Head
Dear Parents,
This is our last Barrow Hills Bulletin of the academic year as we head toward the summer break. What a week it has been!
A knowledge-rich education is invaluable and has lasting cultural significance. In this spirit, Year 5 and Year 6 have excelled in the ‘Off by Heart Shakespeare’ competition as part of their English studies. Special congratulations to the winners: Annabel, Lexi, and Bea in Year 5, and Bea, Edward, and Delilah in Year 6.
Drama took a different angle with Year 3 delighting us all with their production of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. The performance was full of energy, with our young actors delivering this musical with a lot of joie de vivre.
Notable this week was the clear enthusiasm of all the children on Monday for our ‘Moving Up Day’. This was a chance to spend time with next year’s form tutors to aid transitions. They were all so happy, as we shared news in the Assembly.
It was great to see so many parents at our inaugural Pre-Prep Summer Celebration – essentially a mini Prize Day for the little ones! Everyone left with warm words of encouragement and a good book to read over the summer. This is definitely something to keep in our calendar moving forward.
As I write, we are preparing for the kinetic fun, skill, and teamwork that promises to make for a glorious Sports Day. Thanks so much, in advance, for your support.
At this time of year, it’s a privilege to read each and every child’s annual report. It’s a great reminder of what a generous education should look like. The reports will be with you toward the end of next week.
As we run through events next week, we will be sure to share some highlights on our social media. I look forward to celebrating the end of the year in style with you at Prize Day next Thursday.
Best wishes
Mr John Towers
Head of Upper Prep
Dear Parents,
It has been wonderful to welcome the children from Years 7 and 8 home this week and to hear all about their adventures at the Ardèche. I know how much they all enjoyed this fantastic trip and I was so delighted to hear from the staff who accompanied them how proud they were of all the children. They enthusiastically participated in all the activities from kayaking down the rapids and exploring caves to whizzing down a zipline! They even slept under the stars for the night as they made their descent down the river. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Year 7’s detailed recounts of their trip in our English lessons this week.
Thank you to Mrs Goddings, Mrs Wood, Mr Unwin and Mr Smith for taking them.
Monday saw Year 8 take part in ‘The Drop’ when they were left in the middle of nowhere with a map and a compass – and a teacher. They then had to find their way back to school, a distance of approximately ten miles. Everyone enjoyed improving their map reading skills and arrived safely back at school – some groups in super quick time! Jacob, Cleo, Monty and Edith then spoke at our ‘Life at the Top’ event for parents of children in Years 3, 4 and 5 where they told their audience all about life in Upper Prep.
On Tuesday, the Year 8 children who are joining King Edward’s Witley in September enjoyed an action packed day of sport, art, DT and much more. This helped familiarise them with their teachers, their Houses and the site itself. Year 7 children also attended King Edward’s on Tuesday when they participated in the Faraday Challenge. I know they all really enjoyed this! The Year 8 children who are going to different schools in September spent the day at Barrow Hills being extremely helpful by speaking in the Pre-Prep Summer Celebration, supporting the children in Pre-Prep and helping Mrs Dudley in the library.
On Wednesday, Year 8 enjoyed finding out about the ‘Best of GCSE Science and PE’ with Mr Unwin and Mr Behan. I know many of them especially enjoyed the dissection of an eye! Teachers have begun to give Year 7 children their exam results and the children have found it very useful to go through papers and questions and to set targets.
Year 8 spent Thursday doing some art activities with Mrs Wheeler, developing their essay writing skills with Mr Towers and practising their final assembly with me.
Friday of course was Sports Day – and I was so proud of the way all the children in Upper Prep have supported the younger children in their Houses. It has been wonderful to watch them all encouraging each other with such enthusiasm.
I can’t really believe that next week will be the last week of term. I look forward to catching up with many of you at our events next week.
Monday 1st July: Year 8 Leavers’ Assembly in Chapel at 8.45am
Tuesday July 2nd: Leavers’ Cricket and BBQ at 6.00pm
Thursday 4th July: Leavers’ Service in Chapel at 8.45am
Prize Giving in the marquee at 2.00pm.
Mrs Mason
Head of Middle Prep
Dear Parents,
The week began with Moving Up Day, where all the children got to know their new form teachers. These teachers will be the first port of pastoral care for the children and will look after them throughout the year. Year 6 children wrote personalised letters to the incoming Year 3 children. These letters, filled with advice, tips, and personal experiences, were designed to help ease the transition and make the new children feel welcomed and informed about what to expect in Year 3.
On Tuesday, Year 3 had their dress rehearsal for their play, and the entire school attended. It was wonderful to see the support from the school community. They then performed ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ for parents on Thursday, and it was a very enjoyable performance, well done to all involved.
In Year 4, the children have been producing some impressive presentations on planets and the life cycle of the sun within our solar system. In maths, they have been investigating symmetry and practically exploring different units of measure. Year 4 also had their informal concerts, and I thoroughly enjoyed attending and watching how far they have developed musically. Year 3 will have their concerts next week.
I also enjoyed watching some of the children rehearsing for their upcoming ballet grade exams and wish them well for tomorrow.
Year 6 ended the week with a wonderful assembly, sharing their memories of Barrow Hills School in an Oscar-worthy performance. Their reflections and stories were both touching and entertaining, highlighting the special times they’ve had here. The afternoon then brought us Sports Day, the children showcased their athletic skills and team spirit.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Have a wonderful weekend!
