ENJOYING TODAY EDUCATING FOR TOMORROW THE CASTLE Summer 2023 MARLBOROUGH HOUSE SCHOOL PAGE 6 PAGE 29 PAGE 33 PAGE 34 CORONATION DAY AT MHS A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM ECO-SCHOOLS AWARD LEAVERS’ PROGRAMME Whole School celebrates The King’s Coronation Year 8’s spectacular performance Green Flag Award with Distinction for MHS Four fantastic weeks for Year 8
As I write, Alcaraz has just beaten Djokovic, the Ashes are neck and neck for both the men and women and the Tour de France is nearing its gripping conclusion – none of these events are as exciting as Sports Day, the Swimming Galas or the Year 8 Parents versus children cricket match! If we throw in the Summer Concert, Year 4’s Robin Hood, Year 2’s Eric and the Penguins Save the World and the Year 8 showpiece, Midsummer Night’s Dream, we have been royally entertained by the children recently and can now relax into the Summer Holidays. One of the challenges of the Summer Term, and indeed any term in modern Prep Schools, is trying to find rhythm as well as excitement. We remember the events and occasions celebrated in the magazine you are about to read, but it is also essential that consistent teaching and learning takes place. It doesn’t sound so exciting and might not live long in the immediate memory, but that Maths or History lesson on a Thursday afternoon forms an essential part of every child’s education. Putting in place the building blocks for future learning cannot be underestimated and must be carefully balanced against the amount of “fun” activities. At the same time, we want to enthuse and inspire the children and sometimes that is best done by doing something different or spectacular. This Prize Giving, we said goodbye to some big characters, not just in Year 8 (what a send-off that was!) but also in the staff room. While Mrs Atkins, Mrs Butler-Graham, Mr Little and Mr Payne-Cook get honourable mentions for both contribution and length of service, I would like to highlight Mrs Robinson’s contribution to MHS over the last 22 years. Self-effacing but incredibly generous with both her time and spirit, she has been essential to the cause in so many ways – Forest School, Art and Year 4 have all benefitted from her skill and kindness, as have the displays around the School, and she does all of this in such a lovely, understated manner. I wish her all the best in retirement and know that we will miss her hugely. However, schools must always cope with the flow of staff and children, surging on into the future with confidence and enthusiasm. New teachers arrive and make their mark – I would like to highlight the impact that Mrs Henderson, Mrs McEwan and Mr Priddin have had this year in their own, unique ways. September beckons once again and new faces will fill the corridors and classrooms, bringing new ideas and opinions to continually move MHS forwards. Education is never dull, despite the sense of familiar routine and institutionalised rhythm, and each day will always be different, providing moments from which young and old can always learn and grow. Eddy Newton, Head Note from the Head Summer 2023 Congratulations to our Year 8 Leavers’ for achieving such great results. Alongside their successes in the PSB, they achieved a 100% Common Entrance Pass Rate in Maths and English, and a 100% Cranbrook Entrance Pass Rate. Scholarships 2023 Eliza Bellhouse Sports Scholarship, Mayfield School Eliza Freeborough Sports Exhibition, Kent College, Pembury Amelia Goodier Art Scholarship, Dulwich School Cranbrook Gabriella Sabbage Music Scholarship, Claremont School Sophia Sells Art Scholarship, Dulwich School Cranbrook Mya Vowls Drama Scholarship and Sports Scholarship, Mayfield School Year 8 Results 2023
Contents Resurfaced Astro .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Young Shakespeare Company.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Year 4 Forest School Day .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Year 7 Geography Trading Game .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 MFL Spelling Bee Competition .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Spinach Harvest.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Coronation Celebrations.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Year 3 Forest School Day.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Pre-Prep’s Sensational Science Morning.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Owlets visit Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Cake Sale for Sudan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Year 5 Viking Workshop.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 U13 and U12 Maths Challenge.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Animation Workshop.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Year 4 French Breakfast.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 MHS Summer Festival.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Year 3 French Picnic.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Year 6 Plays.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 UKMT Maths Challenge Success.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Weather Talks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Year 3 trip to the Big Cat Sanctuary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Year 7 Debate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Wealden Times Fair.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 New Outdoor Stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Reception’s trip to the Rare Breeds Centre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Year 5 Trip to Samphire Hoe.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Year 6 Art and DT trip to the Royal Pavilion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Year 2 Trip to Hastings .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Year 4 Science and Art Trip to Great Dixter .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Year 3 Grandparents’ Tea.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Year 4 Production of Robin Hood .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Year 7 Staycation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Paella Evening.