Issue 3 | Summer 2019 | falconsprep.co.uk
In this issue
14-15
05-06
11
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
WELCOME
to the 3rd edition of THE FALCONS NEWSPAPER! activities for the boys including early morning cricket nets with professional coaches, trips to museums and London attractions, developing personal safety skills with the RNLI, an inspiring sports day and of course our fantastic residential trips providing boys with new life skills to name but a few. Our Y8 boys have continued to make us proud securing excellent results in their CE exams and helping to organise a number of events for both boys and parents. Our Y6 leavers also went out with a bang in their exhilarating performance with Y5 at the RHACC Theatre. Falcons Prep continues to support boys going on to a range of 11+ and 13+ schools and is proud of each and every one of our boys. All of our pupil leavers will be missed but we hope that they will be back and join our new and growing Falcons Alumni.
They say that as you get older time flies by quicker than normal…I wouldn’t say that I am old, yet this year really has shot by in a flash and I think so much of that is due to what a fantastic year we have had. So much has happened in a relatively short period of time and as I reflect on our first year together, I feel incredibly fortunate and proud to be part of this fantastic community.
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ithout us working together we couldn’t have achieved so much. The PA has continued to support the whole school community, providing opportunities for the boys to come together as well as raising awareness of our local charities and facilitating events to create some incredible donations. Parents have continued to support our Open House and Friday morning assemblies at St. John the Divine Church and we hope that we will continue to see you there next year. Many of you have helped informed the on-going curriculum review and provided incredibly valuable feedback which has already been reviewed and worked into our offerings for next year. Staff have continued to reflect on their lessons and subject provision, updating schemes of work, liaising with senior schools and seeking out new opportunities for the boys to learn both in and out of the classroom. This Summer Term has continued to provide an excellent array of trips and enrichment
Our boys go through many transitions and face many challenges, much of which we never had to face. Perhaps still one of the biggest transitions, one which we can all remember, is that of changing schools. As we wish our leavers, staff and pupils, the best of luck, I want to share with you some of the lessons learnt during my transition to Falcons Prep.
Number one: Get up early!
Get up early and make the most of your day. If you can tick off even just some of your ‘to-do’ list before most people have woken up, you are going to feel like you are winning! It also gives you the chance to enjoy the better moments of the day and not get bogged down by the tasks you don’t want to do.
Number two: Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
It is OK to not be OK and to ask for help. No one is perfect and no one has all the answers. Don’t try to do everything, all at once and on your own. Prioritise. Delegate. Work out what needs to be done now and what can wait until later. If you don’t know how to do something, or don’t know what to do next, just ask. Everyone likes giving someone else a helping hand, it makes them feel needed and good about themselves. Don’t expect from yourself what you wouldn’t expect from others!
And Number three: Show up, don’t just turn up!
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it! Anyone can turn up to Falcons but we are so lucky to be here and to get all these opportunities that we owe it to ourselves to go for it and give of our best at all times! It’s not always easy but the rewards are worth it. Often, we learn more from failure than we do from success. Try something new, show up and put yourself forward. Step out of your comfort zone and have a go! Success is earned by working hard and pushing ourselves confidently in what we care about. Have a go and see what happens!
The bad news time flies… the good news is you’re the pilot!’ I would also like to take this opportunity to update you all on some exciting developments for 2019/20.
New for 2019/20 • New subjects in the Upper School We are thrilled to announce that as part of our curriculum review, boys in the Upper School will now have access to Music Technology, Photography, Robotics, Learning Habits and Current Affairs. This is a really exciting development for the school and we look forward to watching these subjects and the boys’ love for them grow over the year. • Pupil Leadership Team We are proud to present the new and improved Falcons Pupil Leadership Team structure, including new roles such as Junior and Senior Prefects, Librarians, FEd Ambassador and Children who Care. With this comes new pupil committees and further opportunities for the boys to develop their leadership skills and feedback their thoughts and ideas to the school. • Ipads for Y7-8 Not only will Y7 and Y8 have a designated staff team and area within the school, with a new pedestrian entry from Kew Road but we are also hoping to issue every boy with their very own iPad. This iPad will be theirs throughout their duration in the Upper School and will be used to enhance the learning experience.
Farewells Of course, it is the time in the year when we say goodbye to some of our staff. This year we say goodbye to Mr Baillie, our science technician who leaves to further his career as a biomedical scientist, Mr Donaghey, Teaching Assistant, Mr Leighton-Bond, PE Teacher and Mr Roberts, Head of History, who all leave to new teaching posts, near and far, and we are delighted to have supported them in their career development. We also say goodbye to Mr Gerard, English Teacher, who has decided to take some time out of teaching to focus on his family and writing. We wish all our leavers every success in the future and hope to see them at the various Alumni Events planned for the future. We hope that this latest edition of the newspaper will continue to highlight the key achievements and events of the Summer Term, give you a chance to see what your son gets up to beyond the school gates, as well as introduce you to some of the things that occur in and around the school. Enjoy your reading, have a super summer break and we look forward to welcoming many of you back in September. Olivia Buchanan Headmistress
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
WELCOME
A Day in the Life of Matron For many of us, just the word ‘Matron’ conjures up images of Hattie Jacques striding down hospital corridors in a white bonnet, so I took on my new job title with an awareness of the teasing to come – not just from family and friends but from my new colleagues! Some of you will only know Mrs Owen and myself as “Matron” but many will know that our boys were previously at the Falcons (my son Jamie from Nursery all the way through to Year 8!).
