Another fantastic week in the life of the Prep School.
I'm writing this newsletter frontpiece from the woods surrounding Penshurst Place, we'll worth a visit and only an hour from school (if the M25 isn't closed!!).
Well done to all our Year 4 and Year 6 girls on their end of year assessments and all the best to Year 5 as they complete these over the next week.
A huge well done to 6MK for their VE Day class assembly, I was sorry to miss it but have heard great things.
A full coverage of the Year 4 residential is further in this newsletter but suffice to say on sunny days in the garden of England, camping and crafting is learning at its best.
Now home and to the FOST Summer Festival, where I expect I will see you all lined up to throw wet sponges at me in the 'Soak the Teacher' stall.
To be whole is to be camping
There's no Wi-Fi in the mountains, but you'll never find better connections
Time spent camping isn't time spent, its time invested
Have a great weekend, Gareth Tindall
Mr.Tindall’s Wing Walk –
HappeningTomorrow!
Originally planned for the autumn term, my wing walk is now taking place tomorrow, 17th May! I’ll be strapped to the top of a bi-plane to raise funds for Morgan’s Mission and NeST. Morgan, the 15-year-old son of a close friend, has battled Nephrotic Syndrome since he was just 15 months old. This serious kidney condition, combined with severe allergies and eczema, has made life incredibly challenging for him.
Alongside Paul and other supporters, I’m taking to the skies to help fund vital research into this condition.
If you’d like to support, please consider donating here: Gareth's fundraiser for NesT in support of Morgan's Mission
And if you’re unable to donate, your prayers for Paul and his family would mean a great deal.
With gratitude, Gareth Tindall
Summer Term Key Diary Dates 2025:
Thu
3rd
Typing's cool
Typing's Cool club is offering an advanced typing skills course for students in Year 1 to Year 6. The sessions will be held every Friday from 12:45 to 1:15 pm.
Typing's Cool teaches students to type at speeds of 40+ words per minute using the correct fingers and posture. The club combines formal techniques with the latest app games to make learning both effective and fun. Students will have the chance to ride flying skateboards, zap aliens, and win cool movie outfits while improving their typing skills.
Proficiency in typing can significantly enhance academic performance in school and exams. The cost per place is £125.00, and we accept childcare vouchers and tax-free childcare. To apply, please contact Sarah Holt at sarah.holt@typingscool.co.uk
First Holy Communion
We are planning a celebration for the girls who are making their First Holy Communion this year. If your daughter is, please can you complete this online form letting us know the Parish and the date of the First Holy Communion Mass so that we can plan the school event accordingly.
Golden Book
Well done to all of the girls in our Golden Books this week:
5AB Liberty C Sacrament of Confirmation work.
Amelia H lesson time this week.
5KH Maggie M smile.
Eloise B
6 SG Liberty B, Holly E and Dana M girls persevered beautifully through a number of assessments and remained calm and collected the whole time.
6 MK All the wonderful girls in Alexa and Amelia for choreographing the dance.
Drama Stars
Year 5: Rosie M for her working so positively with her group and showing confidence when rehearsing for her group scene.
Year 6 Alexa H and Ruby S for using their creativity to produce an excellent piece of choreography for their class assembly.
Art Stars
Year 5 Daisy B and Sofia A for their wonderful, large-scale portraits using oil pastels, which are full of energy and interest, and also completed within only 15 minutes.
Year 6 Eva M for her beautifully sensitive study of an outfit created by the designer Vivienne Westwood.
Prep School News
6MK Assembly
6MK delivered a fantastic assembly this morning, sharing everything they’ve learnt about VE Day over the past few weeks. They rounded it off with an impressive dance segment to a Horrible Histories song – choreographed entirely by the children themselves. A brilliant performance all round and a great way to celebrate their hard work and learning.
Prep School News
Year 6 Adopt a Chef - Week 3
In session 3 of 'Adopt a Chef', we made bread dough with Harry. We thought about the ingredients, where they come from and what the final products may look like. After measuring out the ingredients using different size spoons and mixing them all together, we shaped the dough carefully to fit in individual pots. Harry then kindly baked them for us, ready to enjoydelicious!
Prep School News
Year 4 Bushcraft
Wednesday 14th May saw Year 4 set off on their Bushcraft Adventure, travelling to the wilds of rural Kent in the giant back garden of Penshurst Place. Nestled among the trees we found our camp and quickly settled in making ourselves at home.