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 ISTD Primary Ballet Exams .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Year 5 French Plays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Enviro Maths Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Year 6 Staycation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Pupils’ Articles Printed in Mind’s Eye Magazine .. . . . . . . . . 23 Junior University Challenge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Sports Day Events.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Year 1 visit The Big Cat Sanctuary.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Ready for Reception Tea Party.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Junior and Senior Swimming Galas.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Real World Workshops.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Eric and The Penguins Save the World.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 The Summer Concert and Art Show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 A Midsummer Night’s Dream.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Sports Teams Round Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Equestrian Team Round Up.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Clubs Highlights.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Eco Round Up.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Year 8 Leavers’ Programme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Staff Appointments.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Marlborough House Society.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Awards News Winner - Daynurseries.co.uk Top 20 Award 2023 Top 20 Nursery in the South East of England Very well done to our fantastic Nursery Team: Mrs Edmondson, Miss Edwards, Mrs Loke, Mrs O’Brien and Mrs White. As a current parent put it: “The Nursery staff are the kindest, most patient and dedicated team you could possibly wish for for your child.” Winner – Eco-Schools Green Flag Award 2023 Green Flag with Distinction Our pupil-led Eco-Committee, supported by the wider School community, have been working hard this year following the Eco-Schools seven step programme and were awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction: “The Eco-Schools Team have been blown away by your wonderful application; it is incredibly inspirational and we are proud to congratulate you on your Eco-Schools Green flag with Distinction, well done!”. To find out more about our eco activities, please see page 33. Shortlisted – Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2023 Independent Pre-Prep School of the Year We are so pleased that our wonderfully nurturing and inspiring Pre-Prep Team has been recognised by the judges. This is the fifth year in a row that Marlborough House has been shortlisted for a category in these competitive awards which receive entries from hundreds of schools across the country. We look forward to finding out who the winners are in the Autumn Term. We were thrilled to receive recognition from Daynurseries.co.uk, Eco Schools and the Independent Schools of the Year Awards. Huge congratulations to everyone involved in these achievements:
The first Friday of the Summer Term started with a visit from the renowned Young Shakespeare Company. Once again this extremely talented troupe of young actors kept all the children in Years 5 to 8 spellbound with their superb rendition of the classic play “Hamlet”. Acting in a variety of roles, and fully involving the audience throughout, the actors conveyed this powerful story of madness and treachery, tragedy and pathos. The acting was simply superb and reduced many of us to tears (which is no mean feat in a simple production in a packed Old Gym with no special lighting, effects or makeup!). I feel sure that we will see many of these actors’ names again in years to come, so accomplished were they all. Mrs Atkins, Head of English APRIL 2023 | The Castle Page 4 Young Shakespeare Company The only thing better than a Forest School lesson is a Forest School DAY (complete with campfire cooking). Team building, problem-solving and creativity was the focus for the day. The year group’s Humanities theme for the term is ‘settlements’ and the children were initially set a task to build their own living spaces. The results were fantastic with all the Year 4 children demonstrating that they have the ability to create, design, collaborate and think originally: considering the best materials and strategies to protect themselves and their dwellings. In the afternoon there was a busy buzz of activity as lunch was prepared, with groups of children chopping vegetables, making flat bread dough and measuring out hot chocolate. With the lunch bubbling away on a nicely stoked fire, Year 4’s Mr Priddin accompanied a campfire sing-along on his guitar and everyone ate delicious flat breads which had been carefully roasted in a hot pan. All in all, it was an enjoyable, successful day. Mrs Mathers, Year 4 Form Teacher Year 4 Forest School Day At the start of the Summer Term the newly resurfaced Astro pitch was unveiled. This smart, new surface was fantastic for cricket and tennis in the summer term, and we know pupils will be looking forward to using it in the coming hockey season. Resurfaced Astro
