The Bulletin Edition 27

You may, I confess, have begun to notice a pattern. Indonesia. Italy. Now Ireland. If there is a suspicion forming among parents and boys alike that I have developed an inexplicable attachment to countries whose names begin with the letter ‘I’, I can offer no convincing defence. I can only say that the world is endlessly rich, and it is only a coincidence that some of its most instructive corners happen to sit under that particular letter of the alphabet!

We have already drawn much from Indonesia from an assembly, and in just over a week, my colleagues and I shall have the very great pleasure of accompanying the Year 6 boys on their residential trip to Italy; a journey that promises we hope not just wonderful memories, but a living encounter with the beauty of the Italian alpine landscape, much history and culture and plenty of adventure to boot, on a scale that no classroom can fully replicate.

This week in assembly however, as part of our ongoing theme The People on Our Planet, I turned the boys’ attention rather further back in time to the Ancient Irish Celtic legal tradition known as the Brehon Laws.

What struck me, preparing the assembly, was how thoroughly modern these laws feel, despite being well over a thousand years old. The ancient Irish Celts built something remarkable: not a system of power enforced from above, but a philosophy of fair living, administered by trained judges – known as Brehons – who spent years studying not merely the letter of the law, but its spirit. The laws themselves are striking in their breadth. They protected women’s rights for a start, at a time when such provisions were essentially unheard of elsewhere. They enshrined obligations of hospitality. They offered protections to animals, to rivers, and even to trees.

The lesson I most wanted the boys in the Prep to take away was the distinction the Brehon Laws draw between cleverness and wisdom. A clever person can tell you what the rule says. A wise person can tell you what is truly right, alongside the rule. The Brehon Laws were never about catching people out or applying sanctions mechanically; they were about repair, restoration and understanding. When something went wrong, the question was not how do we punish? but how do we put this right?

Five lessons, I suggested to the boys, survive from this ancient tradition into our own lives today:

1. That wisdom matters more than “cleverness” alone.
2. That we are not merely individuals but members of communities and that our actions ripple outward.
3. That making amends is worth more than simply saying sorry.
4. That we must protect what cannot be replaced.
5. That every person we encounter carries a story we may not yet have heard, which means first responding empathetically where we can.

I left the boys with a question: can you think of a time when you had to choose between following the rule exactly, and doing what actually felt right? The Brehon would say this is not a contradiction. Rules are a starting point. Wisdom is knowing when and how to apply them, with judgement, fairness, and heart.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

Here’s a round-up of our Instagram posts from this week – take a look below!

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Make sure to follow us on Instagram for regular updates and snapshots of daily school life.

Rain has unfortunately stopped play for a number of fixtures over the past couple of weeks, with the U9s particularly affected. Happily, their fixture against Newland House has been rearranged for 16 June (away). By Wednesday, the rain had cleared and we were able to return to action, with the U11 A and B teams facing Twickenham Prep, while the U10 A–D teams took on Surbiton. In the U11 A fixture, the boys made light work of the Twickenham batting line-up, bowling them out for 95, with Zach impressing with figures of three wickets from just 18 balls for seven runs. Twickenham responded well, however, taking the match into the final over. Siddharth kept his composure superbly, guiding the team to 96 with four balls remaining and three wickets in hand in a well-managed chase.

Year 5 and Year 6 brought theatrical magic to their spectacular production of Dracula Rocks — a whirlwind of comedy, chaos, and classic rock. Families were transported to Doomsbury, where Zombies and Vampires rose from underground, Dracula awoke from his centuries‑long slumber, and the ever‑determined Inspector Shirley Holmes set out to solve the town’s mysterious mayhem. The show was packed with unforgettable moments: An Ant‑and‑Dec‑style judging panel that had everyone laughing, magical potions transforming characters into Wild West outlaws, a show‑stopping performance from rock band The Blood Brothers, complete with electrifying vocals and attitude. With high‑energy choreography and powerhouse singing, the cast filled the stage with confidence, humour, and personality. The finale - Everybody’s Gotta Rock - ended the night on a triumphant high!

