Headmaster’s Welcome

When you look back at the upheavals, complications and restrictions of the past 18 months, the current state of KPS should be a source of justifiable pride to all associated with the school.

There are record numbers across the whole school from ages 0-11, there has been further investment in our campus by the Foundation, and, most importantly, we have a superb staff, who are continually examining how they can improve their provision for the children, in and out of the classroom. We all have a mindset that focuses on what we can do and what we can achieve. Healthy waiting lists for 2022/23 say a lot about what KPS offers, but they also testify to the trust that our parents have in our school. As we emerge from the COVID mist, there is a new-found respect for the teaching profession, based on the experience of remote learning and home schooling. Our staff have made the whole process look effortless, although I can assure you that it wasn’t! Well-established pastoral relationships facilitated remote learning and our emphasis on the children’s well-being when we fully re-opened ensured that they felt happy and secure on their return to school. Home schooling has meant we have all had to learn new skills and follow new ways of working. The children missed their friends, but the daily lessons and pastoral sessions meant that progress continued to be made. Sadly, this will mean the end of ‘snow days’, as we now have the ability to transition seamlessly from ‘real’ school to home learning. The pandemic has also resulted in some changes to procedures which have proved successful and which we will continue with.

The staff and I are particularly excited about returning to ‘normal’ and it has been good fun remembering what normal is! Through the various lockdowns, we have continued to look at all aspects of our school with the aim of making the experience for children and parents even better. From September, we have expanded The Garden provision to create much smaller groups in the Pre-School. We will now have seven rooms in operation, each offering bespoke care and learning for our EYFS children. Anna Ballinger and I are delighted to have a room

for our young pre-schoolers. The Garden has been a magical addition to our school; seeing the Yurt in full operation and watching the children so stimulated and enthused has been very special. We are really making the most of our wonderful grounds as an ideal environment for children to grow up in. If we add Art, PE, Games, Music, Outdoor Education and Swimming into the mix, it is little wonder that we are Bath’s premier EYFS setting. Our aim is to have all the children truly Reception-ready by the time they leave Pre-School; I know that the staff will do all they can to ensure this transition is as smooth as possible.

Our new Admin Hub, which includes Front of House, Getting Better Bay, Office Manager and Admissions, will be ready for the new academic year. There will be two classrooms, toilets servicing Summerhill, a staff changing room and a proper ‘Front of School’, which obviate the need for visitors searching for Reception to wander through the school. I am very excited by what these developments offer the school as we move forward.

Miss Birchall and Mrs McGlynn are already putting plans together to spend the money kindly donated by the Friends of KPS on our Performing Arts Studio. Next year the focus will be on further improving our facilities for play and PE, especially during the cold, wet winter months.

In September, our boarders moved into their new bedrooms as part of Westwood House. We are extremely proud of our young boarders and playing our small part in creating the boarding ethos which is integral to the Foundation.

KPS is a school that goes the extra mile and that is filled with children who love their school. We have high expectations, but at the same time we do our level best to remove the stress and anxiety from learning. With a large team of talented and dedicated teachers, our aim is to give the children the broadest experience possible, in and out of the classroom. We have only one chance to give our children the best start to their educational life; it is our avowed aim to do all we can to make sure this is a happy and fulfilling experience.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read ‘Kingswood Prep in Focus’. However, an article like this cannot begin to compare with the impression that you get from walking around a school; please come and visit us! I am sure that you will feel the real positivity and enthusiasm and see the wonderful working relationships between staff and children in action.

1 Headmaster’s Welcome 4 Pastoral 5 The Garden at Kingswood 9 Reception 11 Year 1 13 Year 2 15 Year 3 17 Year 4 19 Year 5 21 Year 5 Mill on the Brue 23 Year 6 25 Year 6 Residential Activities 27 English 29 STEM 31 Art 35 Drama 37 Sport 39 MFL