APRIL 2023 | The Castle Page 5 Having spent some Geography lessons learning about the fashion industry, discussing the morals of using low-income countries to produce garments, Year 7 spent a morning finding out about the equality, or lack of it, in the wider world trading systems. Playing the ‘Trade Game’, the pupils were told to manufacture shapes to specific dimensions with only the resources that they were given. It didn’t take them long to realise that while some countries had all that they need, others were lacking technical equipment such as pencils, rulers and protractors. They had to be resourceful, work in their country teams and negotiate their way through the task. The morals of some teams were questionable as they sold their ‘duds’ to other countries, and some stole resources, but it was a useful talking point when it came to the summary! Year 7 fully engaged in the activity and while some thoroughly enjoyed their spot at the top of the trading world, others certainly felt aggrieved at the situation they found themselves in. Creativity, negotiating skills and initiative were needed to make the most of each country’s situation. During the conclusion Year 7 reflected upon the situations that were introduced and the behaviours of the children and how they relate to the real world, as well as how fortunate we are to live in a prosperous country. We also compared how the desire of wanting to increase wealth can conflict with personal and religious values. Mr Kimber, Head of Geography Year 7 Geography Trading Game In early May, the children enjoyed their first green smoothies of the year, made from produce that they had grown in our fantastic polytunnel. During Forest School, Year 3 had planted and grown spinach, which was harvested with great excitement and taken to the kitchen to be added to the delicious smoothies. The polytunnel has been a brilliant addition to our outdoor facilities, as it has allowed the children to plant their seeds and bulbs earlier in the year so that they can be harvested and enjoyed during the School term. Next up, onions! Mrs Henderson, Year 3 Form Teacher For the second year running, the MHS MFL Spelling Bee Competition proved to be a popular event with focused and determined contestants. It takes a lot of courage to go up on stage and spell words in a foreign language and I wish to congratulate everyone who had the confidence to do so. The audience was very supportive and made the event a success. The winners this year were: Phoebe M (Yr 8), Cleo M-C (Yr 7), Bea T (Yr 6), Olivia S (Yr 5), Emil D (Yr 4) and Verity P (Yr 3). Next year, teachers are welcome to enter! Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Spinach Harvest MFL Spelling Bee Competition SCAN ME Scan the QR code to watch the video
Coronation fever took over in May as the children enjoyed an array of wonderful class led activities throughout the School, ensuring a meaningful and exciting lead up to the historic event. On Friday 5th May we held our Coronation Day at MHS which started with special assemblies for the Prep School and Pre-Prep. Fabulous renditions of God Save the King were heard ringing out from the Hopkins Hall. Then, amid a sea of bunting, children enjoyed their break of Coronation Cupcakes and their Coronation Coronation Celebrations Lunch, complete with the Coronation Quiche (thank you to Holly in the Catering Team). Pupils from Nursery to Year 5 had made colourful crowns to wear at the lunch (not to mention a crown for the Nursery chickens!) and it was a spectacular sight, especially as they paraded to the Dining Room. Some of their creations even made the BBC South East News, along
with coverage of the Art Club’s miniature Highgrove, created in collaboration with local schools for the Church of St Laurence Coronation Flower Festival. Some of our older pupils in Years 6 to 8 sowed wildflower seedswhicharestartingoff in thepolytunnel before being planted out in our Coronation Meadow. The meadow will be located under the cherry trees and there will be a commemorative bench in pride of place, as two lasting memories of the occasion. We must also mention the wonderful musical contributions, especially from the Year 5 Samba Band with their own version of ‘God Save the King’, the Year 6 Stomp Band who composed coronation themed pieces, the String Group’s performance of the National Anthem and the Pre-Prep Singing Club, who performed their ‘Coronation Song’ at the Pre-Prep Assembly. The School has also written to Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla to congratulate them on their coronation and to share a special poem Coronation Poem penned by Year 3. Watch our Coronation Round Up presented by the Head Boy and Girl: SCAN ME MAY 2023 | The Castle Page 7
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022 | The Castle Page 8 Year 3 Forest School Day “Oh my, my mouth is watering” “I did not know I liked guacamole” “I like Mr Linch’s secret recipe for bean stew” - all overheard at the campfire lunch on the Year 3 Forest School Day. The children had glorious sunshine for their Forest School Day in early May; spirits were high, and it was lovely to see them all enjoying spending time in nature. They prepared a delicious lunch and cooked it on the fire, made elaborate dens, sung campfire songs and even wrote some poetry for the Coronation. As they wearily headed back to their classrooms, it was wonderful to overhear them saying, “that was the best day ever!” Outdoor Learning is an important feature of School life at Marlborough House; supporting the development of character strengths and transferrable skills. Our weekly Forest School sessions (for Nursery through to Year 4) and dedicated Forest School Days, provide the perfect opportunities to deliver these experiences. Classes across the curriculum are also encouraged to use the great outdoors to inspire learning. Mrs Henderson, Year 3 Form Teacher
Magic mazes were made using magnets, paper clips and pictures! Were they magnetic or not? The children enjoyed exploring different materials and finding out which ones would attract to a magnet. We alsowent on a bug hunt! Bug boxes andmagnifying glasses were used to explore the playground – ants, centipedes and woodlice were discovered. Mrs Pay, Year 2 Form Teacher Page 9 Owlets visit Nursery What a hoot…two beautiful tawny owlets visit the Nursery! The children were fascinated by the baby birds and very careful with them. In Nursery, the children have lots of opportunities to spend time with and care for animals with their resident guinea pigs, tortoises and chickens. The chance to interact with a baby owl is very special though and a huge thank you to Nursery’s Miss Edwards for bringing them in. MAY 2023 | The Castle Flying, bubbles, bugs and magnets - these were just some of the wonderful activities on Sensational Science Morning! May the force be with you! We experimented with paper aeroplanes and learnt that gravity, thrust, lift and drag were the forces at play. When we made simple tweaks, like wing size and throw power, we could significantly alter the force that our planes experienced. There was lots of laughter, learning and mid-air collisions ...... now where are those black boxes... Using water, detergent and our secret ingredient of sugar we made different bubbles. We tried to make the biggest bubble we could, this required teamwork to raise the hoop. We also tried to blow bubbles within bubbles - five inside the other was the top score! Bubble fountains were created with along with continuous bubbles. All in all a lot of bubble fun. Pre-Prep’s Sensational Science Morning SCAN ME Watch the video on instagram
