48 48
July 2024
It’s been a term of contrasts. First the incessant rain, cancelled cricket, soggy break times. Then the heat and the sun, expeditions local and far. The challenge of summer exams. There have been many tales to tell and stories to share. Here are some of them.
To help boys understand how democratic elections work, Year 7 took on the mantle of campaigning for school-focused political parties. Pupils could vote for Broccoli, Cauliflower, Apple and Orange. It’s been a tightly contested race, with hustings and vigorous debates Full results will be posted on our social media feeds at the end of term.
On Friday 28th June, a squad made up of a pupil from each of Years 3 to 6, took on 39 other teams in the final of the Quiz Club KS2 General Knowledge Competition. They led from the start and are now national champions! Many congratulations to all four for this remarkable achievement Two of them came joint first in the national Bebras computational thinking competition in the A k h d bl at a national level. Huge thanks to those port and celebrate the dramatic finale.
Year 4 had a day filled with history and wonder, when they visited Hampton Court We love bringing learning to life, linking the past to the present Making the abstact tangible is an essential part of learning to think critically and creatively. Below is a video of our day out.
We were delighted to welcome to school Ezra, who works for Jinja Educational Trust in Uganda. We support JET through fundraising and donation of items like school shoes. We also send staff out to Uganda to provide training and coaching It's a life enriching experience for all involved It was wonderful to have Ezra with us for his first visit to MTP. He enjoyed observing lessons and sharing ideas with staff. Here are some pics of his time in the Computing department, where students were programming drones, building the Acropolis in Minecraft Education, and coding train lines. Ezra and Mr van Straten are hoping to run some joint online lessons for students in the next academic year.
We’ve hosted our first inter-house Chess competition It was held using the online Lichess program. Sixty-eight boys from Years 3 to 8 took part. Many congratulations to Wren, the winning house.
We congratulate those soloists who took part in our informal music recital. We think it's important all our musicians can experience playing live, through a combination of musical events throughout the year. Whatever the level of musicianship, it’s never too early to get on stage and feel the buzz of a real audience. We want our music to be heard.
We were delighted that the Music department squeezed one final concert into what has been a packed schedule of performances. Bravo to all those who took part.
Eco Club have made gooseberry jam, and grown a bumper crop of garlic. Working in our garden helps boys connect with nature and themselves.
A Year 7 pupil’s "Ninjago City Lego" model has been selected for display at the National Brick Event. That’s just reward for hours of independent work.
Year 5 visited the Warner Bros Studio to learn more about the making of the Harry Potter films. Here they are trying to catch the golden snitch.
Year 3 had a day out in the wilds of Ashridge Outdoor Education Centre, where they learnt about taking care of the outdoors. They measured trees to see how tall they were, and even hugged them, to find out their age. Boys enjoyed orienteering and even built bug hotels!
Year 3 also visited the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre where they learnt about the history of the canal and tow paths. Boys created decorative plates and explored how families would live inside a narrow boat. They were shown how to safely operate a lock so boats can move from one part of the canal to another.
One of our Year 8 pupils won the Spring Series for dinghy racing at Bury Lake Young Mariners, based at the Aquadrome in Rockmansworth. He came first in the U14 class.
Sticking with water, we were delighted to hear of swimming success from another Year 8 pupil. In recent weeks he's won medals in competitions that will help him qualify for county and regional representation. This included the L3 Junior Olympics
Sir Stephen, a real knight, taught Pre Prep boys about medieval history and armour. We re-enacted the Battle of Hastings, used a trebuchet, and ended the day with medieval dancing!
Year 6 enjoyed an outward bound adventure to Phasels Wood Activity Centre. They camped, communed with nature, and enjoyed a load of adventurous activities. We make sure learning happens within the classroom and without.
More pictures from Year 6's camping trip to Phasels Wood
Outdoor learning connects our boys to nature and builds community spirit.
More pictures from Year 6's camping trip to Phasels Wood
Helping our boys understand themselves and the environment better.