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was asked to write about a “Typical’ Day” for Matron but in truth, there is no typical day! The only thing Mrs Owen and I can be sure of, is that every day will be unpredictable and busy! We job-share, with me working Mondays and Tuesdays and Mrs Owen working Thursday and Fridays. We are both in on Wednesdays when we have a thorough handover. Most days at least start the same! We check the matron@falconsprep email address for absences, and then move on to making sure all boys are registered – one of the most important parts of our
job. Once every boy is accounted for, we go back to emails and note down any future absences, doctor’s appointments, changes to bus/collection arrangements, school visits and exam dates – also forwarding any relevant emails to other members of staff. The Matron in box is very busy throughout the day, but we try to respond to every email so you know it has been received. We also like to help you keep the boys on track by passing on messages, reuniting them with lost property, forgotten games kits, homework and musical instruments. You can imagine how many times a day we make the trek down the never-ending corridor! We need to ensure the medical room and all first aid bags are well stocked, and we also help out with some of the admin for school trips such as collecting passports, preparing first aid bags and collating consent forms. We are both qualified first-aiders, and have attended courses dealing with mental health issues such as OCD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, anxiety and depression. These courses have been fascinating and will help us to help your boys, should the need ever arise. Although we are based at the desk in Reception, boys are seen in the Medical room and we often have a queue of them waiting to be seen. We listen (hopefully with straight faces) to the varied and often imaginative reasons for how they walked into a door or fell off a chair they were “DEFINITELY not swinging on”, not to mention cleaning up scraped knees, picked scabs and pencil-induced nosebleeds. The ice pack is our friend and a “badge of honour” for the boys who return to class clutching one to a sprained wrist or bumped head! Then there are the tummy aches and headaches which, on further investigation, are often down to anxiety or nerves.
We love being able to reassure the boys and send them on their way feeling happier and more confident. It can be a fine line between being a soft touch “Matron I’m literally SO hungry I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate in Maths if I don’t have a biscuit” to being sceptical, but we have gradually learned which boys want to miss ten minutes of maths and which might just need a little bit of TLC! One of the most rewarding parts of the job is speaking with, and hopefully helping, boys who may be feeling a bit upset or overwhelmed. We might see them after a playground incident, when they will tell us about their friendships, and at certain times of the year, boys come to us if they are feeling anxious about their exams, a sports match or a part in a school play. We pass everything on to Miss Wyatt, and form tutors but above all, we listen, empathise and reassure the boys that we are there to support them. So there we have it! We have thoroughly enjoyed our first year and it has been wonderful getting to know your boys. We hope you feel we have been a useful, extra layer of pastoral support and communication and that you will keep encouraging your boys to come to see us!
Message from Falcons Prep Parents’ Association A
nd just like that… our 2018/2019 school year draws to a close! It has been our absolute privilege to work with the Parent’s Association this year – and what a busy year it has been. From the first bake sale, the amazing ten Year Anniversary Ball in November, Wooden Spoon Rugby Challenge, Summer Fair and Summer Party… All have been so incredibly well supported by our wonderful Falcons boys and parents. Special thanks to our 2018/19 Class Reps Christie W, Marta F, Sonya A, Joanna S, Lara J, Mihaela W, Rosie O, Melissa A, Wendy M, Jane O, Anna W, Sarah G, Rebecca T and Leah S-S and our Treasurer Allison L. Have a super Summer holiday everyone and for those of you leaving Falcons Prep for your new senior schools we wish you all the very best of luck for a smooth transition. We will see everyone else and welcome our new parents in September. It will be another great year ahead for Falcons Prep PA we are sure. Please get in touch if you would like to become involved or indeed if you have any ideas you would like to discuss for social events, charity projects or fun activities for the boys: Judith le Fleming, Chair, judith.lefleming@iprlicensing.co.uk Sally Ricketts, Dep Chair, smjtaylor@hotmail.com
We did it! F
alcons Boys, Parents, Friends and Teachers. We said at the beginning of the school year that the total combined fund-raising total in nine years of activities had generated £88,030. We so hoped to break through the £100,000 to mark our ten Year Anniversary! With such generosity and incredible hard work and commitment from all our boys, parents, staff and all our friends at Falcons, we have achieved the most incredible milestone. In our ten Years of fund-raising to help those less fortunate in London & the South East, elsewhere in the UK, and in those international places that have needed our help, we have now raised the cumulative total of… drum roll please…. £103,909.45 Falcons is such a special and caring school. What an achievement! PA News continued on the back page...
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alcons Prep will be hosting the next FEd Talk ‘Why Building a Gender Inclusive World Starts with Parents’ on the rescheduled date of Wednesday 9 October 2019 at 7pm. Our guest speaker Pavita Cooper, a parent and diversity expert will provide an overview of the current diversity landscape and the future of work and will share her experience of how organisations are responding to the need to attract and retain a more diverse talent pool. Her talk will focus on the challenges that still exist in the workplace, the slow pace of change and the role of parents in nurturing inclusion from an early age. Pavita will be joined by additional expert speakers; Mary Macloed and Baroness Mary Goudie. This talk is free of charge and we encourage all parents to attend this very informative talk.