On day 1 we had our safety briefing in the central yurt. We then took to the woods for a shelter building tribal competition. Following a hearty lunch, we took to the woods to learn camouflaging and put out skills to the test in some high-level hide-and-seek games like Grandma's Footsteps. Following snack break, we gathered in the yurt to learn different ways to make fire. We then utilised our new learning by gathering the variety of thickness of sticks required, adding vasoline to cotton wool, before striking the flint and steel. Instant success and we cooked our burgers over our own tribe fires! After dinner, which included a delicious blueberry muffin for dessert, we headed out to the Ridings to play, Where's My Monkey? The evening of Day 1 concluded with a re-gathering in the yurt cooking shmores over a warm campfire as the sun set over the 'Garden of England'. What a full day!
Day 2 in the Bushcraft Woods: After a breakfast bap, akin to a sausage and egg McMuffin, we learned all about first aid and DR ABS. Then the teachers were secretly squirrelled away and bloodied up and placed in an SOS small aeroplane crash site. The girls, being led on a search for the White Stag, came across this scene and instantly jumped into action. I am happy to report that the group that surveyed the scene near Mr Tindall managed to survey him, put him in rescue position, relocate him (rolling) on to a tarp and carried him clear of the plane before he came to and thankfully before the plane exploded. Alas Mrs Hall and Mrs Cooper were not so fortunate. Following a few more successful rounds of 'Where's My Monkey?', we made and cooked our own pizzas. In the afternoon, we learned how to make tangle, dangle, mangle and strangle traps. We then put our skills to the test in designing our own traps, some of which were very imaginary. On return to base camp we learned a few more camp songs before learning how to prussock a salmon. And in a period of free time, the girls continued to build their wilderness hotel, advancing to leafed branches to clean sweep the floors. Following dinner, we enjoyed some cooked salmon before toasting our own shmores and supping on hot chocolate. We were more than ready for lights out at the end of another fantastic day.
Day 3 in the Bushcraft Woods: Beans, sausage and fried potatoes for brekkie, followed by breaking camp. We then made paracord bracelets, learned knife safety and skills to make woodland pencils. Our final challenge was to build waterproof and windproof bug houses. Following lunch we loaded up and headed home. Successful, happy campers who have grown in a great time in nature.
Year 4 Bushcraft
Click in the link to watch the “Banana Song” GQZF8286.MP4
Prep School News
Prep School Summer Production
Music News
Musicians of the Week
Year 5: Megan S for her wonderful singing and boundless enthusiasm for music! Year 6: Penny C for fantastic focus, singing and acting in our Jungle Book rehearsals!
Cranmore Live - G6
This week, a group of Prep girls had the wonderful opportunity to visit Cranmore and take part in a vocal workshop with the acclaimed singing group, The Gesualdo Six. Known for their specialism in early music, The Gesualdo Six brought a wealth of knowledge, skill, and inspiration to the session.
The day began with a series of vocal warm-ups – some familiar, others entirely new – giving the girls a chance to experience different techniques used by professional singers. A key focus of the workshop was the importance of listening when singing as part of an ensemble. Through targeted exercises, the girls explored how attentive listening can enhance harmony, blend, and overall musicality. During the session, the girls learned two beautiful pieces, which they later performed alongside The Gesualdo Six in an evening showcase. The event concluded with a stunning concert by the group, which was both moving and memorable – a true highlight of the day. It was a truly enriching experience for all involved, offering valuable insight into the art of ensemble singing and the joy of making music together.
Reminder forYear 6 Parents
If your daughter will be leaving in September, please remember to inform her instrumental teacher(s) directly. This also applies to any girls who do not wish to continue learning their instrument in the senior school. Early notice helps our music staff plan for the new academic year and ensures a smooth transition for all involved. Thank you for your cooperation.
Music Clubs:
Monday
12.45: St Teresa’s Singers (Y.4 & 5)
3.45: Orchestra
Tuesday
12.45: Recorder Club (Y.4)
Wednesday
10.55: Wind Ensemble
4.15: Chamber Choir
Thursday
12.45: String Group
Friday
12.45: Rock Choir
Rock Choir Returns!
We were thrilled to welcome back Rock Choir this week, and the Music Room was buzzing with energy as we sang and danced. It was a fantastic session full of fun and positivity.
Rock Choir is a drop-in club open to all year groups, held every Friday lunchtime there's no need to sign up, and everyone is welcome to join whenever they like.
We can’t wait to see even more of you there next week!
Prep Sport
Inter House Swimming Gala
On Monday the Prep School took to the pool for their annual Inter-House Swim Gala, a much-anticipated event that celebrates the skills and progress the girls have made throughout the year.
