Prep Life 2014

2014 Yearbook of Prior Park Prep School

PREP LIFE

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Contents4 The Acorns

14 Lower Prep

22 Upper Prep

30 All School 34 Sport 42 Drama 46 Trips 52 Family

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A WARM WELCOMEIt is with great pride that I have witnessed so many highlights and successes over the past year. Given that we are a relatively small and close knit community, the scope of pupils’ achievements still amazes me.

The successes have come in traditional ways, such as results on the sports field and academic examinations, but equally pleasing is the commitment shown by our pupils to always be their best self. Whether it is the offer of a hand in friendship, demonstration of tolerance and compassion, and listening to others, the kindness shown by Prior Park children every day is testament to the values we promote here at school. These values and characteristics were evident throughout all we did as a school this year. Our new pupil code of conduct, The Prior Way, has encouraged pupils to be more aware of what it means to be a member of the Prior community and to place greater emphasis upon their own positive contribution to the world around them.

What we strive to achieve is to ensure the happiness of every boy and every girl. The smiling faces of children shines from the pages of this magazine and demonstrates the commitment

of all staff here at Prior Park to ensuring children receive the best all round education possible. This strength of ‘family feel’ is a distinctive part of our ethos.

Hopefully you feel the magazine gives a flavour of the wonderful, inspirational education readily available here. The opportunities afforded to every pupil, regardless of talents and abilities, is endless and I am thrilled that we have launched this magazine to celebrate such magnificent highlights from the past academic year. Highlights which include the launch of a new personal development Prior Award Scheme for our Year 5 & 6 pupils, cultural tours to Barcelona and Paris, major art projects and a fully enriched outdoor learning programme.

I do hope you enjoy reading the magazine and myself, and staff, look forward to an equally successful 2014-15 academic year.

Mark Pearce, Headmaster

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The Acorns Lower Prep Upper Prep All School

6 Nursery

7 Reception

8 Year 1

9 Year 2

10 Key Events 2013/14The Acorns

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Our Nursery children had great fun learning with Miss Griffiths and Miss Blanford this year. They got to do lots of exciting things!

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All the King’s horses

Mud, glorious mud!A big topic for the children this year was ‘Emergency’. They identified all the different types of emergency vehicles and on the making table we used recycled materials to make our own emergency vehicles.

They enjoyed a special visit from the Wiltshire Fire Service who talked to the children about safe toys to play with and what not to play with, which included matchsticks and lighters.

The Nursery pupils even managed to carry out their own emergency rescue!

The children got to sing plenty of nursery rhymes and even had a go making and singing their own rhymes! Humpty Dumpty was the class favourite and they all had a great time making their classroom display.

Their imaginations were certainly put to the test throughout the year. They had fun learning how to use the water butt to turn the soil into mud. Once they had made the mud, the children used their imagination and creativity to pretend to make potion in the cauldrons.

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Can’t go over it…

Two by two

The Reception class had lots of fun on their ‘Journey’ topic this year. They made storyboards of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ and also went on their own bear hunt during Outdoor Lessons.

They have also enjoyed reading the story of Noah’s Ark. In Art classes, children created every type of animal to go in it!

For their topic on ‘Space’, Reception class turned into a space ship and the children loved getting dressed up as astronauts!

The final frontier

ROAR!

Reception had a wonderful time learning about Dinosaurs. They used non fiction books to find out about the different types of dinosaurs: carnivores like the T-Rex and herbivores like the diplodocus. The children also had their very own pet sale, with the children using different coins to buy their favourite pets.

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Year 1 enjoyed spending time with Mrs Brookes in the art studio this year.Whilst there they made some marvellous creations including their own dandelions to complement their studies of the lifecycle of a dandelion!

Blowing in the wind

Year 1 created a ‘Seascape’ inspired by the artist George Seurat and Pointillism.

It was a real team effort and they all worked hard to create a massive painting of sky, sea and sand. They created their own patterns with dots in the picture. They applied paint and colour by using cotton buds, the handle end of paint brushes and felt tips.

A fun topic was ‘The Old Way and the New Way’, looking at how the world has changed over the years. They looked at the differences between old toys and new toys and the children were really pleased to bring in toys their parents and grandparents used to play with when they were small children.

