Tea for a tiger!
Inspired by Judith Kerr’s classic, the Reception children created beautiful artwork before seeing the story roar to life on stage at the Warwick Arts Centre. Autumn 2025
Lest we forget
What’s inside Happy 80th Birthday!
The Year 5 girls led a moving Remembrance Day service to commemorate those who gave their lives for our freedom.
We celebrated Warwick Prep’s 80th birthday in true ‘Squirrel Spirit’ with a special Afternoon Tea.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Autumn Term edition of Warwick Prep Life.
Our talented Year 6 Editors have been out and about gathering the highlights of another vibrant and successful term at Warwick Prep, and they have done a truly marvellous job. Within these pages you’ll find a rich tapestry of curriculum days, special events, sporting triumphs, musical moments, behind-the-scenes stories, and so much more. It is a joy to read about the first steps of adventure taken by our children in Nutkins and The Squirrels Nursery, and I hope you delight in all we have achieved together – achievements shaped by our shared commitment to Creativity and Curiosity
A particular highlight of the term was our celebration of the school’s 80th birthday – a great milestone marked with a special assembly and a celebratory tea party. It was wonderful to see pupils, staff, families, and alumni come together to honour the school’s rich history while looking forward with excitement to the opportunities ahead.
Our focus on Community and Social Responsibility has once again brought our school family together in meaningful ways. From our hugely successful Harvest celebrations supporting the local food bank, to Year 5’s thoughtful leadership of our Remembrance tribute, to a record-breaking contribution to Children in Need, our pupils have shown generosity in both spirit and action. More recently, your kindness has helped us provide a magnificent collection of gifts for
the Salvation Army, bringing Christmas cheer to families in need. This golden thread of giving continues through our ‘Squirrels in the Community’, who have decorated their customary tree, and through our senior musicians, who shared their music with residents of local care homes as part of St Mary’s Christmas Tree Festival.
Our children have been living out our values of Character and Confidence, especially in the Christmas performances that have brought such joy to everyone. From the youngest pupils taking their first steps onto the stage to our older children embracing more demanding roles, their willingness to perform and support one another has been truly uplifting.
As we bring the term to a close with these cherished celebrations, it has been a privilege to share in the Pre-Prep Nativities, the school Carol Services, and the many festive performances that have filled our halls with warmth and song – all carefully crafted and guided by our incredible staff. Throughout the term they have worked tirelessly to create experiences that enrich the Wellbeing and Happiness of our children and open up Opportunities and Futures for them. I am deeply grateful for all they have done.
All that remains is to thank you for your tremendous support of Warwick Prep. As the corridors and halls once again echo with carols and Christmas songs, I wish you and your families a peaceful Christmas, and a happy and healthy 2026.
Mrs Hellen Dodsworth Headmistress
The Autumn Term is always full of wonderful activities and events which provide our pupils with an outstanding range of experiences, whichever of our Foundation schools they attend.
There are multiple factors which enable these to happen.
First, the ethos of the Foundation as a charity, now so clearly articulated in our Purpose: to enable transformation through the power of education.
Second, the commitment to both excellence and a rounded, holistic education for every pupil, appropriate to their school context.
Third, the investment over generations in the facilities and infrastructure of the schools.
Finally, how all of these are brought to life though the coming together of outstanding staff, wonderful pupils, and committed families.
The activities in the run up to Christmas see these lived out in such vibrant ways. The concert halls used for wonderful performances, carol services which are not only deeply beautiful, but also true to the individual characters of our schools, not to mention our nativities and Christmas Fairs. Layer onto that the ongoing programmes of sport, theatre productions and the almost endless co-curricular programmes, and I cannot believe there is anywhere which truly lives more by the values we espouse.
However, to those who enable our schools to be everything they are, we need to add the support of members of wider community, not least our former pupils. Early next term, we will be publishing our Impact Report, highlighting the importance of philanthropic giving. From Warwick Hall to Project One Campus, to means-tested fee support, our Charity – our schools – would not be what they are without the foresight and the generosity of those who went before us.
Thank you to everyone in our community, past and present, for making our schools and therefore the impact of the Charity, so unique and so inspiring.
Mr Richard Nicholson Foundation Principal
Introducing our Autumn Term team of Editors who have been working hard behind the scenes on Warwick Prep Life magazine. Alice, Avery, Daisy, Gabriela, Hardaya and Nieve, in Year 6, have interviewed members of staff and written about our memorable 80th birthday celebrations! Let’s find out what they enjoyed most about their role as Editors.
I have really enjoyed working in a team, learning about the school and writing about important events. It’s been so exciting!
Alice
I had fun experiencing lots of different opportunities.
Nieve
I liked working with my peers and being creative.
Daisy
I enjoyed learning how to prepare an interview and write an article.
Avery Being an Editor is lots of fun! I loved writing questions for our interview.
I have enjoyed working as a team and writing the 80th birthday article.
Hardaya
Gabriela
Editor: Naomi Burrows, Marketing Manager, Warwick Preparatory School
The first term in Nutkins has given a warm welcome to our new children and families as they begin their journey through Warwick Preparatory School. The Squirrels Nursery has been a hub of chatter and excitement as the children have explored their surroundings and made new friends.
When Miss Hollocks, our Early Years Music teacher, visited, the children used shakers to follow a simple beat and then danced with scarves to the rhythm of familiar songs.
The Art Room has been a hive of activity throughout the term. The children have rolled and snipped playdough, painted at the easel and fished in the water tray. Towards the end of the Autumn Term, the craft tables were transformed into a festive hub of glitter and glue and the children took home tree decorations and Christmas cards.
The Nursery Garden has also been very popular, with the children making the most of the lovely weather. They have balanced on the climbing frame, raced tricycles around the bike track and hunted for bugs in the sensory garden.
It has been a busy term where friendships have blossomed between the children and the adults who come with them. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Nutkins in the new year for the start of the Spring Term.
As the leaves have turned, children in The Squirrels Nursery have been busy exploring the wonders of autumn through exciting experiences, celebrations and performances, all while settling into Nursery life.
Nature has been our classroom this term. The children have enjoyed regular walks around the campus to spot signs of autumn, collecting leaves, shiny conkers and acorns to use in the classroom. These walks have inspired the children to explore Japanese Hapa Zome art, hammering leaves onto calico to make colourful leaf prints.
We celebrated the season of giving with our Harvest Festival assembly. The children sang the famous Big Red Combine Harvester song and proudly brought in donations for the Warwick District Foodbank. They also retold their own version of ‘Chicken Licken’, complete with amazing singing. It was a lovely way to introduce the values of kindness and gratitude. In October, we explored the Festival of Lights. The children learnt about Diwali through stories, rangoli patterns and making clay diva lamps. We talked about light overcoming darkness and celebrated with music, dressing up and dancing. To mark Bonfire Night, the children created firework paintings using bright colours and glitter.
