Message From the Head 
Dear Parents,
A joyous end to the term today with the Bunny Run – thank you to all the parents who came along to get a morning jog in!
We enjoyed a wonderful final assembly on Thursday, with Year 4 presenting on just how precious our mothers are. My awards table was overflowing with cups, medals, and certificates celebrating achievements across technology, academics, music, sport, and outstanding behaviour.
I hope parents had a chance to read the update on our Bridewell AI. On Thursday, we also hosted the Surrey University AI doctoral research team, who worked with Upper Prep pupils and staff to refine their access to and engagement with the safe AI we are currently developing as a ‘guide on the side’ to enhance achievement.
Over Easter, we are leading a ski trip overseas. At home we are hosting both a sports camp (April 14th–16th) and an art camp (April 8th–10th) for Barrow Hills pupils.
Please check the co-curricular brochure and booking forms – bigger and better than ever! Be sure to sign up ahead of the new term for hours of additional purposeful and enriching activities, all part of our core offer.
Wishing you all a wonderful Easter break and some quality time with your family!
Mr Towers, Head
News from Upper Prep
Well we have certainly finished the spring term in style in Upper Prep! Our last week has been packed full of all sorts of activities and events and it has been a joy to see the children tackle everything with such energy and enthusiasm.
On Monday, the Year 8 captains shared an update on all they have achieved so far this year. We are incredibly proud of our Upper Prep Captains’ Programme, which offers a fantastic opportunity to build a strong leadership portfolio while developing essential skills. It was inspiring to hear about all the initiatives and accomplishments the Year 8 have been involved in as Heads of School, Heads of Houses and Captains of STEM, Art, Drama, Pre-Prep, The Common Room and Sport.
These include: representing Barrow Hills at the Bridewell Day in London, supporting the Nightingales and Larks Choirs, listening to the younger children read, looking after children on a science trip to Legoland, assisting at the Year 5 and Year 6 production of ‘Matilda’, supervising the Common Room, helping Mrs Wheeler run an arts workshop for the children from The Chandler school and refereeing sports tournaments against Amesbury and Pennthorpe in Pre-Prep – and many more!
Year 8 (and Mr Smith!) have also shown great commitment to their Lent Appeal activity this week: The Cross Bar Challenge! Every break time, the Year 8 children have been encouraging the rest of the school to ‘have a go’ – and I look forward to finding out how much money they have raised for the Shooting Stars Charity. Year 7 voted to play a Rounders Match, dressed in silly costumes for their charity activity. Thank you to Mr Unwin for refereeing this competitive game and to Year 8 for supporting us. Year 7, you all looked fantastic! If you haven’t yet donated, we would be so grateful if you could do so.
Our Bridewell Service on Wednesday was a reminder of how, in 1553, Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, convinced the boy King Edward VI to grant his palace at Bridewell to the Lord Mayor of London as a place for the training and education of poor children. Well done to Emilia, Delilah and Josh for singing so beautifully in the choir.
All the children in Year 7 and Year 8 have some past papers or revision activities to complete over the holidays in preparation for their summer exams. We will also be running some subject specialist revision sessions on our return to school which the children will find useful.
In addition, Year 7 have chosen to challenge themselves with another Track My Read… After smashing their previous target, they are now attempting to read collectively for 35,000 minutes. Reading improves your vocabulary and your creative writing and your comprehension skills as well as being enjoyable so make sure you pick up a book over the Easter break. You can do it Year 7! Our fabulous Librarian Mrs Dudley, says:
Thank you to the parents who donated a book to our library during World Book Week. If you would like to donate a book please follow this link to Mrs Dudley’s wish list.
Friday saw the whole school take part in the Bunny Run! This is a fabulous annual event that everyone enjoys. Well done to everyone for taking part with such enthusiasm – and thank you to our wonderful PE staff for organising this race and to the BHCC for all that they do to support Barrow Hills.
There has been much excitement about the ski trip this week and I hope all the children and staff have a wonderful time.
Finally, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Easter break.. Thank you for your support this term. Mr Unwin, Mr Smith and Mr Behan and I are all very grateful for all you do as parents to help us at Barrow Hills.
Mrs Mason, Head of Upper Prep
News from Prep
Another term at Barrow Hills has drawn to a close, and it is hard to believe we will soon enter the final term of the year! After such a lot of hard work, the children all seem ready for a well earned break.
On Monday, three of our Prep children went to King Edward’s Witley, for their ABRSM music exams. Mr Sliwka, our Head of Music was impressed by their confidence and poise. Well done! Continuing the musical theme, Tuesday evening’s Rock and Pop concert was a triumph, with the children embracing the opportunity to make some noise and entertain their parents!