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SCHOOL EVENTS
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
Rock Bottom really did Rock!! Years 5 and 6 put on a smashing show to finish off the final production of the year. The musical centred around the Cobblestones, an ordinary Stone Age family of cave folk living on Stoney Street. But when cave boy inventor Bobby Cobblestone hatches his very first good idea, he’s whisked off to work for none other than the beautiful celebrity Lady Lava! Unfortunately, BC is soon up to his neanderthal neck in trouble when he discovers his new boss hides a dark secret that will rock Rock Bottom to its foundations.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
SCHOOL EVENTS
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
SCHOOL EVENTS
The Falcons ECO – CODE
We are the first generation to realise that we are destroying the planet and the last generation to make a difference.
✔ Use less plastic
✔ Use less paper ✔ Use less water ✔ Buy less food ✔ Waste less food ✔ Bring in reusable water bottles ✔ Pick up your rubbish
✔ Pick up plastic from the beach ✔ Turn off lights when not in use ✔ Reduce carbon emissions by travelling by school bus or bike and walking
✔ Walk or cycle often ✔ Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!
Romeo and Juliet workshop Our Romeo and Juliet workshop with Falcons Girls School was a fun filled day working on the main themes of William Shakespeare’s play.
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e had a packed day at the RHACC theatre using their theatre and dance studio to workshop the play. We created music and had a rap battle between the Montagues and Capulets. The day started with all the boys on one side of the theatre and all the girls on the other… by the end of the day we had all mixed together and made some new friends (who were girls!!) By Anon Year 6 boy.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
SCHOOL EVENTS
M Tech This term 20 boys from Falcons attended hour-long sessions every week on Mondays and Wednesdays, developing skills of composition through the music technology app GarageBand on Apple iPads. They enjoyed the challenge of composing to a brief to supply appropriate music and rhythms for a computer game. Activating virtual drum kits, basslines and guitar fret boards within the app, the boys quickly set about creating original melodies, sophisticated rhythms and automated strummed chords to provide backing for the exciting gameplay. Future projects include music for TV adverts and dramatic movie soundtracks.
Spelling Bee This year saw the school hold our first ever Spelling Bee. Boys from Years 3 – 6 participated in class heats, before our finalists battled it out to become the spelling bee champion in their respective year groups!
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ll of our boys threw themselves into the competition, encouraging each other and trying their best. We were entertained by the compere skills of Mr Leighton and Mr Martin, with each class also delivering a bee joke to the school!
It was a great experience, and we thank the boys for their participation and efforts. We look forward to next year, where we can invite the girls to our school for the next mixed final!
Our podium finishers from each year group were invited to the Falcons School for Girls, where we held a mixed final. The boys joined forces with the girls and proved that two heads are better than one, frantically debating spellings and working well together to spell increasingly more difficult words.
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
1st – Dominic
1st – Myles
1st – Ed
1st – Harry
2nd – Max
2nd – Robin
2nd – Alessandro
2nd – Oscar
3rd – Roman
3rd – Leo
3rd – Elio
3rd – Ari
4th – Alex
4th – Mehul
Winners from mixed girls school Final: Year 3 – Max
Year 4 – Myles
Year 5 – Elio
Year 6 – Oscar
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 3
Richmond Walk On Tuesday the 30th April Year 3 set off on a little adventure around Richmond. The boys were in charge!
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quipped and ready with a map each and a great sense of direction (ish) the boys had to orienteer from school to selected areas on the map. They took it in turns to direct each other and the adult with their group, focusing on directional instructions and being aware of outside factors such as people and traffic. They were fantastic, and although some groups took a slightly longer route to certain places, no one got lost! It was a great opportunity for the young men of Year 3 to show us just how much they had grown up and they definitely did not disappoint.
“It was surprising that we were in charge but really fun,” Rohan P.
“It was definitely fun when we looked about the Green for environmental issues; it was very fun when we had break time and chillaxed on the grass.” Charles D
The boys started on a very good foot (literally), and then we were off towards Richmond Green to check on any environmental issues or initiatives we could spot. It wasn’t long before we had spotted rubbish, graffiti and many cars causing pollution! It wasn’t long before our table was nearly full and we then had to see if we could spot anything that would help; we decided that although there were some bins and recycle bins, there were not enough! We concluded that Richmond Green was
Our last leg of the morning was to walk to the riverside and admire the landscape in front of us: we were all able to spot human and physical features and we just could not resist the chance to sketch it. Some of the boys produced wonderful pictures and the others focused on the features they could see. While we sat in the glorious sunshine along the River Thames we could not help but take full advantage of the opportunely placed ice cream van! It was a delicious and fun morning!
Living Eggs On Monday 13th May, ten living eggs were delivered to 3C. In our classroom we had an incubator which had to be kept humid with a constant temperature of 37.7°.
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he eggs were on day 19 and chickens hatch at day 21.
Therefore, we had to be patient and quiet for two days. We were on a constant watch for cracks. We waited excitedly for the eggs to hatch. The eggs were numbered from 1-10 so we all guessed which one would hatch first. On Wednesday 15th May, two eggs hatched during the afternoon and luckily we were in our classroom at the time so we watched the miracle as it unfolded. The new chicks were wet and exhausted after the effort of breaking through their egg. They kept falling over as well as falling asleep for the first few hours. It took around eight hours for them to dry out.
