St Margaret's Prep School Newsletter - 12 February 2016
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Transcript of St Margaret's Prep School Newsletter - 12 February 2016
Prep Newsletter Friday
12th February 2016
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Dear Parents,
Tuesday was internet safety day and as we do each term we have spent the week reinforcing positive use of the internet in class, in assemblies and through interactive activities at break times. Thank you to Miss Smith for organising all of this. The internet is so beneficial increasingly in life, therefore it is so important that children use it carefully and know how to respond appropriately if they experience anything negative. In other words they should be internet SMART. Kindness and respect are two of our main rules at St Margaret’s and girls are frequently reminded that they should only say kind words in a kind way: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say it at all”. I urge all parents to be aware of what your child is doing on line at all times and keep the lines of communication open. For more advice please visit:
http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2016/parents
SAFE Keep your personal information safe
MEET Friends made online are strangers;
meeting them can be dangerous
ACCEPTING Accepting files can be dangerous. If
unsure, ask an adult!
RELIABLE Not everyone or everything online is
reliable or trustworthy
TELL Always tell an adult if something online
upsets or worries you
Taken from http://www.saferinternet.org.uk
Lunchtime Concert
On Monday lunchtime we had a packed Upper Prep Hall, full of girls and
parents supporting those who were performing. For many of the
performers this was the first time they had played to an audience and
despite being slightly nervous, each one performed with poise and grace.
We were delighted to hear from all of the performers and are very much
looking forward to hearing them, and others, in the not too distant future.
What is impressive is how many children have been inspired by last
Thursday’s wonderful Prep School Music Concert and the Lunchtime
Concert and have requested to learn an instrument or have singing
lessons.
Our soloists were:
Aneesa, Y3 – Violin Aryana, Y6 - Guitar
Doris, Y3 – Violin Arya, Y3 – Saxophone
Ishiya, Y4 – Piano Beatrice, Y4 – Violin
Karisma, Y5 – Piano Mayuri, Y5 – Piano
Anjali, Y6 – Violin
Valentine’s Discos
As always there is
much excitement
before such an event to
consider what clothes
will be worn. Yesterday
evening all of the girls
looked splendid in their
party clothes, many of
which were very
sparkly. During the
parties there was much
dancing, playing
games and having an
enormous amount of
fun. A big thank you to
Sholee, our Zumba
teacher, who ran the
parties and ensured
that everyone had a
great time!
Sponsored Spell
Today your daughter has brought home a letter and her sponsored
spelling list. Please encourage her to learn these words as she will be
tested during the first week back after half term. Please would you also
enable her to collect sponsors to donate money for words from the list
spelled correctly. All money raised will go into the Prep School
Adventure Playground ‘pot’ as we would like to have a wonderful area for
the children to play on when we move to our new building.
Those pupils in the Upper Prep who score highly in their test will go
forward to the Spelling Bee semi-final and then into the final (if they are
one of the top scorers) which takes place on Wednesday 2nd March (not
the 1st as advertised, as Year 6 will be out on an educational visit). Those
pupils who attain the dizzy heights of being in the Spelling Bee final will
be given any words to spell verbally, in accordance with what is expected
for their age.
Mufti Day
The girls always enjoy Mufti Day and coming to school dressed in their
home clothes. Today the Lower Prep came in in their home clothes and
the Upper Prep in their onesies! There is a serious side to the day as it
encourages all of the children to think of others. Through the kind
donations from this Mufti Day we have raised £430 to be shared amongst
the House charities. Thank you for your generosity.
HOUSE CHARITIES
SOUTHWARK House Captains: Arabella and Aryana
ST JOHN’S House Captains: Mia and Marina
WATERHOUSE House Captains: Camille and Ruby
WINSOR House Captains: Anjali and Nikita
School At Work Open Morning
On Thursday 25th our school will be open for visitors to view the school
working. If you have not yet visited a part of the school we invite you to
do so as whilst you may be familiar with one part of the School it is
beneficial seeing it in action.
St. David's Day on Tuesday 1st
March is celebrated by
the British, in particular those who are Welsh or live
in Wales. Each year on St David’s Day many people
wear a daffodil or leek and children, wear traditional
costumes. We invite those children who attend
Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs or
Scouts to wear their uniform to school on this day.
