Prep Newsletter Friday

12th February 2016

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Dear Parents,

Tuesday was internet safety day and as we do each term we have spent the week reinforcing positive use of the internet in class, in assemblies and through interactive activities at break times. Thank you to Miss Smith for organising all of this. The internet is so beneficial increasingly in life, therefore it is so important that children use it carefully and know how to respond appropriately if they experience anything negative. In other words they should be internet SMART. Kindness and respect are two of our main rules at St Margaret’s and girls are frequently reminded that they should only say kind words in a kind way: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say it at all”. I urge all parents to be aware of what your child is doing on line at all times and keep the lines of communication open. For more advice please visit:

http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2016/parents

SAFE Keep your personal information safe

MEET Friends made online are strangers;

meeting them can be dangerous

ACCEPTING Accepting files can be dangerous. If

unsure, ask an adult!

RELIABLE Not everyone or everything online is

reliable or trustworthy

TELL Always tell an adult if something online

upsets or worries you

Taken from http://www.saferinternet.org.uk

Lunchtime Concert

On Monday lunchtime we had a packed Upper Prep Hall, full of girls and

parents supporting those who were performing. For many of the

performers this was the first time they had played to an audience and

despite being slightly nervous, each one performed with poise and grace.

We were delighted to hear from all of the performers and are very much

looking forward to hearing them, and others, in the not too distant future.

What is impressive is how many children have been inspired by last

Thursday’s wonderful Prep School Music Concert and the Lunchtime

Concert and have requested to learn an instrument or have singing

lessons.

Our soloists were:

Aneesa, Y3 – Violin Aryana, Y6 - Guitar

Doris, Y3 – Violin Arya, Y3 – Saxophone

Ishiya, Y4 – Piano Beatrice, Y4 – Violin

Karisma, Y5 – Piano Mayuri, Y5 – Piano

Anjali, Y6 – Violin

Valentine’s Discos

As always there is

much excitement

before such an event to

consider what clothes

will be worn. Yesterday

evening all of the girls

looked splendid in their

party clothes, many of

which were very

sparkly. During the

parties there was much

dancing, playing

games and having an

enormous amount of

fun. A big thank you to

Sholee, our Zumba

teacher, who ran the

parties and ensured

that everyone had a

great time!

Sponsored Spell

Today your daughter has brought home a letter and her sponsored

spelling list. Please encourage her to learn these words as she will be

tested during the first week back after half term. Please would you also

enable her to collect sponsors to donate money for words from the list

spelled correctly. All money raised will go into the Prep School

Adventure Playground ‘pot’ as we would like to have a wonderful area for

the children to play on when we move to our new building.

Those pupils in the Upper Prep who score highly in their test will go

forward to the Spelling Bee semi-final and then into the final (if they are

one of the top scorers) which takes place on Wednesday 2nd March (not

the 1st as advertised, as Year 6 will be out on an educational visit). Those

pupils who attain the dizzy heights of being in the Spelling Bee final will

be given any words to spell verbally, in accordance with what is expected

for their age.

Mufti Day

The girls always enjoy Mufti Day and coming to school dressed in their

home clothes. Today the Lower Prep came in in their home clothes and

the Upper Prep in their onesies! There is a serious side to the day as it

encourages all of the children to think of others. Through the kind

donations from this Mufti Day we have raised £430 to be shared amongst

the House charities. Thank you for your generosity.

HOUSE CHARITIES

SOUTHWARK House Captains: Arabella and Aryana

ST JOHN’S House Captains: Mia and Marina

WATERHOUSE House Captains: Camille and Ruby

WINSOR House Captains: Anjali and Nikita

School At Work Open Morning

On Thursday 25th our school will be open for visitors to view the school

working. If you have not yet visited a part of the school we invite you to

do so as whilst you may be familiar with one part of the School it is

beneficial seeing it in action.

St. David's Day on Tuesday 1st

March is celebrated by

the British, in particular those who are Welsh or live

in Wales. Each year on St David’s Day many people

wear a daffodil or leek and children, wear traditional

costumes. We invite those children who attend

Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs or

Scouts to wear their uniform to school on this day.

