Warwick Prep Life - Summer Term 2025

Welcome from the Head

It is a pleasure to introduce the Summer Term edition of Warwick Prep Life.

As ever, I extend my sincere thanks to our outstanding Year 6 Editors, who have approached their role with such care and attention to detail. Thanks to their efforts, they have ensured that the vibrancy and spirit of the term are captured on every page. In addition to the exciting and creative learning in the classrooms, Warwick Prep Life showcases the depth of offering outside the classroom, including bees, DNA and wellbeing – you’ll have to read on!

Our children have embraced a remarkable breadth of opportunities this term, demonstrating curiosity, commitment, and resilience in all they have undertaken. The theatrical talents of Year 2 shone brightly in their superb performances of Wiz Wham Alakazam, while Year 6 gave assured and captivating performances of Newsies JR. to full audiences in the Bridge House Theatre. Beyond the stage, our calendar has been filled with concerts, Sports Days, residentials and fixtures.

We also enjoyed a super celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day when the school turned red, white and blue. A personal highlight was welcoming Dame Evelyn Glennie to our Speech Day –just one of the many memorable moments this term. Our charitable

endeavours have continued with real purpose, and most recently, we were pleased to be able to support a local charity, Evelyn’s Gift through your generous donations as part of ‘Little Acts of Kindness’ week, reinforcing the central importance of kindness in all we do.

One of the highlights of the term has been receiving a Highly Commended award from Muddy Stilettos in the category of Most Creative Learning Through Play. This recognition is a testament to the imaginative and inspiring work of our staff, who continue to create learning environments that spark curiosity, build confidence, and foster a love of discovery for our very youngest children.

As the academic year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated WPSA Committee, whose tireless contributions have brought joy and celebration to our community. My heartfelt thanks also go to the staff team, whose professionalism, care, and commitment underpin all that we do at Warwick Prep. Their work ensures that every child is known, valued, and supported.

Whether you are reading this as a parent, a member of our alumni community, or someone about to begin their journey with us, I hope you enjoy our reflections on a successful and fulfilling term.

I wish you all a restful and happy summer holiday.

Mrs Hellen Dodsworth Headmistress

Welcome from the Principal

The end of Summer Term always sees some of the highlights of the academic year. These may be concerts or plays, Sports Days or trips. Some have even great significance as rites of passage – speech days, graduations, end of key stage plays – which herald the transition from one school to the next, or to life beyond our schools.

The richness of the opportunities and experiences for our pupils gives lie to the misleading short-hand often use to classify schools –academic, pastoral, or holistic. Certainly here, we are proud that the exceptional outcomes for pupils go hand in hand with a nurturing ethos and a focus on engendering good citizenship so that our pupils have happy, fulfilling lives and know how to make a positive difference in society. In a world which seems to become more

complicated with each passing week, helping pupils develop a strong moral core, to seek truth, and to put their undoubted gifts and talents to use for a more public good, have never been more important.

With the changed political landscape, the last year has brought into sharp focus the vision and values of Warwick Schools Foundation and the educational mission we hold so dear. As a charity, with important legal obligations which define how we operate, we have always been outward looking, and are greatly looking forward to the opening of the Warwick Schools Foundation Multi Academy Trust in September, which will be the focus for our public benefit obligations. As a business, we continue to develop additional income streams, including through international franchises, which enable us to further support our schools through new funds.

We are also more mindful than ever of the support of you, our parents and families. Your children live and breathe the culture of our community, leaving their mark, contributing to and being enriched by the living tradition of our schools. Thank you for enabling us to continue to provide a wonderful and truly unique educational experience, both now and for future generations.

Mr Richard Nicholson Foundation Principal

Meet the Editors

Introducing our Summer Term team of Editors who have been working hard behind the scenes on Warwick Prep Life magazine.

Amélie E, Amelie R, Bella, Daya, Georgia, Olivia and Suraya, in Year 6, have interviewed members of staff and written articles about the Year 2 and Year 6 end of year productions, as well as the Year 6 residential to Cranedale.

Let’s find out what they enjoyed most about their role as Editors.

It was great fun watching the Year 2 production and then writing about it.

Georgia

Being an Editor was a great experience. It helped me improve my writing skills and build my confidence.

Olivia I loved the responsibility of being an Editor. It’s taught me to be more organised.

Amelie R

I really enjoyed working as a team and seeing behind the scenes at

Warwick Prep. Daya

I liked Interviewing the Head Chef which was very interesting.

Bella

My favourite part was typing up the Cranedale article. I’d really recommend being an Editor!

Amélie E

I really enjoyed the opportunity to work with new people.

Suraya

Editor: Naomi Burrows, Marketing Manager, Warwick Preparatory School

Growing in confidence

The Nutkins children have continued to enjoy the Thursday morning ‘stay and play’ sessions in The Squirrels Nursery. They have grown in confidence and curiosity making their first friendships, learning to share, take turns and play together happily, eagerly taking part in the planned activities.

In our music sessions with Miss Hollocks, our Early Years music teacher, the children explored nursery rhymes, action songs and simple instruments, singing and moving to the beat.

In the Art Room, the children created bug-themed crafts, making symmetrical butterflies and spotty ladybirds. Special Father’s Day cards were also made, with the children using their fine motor skills to cut and stick patterns.

Story time in the Nursery classroom has helped the children to sit beautifully and listen intently. They have loved choosing animals from the story sack and excitedly showing them when they have appeared in the colourful picture books.

Over the Summer Term, the Nursery garden has been extremely popular. The children have tackled the climbing frame and pedalled the trikes skilfully around the track.

A party in Forest School celebrated the end of the Nutkins year, with the children feeling ready to start The Squirrels Nursery in September.

Enjoying a music session with Miss Hollocks

Honing fine motor skills in the Art Room

Creating colourful Father's Day cards

Catching fish in the Wet Room

Playing in the Nursery garden

Minibeast madness

In The Squirrels Nursery, the children had a fantastic time learning about the tiny creatures that live all around us. We began by observing caterpillars up close. Each day, we checked on them and talked about what they were doing. We kept a simple diary with drawings to show how they changed. When the caterpillars formed chrysalises, we waited patiently and then watched in amazement as they turned into butterflies! We released them into the Nursery garden and waved goodbye as they flew off to find flowers.

During our learning on bees, we spent time outside watching them visit flowers. We talked about how bees collect nectar and help plants grow. In class, the children made their own bees using paint, tissue paper, and pipe cleaners. We also looked at bee-friendly flowers like lavender and marigolds in the Nursery garden. As a special treat, we tasted a little honey and described how it felt and tasted using our senses.

When we learnt about spiders, we read stories and watched short videos showing how they spin webs. We used wool and paper plates to make our own webs, threading the wool through holes to mimic the spider’s work. We also used magnifying glasses to look at real webs in the playground and counted how many legs spiders have in our drawings.

Ladybirds were a big hit! We went on a ladybird hunt and gently held them in our hands. We counted their spots and talked about how they help plants by eating aphids. In class, we made counting ladybirds using red and black counters to help us practice doubling numbers. We also used playdough to make our own ladybirds with different numbers of spots.

To finish our Minibeast topic, we used our imaginations in the Imagination Station. We designed our own minibeasts by mixing features from different insects. Some children made a bee with butterfly wings and spider legs while others created ladybirds with bee wings and long antennae. We used mixed-media materials like googly eyes, feathers and pipe cleaners to bring our creatures to life. We gave them names and talked about what special powers they might have.

Through all these hands-on activities, we learnt how important these small creatures are and how they help nature. Now, when we see butterflies, bees, spiders, or ladybirds, we stop to look and remember what we’ve learnt!

Releasing the butterflies!

TaoTao, in NPB, sketching the boat and

Dishaan, in NWR, adding eight eyes and legs to his spider

Mixed-media buzzy bee by Taha in NHT

Raffy, in NWR, creating a beautiful symmetrical butterfly

Symmetrical butterfly painting by Georgia in NPB

Spider painting by Aisha in NWR

PRE-PREP – RECEPTION NEWS

Dinosaur explorers

The Reception children have had an exciting final term! During the first half of term, we learnt about ‘People Who Help Us’. We thought about the ways in which we need help and the different people we could ask. We explored the school, thinking about where adults such as the school librarian and school nurse are based. We welcomed visitors into the school as part of our topic. Dr Mulligan came to talk to us about how dentists look after our teeth. Dr Chan brought some ‘pets’ to explain how vets look after animals and Sergeant Thompson visited with his police car to tell us about how police officers can help us to be safe. We finished our topic by thinking about what we would like to be when we grow up with some great ideas including firefighters, palaeontologists and ‘bridge builders’!

