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Mrs Murphy’s News
Many thanks to all parents who attended our Parent-Teacher Consultations this week. These meetings are a valuable opportunity to celebrate each child’s progress and to strengthen important partnerships between home and school – please know we greatly appreciate your support!
I would also like to thank families for the encouragement and enthusiasm shown towards your children’s Open Homework projects this week. It has been wonderful to see the creativity, effort and pride that the children have invested in their work, supported so positively at home. If your child has not yet completed their project, please do not worry, as they have this weekend to finish it. We would, however, be grateful if all projects could be returned to school by Monday 12 October.
We are greatly looking forward to sharing the finished pieces with you at our Open Homework Exhibition on Friday 16 October in the Centenary Hall. The exhibition will be open from 8.15am to 9.15am, and parents are warmly invited to come along and enjoy celebrating the children’s achievements.
This week (5–11 October) is Dyslexia Awareness Week, a national campaign led by the British Dyslexia Association to build understanding of dyslexia and challenge common misconceptions. To mark it, Mrs Cox, Head of Learning Support in Pre Prep, is sharing a short guide to what dyslexia is, how it’s identified in young children, and how we can all support our youngest learners.
What Is Dyslexia? Dyslexia is one of the most common learning differences, affecting around 1 in 10 people. In 2025, a large panel of UK researchers, specialist teachers, educational psychologists and dyslexic people agreed a new definition. It describes dyslexia as a difficulty with learning to read and spell, especially reading fluently and accurately. It is caused by a combination of factors rather than one single cause, and it can range from mild to severe. Importantly, dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence. It is seen in children of all abilities and backgrounds, and many dyslexic people have real strengths in creativity, problem-solving and big-picture thinking.
When can it be assessed? In the early years, all children learn to read at different rates, so a formal diagnosis is not usually made in Reception or Year 1. Instead, we watch for early signs. These include difficulty with rhyme or hearing the sounds in words, trouble remembering letter sounds, muddling sequences like the days of the week, and finding it hard to blend sounds even after plenty of good teaching. A full diagnostic assessment is generally carried out from around age 7 or 8, once a child has had time to respond to structured phonics teaching. That doesn’t mean waiting, though. If a child is finding things difficult, we put support in place straight away, so a diagnosis is never needed before help begins.
What else could it be? Several things can look like dyslexia in young children, so these need to be ruled out or addressed first. Eyesight problems and visual difficulties (such as eye tracking or visual discomfort with print) can make reading hard, and so can hearing difficulties such as glue ear. Children often don’t realise they can’t see or hear as well as they should, so these problems can easily go unnoticed. We therefore offer Pre-Prep families an annual vision and hearing screening through the School Screening Programme, carried out in school by a specialist paediatric orthoptist and an audiologist. There is a charge for the screening, and parents can sign up each Spring term. If a concern is found, you’ll be told so you can follow up with an optometrist, your GP or an ENT specialist.
Speech and language difficulties, attention difficulties, being summer-born, learning English as an additional language, or missed learning can all affect early reading too. It is also rare for dyslexia to appear on its own. It very often overlaps with other differences such as developmental language disorder (DLD), ADHD, dyspraxia (DCD) or difficulties with maths. That is why we always look at the whole child rather than a single label.
How we can support at home and at school: In Pre-Prep, the most powerful support is early, little and often. Playful listening games build sound awareness, such as clapping syllables, spotting rhymes, I-spy with sounds, and nursery rhymes and songs. High-quality, systematic phonics, taught in a multisensory way (seeing, saying, hearing and tracing letters), helps sounds stick and some children benefit from the Nessy Reading and Spelling Programme for additional support. Reading with your child every day, letting them enjoy stories you read aloud, and praising effort over accuracy all keep their confidence high.
By Mrs Cox – Head of Learning Support in Pre-Prep
If you have any concerns, please talk to your child’s class teacher or Mrs Cox. Together we can spot difficulties early and make sure every child gets off to the best possible start.
