The sun shone for APS Sports Day at Tilsley Park at the end of June. AbingdonPrep News September 2022 • No. 31 ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
2 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 As you can probably tell from all the fantastic photos in this edition of APS News, the children have been incredibly busy at school across so many different areas of the curriculum. It has been lovely to have a full term of trips and visits, including our summer residentials, taking place again. Trips are such a great way of supporting the children’s learning and the residentials provide fantastic opportunities for teamwork and creating lasting memories with your friends. The end of the summer term saw two superb music concerts take place for both the Pre-Prep and Prep School. With all pupils involved, it was lovely to see everyone singing in the year groups or choirs and there were some stunning solo and ensemble performances as well. On the sports field, there were some terrific performances at Sports Day with a number of school records being broken and the inaugural all house relay taking place, with that final race resulting in the house trophy being shared this year for the very first time. We are sad to be saying goodbye to our Year 8s who are moving on to their senior schools in September. They have been a terrific year group and have had many successes with their academic performances alongside their numerous musical, artistic, dramatic and sporting efforts. They will be greatly missed and we wish them all the very best of luck. We are all incredibly excited about the opening of our new building at the start of September. It has been wonderful to watch it taking shape and I know that the children and teachers cannot wait to start using the new facilities next term. It is a busy summer holiday ahead with the fixtures and fittings all going in and I cannot wait to show everyone around and have the pupils’ learning further enhanced in these brilliant tailor-made teaching spaces and classrooms. I hope that all of you have a lovely summer break. Best wishes Craig FROM THE HEADMASTER The Headmaster, Craig Williams, reflects on a busy term and looks forward to next year at Abingdon Prep. NEWS NEARING COMPLETION! The view from the Science Lab shows the new outdoor learning space in the Quad, with amphitheatre seating, (astro to come). HOUSE MERIT CUP With 14,667 points, a mere four points above the runners-up, the House Merit Cup was won by: UNICORN 2nd: Griffin - 14,663 points 3rd: Phoenix - 14,099 points 4th: Dragon - 13,783 points SCALEXTRIX NIGHT!
abingdon.org.uk/prep 3 NEWS As a school, this academic year we supported three charities, all small and all local - Soundabout, Oxford Food Hub and The Abingdon Bridge. Once again, the children worked enthusiastically to organise and support the fundraising events. PrePrep raised funds selling items they made, from lavender bags to pebble Noughts and Crosses games. Our Year 7 business tycoons again CHARITIES REPORT This term saw our first whole school ‘Big Think Friday’, which will become a regular event next year. Each year group spent time reflecting and responding to a piece of art by Jean-Michel Basquiat tying in with our work for Artsweek. Pupils moved around different zones where they could respond through art, construction, creative writing, discussion and silent reflection. proved successful entrepreneurs, not put off by the Christmas Bazaar’s cancellation, they sold their goods at breaktimes and after school. We collected donations for the Ukraine crisis and within days of asking for help we had amassed a large collection of sleeping bags, food and warm clothes which were transported right to the hub of events. The Pre-Prep Harvest Festival food items were donated to the homeless and the Senior section boys brought in non-perishable foods at Christmas, which were gratefully received by the local food bank. Our four houses have also been successfully fundraising this term, with cake sales, red home clothes day, a tuck shop and a colouring competition, together amassing nearly £1000 for their chosen charities. Anne Parker Red home clothes day in aid of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Dragon Cake Sale Pre-Prep Craft Sale THE BIG THINK The Junior Section welcomed parent guest speaker, Nelly, to talk about French culture. Nelly’s informative presentation focused on food and clothing. She shared what traditional foods are served in different regions of France leaving the children determined to try some in the future. She also described the different dress worn, and the children enjoyed seeing the variety of outfits. Our thanks to Nelly for bringing a small bit of France into our classroom. CELEBRATING OTHER CULTURES Each section of the school explored different regions of the world. In PrePrep, Reception took off for Africa, whilst Year 1 left for Australia, and Year 2 headed for South America! After an introduction about geography and history of Sri Lanka by 8R, the senior section welcomed Pradeep and Yuvani to talk about life there, growing up in relative simplicity in the 1970s. We learned a little about the impact of the Civil War on the country, about the tsunami of 2004, the development of Sri Lanka through an increased focus on infrastructure and tourism, but also the challenges facing the country both socially and politically. The Junior Section tried a variety of European breads. These included brioche, croissants, pumpernickel and focaccia. but pitta bread with hummus was a firm favourite! INTERNATIONAL WEEK
