06-Mar-2010

Netball Fest !!

Our U9's are tournament winners and England International to visit the Prep.

Netball is going from strength to strength at the Prep - our U9 team were tournament winners last week winning all their games and bringing home the silverware. Along with all the girls from Form 3 - 8 they will be coached by England Netballer Eboni Beckford-Chambers later this week. The 21 year old who plays for Netball Superleagues Team Bath started playing netball at school in Year 5 when her teacher encouraged her to join a club and get more involved. She played at county level at 14 and while playing a game in Manchester was spotted by an England talent scout and made the England squad at 16. In April 2008 she had her first England cap against Malawi at Wembley in front of a crowd of 10,000.

02-Mar-2010

Thanks to you the children of Mdengerekeni are going to school.

Mr Collings and Mr Oatley visited Kenya over half term to see the progress in Mdengerekeni where Sevenoaks Prep are working with The Haller Foundation to build and maintain a school and outreach centre. The new school opened its doors 6 weeks ago and there are 64 children enrolled. They are a mixture of ages and are being taught together on different tables with one teacher. The children are able to attend school as they no longer have to travel for hours to get water - water butts provide adequate water to drink and irrigate crops. Their parents are also learning - they are taught how to be self sufficient and produce food and grow trees to help fight the soil erosion caused by deforestation and drought. The photos below show the progress made since work started in July 2009. There are more photographs in the Gallery.

22-Feb-2010

Form One African Assembly

On the last day of the half term, Form 1 entertained parents and friends with a wonderful African Performance.  The children in 1R and 1L took everyone on an exciting adventure, travelling to the continent on an aeroplane, to take home two African Monkeys. A lot of information had been researched by the children and the audience were treated to a amazing medley of music, singing and dancing to show what they had learnt.  African fruits and vegetables were also offered to the guests and there was plenty of wonderful artwork by the children for all to look at and enjoy. More photos can be viewed in Gallery

09-Feb-2010

Hike for Haiti

Congratulations to all the Pre-Prep children and parents who took part in our Hike for Haiti events to raise funds for the Haiti earthquake appeal.
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 'journeyed' from Sevenoaks to Haiti as they walked round the school grounds on Friday 5th February, and our Nursery and Kindergarten children held their own Hike for Haiti walk on Wednesday 10th February.
Generous donations from parents for both events raised a wonderful total of £564.40.  More photographs can be seen in the Gallery.

08-Feb-2010

KGR study winter birds

KGR have been studying birds this term.  They have provided food and water for them everyday and watched them from their classroom Bird Hide with binoculars.  They have looked at birds in books and then chosen one to paint.  This was done on a one to one basis with the class teachers, using a variety of different sized paint brushes, carefully chosen colours and lots of talking about beaks, feet, wings etc.  Please visit the Gallery to see all the children's work.

03-Feb-2010

A Gem of a Lesson!

Diamond Expert Visits Year 3 Science

Form Three had a wonderful Science afternoon when Pippa Deeley, a Gemstone expert who is based in East Sussex, came to visit as part of their Rocks and Soils Science topic.

Miss Deeley, a childhood friend of Miss Redhead’s, has a particular interest in diamonds. She told the children all about diamonds, including how and where they are formed.

Form Three were captivated, and were delighted when six diamond rings were passed around for close inspection!

29-Jan-2010

Inter School General Knowledge Quiz Winners.

Teams from 5 schools in the West Kent area, including Sevenoaks Prep met this week to compete in the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) General Knowledge Quiz. The teams of four (one pupil from each year group from Years 5 to 8), answered questions individually and as a team on topics as diverse as Geography, The Human Body, Music, History and Art. Our team won, convincingly beating teams from The New Beacon, Bickley Park, Solefield and Yardley Court. Well done to our victorious team of Saffy, Hamish, Oscar and Dominic and we wish them well for the Final to be held on the 4th May at Wellesley House Prep School.

28-Jan-2010

Football shirts for Mdengerekeni please?