After half term, we began our ‘Dinosaurs’ topic. We enjoyed dressing as explorers for our ‘Dinosaur Day’ and were excited to find a nest filled with dinosaur eggs when we came into our classrooms in the morning! We created our own signs warning people to take care around the eggs. Later in the day, we used the playground to find out more about the length of different dinosaurs. We were amazed by the length of the Argentinosaurus! We also created our own dinosaur tails and headdresses.

We welcomed Teach Rex into school to help us learn more about dinosaurs. They brought their T. Rex, Jam, along with several baby dinosaurs. We had great fun playing games with Jam including watching him use his sense of smell to find food and even pretending to eat some of us! We are fortunate to have many dinosaur experts amongst the Reception children.

In July, we welcomed family members and close friends into school for our ‘Grandparents’ Afternoon’. After performing in the hall, the children proudly showed their visitors around their classrooms. It was a lovely way to end the term.

Roarsome Jam, the T.rex!

Pupils from RSJ creating a dinosaur film

Learning about Warwickshire Police with Sgt Charlie Thompson

A visit from Dr Sian Mulligan from Euston Place Dental Practice

Welcoming Dr Sidney Chan from Avonvale Vets

An encounter with Jam the T.Rex!

Jaeden, in RHE, meeting a baby dinosaur

Dinosaur painting by Maya in RKC

Dinosaur painting by George in REB

Dinosaur painting by Harry in RHE

Dinosaur painting by Raeya in RSJ

Roaring into the rainforest

The Summer Term has flown by in a blur of curiosity, creativity and discovery! Our journey through the Amazon Rainforest topic sparked many questions and fascinating discussions. Everyone was especially intrigued by life in a rainforest tribe and enjoyed comparing it to their own experiences here in Warwick. These conversations encouraged us to 'think big,' using our thinking moves and critical thinking skills to express and justify our ideas.

We have had great fun debating some big questions – would you rather be a monkey or a crocodile? Are the rainforests more important than the polar lands? What do you think? Our Imagination Station continues to be a favourite spot where the pupils love creating mind maps to capture their thoughts and then share them with friends.

The Year 1 classrooms were transformed into rainforest havens, bursting with brilliant writing and vibrant artwork. A particular highlight was studying the artist Rousseau which inspired the children to create stunning paintings and collages of rainforest animals like toucans and jaguars.

One of the standout moments this term was our trip to Brandon Marsh. The children explored the world of minibeasts and had a fantastic time using natural materials to create our own works of art. They have also enjoyed science experiments, learning about material properties, minibeasts and how rain is made (we made a raincloud in a jar!).

What an incredible year it has been! The children have grown not just in knowledge but in resilience, independence, responsibility, confidence, empathy, and focus. Well done, Year 1. You should be proud of everything you've achieved on your learning journey!

Amazon rainforest sharing assembly by pupils in 1JB

Year 1 pupils taking part in a mock christening with Rev. James Holden

Theo, in 1HC, with his super rainforest diorama Sophia, in 1SC, with her balancing dragonfly

Rousseau inspired collage by Otis in 1JF

Rousseau inspired mixed-media rainforest by Alice in 1HC

Rousseau inspired toucan by Elodie in 1SC

Grace, in 1JB, making a rain cloud in jar

Making waves

This term in our English lessons, poetry has been the key focus. We have read, discussed and appreciated different styles of poetry that have then inspired the children’s creative writing. They have written poems in the style of A.A. Milne’s ‘Now We Are Six’ and used imagery in ‘I Wish I Could Fly’ poems. We had a most enjoyable lesson where we were treated to fabulous performances of each child’s favourite poem. Most recently, lighthouses have been the theme, retelling ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’, enjoying the ‘Lighthouse’ unit from Literacy Shed Plus and finding out about the inspirational Victorian, Grace Darling.

‘Time and Measures’ have been our areas of study in Maths, in addition to completing some problem-solving challenges. The pupils enjoyed ‘Money Sense’ week where they learnt to ‘Make Sense of Money’. In Science, we have focused on materials and their uses in our everyday lives and animals as living things.

During History and Geography, the children enjoyed our seaside studies. They were intrigued to learn how different seaside holidays were in Victorian and Edwardian times. They used Google Maps to locate traditional UK seaside towns and examined human and physical features. In Art, we have introduced a new unit on ‘Printing’ where the pupils trialled different methods inspired by seaside pictures. Lynette Merry’s beautiful beach hut paintings inspired their painting work.

The Year 2 pupils have worked incredibly hard on rehearsals for their end of Pre-Prep production – ‘Wiz Wham Alakazam’. They also helped staff to produce a fabulous backdrop and make props. It was a lovely way to use their teamwork skills!

In preparation for moving into Year 3, we have focused on knowing how we can use our Critical Thinking Skills and Skills for Life in lessons and around school. Keep it up everyone, ready to show your new teachers!

As the children’s time in Pre-Prep comes to an end, the Year 2 staff team would like to say…

“…you have worked so hard this year and we have really enjoyed being with you on your journey. Remember, you are amazing! We send our very best wishes with you as you progress into Key Stage 2 – we will miss you all!”

Lucy, Órla and Luke, in 2AW, learning about rabbits

Alec and Rory, in 2JW, meeting the goats!

Leonardo, Olivia and Alfie, in 2JW, feeding the goats

Pupils in Year 2 handling baby chicks

Seaside inspired print by Daisy in 2EC

Jerry Coulter inspired fish stamp print by Maddy in 2AW

Mixed-media seaside collage by Avi in 2JW

Ella, in 2EC, and Hanna, in 2JW, handling a newborn chick

Seaside collagraph by Spencer in 2AD

Wiz Wham Alakazam

The wonderful Year 2 production of Wiz Wham Alakazam takes places in Sun Castle, a magical community where wizards of all backgrounds and talents live and work together in harmony. However, one wizard feels left out and can’t find their talent. They begin to think they don’t have one.

One day, the sun starts to grow dim, worrying the wizards. To help bring back the light, each wizard decides to showcase their talent but many don’t take it seriously. While the performances are happening, some mean, horrible, scary Ice Creatures arrive and threaten the castle!

After many failed attempts to save the sun, it disappears out of the sky! The wizards decide to search for a magical book that will save the sun. They look everywhere but then the wizard who believed he had no talent finds the book and is awarded a special medal by the rulers of the wizard kingdom.

We asked two children from 2AW – Giana (the Chief Wizard called Alakazam) and Alex (a dancer called Jiggler) – a few questions about the play, including their favourite parts:

“My favourite parts were dancing and acting.” Giana “I loved dancing because I’m a very good dancer.” Alex

Thank you to the talented Year 2 team who helped put on this fantastic production: Mrs Watson, Mrs Cassini, Mrs Fryer, Mrs Badial, Mrs Darby, Mrs Jamieson, Mrs Harvard, Mrs Chan, Mrs Whitehall and Miss Griggs.

Well done to all the brilliant Year 2 children who spent so much time rehearsing and learning their lines and dances. It was an amazing production!

Going wild

It has been a wonderful term for the Year 3 girls.

In June, they took their LAMDA Entry Level exams and impressed the examiners with their confidence and expression. We were very proud of their fantastic results!

The pupils have enjoyed learning about the Ancient Maya civilisation creating menus, designing (paper!) death masks, performing plays and making a codex about the creation myths. In English, a novel study of ‘The Worst Witch’ by Jill Murphy inspired some brilliant creative writing. The story was a super source of inspiration, full of rich and exciting language.

We also visited St Nicholas’ Church in Warwick to consolidate our learning about signs and symbols in RE The mock baptism was both entertaining and educational, helping everyone understand more about this important Christian tradition.

A highlight of the term was our trip to Conkers in Leicestershire. Everyone had a splendid time squelching through the mud, splashing through the water and squealing with laughter as they tiptoed across the pebbles!

The girls have worked very hard this term and are more than ready for the challenges and adventures of Year 4!

Rachel, in 3LW, whizzing down the slide at Conkers

Kheeve, in 3LW, completing the activity trail in style at Conkers

Tackling the activity trail

Pupils from 3NM squelching through the barefoot walk

Clay cupcake by Sophia in 3LG

Clay cupcake by Elizabeth in 3NM

Clay cupcake by Riah in 3LW

Pupils from 3LG braving the barefoot walk!