4 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 YEAR 7 VISIT WARWICK AND STRATFORD What a fantastic week our Year 8s had on their residential trip to Rockley Watersports near Poole. The sun was out giving ideal conditions for all the exciting activities they got to experience. Most importantly, the trip was the culmination of their time at Abingdon Prep and provided a great opportunity for our pupils to celebrate and have lots of fun with their friends. Nothing could have been more fitting as we entered the last few busy weeks of term. TRIPS YEAR 8 HAS FUN IN DORSET When Year 7 left for the first stop on their residential trip, the skies were grey and rainy, but luckily, as we arrived at Warwick Castle, the sun came out. This allowed us to enjoy a battle skills workshop, tour the castle, see a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ from their theatre company, plus jousting and an amazing bird of prey show, before finding our way to the Stratford Youth Hostel where we stayed for two nights. Tuesday brought a trip around Stratford visiting the Mad Museum, then Shakespeare’s birthplace and grave. This was followed by an treetop afternoon at Go Ape. There was something for all to enjoy, we had a great time. IT WASN’T BUSHCRAFT, BUT YEAR 6 STILL HAD FUN, FUN, FUN! When our long-booked Bushcraft trip for Year 6 was cancelled at short notice, rather than deprive the children of their trip, we put together a fun activities programme for them instead. The first day went well with Laserquest and Crazy Golf at Swindon. Bowling and a movie at the Kassam had been booked for day two, but we arrived to find a massive power cut! Luckily the coach was available all day, and we headed back to Swindon for bowling there, and more Laserquest, (plus the ever-popular arcade games!) before returning to school for pizza, movies, swimming and a sleepover in the hall. It wasn’t what we planned, but everyone had fun, although Rob, Sean, Jake and Kyle were worn out by Saturday morning! YEAR 3 WALK LIKE EGYPTIANS Ancient Egypt was brought to life for Year 3 when they enjoyed a guided tour at the Ashmolean Museum. The children became detectives for the day, searching the exhibits for clues about Ancient Egyptian life and beliefs. The children were amazed to see objects which were thousands of years old; but they were then delighted to be allowed to handle some genuine Egyptian artefacts. What better way to get a handle on history? Lenka Sowter
abingdon.org.uk/prep 5 Year 8 all enjoyed an introduction to the Abingdon CCF. From cooking, camouflage and concealment, to cadet kit and shelter building, the tasks were led superbly by former APS pupils, Harrison and Josef under the leadership of Captain Edwards and Squadron Leader Cottam, testament to the skills that involvement with the CCF brings. TRIPS AND EVENTS YEAR 5 CAMP OUT Year 5 also loved their trip to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, visiting Nelson’s flagship. Year 5 had a staycation in tents in the school grounds for their overnight ‘trip’, with marshmallows toasted in the fire pit in the woods, and loads of activities over the two days. ‘AYE AYE, CAPTAIN’ And finally, Year 8 had a stroll along the Ridgeway to mark their last full day at Abingdon Prep. For many, it recalled memories of their Year 4 residential and so it was good to spend time with friends in the countryside on ancient trails that have been walked for thousands of years. The added bonus was the arrival of an ice cream van at the end, so the they enjoyed (multiple) ices ahead of the return journey. YEAR 8 CCF YEAR 8 ON THE RIDGEWAY
6 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 IN SCHOOL 8R PRESENT THEIR CREST PROJECTS The Drama and English departments have been working together with the children in Years 3-6 on their poetry performance skills. Every child learned a poem of their choice off-by-heart and performed it to their peers in class heats. In the final, the best performances were given again, watched by the whole school. The performances were amazing and the standard was incredibly high. It was a very difficult task to choose a winner from each year group!. YEARS 3-6 VERSE SPEAKING COMPETITION GREEN SCHOOL PROJECTS Parents were entertained by our 8R Crest Award presentations, ranging from, ‘The Science of Superstition’ to ‘The effect of Mass on Drone flight’. The pupils worked very hard on their projects, gave clear speeches, and should be proud of their efforts. Well done 8R! JUNIOR TEACHER CLUB Gardening Club members have enjoyed filling their new raised beds with carrots, pumpkins and squashes, and lavender for the bees too. Our newly elected Eco Committee held their first meeting to discuss the themes to prioritise this term. They decided on recycling in classrooms, reducing litter on site and encouraging less food waste from the dining hall. The pupils also decided to split into Junior and Senior Committees, which will regularly feedback to each other. Watch this space! BIENVENUE À POUDLARD*! *Hogwarts This term we launched a new lunchtime club – Junior Teacher! The first session was met with a real buzz and was very well attended by both classes Future sessions planned include origami and mindfulness. It’s great to see the broad range of skills and talents the children have and the opportunity to communicate these to their peers. Spanish with David, ¿Hola? Rock Climbing with Josh