Representatives from The Haller Foundation came to the school this week to show us how the money from our Build a School project is being spent. The children learned that a road giving access to the village has been cleared and the school and medical outreach centre buildings are complete. Fresh water has been provided via water butts and dams. The school has a teacher and 60 children had their first lessons on 26th January. Mr Collings and Mr Oatley are travelling to Kenya during half term to see the community of Mdengerekeni and the school for themselves. They will be taking footballs for the children and would like to take with them any old or unused UK club football shirts (Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool etc) that your children no longer need. No Sevenoaks Prep footie shirts please. Girls lightweight (non school uniform) summer dresses would also be welcome. If you are able to help please leave any donations in the Prep or Pre-Prep offices before 10th February.

22-Jan-2010

Sevenoaks Prep Alumni is Launched

A letter from Tim Dickinson - Class of 1970, parent and Governor

As a new decade dawns, we look back at the last ten years of life at 'The Prep'. To the eye, the school is unrecognisable - we have the Sports Hall, The Oakery, the new Music & Drama block to name but a few most welcome changes. The soul of Sevenoaks Prep, however, remains the same and when we see pupils leave for their new schools, then move on to University or secure their first job, happy memories come flooding back of our own personal experiences of school life at 'The Prep'. Many former pupils keep in touch with the school informally but moving on we would like to preserve and develop our records of our Alumni. I would ask all with connections at 'The Prep' to share their details and news, hopes and aspirations and help us build a strong Prep network for everyone’s benefit. Please send details in writing to the school by post or e-mail spa@theprep.org.uk

For details of the first SPA event - a reunion for the leavers of 2005 please click here.

10-Jan-2010

A big thank you to the "snow removal" volunteers !

The school closed for 3 days last week  due to the inclement weather that made driving conditions extremely hazardous. After a website appeal over 20 parents and children armed with show shovels arrived at school at noon on Sunday. They joined the school maintenance team and set to work moving the vast amount of snow that had accumulated on the school site. A snow plough and gritter ensured the roads around the school were passable.  Click on the photos below to see the volunteers in action. A BIG thank you to all who gave up their Sunday to shovel snow.

01-Dec-2009

Form 5 Tudor Houses

Design Technology can be fun AND educational !

Combining Design Technology and History, Form 5 have been hard at work building their Tudor houses this term - click here to visit the Tudor Houses Gallery.

12-Nov-2009

Sevenoaks Prep Nursery is Outstanding

Ofsted: every single aspect of provision is of 'exceptionally high quality'

An Ofsted inspector dropped in unannounced on 22nd September to inspect our early years provision. The inspection concentrates on four main areas and gives a grade from 1- 4 on varying aspects of the provision.  There are 17 individual aspects of provision that receive a grading - Ofsted have awarded Sevenoaks Prep Nursery Grade 1 in all 17 areas. Ofsted describe a Grade 1 judgement as Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality. The report Ofsted describe many aspects of Nursery life and noted that  'The children are making very good progress as they play and learn. They are developing excellent life skills as they learn to share and play cooperatively together'. They also conclude 'Some parents feel the provision is perfect and all would recommend it to others'. The full report is viewable from our Inspection Reports page.

02-Nov-2009

Pre Prep Book Week

Books, Books and more Books.

A very exciting week for the children in the Pre Prep.  It was Book Week.  On Monday, our week of activities commenced with Mrs Morris being interviewed by 'My Favourite Book' - an imaginary radio programme - during which she told us all why 'Where the Wild Things Are' is her favourite book.  On Tuesday Mrs Hilder came to read some of her favourite stories and Mr Harrison was on hand to read to Year 2 and enthusiastically brought to life characters from his favourite book 'Wind in the Willows'.  Some of our parents also took the time to come into school and share their literacy choices with the children.  On Friday, the children came to school dressed up, transforming them into many of their favourite book characters.  In Friday's assembly, they were entertained by Mrs Spencer- Allen and her puppets and then a Fairy Tale Party was held in the afternoon to round off the week.