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Once the chicks were dry, we transferred them
quite a clean place but there were definitely things that everyone could do to help.
into a brooder box. This had newspaper and sawdust for them to sit on and a heat bulb to keep them warm. They also had their first food (chick grit) and water. By Thursday we had nine happy chicks to look after. With our family of chicks we learnt about habitats, food chains, life cycles and how to care for living creatures. Boys from all forms had the chance to visit us and to handle the chicks. The chicks stayed with us until Friday 24th May. During that time our classroom was busy and noisy and we got a lot less work done than usual but we loved cuddling the chicks. When they left us, they headed off to a free range farm and we were sad to see them go.
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 3
Mill on the Brue Day 1
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ur first activity, Water Slide, was so exciting – we were hosed down before we slid down a really long slide on our tummies. We then had to run back up the hill so that we could do it all over again. In Crate Stack we worked as a team to build and climb towers. The fun part was being a climber, attached to a long rope, and jumping off the tower at the end. The responsible part was being a belayer and pulling the ropes tight as the climbers climbed. Our third activity was Burma Bridge where we had to be brave and climb 18ft up a pole, step out onto a rope bridge and balance our way across the bridge and back. After dinner we had a campfire in the woods. We sang silly songs and listened to stories around the campfire. After a long and busy day, we had hot cocoa and went to bed.
Day 2
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irst we did Animal Feeding. We met Harry the donkey and Effie the miniature Shetland Pony. We hand-fed them hay and brushed their soft hair. We fed the chickens then wandered the gardens finding out about ecology, environmentally friendly farming and composting. Our second activity was Challenge Track which was a real chance to work as a team which started off as a bit of a struggle but by listening to each other and not rushing, it actually worked. Next was Grass Toboggans which was epic. We zoomed down the hillside on wheels. The only bad thing was having to drag them back up the hill for the next person. For Slide and Glide we climbed a ladder before being brave and walking over a rope bridge that crossed the river far below. We all made it safely to the other side and back again. River Splosh was fun. We expected to catch lots of fish. However, all we caught was mud. We LOVED it! We finished by getting soaked by splashing our way through the river. We later did some storytelling in a yurt then played football in the field before bed.
Day 3
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irst was Tower Climbing. Lots of us reached the very top – around 18ft. The tricky bit was getting back down! We had to try to put our feet flat on the wall and walk down backwards. Afterwards was Egg Drop. We worked in teams to earn ‘egg dollars’ by answering questions, telling jokes or interesting facts. We spent our egg dollars in the egg shop buying the best materials/equipment to protect an egg if we dropped it off a balcony. Some of us wrapped our eggs or tried to make parachutes. After some time, we dropped our eggs but without success. We enjoyed the Assault Course working together to make our way around. Some of the obstacles were really difficult, some were a bit scary. Despite the rain, we kept encouraging each other and all did it successfully. Later we attempted the Leap of Faith where we climbed really high and faced our fears by jumping off into thin air. Soon we headed to the river where we were kitted out in waterproofs, helmets and buoyancy aids. We were given a paddle and a canoe and off we went – in all directions! It took a while but eventually we all managed to paddle in the same direction and canoed happily along the river. That evening we went to the Tuck Shop to buy sweets and souvenirs then had a disco.
Day 4
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ur final activity was Zip Wire. We were a bit nervous but so excited! We were in position all along the field and up the hill ready to relay the equipment back up to the top for the next person. The zip wire was so fast – we flew and whooped our way over the top of everyone’s heads. What a wonderful way to end our amazing residential.
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BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 4
Juniper Hall Field Centre Tuesday the 11th of June saw 19 very excitable Year 4 boys depart The Falcons for their annual residential at Juniper Hall. The bus journey flew by, and before they knew it, they’d arrived at their new home for the next four days. After being introduced to their host, Kizzy, the boys settled into their dorms and waited with baited breath to see what activities they would be getting up to.
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hat transpired over the next four days can only be described as a whirlwind adventure. Kizzy treated the boys to some very scenic hikes, some fun and games on the meadows, the art of catching (and releasing) small mammals, a trip to the river to investigate different invertebrate species under microscopes, some orienteering, an adventurous survival skills session, and some miniature Olympics, all culminating in an evening around the camp fire, singing songs and roasting marshmallows. The weather was not as ideal as it could have been, however the boys did not let it dampen their spirits as they participated in each activity with determination and mindfulness. An excellent experience had been had by all, and boys and staff alike returned to school with a new found appreciation of home comforts, new friendships and dry socks.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 5
UK Sailing Academy Trip Year 5 took the bus, ferry and floating bridge to get to the UK Sailing Academy on the Isle of Wight. A range of water-based activities including kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, keel boat sailing, dinghy boating and wind surfing under expert instruction were enjoyed by all.
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n dry land, the boys took part in crabbing, egg drop, human board games, problem solving and other sporting activities. The boys also did their bit for the environment by conducting a litter-pick looking for plastics along the beach in Cowes. The weather was mixed but the boys’ enthusiasm was not to be dampened. After so much exercise each day, the boys ate very well and slept even better! A fun, energetic and brilliant experience was had by all!
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BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 6
Year 6 had a wonderful week in
Normandie! What seemed to be a long journey was finally quite enjoyable for everybody: private lounge on the ferry to rest, visits of the decks, table-tennis, film and shopping.