World Book Week and Dress Up As Your Favourite Character

Over the last couple of years we have celebrated World Book day with a

variety of activities to promote the enjoyment of reading, a special

literary themed lunch and dressing up as a favourite book character. This

year we will again be promoting a love of books through a range of

activities, having a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ themed lunch and dressing up.

Please talk with your daughter to determine who her favourite book

character is and why. She could bring in the book to share with her

friends on the day too. Please think how she could dress up as this

favourite character. You do not need to buy anything - be creative and

use clothing that you already have at home. For inspiration please visit:

http://www.netmums.com/activities/dressing-up-ideas/world-book-day-

dressing-up-ideas

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-

site/gallery/2015/feb/16/what-to-wear-on-world-book-day-2015

Parents’ Evenings

After half term we will be inviting you to meet with your daughter’s

teacher to discuss the progress she is making academically, pastorally

and personally. We will be holding the Lower and Upper Prep Parents’

Evening on the same day so that parents with children in both areas only

need to have one evening meeting. For those parents whose daughter is

in the Upper Prep you will also have the opportunity to meet with the

subject specialists.

Sainsbury’s Active Kids Vouchers

We have begun to collect these vouchers in

the Active Kids box in the Upper Prep Office

(Lower Prep may put their vouchers into the

post box in the Lower Prep entrance). We

have a very willing team of Year 6’s, led by

Angel, who will be encouraging all of the

girls to bring in their vouchers, count all of

the vouchers and decide what they would

like to buy with them. Last year we were

able to buy a number of toys which are now

used regularly at play times.

Mother’s Day Assembly

For the last three years we have had a special assembly to celebrate our

mothers and this year is no different. All of our Prep School pupils will be

taking part and all mothers are invited. There has been a change of

timing. On Tuesday 8th March please park in the Sports Centre car park

and walk over to the Senior School Hall which will be open from 14:15.

Mrs Hardy will be giving a short presentation before the children begin

their assembly. At the end of the assembly all children will return to

class. After you have had refreshments you may collect your daughter to

go home. However, Zumba (Years 1 - 6), Science Club and Supervised

Study (Years 3 - 6) and the After School Club (Rec - Year 6) will all run as

usual.

Zumba

Our Upper Prep Zumba

Class has a few spaces

available commencing

from the Summer Term.

Please e-mail Mrs Daws for

further information ASAP.

prepoffice@smbushey.com

Congratulations to our Year 2 and Year 3 Ballerina’s who have all passed

their recent ballet exam:

Year Two

Aditi

Annabelle

Isabella

Juliette

Karisma

Meghana

Rebecca

Saanya

Year Three

Alessia

Amaya

Aneesa

Anqi

Grace

Tia

Zienna

Year 3: Individual Examination. Each girl has a copy of their chosen

poem. In addition, examination information and their chosen poem will be

on a separate sheet for each girl to take home this week.

Group Exams

Year 4: Group Introductory Stage 3

This examination requires the group to work as a team:

speaking a poem in unison (with individual lines in part), from

memory

reacting to one another in a group imagination exercise provided by

the examiner at the time of the examination

Each girl has a copy of the chosen poem ‘A Football Game’ (please

revise the lines over half-term).

Year 5: Group Devising Drama Entry Grade

This examination requires the group to create a devised scene from a

book and to perform it as an ensemble.

Each girl has an outline of the story to be presented: ‘Oliver Twist’ or

‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.

It would be helpful if girls can focus on the fluency and expression of the

spoken lines they have created for their character over the half-term.

Year 6: Group Musical Theatre Grade 1

This is part of the new examination syllabus from LAMDA. This

examination requires the group to perform a musical scene through:

creating their own context for the scene (a situation with dialogue)

performing a song from memory

Each girl has a copy of their chosen song: ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ or ‘Oh,

the Thinks You Can Think!’ (please refresh/learn lines over the half-term).

Many thanks for your support!