The children have been learning about helping, giving and making a difference in fun and meaningful ways. The children created beautiful clay poppies to sell in support of the Royal British Legion for Remembrance Day and took part in sponsored activities to raise funds for Children in Need, showing their kindness and community spirit.
The term ended with learning songs and practising lines for our Christmas Nativity which was a magical end to a wonderful term.
The Reception children had an exciting start to the year, diving straight into their ‘World of Imagination’ topic. They enjoyed reading and discussing a range of stories and produced some wonderful artwork linked to each story, including some colourful ‘Elmer’ elephants.
In the Imagination Station, the children designed their own ‘wild things’ and planned a meal for ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. Our final story was ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ by Judith Kerr. The children have decorated the Reception corridor with paintings of the tiger, Sophie and some of the food from the story! At the end of term, the pupils enjoyed a visit to the Warwick Arts Centre to watch the story come to life on stage!
After half term, the children began their ‘Buildings’ topic, looking at a range of buildings including temples, churches and castles. We linked the topic to the work of a range of artists and the children enjoyed creating their own castles in the style of Paul Klee and their own versions of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’. They used pastels, paper and glitter to create evening skylines which they used to make calendars for 2026.
The term ended with our Nativity play, ‘Hey Ewe!’, the story of two sheep who spot some curious sights while they are supposed to be asleep!
What a wonderful Autumn Term it has been! The Year 1 pupils have continued to develop their resilience and independence. They have spent time thinking about what makes a positive learning environment and how everyone is responsible for helping their class achieve this. The children have focused on communication and collaboration, enjoying the chance to share and challenge one another’s ideas, and discovering new vocabulary to make their sentences more descriptive and exciting. They loved creating mind-maps in the Imagination Station and discussing the thoughts that inspired them.
This term has been filled with brilliant events! A particular highlight was our Toy Day, when the children learnt all about old toys and compared them with the toys they enjoy today. The pupils loved exploring some traditional toys and finding out how the teddy bear got its name! They also had great fun dressing in non-uniform for Children in Need and crafting some beautiful poppies to support the Royal British Legion.
The Year 1 classrooms and corridors have been bursting with remarkable artwork. The children enjoyed producing portraits inspired by different famous artists and experimented with mixing mediums such as paint and pastel. Science lessons have been full of investigation as the pupils explored theirs senses and in Maths, they have been tackling problems, partitioning numbers and explaining their reasoning. Forest School continues to be a firm favourite, with much laughter heard as the children explore the garden, take part in exciting activities and collaborate with their friends.
Christmas brought the Autumn Term to a close. It was a joy to watch the children perform in ‘Knock, Knock! The Nativity’. There were certainly a few tearful eyes as the children sang and signed their beautiful songs. What a wonderful way to finish a busy and brilliant term! Well done, Year 1 – you are amazing!
Well done to the Year 2 children for settling into their new Year Group so well! They have practised following our routines and are trying very hard to be more independent. As the oldest children in Pre-Prep, they are also aiming to be responsible by setting a good example for the younger children. These are such important Skills for Life to develop – keep up the good work throughout the rest of the year.
In their Geography lessons, the children enjoyed exploring the continent of Africa and then zooming-in on Kenya. They found out about what it would be like to live in this interesting country. The children worked hard in lessons and even became weather presenters when they looked at the climate in different areas of Kenya! We had a fantastic ‘Kenya Day’ at the end of the half term to bring the topic to a conclusion. The children enjoyed a music and dance session, a Tingatinga art activity, a session where they decorated African bowls and an activity where they learnt games from different African countries. Thank you everyone for joining in so well – the teachers had such good fun and we hope the children enjoyed it too!
Since half term, we have moved onto a History theme of ‘Flying Adventures’ where the pupils learnt all about the history of flight from the Montgolfier brothers right through to the present day. In Science, the children started the year thinking about how they can be healthy and they have recently been investigating ‘Forces’. In RE lessons, they have learnt about Hinduism and created diva lamps in their Art lessons to link with this area of study. PSHEE has found us discussing ‘Being Me in Our World’ and ‘Celebrating Difference’ in addition to completing our unit on Protective Behaviours.
The children have worked hard in their English lessons this term. They have focused on poetry using Kit Wright’s poem ‘The Magic Box’, expanded noun phrases through a Literacy Shed unit called ‘Catch-It!’, and written non-fiction writing inspired by ‘The Ugly Five’ by Julia Donaldson. They also carried out research at home to create fact files about Kenyan animals and they wrote their own fables based on the moral ‘Many Hands Make Light Work’.
In Maths, the pupils have focused on the number system, number facts, place value, addition and subtraction. During Maths Week, they had a fun, practical subtraction lesson outside and they have started to learn the two times table.
The term ended with our wonderful Christmas Nativity in the Warwick School Chapel and all the joys that the festive season brings, including our fantastic Christmas party.
Throughout everything we have undertaken this term, the children have continued to use their Critical Thinking skills brilliantly. Well done, everyone!
What an exciting start to the year it has been for Year 3!
One of the highlights of the term was our fascinating trip to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford where pupils became history detectives, investigating the lives of the Ancient Egyptians. They explored a variety of artefacts, making thoughtful connections between life then and now. Did you know that Ancient Egyptians played board games, used ornaments for decoration, and even combed their hair – just like we do today? The pupils were amazed when they were given the incredible opportunity to handle real Ancient Egyptian artefacts. They had to be very sensible and careful which of course they were!
Back in school, our English lessons have been inspired by the story ‘Egyptian Cinderella’. The girls have enjoyed comparing this version to the traditional fairytale we all know and love. They used both stories to practise using comparative conjunctions, add detail to their writing, and, most importantly, let their creativity shine.
In class, the pupils have enjoyed learning about Tutankhamun, discovering why he was such a significant figure in Ancient Egypt and why the discovery of his tomb was such an incredible archaeological find. Making even more links with our topic, the girls have studied the River Nile, exploring why it was such a vital lifeline for the Ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago and how it continues to support life in Egypt today.
To prepare for their Christingle assembly, the girls visited St Nicholas Church. In groups, they searched around the church to find all the parts to a Christingle and made their own paper version. Having found all the parts, they learnt what they each represent. The orange represents the world, the ribbon represents the love of Christ, the sweets represent God’s gifts to us, and the four sticks symbolise the four seasons.
The Autumm Term has been filled with exciting experiences in Year 4. We celebrated Harvest with a thoughtful assembly to consider food waste and helping others less fortunate, welcoming Mr Andy Bower from the Warwick District Foodbank who was incredibly grateful for all the donations from our school community.