Page 10 MAY 2023 | The Castle An impressive pop-up cake sale was held outside the Harrison Building to raise money for Sudan. Even more remarkable was that it was all organised by Freya B in Year 4, who decided that she wanted to do something to help the people of Sudan, after learning about the ongoing situation from Newsround. Freya promoted her event, speaking to her class, visiting other classrooms and putting up posters around School. A wonderful array of delicious looking cakes, cupcakes and goodies were then baked with the wonderful support of her year group, teachers and other pupils in the Prep School. There was huge support for Freya at the event which raised £133.81 for the British Red Cross’ Emergencies Fund for Sudan. WeareveryproudofFreya’sachievement - what a wonderful ambassador for our values at Marlborough House. Cake Sale for Sudan SCAN ME Watch the video on instagram In May, selected pupils represented MHS in the U13 & U12 SVPS Mathematics Competition. We sent two teams of four pupils who needed to work together to answer maths related questions. Time was the all-important factor with only 30 minutes allowed and a maximum of 20 questions to be answered, with each team having a runner who was responsible for getting their answers checked. The children worked tirelessly as a team and had a fantastic afternoon putting their problem-solving skills to the test. Well done to Isabella B, Rosie C, Zoe C and Ruby C (U12) and Dexter H, Joel L, Benjamin L and Barnaby R (U13), both teams finished mid-table in a very competitive competition. Miss Jones, Head of Maths Watch out, Vikings about! The Year 5s took part in a very entertaining and interactive history performance with a theatre company before half term. The pupils were able to use various props which modelled Viking weapons and clothing, and learn all about longboats, typical Viking entertainment and the Norse Gods; all in a really engaging format. It was a fantastic morning and the Year 5 certainly enjoyed the performance. Miss Chick, Junior Teacher U13 and U12 Maths Challenge Year 5 Viking Workshop
Page 11 MAY 2023 | The Castle On a sunny Tuesday morning in mid May, our Year 4 children invited their parents to School to share a French breakfast. What better excuse to have a café and croissant than to come into your child’s classroom to check out their French work? From my point of view, it was lovely to speak with parents and children about their experience of learning French with Mr Priddin. We agreed on one thing: there is nothing Mr Priddin cannot do to enthuse the children. Year 4 chanted the names of animals and music instruments with the most beautiful pronunciation and a big smile on their faces: what a treat. I am delighted that languages are accessible to all pupils at MHS and that they enjoy learning them: maybe we can break the trend of the decline of MFLs at GCSE level? Thank you to Year 4 parents for coming in to support their child’s learning. Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Year 4’s French Breakfast In mid May, we were very fortunate to have the senior model maker from Aardman Animations (the creators of Wallace and Gromit) at School to teach three fantastic workshops to all of our Prep School children. The day started with all the Prep School pupils in the Hopkins Hall watching a screening of A Close Shave, which was enjoyed by all. There was much laughter heard from the children and teachers. During the workshops, the children were taught the art of playing with clay and moulding it into several different characters. Years 3 and 4 created Morph, Year 5 and 6 created Gromit and Year 7 and 8 created Shaun the Sheep. The workshops consisted of Jim the senior model maker sharing his vast years of expertise and the children followed the step-by-step advice and then added their own take on their characters if they wanted to. They absolutely loved the experience and everyone took their model home with them as a wonderful reminder of this fabulous day. Mrs Reeve, Head of IT Animation Workshop
After months of preparation the MHS Summer Festival took place on a beautiful Friday evening in May - and what a success it was! The Year 8 pupils had organised their own stalls and activities which included a pop-up Cake Stall, Tombola, Glitter Tattoos, Soak the Teacher, Beat the Goalie and Quoits. This was supported by the Friends’ stalls which ranged from Welly Wanging to Guess the Teacher, with the backdrop of the inflatable assault course and giant slide. We had a truly amazing turn out and the Colts cricket pitch was buzzing with children, parents and teachers trying out all the activities. The Year 8s raised an amazing £679.60, which is going towards the Year 8 Leavers’ gift of an Outdoor Stage. The Fete was rounded off with an Inter-House tug of war competition led by Mr Payne-Cook, in which MHS Summer Festival the parents were triumphant! The afternoon drew to a close and we enjoyed a summer evening of food, drink and music from the Ceilidh band ‘Rejigged’. This was my last event as Chair of the Friends and I would like to thank the Committee and fellow parents for volunteering to help out throughout the day and evening. Thanks also goes to Mr Townsend and Mr George for setting up the marquees and Mr Gibbons and his catering team for their help with food and drink throughout the event. Without the support from parents and MHS these events would not be able to go ahead. Please continue to support your very hardworking Friends Committee. Mrs Rachel Bennett, Chair, FoMHS A huge thank you to Mrs Bennett, our fantastic outgoing Chair of the FoMHS, for her passion, creativity and hard work. The series of wonderful events that she has led are a testament to her success as Chair of the FoMHS.