The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as the girls arrived in high spirits, proudly representing their houses. The support from families and spectators was fantastic and added to the sense of occasion, thank you to all who came along to cheer them on.
Every event was hotly contested, with fantastic effort and determination shown in the water. Races across all age groups were incredibly close, with just one- or two-points separating 4th and 1st place overall, highlighting how competitive and well-matched the teams were.
This gala is not only about results, but also about participation, improvement, and enjoyment. Every swimmer who took part should feel proud of their performance and their contribution to their house.
A huge well done to all the girls who competed, and a sincere thank you once again to all the parents and staff for their ongoing support and encouragement. We look forward to seeing what next year brings!
U9 Placing:
St Francis -29 points 1st
St Ignatius -28 points 2nd
St Dominic- 25 points 3rd
St Benedict -24 points 4th
Tennis
U10 Placing:
St Ignatius- 44 points 1st
St Benedict- 34 points 2nd
St Francis- 27 points 3rd
St Dominic- 22 points 4th
U11 Placing
St Ignatius- 45 points 1st
St Benedict- 37 points 2nd
St Francis- 35 points 3rd
St Dominic- 29 points 4th
A team of 12 U10 tennis players were travelled to Manor House on Tuesday to play in their first matches of the season. A total of 30 matches were played by the team with each pair playing 5 matches each which was an excellent opportunity to play under pressure. Cara A-S and Isla S were the only undefeated pair of the afternoon winning 4 matches and drawing 1. Sienna D and Liberty C also played well all afternoon losing only 1 of their matches. Zoe G, Cecily P and Thea S all deserve praise for their excellent forehands which won them many points. The U10s will be playing again on Saturday and we look forward to seeing them play!
Fixtures
Saturday 17th May: U9-U11 Tennis vs Notre Dame (H) 9am
Monday 19th May: U9-U11 Effingham Trust Swim Gala 4:30-6pm
Wednesday 21st May: QuadKids Athletics Competition @ The Spectrum 12pm
Tuesday 3rd June: U11 Cricket v Notre Dame (H) @ 2:45, U10 Tennis v Feltonfleet (A) 2:30pm
Friday 6th June: U9 Cricket v CLFS (H) @2:30
Tuesday 10th June: U10 Cricket vs Notre Dame (A) @ 2:30pm, U11 Tennis v Feltonfleet (A) 2:30pm
Friday 13th June: U9 Tennis v Feltonfleet (A) 2:30pm
STASH – Summer Holiday Camp
STASH will be going ahead this year and will start on Monday 7th July and finish on Friday 11th July. It will be open to all children in Years 4-6. Keep an eye out for the sign up forms over the next few weeks.
Booking System: st-teresas-equestrian.ecpro.co.uk
For more information, please visit our website www.st-teresas.com/equestrian
You can also call direct on 01372 750257 or email: equestrian@st-teresas.com Find us on Facebook: St Teresa's Equestrian | Leatherhead | Facebook
This week at STE
It’s been wonderful weather this week although the horses have been struggling to stay cool and so some of them are sporting fancy new hair cuts.
SchoolTrips
It’s great to see that the Prep school students have had some wonderful school trips organised this term. This is just a reminder to let us know a week in advance if your child will be attending the trip so that we can credit the lesson.
BHS Challenge Awards
Bambi enjoyed being a ‘living diagram’ for the BHS Challenge Award sessions this week.
Always one to enjoy the spotlight when not trying to make an escape through an open barn door...
Summer Term Riding
Please do check our website for ad hoc lesson availability for those students who are interested in riding but aren’t able to commit to a full term.
Please follow the steps below:
• Scan the QR code to reach the booking website.
• Set up an account for you and your rider.
• When this has been done go to the home page of Ecpro.
• Click on the ‘Make a Booking’ button at the bottom of the page.
• Then click on the ‘What’s on Week/Month’ button to see a calendar overview of availability. Please email equestrian if you would like to pay using Childcare vouchers.
Booking System: st-teresas-equestrian.ecpro.co.uk
For more information, please visit our website www.st-teresas.com/equestrian
NSEA NEWS
In the Spotlight…. Amber B
You can also call direct on 01372 750257 or email: equestrian@st-teresas.com
Find us on Facebook: St Teresa's Equestrian | Leatherhead | Facebook
Amber was recently awarded ‘ Most Outstanding Equestrian Scholar’ and I caught up with her to find out a little bit more about how she started riding and to hear about her recent successes with her pony Lotus Star.
So when did you start riding?
