Week ending 15th September

Dear Parents

It is wonderful to have you all back! I would especially like to extend a very warm welcome to our new
pupils, families and staff.

There is always a palpable buzz around the start of a new school year; I enjoy handing out new folders and
dividers to my classes and setting off on the English Diploma with them. Discussion is always engaging and I
look forward every year to where our debates will take us.

Year 8 departed early on Tuesday for their Bushcraft adventure in Oxfordshire. I am very jealous of them as
I know just how magical this trip is and I have really enjoyed seeing the photographs of their progress as
they learn about bushcraft skills. I still get comments from our alumni, now in their twenties, about just
how memorable this week away was for them!

It has been lovely to catch up with some of you, whether it be at drop off, pick up, the Pre-Prep information
evenings or the evening drinks for new parents. One of the highlights of the school calendar, Family Day,
takes place this Saturday and I hope to see many of you there. A huge thank you to everyone involved in
putting the event together. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the rain stays away and the sun manages
to smile down on us all.

Best wishes

Luke Harrison

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to a new term and a new academic year. We have had a brilliant start to the year and the
children have settled in incredibly well with their new classes and routines. There has been a real buzz
throughout the Pre-Prep with children being excited to meet their new teachers, say hello to their old
teachers, and catch up and play with friends. We have heard so many wonderful stories about summer
holidays and adventures that the children have had, and it has been wonderful to see such big smiles on
their faces.

It was lovely to see so many parents at the bag drop last Tuesday and again this week at our parent
information evenings. It is always so nice to put a face to a name and get to know parents during these
sessions, so thank you to all who were able to attend.

The children have already made their mark on their new classrooms. On my walk around the Pre-Prep this
week, I have seen family photos in Nursery, self-portraits in Kindergarten, family houses in Reception,
descriptive writing in Year 1 and ‘All about Me’ buzzing bees in Year 2. The classrooms look so inviting and I
am excited to see how they develop over the coming weeks as the children get into their learning.
Clubs have also started back this week and it has been great to see so many children take part in activities
such as ballet, football, rugby, art, yoga and cooking, to name a few.

There has been a large amount of building work taking place over the summer, and I am pleased to say that
we now have a lovely new toilet block upstairs in the Pre-Prep and new and spacious corridors between
classrooms. The school and grounds look amazing and we are only in week 2!

Thank you for all your support in helping to make the start of the year a good one. Have a restful weekend
and we look forward to seeing all the children smiling and skipping into school next week.

Best wishes,
Shannon Wake