Just before half term, Year 6 thoroughly enjoyed performing their Informal plays to their assembled parents and Year 5 children. The remit for these plays was for the children to create their own original versions of a traditional tale – with a twist. Children from 6DH submitted four really entertaining scripts, each with great potential, so their play was an amalgamation of all these ideas and was called: “Fairy Tale’s Got Talent”. A selection of different and, occasionally quite random acts, competed to win the coveted prize at the end of the competition. We had assorted judges (also doubling as competitors) and great comperes overseeing events which included duelling fashion shows, rock concerts with dastardly deeds behind the scenes in recording studios; we had dancing piggies, a French chanteuse, Shrek and Donkey, magic displays from Mufasa and Simba, a football matchbetweendwarvesof different persuasions and nationalities, some singing mice, some intentionally bad musicians and gymnastic and dancing displays! Truly something for everyone! The children from 6J collaborated to create the fastpaced comedy ‘Race Across the Realm’, based on an original idea from Annabel J, Imogen M and Sophie P. Four teams of fairytale characters were pitted against each other in a chase across fairyland. Who would get to the finish line first? With committed performances and bags of energy, 6J created a memorable show with lots of laughter and fun for all to enjoy. Well done. Mrs Atkins and Mr Little, Year 6 English Teachers Year 3 invited their parents to a French picnic in the shade of our beautiful trees and it was delicious; someone even managed a 10th helping! You may think that all things French are centred around food: you would be right! The children sang “Savez-vous planter les choux ?” which covered the topic of body parts, “Sur le pont d’Avignon” just because we like it and it is so French. We played “le fermier dans son pré” (topic of family and playground games) and “le facteur” to practise days of the week. I am really proud of all Year 3 for their fantastic singing and for taking part so enthusiastically. I am grateful to all parents who were able to attend: you made the hour we shared together, in our little French bubble under the trees, just special. Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Year 3’s French Picnic Year 6 Plays MAY 2023 | The Castle
Congratulations to the twelve MHS pupils who achieved top results in the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge. Well done to the following who all sat same paper in the UKMT Challenge, special commendation goes to Theo N in Year 6 who was Best in School and received an entry for the follow-on round, the Junior Kangaroo. Year 5: Bronze – Jesse C and Molly S Year 6: Gold – Theo N; Bronze – Toby G, Poppy H-B and Reuben N Year 7: Bronze – Rosie C, Zoe C (Best in Year) and Alexandra P Year 8: Silver – Joel L; Bronze – Benjamin L and Phoebe M Very well done to them all! Miss Jones, Head of Maths UKMT Maths Challenge Success At the end of May, Years 6 and 7 were fully immersed in the great British tradition of discussing the weather. They were treated to two afternoons of talks from weather experts, one a BBC weather forecaster and the other a Met Office civil contingency officer. We were thrilled to welcome Sarah Keith-Lucas back to Marlborough House, as she had visited us as a schoolgirl when she played sport here. She entertained the students as they learnt about how forecasts are made and have changed over time, the major impacts of the jet stream, seasons and Coriolis Weather Talks effect on our weather as well as how climate change is, and will, change our weather. Hearing about her career highlights gave a fascinating insight into the life of a TV forecaster and the varied and interesting experiences she has enjoyed, from royal weddings to the London Olympic Games. However she did highlight that it isn’t all glamorous with 3am starts and 2am finishes! It was a great learning experience and lots of information was lapped up by the audience. A few days later, Mark Rogers visited from the Met Office and he too managed to convey lots of information to the children. He has always had a fascination with the weather and his career has varied from observing the weather for the Met Office every 30 minutes to liaising with the emergency services. It highlighted just how many areas of life are affected by the weather. He also demonstrated how a tornado can be created in a bottle and he took the children outside into the sunshine to create their own rainbows. This fascinating ‘weather week’ was also topped off by the launch of the MHS Weather Station and so Mr Kimber is now busy monitoring the weather each and every day. Following these talks, Year 6 went out and about the School grounds studying microclimates. They have been examining differences in wind speed, wind direction and temperature and investigating the causes of these differences. Mr Kimber, Head of Geography Page 14 MAY / JUNE 2023 | The Castle
On Tuesday 6th June, Year 3 went to The Big Cat Sanctuary as part of their study on the rainforest. We were lucky enough to have the whole sanctuary to ourselves and it felt incredibly special to observe the cats without the crowds. We saw Amur leopards, the most critically endangered cat in the world, white lions, tigers, snow leopards andmany other cats on our tour of the sanctuary. The children enjoyed learning about the history of each cat and the sanctuary’s breeding and conservation efforts for each of them. Year 3 trip to the Big Cat Sanctuary On Thursday 25th May, Year 7 took part in a debate on whether transgender women should be allowed to compete in female sport. They independently researched the topic and handled a sensitive subject matter with a mature and sensible approach. Both sides presented strong arguments and faced challenging questions from their opposing team members, which they handled in a calm and respectful manner. Great teamwork was shown by all! Mrs Archer, Deputy Head Year 7 Debate As part of the trip, the children also had a workshop on the rainforest, with a particular focus on deforestation and how this impacts the habitats of cats. This complimented our rainforest topic brilliantly and the children engaged enthusiastically throughout the session. It was a wonderful trip and the children have talked about it non-stop since then! Mrs Henderson, Year 3 Form Teacher Page 15 MAY / JUNE 2023 | The Castle