Mrs C Aisthorpe

Head of St. Margaret’s Preparatory School

Congratulations Lower Prep Star of the Week

(last week)

Reception: Suhana

Year 1: Sania

Year 2: Meghana & Anneliese

Commendation

CONGRATULATIONS to…

Aditi, Y3 Fatima, Y3 Katie, Y6

Marina, Y3 Mathura, Y3

Nikita, Y6 Shriya, Y4 Sienna, Y5

Tia, Y3

Lower Prep Environmental Day

Each term the Lower Prep children spend time

learning more about the environment, noticing

the changes in the season to develop their

understanding of the world around them. Lower

Prep children will:

Website

As mentioned at the beginning of this term, we have been updating the

Parent Area of the School website. This week we have added ‘How to

Support Your Child With Reading’. Please take a look -

www.stmargaretsbushey.co.uk - Parents - Prep Parents. I would welcome

● come to school wearing their full PE kit and trainers to school

● NOT need their bag or reading folder

Certificate

CONGRATULATIONS to…

Lily, Y3

suggestions as to what you

would like to see in the Prep

Area of our website.

February

22nd Term recommences

22nd-26th

Prep School Sponsored Spelling Week

24th 16:15-17:15 No Swimming Training due to Gala

25th 09:30-12:00 School at Work Open Morning

29th-4th

Prep School World Book Week

March

1st

St David’s Day- girls may come to school wearing their Rainbow/Brownies/Guides/Beavers/Cubs/ Scouts uniform.

1st Year 6 visit to Lincolnsfield Centre (school uniform)

2ns 13:30-14:00 Upper Prep Inter House Spelling Bee

3rd Year 5 visit to St Albans Abbey

4th Prep School “Dress up as your favourite book character”

7th 16:15-17:20 Years 5 & 6 Netball v St Hilda’s (Home)

8th 14:30-15:30 Mother’s Day Assembly, Senior School Hall

10th Lower Prep Environmental Day

16th Year 4 visit to Water Works

17th-18th

LAMDA exams

22nd 15:30-20:00 Rec – Year 6 - Parents’ Evening

24th Prep School Mufti Day

24th 14:00 Term Ends

April

12th Summer Term begins

Dates

Reception

“

This week in Reception we have been learning

about Chinese New Year. We made dragon masks,

lovely lanterns, a giant handprint dragon and

special Chinese hats.

Year 1

“

Year 1 have been learning about

place value. We have been using

a range of resources to help us

visualise tens and units.

Year 2

“

Year 2 were strutting their stuff on the catwalk this week with a fabulous

fashion show of 60's, 70's and 80's attire. The girls enjoyed researching

their chosen decade and working in small groups to dress a model from

their era and talk about what they were wearing. Reception were invited

to watch and everyone was fantastic.

Year 3

“

Busy times in Year 3

It has been another busy week in Year 3.

There is always so much to do and so

many exciting things to learn about and

to share.

In the last week the girls have done lots

of interesting things. They have drawn

graphs and extracted data and

information from graphs of many

different types, they have written

promises about how they intend to help

the environment and try to minimise

pollution, they have learnt about food

and feasting in Roman times, what it

was like to live as a shepherd at the time

that Jesus was alive, done

Comprehension and Grammar, learnt

about the U.K. and investigated a key on

a map, made posters highlighting the

need for the safe use of medicine in

I.C.T., created some cartoon animal

pictures, practised tables, learnt

spellings and many other things

besides!

There is always so much to learn and

enjoy.

Happy half term!

Internet Safety Day

In Year 4 we discussed posting online or writing comments to

people. A lot of the children play games online where they can

write messages to others. We discussed how we should always

say positive things and make people feel happy. We were then

given photos and Post-it notes to write positive comments to the

people in the picture.

Year 4

“

Year 5

describe and identify obtuse, acute, reflex and

This week the girls have been measuring

angles using protractors. They can

right angles. I was very impressed by their

perseverance and concentration and many of the girls felt proud

of themselves and said it was something they had found very

difficult in the past. It just goes to show that practice makes

perfect! Great work girls.

In Art, Year 6 have

been learning about

optical illusions. We

have examined

famous paintings

and the girls have

had to use their

observation skills to

note anything that

may be out of place.

In this painting

by William

Hogarth there

are a number of

errors of

perspective;

how many can

you spot?

Year 6

We have also been exploring how colour and shape can be used to make

pictures appear to be moving or even 3 dimensional. The girls have been

enjoying making their own designs and asking their peers to examine the

optical effects.

Drawing a

sphere

Blivet

decoration Impossible

triangle

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