World Book Week and Dress Up As Your Favourite Character
Over the last couple of years we have celebrated World Book day with a
variety of activities to promote the enjoyment of reading, a special
literary themed lunch and dressing up as a favourite book character. This
year we will again be promoting a love of books through a range of
activities, having a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ themed lunch and dressing up.
Please talk with your daughter to determine who her favourite book
character is and why. She could bring in the book to share with her
friends on the day too. Please think how she could dress up as this
favourite character. You do not need to buy anything - be creative and
use clothing that you already have at home. For inspiration please visit:
http://www.netmums.com/activities/dressing-up-ideas/world-book-day-
dressing-up-ideas
http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-
site/gallery/2015/feb/16/what-to-wear-on-world-book-day-2015
Parents’ Evenings
After half term we will be inviting you to meet with your daughter’s
teacher to discuss the progress she is making academically, pastorally
and personally. We will be holding the Lower and Upper Prep Parents’
Evening on the same day so that parents with children in both areas only
need to have one evening meeting. For those parents whose daughter is
in the Upper Prep you will also have the opportunity to meet with the
subject specialists.
Sainsbury’s Active Kids Vouchers
We have begun to collect these vouchers in
the Active Kids box in the Upper Prep Office
(Lower Prep may put their vouchers into the
post box in the Lower Prep entrance). We
have a very willing team of Year 6’s, led by
Angel, who will be encouraging all of the
girls to bring in their vouchers, count all of
the vouchers and decide what they would
like to buy with them. Last year we were
able to buy a number of toys which are now
used regularly at play times.
Mother’s Day Assembly
For the last three years we have had a special assembly to celebrate our
mothers and this year is no different. All of our Prep School pupils will be
taking part and all mothers are invited. There has been a change of
timing. On Tuesday 8th March please park in the Sports Centre car park
and walk over to the Senior School Hall which will be open from 14:15.
Mrs Hardy will be giving a short presentation before the children begin
their assembly. At the end of the assembly all children will return to
class. After you have had refreshments you may collect your daughter to
go home. However, Zumba (Years 1 - 6), Science Club and Supervised
Study (Years 3 - 6) and the After School Club (Rec - Year 6) will all run as
usual.
Zumba
Our Upper Prep Zumba
Class has a few spaces
available commencing
from the Summer Term.
Please e-mail Mrs Daws for
further information ASAP.
Congratulations to our Year 2 and Year 3 Ballerina’s who have all passed
their recent ballet exam:
Year Two
Aditi
Annabelle
Isabella
Juliette
Karisma
Meghana
Rebecca
Saanya
Year Three
Alessia
Amaya
Aneesa
Anqi
Grace
Tia
Zienna
Year 3: Individual Examination. Each girl has a copy of their chosen
poem. In addition, examination information and their chosen poem will be
on a separate sheet for each girl to take home this week.
Group Exams
Year 4: Group Introductory Stage 3
This examination requires the group to work as a team:
speaking a poem in unison (with individual lines in part), from
memory
reacting to one another in a group imagination exercise provided by
the examiner at the time of the examination
Each girl has a copy of the chosen poem ‘A Football Game’ (please
revise the lines over half-term).
Year 5: Group Devising Drama Entry Grade
This examination requires the group to create a devised scene from a
book and to perform it as an ensemble.
Each girl has an outline of the story to be presented: ‘Oliver Twist’ or
‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.
It would be helpful if girls can focus on the fluency and expression of the
spoken lines they have created for their character over the half-term.
Year 6: Group Musical Theatre Grade 1
This is part of the new examination syllabus from LAMDA. This
examination requires the group to perform a musical scene through:
creating their own context for the scene (a situation with dialogue)
performing a song from memory
Each girl has a copy of their chosen song: ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ or ‘Oh,
the Thinks You Can Think!’ (please refresh/learn lines over the half-term).
Many thanks for your support!