Page 16 Over half term a wonderful outdoor stage was installed at the bottom of the Colts’ Pitch, a perfect position, creating a natural amphitheatre for future events. This invaluable contribution to MHS was made possible by the donations of current Year 8 parents, fundraising by our Year 8 pupils at the Summer Festival, the FoMHS and the School. The children have already been exploring it during lessons and break times. We fully expect wonderful music, plays, dramatics and performances to be held at this exciting new location. Our Year 6 and 7 singers had a wonderful time at the Wealden Times Fair. The sun shone brightly and the children sang with enthusiasm and smiles on their faces. They represented the School fantastically. Well done to all involved. Mrs McEwan, Head of Music Wealden Times Fair New Outdoor Stage With the smell of freshly applied suncream and a buzz of excitement in the air, Reception set off on their School trip to the Rare Breeds Centre. They had the most amazing day from seeing baby animals and insects, to exploring many different playgrounds. The children beautifully demonstrated their questioning skills and ever enquiring minds. They asked many questions and learnt about different animals and insects — the common theme they discovered was that all animals need food, shelter and water. Highlights included seeing the piglets, a tractor ride and running from the giant in the woodland walk before resting in his chair. The children where impeccably behaved and a great day was had by all. Mrs Boyd, Reception Teacher Reception Trip to the Rare Breeds Centre JUNE 2023 | The Castle
JUNE 2023 | The Castle Page 17 Year 5 had a wonderful trip to the coast near Dover last Friday. First, they learnt about how the Samphire Hoe nature reserve was opened in 1997, having been created upon the marl extracted from under the sea when the Channel Tunnel was built. The main objective was to explore a coastal habitat and the rock pools between Dover and Folkestone. The children were excellent naturalists and explorers, finding a wide array of shrimps, crabs, periwinkles, whelks, seaweed, fish and an eel. We also saw a large dogfish (a member of the shark family) swimming around in a large pool. They listened exceptionally well to our expert conservation guide and a fabulous, exploratory, curious and sunny time was had by all. Mr Payne-Cook, Head of Science Year 5 Trip to Samphire Hoe
JUNE 2023 | The Castle Year 2 went to Hastings Aquarium to experience an incredible underwater journey. The children saw seahorses, sharks and rays. They noticed exotic pufferfish, a deadly lionfish and Nemo, the colourful clownfish. Then the children enjoyed a picnic on the beach followed by shell collecting and an exploration of the pebbly beach. To end the trip, a walk accompanied by a singing practice of the songs from the Year 2 play to Di Pola’s Ice Cream Parlour where an array of ice cream flavours were on offer. Mrs Pay, Year 2 Form Teacher As part of their seaside theme this term, the children also designed and created Victorian bathing machines. Year 2 Trip to Hastings SCAN ME See the machines in action On arrival at Brighton Pavilion, the Year 6 pupils were surprised to be introduced to ‘Lady Buzzby’, who was staying at the Pavilion as she had been invited to dine with King George IV that evening! We were taught about the etiquette that would have been appropriate in the company of the King, including how to greet him (bowing and curtseying), polite conversation, how to stay healthy and clean (including making a refreshing sea-cure from our very own ‘Dr Lucas’), and that on NO account must one ever excuse themselves from the table (even though banquets lasted 5-6 hours) to use the newly installed flushing lavatories! On touring the beautiful rooms inside the building, the children were particularly drawn to the dining room where was an enormous dragon surmounting the chandelier above a well-stocked dining table. They also liked exploring the kitchen, where they could see the kinds of food that would have been prepared for a banquet. We also saw Queen Victoria’s bedroom which had around 6 mattresses on the bed! It was a hot day. So many pupils bought themselves an oriental fan before leaving to board the coach back to School! Mrs Fields, Head of Art Year 6 Art and DT trip to the Royal Pavilion Page 18
On Friday 9th June, Year 3 had the pleasure of inviting their grandparents to the School for the Grandparents’ Tea Party. Theygave their grandparents a tour of theSchool before sitting down to a delicious afternoon tea together. Itwasaveryspecial occasion, and itwas wonderful to see the children talking with their grandparents and proudly telling them about School life. The highlight of the afternoon was Year 3’s performance of ‘Unstoppable’, which really captured their energy and enthusiasm, as well as showcasing the wonderful singing voices of some brave soloists. I’m sure that this will be an afternoon that will be remembered by grandparents and grandchildren alike for many years to come. Mrs Henderson, Year 3 Form Teacher Year 3 Grandparents’ Tea SCAN ME Watch Year 3’s performance at the event Year 4 had an amazing time on their trip to Great Dixter Gardens in June. The children were able to explore the beautiful gardens and learn about the different types of flowers and plants that were there. Around every corner was a riot of splendid colour with every sort and size of flower. They were spoilt for choice when they had the opportunity to draw some of the plants and flowers themselves. The children were also able to participate in some hands-on activities. They created their own designs and turned them into prints. Additionally, they made a batter to create elderflower fritters that they fried over a fire they made in the woods and participated in some woodland craft activities. It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining throughout the trip; a fantastic opportunity for Year 4 to get outside and explore nature. Mrs Mathers, Year 4 Form Teacher Year 4 Science and Art Trip to Great Dixter
