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To be a Pilgrim - Friday 9 July

Friday 9 July

From the Head

To be a Pilgrim, Episode 33

Prize-Giving, New Hall, Winchester College, 8 July 2021

We had a fabulous morning in New Hall on Thursday 8 July with our Leavers, their parents, some of the staff and the boys of Year 6. The Junior boys joined us remotely from school, but we missed the Year 7s and hoped they were able to tune in via YouTube. Please contact Angela (aslater@pilgrims-school.co.uk) or Karen (kpacey@pilgrims-school.co.uk) if you need the link to be sent to you again.

Many thanks to our Guest Speaker and Prize-Giver, Mr Nick Wilks, for his wise and engaging words. We are very fortunate to have such a committed and supportive Old Pilgrim (and Second Master of Winchester College) as one our school governors.

These pictures below provide a glimpse of the event in New Hall and the Leavers' receiving their ties after the Prize-Giving.

Best wishes to all our Leavers - have a restful summer and good luck as you move on to your next schools. Keep in touch!

Dates ahead

Monday 2 August			Saints football courses begin
Monday 9 August			Multisport and Activity courses begin
Monday 6 to Wednesday 7 September			Saints Pre-Season football course (please re-book on Saints' website if not already done so). For Pilgrims' boys only.
Wednesday 8 September			Boarders return
Thursday 9 September			Day boys return

School Notices

Holiday multisport and activity courses, and Saints' Foundation football

Bookings close today for the holiday sport courses. You will be invoiced shortly and payment must be received before they start on Monday 9 August.

For the Saints' pre-season football course on 6-8 September, please make sure you have re-booked on the Saints' website here using the passcode quoted in your SchoolPost letter.

For any problems, please contact: aslater@pilgrims-school.co.uk

Thank you.

Reciprocity Revisited

At Athletics Finals, I received a card. Within were kind words from parents, and a generous gift.

In return, I offer the end a favourite poem.

…….and it was nearly done, this frail
Travelling coincidence; and what it held
Stood ready to be loosed with all the power
that being changed can give. We slowed again,
And as the tightened brakes took hold, there swelled
A sense of falling, like an arrow-shower
Sent out of sight, somewhere becoming rain.

Thank you.

Mr Hammond

What do I do with this Trophy?

Your son may have brought home a trophy at the end of this term – from Athletics Finals or from one of the Prize-Giving Events.

The trophy is now yours to care for – and usually for one year.

If the trophy is annually engraved, we would ask you to maintain that tradition.

If the trophy falls out of your already laden trophy cabinet, we would ask you to have it mended.

In any case, please return it when requested.

Thank you,

Mr Hammond

Pre-Prep News

From Mrs Ross

Thank you to all parents and siblings who were able to attend our Pre-Prep Leavers' Assembly this week. It was a pleasure to celebrate the Pre-Prep boys' achievements with you all in such a lovely setting. A memory that I hope the Year 2 Leavers and their parents will treasure, as much as I will. We wish our Year 2 boys continued success as they move onto the Junior School.

Thank you, parents, for all your kind words, your support and your encouragement during this challenging academic year. I wish you all a wonderful summer break with your families.

I look forward to welcoming your returning boys to a new school year, that I hope will create many more special memories for our boys, parents and staff.

Pre-Prep Shell Awards for this term:

Reception - Franklin C

Year 1 - William C

Year 2 - Jacob S

Forest School

Year 1 were given the challenge of creating the tallest twig tower. Initially the boys experimented with the shape of the base and then following some input and direction the boys set about creating the tallest twig tower. The boys worked well as a team and were proud of their results.

Reception became natural artists this week, creating their own sets of paint made from natural materials. By mixing mud, leaves and petals with a little water the boys made some fantastic natural paints. Sticks replaced paint brushes and the boys created some wonderful images of their favourite mini beasts.

Mrs Walker

Junior and Senior School News

Year 6 Shakespeare

Since the Summer Exams, Year 6 has been introduced to the world of The Bard, exploring the time of Shakespeare, the language used and The Globe Theatre, including 3D model-making. We have particularly focused on Macbeth, acting out the story in a ‘Whoosh!’ and investigating the plot, characters, and themes of the play. The boys wrote some wonderful, atmospheric descriptions of the Scottish moor, when Macbeth and Banquo meet the three witches in Act I Scene I.

They also had fun creating some blood curdling spells modelled on Act IV, Scene I when the witches stir their brew: Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble….

The project ended by us welcoming Richard Coope, a Pilgrims’ parent and play director, who brought it to life for the boys with his great enthusiasm, extensive knowledge, and entertaining anecdotes! He gave a terrific summary of ‘The Play that goes wrong’, laying down the foundations before discussing specific scenes. His main objective was to show the boys that Shakespeare is accessible to all - dyslexic or not - and encouraging them to follow their dreams as they grow up. He walked the boys through Macbeth’s soliloquy near the end of the play, in Act V, Scene V: ‘Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…’, analysing it step by step, identifying patterns, rhythms (iambic pentameter) and vocabulary, in order to help the boys grasp the full meaning. The boys were asked to try and create a soliloquy of their own for Prep.

Our enormous thanks to Richard Coope for giving up his time for us.

I was hugely impressed by the boys’ participation and responses to this captivating talk, and I hope it has inspired many to explore further.

Mrs MacDonald-Smith

Library - looking back and looking ahead

It has been a very busy term again as the Library boxes continued to be issued, carefully following COVID-related guidelines. This meant our pupils were able to enjoy fiction and non-fiction, older and brand new. After half-term we were also able to reopen our doors, though following a 'bubbles-rota'.

Most books have safely found their way back to the shelves, but a very small number are still at large. We will be delighted to see their return, should they resurface during unpacking or rearranging of rooms over the holidays. The barcode on the spine, the Library stamp and the barcode on the end page with the School name will make them easily identifiable.

During the last week of School, we also held the last Book Club Cake Break of the academic year. The Junior Boys who attended spoke with great maturity, showing perception and deep understanding of the two books: Cloudbusting by Malorie Blackman and Love That Dog by Sharon Crech.

The Summer 2021 Reading list will be uploaded on My School Portal and on the Briggs' Library Google Classroom (enter code ztpc6rw). Links to websites offering reading activities during the Summer are also available on the Google Classroom.

The Briggs' Library is looking forward to resuming service as normal from September!

With best wishes for happy reading,

Mrs Brill

News from Boarding

A short video - when England won!

Boarders watch England win over Denmark in the Euros, 2021

(usual password)

The Pilgrims' School, 3 The Close, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9LT

01962 854189

pilgrims@pilgrims-school.co.uk; admissions@pilgrims-school.co.uk

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