Prep Headmaster's Weekly Blog

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Prep Headmaster's Weekly Blog

Final Thoughts

Dear all,

As my time at Brentwood comes to a close, I would like to say a huge thank you to all the pupils, parents, colleagues and governors who have made my time here such a positive, enjoyable and rewarding experience. Any perceived successes along the way are down to my extraordinary colleagues and their ability to demonstrate hard work, patience and above all else, kindness. All of these attributes make them a very special group of people.

In the past five years, I have also learned a huge amount from working with Mr Bond, alongside the Central and Prep SLT groups. I thank them whole-heartedly, and I take all the knowledge I have gleaned from Brentwood onto the next stage of my career in consultancy, mentoring, coaching and lecturing for the University of Buckingham.

The Prep School is in excellent shape, and certainly well placed to meet the many challenges that all schools in our sector will face in the next few years. This is no coincidence, as we have enjoyed a period of significant growth to the school roll, the development of our facilities and a cultural toolkit which will continue to pay dividends. The new PYP curriculum will also bring lots of opportunity for Prep learners to be even more energised, challenged and enthused during their time at school, and I look forward to seeing (from a distance) how this important strategic change plays out in the years to come.

The transition between Alice Goodfellow and myself has been extremely thorough and given that Mrs Goodfellow is an internal candidate, she will start her tenure as Head of Prep with a great deal of institutional knowledge and internal experience that no external candidate could possibly match. Importantly, Mrs Goodfellow is already well known to the Prep staff, and she is a genuinely respected figure within our community.

Finally, I would also like to say a thank you on behalf of my incredibly supportive wife, Katherine, and our three daughters who spent a combined total of 31 years as pupils at Brentwood. They are successful young adults with quite outstanding academic results, and the school has played a major part in this. Most importantly, they are good people who fully understand the importance of what it means to demonstrate Virtue, Learning and Manners in the wider context of adulthood.

Thank you, Brentwood.

Jason Whiskerd

Two Music Showcases & A Year of Music

Two Music Showcases

Not one, but two Music Showcases took place this week, on Monday and Tuesday and what an absolute treat they were! All ages and all abilities performed to a very high standard and all showed beaming faces to their parents after their performance, when they realised that their hard work had paid off! These Showcases have been a wonderful opportunity this year for the children to perform in an informal and friendly atmosphere. We love their confidence in how they carry themselves and even the odd mistake here and there is dealt with calmly and happily. All part of being a good musician. We look forward to hearing more solos from you all next year.

Miss Mitchell took a whole bunch of photos from both afternoons, and they will be available to view next week.

A Year of Music

This has been an incredibly busy year in the Music Department here at the Prep….. Five Music Showcases, countless weekly assemblies, Harvest Celebration, Remembrance Assembly, Easter Celebration, FoBS Christmas Fayre, EYFS Christmas Performance, Year 1 Christmas Performance, Year 2 Christmas Performance, Year 3 Christmas Performance, Year 4-6 Christmas Carol Service at the Cathedral, Young Voices, Year 6 & Ensembles Concert, Endangered Instruments Party, KS1 Easter Service, Senior Choir with the ‘Music Man Project’ sing at the Royal Albert Hall, Year 6 Musical, House Music, Enrichment Week Music activities, Year 4 & Ensembles Concert, Year 1 Celebration, Year 2 Moving On and our final assembly! Phew! No wonder we need a break! Thank you to all the staff who have helped with these events in any shape or form. Children, you have excelled and we can’t wait to see what you do next year!

Year 6 Maths Competition

Over the last few months, several Year 6 students have been taking part in a national maths competition. Starting at St. Cedd’s in May, one team qualified for the semi-final and went on to qualify for the final, narrowly missing out on a place at the Oxford University final. The children worked hard to prepare for the competition and performed exceptionally well at every stage.