The Year 4 girls brought their studies of ‘The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe’ to life by stepping through the wardrobe and into Narnia at the Story Museum in Oxford. They went on a magical tour through Oxford to spot the sites that inspired C.S Lewis to write the story and visited the enchanted libraries and galleries inside the museum. Another highlight of the visit was taking part in a descriptive writing workshop in the beautiful setting of the historic theatre-inspired rooms.
‘Middle School News’ has given our budding reporters the chance to share weekly highlights, celebrating everything from times table champions and Bronze Award recipients to fantastic sporting and music successes. We also enjoyed our first fixtures in hockey, gymnastics, cross country and swimming, showing teamwork and school spirit. Our talented musicians took to the stage in the Tea Time Concert, performing with confidence and enthusiasm.
In History, we brought our study of Ancient Greece to life using the Outdoor Classroom where pupils re-created the Olympic Games, competing in traditional events and celebrating the ancient competition. They also designed and built impressive replicas of Ancient Greek weapons, combining teamwork and engineering skills to wage war between the Spartans and the Athenians.
Well done, girls, on a super start to Year 4!
The Year 5 girls have truly shone this term, settling smoothly into Upper School life after their move up from Middle School. They have embraced new responsibilities with enthusiasm, stepping confidently into roles such as Play Leaders, Librarians and members of the Wellbeing Team.
Our studies have been reflective, particularly in History where we explored the experiences of the Windrush Generation. A memorable highlight was a visit from Mr Johnson, a Warwick Prep grandparent, who shared his personal story of travelling from Jamaica to Britain on the SS Ascania in 1960. Speaking of the warmth of the Caribbean he left behind, he described the challenges he faced, the friendships he made, and the courage and kindness that helped him rise above racism and hostility.
In English, the girls were immersed in Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’. The novel inspired them to consider the viewpoints of Joey, the valiant horse, as well as from both a soldier and a civilian affected by the devastation of World War I. This moving text tied in beautifully with our preparations for the Remembrance Service at the Warwick School Chapel where every Year 5 pupil contributed thoughtfully, honouring those who sacrificed so much for our freedom.
We also enjoyed a fantastic Link Day with Warwick Junior School. Working in mixed teams, the pupils designed and built windpowered cars using only three straws, a sheet of paper, two paper clips and four Polos. The task was a wonderful showcase of their Skills for Life, revealing impressive teamwork, creativity, communication, critical thinking and problem-solving.
The term concluded with several festive highlights, including the brilliant Winter Concert, our Prep Carol Service at St Mary’s Church and the much-anticipated Christmas lunch and Upper School party. It has been an outstanding term from start to finish!
What a fantastic start our Year 6 girls have had! From the moment they arrived in September, they settled straight in and were eager to make the most of their final year at Warwick Prep. Those taking on leadership roles jumped into their responsibilities with enthusiasm, clearly ready to set a great example for the rest of the school.
The Autumn Term started with a big focus on King’s High School entrance exam preparation. The girls’ hard work really paid off, with excellent progress in English and Maths and a wonderful range of academic and subject scholarships to celebrate. We couldn’t be prouder of their achievements.
History came alive this term with our topic on the ‘Shang Dynasty’. A highlight was our trip to Compton Verney where the girls explored Ancient Chinese artefacts dating back more than three thousand years. They examined ritual vessels, imagined daily life in ancient times and very carefully, with gloves handled genuine artefacts from as early as 1600 BCE. In the afternoon, creativity took centre stage as they sculpted their own clay ding (a ritual vessel), with impressive results!
In November, teamwork took on a new twist as the girls joined the boys at Warwick Junior School for a morning of collaborative bridge-building. Using a selection of materials, each group worked to design a bridge strong enough to hold a 4N load (that’s 400g!) across a 30cm span. There was plenty of problem-solving, laughter and some surprisingly sturdy engineering feats.
Later in November, the girls blasted off on our much-loved annual trip to the Space Centre.
They explored our solar system, learnt what life as an astronaut really involves and discovered the fascinating history of the Space Race.
We rounded off the Autumn Term in festive style with the Upper School Christmas Party. The girls embraced classic party games, laughed non-stop and impressed us with their dance moves – clearly warming up for next term’s school disco!
It has been a wonderful term. Well done, Year 6!
At the start of the Autumn Term, the Year 5 pupils embarked on a musical journey to Indonesia through an energetic Gamelan workshop. Led by Mike Simpson from Inspire Works, the girls were immersed in the vibrant rhythms and textures of traditional Indonesian music. Supporting their classroom learning on Gamelan, this hands-on experience brought their studies to life as they played authentic instruments and explored the intricate patterns of this centuries-old art form.
Squirrels in the Community once again saw pupils from Warwick Prep sharing music with local care homes. Children in Year 2 and Year 4 sang harvest songs, and the Handbells, Songbirds and Camerata groups also performed at St Mary’s Church, Warwick, as part of the Christmas Tree Festival.
Throughout the term, our Informal Concerts have continued to offer a supportive platform for soloists to gain experience performing and build confidence.
Our Winter Concert marked the start of the festive season with fantastic performances from our school ensembles and Junior Choir. The concert ended with ‘The Christmas Train’, a lively performance that had family and friends tapping along!
As Christmas approached, pupils were busy with nativities, productions and celebration assemblies. Traditional carol services, led by the Year 2 children in the Warwick School Chapel and the Prep Department at St Mary’s Church, brought the term to a close.
This term’s musical achievements reflect the hard work of our pupils and staff. From classroom workshops to concerts, music continues to bring together our school and local community. Well done to all our performers!
The Autumn Term saw Warwick Prep pupils showcasing outstanding commitment, teamwork and enthusiasm across a wide range of sporting activities.
Our hockey teams enjoyed an excellent season. The U11 squads have been particularly busy, with fixtures against Bablake, Bromsgrove, Manor Prep, The Blue Coat School and Repton. Early in the term, the teams produced a series of confident performances at Bablake, securing wins of 2-0, 3-0 and 5-0.
At Bromsgrove’s hockey tournament, the U11 team placed 2nd overall on goal difference after a morning of high-quality hockey while at Repton, they finished an impressive 3rd after a series of skilful performances, including a 3-0 win over The Elms and a hard-fought draw against the hosts.
Our U10 teams demonstrated excellent skill during their hockey matches against Oxford High and had some victories against Bablake. At Repton’s hockey tournament, the team delivered an outstanding performance, finishing all four games without conceding a goal and securing the overall win.
The U9 teams travelled to Bablake and played with energy and resilience. Despite challenging weather conditions, a highlight was a 7-1 win in one of the matches. Their earlier four-team festival against Bromsgrove saw every Warwick Prep team remain undefeated which was a fantastic achievement so early in the season.
The U8 teams have also enjoyed fixtures against Bablake and Crackley Hall. It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow and their skills progress.