abingdon.org.uk/prep 7 IN SCHOOL Airline Pilot Year 5 Dragonfly Cli Year 4 Dragonfly Doodles AUTHOR VISIT, JAMES CARTER, POET WHEN I GET A JOB, I WANT TO BE A... Architect Charity Director Recruiting Operations Director Medical Device Entrepreneur Software Company Director Electrical Engineer Dentist Medicine/Cardiothoracic Surgeon The thoughts of Year 8 turned towards linking their interests and favourite subjects to possible career choices in the future when our annual Careers Afternoon got into full swing this term. We are very grateful to all the parents who gave up their time on a rather warm and sultry afternoon to talk about their careers to the pupils. Each introduced themselves, their job and their own career paths in short presentations followed by small group discussions where the pupils asked questions and explored further. James Carter visited Abingdon Prep to do poetry workshops with Years 1–4. Reading from his many books, including ‘Zim, Zam, Zoom’ and ‘Weird, Wild and Wonderful’, each class wrote their own poems which were then shared at the end of the day. Creating poetry can be such fun! ART WEEK
8 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 SUMMER CONCERT MUSIC CELLISSIMO! In the last week of term, we returned to the Amey Theatre for the first time since 2019 for our Summer Concert. It would be Director of Music, Sean’s, first! The concert programme was based around music from stage and screen, and featured performances from each year group, our Junior and Senior Choirs, and some of our instrumental groups. Songs from classics - West Side Story, Mary Poppins and The Wizard of Oz; LloydWebber hits - Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and The School of Rock; modern shows - The Prince of Egypt and We Will Rock You; and pupil-favourites - Shrek the Musical and The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, ensured a varied programme. The children all sang with gusto and commitment to bring the songs alive, often accompanied by actions. The Summer Concert is also the time when we showcase our young musicians who are moving on from APS, stepping into the limelight for a solo spotlight. Piano, violin, oboe, drums and voice featured in superb performances from Oscar, Toby, Lawrence, Louis, Jayden and Nirmat who all dazzled with their skill and musicality. The evening closed with everyone joining together in Barlow & Lloyd-Webber’s ‘Sing’ featuring a beautiful solo from Hugo. A huge thank you goes to everyone who helped to make the concert such a success, it was good to be back on the big stage. Our newest lunchtime music group is a cello ensemble, directed by Jude Barnby.
abingdon.org.uk/prep 9 ART & CDT Year 6 Wooden Cars Year 5 Funky Fish Congratulations to Ryan, Sam and Charlie for passing their Bronze Level Arts Award. Awarded by Trinity College, London and supported by The Arts Council England. They all have worked with extraordinary creativity since September to create fantastic portfolios through ARTS AWARD SUCCESS visiting exhibitions, artist analyses, taking part in arts activities in the community, and sharing their new-found skills with their peers and teachers through taught workshops. They should be very proud of their achievement as it takes commitment and perseverance to gain this award. Year 7 Greek Shields Year 6 Botanical Art In the grand setting of the Ashmolean Museum, 37 Abingdon Prep pupils proudly exhibited their artwork for the launch evening of Young Art Oxford. Year 4 student, Con was awarded 1st prize for his age group and received his prize with compliments from the judges on his imaginative response to the brief. YOUNG ART OXFORD Hugo, George, Albert and Herbie also enjoyed viewing their work alongside over 300 other entries from local schools. A staggering 2000 entries were submitted, raising a fantastic amount for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Well done to those who were selected and thank you to all pupils who donated money to enter. Year 4 Racing Balloon Cars
10 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 PRE-PREP TRIPS YEARS 1 & 2 VISIT COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK Reception and Year 1 had a fabulous trip to the Cotswold Wildlife Park. Year 1 enjoyed a talk on animal adaptations, whilst Reception set off towards the roaring lions that could be heard as part of the African focus for our youngest children. The illusive Red Panda even put in an appearance! After our picnic, it was then off to board the train for a safari ride around the park and a delicious ice cream! Year 2 had a fabulous time at the Earth Trust for their all-day Forest School trip. Although a hot day, we had the relaxing shade of the woods. We set up basecamp at the Rookery near Wittenham Clumps, and with stops for snacks and lunch, the children busily set off exploring and making dens.They learnt about the legend of the Green Man and thought about how as Forest Schoolers, they were now also custodians of the forest. Inspired by and incorporating the natural world around them, they created clay sculptures. We also made and ate some colourful fruit kebabs before setting off tired but happy, back to school! Zehra Kelly Y2 FOREST SCHOOL TRIP RECEPTION VISIT TO THE COTSWOLD FARM PARK Reception had a fabulous visit to the Cotswold Farm Park in Gloucestershire. They fed new-born baby lambs that had never even seen a bottle before, learnt lots of facts about guinea pigs and rabbits, fed sheep, goats and cows and learnt about life on a farm. There was a very exciting forest school and conservation area to explore and then the biggest bouncy pillow that we had ever seen, where amongst shrieks of delight we completely tired ourselves out! The journey home was very quiet indeed!