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s soon as we arrived at “La Grand’Ferme” the boys had to use their French to communicate with the team: Je voudrais…, s’il vous plait.”
that magnificent castle on the sea full of history. We walked the bay and our fantastic guide introduced us to quick sand! Some pretty muddy clothes were packed away after that!
Every day started with a delicious French breakfast: croissant, pain au chocolat, baguette, butter and jam… French snails, saucisson, birthday cakes and crêpes were also on the menu of this jam-packed but memorable week in France!
The next day was also packed with history as the boys could admire the Tapestry of Bayeux studied in history lessons. What an emotional afternoon we all had walking on the D-Day landing beaches in Arromanches followed by the visit of the American cemetery in Omaha Beach.
On Tuesday the boys put their French into action with the locals as they had to buy the filling of their sandwiches at the local market: very interesting to see what some groups brought back! In the afternoon, we headed off to the Mont Saint-Michel to discover
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The highlights of Thursday were certainly the bread-making in the morning and the visit to the goat farm in the afternoon! Everybody came back with stories to tell!
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 7
Slapton Ley Field Centre Year 7’s trip to Slapton, Devon was, according to the boys: ‘a good trip but not quite Iceland’ – fair enough! We certainly had the weather; rain it did... often, but not as badly as the forecast had threatened, all activities went ahead as planned. The key activity days:
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uesday – Coastal walk from Start Point back to Slapton (erosion, deposition, sea defences and villages falling into the sea). Wednesday – River Investigation along the course of the River Harbourne (collecting primary data of various kinds at four different sites). Thursday – Back to the coast for ecology studies (rockpooling for an amazing array of creatures, each having evolved for their own micro-habitat / niche and some towerbuilding further down the coast near the ‘horse’s head’ arch). We had three very successful and productive days where the boys showed excellent concentration and energy. This was interspersed with many a game of charades, celebrity heads, general mischief in their bedrooms, footie / table tennis and topped off with a low ropes course.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 6 & 7
IceLand
April 2019 in Iceland – an amazing place at any time of the year but at the end of the winter – what conditions could we expect? A quick look on the weather history and -2 to -3 degrees was the average. Not great for you nesh types but for me, the ‘abominable snowman’ – I love the cold – it was rather pleasant.
Everybody well-up for the trip! It got a bit hairy with the weather 5 minutes after this, so we did not linger! In fact it was the only time that the weather affected us on the trip. All other blizzards were encountered whilst on the bus heading for our next stop – when it dutifully cleared up! Kerching! And now a few mood shots!
Iceland’s quite big on waterfalls!
And Miss Buchanan – just a bit too excited about it all! That or too many sweets on the bus! All those E numbers!
Boys drinking the fresh glacial water Or here!
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Y7 on the rocks!
On Ice pretty amazing
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
Even cooler!
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
And even a rainbow in the falls!
Outstanding!
Time for one last goodie.
And more mad stuff!
What a trip!
The End
Perhaps two moments before home!
And a few comments from the boys! The Iceland trip was the best trip ever. The hotel and food there was excellent. The tour guides were very informative and helpful and the bus driver gave us some handy hints as well. The best thing was everything and I cannot decide on what was best.
The coach journeys were made exciting by the tale of Snatty Snatty and many others read by Miss Buchanan. Sometimes we cheered or we chatted. The lava centre told us that the night before there was an earthquake and then the simulator showed us how a 6.4 earthquake felt.
Everything from the glaciers to the geyser and the waterfalls to the black beaches and the lava centre and the lakes were amazing. All I can say is “I went to Iceland and had the best trip of my life”.
When I went to Iceland I enjoyed the glacier best. I especially enjoyed this because it was exciting, very fun.
Nathaniel C-W (Year 6)
I found the Iceland trip really fun. I particularly enjoyed the glacier walk and loved using crampons and the ice axe. Sam P (Year 6)
(George H) (Year 7)
I really enjoyed Iceland, we saw some amazing things that I will remember forever. It was by far the best trip I have ever been on, in my time at Falcons. Josh C (Year 7)
It was very interesting weather and was really exciting, especially the hot springs. Thomas W-M (Year 6)
Iceland was amazing, terrific and thrilling. It was wonderful seeing the geysers burst like balloons being popped. Hiking up the glacier was incredible, seeing the outstanding views and using the heavy ice axe. Thank you very much for organising the Iceland trip. Gabriel D (Year 6)
I loved that the Icelandic weather changed all the time and the country was beautiful. Alberto H-G (Year 7)
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BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 8
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
PGL Boreatton Park
We made good time on the journey to Shropshire with Mr Dawkins as our designated driver. Mr Russell and Mr Gerard navigated and supplied Mr Dawkins with a near endless supply of Murray mints. We arrived by midafternoon and were greeted in the Great Hall of Boreatton Park, a 150 year-old manor house. Our guide, PJ, showed us to our log cabins which overlooked the woods with a glimpse of one of the water sports lakes through the trees. The accommodation was basic but warm and dry, and oh did we need somewhere warm and dry for the four days we were there!
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here were hundreds of children staying on the site but Mr Dawkins told us that he had seen far more. The dining room shifts were huge and the queues out the door but we had really good food at the end of it: breakfast, lunch and supper, all with a wide choice of meals.
activities; they enjoyed their free time and were always keen to know what was happening next. What was happening next included: the climbing wall, football, rounders, high ropes, the giant swing, puzzlesolving, the sensory trail, air rifle shooting, canoeing, kayaking and quizzes.
