Prep Newsletter Friday

20th November 2015

Dear Parents and Friends,

The week began with a number of our Upper Prep pupils performing

beautifully in a Lunchtime Concert to their parents, friends and the Lower

Prep. I am always amazed at how confident the girls are and how much

they enjoy playing to others, despite initial nerves. On Monday the

opportunity to perform was given to pupils who had just begun to learn

an instrument or who had rarely / never performed to an audience.

Therefore HUGE congratulations go to:

tf

Celebrating Success Every week we have a Celebration Assembly on

a Friday to rejoice in all the good that has happened in school over the

week. There is always so much to celebrate - hard work, achievement,

huge effort, beautiful manners, consideration for others and going above

and beyond expectations. This week we were 'blown away' by the Year 3

Class Award Mark as they have been working incredibly hard to achieve

their targets. Targets included ensuring paragraphs are used correctly,

finishing work on time, being organised and concentrating. Some Year 5

girls also amazed us as Zara, Sara, Anais and Heeya independently made

a decision to 'go the extra mile' and composed a power point

presentation about Diwali which they shared with their class.

Anqi – Year 3 – Piano Priya – Year 4 - Flute

Karisma – Year 5 – Piano Elif – Year 5 - Flute

Grace – Year 3 – Piano Lucy – Year 5 - Piano

Mathura – Year 3 – Violin Tessa – Year 6 - Voice

Kitty – Year 3 – Piano Camille – Year 6 - Oboe

Zienna – Year 3 - Violin

Well done girls, we are so proud of you!

Lower Prep Nativity This week the Lower Prep

has continued to rehearse for their upcoming

performance ‘Christmas ‘Rapped Up’. There are

many funny moments and endearing occasions

which are ensuring that we are enjoying learning

the songs, words and dance movements. If you are

Anti-Bullying Week This week has been Anti-Bully week, a nationally

organised week in which the aim has been ‘to make a noise about

bullying’. There have been a number of discussions as to what is

bullying, how we can prevent it and what to do if you are worried about

bullying. Thankfully bullying at St Margaret’s is rare but children do need

to be aware and know that they are supported and can report anything

untoward. At St Margaret’s we have high expectations with regard to

behaviour and mutual respect at all times. Girls are taught how to behave

appropriately and to show consideration and respect. Poor behaviour is

not accepted and bullying of any kind is not tolerated.

We want St Margaret’s to be a place where everyone feels secure and

take our duty of care of pupils seriously. For more information please see

our Anti-Bullying policy and Behaviour Management policy (on our

website).

Useful websites include:

http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/

http://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/

www.childline.org.uk/

Swimming Gala Next week some of our swimmers will be in a home

gala on Monday after school competing against St Hilda’s. We hope all of

the girls compete to the best of their ability and feel proud of their

achievements. Good luck girls!

Senior School Play On Wednesday the Upper Prep are being treated to

the Senior School play ‘Bring It On’. A play about cheerleading, rivalries

and friendship. It is always a treat to join the Senior School as we are

very much one school.

a Lower Prep parent and would like to book seats for the performance on

Thursday 10th December, please email prepoffice@smbushey.com.

Mrs C Aisthorpe

Head of St. Margaret’s Preparatory School

Congratulations Lower Prep Star of the Week

(last week)

Reception: Maya

Year 1: Dyana

Year 2: Meghna

Blazers We have a number of

girls who are wearing blazers

in school and they look so

smart! Blazers are currently

optional for all pupils in Years

3 - 6. From September 2016

the blazer will be a

compulsory item of school

uniform for girls in Years 3-6.

Upper Prep Play

The Upper Prep Play will take

place later on this academic

year in order to allow us time

to rehearse in the Senior

School Hall without having to

share with the Lower Prep or

the Senior School (which always happens at this time of year).

Discussions are underway as to what we will be doing with rehearsals

starting early next term. More information will follow nearer the time of

the show!

Collection at home time in

the Lower Prep Please would

you ensure that your collection

arrangements form is up to

date, as we regularly have to

call parents for permission as a

friend or relative has arrived to

collect. As you can appreciate

our girls’ safety is paramount

and we will only release your

daughter to an adult who you

have authorised to collect her.

November

23rd 09:00 Christmas Card Order Deadline

23rd 16:15-17:15 No Monday Swimming Training

23rd 23rd

16:15-17:15 No Netball Club

16:15-17:30 Years 3-6 Swimming Gala

December

10th 14:00-15:00 Lower Prep Nativity Play Performance “Christmas Rapped Up”, Senior School Hall

11th Year 2 visit to Kestrel Grove

09:00-09:30 Prep School Christingle Service

14TH Prep School Christmas Dinner

15th Lower Prep Pantomime Visit

16th Prep School Mufti Day – Christmas theme

14:00 End of term reports available online

14:00 TERM ENDS

January

11th Spring Term commences

Dates

020 8416 4501

(08:00-13:30)

prepoffice@smbushey.com

COLD WEATHER

REMINDER

With the temperature dropping

your daughter will need to

remember to wear:

1. St Margaret’s Ski Hat

2. Navy Gloves

3. St Margaret’s scarf or plain

navy scarf (Years 3-6 only)

St Margaret’s Day

Whole school assemblies

are always very special and

particularly so on St

Margaret’s Day. The

assembly was truly

inspirational as we listened

to Rev. Farrar highlighting

the roles of Saints in

modern times. Years 5 & 6

sang beautifully to the

whole school from their

position on the stage.

