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Head of Prep School Blog

Mrs Caroline Coyle - Head of Stover Prep School

  • Tuesday 22nd January 2013

    • Winter has arrived in force!


      It was with some trepidation that I pulled back my curtains last Friday at 6.00am. Would the promised snow have arrived in the deepest South Hams? I could hear the wind howling round the house and as I peered out into the darkness I caught a glimpse of the first snow of the winter - falling horizontally! As I prepared for the drive to Stover I could not help thinking my cat had the right idea. Pushing a whisker out of the cat flap and being greeted by a gale force wind and driving snowflakes she shot back into the kitchen, up the stairs and under the covers on the bed like a bullet!  As it turned out the drive into school was less eventful than I had imaged with the snow disappearing as I reached Totnes. Many of our families who live on Dartmoor did not make it into school on Friday and I hope the children enjoyed themselves in the snow.

      The start of term has been busy and productive. On our first day back all the pupils from Reception to Year 6 were involved in an afternoon of SEAL activities. These were designed by our teachers and allowed everyone to work co-operatively and to practise social and team work skills. The afternoon was a resounding success and this will now become an annual event. Reports from the pupils and photographs can be found on the website and on the Stover Facebook page.

      All parents should have received a copy of their child’s class newsletter giving information on the curriculum topics for the Spring Term and any other important news pertinent to individual classes. As usual, we have a packed sports fixture list this term as well as opportunities for pupils to represent Stover Prep School in various events organized by the local School Sports’ Partnership.

      We are all eagerly awaiting the Prep School production of ‘Oh What a Knight!’ which takes place on Friday 22nd March. Casting is complete and rehearsals are well underway for this musical extravaganza. Please mark your calendars. We hope parents of pupils in the Nursery and Pre-Prep will also join us for the afternoon or evening performances.

      This year we have entered two teams for the Key Stage 2 National General Knowledge Quiz. Teams comprise of one pupil from Years 3-6 inclusive and so we shall be seeking a total of eight children from these year groups to represent us. Selection will take place using materials sent to us by the organizers. Please encourage your child to try out for a team. Further details will follow in due course. The first round takes place in March.

      Our annual Chess Challenge is already under way. This begins as an in-house competition with winners then qualifying for local, regional and possibly national competitions. Good luck to all those who have entered.

      The School Council has held its first meeting of the term where pupils discussed what news they should share when writing to Binta, the little girl whose education we sponsor in the Gambia. Members of the charity will visit her village next month and carry our letter with them. Upon their return we plan to have another special assembly with one of the volunteers who travelled to Binta’s village joining us to share photos and news. This has been so well received by our children in the past. They love to see how Binta lives and it helps them appreciate all the wonderful opportunities they have.

      Scholarships for entry into the Senior School take place this week and we wish all our Year 6 pupils who have entered Academic, Sport, Music or Art all the very best of luck.

      Finally, I am sure you will want to join me in wishing Mr and Mrs Appleby many congratulations on the birth of their son James who was born on 15th January weighing 5 pounds and 11 ounces. The whole family are doing well.

       

  • Tuesday 2nd February 2013

    • Outstanding ambassadors  

       

      We were delighted to welcome so many prospective pupils and parents to our beautiful site for Open Day on Saturday. Several Year 5 and 6 pupils acted as tour guides and were outstanding ambassadors for our school. The feedback we received from the visitors was most positive with all of them remarking on the excellent manners and helpful attitude of the pupils. Well done boys and girls! Thank you for giving up part of your weekend to assist us, your pride in your school was clearly evident for all to see.

       

      Last Friday 24 SPS pupils from Years 3 – 6 travelled all the way to Bude in Cornwall for the annual cross country event held in this beautiful, if exposed, location. Despite a challenging route and tough competition from the hundreds of other competitors all the children gave of their best. Congratulations to you all. A very special mention must go to Harry Langabeer who achieved an impressive 4th place out of over 90 children in his Under 11 race. What an incredible achievement, Harry! Very soon the pupils’ report of this special event will appear on the website, where you will find several photos too.

       

      The SPS cross country team will be out in force again on Friday 15th February at Blundell’s School. We wish them good luck in their races and look forward to hearing all about it upon their return.

       

      Selection for the SPS teams for the KS2 National General Knowledge Quiz is underway! Many pupils have shown interest in participating and competition for a place in one of our two teams is fierce. Teams will be finalised before half term with the first round taking place on Friday 1st March. Watch the website for more information!

       

      Many congratulations to our Year 6 pupils who sat for scholarships into Stover Senior School. Results have now been shared and we are so proud of the achievements of our Prep School pupils. Several boys and girls were awarded Major Academic Scholarships with highly impressive scores in English, Mathematics and Reasoning placing them in the top 5% - 10% of the population for their age group. Our Year 6 pupils also achieved Major Scholarships in Art, Music and Sport. Minor scholarships were also awarded in all categories. These splendid results were most well-deserved and a credit to all the hard work of our pupils and staff throughout their time in the Prep School.

