The Jungle Book
Year 3 and 4 put on a fantastic production of The Jungle Book, bringing Rudyard Kipling’s much‑loved story to life.
From Mowgli’s adventurous spirit to Baloo’s easy-going charm, Shere Khan’s commanding presence and Kaa’s wonderfully slinky moments, every character was played with enthusiasm and flair.
A standout highlight was the show-stopping performance of King of the Jungle, with brilliant singing and excitement that lit up the Hammond Theatre stage.
Bravo to the whole cast for their hard work in creating such a joyful and entertaining production.
The Headmaster
There is always a wonderful moment towards the end of term when we reflect on how much has been packed into the last few weeks.
Pupils have enjoyed a rich variety of experiences beyond the classroom, venturing to gardens, galleries, theatres, and historic landmarks all adding to the excitement of their learning. Of course, the classroom remains at the heart of all we do, and I continue to be impressed by everyone’s focus, commitment, and willingness to throw themselves into their lessons.
Sport has also been a major feature of the term, with the rugby pitches busy throughout. Most pleasing of all has been everyone’s teamwork, determination, and pride in representing the School.
May your Easter break contain plenty of chocolate, relaxation and sunshine.
Reception to Pizza Express
Reception had a brilliant time at Pizza Express, where they stepped into the role of pizza‑makers for the day.
Donning chef's hats, pupils learned how to craft a classic margherita pizza — shaping the dough, spreading the tomato sauce and topping it with plenty of cheese. It was a fun, flour‑sprinkled trip that finished with a delicious cheesy pizza to enjoy.
Tim Smith Headmaster
The Head of Pre-Prep
As we reach the end of a busy spring term, it has been wonderful to see the children grow in confidence as they embraced new challenges, explored fresh ideas and supported one another – with even a hint of spring sunshine.
The children have deepened their understanding across the curriculum, from phonics and number skills to creative expression, scientific discovery and problem solving, showing curiosity, independence and resilience each day.
Special events added extra excitement, with World Book Day filling Pre Prep with imagination and a shared love of stories, and Safer Internet Day helping pupils learn how to stay safe online. Educational visits enriched their learning further, including trips to the local library, RHS Wisley, Hanwell Zoo, and Windsor Castle.
I wish you a wonderful Easter break with your families, and look forward to the adventures the summer term will bring.
Reading Café
Year 3 and 4 pupils welcomed their families to this term's Reading Café.
Guests sampled a three-course menu of literary delights, featuring 'The Polar Espresso', 'Lord of the Pies' and 'Peter Pan-cakes'. The café buzzed with enthusiasm as pupils shared their love of reading, and it was a wonderful opportunity to see our readers’ confidence shine.
Imogen Murphy Head of Pre Prep
Nutrition Workshop
Healthy eating took centre stage for Year 4, as pupils explored how food helps our bodies grow, focus and stay energised.
The session gave our young chefs the chance to experiment with ingredients, putting their learning into action by creating their own yoghurt pots. They selected a range of nutritious toppings and discovered just how delicious a balanced snack can be.
Year 5 had a wheel y good time blending learning with fun as they powered their own smoothies using pedal powered bikes.
With apples, bananas, oranges, spinach and strawberries to choose from, everyone thoroughly enjoyed mixing their own fruity combinations. Strawberries were especially popular, resulting in a wave of bright pink smoothies spinning their way out of the blender.
Smoothie Bike
Prep Author Visit
As part of our World Book Day celebrations, Prep pupils were delighted to welcome bestselling author Jenny McLachlan, creator of the Land of Roar series.
Jenny brought the magic of storytelling to life with an inspiring talk that had pupils buzzing with ideas and eager to create worlds of their own. A book‑signing session rounded off the visit a brilliant end to the day.
Year 6 Globe Theatre
Year 6 took a dramatic leap into the past on a memorable visit to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Standing inside the iconic theatre, pupils imagined the roar of the 17thcentury crowd and performances from over 400 years ago. In the acting workshop, they became whispering witches and powerful kings, as they explored Macbeth together.