Old school

JOIN THE DOTS

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Another highlight for Year 2 was their visit to the STEAM Museum in Swindon to help with their topic on Evacuees. They experienced what it would be like in an air raid shelter and to have been evacuated.

Wartime spirit

Viva Mexico!Year 2 children were transported to Mexico this year! They enjoyed a big topic on this Hispanic country. They cooked pavarones (Mexican cookies) and tortillas and designed their own Mexican masks.

The Mexican boarders came to talk to the children and answer questions and the children paraded through the school in their masks they had made.

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The Acorns put on a delightful Nativity play this year – ‘A Little Bird Told Me’. Christmas always symbolises a very special magical time but it was made more so with their sweet performances. We were very proud of their efforts!

Magic of Christmas

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Grannies and Grandads made a return to the classroom at Acorns this year. Pupils invited their grandparents into their classroom to get involved with an afternoon of lessons and to see the children hard at work and play. It was a good opportunity for grandparents to experience modern learning and share in their grandchildren’s learning.

The children were so excited that their grandparents had come along for the day. It was wonderful for the grandparents to see the work the children had been doing and to take an active part in the curriculum. All of the grandparents were enthusiastic and willing to get their hands dirty during the lessons.

It was particularly brilliant to see all the grandparents perched on the tiny chairs in the Nursery and Reception class!

Great Grandparents

“It was so much fun, I wish this could happen every day!”Maddy Hinder-Smith, Year 1

The Acorns Lower Prep Upper Prep

A visit to our Forest School in Fairford is a weekly highlight for our Acorns pupils. Children loved spending time exploring, creating structures, playing games, and on some occasions, drinking hot chocolate and eating marshmallows at the end of their visit.

It certainly helped to build their confidence and develop new skills through hands-on learning in a woodland environment. Some activities this year included a bear hunt, creating trails, listening games, creating natural structures and painting with mud!

Woodlandadventures

All School

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Harry Potter Spiderman Batman Cinderella The Stig DonatelloSnow White Where’s WallyTigger Someone else Harry Potter, Spiderman, Batman, Cinderella, The Stig and Snow White were just some of the characters who made an appearance at Acorns for World Book Day. The children dressed as their favourite book characters and the enthusiasm of the children and the ideas for their costumes was a sight to behold.

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All School

16 Year 3

18 Year 4

19 Year 5LowerPrep

All SchoolThe Acorns Lower Prep Upper Prep

What an exciting and busy year this has been for Year 3 children!

Tarantulas, snakes, beetles and frogs were just some of the creepy crawlies found in the Year 3 classroom over the course of the year. But these were not unwanted intruders.

In Geography lessons, Year 3 learned about rainforests around the globe and spent time exploring the different animals that inhabit the rainforests.

Paul Carpenter from ‘Life in the Rainforest’ visited the school and brought with him a range of insects, tarantulas, arachnids, amphibians and reptiles for the children to view and in some cases touch! Paul also talked to the children about his experiences in different rainforests around the world where he has discovered several new species of tarantula.

TOTALLY TROPICAL

Our aims included providing an insightful experience that should develop and extend the pupils’ knowledge of rainforests and the animals that live in these rainforests. There is nothing quite like feeling the sticky skin of a tree frog to bring a topic alive!Miss Chadwick, class teacher

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When in Rome…A big topic for the children was the study of The Romans. Year 3 children tucked into a Roman Feast to mark the conclusion of their study of this important part of History. The children were divided up into different parts ; a slave, an entertainer and a diner. They dressed up in character and ate authentic food. Diners were treated to various forms of entertainment from singers, musicians to acrobatics!

In addition, Year 3 had an enjoyable visit to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester to further their Roman knowledge! There was plenty to learn from this trip to the museum.

They started the day with a workshop where they learnt how to play Roman games, made mosaics, studied Roman pottery and even got to dress up like Romans! Afterwards, the children went and studied a life sized Roman soldier. This was particularly interesting as they had been looking at life as a Roman soldier in the classroom.

For the last part of the visit the pupils had the opportunity to explore the rest of the museum and look at things that they found particularly interesting which included part of a hypocaust, Roman coins and the chance to sample some Roman smells.

Bare bones

An imaginative Science lesson saw skeletons come alive outdoors for Year 3 pupils. They learnt about the human body and its 206 bones.