Wednesday morning began with a Bridewell Service in the chapel, led by Reverend Radcliffe. The choir, expertly coached by Mr Frazer, sang beautifully and it was lovely to hear their voices lifted in joy.
Yesterday, Years 3, 4 and 5 took part in a “Nature Walk” on Witley Common. Years 3 and 4 wore handcrafted Nature Crowns, and year 5 donned some funky hats and glasses to fully embrace the fun and sense of happiness which is especially infectious as the days lengthen and the sun becomes a more familiar sight. All of this was, of course, in aid of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, our chosen charity for this year’s Lenten Appeal, and one which does incredible work for families across Surrey and London who find themselves in the most desperate of situations. For those of you who have not managed to contribute yet, please find the link to our Just Giving page here.
This morning we had the fun of the Bunny Run! The children were outstanding, really pushing themselves to the limit as they ran the two miles from King Edwards to Barrow Hills. They were rewarded with a fun Easter Egg hunt at the end, and I am sure the chocolate quickly replenished any expended energy! Thank you to our wonderful Sports Department and site team, along with all those members of staff who marshalled along the way, for ensuring this all went without a hitch.
Finally, we send our very best wishes to all the children heading off on the Easter Ski Trip this Saturday. I hope they have a fantastic time making wonderful memories with their friends. Wishing them all a safe, fun-filled adventure – I look forward to hearing all about it when they return!
All that is left to do is to wish all of you and your families a restful break and a very Happy Easter.
Miss Tyrrell, Head of Prep
News from Pre-Prep
The final week of term is always bursting at the seams and this week was by no means any different. It was wonderful to welcome so many parents and family members to the Spring Showcase on Tuesday morning, where all of our Pre-Prep children sang to their audience whilst wearing handmade spring headdresses. The spring sunshine arrived right on time as the children later made their way outside onto the lawns to parade their wonderful range of Easter bonnets. An impressive amount of effort had gone into many of these so thank you, parents, for your support with preparing these with the children.
Our first Specialist Subject Parent Consultation Event on Tuesday was hugely informative for parents of Kindy to Year 2 who attended to hear what their children had been learning about so far this year and, of course, how this underpins their next steps within their subject. Mrs Burnett (sport), Mr Behan (science), Mrs Wheeler (art), Mme Early (MFL), Mr Smith (computing) and Mrs Davies (music) gave a fabulous insight into what the children across Pre-Prep have achieved throughout the spring and summer terms, and were able to highlight how this underpins what they do as they transition beyond Pre-Prep.
Our Early Years classes worked collaboratively for an afternoon’s carousel of Easter themed activities earlier this week. Our 2 – 5 year olds enjoyed egg and spoon races across the Reception garden, decorating Easter biscuits with icing and a selection of topical sprinkles, and carefully decorating Easter eggs with various colour dyed pasta pieces.
Our awards assembly was a day earlier this week due to this morning’s annual Bunny Run. There was an abundance of awards to be presented by Mr Towers on Thursday morning including our first Mini Duke Award of the year, to Lenny (2G), who received his Gold Mini Duke. Work of the Week certificates were achieved by Leo (Rec), Sophie (1G) and George B (2G), and our first Gold Awards of the year for House point collection were reached and presented to Walter, Hugo, Freddie and George B from Year 2. As it was the final assembly of the term, the staff nominated a child to receive the Pre-Prep Playtime Award and this went to Matthew (1G). Well done to all yesterday morning’s recipients.
Finally, a huge congratulations to all of Pre-Prep at the Bunny Run this morning. Even our youngest members of our school community ran around the course and then enjoyed a chocolate egg hunt in the woodland to finish. A fantastic end to a wonderfully successful spring term.
We said a huge thank you to Mrs Maynard at the end of this week as she finished her term with us supporting in the Nursery room. Louise has been a welcome addition to the team since January and hit the ground running, getting fully involved as a member of the department. She’ll be missed by our Early Years children in particular but I know it’s not farewell as we’ll return to seeing her as ‘Mummy’ at drop off in the mornings again.
Just a reminder that Pre-Prep will be recognising the school’s Lenten Appeal in the first week back by asking children to wear a starry accessory on Friday 25th April, with their usual Friday uniform, and to donate to the JustGiving page, to raise money for Year 8’s chosen charity this year, Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.
Wishing you all a restful break and very happy Easter.
Mrs Barnett
Mrs Barnett, Head of Pre-Prep
BHCC
Bacon Butties were a welcome sight this morning, raising £126.93.
Thanks to our amazing team and the community for your support!