Spectacular Science
We were delighted to welcome Year 1 pupils from eight local schools for an exciting afternoon of science.
With help from our brilliant Year 6 leaders, pupils teamed up to design and build their very own catapults. The big moment came when they launched colourful pom-poms into the air, met with cheers, laughter, and some impressively long flights.
Reception to the library
Pupils enjoyed a springtime walk to the local library, spotting blossom and daffodils along the way. They learned how to borrow books before settling down to hear the brilliant story Troll by Frances Stickley. The children were captivated by the tale of a grumpy troll who learns about the importance of being kind.
Trip to the Lightbox Year 4
Year 4 explored a range of sculptures, paintings and drawings during their visit to the Lightbox Gallery.
The highlight of the trip was a hands-on clay workshop, where pupils crafted expressive self portrait sculptures, each one a unique reflection of their individuality and creativity.
CROSS COUNTRY
Prep pupils took on the annual cross country course at Carlisle Park, powered on by huge cheers from their Houses.
Muddy puddles only added to the fun, and it was brilliant to see everyone giving their best and embracing the challenge. Congratulations to Windsor House, who raced to victory and claimed the cup.
Sports Tour
Year 5 showed impressive sportsmanship and skill on their spring sports tour.
The first stop was Bristol Grammar School, where a series of high-energy football matches set the tone for the tour, showcasing great teamwork. The boys then enjoyed a fun game of ten pin bowling before finishing the day with a relaxed walk around the harbour.
At Kingswood School, they demonstrated real resilience in an exciting hockey fixture. The tour wrapped up at Twickenham Stoop, watching Harlequins take on Gloucester Rugby - a brilliant end to the trip.
What a rugby season it has been! From the first whistle to the final try, the boys showed determination and made plenty of progress.
Training sessions were packed with energy (and lots of mud!) as players worked hard on their tackling and teamwork.
Match days brought real excitement too, with the U11As securing their first ever win over Surbiton and our U9 and U10 teams delivering consistently strong performances. Across Years 3 to 6, the boys demonstrated excellent sportsmanship and a genuine love of the game.
Year 1 Trip to Hanwell Zoo
Year 1 headed to Hanwell Zoo for a day of animal antics: lemurs leapt, flamingos showed off their balance skills and the donkeys tried their best to steal the spotlight.
Between all the fun, the children made brilliant links to their science lessons, learning about what different animals eat, discussing where they live, and noticing the clever features that help them survive.
Reception Trip to Wisley
Reception had a fantastic day of discovery during their visit to Wisley Gardens.
In a hands on workshop, pupils learned what plants need in order to grow and stay healthy. They examined a range of plants and compared a variety of textures and scents.
Everyone enjoyed the woodland walk, spotting different plants and trees, before finishing their visit in the impressive glasshouse.
Trip to Kew Gardens Year 3
Pupils set off on an outdoor learning adventure at Kew Gardens.
With tape measures in hand, Year 3 became leaf detectives — measuring, comparing, and turning their findings into bar graphs. They were fascinated to learn that a tree’s age can be revealed by counting the rings on its trunk, with each one marking a year of growth.
This term, we celebrated two much loved members of our community: Mrs Murphy, our dedicated Head of Pre Prep, and Mrs Hand, our wonderful Kindergarten teacher, who are each marking 25 years at the School. Between them, they have guided, encouraged and inspired generations of young learners.
Children presented them with flowers and gifts — a small token of appreciation for the enormous impact they have made on the lives of pupils, families and staff over the years.
Storytime
Year 1 became authors, artists and storytellers as they created their own safari books to share with Kindergarten.
Filled with colourful illustrations of exotic animals, the books set the scene beautifully as the older pupils read aloud. Our youngest listeners were captivated, immersed in the adventure as the stories came to life.
World Book Day cast a spell over Pre Prep & Prep as pupils and staff celebrated the joy of reading.
Willy Wonka strolled through the corridors, Horrid Henry stirred up just the right amount of mischief and Harry Potter added a touch of wizarding magic. A colourful parade brought the much loved characters to life. Staff joined in too, transforming into a sea of red and white stripes as they became Wally for the day — prompting the all-important question: Where’s Wally?
