26th June Bulletin

Week in Pictures

From the Headmaster’s Study Dear Parents and Pupils, Thank you for your care, commitment and endurance this week as we have continued to operate close to business as usual, despite the heat. While the conditions have at times been challenging, there have also been many wonderful opportunities to make the most of our beautiful grounds. Pupils have enjoyed an increased number of outdoor learning activities, as well as moments of fun with sprinklers and water play. The week was rounded off memorably with our variety show, set in the magical surroundings beneath the tree canopy by the pond.

Today marked our Moving Up Day, a significant milestone for all current pupils, as well as those who will be joining us in September. Moments of transition such as these are hugely important for young people. The routines and relationships that have shaped this academic year will evolve as pupils look ahead to September. While many will embrace the excitement of change, others may find aspects of it more challenging. As always, we will continue to provide the care, reassurance and support needed to help every pupil feel confident and positive about the journey ahead.

It was a great pleasure to celebrate Ballard’s 30th birthday together this afternoon. Although there has been a school on this site since 1895, Ballard, as we know it today, began 30 academic years ago.

I hope you enjoy the slightly cooler weather this weekend as we look forward to an exciting Activities Week.

With best wishes, Mr Turner Headmaster

Ballard 30 It was wonderful to welcome so many families to our Open Event. Look out for more photos next week.

Variety Show Wow, what a show! Well done to all our pupils and staff who moved our Variety Show performances from the PAC to an outdoor concert by the Victorian Pond. It was wonderful.

“I'd like to reiterate my thanks and congratulations to you and the whole team for last night's show. The setting was magical and the performances excellent.” Parent (Year 7 and Year 9) More images to follow next week.

Sports Days What a great day of sport and fun on Monday, with two Sports Days – Nursery & Kindergarten and Years 3 – 6 – taking place. For more details and photos, see our sports section below.

Skiing Success “On Monday, a magnificent team of seven skiers represented Ballard at the Independent Schools Indoor Open Championships 2026 in Hemel Hempstead. Competing against strong opposition – including Wellington College Prep and Dulwich College – and in fields of over 30 racers in some categories, the team delivered an outstanding set of performances.

Nylah O led the way with a brilliant 1st place in the U14 Juniors, a superb achievement in a highly competitive field. Sophie C finished a very respectable 11th in the U14 Girls in her first event on tall poles, while Josh J narrowly missed the podium with an excellent 4th place in the U14 Boys. In the U16 categories, Alice S proudly placed 24th in the U16 Girls, Zach F secured a strong 9th place, and Josh C was close behind in 12th. Ben G capped off the performances with an impressive 4th place in the U19 Boys, just outside the podium.

The Ballard senior team achieved a superb 4th place overall, missing out on a podium position by just 2 points – a reflection of both the tight competition and their excellent teamwork. With a championship title, multiple top-10 finishes and a near-podium team result, this was a fantastic showing from all seven skiers. Their commitment, resilience and camaraderie made it a day to remember on the slopes for Ballard. Congratulations to the entire team on a brilliant achievement.” Mr Wood (Director of Sport).

Prefect Dinner Celebration “The prefect dinner provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and thank our prefects for their outstanding contribution as role models and pupil leaders throughout the year.

Year 11 tutors and members of the senior management team joined the pupils and were treated to a delicious meal prepared by Mr Whiting and his brilliant team. The evening featured a thoughtful and eloquent speech from Deputy Head Prefects, Aurelia and Ollie, who reflected on their experiences and the important role prefects play within the school community. They also took the opportunity to reflect upon their years at the school and on the wisdom and guidance from staff.

It was a fitting celebration of a year of hard work, commitment and leadership, and I would like to thank all of our prefects for the positive example they have set for younger pupils.”

Mr Turner (Headmaster)

Prom It was truly wonderful to welcome our Year 11 pupils back for their prom, held at the beautiful Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa in Brockenhurst.

Everyone looked wonderful. Parents and staff joined our pupils to celebrate with drinks on the lawn before the pupils were left to enjoy an evening of fun and festivities. We are so proud of each and every one of them and look forward to seeing them all again on GCSE Results Day. Look out for more photos next week!

