Dear <<Salutation>>
 
What a week! Covid-19 has, necessarily, occupied thought and action this week, although we have still managed to enjoy a number of superb events, particularly to do with drama. Many boys have performed at the Bedfordshire Festival of Speech and Drama, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the brief snapshots I have seen. Well done to all the boys who have performed, and particularly to those who were placed in 3rd or above. On Tuesday Y6 boys were treated to an interactive performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Erskine May Hall, and on Wednesday the same venue played host to the perfect Coronavirus antidote, when Y3 and Y4 boys conducted us through a brief history of the Roman Empire in their wonderful Roman musical. The week was rounded off with our third Informal Concert, this time the turn of the Y5 and Y8 musicians to wow us. Sport has also featured highly, with a very enjoyable block fixture against Bishops Stortford on Wednesday, a good performance in the East Regional Finals for the U13A team, and an even better performance in the Saints Redrow Rugby Sevens tournament which saw our team qualify for the finals day at Northampton Saints.
 
Regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, as advised in recent correspondence, we have set up an email address to deal with coronavirus queries, which is monitored by a central team who meet daily (and often several times per day).  It is coronavirusadvice@bedfordschool.org.uk
 
I hope you all get some rest over the weekend!

Academic Contingency Planning
Given ongoing changes in the Coronavirus situation, we would like to reassure you that we have been planning our academic contingency for a number of scenarios (including possible closure of the school site). We have therefore been working for a number of weeks to develop our remote learning provision, in order to continue to deliver the boys’ curriculum. That said, unless we hear otherwise our learning at Bedford remains very much business as usual.
 
For boys in Y3 and Y4, the central portal for all remote learning would be Google Classrooms. Y3 and 4 tutors have been working with the boys at school to ensure familiarity. It would be helpful if you could check that your sons can access Google Classroom from home on the desktop site.  If you do not have connectivity or a suitable device at home for remote learning, please do contact CoronaVirusAdvice@bedfordschool.org.uk.

Y4 Performing Arts Morning at Bedford Girls School,
Wednesday 18th March
On Wednesday 18th March, Year 4 boys will head down to Bedford Girls' School for a morning of Performing Arts activities. Boys will leave school after registration and be back in time for lunch. As well as teamwork and relationship building with the girls, skills focused on will include drama, dance and Haiku writing and performance. We are certain that it will be a lot of fun and of great benefit to all the children. We would welcome the support of a few parent helpers to accompany us for the walks to and from the Girls' School. You would be able to remain there and join the children for the activities or, if you would prefer, you could pop into town before rejoining us for the return walk. If this appeals, please complete the form here.
 
Y4 Mental Maths homework
Please note that from next week (commencing Monday 16th March) we are changing the stated minimum expectations for what Mental Maths practice boys in Year 4 should do each week. We are reducing the Times Tables Rock Stars expectation from 25 minutes to 15 minutes but are introducing an explicit expectation that at least 10 minutes of Numbots are completed.
 
Y4 Tutor Group Photos, Friday 20th March
Y4 boys will be having their tutor group photos taken on Friday. Details of how you can order the photos will follow.
 
Y4 Grafham Water trip - final payment due
Could we please ask that the final payment towards your son’s trip to Grafham Water is paid by Wednesday 25th March. If you log into wisepay then you will see how much you still owe. Many thanks.

Head of History
Last week, we interviewed for a new Head of History. The reason being that Mrs Badhan will be leaving us at the end of the academic year, after three years at the helm of the History Department, in order to develop her own business and to pursue other opportunities. There will be plenty of time to say goodbye properly, but I would like to say a massive thank you to her for all she has achieved. Mrs Badhan has done (and I have no doubt will continue to do) a superb job. She has taken the department forward significantly in her two and a half years so far, and boys in the Upper School have spoken to me (and this has been confirmed by Upper School history colleagues) of the excellent grounding given to them in the last two years, especially in terms of their ability to write intelligent essays with confidence.  She has maintained the highest of expectations of boys in her classes, has led superb trips to support and enrich the curriculum, and has been an excellent tutor. In addition, she has made a significant mark as Head of Enrichment, an example of which was the excellent Curriculum Collapse Day recently, which raised awareness of a number of disabilities. She has made an excellent contribution to the school as a whole, and we will miss her.
 