Year 1
A burst of carnival colour filled the Year 1 classroom as pupils explored the energy and traditions of the Brazilian Carnival. They designed bright, eye-catching masks adorned with feathers and jewels, each one inspired by the spectacle of this world famous celebration.
AWESOME ART
Arjun
Oliver
Ravi
Eito
Charlie Rubah Kai
Rudra
Harry Saroop
Adam Hasan Nicholas
SAFE SCOOTING
Our Junior Travel Ambassadors (JTAs) led a scooter safety session for Reception, introducing key skills for staying safe on the roads.
Pupils learned how to slow down and stop safely, tackled a fun obstacle course and took part in an interactive road crossing role play. Well done to our JTAs for leading with such enthusiasm and to Reception for scooting carefully and confidently throughout the session.
Year 3
Road Safety Walk
Year 3 took their learning outdoors on a road safety walk led by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
The children practised key safety rules such as stop, look and think, learned where it is safest to cross, and spotted potential hazards along the way. The session gave them valuable real life experience and helped build their awareness of how to stay safe every day.
Meet the Teacher
We threw some quick-fire questions at Year 3 teacher
Mrs Andrea Lutz:
Have you always been a teacher?
No, I haven’t always been a teacher. I used to work as a computer operator. What inspired you to work in schools, and what led you to choose Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep?
I began by volunteering at my children’s school, supporting reading programmes and school trips,
and quickly realised I wanted to become a teacher. I trained in English Language Education Studies, with a particular focus on maths. I have always loved the variety of school life.
I have been at Hampton Pre Prep & Prep for 18 years, including eight very happy years as Head of Art.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love being with the children and the difference they bring every day. They make me laugh, and we have lots of fun together. Watching them grow and develop in their learning is very special.
Co-Curricular Activities
What are your favourite pastimes?
I enjoy going to the cinema with my husband – we love watching all kinds of films. I also enjoy visiting art galleries and going to see smaller, alternative plays with friends. I’m part of a book club, and I sometimes host film nights at home.
What words of wisdom would you pass on to your younger self?
I live with no regrets. I wouldn’t change anything or do anything differently.
Is there an inspiring quote that you live by?
I love Dr Seuss quotes. I really enjoy the messages behind his books.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." The Lorax.
Pupils enjoyed a varied and engaging programme of co curricular activities this term, with plenty of opportunities to discover new interests.
From sampling food in Spanish to testing their tactics over a game of chess, pupils relished the chance to learn beyond the classroom. Table tennis proved an energetic favourite, while karate sessions encouraged focus, confidence and discipline.
EASTE R EGG Brownies
This is a baking together recipe! You can do lots of the mixing, and an adult can help with the hot bits like the oven.
Ingredients
• 185g unsalted butter (cut into small chunks)
• 185g best dark chocolate (broken into pieces)
• 3 large eggs
• 275g golden caster sugar
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 5 creme eggs
• 150g mini eggs
How will you decorate yours?
Method
Step 1
Put the butter and chocolate into a bowl. An adult can help you melt it over a pan of hot water or in the microwave. Stir until smooth, then leave it to cool.
Step 2
Turn the oven on to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a square tin with butter and line it with baking paper so the brownies are easy to lift out later.
Step 3
Crack the eggs into a big bowl and add the sugar. Use an electric whisk to mix until it looks pale, thick and fluffy.
Step 4
Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Gently fold it together with a spatula.
Step 5
Sieve the flour and cocoa into the bowl. Carefully fold everything together until just mixed.
Step 6
Pour the mixture into the tin and smooth the top. Put it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 7
While the brownies are baking, cut the creme eggs in half and crush some mini eggs (leave some whole).
Step 8
After 20 minutes, take the brownies out of the oven. Press the creme eggs on top and sprinkle over half the mini eggs. Put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes.
Step 9
Sprinkle the rest of the mini eggs on top. Leave to cool. Lift out, cut into squares and enjoy over Easter!
Gloucester Road, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2UQ Tel: 020 8979 1844 Email: admissions@hamptonprep.org.uk