abingdon.org.uk/prep 11 PRE-PREP A PRIZEWINNING STORY Dylan entered a competition at local independent bookshop, Mostly Books. His story of ‘The Sloth’s Day Out’ was runner-up in his age-group and won a bookish prize. Well done, Dylan! Pre-Prep celebrated the Queen’s 70th Jubilee with a outdoor concert for their parents complete with home-made bunting, flags, flowers and hats. The programme included ‘Let’s Go fly a kite’, sung by the children with gusto and plenty of actions, and the traditional ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ before joining their parents for a very British cream tea. JUBILEE CONCERT In May, with the Platinum Jubilee approaching, author and illustrator, Steve Antony, joined Reception to Year 3 pupils to share his books ‘The Queen’s Hat’ and ‘The Queen’s Handbag’. He demonstrated how to draw and shade simple pictures from his books. At the end of the day, he joined parents to draw and chat with them, signing books and adding little illustrations. The children were left keen to find out more about Queen Elizabeth, and looking forward to the jubilee celebrations. AUTHOR VISIT NATURAL SCIENCE Year 1 hatched butterflies. Can you spot them? Reception took their Red Word spellings outside.Year 2 learnt about the parts of flowers.
12 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 PRE-PREP PRE-PREP SPORTS DAY We had the perfect weather for our annual bike day for Reception and Year 1 children. After the safety talks and cycle helmet checks we were off! We honed our control skills by navigating a course of cones which required focus, agility and balance! Pre-Prep celebrated their sporting achievements, sharing their skills with their parents. We had great fun on a sunny afternoon and finished off with a well-earned juicy iced lolly. BIKE DAY Pre-Prep took their audience on a world tour, sailing the waters with sea shanties and delighting families and friends with performances all linked to the areas of the world that they had been investigating. SUMMER CONCERT Dressed in bright and exciting costumes, there were instrumental interludes, passionate singing and confident solo performances. We finished off with our Teddy Bear Picnic on the Mound. WORK SHARE Our parents came along to share their child’s work with them. There was a buzz of proud voices as pupils talked their way excitedly through all they had achieved.
abingdon.org.uk/prep 13 SPORT A team from Year 8 took part in the inaugural U13 P4S Challenge Cup “Big Bash” at Cambridge in early July. We arrived at Downing College Sports Ground in glorious sunshine to receive the colourful playing kit with the pupils’ names adorned on the back. The opening fixture was against Primrose Hill Yellows, and after a good start from Justin and Will, we posted a competitive total. Tight bowling from Freddie, Ollie and Zach ensured victory to get the best possible beginning to the tournament. The afternoon match was also won comfortably, with Zac and Nathan scoring well with the bat and all the bowlers contributing to the victory. In the evening, we all made our way to the Cambridge Hilton to enjoy a team dinner. CRICKET ‘BIG BASH’, CAMBRIDGE SPORTS DAY Our School Sports Day at Tilsley Park, began with the sun shining, providing a great opportunity for the children to showcase their track and field abilities, participating in at least two events each. We saw some standout performances with multiple school records broken. A thrilling finale followed a brief downpour with the first ever all-house relay leading to an incredibly tense finish. After a consultation in the scorers’ hut, it was announced that Unicorn and Phoenix would share the trophy. A fitting end to a wonderful day. Well done to all the boys for taking part and thank you to all the parents who came out to support. Richard Sutton On Sunday morning we played Newton Prep at Fenners, Cambridge University’s first team ground, it was a real treat to play there. We posted another excellent total from our 20 overs securing a place in the final, against The Hall School, Hampstead. This proved to be the closest game of the tournament, seeing us play some of our best cricket. However, shortly before the end, Yumi, who had fielded superbly throughout, was injured in a collision and had to be taken to hospital. Both sides agreed to share the trophy and were declared joint winners. It was a fantastic effort from all the boys, and a wonderful way to end their sporting careers at Abingdon Prep. We hope to return to defend the title in 2023! Richard Sutton
