

Y3 to 6

Matilda The Musical trip

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

We are excited to inform you that we have booked tickets to see the award-winning Matilda the Musical for the Spring Term. Please provide consent and payment via Evolve. Click below to find out more details for your child’s year group.

Year 3 and Year 4: Wednesday 25 January 2023

Year 5 and Year 6: Wednesday 8 February 2023

Hampton Court Palace trip

WEDNESDAY 18 JANUARY 2023

Year 5 will be visiting Hampton Court Palace on Wednesday 18 January 2023. Please click here for further information. Payment and consent for the trip will need to be make via the Evolve payment and consent link.

Pre-Prep & Prep reminders

Car parking and safety

HIGHLY IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Click here to read a letter regarding car parking and safety from our Chief Operating Officer, Mr Rob Dunn.

Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report

INFORMATION

As a result of introducing the new Reception cohort in September, ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) were required to complete a Material Change Inspection, in order to check that our systems, policies and facilities met their standards for Early Years. We are delighted to inform you that we passed with flying colours.

Please click here to see the updated version of our ISI Report.

Lunch Menu

WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 12 DECEMBER

Please click here to view the Prep lunch menu.

ABRSM application

MONDAY 12 AND TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER

Please click here to read a letter with information regarding the December session of ABRSM music examinations.

Gifts to staff

GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS

Please click here to about guidance for parents regarding gifts for staff.

Breakfast and After School Care

BOOKING INFORMATION

Click here to book your child into the breakfast club or After School Care (ASCF) the week commencing Monday 16 January 2023. Prearranged bookings can be made up until 12pm the Friday before.

After this time, please email ascf@habsboys.org.uk for Prep pupil bookings and preprepoffice@habsboys.org.uk for Pre-Prep pupil bookings.

Please note, there may be a small charge for ASCF after 4pm. Please be reminded that After School Care finishes at 5.30pm. Please arrange to collect your child from the Prep School reception by that time.

Important safety notice

PLEASE READ

Please be reminded that parents and students should not be using the bridge on North Drive for pedestrian access. This is for health and safety reasons, particularly, as the mornings and afternoons are getting darker, and the road is in constant use.

If you are walking from the North Drive to the Prep School, please walk on the new path, via the pitches which is lit. If accessing the main campus, please access the footpath near the MFL car park.

Please also note, that at the beginning or end of the school day, vehicles should not be parking or picking up from the service road outside the Prep building. Please use the designated pick-up areas on Pitch 5 or the North Drive Car Park for drop off and collection.

Co-Curricular Timetable

SPRING TERM

Please click here to view the Spring Term Prep and Pre-Prep Co-Curricular timetable. Please take some time to go through this with your child. We advise pupils to sign up to at least three of the clubs offered. Pupils will have the opportunity to sign up on SOCS for the clubs they would like to participate in during the last week of term.

Chess Club

SPRING TERM

Please click here for information regarding signing up to Chess club for Spring Term.

Progress Grades

WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 12 DECEMBER

Progress grades for this term will be published the week commencing Monday 12 December. Please click here for more information.

Stellar Strings video

FINAL CONCERT RECORDING

Click here to read a letter with a link to the Stellar Strings Final Concert.

Y2 to 6

Christmas Jumper Day

MONDAY 12 DECEMBER

Years 2 to 6 will be having Christmas lunch on Monday 12 December. To celebrate, we would like all pupils to wear a Christmas themed festive jumper or t-shirt on top of their school uniform.

Tooled Up

We are always in regular contact with Tooled Up and enjoy learning from them about what resources are the most popular. The most favoured resource category has been ‘Wellbeing’ and, in line with this, the most viewed overall resource has been our ‘Coping Menu’, designed to get families thinking about strategies for lifting moods and managing emotions. Out of the wealth of webinars recorded this year, a conversation with UCL brain scientist, Dr Jo Van Herwegen on busting neuromyths in ADHD and Autism proved to be extremely popular, as did the chat with Professor Adam Fox on allergy care for children.

As always, please do let Mr Thomas know directly if there are any particular resources that you would like access to and Tooled Up will be happy to create them.

Pre-Prep & Prep School news stories

Pre-Prep Winter Concert

The pupils were absolutely superb in their first ever Pre-Prep Cinter concert. They enjoyed singing the traditional Christmas carols along with some Year group poetry recitals. Year 1 performed two fantastic winter dances. Well done all, we are so proud of you. Enjoy a restful holiday and Happy New Year.

Reception Pantomime trip

Reception’s first trip to the pantomime was fantastic-

Oh no it wasn’t!

Oh yes it was!

The children were great ambassadors for our school, we were very proud of them and their behaviour. We hope you have heard a review of the show at home.

Reception Hanukkah talk

The Reception children are very grateful to the parents who kindly came in to teach us about Hanukkah. We listened to stories, sang songs and learnt how to play the dreidel game.

Year 1 Hanukkah talk

On Tuesday, Year 1 were very lucky to have Mrs Brier and Mrs Kennedy come in and speak to the pupils about Hanukkah. The pupils carefully listened as they told the story of Hanukkah and then got to work making their own menorah using lego. After playing with the dreidels, they learnt about the food which are eaten during this special holiday and even sampled some donuts too - yummy!

Year 5 Tower of London Trip

On Thursday 1 December 2022, Year Five went to the Tower of London and learnt lots of history!

We saw lots of things, such as: King Henry VIII’s armour (and we all laughed at his codpiece!). Then, we all went to see the Crown Jewels, which included the crown that will be used in King Charles’ coronation and Queen Victoria’s tiara. Part of our tour included the White Tower, where we found out about the Tower’s last execution -a German spy. We even got to see the chair that he had been sat in when he was shot! Later, we saw the different parts of the Tower in an enormous 3D diagram.

After that, we did our daily exercise and walked all the way down the narrow stairways until we reached the bottom! We also got to meet the ravens and we learnt lots of things from Lady Latimer, who gave us an interesting tour, which included the history of Henry VIII’s six wives! We even took part in a small re-enactment of Anne Boleyn’s coronation, when she came down the Thames accompanied by 50 ships with Henry VIII!

We all enjoyed the trip and can’t wait to go back and visit with our families.

Written by Joseph (5EN)

Year 6 Forest School

6SA worked on a scenario in Forest School where they were stranded in the desert with some water and shelter building equipment. They had to design shelters which would prolong their lives until help came. The teamwork, creative ideas and ability to work against the clock were first class, showing resourceful ideas, grit and determination. Afterwards we reflected on the process applied to the task and how they would have changed it if completing the task again.

Year 3 to 6 Winter Concert programme winners

Thank you to all the pupils who participated in the design of the Winter Concert Programme. We are delighted to announce the following pupils were awarded ‘Best Design’ for their programme covers:

Year 3 – Victor Tago-Chu and Benjamin Benslous

Year 4 - Michael Yang and Orson Grimer

Year 5 – Jake Solomon Year 6 – Raghav Singla

Year 2 to 6 Winter Concert

Click here to watch the Year 2 to 6 Winter Concert.

PRE-PREP CALENDAR DATES

TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER

Year 2 last day of Term

MONDAY 9 JANUARY 2023

Reception to Year 2 first day of Spring Term

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2023 Year 1 Florence Nightingale Day

MONDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2023

Perform Drama workshop

FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2023 Year 2 St Pauls Cathedral visit

MONDAY 13 FEBRUARY TO FRIDAY 17 FEBRUARY Half Term

MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2023

Staff development day PRE-PREP AND PREP CLOSED

For further dates, please refer to the school calendar on Firefly.