Mrs C Aisthorpe
Head of St. Margaret’s Preparatory School
Congratulations Lower Prep Star of the Week
(last week)
Reception: Suhana
Year 1: Sania
Year 2: Meghana & Anneliese
Commendation
CONGRATULATIONS to…
Aditi, Y3 Fatima, Y3 Katie, Y6
Marina, Y3 Mathura, Y3
Nikita, Y6 Shriya, Y4 Sienna, Y5
Tia, Y3
Lower Prep Environmental Day
Each term the Lower Prep children spend time
learning more about the environment, noticing
the changes in the season to develop their
understanding of the world around them. Lower
Prep children will:
Website
As mentioned at the beginning of this term, we have been updating the
Parent Area of the School website. This week we have added ‘How to
Support Your Child With Reading’. Please take a look -
www.stmargaretsbushey.co.uk - Parents - Prep Parents. I would welcome
● come to school wearing their full PE kit and trainers to school
● NOT need their bag or reading folder
Certificate
CONGRATULATIONS to…
Lily, Y3
suggestions as to what you
would like to see in the Prep
Area of our website.
February
22nd Term recommences
22nd-26th
Prep School Sponsored Spelling Week
24th 16:15-17:15 No Swimming Training due to Gala
25th 09:30-12:00 School at Work Open Morning
29th-4th
Prep School World Book Week
March
1st
St David’s Day- girls may come to school wearing their Rainbow/Brownies/Guides/Beavers/Cubs/ Scouts uniform.
1st Year 6 visit to Lincolnsfield Centre (school uniform)
2ns 13:30-14:00 Upper Prep Inter House Spelling Bee
3rd Year 5 visit to St Albans Abbey
4th Prep School “Dress up as your favourite book character”
7th 16:15-17:20 Years 5 & 6 Netball v St Hilda’s (Home)
8th 14:30-15:30 Mother’s Day Assembly, Senior School Hall
10th Lower Prep Environmental Day
16th Year 4 visit to Water Works
17th-18th
LAMDA exams
22nd 15:30-20:00 Rec – Year 6 - Parents’ Evening
24th Prep School Mufti Day
24th 14:00 Term Ends
April
12th Summer Term begins
Dates
Reception
“
This week in Reception we have been learning
about Chinese New Year. We made dragon masks,
lovely lanterns, a giant handprint dragon and
special Chinese hats.
Year 1
“
Year 1 have been learning about
place value. We have been using
a range of resources to help us
visualise tens and units.
Year 2
“
Year 2 were strutting their stuff on the catwalk this week with a fabulous
fashion show of 60's, 70's and 80's attire. The girls enjoyed researching
their chosen decade and working in small groups to dress a model from
their era and talk about what they were wearing. Reception were invited
to watch and everyone was fantastic.
Year 3
“
Busy times in Year 3
It has been another busy week in Year 3.
There is always so much to do and so
many exciting things to learn about and
to share.
In the last week the girls have done lots
of interesting things. They have drawn
graphs and extracted data and
information from graphs of many
different types, they have written
promises about how they intend to help
the environment and try to minimise
pollution, they have learnt about food
and feasting in Roman times, what it
was like to live as a shepherd at the time
that Jesus was alive, done
Comprehension and Grammar, learnt
about the U.K. and investigated a key on
a map, made posters highlighting the
need for the safe use of medicine in
I.C.T., created some cartoon animal
pictures, practised tables, learnt
spellings and many other things
besides!
There is always so much to learn and
enjoy.
Happy half term!
Internet Safety Day
In Year 4 we discussed posting online or writing comments to
people. A lot of the children play games online where they can
write messages to others. We discussed how we should always
say positive things and make people feel happy. We were then
given photos and Post-it notes to write positive comments to the
people in the picture.
Year 4
“
Year 5
describe and identify obtuse, acute, reflex and
This week the girls have been measuring
angles using protractors. They can
right angles. I was very impressed by their
perseverance and concentration and many of the girls felt proud
of themselves and said it was something they had found very
difficult in the past. It just goes to show that practice makes
perfect! Great work girls.
In Art, Year 6 have
been learning about
optical illusions. We
have examined
famous paintings
and the girls have
had to use their
observation skills to
note anything that
may be out of place.
In this painting
by William
Hogarth there
are a number of
errors of
perspective;
how many can
you spot?
Year 6
We have also been exploring how colour and shape can be used to make
pictures appear to be moving or even 3 dimensional. The girls have been
enjoying making their own designs and asking their peers to examine the
optical effects.
Drawing a
sphere
Blivet
decoration Impossible
triangle