Courage at Culmington

The Year 4 girls have had a busy Summer Term!

In May, many girls were lucky to go to Blists Hill Victorian Town and then onto our residential trip to Culmington Manor in Shropshire. Blists Hill gave a fascinating insight into daily life in the nineteenth century through demonstrations and talks. The pupils loved the horses and carts and the authentically dressed staff, from the local policeman to the postmistress.

We then continued to Culmington Manor where we spent two days completing a range of activities including abseiling, orienteering, archery, fencing and even a slightly nerve-wracking underground maze! Everyone showed so much positivity, collaboration and resilience over the three days and the staff couldn’t be prouder of them.

“Culmington Manor was an adventure. On the way we stopped at Blists Hill and looked at the Victorian shops; my favourite was the bank. At Culmington my favourite activities were abseiling, underground maze and the obstacle course.” Elizabeth, in 4VS

“The Year 4 residential was great! My favourite part was abseiling, although it was a little bit scary when you had to lean back. I was in a dormitory with my friends. We did rock climbing, archery, orienteering, the underground maze and even a blind trail. It was the best residential ever!” Amelia, in 4VS

“This incredible trip was my favourite memory of Year 4. I really enjoyed the underground maze and the orienteering. The weather was unbelievable as there was sun every day! The instructors were really funny and kind and the food was the best in the world – there were so many options and even a BBQ on the last night!” Millie, in 4HF

“Culmington Manor was brilliant. We had lots of fun. We did rock climbing, abseiling and the underground maze. The sun was glorious. I loved spending time with my friends and the instructors were lovely. Another highlight was making friends with children in 4VS.” Amaya, in 4HF

Everyone is ready for the move to Upper School after a successful last term in Middle School. Well done, girls!

Learning about Victorian medicines at Blists Hill

Preparing for abseiling!

Pupils in 4VS meeting the policeman at Blists Hill

Sophie, in 4HF, tackling the obstacle course

Gabriella and Lily, in 4HF, challenging themselves at Culmington Manor

Ellie, in 4VS, braving the cargo net on the obstacle course

Scaling the climbing wall at Culmington Manor

Developing life skills

Year 5 girls have had a wonderful final term embracing a wide range of opportunities to develop important life skills and deepen their understanding across the curriculum.

One of the most exciting highlights of the term was learning valuable first aid skills. The girls earned certificates for their efforts and had the chance to practise using real equipment. From bandaging to basic emergency procedures, they showed great enthusiasm and maturity in developing these essential life skills.

PSHEE lessons this term focused on preparing for the exciting transition to Year 6. The girls reflected on their strengths and looked ahead with confidence, thinking about how they can continue to grow as learners and leaders at school.

In preparation for entrance examinations and future academic challenges, the Year 5 pupils have been honing their reasoning skills. Through puzzles, logic challenges and discussions, the girls have shown excellent progress and determination.

Building on their Autumn Term learning about the Windrush Generation, the girls carried out powerful research into the hidden voices of Commonwealth soldiers from World War I. They explored the inspiring stories of Khudadad Khan, Sher Singh Rana and others, gaining a deeper understanding of their courage and contributions.

In RE, the girls explored how religion can be expressed through the arts. They interpreted faith through dance, analysed religious artwork and created their own beautifully detailed prayer mats, inspired by the intricate and repetitive patterns found in Islamic art. This creative approach helped them connect more deeply with different cultural and spiritual traditions.

Well done on a wonderful Summer Term!

Year 5 pupils preparing for their final year at Warwick Prep!

Butterfly ceramic by Jess in 5AM Dragonfly ceramic by Nihaal in 5JJ

Pahal, Amy and Alyssa, in 5AM, uncovering stories from World War I

Year 5 pupils learning first aid Skills

Gabriela, in 5JJ, learning CPR

Emilia, Alice and Blythe, in 5KC, designing a prayer mat

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

The Summer Term has been a whirlwind of fun with activities, workshops and trips for Year 6.

The girls loved the Artist in Residence workshop with Laura Powell from The Art and Design Room. They spent time painting and decorating the front cover of their sketchbooks with mini landscapes, using water soluble pens and water colours.

The girls had a drugs awareness workshop with PC Lund from the Warwickshire Police where they learnt about legal and illegal drugs and their effects on the body. In addition, the pupils spent an informative afternoon deepening their understanding of DNA.

This term, the pupils completed their final two Skills for Life modules. They really enjoyed listening to each other present their Critical Thinking projects which covered such a wide range of subjects from the gender pay gap in tennis and wild horse welfare to Alzheimer’s Disease. Each project was individually chosen and thoroughly researched. The girls chose to present their findings in various formats including podcasts, websites and PowerPoint presentations.

We had a fantastic week away at The Cranedale Centre in North Yorkshire where we delved into rock pools, fished in rivers, ran ourselves silly while orienteering around Dalby National Forest which was followed by a well-deserved ice cream treat! We are glad to report that everyone survived the ‘Survival Game’ and we were delighted to spot a colony of puffins at Bempton Cliffs.

The main focus for the second half of the term was our production of ‘Newsies JR’. The girls danced and sang their hearts out in the Bridge House Theatre, performing to both school pupils and family. They loved stepping back in time to the Newsies strike of 1899 New York, proving that friendship and teamwork can overcome challenges to win the day.

In the final few weeks of term, the girls reflected on their special time at Warwick Prep. They have loved sharing special memories as they prepare to begin their next chapter at senior school in September.

Practising the dances for Newsies JR.

Performing Newsies JR. at the Bridge House Theatre

Cranedale

This year, the Year 6 girls went on a residential to Cranedale in North Yorkshire. We all had a brilliant time in our dorms, hiking in the moorlands and rockpooling at Flamborough Head!

On the Monday, we did some team-building activities, a low ropes and a live wire course. It was really fun to work collaboratively together to complete the course. The next morning, we went to Flamborough Head and saw some adorable seals. We also went rockpooling to find crabs and anemones too. Later, we visited Bempton Cliffs and saw a dozen different birds including puffins!

On Wednesday, we tried orienteering. We did a warm-up in the courtyard first, then a bigger challenge in the field and finally, a huge one in Dalby Forest. On Thursday, we went to the Yorkshire Moorlands and walked down an ancient riverbed. We also did some river dipping and caught a few bullhead fish. On the last day, we played a fun game of survival in the wild!

The facilities at Cranedale were of an incredibly high standard, with a three-course meal every evening, a wide variety of activities (even within the centre!), and, of course, amazing trips each day. We also had our own dorms which we shared with a maximum of five people. The staff at the centre were lovely and supported us throughout all the activities. We had the best time on our school residential and would love to go again!

Isobel, Annabel, Lottie, Phillipa, Holly and Iris orienteering at Cranedale

Exploring Flamborough Head

Tabitha, Karen, Emily and Mila rockpooling at Flamborough Head

Birdwatching at Bempton Cliffs

Fun team-building activities

Mila and Olivia, in 6CM, pond dipping

Newsies JR.

Putting on Newsies JR. was one of the most exciting and fun experiences we have ever had! One of the highlights was learning the dances with Miss Carvell, who made even the trickiest moves fun to practise. Whether we were dancing enthusiastically in “King of New York” or marching in “Seize the Day (Reprise),” she kept us smiling and laughing. We had so many funny moments like when someone turned the wrong way or forgot the steps but Miss Carvell always encouraged us to keep going.

Our acting wouldn’t have been the same without the help of Mrs Murden and Miss Wilby. Mrs Murden helped us explore our characters’ feelings and motivations while Miss Wilby gave us brilliant ideas for how to move and speak on stage. They encouraged us to be brave, stay in character, and most importantly, have fun.

Learning all the songs in Newsies was a big challenge. Miss Griggs taught us how to project our voices, stay in tune and fill each line with emotion. By the time we performed, we were singing our hearts out thanks to her.

We loved dressing up as newsboys and stepping into our characters’ shoes. Rehearsing and performing Newsies JR. brought our whole year group together. We cheered each other on and helped one another remember lines. It was an experience we will remember forever!

“I loved Newsies JR. It was a big show, and I will never forget it.”

Olivia

“Newsies was the best way I could imagine to finish my time at Warwick Prep. I absolutely adored it!”

Amelie R

MUSIC

Musical Matters

The Summer Term has been another exciting chapter in our musical journey at Warwick Prep. The King’s High School Percussion Horizons concert was a real highlight, offering our percussion clubs the opportunity to perform. It was especially inspiring for our pupils to see the senior girls in action.