Pupils went outside to our Conservation Area where they made skeletons using anything that they could find in the ground, namely sticks and stones. Bringing English into the lesson, children then made up stories about who their skeletons were, what their life was like and where they had come from. Great fun was had by all in these imaginative lessons!


Ancient Egypt was a big topic for our Year 4 pupils this year. Ancient Egypt is a fascinating subject for children, who love to learn about the Sphinx, the pyramids, the tombs, and mummification (and all the gory details of how it was done!). They were even fortunate enough to visit the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford to complement their classroom studies.

They were fascinated to see so many amazing artefacts and were particularly thrilled to see a real life mummy and a mummified cat!

Step back in timeYear 4 children donned Victorian dress for an absorbing and fascinating historical day out at the Black Country Museum to aid their learning on The Victorians in their History lessons.

The museum is an award winning open air living museum that tells the story of the Black Country and of the people that once lived and worked in the heart of Industrial Britain.

Walk like an Egyptian

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Prior Park Prep School is hopping with excitement to be involved with the Cirencester Hare Festival.

The school is a proud sponsor of the Cirencester March Hare Festival, which has seen an abundance of fibreglass model hares distributed around the town. Year 5 pupils were chosen as the year group to be involved with the project. Their aim was to decorate the hare with found objects and mosaics.

Mrs Brookes, Head of Art, was inspired by many sources from the walls of temples in Thailand to American mural portraits. However, the main inspiration

for the hare was Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. Hence, the name given to the hare was Hareoh the Pharaoh!

The pupils had already learned about Egypt in previous History lessons and had mastered the art of writing their names in Hieroglyphics. The hare was painted gold and Year 5 pupils were set the task of collecting a variety of unwanted non-perishable small items to decorate the hare. Items collected include wheels from small toy cars, old board game pieces, Lego, old jewellery, beads, brooches, broken China pieces, buttons, shells and much more.

Rolling stones

Mad for the March hare

Lucky Year 5 children also found time to visit Stonehenge, Wiltshire’s World Heritage Site. Guides took the pupils by ‘train’ to the stones as the visitor centre is some distance from the Ancient Monument. They explored one of the nearby burial barrows and discovered what items were buried in the mound with the body of a Bronze Age Woman.

The stones themselves were an impressive sight and the pupils had some time to prepare a sketch of them. The new visitor centre was really impressive and the virtual Stonehenge room which followed the stones through the seasons was very relaxing!

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To boldly go…

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Inside the magical atmosphere of the Dome… there is more to explore than Space alone.Pupils were transported into space when a silver Explorer Dome made a landing in the School Hall.

A lively, interactive hands-on Science show was presented to Lower Prep pupils inside a portable, inflatable planetarium Dome.

Year 2 pupils enjoyed a show on Forces, Year 3 were stunned by a lights show, Year 4 were spun through space in a planetarium and Year 5 pupils pinned back their ears to an audio experience.

This was a great experience for the children, taking Science out of the classroom and letting them experience it first hand has really brought the subject to life!

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All School

24 Year 6

25 Year 7

26 Year 8

UpperPrep

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The appliance of scienceChemistry lessons received a warm reaction from the Year 6 children this year and they were truly in their element in the Science lab.

The pupils enjoyed several practical Chemistry lessons to start their senior Science curriculum.

A particular favourite was when the children used a Universal Indicator and a variety of different substances to test the varying strengths of alkalis and acids.

“It is always great fun when we set up experiments and use different substances, it helps to bring Science alive!”Kimberley Mok, Year 6 pupil

The Year 6 children gave poets such as Robert Graves and William Blake a run for their money in English lessons this year.

The pupils got creative in English and wrote poems and used their knowledge of personification and use of imagery and metaphors in language to create poems about various objects, relationships and landscapes.

Rhyme time

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Higher learning Year 6 spent a wonderful autumnal day at our senior school, Prior Park College. Year 6 were invited to Prior Park College for a Prior Challenge Day. The theme for the day was ‘autumn’ and the pupils enjoyed a variety of workshops which included Science, Geography, DT and Music workshops. A fun day was had by all!

App-y daysAt Prior Park Prep, our aim is to introduce the latest technology to create an effective learning ecosystem that takes away the traditional barriers to learning.

We recognise that students today learn and engage in education differently to students in the past. We want to use technology, where appropriate, to promote active and engaged learning to enable children to learn effectively.

