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May 1 2026

House Music 2026

This year’s House Music competition was a spectacular showcase of the talent, grit, and vibrant community spirit that defines our Prep School. The soloists, each chosen by their respective Houses, set an incredibly high bar for the morning. We were treated to everything from Sky’s confident, jazzy piano opening for Bayman to Emma’s high-standard, emotive performance of Kiss the Rain for Quennell. Jude represented Brimley with the poignant Ballade on the double bass – a wonderful spotlight for an ‘endangered’ instrument – while Inaaya displayed remarkable versatility for Heseltine by performing the Indian National Anthem across three different instruments. Tasker’s Inioluwa showed what she has learned from the National Youth Choir, with her rendition of Kaleidoscope Heart, complete with body percussion, and Holly finished the solo round for Lawrence with a truly captivating and characterful performance of Naughty from Matilda, using the stage well.

A young boy in a blue shirt sits at a grand piano, smiling as he prepares to play. The background is a plain, light-coloured wall, and sheet music rests on the piano.
A young girl with a ponytail sits at a black grand piano, looking at sheet music under a small lamp, against a plain yellowish wall. She appears focused and is wearing a green top.
A boy in an orange shirt plays a double bass on stage, with a keyboard and music stand nearby, and a backdrop of small blue lights behind him.
A young girl in a yellow shirt plays the flute whilst reading sheet music on a stand, with a keyboard in front of her and a dark background behind.
A young person in a purple shirt stands on stage in front of a microphone, holding their hands together. The background is dark with small, bright lights.
A young girl with red hair in a plait, wearing a red shirt, holds a microphone and stands on stage with small bright lights in the dark background.

When it came time for the House Songs, the energy in the hall shifted into high gear. Bayman got us off to a rousing start with the iconic “Rocky” vibes of Eye of the Tiger, complete with some brilliantly menacing choreography. Quennell kept the momentum high with a prop-filled performance of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, while Brimley impressed the judges by mastering complicated dance moves to the beat of Can’t Stop the Feeling.

The second half of the group performances brought even more variety and heart. Heseltine delivered a powerful, uplifting version of Something Inside So Strong, which was made even more moving by the inclusion of beautiful harmonies and integrated sign language. Tasker then transformed the hall into a sea of light with Shine, using torches to incredible effect in the darkness. Finally, Lawrence brought the competition to a roof-raising close with a high-energy performance of Firework. Across every House, the inclusion was wonderful to see; it wasn’t just the pupils and students from the Senior School, it’s always great when we see staff participation.

A group of children in red shirts perform on stage holding colourful streamers, while an audience of children in blue and green uniforms watch. Song lyrics are projected above the stage.
A large group of children in matching purple shirts and maroon trousers stand on a stage, raising their arms in unison during a performance. There are spotlights above and a song’s lyrics projected on a screen behind them.
A large group of children in green shirts perform on stage, singing with hand movements in front of a mountain backdrop. Lyrics are projected above them. An audience of children sits and watches.
A group of children in orange shirts sing on a stage, with a few adults in front wearing wigs and orange shirts. Seated pupils in blue uniforms watch from the audience in a school hall.
A large group of children in yellow shirts stand on stage with their arms raised, performing for an audience of seated children. A teacher in yellow faces the stage, and song lyrics are projected above.
A large group of children in matching purple shirts and maroon trousers perform on stage, raising their arms. An audience sits in front, and song lyrics are projected above them. A teacher stands at the front, leading the performance.

Events of this scale simply do not happen without a massive team effort, and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone involved. A massive thank you goes to the Heads and Deputies of Houses for their tireless work and for throwing themselves so wholeheartedly into the spirit of the competition. We must also thank the Porters, who worked wonders to set the hall up immediately following the disco the night before.

The professional atmosphere was elevated by Mr Herson, Mrs Roberts & Mr McLintock, whose expert work on sound and lighting made every performer feel like a star. Our incredible House Band – a fantastic collaboration of Prep and Senior talent including Mr Barber, Mr O’Leary, Mr Cooper, Mr Barber, Mr Wedmore and Arthur P – provided the perfect live backing for our singers. We are also grateful to our expert judges from the Senior School, Mr. Ashman-Jones, and Lower 6th students Osi and Lily, who had the unenviable task of scoring the acts. Finally, a huge thank you to our compères, Mathilde and Sid, who kept the whole event flowing with style and wit, and Miss Mitchell, for her photography skills on the day, capturing the joy and talent of our students and helping us to hold these moments in our memories. (More photos will be available on our Flickr account soon!) It was truly a day to remember!

The final and most important thank you, however, must go to our children from Year 1 up to Year 6. Their energy and enthusiasm were palpable throughout the day. It was moving to see our older pupils nurturing the younger ones, guiding them through the nerves and the excitement. Although this was a competition, the children led the way in showing true teamwork; they supported other Houses by singing along to every song at the top of their voices, and we even saw children from competing Houses helping one another out. This kindness and camaraderie truly encapsulate the vibe we want from House Music. It was a day to remember.

Results are in:

Joint 4th place = Heseltine, Brimley and Bayman
3rd place = Lawrence
2nd place = Tasker
Which means 1st place goes to: Quennell

Two children wearing uniforms and caps smile joyfully as they hold a silver trophy plate together on stage, with green lighting and a person standing nearby holding a clipboard.
Two children in green uniforms and caps are smiling and holding up a trophy together on stage, celebrating their achievement under bright stage lights.
A large group of children and a few adults pose on a stage in a school hall, with a mountain backdrop and a sign that reads House Music 2026. Two pupils sit front and centre holding a trophy.
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