Prep Headmaster’s Report
Carl Rycroft’s Speech Day Report
I would like to start this year by thanking parents for your continued support of the school. We function much more effectively as a school owing to the positive relationship that exists between the school and the parent body. The children’s education obviously benefits from a strong partnership between school and home; learning is at its best when it is not confined to school hours. The parent network is a strength for the school and a support to new parents. The Barney Friends provide the management of a parent contact list, enjoyable social events, support at school events such as Open Days and Sports Days, as well as providing a useful sounding board for the school. The inaugural Prep School Ball was a big undertaking and, I am pleased to say, a huge success. The hard work of Mrs Gray, Mrs Osborne, Mrs Rycroft and Mrs Forster in organising the ball ensured that a super evening was had by all those who were able to attend. We are also thankful for the support given by the companies that generously sponsored the evening. The ball was a great addition to the social calendar of the school and we intend to make this a biennial event. As parents, you will know something about our assembly programme from your thorough reading of the newsletter each week. Our assemblies address issues involving personal development and living as contributing members of society. For one such assembly this year, I decided to use images of signs to highlight that there are many ways in which we are guided through life. However, during my search on the internet for signs to do with children, I also came across a few signs that seemed less appropriate for the assembly, such as: “Crocodiles are fed every Wednesday and Saturday at 4:30. Bring the children.” and “For Sale: boa constrictor: 6:5 foot long, hand reared. Likes children.” Speech Day is an excellent opportunity to update you
The Barnardian Magazine
on the progress of the school and to share with you some of the outstanding achievements of this academic year. The strength of Barney is, and always will be, that it’s a school where we focus on the character of pupils: their resilience, motivation, self discipline and creativity. Where assessment is not too narrow, where a range of abilities and talents are recognised, where pupils are encouraged to get on and be the best they can be. We are pleased to have a school which offers a broad education, focusing on the whole person and based on huge variety and all-round excellence. Academic matters are at the heart of what we do. Sport, music, drama, activities, community service and trips are an essential part of what we offer, and they all complement what goes on in the classroom. We are proud, therefore, that all of our Year Six pupils were offered places in the Senior School following the academic entrance test procedure and this was just reward for their hard work and the teachers’ guidance. In addition four pupils were awarded academic scholarships in recognition of their aptitude, hard work and potential. At the same time, this school is also about having a wide range of clubs and activities, matches and high quality concerts and plays. In everything, there should be an opportunity for the excellent to excel and the keen to participate and enjoy. Music continues to play a full part in life at the Prep School. A third choir, representing the Pre-Prep, has been added to our list of ensembles, as has a recorder group. I have been pleased that the Music and Art departments have linked up for two concert events, the ‘Sweets and Music’ concert and the Autumn term ensemble concert and Art Exhibition. The Choir and Harmony Choir have performed well in Chapel and in concerts; members of the Harmony Choir supported the Chapel Choir in singing evensong at York Minster and I am pleased that they will be supporting the Chapel Choir in future public events. We held two ‘Have a Go’ concerts this year. These informal events, watched by parents, provide an opportunity for the children to take their first foray into performing music in public. Needless to say these were very enjoyable events, as was the excellent PrePrep concert. As well as the aforementioned art exhibitions we also held our first inter-house and Pre-Prep Art competition this term. The Olympic theme was appropriate and I hope you enjoyed the digital exhibition of these pictures on the big screen prior to the start of Speech Day. Our commitment to drama is significant through role play in lessons, through class assemblies and through our productions. With regard to the latter, the Pre-Prep Nativity Play, ‘Busy, Busy Bethlehem’, got us off to a super start in the Autumn Term. This was followed up by our first ever Year Three and Four play, ‘Aesop’s Funtastic Fables’, which was also a great success. The Year Three and Four play was a noteworthy addition to our calendar of drama events, which concluded with ‘The Pirates of The Curry Bean’. This show was great fun for our Year Five and Six pupils and the audience alike as well as being a showcase for drama in the school. On the sporting front, I have been particularly encouraged by the development of the girls’ U9 sport this year and it is pleasing that we have managed to establish a good fixture programme for this age group. The performance of the U9A Netball team in winning the Plate trophy at the Yarm tournament was a good example of our progress and this early development should stand us in good stead in the future. Related to development, I have also been encouraged by the increase in B, C and even D level
fixtures this year as we endeavour to give more sporting opportunities to all the children. We were also pleased that four Year Six pupils were awarded Barnard Castle School Sports Exhibitions. The continued excellence of our Cross Country and Athletics teams, two sports in which the girls and boys excel, is noteworthy and this was particularly evident in winning performances at the Teesside High School Cross-Country race and in our recent athletics match against Yarm Prep School. Individually Cameron McKnight, Carla McKnight, Edward Lockwood and Jake Metcalfe all broke school Athletics records this term to continue our proud tradition on the track. The U9 Rugby team had an excellent season both in regular fixtures and in their victorious performances at the Yarm and Sedbergh tournaments. In U11 Rugby Max Pepper and George Spink represented the North of England Prep Schools’ team. Despite the best efforts of the weather, we did manage to get some sport played this term. The two Sports Days were excellent and the Olympic themed opening ceremony at the Pre-Prep event was a triumph. The U11 Cricket team were runners up in Durham School six-a-side Cricket Competition and the U8 Tennis team won the Durham County Games. There have been fifty activities on offer this year and on top of this we have enjoyed a variety of educational trips and cross-curricular themed days. The Jubilee Day and the Olympic Torch relay were real highlights and in addition to this we have also raised money for a wide variety of good causes this year thanks to the hard work of the School Council, amongst others. I would also like to mention the support staff today, the amount that goes on in the background is extraordinary. Our wonderful matrons, cleaners, catering staff, medical staff, maintenance and grounds staff all play a significant part in the success of the school. This is also the case with the business and administration staff, and this includes, of course, Mrs Morse our incomparable and highly talented Prep School secretary. Well done to all pupils this year for making the school such an enjoyable place to be. You have all played an important part in the school’s continued success. I would like to wish the Year Six pupils all the best as they embark on the next exciting stage of their education. You can afford to move on with confidence and make the most of the opportunities both in and out of the classroom in senior school. In conclusion, in twenty-one days time the Olympics opens in London. The Olympic spirit is in many ways in harmony with the spirit at Barney. Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, espoused the view that doing your best should be your aim, that putting everything into taking part was, in itself, the essence of success in life. This is reflected in school where success is often measured by what we put in, our commitment to roll up our sleeves and give everything a good go. Pierre de Coubertin said: “The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” My simple version of this and my challenge to you all as we look forward to a new academic year is, “Do your best to be your best” That is after all the Barney Way! Thank you. Carl Rycroft Headmaster
2012
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