The Prior Foundation has invested in an entirely new networked wireless infrastructure to allow it to lead the way in Independent schools in the South West in using technology to engage learners. This year we were delighted to pioneer the 1:1 iPad Trial with our Year 7 pupils.

Lessons were inspired and the pupils’ enthusiasm was a sight to behold. English classes saw pupils use Book Creator to write an autobiography whilst in RE they used puppet pals and popplet to look at the ‘Temptation of Jesus’ in the desert.

In Geography, they used a range of apps to support and enhance their study of weathering; in Maths, they have used Socrative to do a quiz and in History they have produced a popplet on Henry VIII.

Art classes saw the pupils use a range of Art apps to produce a collage of text and images to inspire their sculptures whilst in French they have used popplet to look at vocabulary. The iPad trial was also used in PE lessons as the children filmed their Badminton shots to improve technique and positioning.

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All School

After perhaps the longest week in our Year 8 children’s lives, the results were finally in: another 100% pass rate for Common Entrance this year.

We are all deeply proud of the children’s achievements and are overjoyed that they will all be joining their chosen senior schools in September. A big thank you to the dedicated staff who have given the boys and girls the best possible support and preparation for their exams.

To celebrate, the children donned their frocks and suits to join parents at the Prior Park Summer Ball!

Do the math(s) In May, some Year 8 pupils entered the UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust) Junior Mathematics competition, run by Leeds University, for able mathematicians across the country. Many thousands of pupils enter but few reach the next round, the Junior Mathematics Olympiad.

Congratulations to Guy Goodman who has achieved this feat, putting him into the top 1200 mathematicians for Y7 and Y8 across the whole country, from both the private and maintained sector. This is a fantastic achievement and many congratulations to Guy!

Year 8 pupils became real life engineers for a day when they researched, designed and built solutions to real engineering problems as part of The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Faraday Challenge Day.

Forty-five schools across the UK were chosen to host the 2013-14 IET Faraday Challenge Days and Prior Park was one of the lucky schools selected to host.

Six teams of students competed to find the best solution to an engineering-related challenge. The teams raced against the clock to solve a real-life engineering problem, putting their engineering and technology knowledge and skills to the test. Each team spent the day designing and building a rocket using a variety of different materials.

The events aim to encourage more young people to study and consider exciting and rewarding careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by using creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills.

BLAST OFF!Academic

success

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YOUR SCHOOL NEEDS YOUWorld War One remembrance featured heavily across the curriculum this year.History lessons inevitably touched upon this time in History but it was in Art where children got hands-on in their learning. They created special propaganda and recruitment posters in Art class to remember the brave World War One soldiers and volunteers.

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All School

In October we hosted our annual Green Day to allow children to experience learning outdoors and get to grips with nature.

Previous themes have included fire and trees, but this year Green Day turned to blue day as the focus for the day was water.

All pupils, from ages 3 to 13, spent the day learning about the importance of water and were given hard hitting facts about areas of the world which sadly do not have access to a clean water supply.

Lessons took on a water theme which included working out how much water we use on a daily basis in Mathematics lessons, making music using water in Music lessons and singing a water song in French class.

Pupils also took part in a water workshop where they designed, built and tested a water wheel to demonstrate the power of water.

Children in Acorns Pre-Prep spent time making their own boats before testing their power in the school pond.

Green Day is always a highlight in our school calendar and this year was no different. It thoroughly engages the children and stimulates their learning!

Water way to learn

Racing pigeons descended on Prior Park to teach the children about the vital role played by pigeons during World War One.

Pupils from Nursery through to Year 8 were treated to a fascinating talk by Stewart Waldrop from the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, as he explained how pigeons would be an extremely reliable way of sending messages from the front line to the Headquarters during the war, owing to its natural homing instincts.

The children were then given the opportunity to send a message to Kingsmead School in Birmingham, where the pigeons are based.

Acorns, Lower Prep and Upper Prep pupils released two pigeons each and watched excitedly as the pigeons circled above them before heading home to deliver our message!

Don’t shoot the messenger

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At Prior Park, learning experiences are not just confined to the classroom, but are also inspired by and taught in the great outdoors! This year, all children in Years 3-8 enjoyed an overnight stay as part of our outdoor learning programme. Pupils have taken to heart the fun and stimulation of learning outside of the classroom.