I started riding when I was only two years old when I got an 11hh pony called Pippa to share with my sister. The first pony I could properly call my own was a 12hh Welsh palomino pony called Wiggy. He was the perfect pony to teach me how to ride.
Did you show any signs at that age of wanting to compete?
Yes! I did my first competition on Wiggy. I was led round the course of small jumps by my mum!
And then when did you first properly get into showjumping?
My mum used to Show Jump, so I have followed in her footsteps and we always jumped at home. I started taking it really seriously when I joined British Showjumping in 2022 and started competing in their classes.
So what do you enjoy most about competing?
What I really enjoy is the adrenaline rush after a good round. I get nervous before the round but the more nerves I get the happier and more excited I am after it goes well!
Are there any challenging aspects of your sport?
The most challenging thing about riding is when something goes wrong. Even if it’s just in a ride at home, the next day, you still have to get back on the same pony, they can’t remember the bad stuff from the previous ride, but you can.
So tell us a little more about Lotus Star, your current pony?
Lotus Star is the best pony ever! The number of times I mess up the stride to a jump or don’t quite get the approach line right…she just gets it right for us. She is also just the sweetest pony to handle and look after…she literally never puts a foot wrong!
You recently qualified for the Agria Horse of the Year Show in July at Hickstead which is a huge achievement…how did that feel?
Qualifying for Hickstead is the most amazing thing ever! Hickstead is one of the most well-known showgrounds in the UK and hosts the Hickstead Derby with the huge bank and hedges as part of the course. Being able to ride in that arena is probably the best thing I will ever achieve in my riding career! Not just anyone can ride in that arena!
That is really amazing Amber, especially as I know that between you and your sister Chloe, you have trained Lotus Star yourselves, taking her from a novice, inexperienced pony to a top track national finalist competing at the highest level. That Show really is a huge achievement, there will be top class
international show jumpers including some of the GB Gold medal team there so very best of luck to you both!
Lucy Collins (NSEA Team Manager)
Habemus Papam
We have a Pope
Reading
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me. The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father. The Father and I are one.’
Reflection
We have Pope.A Holy Father to guide and lead us on. God is always surprising us and so it was with the election of Pope Leo XIV as the 267th Supreme Pontif. I have been struck by his humility and grace. IN the way in which he both looks back and looks forward. I am sure his experience as a Missionary, an Augustian and a Canon Lawyer will serve him well. May the Holy Spirit guide him in his role and protect him.
Prayer
Faithful God, You guide us on the path of life and your goodness is our constant companion. Be with our new Shepherd, Pope Leo XIV, in his service of the Church. Fill him with the power of your Spirit, the peace of your presence and the compassion of Christ. Amen Amen.
CPA & FOST
Invite you to a fun filled ‘Big May Fair’! A celebration of our schools and community – don’t miss the biggest event of the season! Bring your friends, family, and festive spirit!
Tickets only £5 per family and can be purchased from: www.tickettailor.com/events/cranmoreparentsassociation/1666988
Let’s make memories together at St Teresa’s May Fair
Menu—w/c Monday 19th May 2025
Hot lunches include a selection of family favourites and suitable alternatives for children with allergies and intolerances.
Week 2 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Soup
Main
Vegetarian
Soup of the day Soup of the day Soup of the day Soup of the day Soup of the day
BBQ Chicken or Pepperoni Pizza Mexican Turkey Fajitas
Grilled
Margherita Pizza
Pasta Bar
Sides
Additional
Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
Potato Wedges Sweetcorn
Cesar Salad
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Halloumi & Mediterranean Vegetable Stack
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Bacon Carbonara Sauce
Spicy Rice Broccoli
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Roast of the week with Yorkshire Pudding, Stuffing & Gravy
Leek and Potato Bake with Crunchy a Top
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Bolognaise Sauce
Herb Roasted New Potatoes Steamed Carrots
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Chana Masala with Pulled Chicken
Freshly
Battered Fish or Fish Cake with Ketchup and Tartare Sauce
Chickpea Saag Aloo
Pea, Mint and Feta Frittata
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Tuscan Sausage Sauce
Naan Bread Pilau Rice Green Beans
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Pasta with Tomato Sauce & Basil or Macaroni Cheese
Skinny Chips
Garden Peas
Mushy Peas
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Dessert
Shortbread Finger
Jam and Coconut
Sponge with Custard Homemade Milkshake
Chocolate Rice Crispy Square
Lemon Curd & Blueberry
Crumble Cake
Items in Italic - Sourced from F Conisbee’s, our local butcher
