The Bulletin Edition 22

Hampton Prep is on Instagram!

Some of our eagle-eyed parents have already spotted that our Instagram account is now up and running! This week marks the soft launch of our page, where henceforth we shall be sharing glimpses of school life, special events, and all the wonderful things our pupils get up to. It was excellent, for example, to post about last night’s very jolly party for Governors and colleagues to celebrate the conclusion of our refurbishment of the Pre-Prep and the naming of the Centenary Hall on the Pre-Prep site.

Do take a moment to check out our Instagram page, bookmark it, and follow. We look forward to bringing you along on our journey!

Hampton Prep on Instagram

This week, Year 3 had the joy of visiting Kew Gardens, home to a huge variety of plants and trees, as well as the glass houses, which the boys took a particular interest in. Of course, one of the trip highlights was the Treetop Walk, which provided a new and unique perspective of the gardens from above! In addition to the fantastic scenery and glorious weather, the boys had the opportunity to learn about maths in the natural world. Using both estimation and practical skills, the boys used a range of tools, such as string to measure the perimeter of leaves, and a tape measure to measure the circumference of the trees and even applied their knowledge of directions to help the gardeners decide the best spot for a new bench! It was a memorable and educational experience, enjoyed by everyone, which showed the relevance of maths in different aspects of everyday life.

The House Poetry Final on Tuesday was a vibrant celebration of human expression, which I believe we can never have too much of! The audience were captivated by a diverse array of performances, from witty and comedic verses to powerful rap and deeply moving poetry, with some of it written by the boys themselves. The finalists shone in every aspect, as they delivered their memorised pieces (no mean feat!) with passion. Mrs Rigby, Head of English at Hampton, was our esteemed judge again this year, and we were delighted to hear her summing up of the boys’ efforts. The winners were Kian Kapur in Year 2, Luke Redshaw in Year 3, Rayan Kotecha in Year 4, Aryan Patel in Year 5 and Thomas Double in Year 6. Well done boys!

It was fantastic to welcome Mr Baishya to the Prep for Monday’s assembly, where he shared details regarding his wealth of experience in the automotive industry and his transition into healthcare, all while highlighting the vital role technology has played throughout his career. Rather than a traditional talk, Mr Baishya took part in a lively Q&A session led by Year 5 boys, Konark (his son!) and Archunan. This engaging format proved both entertaining and insightful, offering the boys a fascinating glimpse into how technology continues to shape different industries. Inspired by its success, we hope to replicate this Q&A approach with other parent visitors in the coming terms, no matter what our different assembly themes may be. We shall be revealing the new assembly theme for next term on the first day back in April. Once we have, any willing volunteers who would like to speak to that theme would be greatly appreciated!

When it rains a lot, there are some impressive puddles in the park, but none you could lay in and practise your butterfly or backstroke. Therefore, absolutely no credit can be taken by the Sport’s Department for the achievement of the 16 boys who took part in The Mall School’s swimming gala this week. Four boys from each year group took part in races against The Mall’s two team and St James’ School. Each boy took part in individual races, a medley relay and a freestyle relay. Notable achievements were wins for Fin M in butterfly, George F in backstroke, Noah O in front crawl, Chuck in breaststroke and the Year 3 boys’ victories in the relays. Thanks to all the boys’ efforts they came second overall in the gala! An impressive achievement against schools that regularly run swimming training as part of the school day. This demonstrates how hard boys are working outside of school to succeed in different sports. A big well done to them!

It has been another busy week at Hampton Pre-Prep, which has seen two educational visits offsite – Year 1 to Hanwell Zoo and Year 2 to Windsor Palace. The power of educational visits cannot be underestimated in enriching young children’s learning. Whether it’s a trip to a museum, a nature walk or a hands-on workshop, these experiences spark curiosity, deepen understanding and bring learning to life in exciting new ways. Educational visits not only enhance academic knowledge but also build confidence, social skills and a lifelong love for discovery. We thank you all for your continued support in making these enriching opportunities possible for the children here.

Kindergarten have been exploring the signs of spring, the first being the appearance of snowdrops. We discussed the many different spring flowers, such as daffodils, tulips and crocuses, as well as the beautiful blossom now appearing on the trees on our way to school and during weekend walks in the park. Our classroom was filled with the scent of spring, thanks to the daffodils on our topic table. We looked closely at their stems, leaves and petal shapes, noticing that each daffodil had six petals.

Reception have been having an ‘egg-cellent’ time learning about springtime! In Literacy, we wrote about the ‘Signs of Spring’, discussing the changeable weather, as well as bulbs and blossom bursting into life. We also explored how the changing seasons affect animals, including those waking up from hibernation after the long, cold winter.

What a delight to take the children to Hanwell Zoo yesterday! The sun shone, and we had a marvellous time, learning all about African animals from Jim the zookeeper, having fun in the playground and maze, and rounding off with a story in the sunshine. We spotted porcupines, meerkats, lemurs, flamingos and even a capybara! The children impressed with their excellent knowledge of animals and were complimented by Jim and a member of the public, on their smart and polite behaviour. Very well done, Year 1!

Today, our Year 2 children embarked on a fantastic journey back in time with a visit to the historic Windsor Castle! The highlight of the day was the engaging learning session, "Queen Victoria: Dear Diary," where some of the children enthusiastically dressed up as rich and poor Victorians, as well as Prince Albert and Queen Victoria herself. Exploring the State Apartments, the children were amazed by the grandeur and history of the royal residence. A particular favourite was the enchanting Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, which is also celebrating its centenary this year! The visit also included the stunning St George’s Chapel, where the children were intrigued to discover the tombs of kings and queens buried there, including Queen Elizabeth II. They showed great curiosity and respect while learning about these important historical figures. Throughout the trip, the children behaved impeccably, demonstrating enthusiasm at every turn. It was a truly memorable day of learning and discovery!