Telling the story of Robin Hood normally involves going back in time to the 12th century, imagining Sherwood Forest in the dark ages. For Year 4’s version of the tale, we decided bring Robin to the modern day for the audience to enjoy. After an unfortunate incident with a time machine built in Forest School, our hero wakes up in 2023. Everything around him confuses him, from the strange clothes that people are wearing to the mysterious horseless carriages that line the roads. As Robin gets to grips with his new environment, he starts to gather a new merry band to join him on his quest to return to Sherwood. Unfortunately, John Little the bus driver, Alan-a-Kale the farmer and Will the Toyota Starlet driver are hardly up to the job. Lucky, then, that ‘Mrs Robinson’ finally intervenes to attempt to send Robin whizzing back through the centuries. Year 4 Production of Robin Hood Year 4 did a wonderful job of learning all their parts for the play. As well as the many lines, there were also songs, props and positions to contend with. In a beautiful setting by the Specs Pond, the children entertained the packed audience of families. There were many laughs and quite a few frights, too – especially when the merry band charged in to do a bit of impromptu robbing! Fortunately, Robin did eventually make it back to his own time. Unfortunately, he was sentenced by Judge Porteous to wear green stockings for the rest of his life. Oh well… You can’t have it all! Mr Priddin, Year 4 Teacher Our thanks to the multi-talented Mr Priddin for writing the play for the children and composing two of the songs. Page 20 JUNE 2023 | The Castle
Page 21 Year 7 Staycation Year 7 embarked on a two-day camping staycation in mid-June. They were in great spirits on the first day, keen to get their tents up and we were impressed by how lightly they had packed! Thursday then began with a drive to Blackland Farm where the children were to take part in four activities across two days. They headed to the reservoir and the children spent time kayaking, with many of them capsizing frequently and ending up very wet! Once they had dried off, the children were to face the abseiling wall and we were very proud of them all for facing their fears and successfully completing the descent. In the evening they took part in zorbing before enjoying a BBQ whilst dancing and singing along to their favourite songs. We were amazed how quickly they all got to sleep and were well rested for another day of fun on Friday. After breakfast, we travelled back to Blackland Farm and tackled the first activity; the gladiator challenge where the children raced each other to the top; climbing over tyres and up rope walls. Afterwards, the children got to zipwire through the forest before heading back. Once back at School and after packing away their tents, the children painted and gifted each other a pebble as a souvenir from the trip. A wonderful, fun-filled two days!’ Miss Jones and Mrs Walker Paella Evening ISTD Primary Ballet Exams At the end of June, our pupils who learn Spanish had the opportunity to enjoy a fantastic evening, eating paella and playing different Spanish games by the Outdoor Classroom. The highlight of the evening was a competition to drink water from a ‘botijo’ - Alexandra P in Year 7 surprised everybody showing them how to do it to perfection. Senora Sanz, Spanish Teacher Well done to our Year 2 ballerinas who successfully passed their ISTD Primary ballet Examinations with fantastic marks. Amber P, Alice O’D, Florence H, Grace C and Arabella E-I received High Merits and both Jemima Q and Kristina S received Distinctions; the highest mark possible. Congratulations to them for all their hard work in achieving these fabulous results. Miss Caister, Ballet Teacher
June 2023 | The Castle Page 22 On Friday 23rd June, Year 5 inaugurated the outdoor stage performing two fairy tales in French: Puss in Boots and the Wizard of Oz, both with a twist! How very proud we were of this cohort: they really rose to the challenge. Being outside added extra pressure as they needed to project their voices more than if they had been performing inside. They took in all the stage directions given to them and flew with them! They spoke the most accurate and confident French they could and were very impressive. A big thank you to the parents for your continued support. Mr Little and Mme De Haan Year 5 French Plays Led by Head of Maths, Miss Jones, our inaugural Enviro-Maths Day saw Reception to Year 7 take part in Maths activities that enabled them to interact with the natural environment. The grounds were full of busy pupils collating data, launching boats, following treasure maps and more. For the Year 5 activity, they carried out a survey to evaluate how pupils get to School. Having discovered that 89% of pupils arrive by car, the children created posters to promote other more eco-friendly means of transport. Thank you to Year 7 for presenting a special news review of the day, which is available to watch via the QR code below. Enviro Maths Day SCAN ME View our video
We were delighted to hear that five of our Year 8 pupils were selected for publication in the prestigious Mind’s Eye Magazine which is an initiative of The King’s School, Canterbury. Having worked hard on their pieces last term, we were thrilled that the following pupils’ work was selected: Isobel B with an article on Osteogenesis; Sophie C who wrote about sustainable fashion; Robert McP who based his piece on his love of climbing; Phoebe M with an article about the Kindertransport and her family’s role in this; and Sophia S who wrote about the Philippines. It is a great achievement to see their work in such a high-quality publication and we are proud and delighted for the children. Mrs Atkins, Head of English June 2023 | The Castle Page 23 Selected Year 3, 4 and 5 pupils took part in our very first University Challenge Junior, whilst the rest of the School cheered them on. Hosted by Mr Priddin, pupils answered all sorts of challenging questions on science, maths, geography, cooking, languages etc... The orange team won but the green team offered strong opposition. Those who enjoyed this might like our ‘Ideas Factory club’, where pupils from Years 3 to 8 can come and think together in order to make a ‘Rube Goldberg’ machine. If you would like to join this club, please sign up with Mr Robson, Head of Clubs. Junior University Challenge Year 6 Staycation Pupils’ Articles Printed in Mind’s Eye Magazine Year 6 had a wonderful Staycation at the end of June. It started with a great pool party and cosy pampering session on first night in the boarding house. Our first day out was invigorating as the drizzle and wind kept going whilst we were doing kayaking, windsurfing and sailing at Rye Watersports! Pupils showed resilience and perseverance in spite of the challenging elements. This was followed by a karaoke night in the boarding house which was very welcome and enjoyed by all. On day two, we went to Leeds Castle and had such a wonderful time in the trees: Go Ape offered the right balance of adrenaline, fun and release of energy. We finished the outing with two engaging team building activities. I am very grateful to Mrs Potter, Miss Jones and Mr Little for their support and extremely proud of our pupils’ impeccable behaviour. Mme De Haan, Year 6 Form Teacher Junior
