Eagle House

High School Musical by our Year 8 leavers was a massive hit and ended this most strange school yea

It has certainly been a year like no other!

We started with tight restrictions on how we could operate – year group bubbles, one-way systems, enhanced hygiene, no matches, few trips and limited opportunities to enjoy the arts. Then January saw seven weeks of online learning with most children off-site followed by three weeks back in school with additional precautions in place.

The Summer Term saw a slight move back to normality with greater access for parents to enjoy matches and small concerts and an easing of restrictions, but we were forced to put back stricter measures for the final three weeks of term, impacting on many of our end of year events for a second year! Nevertheless, the things that have made the biggest impression over the last twelve months are resilience, flexibility and a determination to make the best of everything!

Perhaps the most significant event of the year has been The Pre-Prep and Music School building development that opened in early 2021 and was officially opened in June by Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex. At the heart of the development is a superb playground and outdoor learning area that every classroom from Nursery to Year 2 opens out on, giving the children easy access to outdoor space. The bright learning areas are spacious and full of thoughtful details to enable the very best experiences for both teachers and pupils. The Music School has a suite of practice rooms, large teaching spaces and a small performance hall that opens out onto a newly created outdoor area where small outdoor events can be held. It is a stunning addition to the school.

In September we introduced a fully inclusive 3-13 curriculum. This forward-thinking learning journey draws children across Eagle House into a progressive and challenging programme of all-round education of which we are truly proud. Pupils’ ability to learn through explicit teaching of effective learning habits and skills is encouraged and we relish inquisitive, engaged, resilient and organised learners, fully preparing them for future challenges. Curiosity and reflection allow pupils to go above and beyond the ‘typical’ school day and continuous monitoring of the key learning skills shows where, and

The Pre-Prep and Music School building was officially opened in June by Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex. At the heart of the development is a superb playground and outdoor learning area that every classroom from Nursery to Year 2 opens out on, giving the children easy access to outdoor space. more crucially, how, boys and girls can develop in these vital areas. There is no doubt that this learning journey will continue to develop, and we look forward to what the future brings.

It has been a challenging year for sport. We have continued to keep children active and managed to achieve an incredible amount, at times working around some limiting restrictions. There has been progress made across all sports and participation levels are at their highest to date. The emphasis this year has been on team spirit and developing important values such as sportsmanship and fair play with the children. Despite the lack of fixtures and competitions there have been notable successes for gymnastics, golf, hockey, cricket, football and netball. The daily online fitness workouts, Eagles Get Active, run by the Sports Department, proved a massive hit during lockdown!

The activities programme, such an important part of Eagle House, continues to flourish. Restrictions meant changes but there were still over 30 clubs and activities for the children to choose from. The enthusiasm for clubs is tangible and whether it be frisbee golf, fencing, laser tag or countless other offerings, the provision continues to grow. The Skills for Life programme in the Pre-Prep goes from strength to strength with a brilliant mix of cookery, road safety, STEM, sewing, healthy living, Save the Planet and Forest School. Our Golden Eagle residential weeks in June were able to take place and each year group enjoyed time away from school, taking part in adventures that help promote confidence, resilience and leadership; the raison d’être of the Golden Eagle Programme.

Music and drama have continued to offer vibrant opportunities for all. There have been lunchtime concert programmes, and several ‘virtual choir’ films, which were very moving to experience during our time of separation. The Year 8 music scholars had the task of producing their audition videos at home and undertook their scholarship exams virtually, which was no mean feat! We are very proud to say that a total of nine pupils were successful in gaining awards, having filmed their pieces, and completed online music theory tests and interviews. An impressive 48 pupils took their music exams in June, and the Greenish Senior Musicians Competition and the Gardner Senior Singing Competition took place, both with small socially distanced audiences. Year 8 actors were lucky to perform on stage at the Festival of Musical Theatre, hosted by Wellington College in October. A small cast performed a new play, Merry Wanderers, written for the 2020 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and performed in front of an internal audience. High School Musical by our Year 8 leavers was a massive hit and ended this most strange school year behind closed doors once again. ‘We’re All in this Together’ seemed a fitting slogan for the past twelve months!

Our boarding community has stayed strong over the year and for a time in early 2021, was scattered far and wide across the globe. We exchanged postcards regularly and packets of microwave popcorn and sweets made their way from Sandhurst as little reminders that while we might not be together, we were missing each other! More recently things have felt a little more normal, with weekend trips allowed and more flexi boarding permitted. The boarding house continues to be a popular option for many of our pupils.

2020 was our 200th year and many of the celebratory events were cancelled but we were able to end the academic year with a whole school party that involved funfair rides, inflatables and games that everyone could enjoy. Everyone had a blast!