It rained on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, most of Thursday and then quite a bit of Friday.
We all unearthed skills we didn’t know we had and the boys were returned safely back to a moderately dry Richmond having had the experience and the fresh air they so deeply deserved after such hard work in school this year.
The boys were resilient and genuinely did not complain too much about something which was out of everyone’s hands. They focused well on the excellent
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATES
Year 8
Year 8 Post
CE Activities The Year 8 boys have had a fabulous time following their common entrance examinations. After a busy week away on residential, an exciting three weeks of activities followed until the end of their school years at Falcons Prep.
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he majority of these activities were chosen by the Year 8 boys themselves. The boys highlighted what they would enjoy doing in order to demonstrate their independence and leadership skills. They requested to plan a quiz night, have lunch out of school, plan the leavers BBQ and requested as a project to create or design something themselves. They also thoroughly enjoyed teaching the younger year groups earlier in the years, and thus requested being teaching assistants for the younger boys. A few other trips
were thrown in for good measure, including a senior school experience day at Tonbridge, volunteering at our School Charity ‘Skylark’, a visit to the National Archives, a trip to Thorpe Park and a visit to the Royal Exhibition. These activities were designed to allow collaboration between the boys, to develop their leadership and communication skills whilst also continuing to build their team work and organisation.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
COMPETITIONS
Photography Competition
During the Easter break, boys put their creative hats on and snapped away with cameras in order to enter the House Photography competition.
Zach L – Year 4
Oscar C – Year 6
Harry R – Year 5
Louay SS – Year 8
W
e received photos ranging from beautiful country scenes to animals to cityscapes.
The top 12 photographs will appear in a calendar that will be printed and available to purchase in the Autumn Term: a perfect Christmas gift! Congratulations the overall winner and runners up. Winner: Zach L, Year 4 (Sunbury) Alessandro G – Year 6
Runners up: Louay SS (Year 8) and Oscar C (Year 6)
Scott McL – Year 4 Roman A – Year 3
Alex P – Year 5
Jake O – Year 5
Sebastian B – Year 3
Daniel W – Year 4
Will J – Year 6
Vegetable Growing Competition For the first time ever, we are launching the Falcons Prep House Veggie Growing Competition! You have a while to do this... DON’T PANIC! Judging will happen in September 2019!
A
s usual, every entry will earn house points for your house. Deadline: First Friday back in September 2019
Please hand all entries to form teachers or to Miss Wyatt by the deadline. Please ensure your name, form and house are attached to your item, and you must supply evidence of you sowing, growing and caring for your veggies. This could be in pictures, and/or you may want to have a little diary of all the things you notice about growing your vegetable as part of your evidence. N.B. You are also allowed to grow fruit! This will be judged based on the size and appearance of your fruit or vegetable, alongside your evidence of growing it.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
COMPETITIONS
Cricket E
very Summer, the boys take full advantage of the wonderful facilities on offer to them at Richmond Cricket Club: firm wickets and flat outfields are a dream for any aspiring cricketer. We have had successful fixtures against Fulham Prep, Wetherby Prep and Arnold House, to name but a few. A highlight of the season saw our U10A side travel to Merchant Taylor’s School for the annual Lamb Trophy. They not only got to play cricket but they got to meet the Sri Lanka national side. This season the boys have been able to access early morning nets as we strive to give boys more opportunities to develop their skills.
Swimming Gala O
n Wednesday 8th May, Falcons Preparatory hosted our annual Swimming Gala at Teddington Pool. There were a number of fun house events as well as our traditional freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke events for each year group. After all of the events were totalled up, it was Teddington who were crowned our Falcons Preparatory 2019 Gala Winners. We had a number of double gold medallists on the day, who are listed below Year 4 – Myles B-N Year 5 – Indiana G Year 6 – Will J Year 7 – Alberto HG Year 8 – Aaditya
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SPORT
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
Sports Day
It was another pulsating Falcons Sports Day this year at the barn Elms running track. From majestic heights being leaped, to incredible distances being thrown, it was one to remember. It was clear to see the Falcons spirit on show throughout the afternoon as boys cheered eachother on past the finishing line. This year’s Victor Ludorum trophy for individual honours went to Alberto HG in Year 7 and Finn SS in Year 8. The House trophy was contested throughout the day, with every event counting towards the grand total. In the end Richmond were crowned House Champions.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
SPORT
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
FUTURE SCHOOLS
We are lucky to finish off the year’s Future Schools page by hearing from Druan and Niam Shah, and Marnix and Onno van Kampen-Brooks. These four boys epitomise what it means to be a Falcons pupil. They gave their all regardless of task and approached new challenges with a smile on their face. Despite being at two very different settings, they are taking advantage of all the opportunities that senior school has to offer. I am very proud to see what they are already becoming and it is touching to hear how they regard their time at Falcons Prep.
F
ounded in 1862, Haileybury is an independent coeducational boarding school which offers a fully-rounded education for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. Haileybury offer a dedicated Lower School for Years 7 and 8, a wide range of GCSE and (I)GCSEs, and the choice of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A Levels in Sixth Form. A caring environment is crucial to happiness and fulfilment. For those who come here, Haileybury is like a home-fromhome. Warm and friendly, we give each and every child the confidence to find their identity, embracing failings as much as successes in their personal journey of discovery.