We were delighted to host a Mini Careers event for the Year 6 boys. We are extremely grateful to the three parents who generously gave their time to support this initiative. Rather than focusing solely on specific career pathways, the session explored the varied journeys that can lead to different professions. Our speakers spoke candidly about the twists and turns they had experienced, including unexpected changes and evolving priorities. There was also a strong emphasis on the importance of transferable skills, and how these may adapt in a rapidly changing future.

Year 6 enjoyed a fantastic day in London as they travelled to the Shaftesbury Theatre to watch Hadestown, a powerful retelling of the myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone, set against a Depression‑era backdrop. The production explored not only mythology but also themes of climate change and the impact of hoarding wealth while others suffer. Pupils were captivated by the exceptional singing and the unique choice to have the band performing on stage. They also noticed the strong stagecraft, with cast members staying fully in character even when not part of the main action - a great model for our own future performers. The simple yet striking set design, especially the atmospheric portrayal of Hadestown, left a lasting impression. Year 6 represented the school brilliantly throughout the trip, and an interval ice cream made the afternoon even sweeter!

Year 4 transformed the hall into a charming slice of France as they welcomed families for a vibrant French breakfast celebration. Pupils confidently introduced key French vocabulary and phrases, proudly showing off the pronunciation skills they’ve been perfecting this term. Grown‑ups were swept into the fun, joining pupils in lively language activities that tested quick thinking, memory, and a healthy dose of friendly competition. Laughter, teamwork, and enthusiastic attempts at French accents filled the room. The morning ended on a delicious high with warm croissants and pain au chocolat - all ordered en français, of course. A true miam miam moment that left everyone smiling!

Goodness me, it’s hard to believe how quickly the first half of term has flown by! The children have worked incredibly hard and enjoyed a wide range of activities, making it a truly memorable few weeks. As we look ahead to the second half of term, we are excited for an action-packed schedule. There will be more trips to enjoy, our much-anticipated Sports Day led by Mr Salt and his colleagues on the games staff, and we will finish the term with a major highlight - our Summer Concert and Prize Giving on Thursday 2 July at 9.30 am. We look forward to celebrating in what promises to be a wonderful end to the school year.

This week, our focus has been The Rainbow Fish, a story that encouraged us to think deeply about kindness, sharing, and the happiness we feel when we make others smile - just like the Rainbow Fish sharing his shimmering scales. Together, we explored the difference between making good choices and poor choices, agreeing that actions such as sharing, using kind words, helping our friends, and following our Golden Rules leave us feeling proud, pleased, and happy. 

We’ve had a ‘beary’ fun-filled week in Reception, learning all about bears! The children discovered that there are many different types of bears living in a range of habitats around the world — from polar bears enjoying the freezing Arctic climate to sun bears living in the tropical forests of Asia.  We loved watching author Michael Rosen read his story “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”, which inspired us to write our own versions in our creative writing sessions. The children explored the rich and imaginative language used in the story and practised adding exciting adjectives to make their own writing more descriptive and engaging. 

This week in Maths, we started exploring the topic of position and direction. The children have been learning how to describe movement and recognise different positions using mathematical language. We placed a great emphasis on recognising left and right, and the children worked very hard to build their confidence with this. This is something that can easily be practised at home too, whether when getting dressed, giving directions, or during everyday activities. 

In English, the children have completed their rainforest creature fact files.  Their work is beautifully presented and demonstrates excellent factual knowledge. They then turned their attention to another book written by Lynne Cherry (who wrote The Kapok Tree) - ‘The Shaman’s Apprentice’, and they were delighted to find out about the work of the co-author and ethnobotanist Mark J. Plotkin. The children went on a voyage of discovery with him in a film of his work with the Tirio Indians.  We were able to put ourselves in the shoes of the rainforest tribes and to understand the glorious, medicinal powers of the rainforest.