I hope you all enjoyed the Easter holidays and welcome back to the new term and some sunshine at last!
Congratulations to all the children who took part in the recent LAMDA exams. All received distinctions and thank you Mrs Keen. We were also delighted with recent music ABRSM examinations. The results are posted on the music board outside the music room. Well done to all the children who took part in these exams with Mr Giles.
Tomorrow we look forward to our Open Morning. The timetable is on this newsletter. Please join us if you can and bring your family and friends. We do have some places available in September 2018 although there are waiting lists in some classes.
I have reminded the children this week about the importance of wearing the correct uniform and having pride in their appearance. Most of our children look very smart and thank you for your support with this. Juniors and Infants are now removing duffle coats as the Spring sunshine appears. Hats must be worn with blazers to and from school. We then always have them for school outings. Clara from Cool Cats Clothing, our uniform suppliers will be in school for our Open Morning, should you need to place an order. From now on we would like to keep wearing our blazers all year as the children look so smart in them. As the temperature drops when we move into the Autumn term we can add jumpers and cardigans and then duffle coats for the necessary extra layer once Winter arrives. Of course, on hot Summer days (should we receive any!) the children will be able to remove their blazers in the classrooms and outside.
I read an interesting article in the Telegraph paper yesterday about Michael Rosen, the former children's Laureate. He reminds us of the importance of literature and that when schools engage at the right level literature, it also teaches us empathy, reasoning and abstract thinking. Michael Rosen does have socialist leanings and yet he has noted that it is the private schools that have recognised the folly of over- testing pupils; and have placed more emphasis on "the all round child".
We do try very hard at Grantham Prep School to enable our children to find out what their strengths are, allow them to have a go at something new; and then enable them to make the most of their talents. This without doubt fosters self-confidence and happy children. We are all good at something.
Kind regards
Mrs Korcz
Headmistress
Calendar & Events
Summer Term 2018
Term Starts:
Monday 16/4/18 May Day:
Monday 7/5/18 Half Term:
28/5/18 - 1/6/18 Leavers Assembly
Friday 13/7/18
(School finishes at 12.30pm) Activity Days:
Monday 16/7/18 - Wednesday 18/7/18 End of Term: Wednesday 18/7/18
Autumn Term 2018
Term Starts:
Tuesday 4/9/18
Half Term:
22/10/18 - 2/11/18
End of Term:
Friday 14/12/18
ISSUE: 332 19th April 2018
IMPORTANT PARENT INFORMATION
Cool Cats Uniform Supplier: TGPS website - Please access the Uniform & Equipment heading on the home page there is a direct link to the Cool Cats website.
WEEKLY EVENTS
Friday 20th April "Friends" Parents Meeting 8.45am
Open Morning, 9.00am - 11.30am
Louth Swimming Finals, leave 3.30pm
Monday 23rd April
Invitational TGPS Swimming Gala, 1.30pm-2.30pm
Wednesday 25th April
U11 Rounders v Highfields (a) 2.30pm
U11 & U9 Cricket v Peterborough, 3.00pm
U9 G & D Tennis, Tennis club, 4.00pm
Thursday 26th April Little Genius Quiz, Stamford School, 6.30pm
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Monday 23rd April TGPS Swimming Gala
Friday 4th May Year 2 visit to Peterborough
Thursday 10th May School Class Photos
14th - 18th May Exam Week
27th May - 2nd June Children to Inter-SEK Budapest
Main Hall
9.00am - 9.20am School Band
9.20am - 9.30am School Choir
9.30am - 9.40am Recorder Group 9.40am - 9.45am Drama Group
Recitation by Aiden
10.00am - 11.00am Coffee and Tea
11.00am - 11.20am Infant Choir
Music Room
9.00am - 11.30am Piano lessons with Mrs Parry
ICT Suite
11.00am - 11.30am Year 5 ICT lesson
Art Room
9.00am - 9.30am Year 3/ Year 4 Art lesson
Sport
11.00am - 11.30am Year 3 PE lesson outside
Creche
9.30am - 11.30am Woodwind lessons with Mr Giles
Infant Classrooms
9.00am - 10.00am Class Lessons
Junior Classrooms
9.00am - 11.30am Class Lessons
10.45am - 11.00am Playtime
Grantham Prep Invitation Swimming Gala
Where? Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham
When? Monday 23rd April 1.30pm to 2.30pm.
All spectators are welcome to come along and watch this spectacle. Anyone who is able to help to do some timing please contact Mr Park before the event. ( there will be no swimming for class 2 or children who are not part of the Grantham Prep team. )
Music Lessons/ Musical Theatre/Speech and Drama Clubs
Please can we remind parents that if your child wishes to stop either the Musical Theatre Club, the Speech and Drama Club or if your child has music lessons, that a term's written notice must be given. Thank you.
Thank you so much for making my time at the Grantham Prep School such a happy and memorable part of my life. I will certainly miss being in an environment where colleagues, parents and children work with such dedication.
Thank you so much also for your generosity, not only of gifts but also the kind words that you shared with me during my final week.
Our annual Easter/Science celebration took place this week on a beautiful spring Monday morning. Children (and adults) were challenged to produce recycled packaging to support a fresh egg which would be launched from the dizzy heights of Mount Preppy, 3 metres. There were some fabulous entries showing that the children had obviously thought through their ideas and clearly had discussed with their parents the "science" involved not just in the protection and recycling but on designs and names as well. Mr Park, Miss Linehan and Mrs Clegg organised the Eggscapes into two sessions and Mrs Harman judged the designs to award some winning designs. Each entrant were awarded with a celebration chocolate egg kindly provided by the Friends Association.
