A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
This week we are bidding a very fond farewell to a much-loved member of the Perrott Hill team.
During his 15 years as Deputy Head, Will Silk (pictured left) has certainly made his mark. Whether through his young farmer activities, his book clubs, his legendary marmalade making, his debating competitions or his inspiring lessons, Mr Silk has positively impacted hundreds of children.
We are sad to see him go, but wish him all the very best as he heads to Cornwall to take up the role of Assistant Head at Truro Prep School.
Taking up the reigns is Andy Finch who has been appointed Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), following a rigorous selection process.
Mr Finch has been a valued member of Perrott Hill for the past fourteen years holding several senior leadership positions including Head of Boarding, Compliance Co-ordinator and most recently, Director of Studies. Prior to joining us, he was part of the Extended Leadership Team at Felsted Preparatory School.
In his new role, Mr Finch will oversee the holistic personal development and educational experience of all pupils. This will involve close collaboration with the Heads of Section and Heads of Department to ensure the highest standards of pastoral care and academic excellence across the school.
Year 2’s Rona is taking on a huge challenge this May – cycling an impressive 100km to support two charities: The Back Up Trust and The Bat Conservation Trust.
The Back Up Trust was chosen by Rona because an ex Perrott Hill member has sadly suffered an illness leaving him paralysed from the waist down and in need of a wheelchair. The Back Up Trust are the only charity that help children with spinal cord injuries.
With training already in full swing, Rona is showing great determination to cover 16km (10 miles) a day.
Her efforts have already raised a whopping £1,200 through her JustGiving page, and she’s loving all the messages of support.
Let’s cheer her on as she powers toward her goal 🚴
We were delighted to welcome Sindre Vandvik, Housemaster of Court House, Canford, to school to judge the finals of our House Poetry Recitations Competition.
After weeks of practice, 16 talented finalists took to the stage, delivering outstanding performances in front of the entire school. The standard was high, making the final decision a tough one for our adjudicator.
A huge congratulations to our winners (pictured left to right):
Lily (Year 2) – Winner of the Pre-Prep category with Dear Mr Merlin by Moira Andrew.
Joe (Year 8) – Winner of the Upper Prep category with his powerful self-penned poem, Self.
Sam (Year 4) – Winner of the Middle Prep category with Walking with my Iguana by Brian Moses.
Jude (Year 3) – Winner of the Lower Prep category with Building a Dragon by Charles Thompson.
Finally, congratulations to Blackdowns, who claimed the overall House prize with their group performance of Under the Sea by Howard Ashman.
Well done to everyone who took part.
Our Year 5 and 6 cast transported us to the high seas with their brilliant production of Treasure Island – full of adventure, daring pirates, and a smattering of rum and of ‘Arrrs!’
A huge well done to all the children for their fantastic performances, and an equally big thank you to the dream team behind the scenes.
Our very own Mr Fix It, Ian, for building a life-sized ship!
Head of Art, Mrs Palmer for her stunning backdrop designs.
Director of Music, Mr Shortman for the fantastic music (with a special shout-out to Year 8’s Joe on the trumpet!).
And of course, the amazing Miss Durant our Head of Drama for inspiring such a confident and joyous performance from our young stars.
Bravo to everyone involved!
Our Year 4 pupils have been busy collecting discarded plastics from the beach – not to throw them away, but to transform them into something new. Using found materials, children explored printmaking and weaving techniques and created their own unique fabrics.
Parents were then invited to join in a session, where pupils demonstrated their skills in printing and recycling plastics through art. Taking inspiration from artists and designers such as Lioquat Rasaul, Nano Uhero, Sharon Porteous, Tanvi Kant, and even Alexander McQueen, pupils and parents worked collaboratively to create fantastical garments from their hand-printed fabrics and other waste materials.
Their final creations are being submitted to the Craft Council’s Material World Project, in partnership with The Eden Project, which encourages young people from KS1 to KS4 to explore sustainability through craft, an initiative that sparks imagination and innovation, and encourages important conversations about our planet and the role of design in shaping a sustainable future.
Musicians and artists of all ages gathered at Perrott Hill for an enriching day of art and music-making.
A ‘pop-up’ community orchestra came together to celebrate the iconic music of French composer Georges Bizet, performing four vibrant movements from L’Arlésienne Suite.
These pieces, specially arranged to accommodate musicians from Grade 2 standard upwards, were a perfect showcase for the orchestra’s diverse talent and ages from 8 to 80. Thirty budding musicians from the school were joined by sixty friends and family who travelled from as far away as Shropshire! The blend of youthful energy and seasoned musicians created an exciting atmosphere.
After a short but focused rehearsal, the orchestra performed with impressive skill and gusto to their fellow pupils, friends, and family.
As the orchestra rehearsed, artwork inspired by Bizet’s music and Vincent Van Gogh was being created under the guidance of Head of Art, Tabs Palmer, and a set of beautiful painted cellos were presented at the concert.
Director of Music at Perrott Hill, Julian Shortman, said “It was wonderful to see so many gather, not only to celebrate Bizet’s work, but to share in the joy of making music and art as a community.”
Congratulations to James who has secured a prestigious 13+ sports scholarship to Canford School.
James joined Perrott Hill in Year 5 and has always been actively involved in all areas of school life. “I have been very fortunate” he said, “There’s so much you can do at Perrott Hill”.
Outside of his school commitments, James also plays hockey for the U14 Somerset County Hockey Club and cricket for North Perrott Cricket Club.
Speaking of his success, Headmaster Mr McCullough said, “James should feel rightly proud of this significant achievement and we offer him our warm congratulations.”
This week we welcomed Rachael Honeyball from A J Honeyball Racing to school to take a seat in the iconic Orange Chair.
The children gathered around a roaring fire, as Racheal read an extract from Clare Balding’s heart-warming book, ‘The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop’.
To the children’s complete delight, she then introduced Biscuit, a beautiful Shetland pony who coped coped admirably with all the attention from Years 2 to 5!
Following their class studies of rivers, Year 6 set off on an exciting field trip for some hands-on learning.
Their mission? To measure the depth, width, and velocity of the River Axe, tracing its journey from its source at Cheddington, through Mosterton, Forde Abbey, and the floodplains of Axmouth, all the way to where it meets the sea at Seaton.
“It was an absolutely amazing day,” said Mr Coverdale, Head of Geography. “The children got to witness river processes in action, and of course, they had a blast getting wet, muddy, and fully immersed in the experience.
At Perrott Hill, we celebrate the magic of books every day, but World Book Day is always memorable as children from Nursery through to Year 8 take the opportunity to celebrate their favourite book or film character.
This year, the children (and members of staff!) really excelled themselves with their creative costumes.
“This is always an important day for us,” said Head of English Mrs Byrne, “as we focus on the joy of reading.
“It supports our mission, as a department, to expose every child to positive and engaging learning experiences so that they leave Perrott Hill with a keen desire to read and write for both pleasure and study.”
