Welcome to the pre-prep & prep blog!
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Here’s a round-up of our Instagram posts from this week – take a look below!
Welcome to Hampton Prep, Year 3! 🦁 What better way to start their Hampton adventure than with a morning of team-building challenges? From walking on stilts and tackling an obstacle course without touching the ground, to testing their memories in a tricky maze, our new Year 3 pupils had to communicate, collaborate and work together to complete each challenge. Along the way, they learnt each other’s names, made new friends and cheered each other on! A brilliant start to life at Hampton Prep. 🦁
Make sure to follow us on Instagram for regular updates and snapshots of daily school life.
Mrs Murphy’s News
We would like to extend a very warm welcome back to all our families after the summer holidays. It has been wonderful to see the children settling back into school life and sharing their exciting adventures and experiences from the break. The smiles, laughter and enthusiasm around the Pre-Prep have made for a fantastic start to the term. The children have adapted brilliantly to their new classrooms, teachers and daily routines, showing confidence, independence and a real eagerness to learn. We are incredibly proud of how positively they have approached the start of the academic year and are looking forward to all that lies ahead.
As the children become familiar with their new schedules, there may be a few small refinements to routines and timetables during the coming weeks. We will, of course, keep families informed of any updates. Timetables for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will be circulated once we have completed a full week together, allowing us to ensure arrangements are fully established and working effectively for all children.
Safe to say, we are excited for a year filled with learning, discovery and memorable experiences, and we thank you for your continued support as we begin this new chapter together.
If you have any questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact your child’s class teacher directly via email, or get in touch with the School Office. Here are the relevant email addresses for your convenience:
- Year 2: Mrs Timba e.timba@hamptonprep.org.uk
- Year 1: Miss Madden h.madden@hamptonprep.org.uk
- Reception: Miss Johnston s.annandale-johnston@hamptonprep.org.uk
- Kindergarten Mrs Hand a.hand@hamptonprep.org.uk
Our assemblies on Thursdays are all about celebrating the children’s achievements – in and out of school. Mr Barr will be joining us at this time, so please do send in any certificates, medals or trophies that your child would like to share. A short note to your child’s teacher explaining the award is always appreciated, especially for unique hobbies and interests!
This week the Courtesy Cup and Badge went to Aarav (Year 2) for his consistent positive and cheerful good mornings and an accompanying “How are you?”
and Stars of the Week were awarded to:
- Year 2: Niam for his exceptional effort in all his endeavours since joining Year 2. He has worked incredibly hard and is constantly looking for ways to be kind and helpful. Keep it up!
- Year 1: Siena for meeting every lesson with a positive attitude and a smile, even on week one!
- Reception: Jon M and Dominic for settling in beautifully to Reception class.
Many congratulations to the following children for their achievements outside of school. It has clearly been a busy summer!
- Year 2 – Oscar attended his brother Max’s Hampton football match and was awarded a medal for being the mascot.
- Ivaan completed the Summer Reading Challenge, Read to the Beat.
- Aric attended Jam Coding Camp, where he became a Digital Superstar, and also completed the Summer Reading Challenge.
- Amir-Ali completed the Summer Reading Challenge at two libraries, earning himself nine medals. He also attended a Mother Nature Science Camp, achieved the highest points every day, and was awarded a special prize for being the camp’s best student.
- Reyansh for completing the Summer Reading challenge.
A gentle reminder: please ensure your child brings a coat to school each day, even if the sun is shining when you leave home. The weather can be unpredictable, and we want everyone to stay warm and dry.
Individual and class photographs will take place on Tuesday 15 September. It is important that all children come to school in their full school uniform on this day, looking their smartest.
Our Reading Information Evening for parents of children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will take place next week on Thursday 17 September at 6.30pm.
During the evening, colleagues will share our approach to reading and explain how reading is taught and supported within each year group. To ensure the information is tailored to the specific needs of your child, presentations will take place in the individual classrooms.
To provide easy access to the site, the front gate will be removed from the biometric system between 6.25pm and 7.25pm. Please enter the school via the usual morning drop off point.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing how we support our children on their reading journey.
Class round-ups will begin next week once we’ve had a full week together. In the meantime, we wish you a restful and happy weekend.
Have a wonderful weekend!
On the Sports Field
The beginning of year Sports Assembly this week focused on the importance of sportsmanship, and I was expertly assisted by our Yr 6 Sports Ambassadors, Luca, Ollie, Aurelian, Rubah, Varin and Alfred, who did a fantastic job acting out examples of both good and bad sportsmanship. The boys showed great energy and humour demonstrating how sportsmanship is built on the values of respect, responsibility and integrity; three of our Pride values. We discussed how this means treating teammates, opponents, coaches and officials fairly, taking responsibility for our actions, and doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.
We also explored an interesting tension that exists in sport. The objective of football, rugby, cricket, athletics and countless other sports is, of course, to win. However, sportsmanship does not get in the way of success; rather, supports it. Playing with respect, honesty and self-control makes teams stronger, helps players regulate their emotions under pressure and ensures that sport remains enjoyable for everyone involved. Ultimately, how we behave is just as important as the result.
These themes have been evident in training this week. The boys have worked hard, shown a willingness to learn and supported one another well. As we begin a new sporting year, our message remains simple: compete hard, try your best to win, but do so with respect, responsibility and integrity. If we can achieve that balance, the boys will not only become better sportsmen, but better teammates and young people too. With this in mind, I look forward to seeing your boys take part in a successful sporting year ahead.
By Mr Salt – Head of Sports
Year 3 TeamBuilding
To kick off their Hampton adventure, our new Year 3 pupils enjoyed a morning of teambuilding activities designed to help them build relationships, resilience and teamwork.
They worked together to walk on stilts, carefully navigate an obstacle course without touching the ground, and tackle a tricky memory maze. For the maze, pupils had to remember the correct route across a grid and communicate with their partner to make sure they didn’t take a wrong step.
Along the way, the boys learnt each other’s names, made new friends and worked together to overcome each challenge. Plenty of encouragement and collaboration made for a great teambuilding success! A brilliant way to begin their Hampton Prep adventure!
Staff Shine Walk for Cancer Research
We are walking in loving memory of our dear colleague, Di Gellner-Ward, whose warmth, kindness, dedication and sense of fun touched the lives of everyone at our school.
She was truly cherished by both staff and children, and we miss her greatly every day. Di brought such joy to her role – whether it was encouraging a love of reading in the library she so proudly ran, or gently reminding children to “eat up” at lunchtime with her trademark care and positivity. Her encouragement helped so many children grow in confidence and curiosity.
By taking part in this walk, we honour her memory and the incredible difference she made, while raising vital funds for Cancer Research. Di will always be remembered with great affection, and she continues to inspire us all.