A standout moment of the term was the U11 IAPS Hockey Qualifiers where Prep finished 3rd overall in the region. Topping their group with wins over King Edward’s, The Elms and King’s College, the girls progressed confidently through to the knockout stages. After a narrow exit on penalty flicks in the semi-final, the squad won the 3rdplace play-off against Bilton Grange.
In the ESFA U12 Cup, the U11 football team progressed further than ever before in the school’s history. A focused performance against Grace Academy Coventry secured them a 2-1 win in the opening round, followed by a victory against Lutterworth College in Round 2, an outstanding achievement, particularly as the team is competing a year up.
The squad also represented Warwick Prep at the IAPS U11 Football Tournament. With strong group-stage wins against North London Collegiate, Bute House, The Marist and St George’s, the girls progressed to the Cup competition, finishing 4th overall after an excellent day of high-level football.
For many of our Year 3 pupils, the swimming gala against Warwick Junior School and The Kingsley School marked their very first competitive event. Later in the term, during galas against Blue Coat, Eversfield and Warwick Junior School, Prep pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6 performed superbly across a range of events.
The annual Warwick Prep Aquathlon once again brought the whole Prep Department together in a brilliant celebration of resilience and community spirit. Despite some challenging weather for the later races, each pupil tackled the course with enthusiasm and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces at the finish line.
Our U9, U10 and U11 gymnastics teams competed in the Independent Schools Gymnastics National Competition. Our U9 team placed 10th overall, the U10 team placed 6th as a team and our U11 team placed 8th overall.
Our Ski Race teams have had a busy year! The Prep girls have been training hard from our base at Swadlincote and competing in several events. One of the most important events on the race calendar is the English School’s Ski Association (ESSkiA) Indoor Championships which took place on snow in Hemel Hempstead. A brilliant performance saw our CAT 1 team take 1st place! Congratulations to Ottie, Loretta and Bea.
In September, the girls went on to compete in the ESSkiA qualifiers which saw the new CAT 1 team of Effie, Lola and Ottie reach the Age Finals in Norfolk. A huge well done to the team and for Trixie stepping in at the last minute to race! As a result of strong individual performances in the ESSKiA race series, fifteen skiers from across the Foundation have been selected to train with their national training squads in Norway this winter. Congratulations to Effie for being selected.
In tennis, Liberty, in Year 6, claimed victory at the Regional Central and East Tour U11 Tennis Tournament in Northampton to secure her 25th tournament title. Maanya, in Year 3, achieved outstanding results at the Warwickshire Badminton Tournament, winning a silver medal in the U10 singles. She also received a special award recognising her as the best U10 non-county player. A superb accomplishment at such a young age.
It has been a truly inspiring term for Warwick Prep sport. We look forward to an exciting and successful remainder of the academic school year.
BY AVERY AND NIEVE
Editors, Avery and Nieve, met with Miss Gracy, Director of Sport, to find out more about her role at Warwick Prep since starting in September 2025.
Q. Welcome to Warwick Prep! We would love to know, what is your favourite sport?
A. My favourite sport is netball. I’ve been playing since I was seven years old. I love it because it’s such a strong team game –everyone has a role to play and you have to work together to succeed. I’ve also made lots of friends through netball over the years. As well as netball, I enjoy trying new and different sports. I might not be as good at them but I love the challenge of giving something unfamiliar a go. Some more unusual sports I’ve tried are boxing, Gaelic football and pétanque.
Q. If you could spend the day with any sports superstar, who would it be?
A. I think I would choose Jo Harten. I grew up watching her play netball whenever England came to Coventry or Birmingham and I always looked up to her (quite literally as she’s very tall!). She’s an incredible shooter and because I love playing GA (Goal Attack), she was a huge inspiration to me.
Q. If you could add one new thing to sport, what would it be?
A. It would be inclusivity. Sport is so important for both our physical
DRAMA
It has been a busy and productive start to the dramatic year for Warwick Prep pupils. In their Drama lessons, the Year 4 girls have been building on their curriculum studies of Greek theatre on their feet. They have been exploring what performance was like within the Greek amphitheatre, brought the myth of Hades and Persephone to life and expanded upon their facial expressions and physicality through mask work.
In Year 3 and Year 4 Drama Clubs, we have been expanding the world of Greek myths further, bringing the story of Theseus and the Minotaur to life. In our Year 2 Drama club, many of our children are new to performing. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop their vocal, physical and characterisation skills through imaginative play. The clubs continue to provide a platform for our younger and older girls to make connections through performing and collaboration. One of our talented older performers, Lottie, in Year 6, has been supporting pupils in Year 2 and a selection of Drama Ambassadors and Scholars from King’s High School have also been supporting across the year groups.
Our Year 1 pupils treated audiences to a wonderfully festive Christmas production of ‘Knock, Knock! The Nativity’. This heartwarming performance combined the traditional nativity with plenty of catchy songs and jokes to capture the Christmas spirit. We were so impressed with their hard work learning their lines and performing in front of an audience.
and mental health and I believe there is at least one sport that everyone can enjoy. I hope all children find that “perfect” sport for them during their time at Warwick Prep.
Q. If you could change one rule in any sport, which would you change?
A. What a good question! I actually love changing or adding rules in Games lessons because it gets us thinking more tactically. Some of my favourites include using different scoring systems such as awarding more points for shots taken from further away, using a different-sized ball (or even more than one!) and having a golden player who cannot be marked.
Q. If you could invite a famous athlete to our school, who would you pick?
A. I’d choose Mary Earps, the England Lionesses’ goalkeeper. She has become such a strong voice for women in sport and always plays with passion. I think she would show our pupils how hard work and self-belief can take you a very long way.
This term, our House Captains and Charity Team have been hard at work supporting several charities. Through their efforts, our pupils are learning how meaningful it is to give to others and to play an active part in our community. We are deeply grateful for the generosity shown by our families; your continued support, especially in such challenging times, makes all this possible and teaches our children the true power of kindness.
Supporting Breast Cancer Now has felt especially poignant for us this year. For Wear It Pink Day, staff across Warwick Prep came together in shades of pink, showing their solidarity and support of this charity. Our cake sale at breaktime and after school was a great success and together, we raised a wonderful £422!
This year, our wonderful Art Department supported the Charity Team by helping pupils create their own poppies to raise money for the Royal British Legion. Pupils in Pre-Prep crafted indoor clay poppies, while those in Prep designed outdoor versions which were displayed proudly for our wider community to see. Their hard work and your generous support helped us raise an incredible £1,177.52 for this important cause.
During Children in Need week, pupils were invited to visit the ‘Pudsey Room’ where they enjoyed a wide range of games and competitions. It was wonderful to see so many children having fun while supporting such a worthy cause. We also held a non-uniform day where pupils were encouraged to wear something yellow or spotty for a donation. The Pre-Prep children even had Pudsey Bear spots painted onto their faces. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we raised an amazing £2,873.06 this year!