       

      I am sure you will join me in wishing Mrs Jamin all the very best as she commences her maternity leave after half term. Mrs Debbie Fallshaw will take on her role as Year 4 teacher and is very excited about joining the SPS community.

       

      I should like to take this opportunity to wish all our families a happy and restful half term which begins on Friday 15th February. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 25th February by which time there should be a true feeling of Spring in the air.

  • Monday 4th March 2013

    • What fun we had!

       

      What fun we had on Friday afternoon! It was the date for the eagerly awaited Key Stage 2 National General Knowledge Quiz for Prep Schools. As mentioned in previous blogs, there was considerable interest in the competition with many pupils in Years 3 to 6 trying out for a place in one of our two teams. Teams are made up of four pupils comprising one member from Year 3-6 inclusive. Those children with highest scores in the try-outs were selected to participate.

       

      The competition was very fierce on Friday afternoon and we were very proud of our pupils. Both teams worked collaboratively to answer 40 general knowledge questions. The standard was extremely high and the questions really challenging. Pupils’ knowledge was tested in the areas of Geography, Astronomy, History, Literacy, Mathematics, Sport, Music and Culture.

       

      I am delighted to report that Stover Team 1 came third and Stover Team 2 fourth. A splendid achievement in tough competition and a wonderful result for our first time entering this event!

       

      The teams were comprised as follows:

       

      Team 1 (Third Place)

      Joseph Camilleri – Year 6

      AJ Goodman – Year 5

      Archie Longrigg – Year 4

      Isabella Farleigh – Year 3

       

      Team 2 (Fourth Place)

      Ben Hooper – Year 6

      Elliot Lukies – Year 5

      Charlotte Armstrong – Year 4

      Roman Cresswell – Year 3

       

      Many congratulations boys and girls!

       

      I should  also like to say a huge thank-you to the parents of these pupils. It was wonderful that each Stover child had a mum or dad in the audience giving encouragement. This level of support is testament to the involvement of Stover parents in their child’s education, something the staff and I really value and appreciate.

       

      The challenge is now on for next year!

  • Monday 25th March 2013

    • ‘What a Knight!”

      After many hours of hard work by pupils and staff alike the long awaited Prep School Production, ‘What a Knight!” burst onto the stage in the Jubilee Hall on Friday 22nd March. What a show it was! With an impressive cast of over ninety children, the pupils gave two truly outstanding performances, treating the audience to incredible acting, singing and dancing throughout. The jokes came thick and fast, each one delivered with style and timing. The incredible set, the attention to detail in the props and the addition of a band all added to the ambience of the evening. Pupils behaved impeccably, scene changes were seamless and enthusiasm high. I was so very proud of each and every one of the boys and girls for the part they played to make this  such a resounding success.

      The level of performance at SPS just goes from strength to strength. It is testament to the value we place on our Performing Arts curriculum and our systematic approach to Public Speaking. Developing self-confidence and the ability to speak out in front of an audience are such vital life skills and ones that we nurture throughout the children’s years in SPS. How wonderful to hear so many parents saying that they would not have believed their child could perform with such confidence in front of the large audiences unless they had seen it for themselves.

      Many, many congratulations to everyone who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this lively production. I trust the pupils, staff and parent helpers enjoyed a well-deserved rest over the weekend.

  • Thursday 25th April 2013

    • Long may it last!

       

      As I sit here in my office looking out of my window with the sun shining on the glorious Stover grounds and the distant sound of pupils playing cricket and rounders I wonder if perhaps summer might actually be on its way! Following the endless disappointments of cancelled fixtures this time last year I am delighted that we have been able to hold our home matches this week. Long may it last!

      The pupils have returned to SPS with their usual enthusiasm and energy, full of stories of their Easter holiday adventures and ready for the busy term ahead. We were delighted to welcome five new pupils to the Prep School this term all of whom have settled happily into their new classes. As ever, the returning pupils have been helpful ‘buddies’ making everyone feel welcome.

      Have you had a chance to pop in and see Mrs Martin in her new office? If not, please do so. She is now located right by the main entrance door to the Prep School, ready to greet everyone as they enter. As ever, she is available to answer queries and pass on messages at any time.

      In addition to hard copies of notes sent home, we are now putting all correspondence on the Stover website. Please do make regular checks for updates. If these pertain specifically to SPS they can be found in the Prep School web page under ‘Letters to Parents’.

      As parents are aware we are now members of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS). One benefit of this membership is the chance to participate in various events with other member schools. I am pleased to say that on Friday 26th April Miss Edwards will be taking our U11 rounders team to Hazelgrove Prep School in Yeovil, Somerset to play in the first round competition of a 'knockout' competition against other Prep Schools for the South West region. We wish the ten girls in the team the very best of luck in our first IAPS competition. We have recently received copies of the IAPS magazine ‘Attain.’ If you would like a free copy they can be collected from Mrs Martin, sent home with your child, by request or downloaded here.

      I look forward to welcoming parents to our numerous school events this term. As always, if you wish to make an appointment to see me or any of your child’s teachers at any time please contact the Prep School Office or write note in their Home and School Communication book.