Year 7 spent a week en France. There was an activity day at a Chateau, where they developed their fencing, plate spinning and map reading skills, all en parlant français. They visited Mont Saint Michel, exploring the UNESCO heritage site and admiring the views Other amuse-bouches included a problem solving exercise at Domfront castle, a visit to a regional market pour pratiquer le français, and a trip to a goat farm, where boys milked les chèvres and tasted fromage de chèvre. Très amusant!
More pictures from Year 7's trip to France.
Gaining global insights by exploring the world.
More pictures from Year 7's trip to France.
Gaining global insights by exploring the world.
More pictures from Year 7's trip to France.
Gaining global insights by exploring the world.
Year 5 spent a day and a night refining their bushcraft skills. Here they are, in the woods, demonstrating how to start a fire, bake bread, and the all-important toasting of marshmallows.
This half of term we learnt all about ‘Under the sea ’ and ‘Pirates’. We finished with an exciting Pirate Day, when we dressed up as pirates and completed a QR treasure hunt.
What a term it's been in Nursery! Our boys embarked on a thrilling journey into the world of dinosaurs, bringing their creativity to life and expanding their knowledge along the way. How exciting is that?
After a waterlogged first attempt, we ran our sports day as the term concluded We enjoyed a fun filled morning of inclusive events, helping to create positive summer memories.
The dramatic highlight of the term has been the Year 8 production of Arabian Nights. We were transported to a magical world of myth and legend, where mystery lurks behind every corner, and nothing is as it seems!
Below is a short video encompassing key scenes. Enjoy the pages that follow, featuring the cast
With improving weather we ’ ve enjoyed a final half-term of sporting success. Our sports day was a celebration of athletics, where individual efforts bring team rewards. Newton ended their losing streak, by claiming the Selby Cup for the first time in many years
Our cricketers provided a series of exhilarating victories, at both house and county level. Thank you to all the parents who supported the boys and coaches. See you in September!
Our U11 cricket squad have had a tremendous season. They battled their way through difficult rounds to become well-deserved Hertfordshire county champions, defeating Habs in the final. It’s not been the easiest of seasons, but the boys showed grit and determination, taking on numerous challenging sides.
Below is the winning team, and a video showing their delight as they received the trophy
The Year 6 boys in the photos below have achieved something we haven’t seen since 2008 Between them, they’ve won major competitions in Hockey, Football and Cricket. You’ll see they’re wearing a mix of kit - it represents the different disciplines in which they triumphed. Three boys managed the triple, winning across all three major sports. We salute them. This year they have won:
IAPS Hockey North of England Regional Winners
IAPS Hockey National Plate Winners
UCS Hockey Tournament Winners
Chesham Prep Football Tournament Winners
Hertfordshire Cricket County Cup Winners
Not to be outdone, our Year 5 U10 squad came runners up in the Lambs cricket festival. They received certificates and free tickets to watch the county final later in the summer. We’re looking forward to continued success next season!
At the invitation of our friends over at the senior school, we held our first nets session at the awe-inspiring facility that is the Julian Hill Cricket Centre. Years 5-8 had their first opportunity to experience what it’s like to practice their craft in a brand new world-class facility. It’s one of the benefits of being part of a larger school community, with access to amazing resources for our sportsmen.
Huge congratulations to Newton, who won the Selby Athletics cup It’s been over a decade since they last triumphed.
Here's 50 seconds of fast and furious running action! Turn up the volume
We present our section winners - representing victory on track and field.
Let’s get airborne with the jumpers and throwers!
They have been fantastic role models and a pleasure to teach. As they prepare to depart MTP, we wish all our Year 8 leavers the very best of luck and much joy in their senior schools
Stay in touch!
is someone who prefers to stay out of the limelight. However, we could not let the occasion of her departure pass without comment.
Dr McNerney has taught here since 2001, joining as Head of Middle School when it was Northwood Prep. She became Head of the Junior School in 2003, and the inaugural headteacher of Merchant Taylors’ Prep in 2015. Under her leadership, the school has gone from strength to strength, maintaining a sense of tradition, while embracing new thinking and emerging ideas. Her calm and collegiate approach has endeared her to staff, pupils and parents. She led the school with clarity and purpose through the COVID pandemic, and leaves MTP enriched and prepared for continued success We thank her for all that she has given us over the years. We are grateful to have had her at the helm.
