The Bulletin Edition 9

This morning, the boys in 3M embraced our centenary theme of 100 by exploring the last century of climate observation and analysis. Their work led to a clear and strongly communicated message: if we want the next 100 years to be environmentally secure, we all have a responsibility to act now. The sophistication with which the boys presented their findings was remarkable for Year 3 pupils. They also demonstrated an impressive understanding of current world events, linking their assembly presentation to the importance of COP29, currently taking place in Azerbaijan. It was inspiring to see their passion and knowledge, and we agreed there are likely future climate change leaders among them. Their powerful message resonated deeply with us all!

This week, we have had the pleasure of marking Anti-Bullying Week by focusing on the importance of choosing respect. Our Form Tutors have facilitated engaging discussions with the boys about how making positive choices, such as showing respect, can often lead to better outcomes than simply avoiding negative actions like bullying.

One of the joys of the independent sector is the extra offering it provides in terms of opportunities in sport, the arts and life experiences. A recent Harvard Business School by Gompers et al. (2024), No Revenge for Nerds? Evaluating the Careers of Ivy League Athletes, had me reflecting on our own sport provision and appreciating the long-term value it holds for our boys. The report read that:

What a wonderful week it has been in Pre-Prep! Our children have embraced the spirit of kindness, respect, and remembrance, reflecting the values we hold dear in our school community. Year 2 joined members of the Prep department in observing Remembrance Day on Monday morning. With great reverence, they participated in a moment of reflection, paying tribute to those who served and sacrificed for our country, poignantly including a roll call of former pupils of the School, that is, Denmead School as the School was formerly known pre-January 2016. It was a thoughtful and moving occasion, and we were so proud to see how maturely the children responded to this important moment of reflection.

In Kindergarten, we have been learning about Poppy Day and understanding why we wear poppies. We explored information on the interactive whiteboard about Remembrance Day, discovering the stories of soldiers who bravely fought in the war. We discussed how the money raised from selling poppies helps us remember these brave men and women and supports injured soldiers and their families. We also enjoyed making our own poppies! Using split pins, we created poppies, sorted them by size, and made poppy stained-glass windows, which are now proudly displayed in our classroom. We decorated poppy biscuits by spreading red icing and placing a chocolate button in the centre to resemble a poppy. Additionally, we watched the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in London and participated in the two-minute silence at 11am. 

This week, Reception have been exploring our exciting new topic, ‘Animals of the World’. We’ve had some fascinating discussions about animal conservation, considering how places like zoos and safari parks play a vital role not only in caring for animals but also in raising awareness of the importance of protecting wildlife in their natural habitats. We delved into the life and work of wildlife broadcaster and biologist Sir David Attenborough. We listened to his Little People, Big Dreams autobiography and were amazed to learn how a young David’s passion for nature and animals led him to pursue his fascination through university studies.

This week in Year 1 we have continued with our focus of poetry in English. We have been learning a beautiful poem called The Secret Song, by Margaret Wise Brown, and we practised reciting it with expression. We looked at the way the poem is structured – with questions and a response. We used this learning to help us write our own questions, thinking carefully about how to spell those tricky question words, and of course punctuating these correctly with a question mark.

Year 2 have had a busy week! In maths the children have worked really hard, bringing together all their addition and subtraction of 2 two-digit numbers knowledge. Using base 10 equipment, they were able to work on calculations where they have to exchange 1 ten for 10 ones in order to complete the addition and subtraction equations. They showed determination and good partitioning skills throughout.