Everyone at Warwick Prep absolutely loves Christmas Jumper Day! This year, our festive jumpers raised money for the children’s charity, Save the Children.
This is the second year we have supported the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. Helping to fill the charity shopping trolleys gives our children a chance to see how small gifts can make a difference. As they think about the presents they hope to receive, they also consider how their own contributions might bring joy to others. It’s a simple but meaningful way to learn about kindness and community.
For Children in Need, this year’s fundraising challenge was ‘Challenge 25’ where we encouraged pupils to complete an activity 25 times.
Freddie, in Reception, took on the task of loading the dishwasher 25 times, raising an impressive £170 in sponsorship, and was thrilled to meet Pudsey and receive a Pudsey Bear toy for raising the most money! Other creative challenges included making and selling earrings and bracelets, cycling or walking 25 miles, performing 25 acts of kindness, peeling 25 carrots, learning about 25 countries, swimming 25 lengths, and many more. Thank you and well done to everyone who took part.
We were delighted to once again welcome residents from Jubilee Care Home, Woodside Care Village, Leycester House, and Oakly Grange into school for our Squirrels in the Community event.
They enjoyed listening to our pupils sing and play instruments and had the opportunity to share lunch with our House Captains, Executive Committee and Wellbeing Team. The residents praised the exceptional musical talent of our pupils and thoroughly enjoyed being part of this special community event.
BY AVERY AND NIEVE
We started off Warwick Prep’s big birthday with a whole school assembly finding out about what school was like across eighty decades. We all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ before the Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl cut a wonderful birthday cake baked by our Catering Department. We all cheered “hip, hip, hooray!”.
We found out some interesting facts about Warwick Prep:
• The badge used to be squirrels collecting nuts to signify children gathering knowledge
• The school used to look very different! There have been many additional buildings built over the eighty years
• In 1970, there was a bad fire at the school (it used to be on The Butts) which was allegedly caused by a firework. The school was then re-built on the current Bridge Field site on the Banbury Road
BY GABRIELA AND HARDAYA
BY ALICE AND DAISY
To prepare for the assembly, each year group in the school was given a decade to research to find out more about the school’s eight decades. Year 6 researched 1945-55 and we all had fun using the internet and books to find out more information. Some of us even interviewed our relatives who had been at school in the 1950s. It sounded very different to modern school life, particularly since some schools in that decade had open ceilings, due to damage left over from World War II. Mrs Dodsworth asked us to prepare a slide about our decade and in the assembly, a few chosen pupils read each slide out. We heard many fantastic facts in the history of the school, even hearing about how our uniform used to be yellow and pink!
In the afternoon, we attended a special afternoon tea which brought together many members of the Warwick Prep community. In attendance, there were former pupils, teachers, current pupils and grandparents. There were guests who were born in 1945 which was the same year that our school was founded. We enjoyed talking to former pupils about their time at the school. We liked telling them about our lessons and favourite subjects. One of the guests that we met told us he was one of the first boys at Warwick Prep. Everybody loved the sandwiches, scones, cakes, and treats; it was a fantastic way to end the day of celebrations!
To honour Remembrance Day, the Year 5 girls led a moving service in the Warwick School Chapel to commemorate those who gave their lives for our freedom.
Together, pupils and parents paused to reflect, remembering the courage, sacrifice and service of all who have been affected by conflict. Jassi, in 5KC, and Kristjana, in 5AM then filled the chapel with the poignant notes of the Last Post on the flute.
BY ALICE AND DAISY
Editors, Alice and Daisy, met with Mrs Little to interview her about her role as Design and Technology teacher.
Q. How many years have you taught DT?
A. I’ve been teaching DT for 25 years. I’ve taught in schools in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham and then Warwick Prep.
Q. What is your favourite aspect of DT?
A. I enjoy all of it! My favourite part is the creativity.
Q. What job would you do if you weren’t a DT teacher?
A. I would like to coach sport. I also used to be a bathroom designer!
Q. What skills do you think DT teaches us?
A. DT teaches us to use our imagination, think ahead, learn how to make repairs, cook. Lots of different skills.
Q. Did you always dream of being a DT teacher?
A. DT teachers didn’t exist when I was younger! When the government later decided that all children should learn DT at school, I began my training – it was a really exciting time to enter the profession.
Q. What is your favourite thing that you have ever built or made?
A. When I was about five years old, my dad and I made a bright blue wooden sled with a rainbow on the side of it.
Q. Who inspires you?
A. Alec Issigonis is a real inspiration to me. He designed the first Mini because he wanted a car that was accessible to many people. The Mini made it easier for people to get to work, go on holiday and visit family. I also really like his sketches.
COMMUNITY
To support Harvest Festival, our school community donated items to the Warwick District Foodbank. Each House filled a trolley with food cupboard essentials and beauty products to help those in crisis. Congratulations to everyone in Rich, who were the winners of the House Competition – their trolley was very full of items that were greatly appreciated!
The Year 4 girls welcomed Andy Gower from the Warwick District Foodbank for his twelfth Harvest Festival assembly at Warwick Prep! Andy was delighted with the donations which will be going directly to those less fortunate than ourselves in the Warwickshire area, via volunteers at the Warwick District Foodbank.
In their inaugural performance at Warwick Prep, children in The Squirrels Nursery delighted their parents with a wonderful rendition of ‘Chicken Licken’ to celebrate Harvest. The Year 1 and Year 2 children visited the Warwick School Chapel for a celebratory Harvest Service where they sung harvest hymns and listened to prayers.
Thank you to everyone involved in making our Harvest Festival such a success!
We were delighted, once again, to take part in the annual St Mary’s Christmas Tree Festival – a highlight of the festive season in Warwick.
Each year, local businesses and schools sponsor and decorate a Christmas tree, creating a beautiful display in the church. Members of the community are invited to visit the festival and vote for their favourite tree.
This year, the Year 3 and Year 4 Art Club pupils crafted Spirit the squirrel and acorn decorations from clay which they then painted in shimmery colours.
We hope you were able to visit the Christmas Tree Festival and cast a vote for our tree!
Children in The Squirrels Nursery had a super first term in Forest School. During the first few weeks, they learnt the rules that not only keep them safe but also allow for risktaking and help ensure the garden can be enjoyed by all the other creatures and children who visit. The forest path has become a very popular place to explore. Throughout the term, the canopy has changed and leaves have covered the path, making scrunching and crunching sounds as we walk.
and leaves. The Reception children also planted daffodil bulbs along the side of the fence so we should have a lovely display in spring.