Pupil voice plays a vital role in school life here at Pre-Prep. Through School Council, children learn that their ideas, opinions and actions can make a meaningful difference. They develop important skills including communication, collaboration, leadership and empathy, while also gaining a greater understanding of how they can contribute positively to both their school and the wider community.
This term, our School Council has carefully considered several worthy causes and has chosen to support First Touch and Kidney Research UK, two charities that hold special significance for members of our school community. We are incredibly proud of the thoughtful discussions and decision-making demonstrated by our School Councillors throughout this process. School Council look forward to sharing greater details of the fundraising activities and initiatives that they will be leading in support of these charities next half term.
This week the Courtesy Cup and Badge went to Zachary (Reception) for his beautiful manners and always following the Golden Rules. A fantastic role model for his peers – thank you!
and Stars of the Week were awarded to:
- Year 2: Aric for working methodically during our maths lessons and using excellent reasoning skills to explain his thinking.
- Year 1: Archie G for meeting every lesson with a big smile and a great attitude.
- Reception: Adam for being a wonderful friend and sharing a love of reading by reading to his friend. We are so proud of you.
More awards followed the above and so our congratulations to:
- Year 2: Arnav for being Player of the Day at his weekly football club and…
- Aric for being chosen as Star of the Week for excellent work at his Ninja class today.
- Reception: Henry for being awarded with a medal in his tennis class – “he is quite excited about his achievement as it’s just his second lesson in the older group.”
- Congratulations to Ishaan too, for being selected as Star of the Week at his rugby club TREDS for demonstrating teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!
Kindergarten
This week in Kindergarten, we have been having great fun exploring the much-loved story The Enormous Turnip! It is amazing how many different versions of the tale exist, and although the characters may change, one thing always stays the same: the turnip is enormous and incredibly difficult to pull from the ground! The children thoroughly enjoyed joining in with the repeated refrain, “So they pulled, and they pulled, and they pulled!”
Our learning extended beyond the story as we explored how vegetables grow. We discovered that some vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, grow underground, while others, including cabbages, grow above the ground in farmers’ fields before making their way to our local shops. To bring this learning to life, the children practised their cutting skills by carefully snipping the leaves of a real cabbage. They then used the pieces to create imaginative cabbage dishes, developing both their fine motor skills and creativity. Let’s just say some of the recipes were wonderfully unique!
After reading the delightful story Tattybogle by Sandra Horn and Ken Brown, we became creative scarecrow makers. Using photographs of themselves, mosaic squares, coloured pens, pencils, and straw, the children transformed themselves into cheerful scarecrows. We also made movable scarecrows using hole punches and split pins, which the children thoroughly enjoyed bringing to life.
We also became artists, creating beautiful turnip-inspired masterpieces using scissors, glue, paper, and paint sticks. The children carefully observed the colours and textures of real turnips before recreating them in their artwork. These vibrant creations now brighten the walls of our Kindergarten classroom.
In phonics, we have been learning the sound ‘a’. We listened to the story and song for the sound and practised the accompanying action. The children particularly enjoyed fishing items out of a feely bag and identifying objects that begin with the ‘a’ sound.
Please click here for correct sound pronunciation – it is really important the children learn pure, crisp sounds from the off.
We were delighted to welcome a new classroom friend, Tryatops. His message, “I keep trying,” is helping us to develop resilience and perseverance. The children have embraced Tryatops with great enthusiasm and are making a real effort to follow his positive example.
Next week, our topic will focus on autumn. Your child has brought home an Autumn Bag. If you find any seasonal items during your weekend adventures, for example, leaves, conkers, or pinecones – please place them in the bag and return it to school. These items will support our learning and exploration of the season.
By Mrs Hand – Kindergarten Teacher
Reception
It’s been another busy and exciting week in Reception!
We began the week with a special visit from our School Nurse, Liz, who taught us all about the importance of brushing our teeth carefully and maintaining a healthy diet. She brought along some giant teeth, as well as both an electric and a manual toothbrush, to demonstrate the correct brushing technique. The children were fascinated and enjoyed taking part in the discussion.
