Prep Newsletter Friday

22nd January 2016

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Dear Parents,

The children have totally settled back into school life - their lessons,

friendships and the after school activities. It has been a pleasure

popping into classes to ‘soak up’ the warm ethos within each, speaking

with children and working alongside them. There is certainly a great

range of learning happening in all areas of the Prep School with the

children thriving on the challenges that they encounter. Last week one

child moaned that there was too much work and another exclaimed how

hard the work was. I was pleased to hear these as we should be

challenging and providing quality work. It has also been wonderful

seeing the laptops being used for research. For example Year 6 has

been researching global environmental issues and Year 2 has used an

educational game to learn more about the Great Fire of London. They

have also been researching fashion in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s in

preparation for their cat walk fashion show.

At St Margaret’s we aim to provide a range of opportunities and

experiences to broaden the children’s minds and to educate ‘the whole

child’. As you are aware children go on at least two visits out of school

each year, we have workshops in school and there are many other

opportunities. This week Years 5 and 6 worked with Years 7 and 8 to

produce a piece of performance poetry. We also have various

competitions

throughout the year -

last term that was an

internet safety poster

competition and later

on this term we will be

holding a Spelling Bee

in the Upper Prep.

Website As you are aware, from my last letter, we are updating the

Parents Area of the School Website (Parents - Prep Parents). Please take

a look as it has information about the curriculum, pupil well-being, visits

and workshops and suggested reading lists. We will be adding to the

amount of information.

Netball Match by Katie and Arabella On Monday we

played two games against Northwood College at home.

Most of the Year 5s played one game and scored 2 - 1 to

the away team and in the second game played by the Year

6s Mia scored, enabling us to win this match 1 - 0. There

was good passing (like a train) between Arabella, Camille

and Suzie as they aimed to keep the ball in St Margaret’s

hands and Aryana’s rebounds were excellent. Apart from

being really happy at the end of the matches we were very

pleased with our performance because we worked well as

a team and all of our players were trying incredibly hard.

Weather We still have a number of girls who

are not bringing in their (St Margaret’s) ski

hat and (navy/black) gloves to wear during

the cold weather. Please would you ensure

that your daughter is sufficiently clothed

when she comes to school as the children

do go out to play even when the weather is

cold, as they need to run around and

refresh themselves between their lessons.

Like us, they do not appreciate being

cooped up inside when it is raining.

Another competition that

you may like your child to

enter is Radio 2’s 500

Words competition

For more information

please visit

www.bbc.co.uk/500words

Healthy Eating

Breakfast As part of our healthy eating in school initiative we are

encouraging the girls to eat a good breakfast each morning as we are

aware that some do not have this, due to the business of life. Breakfast

is so important, perhaps the most important meal of the day, as it

provides nutrition and energy to set us up for the day. With a good

breakfast inside us we are able to concentrate and do the best that we

can. Please would you help us in encouraging your daughter to have a

good breakfast each morning.

Lunch We are very lucky in school to have good quality, nutritious and

tasty lunches. All children are encouraged to demonstrate good

manners by eating with a knife and fork and speaking only when their

mouth is empty. Again your support would be very helpful.

Some of our girls are very fussy and find reasons as to why they can’t

eat their lunch. Each day lunch is nutritious and plentiful with the menu

being varied. The children have a say in menu choices which is why we

provide jacket potatoes frequently and regularly have pasta bars. At the

serving hatch children can always ask for larger portions. Condiments

and paper towels are on offer at the salad bar. Fruit and salad are freshly

prepared each day in the Prep School kitchen as are the snacks and

lunches. Our staff are always on hand to supervise lunchtimes and

encourage the girls to eat a little more or try something different, at the

same time reinforcing

good table manners. The

kitchen staff all follow a

strict hygiene regime and

have been awarded a 5 for

the ‘scores on the doors’.

We believe the quality of

food provided at St

Margaret’s is very good.

The staff have school

lunches and frequently

commend Len, Paula and

Lizzie (the Prep School

kitchen staff).

Mrs C Aisthorpe

Head of St. Margaret’s Preparatory School

Congratulations Lower Prep Star of the Week

(last week)

Reception: Jasmine

Year 1: Nisanur

Year 2: All of Year 2!

Commendation

CONGRATULATIONS to…

Isabelle, Y3 Aneesa, Y3 Grace, Y3

Certificate (60

Commendations)

CONGRATULATIONS to…

Aneesa, Y3 Arya, Y3

Isabelle, Y3

Music - Chuwen and Kalyani played beautifully in assembly this

morning. Kalyani’s flute playing has improved enormously over the last

year, as has her confidence. When I asked who the composer of her

piece of music was, Kalyani replied that she was! So, an amazing flutist

and an interesting composer. Fantastic! Chuwen is studying for her

grade 4 piano later this term and practises for approximately 1 hour per

day. Her piano performance this morning was outstanding and showed

maturity in the phrasing and light and shade of the notes. Well done

girls, we were all awed by your performance!

Music Concert Next week I will be organising our Music Concert for

parents. I would like soloists in addition the Prep School Choir will be

singing, the orchestra will play and we will be treated to a performance

by the Year 2 violins.

