The Bulletin – Edition 14
I have been reading a little – online across various social media platforms but also in the printed press at the weekends – about the ways in which enforced lockdowns have an impact upon the rhythm of our lives, in ways we could never have predicted before experiencing them. Despite the demands that your energetic, excellent children are having on home life for you all, I wonder if any parents have found that the pace of life right now is, if not exactly slower, but much more measured somehow? With no evening meetings or events to attend in person during the week, and no concerts or plays or very jolly parties at friends’ houses to enjoy, no cinemas to visit, no live sports matches to be thrilled by, I think we are all having to make changes to how we fill whatever leisure time we have. In some respects, (again, I wonder if parents are experiencing this too?) not having to rush about the place is proving to be rather refreshing, I find! I am hoping that some of the positive ways in which I have been able to accept and adjust to operating within a different rhythm will remain with me once this lock-down is over. I am trying to embrace the time I have to think, read, cook, potter about in the garden (chilly but rewarding) and I hope you are able to experience something positive arising out of our current circumstances too, whatever that may be.
Prep
An update from Mr Ford
As ever, we very much appreciate the support parents are able to provide for our programme of guided home learning. Equally, we also understand the range of circumstances that exist within each household and are therefore aware that some boys are naturally working very much independently. Whichever circumstance each of our Hampton Prep boys are in, we are proud of the ways in which they have adapted and continue to be their positive, cheerful, engaged selves. If you are more inclined to be supporting your son during the day, do please encourage him to be as independent as we know he can be, particularly during the live MS Teams content, and allow him to make some mistakes every now and then. This is a vital step in the learning journey.
Feedback on the Second Headmaster’s Cheerful Challenge
Again, this week, I am blown away by the effort and accomplishments of the great number of boys who chose to rise to the challenge of building a castle as part of the second HMCC. I have had a terrific morning looking at the many and varied castles, made from all sorts of materials. Some are brilliant representations of real castles and some are the products of very imaginative minds. What a treat, and there will be a good number of Headmaster’s Commendations to come flying over the ramparts of these castles for the boys next week!
Guidance for the Third Headmaster’s Cheerful Challenge
“Bake!” the two eccentric comedians declare at the start of each challenge in a TV cookery show I am very fond of. Not much that is good comes from copying someone else’s ideas in my opinion, but there is nothing wrong with being “inspired” by the efforts of others. So, the third HMCC is indeed inspired by the “Great British Bake Off” tv show. I would be delighted if the boys could spend some time away from their screens (and perhaps with the help of an adult who might also need to spend time away from their screen?) and bake a delicious cake, some tasty biscuits, some alluring cupcakes, some sensible scones…the choice is yours. Instructions for the boys will be on CENTURY on Monday morning. Photos of the finished products to me (via Miss Jolley) by next Thursday afternoon please, and I will have to judge by sight on Friday. There will be prizes!
Pre-Prep
A word from Mrs Murphy
Some researchers believe music has the power to improve our health and wellbeing and, having written last week that we all need to keep our spirits up, here’s another delightful photograph to share with you all from this week’s Guided Home Learning programme. Surely, you cannot help but smile at this? Another great example of the whole family getting involved in one of our assignments, this time, a music task set by Miss Bee for Year 2 pupils...
Kindergarten
Aliens have landed! Kindergarten received a letter this week, together with a bunch of miscellaneous objects dropped in our playground. Would you believe, the letter was from aliens, saying that whilst they were flying over Planet Earth the night before, they accidentally dropped some things from their spaceship; however, they only wanted the magnetic items returned - so we were on a mission to help our alien friends. We used jumbo magnets and magnetic wands to identify the magnetic objects, sorting them into two groups. We then searched for more magnetic objects within our classroom. We noticed that if we held the magnets together one way, they stuck to each other, but, if we turned them over, they moved away from each other; this meant they repelled!
Reception
Brrrrrrr, it has been a chilly week in Reception. Whether at home or at school, we have all taken a trip to Antarctica to meet some penguin friends this week! We have read lots of penguin stories, using them to inspire our independent writing. We wrote about what could possibly happen if a penguin came to stay - some children thought they would have fun with their penguin at the swimming pool, whilst others decided to feed them fish fingers!
Year 1
In Year 1 the children have been learning about traditional tales, thinking about their own personal favourites and, when writing, they have been working hard to incorporate the word ‘because’ in to their writing. Money has been the focus in mathematics this week, recognising coins and totalling small prices when ‘buying’ from our shop. Any opportunities to handle money at home this weekend would be great.
Year 2
Year 2 continue to learn about Inspiring Individuals during their history lessons. This week, they have studied Alan Turing who made major contributions to the fields of mathematics, computer science and artificial intelligence. Probably best know for his work for the British government during World War II, when he succeeded in breaking the secret code Germany used to communicate. As you would imagine, we have had great fun code breaking ourselves as well as writing secret messages to our friends!