In Mathematics, the children have been focusing on ordering numbers correctly using a number line. During our practical maths sessions, they have been using five frames and counters to help secure their understanding of number composition and develop confidence in recognising different ways numbers can be made.
During our phonics sessions, we have continued to develop our blending skills and have been learning the correct letter formation for c, k, ck, and e. The children are becoming increasingly confident in recognising and using these sounds in their reading and writing.
It was lovely to meet so many of you at our Parents’ Evenings this week. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing my observations and celebrating how well all of the children have settled into Reception. They have made a fantastic start to school life and should be very proud of the confidence, enthusiasm and resilience they are showing each day.
Next week, our topic will be Harvest and Bread. We are especially looking forward to our trip to Pizza Express, where the children will have the opportunity to make their own delicious pizzas. Please ensure that your child arrives at school on time on Wednesday, as we will be leaving promptly after registration.
We hope you all have a wonderful weekend and look forward to another exciting week of learning ahead!
By Mrs Johnston – Reception Teacher
Year 1
We have had another lovely week in Year 1, with the children continuing to show enthusiasm and confidence in their learning as we approach our final week before the half-term break!
In maths, we continued exploring addition and subtraction, with a particular focus on fact families. It was wonderful to see the children challenge their thinking, explore different number sentences and develop a deeper understanding of how numbers are connected.
Our English lessons focused on nouns and adjectives, exploring how we can use them together to create interesting and descriptive sentences. These skills will be particularly useful as we move into our writing next week, and the children have made a great start!
As part of our science learning, we continued our focus on autumn by discovering how animals hibernate. The children were fascinated to learn about what animals need to do to prepare for hibernation and how this helps them survive during the colder months.
In humanities, we brought our topic on human and physical geography to a close. The children practised sorting and organising different features into the correct categories, and it was fantastic to see how confidently they could explain their choices and demonstrate their understanding.
Meanwhile, in RE, we continued exploring creation stories from different faiths, looking closely at their similarities and differences. It was lovely to see the children thinking deeply about the stories, discussing their meanings and sharing their own ideas.
We are now looking forward to our final week before half-term! The children have worked incredibly hard, and we look forward to another great week of learning together.
Have a lovely weekend!
By Miss Madden – Year 1 Teacher
Year 2
It’s been another busy and enjoyable week for Year 2!
In English, we have loved reading Lila and the Secret of Rain, a beautifully illustrated story about a young girl living in a Kenyan village that is suffering from a long drought. We loved reading the beautiful descriptions and thinking about how life can feel so different in other parts of the world. The children enjoyed sequencing the key events of the story and exploring how the author uses pronouns to avoid repetition and make the text flow smoothly. We practised using the correct pronouns in our own writing.
In maths, we have come to the end of our Place Value unit. This week, the children revisited counting in 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s and investigated the patterns that emerge on a 100 square. They have worked hard throughout the unit and are now ready to begin addition and subtraction next week. We are all really enjoying our Mental Maths Fridays, where the children have been impressing us with their whizzy maths skills!
In geography, we continued our learning about Kenya by hearing about Omisale’s life – a young boy growing up in a Kenyan village. This provided a wonderful opportunity to compare daily life in Kenya with life in Hampton. The children shared thoughtful ideas about the similarities and differences between the two and demonstrated an excellent understanding of how people live in different parts of the world.
We have also loved seeing some of the Open Homework projects arriving in school. The work completed so far has been incredibly varied and creative, and we cannot wait to see the rest of the projects next week.
Have a super weekend!
By Mrs Timba – Year 2 Teacher
On the Sports Field
ISFA Regional Tournament
The U11A football team travelled to Aldenham School to compete in the Middlesex and Hertfordshire regional round of the ISFA tournament. The boys produced an outstanding series of performances in the group stages, conceding just one goal against strong opposition and progressing directly to the semi-final. There, they faced St Columbas School in a closely contested match. Hampton Prep played with confidence and determination throughout, creating opportunities but unable to find the decisive breakthrough. The tie was ultimately settled by a penalty shootout and, in the cruellest fashion, the boys fell just short of a place in the final. Despite the disappointment, they should be immensely proud of their efforts, teamwork and the manner in which they represented the School.