Miss Tyrrell
Head of Pre-Prep
Dear Parents,
Barrow Hills’ very first Pre-Prep Summer Celebration took place on Tuesday morning to celebrate the youngest members of our school community ahead of the end of the school year. As I said on Tuesday, making a contribution to our pupils’ development and progress in some of their most impressionable years, is the greatest privilege of mine and the whole Pre-Prep team’s. Seeing our youngsters come up onto the stage and perform or share memories with increasing pride and confidence, was a truly heartwarming celebration and a fitting culmination of a busy and productive academic year. It was a fabulous opportunity to embrace our newly refurbished outdoor stage and enjoy our beautiful setting, particularly with the shade of the surrounding trees.
Monday heralded Moving Up Day at Barrow Hills as we welcomed new joiners to their September cohorts and all pupils from Nursery to Year 2 spent timing ‘moving up’ to their new classroom and meeting their new teachers for September. There was much excitement as children listened with great anticipation to hear about some of the topics they would be exploring next year and about what they can look forward to including trips, science lab visits and dressing up days! Later in the day, it was lovely to welcome parents to Information Evenings for Reception and Year 3 in order to hear more about next year from the children’s class teachers. As comms highlighted earlier in the week, there will be an Information Morning during the second week of the autumn term, Wednesday 11th September, at 9.00am, during which parents of Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are invited to hear about the topics, daily routines and reading for example, as well as general housekeeping.
This morning, Pre-Prep were relieved of slightly cooler temperatures in which to enjoy their annual Sports Day. From classics including the flat race and relay to the bucket beach race, our pupils participated in their events with smiles on their faces and giving each activity their best effort. Well done everyone.
I am delighted to announce an increase in specialist subject teaching in Year 1 and Year 2. As well as specialist IT, French, Forest School, music, PE and games, there will be specialist art teaching in the art studio for both year groups, as well as drama being introduced to the Year 2 timetable. This will support and enhance an increasingly varied and stimulating curriculum for our children.
It’s hard to believe that next week wraps up another school year. As you may have seen in the calendar and summer term Welcome Letters, Pre-Prep classes from Nursery to Year 1 finish at 12.00 noon on Thursday. Year 2 will stay on for Prize Giving on Thursday afternoon at 2.00pm. There will be Club available to younger siblings whose parents are attending Prize Giving with their older children.
Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs Barnett
From the BHCC
Dear All,
Following on from Mr Towers’ comments in the newsletter last week and my impending departure as Chair of the BHCC, I thought it would be helpful to set out the BHCC tasks that we need help with from September to allow the BHCC to continue running.
If you would like to take on one of the tasks, then please speak to me and I will be happy to run through it with you. Whilst I won’t be Chair I will still be around (as will Mel Harris and some of the other existing volunteers) and I will be helping out still so it’s not a case of any new joiners ‘flying solo’!
That said, it is very important to stress we are a dwindling bunch and all fairly close to departing so it would be great to give the BHCC a real boost now to keep it going.
Positions available
1. BHCC chair
2. Back to school BBQ – one person (plus on the day helpers)
3. Cake sale – one person
4. Fireworks – ideally two people to coordinate (bonfire builders/parent helpers to be drummed up nearer the time)
5. School uniform sale coordinator – ideally two people
6. Christmas pudding orders – one person
7. Christmas cards – one person
8. Pre-Prep Christmas presents – one person
9. Christmas craft – one person (plus on the day helpers)
10. Christmas Trees – one person
11. Bacon butties – ideally one person to help every week but can be shared among more people if works better
12. Flower arranging – two people
13. Bunny run – one person (plus on the day helpers)
14. School quiz – one person (plus on the day helpers)
15. Proms – one person (plus on the day helpers)
16. Summer party – two to four people (plus on the day helpers)
17. Sports day – one person (plus on the day helpers)
If volunteers don’t come forward, then unfortunately these activities will not be able to go ahead. The school and its teaching staff are already resourced and therefore the school relies on the parent body to get these things off the ground and don’t forget the money goes back into the school for the children to benefit. We have, for example, helped to fund the Pre-Prep playground, the re-surfacing of the astro and the VR headsets to name a few. Each year we pay for Easter Eggs for the bunny run and the Pre-Prep Christmas presents.
We have excellent support from Kim Hall and Karen Herrington with logistics and finances, but the rest is down to us.
With regards to the role of chair it is really an oversight role to help with aspects of the above tasks and to make sure the cupboard is fully stocked with drinks. The more helpers we get for each of these tasks the more it will help the Chair and the wider community.
A bigger picture for 2024 to 2025 might include the BHCC – an informal committee – growing to become a more structured Parents and Friends Association. This would allow a more formal constitution to focus its charitable work for the school. Mr Towers is all for this and suggests that ex-members of staff, grandparents, or alumni may then also enjoy getting involved with fundraising and in event organisation.
I step down at the end of term, so your time is now future volunteers!
Many thanks
Lauren & the BHCC
School Notices
Leavers Service
I am delighted to invite you to join the Barrow Hills School community in a formal Chapel service as we celebrate and give thanks for the Year 8 cohort on Thursday 4th July 2024. The service starts at 8.45am and is expected to finish at 9.30am.
Due to space in Chapel, the number of attendees is limited to 60. Please indicate if you are able to attend by completing this google form .
Kind regards
Mr Frazer
Assistant Director of Music Barrow Hills School and King Edward’s Witley
Summer Swimming Course
Introduce your child to swimming or help them improve their skills on a week’s course. Half an hour each morning at King Edward’s Witley. 29th July – 2nd August. Minimum age 4. The class sizes are small with teachers in the water for young/weak swimmers. Please click on the link below to register your interest. Cost per child is £60.
Sally Crathern Swim School | Witley | Godalming (sallyswimschool.com)
