THE PADUA PRESS REFLECTS THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PUPILS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS
WELCOME FROM THE HEAD
As the golden leaves of autumn give way to the crisp chill of winter, I am delighted to reflect on the many achievements and memorable moments that have defined this term at Leweston Prep Our school continues to be a place of joy, discovery, and ambition, where pupils thrive academically, creatively, and socially.
The Autumn Term has been packed with activities that truly embody the spirit of our vibrant community Highlights include the enchanting Nativity, and the deeply moving carol service, a wonderful celebration of togetherness and tradition These events not only showcased the remarkable talent within our school but also served as a reminder of the importance of gratitude and connection during this festive season
Our topic-based Wow Days have brought learning to life in the most imaginative ways, sparking curiosity and enthusiasm across the school Pupils have also enjoyed the chance to explore new horizons at the newly opened Leweston Equestrian Centre Their visits to the stables have provided a unique opportunity to connect with animals, build confidence, and experience the joy of equestrian activities in a truly state-of-theart facility
Creativity has flourished this term, with pupils achieving artistic triumphs that reflect their passion and skill Meanwhile, our sports teams have continued to exemplify teamwork and determination, with a special mention for our undefeated rugby team – a testament to their hard work, resilience, and sportsmanship
As we look forward to the new year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated staff, supportive parents, and, most importantly, our incredible pupils Together, we make Leweston a place where every child feels inspired and valued
Richard Thompson
ENRICHMENT AND ACTIVITIES
Wow Days
PREP 4 - WW1
Prep 4 had an amazing morning exploring WW1 for their Topic 'Wow Day', with commendable costumes! The pupils learned fascinating facts about WW1 and Remembrance, including key dates, the significance of Remembrance Day, and war events They were intrigued by stories of animals used during the war and discovered that a purple poppy honours their service and sacrifice
They were joined by Mr Stok, who brought history to life with artefacts like gas masks, helmets, bomb shell cases, period clothing, and weapons
The class thoroughly enjoyed working on their marching skills, even continuing the topic into playtime!
PREP 1 - SPACE
Prep 1 also had an incredible experience during their Wow Day, which was centred around space! Everyone looked fantastic and eagerly participated with great enthusiasm In the morning, the children read in the den using the astronaut projector, concocted some super gooey 'space slime,' engaged in space crafting by making telescopes, and decorated 'galaxy' biscuits
In the afternoon, Prep 1 fashioned some marvellous clay aliens and then learned all about Helen Sharman, British chemist and cosmonaut, while crafting their own astronauts.
ENRICHMENT AND ACTIVITIES
BETTER PLANET CREW
Our wonderful 'Better Planet Crew' made a big difference this term Through their daily energy walkabouts, paper recycling initiatives, creative poster-making, and thoughtful assembly planning, they encouraged everyone in the school to make a conscious effort to turn off lights and recycle whenever possible They are so passionate about looking after our environment which is amazing to see. Towards the end of term, a well-deserved celebration was held to honour all their amazing accomplishments They are already buzzing with ideas and have begun mapping out their next exciting project for the Spring Term!
TS TO THE STABLES
Since the grand opening of the Leweston Equestrian centre, students have been enjoying exciting visits to the stables. The children were all very excited as they were able to brush Hippo, the charming Shetland pony, and meet all of the larger horses They also saw the fascinating process of a horse being clipped and bathed too.
BUDDY SESSIONS
This term, our Prep 6 and Pre-Prep students had a wonderful time participating in their regular buddy sessions. They eagerly took the weekly opportunity to read together and deepen their connections with one another.
POLICE OFFICER CAREERS TALK
Mr Smith spent time with Prep 5, sharing stories from his impressive 30-year career as a police officer in the Met. He inspired Prep 5 to reflect on what drives them in their own career aspirations and to delve into the many facets of a career in the Police force
Mr Smith also brought along some fascinating items: police hats, epaulettes, a truncheon, cufflinks, his medals, and a police whistle. Prep 5 had a fantastic time looking at these intriguing pieces.
MUSIC AND CREATIVE ARTS
SINGING DAY
Our Prep Choir were thrilled to host an exciting Singing Day, welcoming 70 enthusiastic children from Yetminster Primary School for an afternoon filled with music and fun. Under the leadership of Mrs Betley, Head of Prep Music and Performing Arts, the children enjoyed singing a lively mix of rounds, show tunes, and a creative mash-up of "We Are the World" and "Imagine" in celebration of World Singing Day. The event culminated in a concert for parents, featuring a special guest performance by Leweston's Year 8 band, 'The Lites'.
LEWESTON PUPIL SELECTED FOR NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Lily M, Prep 6, along with Felicity P-R, Year 12, have earned places in the prestigious National Children's Choir of Great Britain. Lily has been singing with them since Easter, after auditioning last year. It is an amazing achievement to be selected for a national choir out of the hundreds of talented young people across the UK who auditioned.
