PREP
ISSUE 6 • AUTUMN 2020
From Little Acorns to Mighty Oaks PAGE 3
stedwards.co.uk
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...
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Drumming to the Beat
Year 6 Study the Heart
Outstanding EYFS
Inter-House Cross Country
St Edward’s Preparatory School, 252 London Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 6NR T:01242 388550 E:prepschool@stedwards.co.uk
It was fantastic to welcome staff and students back to School for the start of the new school year. After a rather disjointed Summer Term, to have everyone back on-site was something we had all been very much looking forward to. There were still challenges, of course, in terms of ensuring that we did everything we could to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19, the implementation of class and year group bubbles and the need to be flexible in our approach. However, the simple fact that the school community could once again be back together in person was more than worth the extra effort. As you will see, as you read through the articles in this edition of “Term Times”, we have certainly made the most of our extensive grounds this term. We are fortunate to have a variety of spaces in which we can take a lot of learning outside and this has afforded the opportunity for us to offer a fantastic range of cross-curricular learning experiences for all our pupils. These opportunities to enrich and extend the already outstanding educational provision we provide in the classrooms, are of benefit to all our pupils from the youngest in Kindergarten right through to those in Year 6. In my introduction to the previous edition of Term Times I wrote that the future was still a little unclear and, unfortunately, this is still the case. However, what gives us hope as a School is the fact that we know our School community is strong and has the talent, enthusiasm and energy to thrive and succeed in the face of adversity. I, for one, am looking forward to the opportunity to show just how much St Edward’s Prep School can achieve over the course of the rest of the academic year.
DATES FOR THE DIARY Spring Term 2021 Term Starts: Wednesday 6th January Half Term: Monday 15th February – Friday 19th February Term Ends: Thursday 1st April Social Media links For all the very latest from the Prep School please follow us on Twitter: • @StEdwards_Prep – for news from the Prep School • @StEdsPrePrep – for news from Kindergarten and Pre-Prep • @SportStEds_Prep – for news of our sporting activities • @StEdsPrep_Head And on Instagram: • stedwardsprepcheltenham You can also like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ StEdwardsSchoolCheltenham
Mr Stephen McKernan Headmaster
Christmas Comes to Prep In the final week of term, the whole School participated in a range of activities to celebrate the festive season. At the end of a challenging calendar year, it was lovely for the children to get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy being creative!
table! In Prep, the children made snowflakes and baubles, played Christmas games, competed in a Christmas colouring competition and in Year 6 there was a fantastic Secret Santa! All year groups also enjoyed a delicious Christmas Lunch!
In Pre-Prep the children thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to create some beautiful items of Christmas craft. Some of the items they made included peg angels, sock snowmen, cone Christmas trees, star-shaped candle holders, woollen advent wreath decorations and Christmas tree shaped biscuits. There were also opportunities for Christmas dressing-up, Christmas art and even a present wrapping
We were also very pleased to be able to share Christmas celebrations with the wider School community through a beautiful virtual Festival of Readings and Carols, a recorded Pre-Prep Christmas Concert and Christmas Songs from Kindergarten.
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Our fabulous PTA also made sure that COVID-19 did not get in their way of celebrations. Instead of our usual breakfast with Santa event, they managed to arrange for Father Christmas to
join us for a COVID-safe “Drive Through Supper with Santa!” Families remained in their cars, but still were able to meet Santa (socially distanced, of course!), receive a present and a take-away burger to enjoy! It was truly magical for all who came! The evening also raised a magnificent £1000 for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice.
From Little Acorns to Mighty Oaks!
In Humanities this term, Year 5 have been learning all about the Tudors. To aid their exploration of the time period, some fantastically creative homework was set and completed! For example, Bea created an aged Tudor Menu of dishes from the time; Poppy and Denis made some really nice smelling ‘Tussy Mussys’ (something used to mask horrible smells) and Lucia designed a t-shirt to show the Tudor emblem with an explanation of its meaning.
Towards the end of the Autumn Term, Prep School and Pre-Prep children from Kindergarten to Year 6, spent time potting up their very own saplings to take home and plant. There were a range of saplings for the children to choose from including: Hazel, Oak, Goat Willow, Silver Birch, Dogwood, Hawthorn, Crab Apple and Wild Cherry. The bubbles each headed down to the Prep allotment, one by one, for their turn to get their hands muddy and safely tuck their new little trees into their pots. The School hopes that the saplings will be nurtured by the children over the next few years, resulting in a beautiful mature specimen to remind them of their time spent at St Edward’s.