We had a daffodil bulb planting session and this year, we planted our bulbs in the dividing hedgerow between the two gardens. As the autumn leaves appeared over the weeks, the children made colourful crowns and leaf confetti wands. For Bonfire Night celebrations, the children made fireworks by winding brightly coloured pipe cleaners around sticks they had found and tying ribbons on the ends. They then whooshed them up into the air, creating their own firework displays.
We shared stories and learnt about hibernation, then made little clay and fir cone hedgehogs. Some children even made small homes for them to hibernate in using leaves and twigs. As the children became well versed in our fire safety rule not to cross the fire circle, we used the Kelly kettle to make hot chocolate. This was very welcome on the November days when the weather tends to be grey and dull!
The Reception children settled very quickly into Forest School, teaching their new friends the rules and introducing them to the garden and all the different areas they can explore. We used blackberries, squashing them with a pestle and mortar to make juice which we then used for painting. The children are always very observant, noticing changes such as the leaf colours each week.
One big change to the garden was that our family tree had to be cut back over the summer which has opened up an area underneath to explore and to make fairy and elf houses using logs, stones
As the autumn colours started to change more dramatically, the children enjoyed a colour hunt, making bracelets and matching the natural colours they found to the colours on their bracelets. In a following session, we listened to the ‘Leaf Man’ story and then the children created their own leaf art using natural resources.
At the beginning of November, the Reception children learnt about fire safety, as many would be enjoying Bonfire Night celebrations. We learnt a rhyme about not touching matches, then collected small sticks to use in the Kelly kettle. The highlight, of course, was enjoying hot chocolate and biscuits while sitting around the fire circle.
The children made poppies for Remembrance Day using autumnal red leaves and some painted poppies onto pebbles to place around the Coronation Tree.
As Christmas approached, we used fern leaves to print Christmas cards and Eric the Elf made an appearance. Much to the children’s amusement, he had been hiding Christmas decorations around the garden for them to find!
In their first session, children in Year 1 went on a colour hunt, finding things around the garden that matched their colour charts. Some colours were trickier to find and needed more diligence, such as grey and black, but the children, working in pairs, were very resourceful, discovering grey leaves and even charcoal. In the second session, we focused on sawing skills using a bow saw and sawhorse. The children enjoyed sawing a wooden cookie each.
Children attending the Year 1 Forest School Club went pond dipping, made woodland elves using natural materials, searched for orange leaves to make pumpkin suncatchers and planted crocuses to enhance the garden. The group were very focused each week and made the most of their time, building dens and creating an array of ‘delicious’ concoctions in the mud kitchen, as well as potions using a pestle, mortar, herbs and petals. They worked collaboratively to build agility and obstacle courses using tyres, planks, and logs.
In September, we officially opened our new Outdoor Classroom in the Forest School garden, generously funded by WPSA and PAWS.
Pupils from Warwick Prep and Warwick Junior School were joined by Hellen Dodsworth, John Bond, Richard Nicholson, Victoria Espley, members of the school community – past and present, and representatives from WPSA and PAWS to ‘cut the ribbon’.
This term has been very exciting as each form group has elected a new Eco Council representative. Each candidate had to stand up and speak in front of their form and deliver a speech about why they cared about the environment and how they can make our school more sustainable.
For our first Eco Council meeting, we sowed some seeds outside Warwick Hall as part of a wildflower meadow; providing more biodiversity to our school grounds and supporting ecosystems. Wildflowers are extremely important for our wildlife, especially bees and butterflies. We can’t wait to see what the meadow looks like in spring!
This fantastic new resource is available to pupils from both Warwick Prep and Warwick Junior School as an outdoor learning facility where they enjoy lessons and activities in nature. The Outdoor Classroom is self-sufficient, powered by a wind turbine and solar panels.
Both parent associations deserve our sincere thanks and appreciation for supporting this project so enthusiastically. We would also like to thank all our parents who have supported the various fundraising activities over recent terms.
During our meeting, the children discussed a range of different ideas to help our school become more sustainable. They discussed creating posters to reminder everyone to turn lights off in the room if it is not in use and to use the recycling bins correctly. Below are some of the reasons the children wanted to be in the Eco Council:
“So I can pick up all the rubbish.” – Miguel, in Year 1
“I love nature and I enjoy saving animals.” – Louis, in Year 2
“To help the planet.”– Maddy, in Year 3
“Our planet is slowing dying so I want to make a change by saving electricity.” – Savannah, in Year 6
As part of Anti-Bullying Week, we explored the theme ‘Power for Good’ which encourages children to speak out, support others and help build a world where kindness wins.
The week began with the nationwide Odd Socks Day, celebrating what makes each of us unique. The children enjoyed coming to school in their colourful mismatched socks including hearts, stripes, Stitch, monsters and even Christmas designs!
On the Wednesday, pupils enjoyed a Wellbeing Walk, led by our Wellbeing Team, around the playground – a little later than planned thanks to the torrential rain! Well done to everyone who took part.
On the Thursday, we celebrated World Kindness Day. Each form created a special card to share their gratitude with someone in our school community. Someone they may not see every day but who plays an important role in their happy life at Warwick Prep. The Wellbeing Team then presented the cards to members of our school community including our Catering Team, Estates Team, IT Support and school nurse.
In November, we celebrated Maths Week, a nationwide event that champions curiosity, problem-solving and a love of numbers. This year’s theme, ‘Maths Everywhere’, encouraged pupils to explore mathematical thinking both inside and outside the classroom.
In their Forest School sessions, the Reception children took part in practical Maths challenges, using stones, sticks, leaves, pinecones and conkers to create shapes and count given numbers.
The Year 1 children learnt how to use tally marks to collect data and headed to the Headmaster’s garden and the Outdoor Classroom to tally objects they could see, such as trees, rocks and windows, as well as a few items of their own choosing.
The Year 2 children extended their learning of the jump strategy by taking their lesson outdoors and scaling up number lines to demonstrate jumps of tens and ones. They challenged themselves with both addition and subtraction using this technique. It was great fun and they loved working together as a class.
The Year 6 girls spent their Maths lesson outdoors, posing questions, exploring the environment and estimating. They showed brilliant critical thinking in action.
Across the school, pupils also enjoyed taking part in the Times Table Rock Stars ‘England Rocks’ competition, challenging themselves to improve their speed and accuracy with times tables while competing alongside thousands of children nationwide. Many pupils also took part in the Primary Mathematics Challenge.
BY GABRIELA AND HARDAYA
Together with Spirit, Gabriela and Hardaya interviewed Mrs Johnson about her role as Director of Studies.
Q. How long have you been teaching at Warwick Prep?
A. I’m now in my sixth year at Warwick Prep. Before, I taught in schools in East London, Reading, Sydney and Haselor.
Q. What do you do in your role?
A. I study the curriculum from Nursery to Year 6 to look at which areas the teachers need to teach and support them with this. I also manage all the assessments.