Year 3Year 3 children stayed at the Youth Hostel in Stow-on-the-Wold where they enjoyed a visit to the Batsford Arboretum and walks in the picturesque countryside. An essential part of the stay was allowing time for rolling and running down a large hill which for many was the absolute highlight of their trip!

Year 4Year 4 spent a highly enjoyable two days at Goodrich, near Ross on Wye, Herefordshire in the beautiful scenery by the banks of the River Wye. The main focus was team building and communication, helped along by some very good fun. The pupils enjoyed many challenges in their four teams: Hedgehogs, Foxes, Squirrels and Otters. Activities included putting together a giant jigsaw bridge, a tower of tyres, negotiating a grid of ‘safe’ and ‘dangerous’ squares and moving ropes to lift a small item that only the whole team could control.

Climbing through rope ‘spider webs’ needed the whole team’s support and, finally, each team carrying a jug of water perched on a large circular board over an obstacle course without spilling a drop showed just how far the children had come in determination, commitment and patience, with each other.

The great outdoors

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Year 6Lucky Year 6 campers enjoyed a night under the stars on our school grounds. The biggest challenge pupils faced was having to erect their own tents! However, they tackled it with gusto and once all tents were secured, fun activities took place including roasting marshmallows around a campfire.

Year 7Year 7 children spent two days camping in the woods at Cornbury. After their walk to camp and a safety briefing around the camp fire, the children were split into tribes and set about creating a fire to cook their own lunch, a tasty feast of lamb kebabs. For the afternoon, they were introduced to some great woodland games and built their own shelters complete with some very creative woodland features. Woodland games were played into the darkness giving the children the opportunity to test out their night vision and stealth skills. Day two started with a lecture on animal traps and new skills were then put to the test as in their groups the children designed a series of their own traps, some of which were aimed at capturing teachers!

Year 8The Year 8’s enjoyed a week-long retreat to Knapp House in Devon to let off steam after the rigour of their common entrance examinations. Whilst there the children enjoyed several team building exercises including surfing, body boarding, water skiing, abseiling, tunnelling, canoeing, tree climbing and much more! Exhilarating boat rides, an assault course and a go on a giant swing where the children were literally swung 360 degrees full circle through the air provided the opportunity to let off steam!

The trip is hugely important for building both physical and social skills and we hope the children have not only conquered fears and achieved things they may have not thought possible, but also that they have come away with lasting memories that they will continue to enjoy long into the future.

Year 5Year 5 took to the Cornbury woods for an overnight camp. Pupils engaged in a wide variety of activities including fire making, cooking their own fish lunch, shelter building, camouflage, navigation and mapping. The shelter building was of a particularly high standard and included features such as a resident drummer and fashion catwalk. The children roamed the woods well into the evening which culminated in a rather competitive game of ‘Catch the Lantern’.

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EDUCATIONAL VISITS

12,250

APPLES EATEN

6,380

PENCILS SHARPENED

340 SONGS SUNG

19,140

PICTURES DRAWN

945

SPORT MATCHES

57 75

BIRTHDAY CAKES

OUR YEAR

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IN FIGURES

39,695 HOUSEPOINTS AWARDED 170

ASSEMBLIES

145 HOMEWORK HOURS (PER CHILD)

4,450

POEMS WRITTEN 696

136,400

PRAYERS SAID261

SPELLING TESTS

HOURS SPENT AT AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

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All School

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Sport

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SwimmingThree Prior Park Prep pupils swam their way to the IAPS Swimming Championships, which meant they were in the best 16 swimmers of their age in their event across all of the IAPS schools in the country.

Megan Knight came 15th in the U12 Freestyle and Emily Jimenez-Williams came 11th in the U12 Backstroke. Henry Pearce, who recently won eight Golds and one Silver at the Wiltshire County Championships, swam the race of the day for Prior Park, earning a Bronze medal in the U10 Butterfly.

HockeyCongratulations to our U12 hockey squad who won the Prior Park College tournament. Prior Park College hosted a hockey tournament for local schools, which saw the Prep School’s own Under 12 hockey team come through to be deserved champions.

The Prep School team consisted of: Aidan Bramwell, Alvaro Balleza, David Jinadu, Barnabas Pickford, Juan Servant Barrado, Will Peden, Thomas Pitman and Henry Banda. Congratulations to the whole team for demonstrating fantastic team play throughout the tournament.