DofE Weekend “On 20th – 21st June, 48 hardy souls braved the New Forest heat to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition. Ably guided by our partners at Mountain Ash, the pupils covered around 25 – 30 km and camped out in Ashurst. This has been the culmination of a lot of planning and effort from the pupils. Thanks go to all the staff who have helped behind the scenes and those who joined the pupils over the weekend.” Mr Elliott (Lower Prep Teacher, DofE Co -ordinator)

STEM @ Ballard

Bronze Crest Award – Ecosystems Year 8 pupils have been studying ecology on the school grounds this week as part of their Bronze Crest Award. Here they are exploring the ecosystem that exists within the Ballard pond.

Flower Dissection Year 3 pupils have been learning about parts of plants and, this week, dissected flowers to name the different parts and explain how they help the plant to produce seeds.

Funko Boxes “Year 8 pupils have been exploring a range of workshop tools and machinery to design and manufacture their own Funko Pop -style money boxes, inspired by their favourite pop culture characters. Throughout this project, pupils have developed practical skills in joinery, learning how to accurately measure, cut and assemble finger -jointed boxes.

They have also applied creative techniques in decorating and finishing, bringing their unique character designs to life with impressive attention to detail. The results are a collection of imaginative and highly personalised pieces that showcase both technical craftsmanship and creative expression.” Miss Skelton (Deputy Head of Upper Prep and DT Teacher)

Arts @ Ballard

Natural Forms “Year 9 pupils are currently developing exciting and highly individual responses to their summer project, Natural Forms and the World Around Us. Using their concertina sketchbooks as creative journals, pupils are exploring personal interests and selecting their own starting points, allowing them to take ownership of their artistic journeys.

They are experimenting with a wide range of materials and techniques, learning how to prepare, layer and build surfaces to create rich, visually engaging backgrounds. The variety of work being produced is impressive, with themes ranging from animals and sea creatures to flowers, plants and organic printmaking.

It has been wonderful to see pupils confidently exploring ideas, developing technical skills and creating imaginative, personal outcomes inspired by the natural world.” Mrs Hitchens (Head of Art)

Ice Creams “Despite the hot weather, Year 7 pupils enthusiastically took part in a creative textiles lesson in Art this week. Inspired by the work of artist Joel Penkman , pupils designed and created their own textile ice creams. They began by developing their designs and making templates before learning how to sew and construct a 3D stuffed ice cream.

Throughout the project, pupils practised a wide range of textile skills, including cutting, pinning, stitching, assembling and finishing techniques. The fantastic outcomes showcased both their creativity and their growing confidence in textiles.”

Mrs Hitchens (Head of Art)

VMT Mini Concert and Workshop “Last week, pupils in Years 3 – 6 enjoyed a vibrant and inspiring music workshop led by our talented Visiting Music Teachers, who specialise in strings, woodwind and brass. The session began with engaging performances, capturing pupils’ attention and sparking curiosity.

Our specialists then explained how each instrument works before inviting pupils to take part themselves, offering a valuable hands-on experience. A highlight of the workshop was a whole -group performance of Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. Pupils enthusiastically applied their newly acquired skills, working together to create a truly memorable musical moment. Their creativity and spontaneity shone through, and there was a strong sense of community as they collaborated and supported one another. Workshops like this exemplify the power of the Expressive Arts at Ballard.

Through music, dance and drama, pupils develop confidence, build friendships and deepen their sense of self -worth.

Most importantly, they discover the joy of creative expression.

It was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to experience music -making together—learning, growing and, above all, having great fun.” Mr Prangnell (Head of Music)

Sport @ Ballard

Nursery & Kindergarten Sports Day “On Monday, the Nursery and Kindergarten Sports Day took place in the warm morning sunshine. The children enthusiastically participated in a series of track races on the Pre -Prep field, demonstrating their developing running skills and agility as they navigated hurdles and worked together to pass quoits in team relays.

“On Monday, the Nursery and Kindergarten Sports Day took place in the warm morning sunshine. The children enthusiastically participated in a series of track races on the Pre -Prep field, demonstrating their developing running skills and agility as they navigated hurdles and worked together to pass quoits in team relays.” Miss Romain (Head of Nursery to Year 6 PE and Games). More photos and video next week.