Q. What is your favourite part of your role?
A. I love working with our brilliant team of teachers and hearing their ideas. I really enjoy researching and learning about new approaches to teaching so that we can continue to offer the very best education for our pupils here at Warwick Prep.
Q. Which is your favourite subject?
A. English is my favourite because I love reading books and poetry, exploring language and enjoying drama. I like anything to do with words!
Q. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A. When I was little, I wanted to be a nurse in the day and a fairy at night! Then I thought about being a hairdresser and later a teacher. When I was about seven, I even drew a picture of myself as a teacher.
Q. What is your favourite colour?
A. The colour of the sky in Sydney, Australia, on a summer’s day.
Building on the success of last year, the Warwick Prep School Big Book Sale made a welcome return this year.
The children had a wonderful time choosing their next great reads, and both our Librarian and the WPSA team were delighted with the event’s success. The funds raised will go towards new book resources for classrooms and the library, helping every pupil discover the right book for them.
A big thank you to everyone who supported our sale!
In Warwick Prep Life – Summer 2025, Henry started his training with his puppy trainer, Jo. He’s continued to learn more skills and has been on lots of exciting adventures!
Henry has a new favourite toy – a green teddy bear. He also has a squeaky pink pig that has become part of his toy crew. Henry has been socialising with other dogs and has made a best friend – a five-year-old Golden Retriever called Tilly. His hero is Angus, a sixyear-old German shorthaired pointer.
Henry is very intelligent. It doesn’t take him long to learn new cues or adapt to new situations. He’s mastered recall, food manners and the basic cues ‘sit’, ‘down’ and ‘wait’. He has also explored new places like shops and cafes. Henry is learning to settle quietly by Jo’s side.
Pupils from Year 5 and Year 6 at Warwick Prep and Warwick Junior School enjoyed a collaborative Link Day.
The Year 5 pupils worked together in teams using straws, tape, paper and Polo mints to build puff mobiles which could be powered by just one breath. Their goal was to design a vehicle that travelled the furthest. The teamwork, communication, resilience and creativity on display was fantastic. It was a brilliant way to bring our Foundation schools together.
Henry has recently been on public transport and is being taught to be positioned between the seat and Jo’s legs, backing up into a spot where he can settle and travel safely. He has been on some exciting adventures including a visit to a donkey sanctuary! Henry was wonderful around the donkeys – curious but composed. He was also very patient in the gift shop while Jo browsed!
He has been to the beach a few times where he loves the sand and running in and out of the waves. Henry has also been to the cinema and a history museum. He recently enjoyed watching ‘The Jungle Book’ on television and was mesmerised from start to finish, especially during the scenes with wolves!
We are looking forward to hearing more about Henry’s journey in February 2026.
The Year 6 pupils collaborated on a bridge-building task during their Link Day. After an introductory lesson on bridge design, the children were placed into mixed teams and challenged to construct a bridge using straws and card that could support a load of at least 5N.
All teams clearly applied what they had learnt, creating impressive truss structures that successfully distributed the forces of tension and compression. The winning team produced a bridge that supported an incredible 16N!
After having time to settle into life at Warwick Prep, our Headmistress, Mrs Dodsworth, spent time getting to know some of the pupils who joined us at the start of the Autumn Term, complete with delicious croissants!
She enjoyed hearing all about their pets, hobbies and what they have liked most about Warwick Prep so far.
“Everything!” – Thea, in 3NM
“Playing with my friends because it makes me happy” – Elodie, in 3LW
“Having lots of different subjects to explore” – Ivy, in 5AM
Warwick Prep School has once again been confirmed as one of the country’s leading prep schools after a stellar report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The ISI spent three days carrying out a comprehensive review of all aspects of our school – and their verdict is that Warwick Prep continues to provide the highest standards of education for our pupils.
What’s more, Warwick Prep was also awarded with the rare and coveted ‘significant strength’ label for our Early Years Provision. When considering that less than ten per cent of schools are given this distinction, this only further illuminates our achievement.
ISI’s newly introduced inspection framework combines a full review of school compliance with a thorough analysis of educational quality. Moving on from the previous approach, which awarded schools with headline judgements such as our previous ‘excellent’, schools are now assessed as to whether they meet the expected ISI standards related to five key areas:
• Standards relating to leadership and management, and governance;
• Standards relating to the quality of education, training, and recreation;
• Standards relating to pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing;
• Standards relating to pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society; and
• Standards relating to safeguarding
We are delighted to report that we met the required standard in every one of these areas.
BY MALVEEN JANDU, WPSA COMMUNICATIONS
Welcome to WPSA
The Warwick Prep School Association (WPSA) is a charity run by a dedicated team of volunteer parents and staff. Our aim is simple: to add even more fun, richness and opportunity to life at Warwick Prep.
We do this in lots of ways:
• WPSA Uniform Shop – Our second-hand uniform shop helps families save money and support sustainability by buying and selling pre-loved uniform
• Events and Activities – From school fayres and discos to movie nights, raffles and seasonal celebrations, we run a whole range of events that bring families together and create special memories for the children
• Funding Extras for School – Thanks to your support, WPSA together with PAWS has funded many initiatives, including the new Outdoor Classroom, the Trim Trails, musical instruments, equality and diversity resources, and a variety of teacher and pupil “wish list” projects that enhance learning and wellbeing across the school.
Every ticket bought, cake baked, raffle prize donated and jumper handed into the Uniform Shop really does make a difference. Together, we’re able to provide those “little extras” that make Warwick Prep feel so special.
If you’re interested in joining the WPSA Committee, coming along to meetings and helping to plan the many events we run throughout the year, we’d love to hear from you. Please speak to your Class Rep or any WPSA member for more information.
WPSA Macmillan Coffee Morning
In September, we held our annual Macmillan Coffee Morning and bake sale. Tables were packed with homemade cakes, biscuits and sweet treats, all generously baked and donated by our amazing school community to support Macmillan Cancer. Thank you to everyone who baked, bought and joined us.
One of our ongoing fundraising projects is the beautiful Warwick Prep Tree, displayed on the wall outside Lower School. Families are invited to sponsor an engraved oak leaf or acorn on the tree with a gift of £100 or more. Each plaque can be personalised. Many choose a child’s or family’s name, along with dates of attendance to create a lasting reminder of their time at Warwick Prep.
More than just a fundraiser, the tree is a piece of artwork for the whole school community to enjoy. Crafted from copper, it has space for 500 individual plaques, each representing a family’s connection to the school and their support for WPSA initiatives.
If you would you like to sponsor an oak leaf or acorn, please use the QR code which will take you to an application form.
Our recent WPSA Warwick Prep Big Book Sale was a fantastic success! A huge thank you to all the families who donated books. The children really enjoyed browsing the books and choosing new reads to purchase and take home. The funds raised will go towards new book resources for classrooms and the library.