HighlightsRugby, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Athletics, Judo, Fencing, Basketball and Rounders all featured on the sports programme this year.

Each academic year brings its own array of trophies, medals and titles which reflect the dedication, ability and team work of our young sportsmen and women. We have highlighted just some of the successes of the last academic year.

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AthleticsThe National Catholic Athletics Championships is an opportunity for our athletes to compete against some of the top performers in the country from 14 other independent Catholic schools. Congratulations to the following children who won medals at the event:

Anastasia Carruthers: Bronze Medal (Shotput)

Emelia Lovegrove: Bronze Medal (200m)

Megan Knight: Bronze Medal (Long jump)

Megan Knight: Silver Medal (Hurdles)

Tadiwa Makuto: Bronze Medal (Triple Jump)

Rodrigo Nunez: Bronze Medal (Hurdles)

Cristina Fonseca: Bronze Medal (Discus)

FencingWe have a vast extra curricular programme, with Fencing being one of our most popular after school activities. As a school we enjoyed plenty of success this year:

Oliver Hodgson: U10 Wiltshire Champion

Niamh Preston: U10 Gloucestershire Champion

Charlie Robbins: U10 Gloucestershire Champion

Ben Simmonds: U12 Wiltshire Champion

Ethan Teale: U10 Southern Regional Champion

BasketballBasketball: U13 IAPS Plate Champions. Held at Bradfield College, this was the first tournament of the year for our Basketball team and they did exceptionally well to win the Plate!

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All School

And

Spectators at the Acorns Sports Day enjoyed a mixture of races from running to hoop races to obstacle course and bat and beanbag races. Of course, the sprint races were also held where we got to see a glimpse of some future Usain Bolt’s!

It was a great occasion with the children cheered on by the proud mums and dads. By far the most competitive races were the Mother and Father races held at the end of the day.

they’re off!

Eden Broughton-Johnson

Star Jamieson

Beatrice HillmanAnatoly PriorAmy-Jan

e Griffiths

Oliver Brookes

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All School

All athletes demonstrated grit, determination and, above all, great spirit at the annual Prep Sports Day event. All of the favourite events took place from the 100m sprint to the long jump, high jump, tug-o-war, long distance events, javelin and the House relays.

What was very impressive was the sense of camaraderie amongst the houses and the support the children were giving to their peers.

Congratulations to Burton House for winning the Junior championship and to Clifford House for winning the Senior championship.

Get set…

GO!

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All School

Drama


Pirates took over Prior Park for one night only as the juniors performed the second ever junior play.

This year’s production was centred on ‘Treasure Island’ where Jim Hawkins’ life was changed forever after opening Billy Bones’ sea chest!

All of the well-known characters made appearances including Long John Silver, Squire Trelawney, Doctor Livesey and Captain Smollett.

The audience was left captivated by the mesmerising performances of the children who performed with such enthusiasm and delivered plenty of lively, nautical fun!

Ahoy matey!

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I’m late…This year our senior pupils put on a truly dazzling performance of ‘Alice @ Wonderland’. The audience followed the rabbit to a delightful, entertaining world of childhood fantasies. Alice, played by Year 7 pupil Bethany Spurr, journeyed into a world of talking animals, comic royalty and a Mad Hatter’s frantic tea party!

The only difference between this production and the well-known Alice In Wonderland was the play had a 21st century spin – with Alice using a smartphone, trying to explain Google to the creatures she met and getting annoyed with her lack of wifi! The play gave a modern view to an old classic, where nonsense made quite good sense!

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All School

Trips

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It was a remarkably bright eyes and bushy tailed group of Year 7 pupils who met in the school playground at 5.30am on Tuesday 15 October for a five day visit to Paris.

The children immersed themselves into the Parisian culture and their French language certainly improved during their time in the capital.

They visited the most famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysées, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, Le Louvre, Montmartre, the Pompidou Centre and the River Seine on a Bâteau Mouche. They also spent an afternoon in Versailles.

C’était un merveilleux voyage!

Bon voyage!