Year 3– 6 Sports Day On a blisteringly hot Monday afternoon, Years 3 – 6 enjoyed their Sports Day, with events thoughtfully adapted to ensure pupils could compete safely in the warm conditions. The longer -distance races were adjusted, with the Years 3 and 4 run shortened from 400 m to 200 m, and the Years 5 and 6 run reduced from 600 m to 300 m. To maintain consistency with the QuadKids scoring format, all recorded times were then doubled.

In addition to the distance runs, pupils competed in sprint races —50 m for Years 3 and 4, and 75 m for Years 5 and 6—as well as the running long jump and vortex throw. With the line of trees at the centre of the field providing some much-needed shade, the children were well supported as they gave their best in each event.

Despite the heat, the standard of performance was outstanding. Pupils demonstrated the results of a term’s hard work, striving to improve on their previous scores while competing for overall honours on the day. Their determination, resilience and enthusiasm were evident throughout.

A huge well done to all the athletes for their efforts and achievements. Thank you also to the staff for their professionalism in organising and running such a smooth and successful event, and to the many parents who came along to support. It was a fantastic afternoon and a great success for all involved .” Miss Romain (Head of Nursery to Year 6 PE and Games) More photos and video next week.

Year 11 Hockey Trip “We took 12 enthusiastic hockey players to the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre to watch England’s men’s and women’s teams take on Argentina and Australia .

After an early start and a lengthy journey involving trains, the Tube and a walk to the stadium, the group arrived just in time for the first match: England Men versus Argentina. Played at a fast pace under bright sunshine, the match ended in a 1– 1 draw, leading to a dramatic shootout. In this format, players face the goalkeeper one -on-one with eight seconds to score. Thanks to some outstanding saves from the England goalkeeper, the team emerged victorious, securing an important bonus point . Next came the women’s match. Despite a strong effort, and with the heat taking its toll, England were unable to find their rhythm and were defeated 3 – 0. Nevertheless, the Ballard pupils thoroughly enjoyed watching hockey of such a high standard. A particular highlight for four of them was the opportunity to step onto the pitch afterwards for a brief stick -and-ball session.

Although it was a long and busy day, the group —made up of three Year 8s, eight Year 10s and two Year 11s —had a fantastic experience. They represented the school brilliantly and were a credit to Ballard throughout, especially in the way they conducted themselves while navigating the busy London transport system.” Miss Romain (Head of Nursery to Year 6 PE and Games)

Year 10 Water Polo The best way to cool off this week was in the pool.

Swim Galas Well done to all our pupils who competed in the galas this week.

Team of the Week

Life @ Ballard

Geography Field Trip “Year 10 geographers visited Milford -on-Sea in the warm weather to collect data for their GCSE fieldwork. They measured the rate of longshore drift, completed beach profile surveys and measured the amount of sediment on either side of the groynes to evaluate how effective they are at reducing the rate of longshore drift.” Mr Harrowven (Head of Geography)

Flying Club Life: First Certificates “This week, pupils in the British Young Pilots classes completed Module A of their Intermediate course. This marks the completion of a term of hard work, during which we have looked in detail at the forces of flight, the weather and pressure instruments.

There has even been a flight challenge, navigating low level through the Grand Canyon in a fighter jet. We look forward to pupils returning in September for Module B, where we will explore airfield operations, air law and navigation, including a cross -country challenge.” Chris Bolland -Munro (Course Leader, British Young Pilots)

Outdoor Reading “Monday afternoons are dedicated to DEAR (Drop Everything and Read), giving pupils valuable time to enjoy reading for pleasure. With the recent spell of warm weather, 7A took their books outdoors, relaxing in the shade of one of our beautiful trees and immersing themselves in their favourite stories.” Mrs Presley (MFL Teacher)

Cooling Off It was smiles all round in Reception with shady, super cooling, spa style snack time - enjoyed by all

Father’s Day “Reception pupils cut out and decorated crowns to give to their dads on Father’s Day. Each of them claimed they had the best daddy ever!” Mrs Edwards (Pre -Prep Teacher).