On Wednesday 3rd July, the team placed 7th overall in the final - an incredible achievement, particularly considering it is our first year participating. The final team consisted of George N, Grayson, Teccla and Ria. Aarav had to make a tough choice between cricket and maths, however, he was as a valuable member of the original team. Well done team!

Mrs Lengthorn

Thank you from the Prep Library

We would like to say a huge thank you for all of your kind book donations this year. We are so grateful to you for remembering us and the children are always excited to see the new books in the library. If you are having a summer sort-out there is always room on our shelves!

Many thanks again and we hope you have a happy and restful summer holiday.

Mrs Peacock and Mrs Lee

Final Sport News

And this is it… The final blog of the academic year and in Mr Baird and Miss Helsby’s reign at the school. Please see the following information below and look out for further communication this week which includes an Athletics specific blog, covering recent school events and competitions plus emails to say thank you and goodbye!

Well done to Jack Mc and Liliana F who took ‘Swimmers of the Day’ in the Year 3 Swimming Gala not long ago. We are so proud of every child who took part and showed their much improved swimming skills since the start of the year.

Last Friday, our Y3-6 Athletics team won District Sports/Athletics! All 37 children competed so well and contributed to the scores, which was fantastic. We are proud of you all - well done!

On the final full day of the academic year, Molly B (6BD) competed in the Prep Schools' National Athletics competition, representing both Brentwood and the East of England, at The Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.

Having qualified in 2nd at the East region qualifiers, Molly had a very tough field to compete against! However, having worked hard in focused training sessions along with recent successes in school and district competitions, she managed to smash her personal best by 22 seconds to become the U12 girls 1500m National Champion!

This is Brentwood's first athlete in many, many years to have achieved such an accomplishment. Well done, Molly!

You can read our Athletics Special Edition of Sport weekly here.

Additional Sporting Success

William P recently scored his second century of the season in the U12's Brian Taylor Essex Cricket Competition. William hit an impressive 131 Not Out from 78 balls including 23 4's. A huge well done to William for his achievement.

Next Term:

Y3 to Y6 Games
Boys’ Games: Rugby

Games kit & equipment required: school-badged rugby jersey, navy shorts, royal/navy games socks, studded boots, mouthguard, full school tracksuit and navy raincoat.

Girls’ Games: Hockey

Games kit & equipment required: school-badged white PE polo, navy skorts, royal/navy games socks, shin pads, astro shoes, mouthguard, full school tracksuit and navy raincoat.

Y3 to Y6 PE
Michaelmas 1: Fundamental movement/Health Related Education and Swimming (all Year groups)

PE Kit & equipment required: school-badged white PE t-shirt, royal blue shorts, white socks (covering the ankle), training shoes, full tracksuit and navy raincoat.
Swimming kit & equipment: navy swimming aqua shorts (boys) and navy costume (girls), house colour swimming cap, goggles and towel.

To end… From both Mr Baird & Miss Helsby:

It has been an absolute delight and pleasure to teach your children at Brentwood. Time has flown by, and we would like to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support during our time at the school. There are many successes, lots of positive learning moments and many, many memories have been created. We would like to wish all the children and families the very best of luck in the future! May our paths cross again one day. You can read more words from Mr Baird here.

Summer Reading

Research has shown that there is often a decline in reading habits and skills over the summer holidays. There is evidence that children often experience a loss in reading ability when they are not engaged in regular reading activities. This decline can have a significant effect on their schoolwork.

Here are some practical ways to combat this over the summer:

Encourage daily reading - as well as books, ask your child to read signs and menus whilst out and about, follow recipes and solve puzzles and crosswords. Reading online counts too. Even putting subtitles on has been shown to benefit reading!
Create a reading-friendly environment - parents, siblings and other family members can be excellent role models so why not organise a regular family reading time to show it is important to you all? Perhaps a reading picnic or trip to the public library? Make sure children have a quiet space to read and access to a range of reading materials.
Keep on reading to your child, even when they are a fluent reader. This allows children access to more complex language and stories and it promotes a love of reading.
Read a book that has been made into a film or television programme. It is always interesting to compare and see what has changed.
Enter Brentwood Prep’s “The Big Chill” reading competition. See today’s SchoolPost for further details.
Take part in the Essex Libraries Summer Reading Challenge. It runs from Saturday 20th July to Saturday 7th September in all Essex libraries and mobile libraries and can also be completed online. There will be a special early joiners’ day on Saturday 13th July. Children are being asked to read six books; they will collect stickers for their folder for each book they read. They receive a certificate and medal on completion. Children can read any library book of their choice; fiction, non-fiction, picture books, books they share with parents, e-books or e-audio – they all count. Go to the Summer Reading website for more details.
Stuck for something to read over the summer? Why not choose something from our Brentwood Recommended Reads list?

Thanks for your ongoing support. Have a wonderful summer and keep on reading!

Miss Styles

Boost Reading Platform

Please note that children will not be able to access books via Boost after the end of the July. This is to allow time for the IT team to update the system. Thank you for your understanding.

Unique Training Experiences at the Prep

Tickets are now on sale for two transformative training experiences: the Virtual Dementia Tour and the Autism Reality Experience, being held at Brentwood Preparatory School on Monday 12th August. These events will provide attendees with an unparalleled opportunity to gain a first-hand understanding of what it might be like to live with dementia or autism.

The Virtual Dementia Tour is a groundbreaking, scientifically and medically proven method designed to give individuals with healthy brains an experiential insight into the challenges faced by those living with dementia. This tour utilises patented sensory tools and instructions based on research, allowing participants to experience the physical and cognitive impairments that accompany dementia. This immersive experience aims to foster greater empathy and understanding among caregivers, family members, and the community.

In addition, the Autism Reality Experience offers an innovative, hands-on training session designed to simulate the sensory processing difficulties encountered by individuals on the autism spectrum. This immersive experience helps non-autistic people comprehend the sensory overload and communication barriers faced daily by those with autism. By stepping into the shoes of someone with autism, participants can develop a deeper empathy and practical strategies to support autistic individuals in their personal and professional lives.

Both training experiences are crucial for anyone looking to better understand and support individuals with dementia or autism. These sessions are ideal for healthcare professionals, educators, caregivers, and anyone interested in making a positive impact on the lives of those affected by these conditions.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gain valuable insights and practical knowledge through the Virtual Dementia Tour and the Autism Reality Experience. Further information is available on the training2care website or tickets can be purchased directly: Virtual Dementia Tour Autism Reality Experience

Ultimate Activity Camps

Ultimate Activity Camps are just around the corner this summer! Featuring over 40 thrilling sports, games, and creative activities for kids aged 4-14. With Ofsted registration and enthusiastic staff, it's the perfect opportunity for your children to learn new skills, make friends, and have a blast.

Dates:

Summer – Monday 15h July - Friday 23th August 2024 (Survival & Tech: Monday 29th July - Friday 16th August 2024)
Book by the day or week
Drop off 8:30 - 9:30
Collect 16:30 - 17:15
Move dates for FREE up until 14 days before

Keep an eye on their website for the latest offers and discounts for parents.

Refer A Friend – Get a Free Camp Day!

Invite a friend to join your child at camp and earn a free day for every booking at Ultimate Activity Camps or Ultimate Survival. It is that easy! Learn more and claim your free day here.

Booking Information

Book your dates at Ultimate Activity for any duration, from a single day to a full week. You can change your dates without charge up to 14 days before the camp starts, depending on availability. They accept all childcare vouchers for added convenience.

Chapel Services 2023-24

Throughout the year, there are regular Sunday Chapel Services which are open to all within the wider community of Brentwood School. Most of the services begin at 10am and are suitable for people of all ages.

The details of all our services for this academic year can be found in our Service Booklet which is attached. If you are planning to attend, I would appreciate a short email so that I can cater accordingly for those who come. I look forward to welcoming you to our Services.

Revd. Adrian McConnaughie

[email protected]