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VIVA ESPAÑA!The rich history of Barcelona, as well as the talents of its artists including Gaudí, Picasso and Dalí, was visible throughout the city’s many museums, landmarks and attractions. It was therefore the perfect destination for a Music and Cultural tour for Prior Park Prep pupils.Here is a report from our Head of Art, Mrs Brookes.

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The hotel was located on the city’s most flamboyant street, ‘Las Ramblas’. Our first visit was to the Museum of Contemporary Art. The artwork on display was a stark contrast to the rest of the tour’s art excursions. It was very quirky! Day two saw an outing to Park Guell. The children sat amongst this magical landscape with buildings, winding swirling mosaic benches and outdoor spaces all designed by the legendary artist Antoni Gaudi. As a group we settled amongst the fairytale spires and had a truly marvellous time sketching.

The Chapel Choir sang during Mass in Barcelona Cathedral on Friday evening. The Cathedral was beautiful and we did our best to follow the Mass and answer the responses in English.

On day three we visited Montserrat Monastery. The coach ride seemed to keep going up and up a windy mountain side road forever more! Our children took time to sketch and look carefully at some detailed parts of the vistas. The cable car ride down the mountain did not seem to faze the children and with everyone in one large cable car, it was an exciting and spectacular end to our visit!

Saturday was a busy day for the Choir because we had two performances – one at Montserrat Abbey in the morning and our evening concert at St Gaieta. Montserrat was one of the highlights of the tour. The Choir performed unaccompanied in the main part of the Abbey and to sing in such a beautiful place was a true privilege.

Our final day was filled with exploring Barcelona’s intriguing architecture. We ventured to Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece La Sagrada Família and La Padrera. We nestled amongst the amazing large and curvy mosaic chimneys and took time to sketch whilst also soaking up the rooftop view of Barcelona.

We wanted the children to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of the wider world and this tour was a wonderful way of achieving this, as well as broadening their horizons and providing lifelong memories.

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All School

Family

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The Acorns Lower Prep

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A home away from homeBoarding at Prior Park is an enjoyable and exciting experience and this was proven by the vast range of fun activities our boarders were able to take part in this year. From go karting to kite flying to a visit to a safari park, our boarders were really able to let their hair down at the weekend and spend time outside the school walls, as part of the Prior Park family.

An evening activities programme ensured that the pupils had plenty of organised activities in the Sports Hall, swimming pool and on the Astroturf to keep them occupied after school ended. The boarders Common Room with a pool table, board games and Nintendo Wii offered a relaxing environment for down time!

We held three boarders’ theme nights this year; a Talent Show, Wild West night and a Cluedo Murder Mystery evening.

Upper Prep All School

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Boarders’ outings:Emergency Services ShowCircusLazer QuestGo KartingWest Midlands Safari ParkCinemaBowlingKite flyingUffington

Climbing Wall@BristolCrazy GolfIce SkatingPantomimeRoves FarmBath

Oasis Leisure Centre

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As always, spirituality has been an important part of the year at Prior Park.

Every Thursday the whole Prep school has come together to celebrate Mass with Monsignor Twomey and Father Malcolm.

Coming together in this collective act of worship is a special part of the week and the children always take an active part. They read from scripture at the lectern, as well as read and write their own bidding prayers. Children also made a significant contribution to the Mass, through the Chapel Choir as well as taking up the offertory to the Priest.

We were also delighted to hold the celebration of First Holy Communion and Confirmation for several of our Catholic pupils in our on site School Chapel. These important Sacraments are very special occasions which we were pleased to host for the pupils and their families.

FIGHT FOR YOUR RITES

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Year 8 experienced a very rewarding and exciting trip to Gloucester Cathedral. The pupils had the opportunity to dress up as Benedictine monks and learn about the spiritual lives and work of these monks, as they lived in a monastery in medieval times.

The pupils and staff were given various roles of practising monks and learnt about the extreme dedication to prayer as well as the physical demands of work in which the monks lived their lives.

The pupils thoroughly enjoyed playing various ‘monk roles’, such as a cellarer, kitchener, doctor or abbot and learnt about the consequences of breaking the strict monastic rules for a young novice. The pupils also learnt about the devoted religious life these men lived – attending services 8 times a day – the first prayers (matins) starting at 2.00am!

Year 6 children were fortunate enough to enjoy a talk from a Buddhist Monk named Dhiravamso who lives in an isolated area in a Sri Lankan rainforest. He explained the Buddhist religion to the children and all about his way of life.