Over the Easter Holidays the children and the staff alike enjoyed the Easter Holiday Camp packed with fun filled activities and sports. Tennis is a great sport and the children learnt the skills of tennis in a fun manner with the enthusiastic tennis coaches of The Grantham Tennis Club.
We were also thrilled to welcome a local martial arts coach Jo Copeland who introduced to the "Kate" (a Japanese word for patterns of movement) some basic moves and particular skills such as kicks, blocks and self-defence. Each skill required concentration, strict attention and good breathing technique.
At the end of the Martial Art sessions the children were awarded with a white belt to mark their beginner level which takes them (if continued) through a variety of colours until black.
Over the Easter Holiday Camp the children learnt to be in control of their body as well as to develop their fitness level, strength and flexibility.
We are looking forward to the Summer holiday camp which will run from 19th July until 10th August 2018.
Summer Sports Kit -
All children should be wearing summer sports-kit this term. Please ensure that all kit is freshly named.
PE lessons -
white polo shirts, navy / white shorts or navy shorts, white ankle sports socks,tracksuits and navy fleece jackets
Games Lessons -
Girls - as for PE lessons
Boys - cricket whites( trousers, shirt and slip over or jumper), navy fleece
Players chosen for match play should wear their blazer and cap for travelling to and from matches.
Inter-House Netball Results
1st Brownlow
2nd Hornsby
3rd Newton
Inter-House Football Results
1st Brownlow
2nd Newton
3rd Hornsby
County Swimming Finals
After winning the Grantham and District Small Schools competition our U11 and U9 teams qualified for the County Championships in Louth last Friday. After receiving the news that some of our District Champions were going to be missing from this event due to the Valencia exchange trip, the PE staff were somewhat apprehensive as to what might happen at this prestigious gala. Some injuries, illnesses and holiday clashes added to the coaching staff FS word but some light at the end of the tunnel- the French decided to have a strike and the Valencia bound trip were suddenly at a loose end. Four races in and our main rivals At Hugh's from Woodhall Spa had thrown down a wet towel challenge winning all their freestyle races when we secured two 2 nd and two 3 rd places. It was at this point that our swimming team rallied and secured 15 first place positions and 8 second places in the final 23 races. Every single swimmer from the squad of 23 knocked time off their personal best times and really showed what a tough lot we can be when the chips are down. Both teams secured victories overall and can now enjoy for the next year at least being called County Champion swimmer.
Congratulations to everyone who took exams. You are all incredible musicians who have worked really hard and you should be very proud of yourselves….well done.
(A very Proud Mr Giles.)
Band in the morning’ Band in the morning’ Band in the morning’ Whoop Whoop!
Band practice will take place as normal 0830hrs start please.
Mr Giles’ Top Tip.
Remember to practice as efficiently as possible. FOCUS on one thing at a time and achieve that thing at that practice session.
The facts are that the french author and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was taking off from the Guatemala City airport in February, 1938, on his way to South America. The airplane, accidentally overloaded with fuel, crashed not far from the airport and Saint-Exupéry was seriously injured. He stayed for over a month in La Antigua, Guatemala, during his recovery. Some say that asteroid B612, home of The Little Prince, was inspired by La Antigua.
"On the morning of his departure he put his planet in perfect order. He carefully cleaned out his active volcanoes. He possessed two active volcanoes; and they were very convenient for heating his breakfast in the morning. He also had one volcano that was extinct. But, as he said, "One never knows!" So he cleaned out the extinct volcano, too. If they are well cleaned out, volcanoes burn slowly and steadily, without any eruptions. Volcanic eruptions are like fires in a chimney" (chapter 9, The little Prince).
In the month of the 75th anniversary of The Little Prince, we find the similarities between La Antigua and the asteroid. The city is, in fact, surrounded by 3 volcanoes, 2 of which are active and one is inactive. In his planet, there is also a rose, a typical flower of La Antigua. Whether this was or not the place that inspired Saint-Exupéry for the Asteroid B612 will always remain a mystery, but we believe this magical place could have well been the point of departure that set his imagination free.
Colegio Internacional SEK Guatemala GUATEMALA
Learning dynamics: The IB curricula aren’t stagnant
The IB curricula aren’t stagnant. When a teacher receives a student group for the first time, it is necessary to assess the various skill levels and learning dynamics of the group. Teachers are given the opportunity to be dynamic in order to grow and advance the learning process, and add to their curriculum year on year.
No two children absorb information in the same manner. Teaching staff are constantly aware of the need to deliver a variety of teaching and learning techniques to get information across to their students.
Taking this one step further, IB students are inquirers, and teachers are constantly assessing this skill level in students – to gather information and knowledge on their own accord. Some students are natural risk-takers while other students start out safe and need to be encouraged over time to take their learning into their own hands.
This approach ensures students of a variety of skill levels, and with different learning dynamics are able to receive and explore, absorb and make use of knowledge. They are able to progress through the IB curricula with confidence.
If you are selecting your child's lunches on a weekly basis, it must be done by midnight Thursday of the previous week. Once you have made your choices, unfortunately, you are unable to change them. However, if your child would like to change a meal, please email the school office (contact.grantham@iesmail.com) with the date and meal choice that you would like changing and we will make the changes for you.
The Wise pay booking system for hot lunches is available through the TGPS website.
Thank you.
School Bus Collection Points & Times
Bookings for this week:
Please contact the school office to book a place for your child.
8.10am Normanton on Cliffe
8.20am Ancaster
8.25am Wilsford
On Fridays the bus will run 15 minutes earlier to ensure pupils arrive in time for the *Music Machine" School Band rehearsal.
Access to the School Building after 4.30pm
As you are all aware there is now a gate which has a key code access to the Creche in the evening. If you do not have the code, please call 01476 593293 and your call will be answered by Creche.