I
t’s almost been three years since I had my last lesson at the Falcons and I will admit, I was a little unsure of coming to Haileybury. But now I can say for certain it was definitely worth it. Many of you will remember me and whether you are leaving Falcons Prep this year or not, I would highly recommend Haileybury for a future senior school.
Marnix
Haileybury is a mixed boarding school in East Hertfordshire, roughly an hour by car or an hour and a half by train from West London and is home to just over 750 pupils from all around the world on a huge 600 acre campus: roughly 150 is school grounds, 70 is sports pitches and the rest are gardens and the enormous Hailey Wood. Being one
I
started boarding, like my brother at Haileybury at the beginning of Year 7 after winning my Music Exhibition. As my brother is in Main School on a different timetable, I do not see him that much so like him I had to make new friends when I started as there was no-one else from the Falcons. This was quite easy for me and there are people from all over the world, a bit like the Falcons.
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Onno
The school grounds are huge, about the same size as Richmond Park and bigger than the City of London or Chiswick. We travel there by train and it is half an hour from the Piccadilly line. I usually spend six nights a week in house. The sports are great and
of the first boys from the Falcons to go to Haileybury, I started knowing absolutely no one, but the overall friendly atmosphere did help me to make many friends. I have enjoyed co-curricular activities and Sport, including shooting, climbing on the school’s climbing wall. The School has one of the largest schools MUN [Model United Nations] conferences in the world, however sport is compulsory for all years. The school is split into two parts Lower School (Year 7 & 8) and Main School (Year 9 to 6th Form). I’ll start with Lower School. I was expecting a vast change from the Falcons to Lower Schools, but it’s almost like an extension of Year 5 & 6, although the days are longer, the timetable is similar
there are lots of them. My head of rugby was Captain of British Lions and Wales. There are sports scholars at the school, so the standard is high and competition to get into the A team is hard. I made it into the rugby A team, so I was very pleased. The classes are the same size as the Falcons, and I have had a great form teacher in my first year. He is a member of the Music School that helps me with my Clarinet and Piano. I hope to be the Organ Scholar next year like my brother. There is a huge engineering workshop for DT, the Ayckborn Theatre and an enormous pool so there is always lots to do.
and you have as much Homework as you would have in this past years for Year 7 and 8. Otherwise, work isn’t extremely difficult, and most teachers aren’t too strict. Main School is more like what you would expect from a secondary school, but, the amount of homework you get is roughly equivalent to what you would get in Years 7 and 8 in the Falcons, but that doesn’t mean you can slack off, you should always be working to be in the best sets and be the best you can. The top sets are fierce and if you can’t keep up you will be dropped. Overall, Haileybury is a great school, but enjoy your time at the Falcons while you can: you are at an amazing school that will prepare you exceptionally for the future.
The academic classes have been similar to the Falcons. The Remembrance Day for the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice was very meaningful as the history of the school is strongly connected with the formation of the Empire. Singing in the Chapel Choir in the amazing chapel and outside the school has been a great experience. If you are coming to visit, I would love to take you around the school to show you how it works and make you think about it as a choice for your next step after the Falcons. Onno vK-B
| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
FUTURE SCHOOLS
W
etherby Senior School is an independent day school for boys aged 1118, situated on two sites in Central London. Founded in 2015, the school aims to provide an outstanding, well-rounded education in a supportive environment that enables the boys to develop their talents to the full. The school promotes the importance of effort and hard work, values curiosity and creativity, independence and imagination, self-reliance and respect. Each of our boys is valued and encouraged, our aim to fully prepare them for the challenges of being a young man in the 21st Century. Located in the heart of London, Wetherby Senior has access to everything the city has to offer in terms of the arts, culture, business, science and technology and enjoys the use of excellent sports grounds at Ealing Trailfinders.
I
have had many lasting memories from Falcons, and when it was time to move on, a superfluity of those times came to my mind. I can recall representing Falcons in a triathlon, several big football matches/ tournaments and being called the “Face of Falcons” by teachers and students and being on many flyers and billboards representing the school. I am grateful for having gone to Falcons as it has undeniably set me up for success at my senior school, Wetherby Senior.
Druan
The Falcons had a good balance between sports and studies which enabled me to become accustomed to the Wetherby timetable quickly as it similarly has a good balance. Much like the Falcons, Wetherby
Wetherby Senior offers a variety of new activities and subjects such as Philosophy, table tennis, clubs including board games, motorsport and several other options. I went to Wetherby Senior open minded to take on something new. I have found the teachers and coaches very good
I
achieve when you put the effort and focus into your learning.
found starting at my new school easy because it is a relatively small school and I found it easy to navigate between the two buildings going to different lessons. It was also really easy to make new friends who had similar interests in sports, football teams and hobbies.
Niam
Senior is small compared to other Senior Schools, with the new Year 9s bringing much more competition in sports. All in all, school life is not too dissimilar from life at Falcons. With 60 students in my year it was not that difficult to get to know everybody, quickly make an impact on the football team (slotted straight into the football 1st XI) and practise weekly as part of the athletics development group.