YEAR 2 GET CREATIVE WITH ENGLISH
Pre-Prep Engage with STEM In November, the Pre-Prep Department participated in a special afternoon of hands-on activities focussed on STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Each year group was challenged to take on a selection of challenges and experiments, providing an opportunity for exploration and discovery. The activities included: • Gone Fishing – This task was all about freezing liquids and seeing if water would freeze if it had sugar, salt or orange juice in it. The Reception group also experimented to see what happens when salt is sprinkled on ice. • Bubbles – In Reception and Year 2, the children explored what happens when you try to make bubbles, using a soap solution and blowing through a funnel with a dishcloth over the end. Some of the resulting ‘bubble snakes’ were very long indeed! They also had a go at making 3D shaped bubbles, using cube and pyramid frames with the soapy film. • Dam Building – In Year 1, the focus was on building a solid structure out of Lego and playdough to create a dam across a tray that
FOCUS ON THE TUDORS
would withhold 750ml of water. This required the group to work together in order to ensure there were no leaks! • Time for an Apple – Year 1 and Year 2 discovered that an apple can be used to power a clock. They carefully assembled wires, and brass and zinc electrodes before pushing them into the apple halves and watching the clock light up. Pre-Prep aged children are naturally curious, interested in the world around them and how things work. The afternoon session was a great way to enrich their learning and help them to develop a range of skills including communication, collaboration, creativity and problem-solving. It was also a great deal of fun for all involved too!
Year 2 took their English unit on Beatrix Potter into their Art lessons this term! They learnt new skills as they sewed their very own Peter Rabbit and Cotton-Tail stuffed toys. They also used a grid drawing technique to depict characters from some of Potter’s most well-known stories, employing watercolour paints to bring them to life – with fantastic results! In addition, they thoroughly enjoyed rolling up their sleeves to mould clay into the form of either Peter Rabbit or Mrs Twiggy-Winkle.
INVESTIGATING SEED DISPERSAL Year 5 made the most of the sunny weather in September, spending a Science lesson examining different methods of seed dispersal found in the natural world and looking for examples around the St Edward’s grounds. Plants in the wild have many different ways of spreading their seeds, wind (for seeds that are light), water (for seeds which are buoyant) and using animals (by growing inside fruit that is then eaten). At the Prep School we are lucky to be able to offer practical science lessons, making use of our extensive outdoor spaces. All involved fully enjoyed the experience of carrying out the investigations and seeing science in action.
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HAPPY NEWS This term, the Prep School has been lucky enough to receive 10 free copies of The Happy Newspaper, which aims to share and celebrate positive news! Year 3 Teacher, Mrs Thomas, entered the raffle in which any School in the UK can sign up for the chance of receiving free newspapers each quarter. We were successful in the Autumn draw and the children have very much enjoyed reading the interesting stories and looking at the vibrant illustrations.
THE WONDER OF WORMS As part of their ‘Snap Science’ curriculum, children in Reception have been investigating earthworms this term. During one of their lessons they first went outside and talked about where worms like to live, before looking for some worms to collect and take back to the classroom. When they were back at their desks, the pupils made observational drawings, before constructing a wormery for their new companions to live in for a short while.
The Importance of Sensory Play Children learn best when all of their senses are engaged. The Kindergarten Sensory Garden has been designed to stimulate all five senses and engage our young learners with exploratory play.
The specially designed garden provides lots of opportunity to talk about the world around us, touching on subjects like life cycles, changing seasons and even the chance to study insects up close. On a visit to the garden in September, the children spent time watching the pigs snuffling in the ground and having their backs rubbed by a member of staff. They explored the textures of fallen leaves and bark, rolled tyres down a plank of wood and even found a very friendly woodlouse! The links between the Kindergarten Sensory Garden and the Prep School Farm have been strengthened this term, with a new route into the
farm area opened up and the relocation of the pigs to the paddock next to the Garden. The changes are really helping to ensure that we are using our outside spaces to the full and enabling our pupils to engage with nature on a daily basis.
