A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
The Prep School came together for a moving Remembrance Service in St Martin’s Church in North Perrott on Monday, with a superb address by Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-Spunner KCB, CBE. Sir Barney spoke to the children about the importance of remembering through actions, rather than just words; of honouring the fallen by making the most of every opportunity and living the lives they never got to live. It was an indelible message, which will be heeded for many years to come. Many thanks to our Heads of School for their readings, to our Senior Choir and musicians for their poignant rendition of In Flanders Fields (wonderfully arranged by Mr Shortman) and to Reverend Jonathan Morris for leading the service. Lest we forget.
Many thanks to our amazing Friends of Perrott Hill for a gloriously gruesome Halloween Disco before half term. Years 5-8 had a great time dancing the evening away in the Grundy Hall! Very well done to Emma, Scarlet, Lily, Tilly and Evie for scooping the best dressed award – and to Levi, Sam and Alistair for their winning dance moves.
It was the Year 8 girls’ turn for their Loft Night in the dorms recently, complete with face masks, popcorn and a film. Huge thanks to Mrs Layfield and Miss Hand for a brilliant evening! Next up, it’s the Year 5 and 6 girls – and we hear they’re very excited…
Local landscape weaver, Tony Smith, made a return visit to Perrott before half term to give a super workshop to our artists. The children saw how raw wool is carded and spun into yarn before having a go at weaving themselves. Thank you for a top afternoon, Tony.
Many thanks to Rev Jonathan Morris for leading not one but two Harvest Festivals last week. The Pre-Prep service was held in the beautiful surroundings of St Martin’s Church in North Perrott where the children recited poetry and sang songs, including a superb rendition of ‘Merci Beaucoup pour les Haricots Verts’. Later in the week, the Prep service took place in the Theatre and we were delighted to be joined by so many of our families and friends. Many thanks to the children for their many donations of food which are on their way to the Lord’s Larder in Yeovil.
Very well done to our Year 7 pupils for an excellent debate last week. Following some pertinent and persuasive arguments from both sides, the motion to re-introduce National Service was carried by 27 votes to 18. Bravo, team. After half term we look forward to the Year 8 debate on whether or not prisons should place punishment before rehabilitation.
We are so proud to announce that Perrott Hill was officially crowned Pre-Prep of the Year at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards in London last night. Many thanks to our outstanding staff, our wonderful children and to the judges and everyone at Independent School Parent for recognising the innovative and varied programme we offer. We are over the moon! We were also the only standalone prep school in the entire country to be shortlisted (and then selected as a finalist) for the Marketing Award for Brand Communication. What an honour! It was a pleasure to spend the evening in such esteemed company.
The Perrott Young Farmers paid a visit to Brooksfield Farm in Hardington Mandeville last week, where they saw Poll Dorset sheep and Landrace pigs. Many thanks to the wonderful Harry Brooks for showing the children around, and for being as informative and insightful as usual.
Many thanks to Major Simon Letts, who gave a fascinating lecture on his career as an aeronautical engineer in The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) last week. He spoke passionately about the sheer variety a career in the Armed Forces can offer; a fact borne out by his own experiences keeping Apache helicopters in the air in the heat of an Afghan summer, or Viking amphibious vehicles above the snow line in a Norwegian winter. It was a hugely informative talk; thank you, Simon.
The whole school came together on Friday for a great morning of community action and fundraising for this term’s chosen charity, Support Dogs. It was wonderful to see the children getting stuck into their tasks, from clearing trees and weeding churchyards to helping at the Ham Hill Cider HQ and singing at the West Abbey Care Home in Yeovil. The morning culminated with stalls on the Front Terrace, including the much-loved ‘soak the teacher’. Well done, everyone – it was lovely to see the true spirit of Perrott Hill out in force!