The informal concerts were more popular than ever, with a record number of participants. Year 2 pupils delivered confident performances while soloists from Years 3 to 6 also stepped into the spotlight, many performing for the very first time.

Outside of school, our musicians have continued to impress, representing us with pride at the Leamington Music Festivals and taking part in National Children’s Orchestra and Youth Choir weekends.

Our Year 6 pupils joined some of the senior ensembles in preparation for the next stage of their musical journey. It was a joy to see them perform so confidently in the KS3 Concert.

The term ended on a high note with our spectacular Summer Concert. The ensembles and Junior Choir delivered brilliant performances, filling Warwick Hall with energy and joy. It was especially lovely to see our Year 2 pupils taking part in the concert, sharing their enthusiasm for performing with such confidence. The Percussion Clubs and Year 4 Brass Ensemble started with a vibrant samba piece and Camerata brought the concert to a memorable close with a fantastic arrangement of Pirates of the Caribbean, marking their final performance together.

It was wonderful to share the magic of music, and this celebration served as a wonderful reminder of the talent, dedication and happiness that music brings to our community.

Our joyful Summer Concert Chloe, in 6SW, attending the National Children's Orchestra Project

Alice, in 6CM, Freya, in 3NM, and Elsie, in 6SW, achieving success at the Leamington Competitive Music Festival

Spotlight on Drama

The Summer Term has been a thrilling one for Drama. In their Drama lessons, the Year 3 girls have been developing their own class stories, refining their projection and gestures and practising their LAMDA poems. They completed their LAMDA examinations and we were thrilled with their results which truly reflected their passion and hard work.

Pupils in Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 have continued to thrive at Drama Clubs, supported by a range of wonderful volunteers from Year 6 at Warwick Prep and Year 9 and Year 10 at King’s High School. Thank you to Phoebe Florence and Georgia, both in Year 6, for their dedicated long-term support of Year 2 pupils. The Year 2 children have loved getting to know them and learning from their experience.

The ultimate highlight of the term was the fantastic Year 6 production of Newsies JR., transporting audiences to New York. Thanks to the hard work and encouragement of the production team and the efforts of our talented pupils, audiences were in for a real treat. A mixture of beautiful voices, impressive acrobatics and powerful acting scenes showcased our Year 6 girls at their best.

Year 4 masterpieces

At the start of the Summer Term, an exhibition of art created by Year 4 pupils from Warwick Prep and Warwick Junior School were displayed in Warwick Hall.

Inspired by the style and techniques of Pablo Picasso, the girls created mixed-media self-portraits. The boys, guided by the work of Yayoi Kusama, produced their own self-portrait pieces.

It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the pupils’ talent and hard work. CREATIVITY

Year 6 girls rehearsing Newsies JR.

Year 4 art exhibition in Warwick Hall

Picasso inspired self-portrait by Aeryn in 4HF

Yayoi Kusama inspired self-portrait by Charlie at Warwick Junior School

Picasso inspired self-portrait by Hattie in 4VS

Year 2 pupils rehearsing Wiz Wham Alakazam

SPORT

Sports Round-up

This year has been a fantastic showcase of talent, dedication and teamwork across all sports at Warwick Prep. The pupils have consistently impressed with their hard work.

Our Warwick Prep Ski team proudly retained their ESSkiA National Champions title in Norwich. The U12 team clinched victory by just over a second, with all girls playing a vital role in the win. Training with Midland Ski Club coaches throughout the winter, many girls have progressed, with younger racers starting competitive runs and Year 6 pupils preparing for U14 full slalom gates.

Loretta attended a prestigious three-day ESSkiA training camp and went on to achieve her first senior U14 podium finish at a national race, plus 4th place at the Independent Schools Indoor Championships. Congratulations to Loretta, Trixie (10th) and Effie (7th) for their brilliant performances at Midland Ski Club races.

The U11 ISFA regional qualifiers were hosted at the Warwick Schools Foundation campus where our Warwick Prep team battled fantastically to reach the semi-finals. Though narrowly missing out on the finals at St George’s Park, their effort was outstanding. With record numbers attending Friday football club sessions, the future looks bright for our young footballers.

Our tennis teams enjoyed a busy and successful Summer Term. Warwick Prep competed in the Fairfield U11 tournament with Warwick Junior School. Isabella won the A team singles, Liberty won A team mixed doubles, Bronte took B team singles, and Elsie won B team mixed doubles. The pupils even had the chance to meet some of the Loughborough Academy players who talked about their journey in tennis.

The Year 4 pupils also participated in a fun tennis Link Day with boys from Warwick Junior School, sparking enthusiasm for the sport. The Year 5 and Year 6 players competed in fixtures against Bromsgrove and in Warwick Prep’s mixed doubles tournament, showcasing excellent teamwork and progress.

Four girls travelled to Bristol for the National IAPS Tennis competition where the A pair, Isabella and Liberty, and the B pair, Laurel and Bronte, both won their divisions.

Cricket continues to go from strength to strength with competitive fixtures for all year groups from Year 3. Year 3 and Year 4 pupils played competitive matches against Blue Coat, applying skills learnt in lessons and clubs. The Year 5 girls have been flourishing in their cricket development while some Year 6 pupils have started hardball cricket. Amelie hit an impressive six off a boy’s bowling during a mixed event with Warwick Junior School and Spratton Hall – a superb effort!

Our athletes delivered dominant performances at the CWSSP Athletics competition. Many Year 3 and Year 4 pupils competed for the first time, with Stella, Amber, Hattie, Lily, Tara, Amelia, and Emma qualifying for the Warwickshire Schools Finals. Our Year 5 and Year 6 team also excelled, with half the squad advancing to the next stage of the competition.

In glorious sunshine, our Warwick Prep Sports Days brought the whole school together for a day filled with energy, focus, and pride. Pupils competed enthusiastically in track races and team field events, demonstrating resilience, teamwork and competitive spirit. The support from families and staff created a wonderful atmosphere, making it a memorable day for all.

Our Warwick Prep equestrian teams, alongside King’s High School riders, have enjoyed another remarkable year. Three teams competed successfully in the County Showjumping Qualifiers: the 70cm and 80cm teams placed third, while the 90cm team won their class, securing qualification for the NSEA Hickstead Championships.

In the Eventer Challenge qualifiers, the 70cm team finished second, also qualifying for Hickstead. At the Championships, the Warwick Prep riders performed brilliantly, with the 80cm team finishing second after three clear rounds.

Francesca competed in the Grassroots Qualifiers, helping her team win their class and qualify for both the Grassroots Regional Championships and the NSEA Grassroots Festival at Hickstead in August 2025. She also earned impressive individual placings in multiple classes.

The dedication, skill and teamwork shown across sports this year is inspiring. We look forward to building on these successes in the coming seasons and continuing to nurture a love of sport in all our pupils.

Effie and Loretta's skiing success

Attending the Fairfield U11 Tennis Tournament

Our Warwick Prep Tennis Tournament

Victory at the National IAPS Tennis competition

Success at the IAPS Swimming National Finals

Year 5 and Year 6 competing at the CWSSP Athletics competitions

Year 3 and Year 4 competing at the CWSSP Athletics competitions

Festival of cricket

Year 3 pupils from Warwick Prep, Warwick Junior School, The Kingsley School and The Croft Preparatory School came together to play in a Festival of Cricket at Warwick School.

The pupils enjoyed a mix of Kwik Cricket and Pairs Cricket matches, showcasing the bowling, batting and fielding skills they have been working on so hard this term. It was also great to see the teamwork, enthusiasm and sportsmanship throughout the afternoon.

The children mixed brilliantly across schools, forming new friendships and sharing in the joy of the game. The festival ended with everyone enjoying a well-deserved ice cream!

OPPORTUNITIES

Acingit

Year 4 pupils from Warwick Junior School and Warwick Prep participated in a collaborative tennis Link Event.

The pupils engaged in a variety of activities, developing their skills and gaining confidence on the court. The pupils showed amazing teamwork and everyone had a fun-filled morning!

We hope the experience has inspired many of them to continue exploring tennis!

Practising batting skills

Year 4 pupils from Warwick Prep and Warwick Juniors

Year 3 cricket link day

Bowled over!