FOCUS ON THE FUTURE In early October, pupils in Year 5 and 6 had the opportunity to think about their futures when they participated in a Careers Workshop, led by the Careers Lead from our Senior School, Mrs Bush. Each Workshop started with Mrs Bush asking the pupils to consider what a career is. The children were then encouraged to think about what jobs they might like to do themselves one day. There were a whole host of responses demonstrating that our young people feel like they can be anything they want to be. Jobs that were mentioned included Doctor, Hairdresser, YouTuber, Professional Skater, Farmer, MP, Show Jumper, Teacher, Soldier, Actor, Artist, Author, Photographer, Trampolinist and even Prime Minister! Each group took part in a number of activities that challenged them to think about their day-to-day lives and how that might change as they got older. They talked about how you might have a number of careers over your lifetime and that you need to be flexible.
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Drumming to the Beat This term, Year 5 started whole-class African Drumming lessons and it’s safe to say all found it very enjoyable!
African drumming is an exciting and exhilarating experience in which the pupils are required to work together to produce a cohesive sound. Not only is the activity an excellent way for the children to improve rhythmic accuracy and overall musicianship, it can also help them to develop a greater sense of focus, as well as improved listening and ensemble skills.
In addition to the musicality and creativity that it inspires, African drumming also provides feelings of heightened well-being, self-esteem and confidence. It celebrates cultural diversity in music in which the children are actively involved. African djembe drumming has the added benefit of boosting upper body strength and stamina.
The Australia Project
PORTRAITS OF PIGS Year 4 packed up their art materials and headed outside during one of their art lessons in September as they experimented with various mark making techniques using graphite. The animals on the farm proved willing subjects with ‘Peppa’ and ‘Spot’ the Kune kune pigs a very popular choice for portraits. The children did a marvellous job of capturing the characters of the animals whilst exploring this new medium.
COVID-19 has forced us all to adapt to new ways of working and whilst we may all have been present in school during the Autumn Term, our year group bubbles challenged us to be more creative in our approach to learning. Our usual opportunities for Prep School pupils to work with students at the Senior School were put on hold due to COVID restrictions, however we didn’t want this to be a barrier to both collaborative learning and the development of leadership skills in our older pupils. In November, Mrs Bestwick (one of our Senior School Art Teachers) gave an informative talk to Year 6 – via Teams – on the subject of Australia with a focus on climate change and the extinction risk to their native species. From her experience of having lived there for 7 years she was able to impart some first-hand experiences of recycling water and how a lack of water was affecting the country’s wildlife. Year 6 were then tasked with researching their own facts on Australia. Following this, working in groups of five, they were partnered up with a Year 9 leader. In late November the groups had their first live ‘team meeting’ over Teams. Both sets of pupils excelled themselves, rising to the challenge of working virtually, and embracing a new approach to
MODELLING IN MATHS
collaborative learning. Conversations were flowing, questions and ideas were being thrown around at speed and the 35-minute meeting was over before they knew it. Thanks to technology, correspondence didn’t stop during school hours and many Year 9s made contact with their Year 6 group after-hours. We cannot wait to see how these projects develop. Well done Year 9 and Year 6!
In November, Year 5 were focussing on three dimensional shapes in Maths. The class spent time learning how to navigate drawing different configurations of building blocks on isometric paper. They then built several different models using linking blocks and practised drawing them from different angles, using the isometric paper to help them.
WE’RE GOING ON A DINOSAUR HUNT!
Remarkable Robots
Children in Year 2 have had a stompingly good time this term, studying their topic of ‘Dinosaurs’. They used this theme across the subjects of Geography, History and Art, fully immersing themselves in the topic. The children embarked on a journey of discovery, from timelines of evolution, and using their research skills to find out about famous palaeontologists, to learning about where different species were found in the world and what they ate. They also developed an understanding of how fossils are formed.
Year 3 began an English topic on ‘The Iron Man’ by Ted Hughes this term. As well as studying the book in English, the topic has also gone cross-curricular, being used as a focus in their weekly drama lessons. The children used elements of drama, role play and improvisation to communicate the Iron Man story. Using these techniques will help the children get to know the characters in depth, deepen their understanding of the story and explore the themes of the book.
LEARNING ABOUT THE BODY
There have also been homework tasks linked to the topic including one which saw Year 3 create an army of robots over the course of the term, when they were challenged to create a junk robot from materials they could find at home. The result was some very impressive creations indeed, which came in all shapes and sizes. There was even a full functioning, moving robot!
In December, both Reception Classes spent time in their Science lessons learning about the human body. They had particular fun investigating the skeleton with the help of their teachers and ‘Bob’ the skeleton. A willing volunteer from each class was used as platform onto which the bones of ‘Bob’ were placed. The children did a fantastic job, finding the correct location for each one.
