From Mrs Ross 

Thank you to all who attended our wonderful Jubilee party today! I wish you all a happy half-term holiday. 

Diary dates

Tuesday 7 June	All day	Reception Class trip to Marwell Zoo
Wednesday 8 June	1545-1630	Year 2 Choir Concert
Friday 10 June	1000-1100	Pilgrims' Play session for pre-school children
Friday 17 June	0845-0915	Pre-Prep Celebration Assembly for parents
Monday 20 June	1900	Pre-Prep Move-Up meeting for parents of new Reception, present Reception, and present Year 1
Tuesday 21 June	0900	Whole School photo
Friday 24 June	1000-1100	Pilgrims' Play session for pre-school children
Tuesday 28 June		New Boys' Day and Move-Up Morning
Wednesday 29 June	am 1800-1845	Dress rehearsal: Ocean Commotion Ocean Commotion performance for parents
Thursday 30 June	1800-1845	Year 2 and Year 4: Ocean Commotion performance for parents
Friday 1 July	1400-1530	Pre-Prep Sports Day (NB: this is a change to the previously published date of 30 June)

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Pilgrims' Shell awards

Year 2 - to Edward N for the way he has embraced each task in our Oceans' topic with interest, enjoyment, and attention to detail.

Year 1 - to Oliver E for brilliant fractions work in Maths this week. 

Reception - to Ian L for being very kind to his friends and showing much patience too. 

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Year 2

The impending Jubilee celebrations have provided much potential for us to get creative in the classroom. The boys were introduced to the Pop Art movement and the series of iconic screen prints that Andy Warhol produced of the Queen in 1985. They loved the playfulness, the vibrant colours and the way that the same outline sketch was reproduced many times with various colour combinations. The boys took to the challenge of becoming pop artists in no time and really embraced the use of bright colours. They came up with some beguiling colour combinations. What a series of portraits. I think our Queen would certainly be proud!  

The boys have also found the time to make flags and crowns for the Jubilee tea party, and to write thank you letters to the wonderful India at the Blue Reef Aquarium who fuelled our interest of the oceans and seas even further. And, a final excitement of this week was the first lesson in a series that will continue after half-term with Mr Gideon Williams, our Head of Digital Learning, who is introducing the boys to a coding programme called Microbit. This is a pocket-sized computer that will introduce the boys to how software and hardware work together. Mr Williams is teaching the boys to write their own code to programme an LED light display. Watch this space as to what the boys end up producing.  

Along with having lunch in the main dining room, we are keen to provide other opportunities for our Year 2s to experience life outside of the Pre-Prep in preparation for the Prep department in September. These lessons with Mr Williams are one activity in a programme to aid the boys’ transition into Year 3. Additionally, we shall spend a few Wednesday afternoons after half-term having our own Year 2 lessons in one of the Year 3 classrooms to get used to the room and the surrounding area. Where are the nearest toilets, for instance? Where is it in relation to other parts of the school? We shall visit the Main School Briggs Library for a few library sessions with Mrs Brill and Mrs Leslie. We also hope to schedule some shared playtimes between Year 2 and Year 3. We will continue to keep you updated about these events as the weeks progress.  

Here’s to a very happy half-term break. I look forward to seeing my shoal of happy Year 2s back, refreshed and raring to go, for all the fun ahead of us in the second half of term: potential highlights include the Year 2 Choir Tea, Move Up Morning, Sports Day and, of course, Ocean Commotion! 
Mrs Ford 

    

    

    

    

    

Year 1

The boys have been busy learning about The Queen and what her Platinum Jubilee means, this week. They have been beavering away making paper chains, crowns, bunting, and pinwheels following the red, white, and blue theme. They have learnt about the Union Jack and can also tell you how it is made up! They have been looking forward to the celebrations at school this morning to mark the occasion.  Ask them all about it!

Another highlight of this week was the boys' session in the IT suite. They have been learning to code and create their names on a coding programme which next term will be transferred onto a small circuit board that will then 'play' their name in colour, with lights and added music. The boys have absolutely loved their Thursday sessions and can't wait for next term when they will continue.  

What a full and fun packed half term this has been. It really has flown by, and I can't believe the final half term of Year 1 is very soon upon us. I hope you all have a relaxing and fun family break next week.

See you after half-term!
Mrs Huntley

    

    

  

    

Reception

Awe and Wonder: it has been the most amazing ten days in the Reception classroom as we have watched new life begin.

The boys were agasp with many squeals of delight whilst watching the ducklings hatch from their eggs. Over the week the boys have shown so much care and attention to these five new ducklings. They have welcomed many a visitor into the classroom, each being given a very detailed account of the events as they unfolded each day, from hatching in the incubator, to counting the four hours before they could be moved into their brooding cage.

We began this week with the ducklings' first swim. 'That one is brave!' said one boy as we watched the little duckling fully dive into the pool and emerge moments later with droplets of water resting on its feathers. 

Boys, we are very proud of you all, you have been super Mummy Ducks! 

    

Mrs Kent

Forest School

Who doesn’t love going on a minibeast hunt? Year R had a wonderful time trying to identify as many different invertebrates as they could. Equipped with bug pots, trays, magnifying glasses and brushes the boys turned over logs, looked under leaves, in bushes and even in the cracks of the wall. Much excitement was heard when the boys found some minibeasts. In our free exploration time, some boys had great fun playing with mud and the soft birds. 

        

Year 1 this week went on the hunt for wildflowers. They learned about the different species and carried out a tally count on how many of each species there were in the arboretum. Using their close observation skills, with a little help from a magnifying glass, the boys drew their favourite wildflower.

    

    

Imagine a world without any colour in it? After hearing a story about how a dragon had stolen all the colours of the world the boys set about creating a rainbow stick that would return all the beautiful colours that we love to see. During their free exploration time, some boys learned to drill using a palm drill, whilst others enjoyed going on a bug hunt and building a bug hotel.

    

    

Mrs Walker