HISTORY

VE Day

In May, we celebrated VE Day – 80 years after the end of World War II in Europe. The children and staff looked patriotic dressed in red, white and blue outfits. The pupils attended an assembly to help explain why there was a World War II, the effects on the population of the UK and the wider implications for victims of war. With an audience as young as four years old, talking about war is a difficult subject. By focusing on the effects of evacuation on children, homes being turned to rubble, food rationing and ‘make do and mend’, the children learnt about the long-lasting effects of war.

However, the most important message was why we remember and celebrate the end of World War II and how this influences our lives today. By linking our celebrations with the Fundamental British Values of Tolerance, Respect, Liberty, Rule of Law and Freedom of Speech, the children began to understand why it is so important to stand up for these principles that affect our everyday existence, and why would we never want to lose these values that promote a cohesive and inclusive society.

After a whole school photo taken by a drone, we celebrated with a traditional VE Day lunch voted for by the pupils and provided by our amazing Catering Department. Everyone agreed it was a winning menu!

The Year 6 girls celebrated their involvement in the Warwick Town Centre flag project in response to the theme ‘Peace and Love’. Each pupil designed a mini heart which were combined to create a striking collaborative flag. The finished piece was displayed in Warwick Town Centre to commemorate VE Day and VJ Day.

Charity News

During the Summer Term, we celebrated the values that lie at the heart of our school – acts of kindness and giving.

In support of Evelyn’s Gift, we were proud to raise awareness and provide much-needed donations for children entering care who may not have essential personal items. Thanks to the generosity of our school community, we have been able to make a real difference in their lives.

And of course, no Summer Term would be complete without the much-loved Squirrels’ Market. This annual tradition, organised by Year 6, involved the girls setting up market stalls for the whole school to browse and buy goodies. There were stalls selling cakes, cuddly toys, books and dressing up clothes, plus games including hook-a-duck, bean bag toss and football. Everyone had a fantastic time! We were delighted to raise money for our House charities.

A huge thank you to everyone for supporting us throughout the year by donated items, money and foreign coins towards the charities listed on this page!

Drone whole school photo to celebrate VE Day

Amara and Isabella, in 6CM, celebrating our involvement in the Warwick Town Centre flag project

Alice, in 1JF, celebrating VE Day

Pupils coming together in celebration

Supporting our House charities

Little Acts of Kindness Week

During June, we supported Evelyn's Gift, a charity very close to many of our hearts at Warwick Prep. The charity is based on the concept that a small act of kindness can help make someone smile in a time of need.

As part of Little Acts of Kindness Week, our school community donated items to help children entering the foster care system. The children were delighted to welcome Helen, Founder of Evelyn's Gift, to school and to show her all the generous donations.

During break times, the House Captains and Librarians ran fun activities for everyone to enjoy including bowling, a big game of catch with a beach ball and various throwing games. We were very lucky to enjoy these activities in the glorious sunshine!

Meanwhile, the Wellbeing Ambassadors wrote kind messages and created cheerful drawings to hide inside library books for other pupils to find and brighten their day.

“It makes me happy to think someone might find my note on a day they really need it,” said one Wellbeing Ambassador.

Thank you to the House Captains, Librarians, Wellbeing Ambassadors and whole school community who showed that kindness matters and that even the smallest actions can make the biggest difference.

Our school community welcoming Helen, Founder of Evelyn's Gift

A fun game of catch in the beautiful sunshine

Alice, Wellbeing Ambassador, brightening someone's day

Meera, Wellbeing Ambassador, spreading joy in the library

Our Wellbeing Ambassadors reading stories in the playground

The Wellbeing Ambassadors hiding joyful notes in library books

A glimpse at the generosity shown during Little Acts of Kindness Week

Little Acts of Kindness in action

Forest School

Children in The Squirrels Nursery began the Summer Term by planting potatoes in recyclable sacks and sowing a variety of seeds in our raised beds. They also planted out tomatoes, beans and courgettes. With a warm, dry spell early in the term, the children had to water regularly and were thrilled to harvest their potatoes, digging through the soil to find them and sorting them into size order.

As part of the Nursery topic ‘Minibeasts’, the children made butterflies from lolly sticks and leaves, learning that the wings need to be symmetrical. Bug hunting remained a favourite activity throughout the term, with a highlight being the discovery of a baby toad hiding under a log! Children looked for water creatures in the pond and spotted snails, pond skaters, fish and newts. The children really enjoyed taking turns in the hammock, gently swinging while listening to the sounds of nature.

The Reception children commenced the term with pond dipping. The fish proved elusive at first, likely sheltering beneath the lily pads in the heat. The children showed great patience and were eventually rewarded with sightings of newts, pond snails and several fish.

To celebrate World Bee Day, the children made fir cone bees by wrapping them in yellow wool to form stripes and adding googly eyes. One exciting day, a real-life swarm arrived in Forest School! The children had to temporarily stay away while the King’s High School beekeeper safely collected the swarm to form a new colony.

The children also perfected their hammering skills by making rainmakers using cardboard tubes. They hammered nails into the tubes, then poured in some beads before sealing the ends. They enjoyed making the calming rain sound - perfect for relaxation.

As part of their ‘Dinosaur’ topic, the Reception pupils used their imagination to build dinosaur habitats and make dinosaur egg nests. They collected natural materials such as branches, twigs, ferns, pinecones and leaves, working collaboratively to create fantastic prehistoric lands. In another session, they sculpted dinosaur eyes from clay, pressing a marble into an oval shape and decorating the surface with patterns made from sticks and other natural objects.

During the first half of term, Year 1 classes also took part in pond dipping. While the fish could often be seen, they proved difficult to catch. One class had a memorable encounter, spotting a common frog!

One particularly creative session introduced the children to Japanese Hapa Zome, an eco-printing art form. By gently tapping petals, leaves and flowers onto fabric or paper with hammers, the children transferred the natural pigments to create beautiful artwork.

Pupils attending the Year 1 Forest School Club made clay leaf bowls. They rolled out clay, pressed leaves into the surface to leave an imprint, then cut and moulded the clay into bowl shapes. Once dry, the bowls were painted. In another session, the children helped to enhance the bug hotel by drawing minibeasts and flowers on pieces of wood to create a colourful and inviting surround.

Another popular craft was making mini 'jiggle jars'. The children filled small jam jars with water and glitter which can be shaken to help calm and focus attention.

The children embraced a new challenge: the slackline. Taking turns to balance across the rope, they practised core strength, focus and mindfulness. It was a fun and rewarding activity that helped them build concentration, perseverance and confidence.

It has been a wonderfully busy and rewarding term at Forest School. Across all age groups, the children have developed their understanding the natural world. They have learnt not to pick wild plants, to collect litter and to be gentle with the creatures who share their outdoor classroom. Through play, discovery and creativity, they have nurtured a strong connection with nature.

Phoebe, in RHE, with her fir cone bee

Callen, in 1SC, with his jiggle jar

Clio, in RHE, making a potion

Children in NHT harvesting potatoes

Children in The Squirrels Nursery making a bee pool for thirsty bees

BY DAYA AND GEORGIA

In

a nutshell

Editors, Daya and Georgia, met with Mr Bryce, Acting Director of Sport, to find out more about his role at Warwick Prep.

Q. What was your dream job when you were younger?

A. I would have liked to have been a professional hockey or football player.

Q. What inspired you to be a Sports teacher?

A. Making children smile and watching them grow, both individually and as part of a team, inspired me to share my love of sport through teaching.

Q. Which two sports would you merge, and why?

A. I would choose to merge hockey and water polo to make underwater hockey which is already a real sport called Octopush!

Q. Which one sport would you choose to teach for the rest of your life?

A. Hockey. It’s my favourite sport and I’m lucky enough to teach it already.

Q. What is your favourite meal?

A. My favourite meal is spaghetti Bolognese but my favourite cuisine is Mexican food.

OPPORTUNITIES

Q. If you had a dinner party with three other teachers, who would you choose and why?

A. Obviously, with my lovely wife Mrs Bryce, Mr Proctor because he is always good fun and Mrs Drury because she would help me with my IT skills.

A hive of activity

On a glorious sunny day in June, the Year 4 girls enjoyed a visit to the Headmaster’s garden for an insightful beekeeping talk with Mr Frykman, our resident beekeeper.

They learnt all about the Queen Bee, the structure of a hive and how honey is made before heading back to school for a delicious honey tasting!

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would go and why?

The Maldives because I like the idea of being on your own island.

Sophia, in 4VS, learning how to be a beekeeper

Inspiring beekeeping talk by Mr Frykman

BY AMÉLIE E, BELLA AND SURAYA

Spirit investigates…

Mr Johnson

Together with Spirit, Amélie E, Bella and Suraya interviewed Mr Johnson about his role as Head Chef.