Hampton School Five-a-Side Festival
The playing fields at Hampton School were transformed into a festival of football on Saturday as more than 40 schools gathered for the annual U10 and U11 Five-a-Side Festival. It was a morning filled with exciting matches, excellent sportsmanship and some highly competitive football.
Among the visiting schools was Elizabeth College from Guernsey, who shared a group with the Hampton Prep U11A’s. The battle for top spot was fiercely contested throughout the morning, with both teams producing some excellent football. Elizabeth College ultimately topped the group, demonstrating great quality and consistency. Well done to all the boys who took part and represented the School so positively throughout the event.
Looking Ahead
Next Friday sees the return of House Football, one of the highlights of the autumn sporting calendar. The afternoon always provides a wonderful combination of competition, teamwork and house spirit, and we look forward to seeing pupils representing their houses with pride. Parents are warmly invited to join us in Carlisle Park to support.
Week Ahead
Thursday 15 October
- U10 A & B vs KCJS Six-a-Side Tournament, 1.30pm-3.30pm
Friday 16 October
- House Football, 2.15pm-3.30pm in Carlisle Park
By Mr Salt – Head of Sports
YEAR 3 STEP BACK IN TIME AT BUTSER FARM!
Year 3 travelled back thousands of years on an exciting visit to Butser Ancient Farm, stepping into the world of the Stone Age for a prehistoric adventure!
The pupils began their day inside Horton House, a Neolithic longhouse inspired by archaeological discoveries dating back to around 3800 BC. They discovered how our ancestors cooked, kept warm and built their homes, exploring everything from traditional thatched roofs to a Celtic hut made entirely from wood. They even learnt how people managed waste and composting, proving that sustainable living began long before modern technology!
Next, it was time to get creative with Stone Age chalk carving! Using flint and green leaves, the pupils carefully carved their initials into their very own lucky stones to take home. They also learnt how to light a campfire, mastering one of the essential skills their ancestors relied on to survive.
The pupils wasted no time getting their hands dirty, digging through large beds of sand in search of buried artefacts and ancient bones. Every discovery brought a new piece of the past to light, and archaeological digging proved to be a firm favourite!
Our expert guides also revealed some ingenious ways our ancestors made life more comfortable, from using oak bark to prepare materials for clothing to tanning leather with deer brains. The pupils discovered that prehistoric people had plenty of time for art, leisure and storytelling, too – reminding us that, although life looked very different thousands of years ago, people were not so different from us after all!
By Mr Barber – Head of Humanities
YEAR 6 HAD EGG-CELLENT FUN!
Year 6 put their engineering skills to the test with an egg-citing challenge: could they design and build a structure strong enough to protect an egg from a big drop?
As part of their Engineering lessons, the pupils used a range of materials, including wood, balloons, paper and plastic, to create their designs. They had to think carefully about how their structures could cushion the landing, slow the fall and reduce the impact when they hit the ground.
After plenty of planning, problem-solving and building, it was time for the moment of truth. The pupils took their creations to the top of the climbing frame and dropped them, putting their engineering ideas to the ultimate test.
There was plenty of anticipation as each structure hit the ground – and lots of eggs survived the drop!
CHRIS HARRISON PROFESSIONAL CRICKET COACHING
Chris Harrison is the professional cricket coach at Hampton School and he will be running cricket camps during October Half Term and Christmas 2026. All sessions are skills based with net and match play practice. They offer the perfect way to improve a young player’s confidence, skill level and understanding whilst enjoying the holidays.
Venue: Hampton School Sports Hall, Hanworth Road, Hampton. TW12 3HD
To book a place on the course or for more information then please email:
chris@chcricket.co.uk
Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Have a great weekend!