ART AND DESIGN
Thisterm,creativityflourishedacrossallyeargroups.Studentsenhancedtheir skillswhileexperimentingwithadiverserangeofmediums.
After receiving some lessons focused on the basics of sewing machine operation, Prep 6 students had their skills evaluated during a DT lesson to earn their Sewing Machine Licenses. Prep 6 also created beautiful lino cut prints in Art, this term They carefully cut their fish designs out of lino blocks, using appropriate tools such as gouges and carving knives The students paid close attention to detail, ensuring that each scale and fin was meticulously crafted to bring their aquatic artwork to life
The Art and Design Centre at Leweston also has a dedicated ceramics room where pupils can create, fire and decorate their own work Keeping with the aquatic theme, Prep 6 experimented with underglaze colours; using them to decorate fired clay fish
sed their creative sides in the art department this term and explored the world of clay, mastering the art of coiling. The process involves taking a small amount of clay, and then rolling it out on a flat surface until it forms a rope-like shape, called a coil. The coils are used as a way of building the 'walls' of the piece by being placed on top of each other, one layer at a time. Over the term they used this technique to craft their own Greek vessels.
Prep 5 also explored the theme’ space’, crafting vibrant acrylic rocket paintings, 3D galaxies and nebulas using chalks and pastels.
Prep 1 completed work on their 3D sailing seas scene This involved curling paper to create rolling waves, adding sun and cloud details and making a simple Origami boat for the finishing touch. They were all super pleased with their artwork!
Prep 3 enjoyed experimenting with charcoal, allowing their creativity to flow as they crafted impressive artworks inspired by the beautiful Leweston Manor House. Throughout the lesson, they also delved into the fascinating worlds of renowned artists John Ruskin and John Piper
IN THE CLASSROOM
At our outdoor classroom, Prep 6 continued their exploration of landmark structures during their Forest School sessions They engaged in hands-on learning by building miniature monuments using natural materials sourced from the forest. This project proved to be an excellent opportunity to nurture teamwork, creativity, and a respect for the environment
In a science lesson with Mrs Le Poidevin, Prep 6 ventured into the intriguing realm of dry ice, learning why it is referred to as "dry", due to its ability to change directly from solid to gas, bypassing the liquid phase entirely They even had the opportunity to hold a captivating dry ice bubble!
Meanwhile, Prep 1 transformed into little scientists as they delved into their thrilling topic of plants Their curiosity blossomed as they examined various plant parts With great enthusiasm, they identified and investigated roots, stems, petals, flowers, and seeds, discussing their distinct functions and significance within the plant life cycle The students showcased remarkable teamwork by sorting these parts into categories, employing their critical thinking skills to classify and comprehend each component
Prep 2 explored the book “Dear Earth,” which features a girl whose grandfather is an explorer Inspired by this, Prep 2 eagerly formed an explorers' club in class They discussed potential places they would like to explore around the world and even utilised Mrs Winter’s father’s very old, yet excellent binoculars to see how far they could look
PENTATHLON, SPORT & EQUESTRIAN
SPORT SUCCESS
NATIONAL OPEN LASER RUN
Over the weekend of September 13 to 15, we proudly saw 11 of our athletes compete in the National Schools Laser Run and National Open Laser Run held in Deeside, North Wales Leweston triumphed securing multiple titles medals, inc abeth D (Pre
In December, we were joined by 10 schools for our annual Cross Country Races, renamed this year after our long-standing sport and cross country teacher, Dave Barlow. Congratulations to everyone who took part with special mention to our Prep podium finishers: Minor Boys - 2nd Benedict O'S, 3rd Will T
Our Prep 5 rugby team played brilliantly this term, and were undefeated in all of their matches played!
The U11 girls hockey team travelled to Queen's College, Taunton for their annual Hockey Festival The morning was filled with exhilarating matches as they secured two victories and a draw by the Tournament's end
Leweston’s riders excelled at Addington, securing multiple podium finishes and showcasing great team spirit in various Jumping with Style and Show Jumping events at the NSEA National Championships
Our riders secured second place in both individual and team categories for the 75 and 85 JWS Championships, and two out of three of our teams advanced to the finale of the show jumping
PENTATHLON, SPORT & EQUESTRIAN
INTER-HOUSE COMPETITIONS
This term, we organised several House competitions, including rugby, hockey, and cross country. It was fantastic to witness everyone embracing the House spirit in a competitive yet friendly environment.
LEWESTON OPENS THE LEWESTON CHEDINGTON RIDING ACADEMY
We were delighted to formally open the Leweston Chedington Riding Academy on Friday 29 November 2024 This fantastic equestrian facility will provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils both within the curriculum and as an extra-curricular activity It will also provide a home for our nationally successful Leweston Equestrian team who have topped the SW Regional NSEA Points League for seven consecutive years.