Q. What inspired you to become a chef?

A. I’ve loved cooking ever since I was young, especially spending time in the kitchen with my family. I enjoyed the creativity it allowed. That early experience sparked my passion and inspired me to pursue a career in food.

Q. What do you enjoy most about being Head Chef at Warwick Prep?

A. I find it incredibly rewarding to hear the children and staff say they’ve enjoyed the food. It means a lot to me that everyone looks forward to their lunches and leaves feeling happy.

Q. Where do your ideas come from to create our delicious lunch menu?

A. I draw inspiration from many places such as eating out, trying new foods and keeping up with trends. With over 30 years of cooking experience, I’ve learnt what people enjoy and how to create dishes that are both tasty and appealing to children and staff alike.

Q. What is your favourite food?

A. That’s a tough question! My top three would have to be curry, barbecue and Mexican food.

Q. What is your favourite recipe to bake?

A. I’d have to say cookies and brownies. They’re a favourite with everyone!

Q. What hobbies do you have?

A. I enjoy learning new DIY skills. I also used to be really into football when I was younger and I still enjoy watching a good match when I can.

CRITICAL THINKING

Our Critical Thinking Champions

Our Critical Thinking Champions met once again this term with Miss Fulker and Mrs Darby to share their thoughts and ideas on Critical Thinking across the school and to LOOK BACK over a year of Critical Thinking. The Champions have led their own Critical Thinking tasks during form time this year including:

• A debate: “Would the world be happier without iPads?”

• To INFER: Using an image, what can you INFER about the character?

• LOOK AHEAD: What would you like to be in the future and what skills will you USE?

• LOOK BACK: Over the year, what have you learnt and enjoyed in school?

• Sticky Question: Does it count as cheating if you do not know the rules?

• Sticky Question: What is a hero?

Well done to our Champions for being excellent role models.

Our Critical Thinking Champions have been busy reflecting on their learning this year. Here's what some of them had to say:

“We have been using Thinking Back and Thinking Ahead during our Year 2 production rehearsals, always staying focused to know what's coming up and learning our cues. Also, Look and Listen to know when to stand up and know the actions for the songs.” Dara, in Year 2

“I like seeing the Critical Thinking moves on our displays and flipcharts. It helps us to focus on the Critical Thinking we are doing.” Lucy, in Year 2

“I think ‘Yield’ is one of the trickier skills and this is why we chose to put this into our form time session when we had a debate.” Freya, in Year 3

“The Thinking Moves have helped me to understand what the words actually mean.” Dalilah, in Year 4

“I now know how to Justify and Explain more.” Anna, in Year 5

“I noticed how Critical Thinking is always in all our lessons. It is on the displays and my teachers are using Thinking Moves.” Taliah, in Year 5

“We are using Critical Thinking without realising it!” Sophia, in Year 6

Looking Ahead to next year, we shall continue to think critically in school. Thank you for joining in at home; we hope you have enjoyed discussing the Sticky Questions.

Digital Leaders

The Digital Leaders have been busy making big plans for next year. The new Summer Term Leaders have been through their training on the Childnet platform and our established members have been thinking ahead to a new role which has been created for next year.

Our Digital Leaders and Wellbeing Ambassadors will be joining forces to create our Wellbeing Team! Our new Wellbeing Team will be looking after our school and local community with lots of new ideas and activities for their new role. A huge thank you to all the girls who have been Digital Leaders over the last ten years! Thank you for all the information, assemblies and our legacy website – it’s a super achievement for our team.

We have also been reviewing our Digital Leaders’ website; checking links and updating information as the digital world is constantly changing. The Leaders have reviewed the puzzle page, adding more relevant links and have edited age restrictions on particular site information, as these have also been updated recently.

Remember, if you have any questions then you can access our digital discussions page for both parents and children and our team will do our very best to answer your questions and post answers on the page. https://sites.google.com/view/digital-leaders-wjs-wps/home

So, it’s ‘goodbye’ from our Digital Leaders for now, but ‘hello’ to our new Wellbeing Team that we will be excited to launch in the Autumn Term!

CONFIDENCE

Learning to save lives

As part of Child Safety Awareness Week, Year 5 pupils took part in first aid training, learning vital skills to help in emergency situations.

The training which began at the start of the week, covered how to treat stings, bites, burns and wounds, as well as how to perform CPR on an unconscious patient. The girls approached each challenge with enthusiasm and maturity and by the end of the course, they felt empowered to be responsible and helpful members of the community.

Some pupils were even inspired to consider future careers in medicine.

Nieve, in 5JJ, learning CPR

Amy, in 5AM, practising her training Learning vital first aid skills

BY AMELIE R AND OLIVIA

Branching out

Editors, Amelie and Olivia, interviewed Miss Wilby (and Bernard the skeleton!) to understand more about her role as Science teacher and STEAM Co-ordinator.

Q. What inspired you to become a Science teacher?

A. Firstly, I’ve always loved Science! When I was at school, all the Science teachers were men and I thought, “Girls can do this job just as well as men. Maybe even better!”

Q. What is your favourite Science topic to teach and why?

A. My favourite topic to teach is space because it’s so big, mysterious, and fascinating. There’s always something new to discover!

Q. How long have you worked at Warwick Prep?

A. I’ve worked at Warwick Prep for 11 years.

Q. What Science experiment gets pupils most excited?

A. Anything with fire and loud bangs! Those always get the biggest reactions and lots of excitement.

Q. If you weren’t a Science teacher, what would you want to be?

A. I’d like to be an engineer working on wind turbines, helping to create clean energy for the future!

Q. What is your favourite food?

A. My favourite food is chips.

CURIOSITY

Discovering DNA

The girls in Year 6 had a super DNA workshop with Professor Anne Straube and her team from Warwick University Medical School.

They learnt that we share 96% of the same DNA with a chimpanzee, 90% with a mouse and 60% of the same DNA with a banana. They then extracted DNA from a banana and built a Lego DNA double helix.

Q. Which female scientist inspires you the most?

A. Right now, my favourite female scientist is Liz Bonnin, a biologist, although that changes regularly as I discover more and more inspiring women in science!

Libby and Lottie, in 6SW, and Annabel, in 6CM, cracking the DNA code

Sophia, in 6CM, Mila, in 6SW, and Charlotte, in 6CM, with their Lego DNA double helix

Elicia, in 6SW, and Lottie, in 6CM, extracting DNA from a banana

Eco News

The Eco Councillors have worked very hard this term, meeting regularly to share ideas from their classes with Mrs Griggs and each other.

After a successful litter pick around the campus which didn’t reveal much litter at all, they decided to launch a new end of term initiative – ‘Packet In Week’!

The Councillors challenged their forms to bring no wrappers to school during the final week of term. This was their own idea to help reduce the chance of litter escaping from the playground bins. Everyone was very impressed with how well their classes responded!

Training begins for Henry

In Warwick Prep Life – Spring 2025, we introduced Henry, Warwick Prep’s adorable new Labrador pup and guide dog in training.

Henry lives with his Puppy Raiser, Jo, who has been raising guide dog puppies for over three years. Henry is her fourth puppy and he’s already showing all the signs of becoming something very special.

Henry adores toys, especially his favourite teddy bear and he loves cuddling up to shoes (the smellier, the better!). However, Henry is a very well-behaved puppy. He has already mastered basic cues like ‘sit’, ‘down’ and ‘wait’. He knows to wait patiently while Jo walks

through a door first, and he stays put if she drops his lead and circles around him.

Henry is very good with his food manners. Jo can drop kibble on the floor and he knows not to go for it until she picks it up and hands it to him. He also waits until Jo gives the ‘okay’ cue before eating his dinner, even after she’s put his bowl on the floor.

During his free runs, Henry loves to make friends with other dogs and is developing a strong recall, always eager to return when called. He is such a sweet boy and just wants everyone (human and dog) to love him!

We are looking forward to watching Henry grow into his future role as a guide dog.

GUIDE DOG TRAINING

Our Eco Councillors

Henry mastering walking on a lead

Squirrels’ Market

One of the most eagerly anticipated events in the Warwick Prep calendar, Squirrels’ Market was once again a huge success!

This much-loved annual tradition saw the Year 6 girls create eyecatching posters to promote the event and sort generous donations of good quality toys, books, games, dressing-up clothes and delicious cakes and bakes from the school community.