We had an outstanding field of six candidates at interview last Tuesday (including a current Deputy Head and current Heads of History at other schools) for the role of Head of History, and appointed Mr Paul Dennis to the post. Mr Dennis has taught at Wellingborough School since 2011. He was Head of History for two years, and is a Housemaster (a pastoral role which is a cross between a Head of Year and Housemaster here at Bedford Prep School). He has a BA (Hons) from Oxford Brookes University in English, and a PGCE from University of Bedfordshire. He is also well known by staff here because he coaches teams from Wellingborough who always give us competitive fixtures. He currently plays rugby himself for Wellingborough RFC.
 
Wind in the Willows, 19th - 21st March
We look forward to seeing many of you at this term’s school play: The Wind in the Willows. This production of the children's classic story features an ensemble cast of fifty seven Prep School boys from across Years 5 - 8 and will be performed on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March, at 7pm, and on Saturday 21st March at 2.30pm and 7pm. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://www.quarrytheatre.org.uk/shows/the-wind-in-the-willows/
 
Morning Prayer, Sunday 22nd March
At the next Sunday service of Morning Prayer, on Sunday 22nd March at 10am, we welcome back OBs as we keep the annual commemoration of the Great Fire. The Chapel Choir joins forces with OB choristers to sing C.V. Stanford’s Te Deum in B flat, and Hubert Parry’s ‘I was Glad’, famous for its use at Coronations and Royal Weddings. The preacher is Mr Matt Gracie, Housemaster of Talbot’s.
 
Parents, families, and members of the School community are always welcome at Chapel services. For further details, please see the Chapel Term Card.
 
Unwanted towels
If anyone has any unwanted towels, could you please pass them to the Art department who will happily make use of them. Many thanks.
 
BSA Family Conservation Day, Sunday 29th March
Join us on Sunday 29th March for a fun filled family day of conservation at the school’s nature reserve in Ickwell.   Bring your ‘young explorers’ to spend a day in the fresh air, green fields and amongst our varied wildlife.  Volunteers will be involved with tree maintenance, wood cutting and chopping, clearing invasive vegetation and learning about charcoal manufacture.  There will also be an opportunity to learn more about the reserve by way of a short site tour. Please click here for details on how to book your family a place.
 
Upcoming Concerts - Dates for your diary
Composition Competition Finals,
Tuesday 24th March, 4.30pm in the EMH
 
Volunteer Parent Speakers for Y8 Post-Exam Programme:
After the boys have finished their exams, we run a programme of enrichment, which includes trips, talks, projects and work that will prepare the boys for the Upper School, and the next stage of their education. One element of the post-exam programme is to prepare boys for careers beyond education. We would be very grateful to any Prep School parents who would be keen (or have their arm twisted) to do a talk to the boys about their career. We are especially looking for jobs that would interest 13 year old boys, either a “traditional” job, or something they may not have come across before.  We have had excellent talks on the following areas: Technology & Gaming, Medicine, Law, Arts, Sports, Architecture/construction, transport, and business start-ups/entrepreneurials.  If you are prepared to do this, please get in touch with Mrs Loader (sloader@bedfordschool.org.uk )
 
Food Bank
Just a reminder that Bedford Prep School is now a collection point for Bedford Foodbank and there is a collection box in Prep Reception for any food items you may wish to donate, and which your son can drop off on his arrival at school. Once a week these will be collected by Bedford Foodbank to distribute to local families in need of help. Please note that they cannot accept any fresh food, so all food items should be canned or packaged with a long shelf life. They also accept items for cleaning and personal hygiene. Please see the list here for details of the sorts of items they need. You can also check the home page of their website, which lists the items they urgently need that week. The charity would like to thank those of you who have donated so far.
 
Charity
Mr Loader and Mr Silk are busy training for the London Marathon this year, hoping to raise money for Bedford Hospitals Charity. Between them they need to raise over £2600 and they would be hugely grateful if you were able to support them. Their combined VirginMoneyGiving page can be found by clicking on the following link: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-portal/fundraiserPage?pageId=1116603
Thank you to everyone who has sponsored them.
 
Parents’ Guild Nearly New Shop
Please see here a link to the Parents’ Guild shop page with the details on the latest opening dates and details on how you can buy and sell nearly new uniform.