The Academy will have close ties to Chedington Equestrian, a world-renowned training centre for senior competitive riders, including Olympic competitors. This partnership provides pupils with access to world-class expertise and resources, further solidifying Leweston School's commitment to excellence in both academics and extracurricular activities
The Centre was formally opened by Chris Burton, Australian equestrian and Olympic Silver medallist in individual eventing at Paris 2024 It included tours of the facility, and an opportunity to meet the team behind this exceptional initiative
The School would like to express its deepest thanks to Dr and Mrs Guy, owners of Chedington Equestrian, for their support both in developing and building the project and for the ongoing opportunities that this link will provide.
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
THEMED CUISINE
Leweston’s Catering team, Chartwells, treat the school to delicious and varied meals throughout the year, and this term was no exception We saw themed meals including ‘German Christmas Market’, ‘Fireworks feasts’, ‘Christmas Cupcake Day’, along with flavourful Indian and Italian cuisine.
CHILDREN IN NEED
We had an absolutely spot-tastic time celebrating Children In Need! Pupils learned all about the amazing work the charity does with Pudsey, raised funds through a super popular cake sale, danced their hearts out, and had fun with themed tuff trays!
SNOW MUCH FUN
The first snow of the season fell in late November, creating smiles on faces, festive cheer, and a beautiful backdrop to our already picturesque landscape! Pupils got creative, making snow angels and snowmen
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
GRANDPARENTS’ MORNING
Leweston Pre-Prep pupils warmly invited their grandparents to school in November, to join them for the morning assembly and later in their classrooms to share in various tasks and activities together The children were excited to showcase their classrooms, and share Remembrance Day poems. Creating playdough poppies, practicing numbers and letters, playing in the garden with Autumn leaves, and preparing pizzas filled our classrooms with laughter and smiles We enjoyed meeting new faces, reconnecting with familiar ones, and cherishing photos of absent grandparents, remembering them fondly.
Leweston hosts this event every year as a wonderful opportunity to welcome loved ones and give them a glimpse into their grandchildren's school life
CURIOUS LEARNERS
Prep 5 enjoyed a fun-filled day at We the Curious, Bristol They explored the solar system through an immersive 3D planetarium show, completing a fascinating Earth, Sun and Moon workshop and investigating all of the other attractions at the amazing science museum
PREP LEAD HARVEST LITURGY
Our Prep students lead Liturgy for Harvest in October. The School Chapel was filled with gratitude and generosity as students walked to the front to place their Harvest offerings in front of the Altar The Prep Choir and Scholar sang beautifully and pupils stood confidently at the front for their readings. Liturgy concluded with a whole school rendition of Harvest Samba. Together, the school gathered a plentiful harvest which was delivered to the Sherborne Food Bank to make a significant difference in the lives of those in need.
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
CELEBRATING OUR STUDENTS
It was heart-warming to witness all the House points, sports colours, eco club awards, and numerous other recognitions presented during our endof-term assembly We are very proud of everyone for a remarkable and outstanding term!
PHOTO ORIENTERING CHALLENGE
Prep 4 were tasked with a photo orienteering challenge by Mr Horne They had to find the locations where pictures were taken and plot them as accurately as they could on their maps. The teams made a great start and continued working on their orienteering challenge for two consecutive weeks
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
CHRISTMAS FUN
The children had lots of festive fun at the end of term, from discos and musical performances, to pass-theparcel, and creating their own decorations.
PSHRE
Prep 3 learned all about Fairtrade during their PSHRE lesson The children learnt that Fairtrade is about better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers. They discovered that there are many Fairtrade products, including tea, coffee, flowers and cotton
RECEPTION’S FURRY FRIENDS
Reception Class enjoyed a delightful visit from some adorable furry creatures. Etta's mother brought in her lovely guinea pigs along with their three little babies! The students were thrilled to cuddle them, engage in conversation, and ask Etta and her mother numerous questions This visit ignited an exciting beginning for their English lessons After bidding farewell to the guinea pigs, the children practiced writing the ‘ g ’ grapheme and created the sentence, ‘I saw a guinea pig’ fantastic learning from the reception class!
END OF TERM FESTIVITIES
OF TERM ACTIVITIES
nd of term saw an abundance of festive es enjoyed by all. The week was packed with activities, from visiting Santa in his cosy in the stables, to celebrating Christmas r Day and enjoying a festive Christmas Lunch.
In the lead up to Christmas, the Prep Choir joined together in Sherborne for the Festive Shopping Day and performed some beautiful carols They also paid a memorable visit to The Sunflower Centre at St Margaret's hospice, entertaining the patients, staff and the volunteers, with their beautiful singing of festive classics
END OF TERM FESTIVITIES
PRE-PREP NATIVITY
A huge congratulations to all our Pre-Prep students and the children from TC2 in the Nursery for their outstanding performance of the Nativity, 'Born in a Barn ' Each child did a
CAROL SERVICE
All our Prep and Pre-Prep pupils read and sang beautifully at the Prep Carol Service It was lovely to be joined by so many parents in our School Chapel, and a wonderful way to end another busy and successful term at Leweston