Preparatory School

Staff List 2015-16 Mrs C Aisthorpe

Head Of Preparatory School & Deputy Head of EYFS

Reception Teacher and EYFS Co-Ordinator – Miss D King

Year 1 Teachers - Mrs R Carter and Mrs H Dealey

Year 2 Teacher – Miss C Pares

Year 3 Teacher – Mrs L Franklin

Year 4 Teacher – Miss M Smith

Year 5 Teacher – Mrs D Jolley

Year 6 Teacher – Ms A Caher

Science Teacher – Mrs T Walsgrove

Teaching Assistants

Mrs T Evans

Mrs S Hilton

Miss A Newall

Mrs J Newall

Mrs P Parekh

Mrs J Tabor

Mrs J Thomson

After School Club Supervisor – Mrs S Dainton

Lunchtime Supervisor – Mrs C Anderson

Prep School Secretary – Mrs S Daws

February

1st Upper Prep Swimming Gala

4th 17:00-18:00 Spring Soiree (No M:tech, Gymnastics, Ballet)

8th 13:00-13:30 Upper Prep Lunchtime Concert

11th 15:30-16:45 Lower Prep Valentine’s Disco (no Co-Curricular Activities)

17:00-18:45 Upper Prep Valentine’s Disco (no Co-Curricular Activities)

12th Mufti Day Half Term commences

22nd Term recommences

22nd-26th

Prep School Sponsored Spelling Week

25th 09:30-12:00 School at Work Open Morning

29th-4th

Prep School World Book Week

March

1st Year 6 visit to Lincolnsfield Centre

1st 13:30-14:00 Upper Prep Inter House Spelling Bee

3rd Year 5 visit to St Albans Abbey

4th Prep School “Dress up as your favourite book character”

7th 16:15-17:20 Years 5 & 6 Netball v St Hilda’s (Home)

8th 09:00-09:45 Mother’s Day Assembly, Senior School Hall

10th Lower Prep Environmental Day

16th Year 4 visit to Water Works

17th-18th

LAMDA exams

Dates

020 8416 4501 prepoffice@smbushey.com

Reception

“

This term we are learning about Fairytales in Reception

Class. Here are some of their stories on Goldilocks and

the Three Bears and a size ordering activity linked to the

story.

f

Year 1

“

The children made paper lanterns for Chinese New Year in

Mandarin this week. They used lots of colours and

patterns, as well as writing 'Happy New Year' on them with

support. Mrs Wu also taught the children to say 'lantern' in

Mandarin. The beautiful lanterns are being proudly

displayed in the classroom. Excellent work girls!

Year 2 were

busy bees over

the Christmas

holidays,

designing,

creating,

decorating and

measuring

Year 2

“

model houses. A lot of

time and hard work

went into these and

they were amazing. It

was fabulous to hear

how each house had

been lovingly made and

how whole families

were involved with

different parts of the

"building" process.

Year 3 is such an exciting place to be!

Just imagine the excitement of seeing

work transformed because it is written in

fountain pen. Everyone has made the

transition smoothly and our work is

looking very grown up.

Year 3

“

We have been learning how to do

division and it is really proving

how important it is to know our

tables inside out, upside down

and standing on our heads!

We have learnt about Pompeii and that the work done

there by archaeologists has taught us so much about

Roman towns.

We have been learning how to draw a face and

practising how to draw the features of the face in order

to try to make them look realistic.

We have been doing all of these exciting things and

even finding time for English comprehension, grammar,

ICT. PE and Science.

No wonder the girls are happy and excited to be back at

school.

Year 4

“

New Year

Resolutions

Years 5 and 6

Poetry workshop

“Saying you don’t like poetry is like saying you don’t like music;

you just have to find the right type.” Ash Dickinson

On Friday, Years 5 and 6 joined Year 7 to participate in a Poetry workshop

in the Senior School. The poet Ash Dickinson led a wonderful session,

sparking the girl’s imagination. He introduced the session by performing

a selection of his own poems on a range of topics including free range

eggs, cheeses and shoes! His main message was that you can write a

poem about anything and that it is an excellent way of expressing your

thoughts.

The girls were asked to complete a series of tasks including writing

rhyming couplets, quatrains, similes and alliterative phrases. All the staff

were most impressed by the girls’ enthusiasm and willingness to present

to a large group.

would have been most

impressed by the

imagination and ‘blue-

sky’ thinking as was

evident in what the

girls produced.

The girls left the

session having enjoyed

a wonderful experience

and with a deeper

appreciation of poetry.

We look forward to

observing this develop

further over the rest of

the year.

Miss Caher and Mrs

Jolley

Later in the workshop, the

group explored haikus.

Armed with opening

sentences, the girls were

asked to write their own

versions following the

correct syllabic structure.

Staff from the English

department commented on

the outstanding quality of

vocabulary employed by the

girls from the Prep school.

The final task was very

topical as the girls were

given a series of song titles

by David Bowie. We think he

would have been most

impressed by the

imagination and ‘blue-sky’

thinking as was evident in

what the girls produced.

The girls left the session

having enjoyed a wonderful

experience and with a deeper

appreciation of poetry. We

look forward to observing

this develop further over the

rest of the year.

Miss Caher and Mrs Jolley

Maths Challenge

Well done to all the girls who tried the recent challenges on the

Mathematics board. The next challenges are now on display in the

classroom block. Girls are encouraged to solve these in school or they

can take them home to complete.

In Years 3 & 4 the following girls successfully completed the ‘Sum fun’

challenge and have been awarded a commendation for their House!

Windsor Southwark St Johns Waterhouse

Scarlet

Anya

Alessia

Isabella

Zoya

Aneesa

Arya

In Years 5&6 the following girls successfully completed the ‘Bunch of

grapes’ challenge and have been awarded a commendation for their

House!

Windsor Southwark Waterhouse

Mayuri

Nikita

Sienna Arya (Yr3)

Chuwen

Sanaa

Ami

A special mention for Arya in Year 3 who completed

both challenges – well done!