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INVESTIGATING EROSION In November, in their Science Lessons, Year 3 investigated the different rates at which rocks erode. Using our dedicated Science Lab, they conducted tests on a variety of substrates to observe the process. In the first of this 3-part lesson, the pupils rubbed samples of slate, granite, basalt, chalk, sandstone and pumice together to speed up a process which would normally take millions of years, if left to nature. The pupils then used their results to discuss which types of rock would make good building materials.
INSECTS AND PATTERNS As part of their Design Technology lessons, Year 5 pupils have been observing insects, looking specifically at shapes and patterns. Their final project will involve making their own cushion featuring an insect pattern. As part of the idea development of this topic, for a homework gird task, the children were challenged to build an insect of their choice using recycled materials. From the smallest to the largest creations, it was clear from the details included that they had each had each put a lot of thought into their designs.
Year 6 Study the Heart Year 6 pupils headed to the Science Lab in late October to take on the task of dissecting a pig’s heart. The activity was the final stage of their studies into the circulatory system.
The opportunity to try dissection is often not presented in school until the start of GCSE study, however this is an annual lesson for the Year 6 children here at St Edward’s. It is a firm favourite with the pupils, with apprehension and curiosity displayed in equal measure. The pupils had been learning about the function and structure of the heart, blood vessels and lungs in their earlier Science lessons, so this was a great opportunity to consolidate their knowledge. The
children spent time examining the different tissues present and the location the main components of the heart (aorta, left and right ventricles, left and right atrium, valves arteries and veins) which help it to perform its vital role in our bodies. They followed this up with the completion of a homework task to create a 3D model of a heart using materials of their own choosing. The resulting submissions were full of creativity with hearts made from Lego, modelling clay, cardboard and fabric.
National Forest School Day LEARNING THROUGH NATURE In Kindergarten, children in Nursery Maple enjoy twice-weekly nature learning sessions, with the aim of bringing as many of the learning objectives that could have been achieved indoors, out into the open air. This gives the children the opportunity to have lessons reinforced in a different environment. The class study a new topic each week and this term, the focus has been on ‘Autumn’, covering areas including Pumpkins, Sticks, Autumnal Seeds, and Stars. As part of this, the children talked about the change in the seasons – particularly the earlier evenings when they were encouraged to notice this change and to look for stars in the sky in the evenings at home.
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We love our Forest School sessions here at St Edward’s. Classes are taken outdoors; hunting for mini-beasts, growing produce, looking for birds and wildlife and making dens. Our Forest School is a special place for the children, where they are encouraged to test boundaries and explore, taking risks in the great outdoors. Learning to cook over an open fire, peeling vegetables and woodwork, all add to their skills and growing sense of independence.
In October, to mark this year’s National Forest School Day, Year 1 children headed out into the woodland to make leaf crowns transforming themselves into Kings and Queens of the forest, Year 2 crafted clay faces and Reception children learnt forest related French words.
Open Air Drama Year 5 made the most of the late September sun by moving their Drama lessons outside onto the tennis courts. Specialist Music and Drama teacher, Mrs Dobson, led a session focussing on improvisation and role play. The children played out a scene where a child was begging a parent to be allowed to ride their new bike to school the following day. The pupils acting as parents did their very best to resist the pleas of their children and insist that bike riding was reserved for a day when a new helmet and bike lock had arrived. The children took it in turns to perform their sketch to the class, with audience members praising their favourite parts of each performance and Mrs Dobson providing feedback on things to improve for next time.
YEAR 2’S BOUNTIFUL HARVEST Prior to half-term Year 2 spent time learning about the history of the Harvest Festival. Harvest is traditionally a time to come together and celebrate the year’s crop and be thankful to God for providing us with food. This year, each class observed the festival individually, discussing the topic in class before heading out to the vegetable garden to harvest some crops of their very own. The children were most excited that following their harvest they were then welcome to take some of the vegetables home with them to eat for tea! A follow-up lesson was led by Fr Pat in the Chapel, which focused on the importance of being thankful for things and the idea of sharing and giving within our own communities.
