Welcome back
It is so pleasing to see the pupils and teachers all looking refreshed after their well-earned break. There are many events and activities planned for the term which will engage and excite your sons and daughters as they continue their journey of discovery and development.
As well as the termly calendar to help you plan you will now receive a termly Curriculum Newsletter for each year group. The aim of this publication is to give you an overview of the areas of study in each key learning area at the beginning of the term. I hope you find this interesting and informative and that it sparks dinner time and weekend conversations about what the pupils are studying at school. As usual, your feedback is welcomed and valued.
This term, I have invited our Year 8 Club Captains to lead our Monday assemblies and I would like to congratulate Nathan Metcalfe and Olivia Afonso Drury, Club Captains from Bears, on their fine leadership on Monday. I am extremely keen to provide as many opportunities as possible for our pupils to lead, motivate and communicate as these are invaluable experiences as they embark on the leadership journey. Our Head Boy and Head Girl, Rhys Neal-Davies and Imogen Smith continue to act as exemplary role models for our younger pupils and I thank them for their leadership. On Tuesday, my Senior Leadership team and I will be addressing Year 7 pupils on the Leadership opportunities for them as they prepare themselves for the transition to Year 8.
In assembly on Monday, my message revolved around the theme of persistence. Success is a function of persistence and the willingness to work at something for 30 minutes when someone else gives up after 30 seconds. Talent is often no replacement for hard work, practice and persistence. You have to make an effort and then, your will power, like a muscle, gets stronger. The pupils have set their goals today for the term and I urged them to try something new and different and to persist and persist. Over the weekend, why not ask them what goals they have set for themselves.
Homework Timetable
In response to both pupils and parents we have changed the homework timetable for the Trinity term. We have modified the time each evening and there will be no homework on days when the pupils have a sports fixture. Reading, spelling and vocabulary will continue as normal as these are essential skills and need continued reinforcement. The rationale behind this is to encourage and support a happy work-life balance for all the pupils. Homework is indeed an important part of the pupil’s educational journey, allowing them to acquire the skills of responsibility, independence and time management. However, one of the hardest skills to learn is how to balance homework, extra-curricular activities and all other commitments, so hopefully this will support our pupils in this endeavour.
Mrs Petrie's Marathon Effort
This Sunday Mrs Petrie will be running the London Marathon for The Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Mrs Petrie would like to thank all of the generous parents and pupils who have so far donated. If you would like to sponsor Mrs Petrie over the weekend please click here.
Mrs Knox
Achievements
Lottie Heaver (Y7) was the winner in the ‘Shires Golf Tour’ Copper Division at the Bedford Golf Event, has been selected to play for the Northamptonshire County Girls’ Golf team and Northampton County U12 Girls Tennis team.
Jack Mason (Y6) achieved Silver Junior Gent Recurve U12, Gold Junior Gent Recurve Double Round and 4th place Junior Gent Recurve U18 in the Northampton County Archery Society Indoor Championship and Open Record Status Portsmouth Tournament.
Azaan Shah (Y8) has been selected to play for the East Northants U13 District Cricket team.
Charlotte Holmes (Y7) danced at Wembley Stadium with her Dance School. She was one of 1100 dancers supporting pop star ‘Foxes’ as the warm up entertainment for Saracens vs Harlequins.
Nathan Bianchi (Y5) has been awarded the British Gymnastics proficiency award advanced level Silver in Floor.
Lili Howe (Y5) was recently awarded 16 places and 2 awards at the Northampton Festival of Dance. She also had 2 pieces selected to be displayed for the Youth Open 16 at the Alfred East Art Gallery and was awarded a prize for her watercolour.
Equestrian
During the holiday, Oliver Morris and Isabelle Thomas represented the equestrian team at Bury Farm. This was a Grass Roots final qualifier. Isabelle rode well on her new pony, resulting in clear rounds and Oliver had a very successful day, achieving two 2nd places and a 4th place. This qualifies him for the regional finals later in the year.
Mrs Owen
A mathematical “Pause For Thought” for parents!
The first person to email the correct answer will win a mathematical pencil. Please email prep-office@wellingboroughschool.org. Here is a sequence of symmetrical shapes. What would the next two shapes be in the pattern? What is the rule?
Mrs Rowley-Burns
Country of the Day (just for fun)
To continually improve location knowledge in the Prep School, here is a daily challenge from Dr Fordham and the students of 7AF. Your focus for each day is to locate the country on a map! If that is too easy, there are some extension questions too…
- Daily questions:
Monday 25th April – Saint Helena
Tuesday 26th April – Luxembourg
Wednesday 27th April – Vanuatu
Thursday 28th April – Thailand
Friday 29th April - Grenada - Extension questions:
1. What is the capital city of this country?
2. What does the flag look like?
3. How many people live in this country?
4. What are the most notable features of this country?
Dr Fordham and 7AF
Hungarian Choir Visit - Request for Host Families
Later this term, we will be welcoming the girls' choir from the Kodály Music School, Kecskemét, Hungary. We have had a number of kind offers from parents willing to host choir members but we still need more and would appeal to families who would be in a position to host at least one member of the choir (but preferably in pairs) for the nights of Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June and to provide them with an evening meal. The Hungarian pupils would need to be transported to Wellingborough School in the morning at the same time as your own child/children, in order to meet up with their group for organised events during the day. Currently there are no reciprocal arrangements so you will not have to send your child to Hungary on an exchange. If you are interested in hosting one or more Hungarian pupil, please either respond to the email sent out to parents last term or contact the Music department directly. If you have already volunteered as a host there is no need to contact us again.
Mr Leutfeld
Twitter
Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @WboroPrepSchool.