Please keep setting aside any suitable children’s books you’re happy to part with. We’re hoping to run the Big Book Sale again next year and build on this year’s success.
We’ve had several very successful uniform sales this term, even with the old-style uniform now fully discontinued.
In November 2024, we introduced a Christmas jumper and nativity costume donation scheme at our sale, encouraging families to pass on outgrown festive knits and outfits. This has proved very popular and is a brilliant way to reduce landfill waste.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support of the WPSA Uniform Shop. Buying and selling through us does far more than simply recycling school uniform. It raises valuable funds, supports charities and benefits our children’s school experience.
We were delighted to welcome so many of you to our Christmas Fayre on Friday 5 December. The hall and dining room were filled with festive stalls, games, tombolas and crafts for children (and adults!) to enjoy. It was wonderful to see everyone getting into the Christmas spirit together. Thank you to all the parents and carers who gave up their time to help plan, set up, run stalls and clear away at the end of a very busy evening.
We also organised our much-loved annual Father Christmas drive-by, which is always a highlight of the festive season. The children were very excited to see and wave to Father Christmas!
• Prep Disco (Years 3 to 6): Friday 23 January
• Year 1 and Year 2 Magic Show: Friday 6 February
• WPSA Easter Event: Saturday 21 March
• WPSA Colour Run: Sunday 10 May
In Art, the Year 4 pupils developed their print making skills creating these responses to Mexican Day of The Dead. In DT, they created a mood monster with moving parts and a decorative background.
In Art, the Year 5 girls explored aquatic life, looking at artist Bob Langston to inspire these pieces in oil pastels. They have also created ceramic glazed hanging fish. In DT, the pupils developed their fine motor skills by making Scandinavian gnomes using felt, model magic and other materials.
In Art, the Year 6 pupils explored the theme of fast food and were inspired by Claes Oldenburg to create clay burger pots and watercolour prints. In DT, the girls designed and modelled a desk tidy from recycled materials.
Booking is open for Christmas Holiday Action 2025. Warwick School
• Butterflies – available for children who attend Warwick Prep School or The Kingsley School Nurseries
• Penguins – available for children in Reception and Year 1
• Fun Short Courses – available for children in Years 2 to 7
• Super Choice – available for children in Years 2 to 7
• Action Plus – available for 12 to 14 year olds
• Activities include art and craft, multi-sports, Didi cars, indoor archery, robot wars, cookery, and much, much more!
Please note – activities are on specific days and are subject to change.
For more information and to book yourself a place, please check out the Christmas Holiday Action website warwickschool.org/christmasholiday-action
The Butterflies
In select school holidays, parents can also benefit from our ‘Butterflies’ holiday nursery group which is based at Warwick Prep School Nursery and run by the Foundation’s Holiday Action team. The group is for children who attend either Warwick Prep School Nursery (The Squirrels Nursery) or Kingsley Prep School Nursery (Little Aviators).
This service is available 9am-4.30pm on specific days during the school holidays. Each week will be based around a particular theme and will include a variety of outdoor, free play, sporting, creative and relaxing activities. All activities will be planned in accordance with the EYFS framework.
Parents are contacted prior to each holiday period with information on which dates are available and details of how to book.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our ‘Butterflies’ holiday nursery group, then please feel free to contact the Holiday Action team by email at holidayaction@ warwickschools.co.uk
Our annual Foundation Service of Thanksgiving was held in The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick on Friday 26 September, and once again proved why it is a highlight of the academic calendar.
As we brought together our whole Foundation community – pupils, staff, parents, and Governors – the service provided the platform for outstanding music-making, with pupils from across each of our schools being represented fantastically by a number of different year groups as they joined forces to share their love of music. An historic moment came as we welcomed the Warwick Schools Foundation Multi Academy Trust Schools to the service for the first time.
Beyond this, the service provided a moment to reflect on everything that our community – past and present – has achieved, and to recognise everyone who has made, and continues to make, our charity such an extraordinary force for good.
Warwick Schools Foundation achieves Food For Life Served Here Bronze certification
Warwick Schools Foundation achieved Food for Life Served Here Bronze certification from the Soil Association earlier in the term.
Food for Life Served Here certification recognises and celebrates caterers who use sustainable ingredients, champion good practice, and cook from scratch. It also verifies that the meals we serve are healthy and sustainable, that they are freshly prepared by trained chefs, and that all ingredients are free from additives, artificial trans fats, and GM ingredients.
Certification also means that the meat we serve can be traced back to the farm and meets or exceeds UK animal welfare standards, eggs are free range, fish is sustainable, and menus make the most of seasonal ingredients – all of which reduces the environmental impact of menus.
Following the launch of the Warwick Schools Foundation Multi Academy Trust on 1 September, Clapham Terrace Community Primary School and Nursery, Evergreen School, and Westgate Primary School each held celebratory ceremonies during the first week of term.
Each of the ceremonies marked an exciting new chapter for the schools and their pupils, setting in stone a commitment to improve the educational experience of all pupils in the years to come. To symbolise the occasion, each school unveiled a commemorative plaque that recognised their founding role in the Trust.
We are delighted to be working with Oppidan Education as they mentor Year 12 pupils from King’s High School and Year 6 pupils from two of the Warwick Schools Foundation Multi Academy Trust Founding Schools.
The partnership, which began in September, consists of two programmes:
• Programme One – The Mentor Training Journey – sees Oppidan train Year 12 pupils from King’s High to become inspiring mentors to younger students, with subsequent reflection sessions to further improve their mentoring capabilities.
• Programme Two – The Primary Mentoring Journey – is a series of termly 1:1 mentoring sessions for Year 6 students, each on focused on one of Oppidan’s key outcomes: character, oracy, and readiness for the move into secondary school.
New era of festive sparkle in the Market Square thanks to the Foundation
The iconic curtain of light is a cherished part of Warwick’s Christmas celebrations and has illuminated Warwick’s Market Square each festive season since 2015. Unfortunately, the current display reached the end of its life this year, but the Foundation proudly supported the town’s festivities by funding a completely new display in time for Christmas 2025.
For many in our community, the iconic lights switch on event signifies the beginning of their Christmas celebrations, and we were delighted to support this much-loved tradition for this year and those to come.
Term Commences: Tuesday 6 January
Half Term: Monday 16 – Friday 20 February
Term Ends: Friday 27 March
OPEN EVENTS 2026
Open Afternoon: Tuesday 20 January
Entrance Assessment Day: Monday 2 February
Open Morning: Saturday 21 March
For more information about our events, please visit our website warwickprep.com
Warwick Preparatory School, Banbury Road, Warwick, CV34 6PL 01926 491545 WPS-info@warwickschool.co.uk warwickprep.com
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