It was lovely to see all the pupils performing with confidence and great humour
STATES OF MATTER
Outstanding EYFS Results Life in our Pre-Prep is vibrant and exciting, with children benefiting from a broad and well-balanced curriculum. Our children are self-confident, respectful and have a great enthusiasm for learning. We are extremely proud of the fact that our Pre-Prep pupils consistently make exceptional progress as they move up through our Department. During the Autumn Term, EYFS Profile Results Data showed that 100% of our current Year 1 children started this academic year with skills well above the national average. The children showed an average point score of 47.6 out of a possible 51 (compared to the national average of approximately 34.5 and Gloucestershire school average of 35.5). In the prime areas of learning 100% of our children achieved a high level of development (expected and exceeding). As well as providing strong academic foundations for all our pupils, a key element of the St Edward’s educational experience is outdoor learning. In Pre-Prep, as well as the rest of the School, there are an array of exciting initiatives in place to ensure that all our pupils can make connections with the natural world. Forest School and the School Farm provide opportunities for our pupils to participate in a range of activities which enable them to take on appropriate risks and challenges, whilst building strong, positive relationships with the natural environment. There are numerous ways in which the Farm integrates with the academic life of the School, taking subjects like Science and Geography out of the classroom, and allowing us to offer a rounded cross-curricular approach.
Year 4 had lots of fun learning about the different states of matter in their Science lessons this term. The children identified examples of solids, liquids and gasses that they were familiar with. They then spoke about the different properties of each of the different states before finding out the physics behind these differences. To consolidate their learning, the pupils then acted out the pattern of movements that can be observed in molecules in solids, liquids and gasses.
PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR YEAR 6 Year 6 were excited to start their People and Leadership Skills (PALS) sessions in November, with Headmaster, Mr McKernan. The initiative has always been very popular with the pupils and this year’s cohort were keen to get started. In their first session the children discussed the way we see, think and observe things and how this can vary from person to person and may not always be accurate. The children thought of real life examples to demonstrate the point, and talked about how and why people might interpret the same situation in different ways.
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With all points counting, we were treated to some cracking races over a shortened version of the school course, with a real team event flavour evident throughout. A huge well done to everyone – staff and pupils – for their participation, assistance and support on the day. In the Year 3/4 age range Lewis House emerged victorious, ahead of Dahl, but it was tightly contested with just 19 points across the three Houses. In the Year Three race Collin M and Alfred S were both awarded Gold in a very tight finish. In the Year 5/6 age category Dahl House triumphed with a comfortable victory margin of 34 points over Blyton, with Lewis in third. The Year 6 girls race saw another “too close to call” situation on the finish line with Holly T-S and Atlanta G both awarded Bronze!
Inter-House Cross Country 2020 The start of the second half of term brought with it a very exciting Inter-House Cross Country competition, contested in perfect autumnal conditions.
Full results were as follows: • Year 3 Boys: Gold - Collin M and Alfred S, Bronze - Matty C • Year 3 Girls: Gold - Saoirse H, Silver - Bethany T, Bronze - Alex J • Year 4 Boys: Gold - Cade G, Silver - Josh B, Bronze - George B • Year 4 Girls: Gold - Ella G, Silver - Miranda S S M, Bronze - Iris H • Year 5 Boys: Gold - Jack J, Silver - Oliver W, Bronze - Zach A • Year 5 Girls: Gold - Naomi K, Silver - Maria N, Bronze - Bea P • Year 6 Boys: Gold - Seb V-M, Silver - Zac S, Bronze - Jack D • Year 6 Girls: Gold - Niamh T, Silver - Zara C, Bronze - Holly T-S and Atlanta G
Fantastic Hockey Sessions for Years 5 and 6 Rugby Lessons Resume In November, girls in Year 5 and 6 had the opportunity to enjoy some specialist Gocrea8 Hockey coaching sessions with Matt Fairburn. With over 10 years playing experience at the top levels, Matt represented England at Junior level and a number of National League Clubs. All of the girls worked extremely hard in the sessions, taking on tips and constructive analysis of their skills to improve passing, reverse stick control and attacking moves.
Following the start of term boys in Years 3 to 6 were once again enjoying PE lessons in the beautiful Prep School grounds. This term, the boys were focussing on improving their Rugby and Football skills. For rugby lessons were altered to minimise contact due to Covid-19, with games limited to touch rugby rules only. Rugby and Football can be a fantastic way to boost confidence, build team working skills and increase respect for others. At Prep level, the focus is on having fun, playing your best and developing your game play skills. Year 5 pupils got to work straight away working on lateral passing, improving their defensive and attacking lines, learning what to do when tackled, as well as looking at the basic version of the ruck used at under 10 level.
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St Edward’s Preparatory School, 252 London Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 6NR
T:01242 388550 E:prepschool@stedwards.co.uk