Prep School Congratulations to the winners of the Inter-House Sports Day for the Prep School: Awdry! Well done to all the pupils and their supporters for a fantastic day of sporting competition, despite the hot weather. Special congratulations to our 14 School record breakers and our leading Year 8 athletes: Victrix Ludorum Florence K and Victor Ludorum Benji L. Page 24 JUNE 2023 | The Castle Sports Day Events
Nursey and Reception The Pre-Prep Sports Days were wonderful events for all involved. Well done to our youngest budding athletes for taking part in the very special Nursery and Reception Sports Day event. They raced, they waved, they negotiated obstacles such as hoops and scoops with ease, and they made everyone watching very proud. Years 1 and 2 For Years 1 and 2, track events included sprint races, obstacle races, water races and relays, with all the children also competing in two field events: long jump and ball throw. There were smiles all round throughout the afternoon and lots of cheering for the winning House: Hawkings! Congratulations also went to Grace C, Henry M and George T in Year 2 who received the sports prizes, awarded by our Pre-Prep Governor, Mrs Jenny Webb. Mr Mathers, Director of Sport JUNE 2023 | The Castle Page 25
Page 26 JUNE / JULY 2023 | The Castle A great day out and the Year 1 children did their parents proud. To be honest, our cup overfloweth before we even arrived. The backpack wearing, the perfect coach seats, the exciting hi viz jackets, the oohs and aaahs of ‘I know this place’ and ‘I’ve been here‘ as we drove through the exotic suburbs of Hawkhurst… I know every day’s a school day but we all learnt such a lot (and indeed Gill, our guide, was equally impressed by how much we already knew.) The lions roared for us, the weather was kind and we had brilliant interactive classroom-based learning where we handled animal skulls and claws, looked at items seized from customs and dipped our hands into bags of hair dropped by the big cats. By the way, there are 40 species of wild cat, spots and stripes on cat fur is as unique as our fingerprints and you can hear a lion’s roar from 5 miles away! Well done Year 1! Mrs Willett, Year 1 Form Teacher Year 1 visit The Big Cat Sanctuary We had a thrilling Senior Inter-house Swimming Gala, which was so closely competed that there were joint winners on 205 points - congratulations to Awdry and Egan! Special mention goes to William P who broke a 2015 School record by two seconds in the 4x1 Individual Medley for Year 5 boys. Also going into the MHS record book are the first recorded times for our new mixed races - the Freestyle Mixed and Medley Mixed. The Junior Swimming Gala was also very close contest, with Dunbar’s green hatted swimmers emerging victorious. Well done all the competitors, especially to Emil D who broke the longstanding Year 4 boys’ backstroke record with a time of 28.74, beating T Dyas’ existing record of 29.87 with an excellent swim. Mr Mathers, Director of Sport Junior and Senior Swimming Galas “Goodbye Nursery we’re moving on and this is our goodbye song” The Ready for Reception Tea Party was a lovely send off for the Nursery children who will be moving up to Reception in September. The children performed a goodbye song for their parents that Mrs Edmondson, Head of Nursery, had written for them and everyone enjoyed a piece or two of the huge ‘Nursery Leavers’ 2023’ cake (thank you to Amelia in the Catering Team!). Ready for Reception Tea Party
JUNE / JULY 2023 | The Castle Real World Workshops The Real World Workshops fused aspects of The Apprentice with Dragons’ Den and the Year 6 and 7 children embraced the spirit of the task very well, taking the opportunity to show off and develop their leadership, collaboration, communication and creative thinking skills. First up in the den were Firefly with their Sightsport smart glasses, an excellent pitch secured the investment of £150k from property magnate Lord Little of Goudhurst for 10% of their company. An ingenious (don’t throw it, grow it) green packaging idea from Evergreen with a slightly confused pitch, secured a combined investment of £125k each from fashion and textiles icon Dr Elodinia Duharn and Design guru Dame Natalia Cameroni for 20% of their business, as opposed to the 5% they asked for. Mad inventor and lapsed hippy, Professor Sir Tobin Paynesmithers offered £200k to The Cookery for their one stop wonder combo kitchen facility for 10% of the business, being beaten down to 8% after two years by a shrewd and dynamic team. Finally, in a first within the den, two dragons threw money at Plasteco’s bespoke cutlery and crockery made from Pacific Ocean reprocessed plastic waste, offering them twice the money they asked for, but for 60% equity in their slightly bizarre business model. A brilliant time was had by all, and the children learnt a lot about the real word of business, design, raw materials and supply chains, while developing skills which will serve them well in the future. Mr Payne-Cook, PSB Leader Eric and the Penguins Save The World was performed by Year 2 to parents and siblings on the last day of term. A group of singing penguins, led by Eric, met great big Polar Bears who sang about saving the ice. Then travelling to the UK, the penguins met school children and parents who were taught to walk, scoot or cycle to school. Next stop was America, where the penguins met DJ Henry and sang about how to save energy. Then on to the Amazon rainforest, where the penguins encouraged others to save trees - the children all joined in beautifully with this song. Last stop was Australia where the penguins met the Prime Minister and, with some eager refuse collectors, sang all about recycling. To end the play, the children all sang ‘One World’, encouraging everyone to care for the world they live in. Well done to Year 2 for such an amazing production, a wonderful way to complete their time in Pre-Prep. Mrs Pay, Year 2 Form Teacher Eric and The Penguins Save the World Page 27
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODA2Njk=