Sunshine, St George and School Spirit
It has been a gloriously sunny week, hopefully a glimpse into what we might expect for the summer. We began the week by exploring the many representations of St George, in honour of St George’s Day last week. In our Key Stage 2 weekly School Meeting I took the pupils on a multicultural journey that began in the 3rd Century in Cappadocia (modern day Turkey). We looked at a range of images of St George, including coins from 9th Century Georgia, a medallion from 11th Century Byzantine, and 16th Century Ethiopia, Poland and Russia. The images make it clear that St George is not just an important figure in Christian England but across Central Asia and Northern Africa. I asked the children to move to a mindset of questioning the images presented to them of historic figures and to see them through the lens of different cultures and nations, knowing that St George was unlikely to be the blonde haired blue eyed knight clad in shiny armour that we see so often. We also discussed the significance of the dragon in the stories and the importance of battling to be a good person and standing up for what we believe is right.
There were a number of highlights this week, and on Wednesday was the grand opening of our new workshop for the Goblin Racer club. Carefully crafted in the outdoor playbarn in the style of a Formula One garage, the pupils in the club were delighted. With great thanks to our Estates team for making this happen, in particular Mr Truslove, shown in the pictures below, who worked through the Easter break to get it ready in time for this term. The inspiration for the workshop came from the pupils themselves who pitched ideas earlier in the year. We are also very grateful to the Senior School students who volunteer to help the Prep pupils alongside the club leader Mrs Blee, Arya and Harry in Year 10 come over every week and enthusiastically engage with the Year 6s.
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We also marked the hottest day of the year so far with the Year 2, 3 and 4 Disco, why not dance faster and harder than the jitterbug when it’s 25 degrees. Oh the joys of unpredictable British weather. Needless to say a great time was had, new moves were invented and the pupils (and staff) had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
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Another Year 2 success story to celebrate is that of six-year-old Maansi. Maansi plays in the School chess team, which is made up of pupils from Year 2 to Upper 6th. At the Essex Chess Megafinal last weekend, which included Joshua from Year 5 and Krishnav from Year 4, not only have all 3 Prep pupils qualified for the Southern Gigafinal in July but Maansi is now the Under 8 Girls’ Champion. We are so proud of her dedication and the thoughtful way in which she plays.
I was delighted this week to hand out two Head of Prep Awards…
Callum J in Year 3 has demonstrated remarkable ingenuity, perseverance, and creativity in designing and constructing a fantastic marble run from a cereal box. Working independently, he skilfully engineered the structure and even included a clever catcher at the end. Mrs Blee was thoroughly impressed with his problem-solving abilities and engineering talent. Well done Callum.
Vinushi A in Year 5 produced an exceptionally creative and detailed booklet promoting life in Sparta, as part of her research into Ancient Greece. Using her extensive knowledge of the contrasts between Athens and Sparta, she crafted persuasive and imaginative arguments to encourage readers to choose Sparta as their ideal home. Her work demonstrated a deep understanding of the topic, showcasing both thorough research and careful application of what she has learned in class.
Have a lovely long weekend,
Alice Goodfellow