The Year 6 girls enjoyed a fantastic workshop with Laura Powell from The Art and Design Room.

During the session, they began a creative journal project inspired by the imaginative work of artist José Naranjo. Using a variety of materials and techniques, the girls brought their own personalities to life on the pages. The girls plan to use the journals to document their summer adventures!

On the day, the Year 6 pupils created a bustling Squirrels’ Market, with themed stalls and fun games like hook-a-duck, bean bag toss, and football. The rest of the school excitedly browsed the stalls, shopping with their pocket money and reusable bags in hand (thank you for the reminder, Eco Council!).

It was a fantastic morning and most importantly, the money raised will go towards supporting our House charities.

Year 6 girls with their colourful journals Creating personalised journals

Inspired by Laura Powell from The Art and Design Room

Amélie and Daya, in 6SW, sorting Squirrels' Market donations

Birds of a feather sculpt together!

This Summer Term, we launched a new Sculpture Club for girls in Year 3 and Year 4.

Held on Monday mornings in the Art Room, the girls were challenged to design and build bird sculptures using recycled materials. They then brought their creations to life with layers of papier-mâché, finishing them off with vibrant patterns using Posca pens.

A special day together

In July, we welcomed the grandparents of Reception children for Grandparents’ Afternoon!

The children performed for their grandparents in the hall before taking them on a guided tour of their classrooms. It was a wonderful afternoon that brought the school community together. Well done to all the children in Reception!

Year 3 pupils with their feathery friends

Beautiful birds created by the Year 4 girls

Colourful creations by the Year 3 girls

CREATIVITY

Joy of reading

We were delighted to welcome the wonderful Serena Patel for a special assembly with pupils from Years 3 to 6. Serena, author of the hilarious and heartwarming Anisha, Accidental Detective series, introduced her brand-new series, Pia’s Pet Club and shared her passion for reading and writing.

During her visit, Serena took us on a journey through the life of a book from that very first spark of inspiration, through writing, editing, illustrating and all the way to publication. She spoke with such warmth about the joy of reading for fun, and the room lit up when she described how books can be both windows and doors: "Windows into other people’s lives and experiences, and doors that open into brand new worlds of imagination".

One of the highlights of the visit was Serena’s lively and hilarious petthemed quiz, full of surprising animal facts that had everyone laughing and learning. The children also had the chance to ask their own questions and Serena was clearly impressed by their curiosity and thoughtful ideas.

“The pet quiz was so funny. I didn’t realise rabbit teeth never stop growing!” Year 3 pupil

“Serena made writing sound really fun. I want to try writing my own story now!” Year 4 pupil

“I didn’t know how many steps there are to making a book. It was really interesting!” Year 5 pupil

After the assembly, the pupils were chatting about their favourite animals, the stories they’d like to write one day and which Serena

CURIOSITY

Visiting the chapel

The Year 1 children were very excited to walk across campus to the Warwick School Chapel where they took part in a mock christening led by Rev. James Holden, Foundation Chaplain.

Patel book they wanted to read next. Many were thrilled to meet Serena in person and have their books signed.

We are very grateful to Serena for visiting us and reminding us that every book we read is an open door – or a window – into something magical.

They watched as baby doll Freya was baptised with 'holy water' at the font, while the ‘godparents’ made their vows. A candle was then lit and presented to the ‘parents’. This engaging, hands-on experience helped the children deepen their understanding of Christianity and brought their learning to life.

Welcoming author Serena Patel

Cyrus and Grace, in 1JB, taking on the role of parents

Rev. James Holden baptising baby Freya

Parents and godparents of baby Freya

Move-up Morning

With the end of the Summer Term approaching, all current pupils met their new teachers and spent time in their new classrooms during our Move-up Morning. We also welcomed new pupils who will start at Warwick Prep in September 2025.

CELEBRATION

Speech Day

These sessions help pupils prepare for the next school year or for starting school, with informal ‘getting to know you’ activities. This builds a positive relationship with the new teacher and allows children to ask any questions they may have. Most children leave feeling very excited about September!

Additionally, our current Year 2 boys, transitioning to Year 3 at Warwick Junior School and our current Year 6 girls, moving to Year 7 at King’s High School, had the opportunity to meet their new teachers, classmates and visit their new classrooms.

We held our Prep Speech Day in Warwick Hall, a celebration marking the end of the Year 6 pupils’ time at Warwick Prep and to congratulate those pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 who were awarded academic prizes.

The event was opened by Mr Nicholson, Foundation Principal, followed by reports from School Officials and performances by both the Junior and Senior Choirs.

Mrs Dodsworth, Headmistress, addressed the school community before presenting the Year 6 pupils with their Skills for Life scrolls, recognising their personal growth and achievements during their time at Warwick Prep.

We were honoured to welcome Dame Evelyn Glennie CH. As the world’s first full-time solo percussionist, Dame Evelyn has performed globally with renowned orchestras and artists. She is also a passionate educator, offering masterclasses and guidance to inspire future generations of musicians. Together with Mrs Dodsworth, Dame Evelyn presented academic awards to prize winners from Year 3 to Year 6.

The celebration concluded with a rousing and emotional performance of the Warwick Prep School song, “I Am a Small Part of the World,”.

Preparing for September

HOLIDAY ACTION

Summer Action 2025!

Booking is open for Summer Action 2025 which runs from Monday 14 July to Friday 29 August.

Warwick School

• Butterflies – available for children who attend Warwick Prep School or The Kingsley School Nurseries

• Cygnets – available for children in Reception and Year 1

• Fun Short Courses – available for children in Years 2 to 7 (Monday 14 to Friday 18 July only)

• Super Choice – available for children in Years 2 to 7 (Monday 21 July onwards)

• Action Plus – available for 12 to 14 year olds

• Activities include Animation, Bo Karts, Forest School, Robot Wars, Magic, Cookery, Multi-Sports, and much, much more!

The Kingsley School

• Kingsley Kookaburras – our cosy Leamington Spa venue –available for children in Years 2 to 7 (and only £32 per day)

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 Summer Holiday Action website warwickschool.org/summeraction-2025

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 to 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

Highly Commended by Muddy Stilettos!

We are delighted to have been awarded Highly Commended in the category of Most Creative Learning Through Play in the Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards 2025!

At Warwick Prep, learning through play is an integral part of the EYFS curriculum. Creating opportunities for children to think and play imaginatively is central to our planning and decision making when designing learning experiences.

The children are given many opportunities to play creatively and develop their critical thinking skills which builds confidence, enhances language development and nurtures a lifelong love of learning.

All EYFS classes enjoy a weekly session at Forest School with our dedicated Forest School Leader. Each session begins with a focus, usually linked to our current topic, before children are given time to access their chosen play paths. Children can explore all activities independently, with a reminder of key safety rules at the start of each session.

We liaised with EYFS specialists, Morris and Simmons Ltd, to ensure the Reception playground provides children with a range of openended activities that they can use in multiple ways. These include large construction toys, tables, tuff trays, a boat, and a multi-level climbing frame. An outdoor classroom area provides children with opportunities to take part in activities distinct from indoor learning, in a quiet and enclosed space. This area includes zones for role play and storytelling, painting, a small-world multi-layered space and gardening.

All Reception classes share a role play area which is reimagined through collaborative discussions with the whole Reception team. Past themes have included a home, a classroom, a farm shop and café, a space station, a veterinary practice and a dinosaur museum.

The introduction of the Imagination Station – a classroom without furniture but with walls covered in whiteboards for children to share their thinking – has been a huge success. We worked with Tom Bigglestone (P4C) who led sessions for each year group while practitioners observed teaching strategies in the newly created space.

We have seen children grow in confidence, increasingly thinking ‘outside the box’ and using play in creative and sometimes unexpected ways. They are more willing to experiment with resources, explore possibilities, and extend their play whether by continuing a theme across different areas or returning to an activity to enhance and develop their ideas.

Inspiring creativity in the Imagination Station

Outdoor learning in Forest School

Fun learning using our interactive whiteboards

Art Gallery

Year 2

Year 3

The Year 3 children have been working on the theme 'Time for Tea'. As part of this, they looked at the work of Joël Penkman for inspiration. They created delicious clay cupcakes inspired by the artist Wayne Thiebaud. They used acrylic paint to add colour and artificial sprinkles and cherries for detail.