This included his daily meditation needs and how he has removed himself from worldly goods including money, personal items, as well as contact with friends and family. The children asked probing questions and were clearly interested in how his life was so different from ours.

Q&A

Monk-y business

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All School

Prize pupils


This year we introduced the Prior Award Scheme for our Year 5 and 6 pupils. The aim is to provide enrichment and challenges beyond the curriculum and provide the children with life and leadership skills. Above all, it was great fun!

The 30 children who took part developed self esteem, social skills, teamwork, cooperation, respect and problem solving skills. They were graded for each activity and at our achievement assembly at the end of the year, they were awarded either Gold, Silver or Bronze.

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This scheme has really helped me to strengthen my friendships because we all work really hard together like a team. I’ve loved every activity.

My Saturdays on the Prior Award Scheme were the most fun I’ve ever had.

We got to go sailing which was so much fun. It is so different to our other school activities.

My favourite was definitely the water sports. It was so exciting and I was full of adrenalin!

The activities

Raft building

Canoeing

Sailing

Circus skills

Photography

Cooking

First Aid

Lifesaving

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We really love it when our mums and dads, grannies and granddads, contribute to our school life at Prior Park. They are extensively and constructively involved – from supporting on the sidelines, helping on school outings and sharing their children’s success in assemblies.

The Prior Park Parents’ Association is very active and has raised considerable sums of money for resources of the school, as well as organise some very enjoyable events over the year including a Quiz Night, Burns Night and Summer Fayre.

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR


What a wonderful way to round off the year! Songs by Acorns, (‘Consider Yourself), our choirs and an awe-inspiring speech from our Guest of Honour, Stephanie Millward, made for one of our best end of term celebration days yet!

Paralympic and World Champion swimmer Stephanie spoke to the children about never giving up on your dreams, despite what setbacks come your way.

Some children were fortunate enough to hold her Paralympic medals which was a once in a lifetime opportunity!

After prizes were awarded, Head Boy Cullan Lloyd and Head Girl Louisa Tobin had the audience laughing in their seats as they reminisced about their time at Prior Park and gave emotional tributes to their family, friends and the school!

CELEBRATE!

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A fond farewellOur message to Year 8

We are exceptionally proud and humbled to see how confident, mature, independently-minded you have all become!

As you move on to your senior schools, think of all the things you have done here, whether it be representing the school in a sports team, singing in the choir or performing in the school play.

All of these things are an important part of your education and a special part of growing up. Most important are the friendships you have developed here and those bonds will not be broken by new changes, it is something you will always cherish.

Throw yourselves into all the opportunities available to you, enjoy the presence of every moment and always strive to be your best self.

Mark Pearce, Headmaster

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Well done to the following children on their scholarship awards:

VLADIMIR GALKIN Prior Park College – Music

LILY HAWES Westonbirt – Art, Sport

KATHARINE SCOTT PAYNE Dean Close – Sport with Art

TONIR TAMANG Prior Park College – Sport

LOUISA TOBIN Prior Park College – Sport

RIAN WILSON Prior Park College – Academic

JANSON YUEN Prior Park College – Academic

JOSE BALLEZA Mexico

JOSEPH BELL Dean Close School

MOSES CHAN West Buckland School

FELIX CHENG Monmouth School

VLADIMIR GALKIN Prior Park College

GUY GOODMAN Dean Close School

LILY HAWES Westonbirt School

POOM HIRUNWIWATKUL Ratcliffe College

JOHN HUNTER Prior Park College

ATIWAT KAOVILAI Thailand

CULLAN LLOYD Wycliffe College

LEONARDO LOPEZ Mexico

TADIWA MAKUTO Cheltenham College

JAKE MWILUKI Prior Park College

RODRIGO NUNEZ Mexico

KLIM POPOV Latvia

EMILY READ Westonbirt School

KATHARINE SCOTT PAYNE Dean Close School

TONIR TAMANG Prior Park College

LOUISA TOBIN Prior Park College

OLIVER TOMBLIN Wycliffe College

JACKSON TSO Dean Close School

MARIE VIOULAC France

RIAN WILSON Prior Park College

JANSON YUEN Prior Park College

Pupil destinations

13+ Scholarships

Prep Life 2014

Documents

Transcript of Prep Life 2014