A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
Year 5 have been getting to grips with grammar in this term’s introduction to Latin with Miss Free. In this week’s prep they were busy revising vocabulary, using illustrations to help them learn the words, and they’ve also been translating into Latin as well as from Latin to English. optime, Year 5! bene facitis; keep up the good work.
Friday’s Year 7 debate saw pupils argue the rights and wrongs of keeping wild animals in captivity. Well done to the proposing and opposing teams who presented their ideas with passion and eloquence, and to the chair and timekeeper for keeping a tight rein on the proceedings. The motion to ban animals in captivity was eventually carried by 38 votes to 20.
Our Nursery children have been using the bow saws to make Christmas baubles in Forest School, and last week got to decorate them with paint and glitter! Cue lots of excitement… Many thanks to our Forest School supremo, Ms Bresland, and our amazing EYFS staff for being a constant source of ideas and inspiration.
Well done to 4W who presented a brilliant section assembly on the importance of being grateful for what you have. Their performance of Julia Donaldson’s story ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ was superb!
This year’s Remembrance Service offered pupils in Years 3-8 a time to pause, to reflect and to give thanks to those who sacrificed their lives for us. Many thanks to Reverend Jonathan Morris for leading the service, to our Senior Choir and Orchestra for their poignant performances (Mr Shortman’s musical arrangement of Gandhi’s ‘I Offer You Peace’ was a particular highlight) and to our senior pupils for their readings.
We were especially honoured to welcome Perrott parent, Alex MacEwen, who served with distinction as a Captain in the Household Cavalry Regiment, to give this morning’s Address. Alex spoke about the act of remembrance and how it often leads him to question the causes of conflict and war, and to think about how we might try to avoid it so that more lives are not lost in the name of peace. He urged the children to be kind, for the world would be more peaceful if each of us was kind; to be inclusive and to listen to the feelings of others; to be there to help friends, family and the wider community; and to talk, because it’s always better to talk than be silent. He told the children about the Christmas Truce in 1914, when both British and German soldiers came together for a game of football on no-man’s-land – the ultimate proof that being kind, inclusive and talking to each other can have a far greater reward than fighting.
Alex ended his address by encouraging each of the children to be kind to someone today, to play with someone they don’t usually play with and to recognise the powerful effect their simple act of kindness can have on others. This is the change each of us can make in the world, he said, and this is how we can honour the fallen. Thank you, Alex. We will remember them.
Pre-Prep have had a busy week so far and, after a glorious lunch break in the sunshine yesterday, started their rehearsals for the Pre-Prep Nativity. The children have also been creating some beautiful poppy artwork for next week’s Remembrance Service. Mr Edgar was very impressed with the creations coming out of Year 1! Watch this space for the finished display.
Senior pupils would ordinarily be preparing to visit Feltonfleet Prep School in Surrey this week, for the annual Remembrance fixture to honour the strong bond between our two schools. For those not in the know, the children and staff from Feltonfleet were evacuated to the North Perrott Manor in 1940 during the Second World War, where they stayed for the duration of the war. Upon their return to Surrey, Mr and Mrs Grundy decided to stay – and Perrott Hill was born! This year, Upper Prep pupils will be taking part in a virtual bleep test against Feltonfleet, before the two schools come together virtually to observe a minute of silence. The Upper Prep girls have been in training for the bleep test all week – bring it on!
Year 2 have been learning about the Great Fire of London in history with Ms Williams. To bring their learning to life, they took their replica of Pudding Lane (which they made themselves) to Forest School and watched as Ms Williams set fire to the bakery. They then played a Great Fire of London version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire to test their knowledge – and got every question right to walk away with the top prize! Great team work, Year 2, and a brilliant way to learn about events of the past.
The second half of term began with an uplifting Headmaster’s Assembly as Mr McCullough welcomed Reverend Jonathan Morris to speak about yesterday’s All Saints’ Day. Jonathan spoke of the Beatitudes recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and talked about how these eight blessings offer consolations to the downtrodden but also guidance for being saintly yourself. Thank you, Jonathan, for showing our pupils how they can behave with grace and humility, make sacrifices and show love and empathy towards one another as they are guided through the next few months. In related news, we are delighted to announce that we gave 941 items to The Lord’s Larder this harvest; their largest donation to date. Proud to be Perrott!
Congratulations to Year 8 pupil, Levi, who won the Open Visual Arts competition at the TYCA (Taunton Youth Culture and Arts) Festival this week. Levi beat off stiff competition from schools and colleges across the South West with his ceramic work ‘3 bowls for soup’. The judges were looking for creativity and originality, content, and a degree of expertise in the chosen medium. An incredible achievement; well done, Levi – and thank you to the Friends of Perrott Hill for investing in our kiln!