Dinosaur painting by Emma in RSJ

Dinosaur painting by Jaeden in RHE

Dinosaur painting by Oisin in REB

Jerry Coulter inspired fish stamp print by Thea in 2AW

Mixed-media seaside collage by Alfie in 2JW

Seaside collagraph by Aria in 2AD

By Annabelle in 3NM

By Sophie in 3LG

By Suri in 3LW

Year 4

The Year 4 pupils have been exploring Egyptian art. They created cartouches with their names in hieroglyphics using paper, clay, metallic paint and posca pens for fine details. They have completed prints based on the 'Eye of Horus'.

Year 5

The Year 5 girls have been exploring bugs. They created beautiful wax resist butterflies showing bold blending, as well as ink and wash dragonflies. They looked at the artist Marion McConaghie for inspiration on layering images over texts. They created insect trinket dishes using clay and glaze.

Year 6

The Year 6 pupils have been working hard on portraiture, perfecting proportion and blending. They created mirror portraits, grid portraits and close up detailed pieces focusing on skin texture. The girls explored the full range of shading pencils as well as blending sticks to achieve a variety of textures.

By Jeeva in 4HF

By Lucy in 4VS

By Willow in 4HF

By Abigail in 5KC

By Amara in 6CM

By Keira in 5JJ

By Ava in 6CM

By Mimi in 5AM

By Elsie in 6SW

Warwick Prep Life – Summer 2025

WPSA News

BY NICOLA MARKLEW, WPSA COMMUNICATIONS

WPSA Committee

WPSA is a charity run by a team of volunteer parents and teachers, with a commitment to devoting time to furthering the great opportunities that Warwick Prep has to offer. We run the Uniform Shop enabling parents to sell and purchase second-hand uniform and we organise fun-filled events and activities donating funds raised to enhance the children’s educational experience.

WPSA and PAWS (Warwick Junior School) are raising funds to support the development of a new outdoor classroom in the Forest School area, to be utilised by children from both Warwick Prep and Warwick Junior School. Outdoor classrooms have been proven to increase interest in a subject and intrinsic motivation to learn, giving children a longer retention of information, increased focus and creativity, as well as better sleep!

Thank you for your continued support.

WPSA Committee Members

If you would like to join the WPSA Committee, attend Committee meetings and help organise events we put on throughout the year, please do reach out to Class Reps or WPSA members – we would love to hear from you!

School Council Bids

Pupils in School Council attended a special lunch with members of WPSA where they put forward their ideas and funding requests. The children impressed everyone with their proposals which were well researched, carefully budgeted and clearly presented. Thank you for such a professional pitch!

WPSA Summer Fayre

On Friday 27 June, WPSA held their annual Summer Fayre. The children had a fantastic time exploring the wide variety of stalls, including tombolas, raffles and a tempting cake sale!

A fantastic array of raffle prizes were on offer and we are very grateful to the WPSA team for organising them and to local businesses who kindly donated! Thank you to everyone who came along and supported this fun-filled event!

The Second Hand Uniform Shop continues to be a popular event for both buyers and sellers. We are pleased to be receiving more donations of uniform with the new logo. We hope to see his positive trend continue.

In Warwick Prep Life – Spring 2025, we mentioned that a number of the old summer dresses were sent to Cameroon. We are delighted to announce that the remainder of the dresses will be shipped over the summer months. We are hoping that some of the dresses can also be repurposed into shorts or t-shirts for boys.

In addition to the dresses, we have successfully recycled all the grey long trousers we had in storage, donating them to schools across our MAT (Multi Academy Trust).

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the WPSA Uniform Shop. Your donations and purchases do more than just rehome school uniform. They help make a real difference!

Warwick Prep Tree

One element of our continued fundraising is a beautiful tree installed on the wall of the school next to Reception. A gift of £50 or more enables you to sponsor either an oak leaf or acorn which can be engraved according to personal preference, with suggestions being a child or family name and dates of attendance. This not only raises funds but is also a stunning piece of artwork for the children, staff, and parents to enjoy. The oak tree is fabricated from copper with spaces for five hundred funded recognition plaques.

This is an opportunity to be part of something special and support WPSA fundraising initiatives. We anticipate this opportunity will be available over the next few years until all plaques are installed.

If you would like to sponsor an oak leaf or acorn, please use this QR code which will take you to an application form.

Future WPSA Events

• Macmillan Coffee Morning & Uniform Shop: Friday 26 Sept

• Christmas Fayre: Friday 5 December

• Father Christmas Drive-By: Thursday 11 December

WPSA Uniform Shop

Foundation Community

Orchestra of the Swan – Interstellar

On Thursday 19 June, Foundation partners Orchestra of the Swan returned for their fourth and final concert of the season at Warwick Hall, Interstellar.

Once again, the Swan provided an exceptional evening of music, living up to the outstanding standard that they have continually set since our partnership began in 2019.

As part of the concert, Gustav Holst’s epic and influential Planets suite was presented alongside stunning images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. The music was interspersed with a variety of readings about the cosmos from The Bible, Ptolemy, and Galileo, through to Albert Einstein, Neil Armstrong, and even Douglas Adams’ ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, all wonderfully narrated by acclaimed actor Anton Lesser.

We were also proud to see members of King’s High’s Senior Chamber Choir sing in the final movement of The Planets, Neptune, which features an off-stage upper voice choir to create a mystical and ethereal atmosphere. The choir's gradual diminuendo and eventual silence evokes a sense of mystery and otherworldliness, reflecting the astrological associations of Neptune with illusion and the subconscious. The choir sang off stage in the Warwick Hall foyer, with the doors to the auditorium gradually closing at the end to create this ethereal effect. Many thanks to Mr Albrighton and the girls for their hard work in creating a magical end to this concert.

The concert capped off another fantastic season of concerts from Orchestra of the Swan. Details around the 25/26 season at Warwick Hall will be announced soon…

This year marks the 25th anniversary of The Bridge House Theatre which proudly sits at the heart of our Warwick campus.

Since it was opened by Dame Judi Dench in 2000, the theatre has become a focal point in the school community and has grown into one of the area's most popular venues for theatre productions, musical concerts, comedy shows, and more.

On Saturday 10 May, the theatre produced The Anniversary Showcase, a special evening aiming to celebrate all of the incredible theatre experiences it has provided over the years.

Featuring pupils past and present, the evening included short extracts from plays, musicals, and sketches, alongside images and displays recalling many of the incredible shows that the theatre has hosted.

Since its opening, the theatre has provided some unforgettable memories for those participating and in attendance, and it was fantastic to see so many come together to share memories and celebrate the theatre.

Catering partnership with Aldens of Oxford

Last month, we launched the new King Henry VIII Choral Programme, as part of a partnership with The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick. It has been made possible by the historic relationship the Foundation and St Mary’s enjoys with The King Henry VIII Endowed Trust, Warwick.

The King Henry VIII Choral Awards – which are funded by The King Henry VIII Endowed Trust, Warwick and available from September 2026 – is a scholarship for boys and girls from Year 3 upwards who are a pupil at one of our schools and an active member of St Mary’s Choir.

Through the launch of the King Henry VIII Choral Programme, our aim is to enable as many talented children as possible to benefit from the unique opportunities that choral participation affords them, alongside the outstanding education that we provide in the schools of the Foundation.

Warwick Schools Foundation

Catering Department proudly announced a partnership with Aldens of Oxford earlier in the term.

Aldens are a seventh-generation family food produce business, serving families and businesses across Oxfordshire – and more recently across the UK - with superb quality meat, fish, and fresh produce. Aldens only use producers with high welfare and ethical standards, and all products are hand cut and prepared by Aldens staff.

The Foundation’s partnership with Aldens represents a continuation of the high-quality catering delivery that we are so proud of. This includes our meat produce, which is Red Tractor Certified, meaning that it is produced and farmed with care, is traceable, safe, assured, and British.

John Badr, Head of Catering and Event Operations at Warwick Schools Foundation, commented on the partnership:

“I am thrilled to be working with Aldens as our new butchery supplier across the Foundation. I have a real passion for providing the best quality of meals for our pupils, and knowing that all of the meat we purchase from Aldens meets the Red Tractor standards is a real positive for all our students, staff, and external clients”

BHT25

King Henry VIII Choral Programme

Key Dates Autumn 2025

Term Commences: Wednesday 3 September

Half Term: Monday 20 - Friday 31 October

Term Ends: Friday 12 December

OPEN EVENTS 2025

Open Morning: Saturday 20 September

Open Afternoon: Tuesday 11 November

For more information about our events, please visit our website warwickprep.com