Every girl had

fun helping

create fabulous

pictures for the

coin trail. All the

money raised

will be sent to

Children In

Need. Each of

the Houses had

different

designs. The

result and total

amount raised

will be

announced next

week.

In 1749 “The Society of Stewards and Subscribers for Maintaining and

Educating Poor Orphans of Clergymen” was set up in London and

charitable donations made by wealthy people including the royal family

and politicians. In 1760 Princess Amelia gave £100 and in 1791 George III

donated £500, being part of the proceeds of one of Mr Handel’s musical

performances in Westminster Abbey. A school for 20 girls was set up in

a house in Southwark, London, and the boys were sent to an existing

school in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

Houses

On 28 April 1809

the Society was

incorporated at the

sole expense of the

Bishop of Durham

and it became the

Clergy Orphan

Corporation who

paid for a new

school building to

be erected on land

bought in St John’s Wood next to Lord’s Cricket Ground, and both boys

and girls moved there in 1812. In 1852 the boys moved to Canterbury

(now St Edmund’s School).

The St John’s Wood site was sold in 1895 to the Manchester, Sheffield

and Lincoln Railway and the school building was demolished. Today the

Lord’s Indoor Cricket School stands on the exact site of the Old Clergy

Orphan Corporation School. The eminent architect Alfred Waterhouse

was commissioned to design and build a new school on land bought at

Bushey, Hertfdordshire and, while this was being done, the girls moved

to temporary premises at Windsor. The new school was ready in 1897

and in September 80 clergy orphans, their teachers and the formidable

Headmistress, Miss Emily Baylee, moved in. This Waterhouse building is

Grade II listed. Miss Baylee renamed the school after Saint Margaret of

Scotland who was thought to be a good role model for the girls.

In 1902 the first fee-paying pupils were admitted and in 1940 the first day

girls were admitted. In

1996 the two schools,

St Margaret’s at Bushey

and St Edmund’s at

Canterburty ceased to

be owned by the Clergy

Orphan Corporation

and became fully

independent schools.

Reception

In Reception we

have been learning

all about adding

two groups of

objects together

using the plus and

equals signs.

Year 1

Year 1 have

been

working

hard on

their mental

maths all

week,

practising

counting on

and back in

their heads.

The girls

also enjoy

using their

wipe

boards to

solve maths

questions.

Super work girls!

Lower Prep are very busy at the moment rehearsing

for this year's Nativity - Christmas Rapped Up! You

may find that there are a few differences to the usual

parts and costumes but I'm sure you will enjoy the

performance on Thursday 10th December at 2pm. We

look forward to seeing you there.

Year 2

Upper Prep

Paris. We all took part in

the fight between the

Capulets and the

Montagues, we prepared

for the party and we also

danced like Lord Capulet.

The acting was amazing

and Romeo and Mercutio

sang beautiful songs

throughout the play.

Last week it was time for

our annual visit to

Wyllyotts Theatre to see

a Shakespeare play.

This year the play that

we were introduced to in

our school workshops

was Romeo and Juliet.

It was with great

excitement that we all

got onto the coaches

and set off to the

theatre.

What a play it was! It was set in modern times and the stage was

dressed with a bus stop which transformed into the vault at the

end of the play. It was funny, exciting, beautiful and sad and we

all enjoyed every moment of it.

Neha and Mathura went onto the stage as guests at the Capulet

party. We were very proud to see them dancing and having a

good time. Afrah was introduced to the whole audience as Count

As the end of

the play drew

near we all

knew what to

expect. The

scene unfolded

beautifully and

finished with

the haunting

sound of a

recording of

Romeo and

Juliet singing.

It was a play that we will never forget and one to be locked

away in our hearts forever!

Year 3 were very excited to see the play that they have

thought about it a lot in class. It was a very exciting visit.

When they returned to school this is what they said were their

favourite bits –

Fatima, Eloise, Grace, Doris, Tia and Issey all said that

everything was their favourite, it was all amazing.

Arya – when Romeo was disguised to go to the party and

when he and Juliet got married.

Anneesa – when Juliet died at the end.

Amaya – when Romeo was dancing at the party.

Isabelle – when Benvolio was being silly because he didn’t

like Romeo’s singing.

Mathura – when Romeo was disguised and dancing and when

I went onto the stage.

Alessia – when Juliet wore her long, white wedding dress.

Rudrani – when Romeo was dancing in his spiderman costume,

when Juliet heard Romeo was to be banished and the nurse was

looking after her and Romeo came

along to see her.

Anqi – when the nurse told Juliet

she couldn’t breathe, she was out

of breath from carrying so many

shopping bags.

Kitty – when Tybalt and Mercutio

were about to fight and Mercutio

was playing on his guitar and

being funny.

Lily – everything but also when

Romeo and Juliet sang Paragraph.

Aditi – everything but especially

the scene when they died.