The main challenge was the extra level of independence and responsibility: you have to take control of your learning, behaviour and organisation. For example, writing down your homework in your planner; remembering your kit for games. You really have to be more mature because in schools, while the teachers are preparing you to be the best you can be, it is really about you learning about what you can truly
In sport you get a choice of football, then in the Easter term you can do either swimming or rugby (contact or non-contact). Finally in the Summer Term you can choose either cricket or tennis. With clubs you can do them at lunch and at the end of the day, and there is a variety of choices from, chess club to cricket club. Personally, I made it to the 1st team in football (as vice-captain) and also made it in the tennis squad, coming in the top ten out of 48 Year 8 students, in the independent school nationals. I developed the courage to take public transport (the tube) and walking to school on my own (or with my older brother) as there is no school bus.
and passionate in what they do and this has contributed to my ongoing growth and development. It is important that you enjoy the remainder of your time at Falcons. It’s a cracking journey and the school offers perfect preparation for your senior school of choice. It is rare that you get as much individual attention as you do in classes and activities in Falcons, so use that to your advantage and it will provide you with a solid foundation for your life in your new senior school.
I have also had to learn to develop my own time keeping from walking to one building and another. The biggest thing I have developed is independence as now in senior school you have to be responsible for your own equipment and attendance. Falcons prepared me for senior schools because towards the end of Year 6 the teachers got stricter with time keeping and being on time for tutor period. Also, some teachers explained how the teachers would act if you were being disruptive or causing distractions. All in all I’m so glad I went to Falcons as the teachers and students were great and it really helped me settle at WSS.
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| Issue 3 | Summer 2019
PA NEWS Continued from page 3
Art soireé
We said goodbye to our long-serving Art Teacher, Mrs Broadbent, in April but before she left she made sure that each boy again made a personal contribution to the year group canvasses. This annual art canvass project is extremely popular with the boys with the added benefit of creating the most sought-after artworks auctioned for charity. Skylarks charity were thrilled to be the recipient and as they were running a match-giving element via ‘The Big Give’, Falcons were able to raise an impressive £2387.25 for the charity. Well done everyone!
Falcons prep PA summer fair 2019 In aid of Skylark and Wooden Spoon
Summer fair – amazing raffle Thanks to the Cooper Family and Leah S-S for the amazing Hampers & Raffle prizes. Melissa A, tenacious on the ticket sales, and helping raise 60% more than last year. Superb effort all round! Prize raffle included Brentford FC tickets, Blo Bar voucher, High Road House and Villa di Geggiano lunch vouchers, Putt-in-the-Park putting & pizza, and the many gourmet hampers!
Goodbye wooden spoon children’s charity of rugby We say goodbye to our lovely friends at Wooden Spoon. Falcons Prep has supported the charity for three years and it’s rewarding to know that our fund-raising has helped hundreds of children in London and the South East who rely on the various services and programmes on offer via Wooden Spoon supported schools and centres. It has been such a beneficial relationship for both sides and we wish Wooden Spoon continued success. We will definitely stay in touch.
Falcons Official Charity changed its name!
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Falcons Prep Summer Fair sponsors:
We were delighted to host another successful Falcons Prep Summer Fair at Richmond Athletic Association, our home ground for Falcons sport. As popular as ever, lots of fun was had by all! It was another successful fund-raiser and the best news of all… the ‘Last Man Standing’ and ‘Assault Course’ didn’t close at any point due to bad weather! The rain stayed away and with Mr Peckham, our Director of Music in charge of the sounds, he helped ensure we had the best summer vibes! Special thanks to our friends at Dukes Meadows, HCA Chiswick and Bandai Namco for supporting us again this year. Our charities, Skylarks and Wooden Spoon Children’s Charity of Rugby came along and were very grateful for Falcons Prep’s incredible generosity.
Calabash charity fund-raiser 2019 is the second year that The Falcons has supported the Calabash Trust, supporting underprivileged communities in the Port Elizabeth area of South Africa. Falcons teams up with Reed’s School on the clean water initiatives and working to end the water and sanitation crisis there through construction of wells and other sanitation projects. The Falcon boys collected their pennies from around the house and brought to school in the empty water bottles provided by the charity ambassadors. The change is being counted and we’ll share the final tally at the start of next term.
Summer Party
The Falcons parents and teachers were happy to kick back and enjoy a lovely evening at the Hogarth Club for the annual Summer Party. 2019 marks ten years of the Parents’ Association, and to celebrate this milestone, the evening included a very special charity auction with gifts galore generously donated by the Cooper family, their friends and contacts. The amazing auction raised £3140, the single largest amount raised in one evening that Falcons has ever achieved. It was this incredible generosity on the night that allowed us to smash our target and break through the £100,000 barrier. Our heartfelt thanks to all the successful bidders!
MeToo&Co completed its rebranding and launch as Skylarks at Richmond Green Summer Fair in May. Falcons supported their launch and three Falcon boys gave up their Saturday afternoon to work on Skylarks very popular cake stall.
Goodbye to our long-serving Treasurer
Thanks to Finn S-S, Louay S-S (Yr 8) and AJ le F (Yr 5) for being enthusiastic volunteers. They sold box-loads of cakes, and helped raise lots of money through ‘shaking their charity buckets’!
We say goodbye to our wonderful Treasurer Allison who has played a pivotal role in the running of the PA since its inception in 2009 and before that the Pre-Prep. We wish the Lorimer family well and thank Allison for being a wonderful PA member all these years!