14 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 SPORTS AWARDS The following awards were made at the School Prize Giving and the Cups and Colours Assembly: Prior Cup for Sportsman of the Year: Sebastian. A naturally gifted sportsman in all arenas. He reads the play in both rugby and football incredibly well and has an extremely high level of skill. He is a very talented cricketer and swimmer too. Junior Sportsmen of the Year: Josh H and Noah Anderson Cup for Cricket: Will APS Athletics Award: James and Colman APS Basketball Award: Oliver H APS Cross-Country Award: Nathan APS Football Award: Alex, Dylan and Isaac APS Hockey Award: Fred, Léon and Samuel APS Swimming Award: James, Oli and Sebastian APS Tennis Award: Ollie V Belvedere Shield for Rugby: Henry, Sebastian and Zachary Cricket All-Rounder Cup: Justin Young Blades Fencing Award: Barnaby Colours: Senior and Junior, Half and Full Colours were awarded in Cricket, Swimming and Athletics/Triathlon. Participants in other sports of Equestrianism, Fencing, Squash and Table Tennis also received Junior Colours. Team Most Valuable Most Improved Under 9s Teddy Reuben Under 10s Oliver Jasper Under 11s George & Adhiraj Samuel Under 12s Paddy Noah CRICKET AWARDS In the Summer term we celebrate cricket, and the following awards were made U9 – Unicorn U11 – Dragon U13 – not awarded HOUSE CRICKET CUPS Victor Ludorum (* = record) Junior Section : Con Middle Section: Noah (800m*) Senior Secton: Jamie W (300m*) Athletics Cup: Unicorn & Phoenix SPORTS DAY SPORT
abingdon.org.uk/prep 15 YEAR 8 LEAVERS Destinations: Abingdon School (32) d’Overbroeck’s (2) Magdalen College (2) Oratory School (1) Shiplake College (1) Special Awards: The Governors’ Prize for Cooperation and Kindnessl: Charlie B-H The Savin Cup for academic achievement in the AP+ exams: Aayush The Abingdon Award for most outstanding academic results: Colman Peer Cup chosen by Y8: Eric Vaux Cup for personal progress: Willem APS All Rounder Award: Samuel Subject Prizes: The Music Award: Oscar The Drama Award: Toby Debating & Public Speaking Award: Laurie Chess Award: Jacob, Nirmat and Rodion Subject Awards: Art: Charlie, Ryan and Samuel CDT: Fred, Toby and Willem Computing: Oliver and Yumi Drama: Zac English: Eric, Freddie and Oli French Oliver C and Nathan Geography: Aayush, Colman, Conor and Oliver G History: Charlie B-H, Charlie S, Eric and Oliver C Latin: Aayush, Alex, Edward and Justin Maths: Charlie B-H, Jacob and Oliver B Music: Laurie, Lawrence and Rodion PSHCE: Henry, Léon and Oliver B RE: Yumi Science: Edward, Freddie M, Oliver G, and Willem YEAR 8 SPECIAL AWARDS AND SUBJECT PRIZES FROM RECEPTION TO YEAR 8 A BIG THANK YOU TO THE YEAR 8 PARENTS for their generous gift of a super coffee machine to the Staff Room. It will be much appreciated! PRIZEGIVING AND FAREWELLS
16 Abingdon Prep • September 2022 KATIE SMITH For a long time, one phrase adorned the wall of a display in the hall: ‘We CDT’ This simple statement encapsulates the feeling of so many so well. Maybe it is worth asking ourselves why? • Is it because of the variety and number of activities undertaken - from siege towers to emoji cushions? • Is it because of the pride in seeing pupils’ work displayed for all to see? • Is it because of the Other Half clubs where pupils further hone their skills? • Is it because of the Bazaar games so many have got to make in the past? • Is it because of the whole school projects we have undertaken? The answer to all is a resounding YES! There is one key reason underpinning them all which is simply: Katie. For fourteen years, her talent, commitment, enthusiasm, organisation, creativity, passion, kindness and good humour have AbingdonPrep News is the newsletter of Abingdon Preparatory School, Josca’s House, Kingston Road, Oxford OX13 5NX Tel: 01865 391570 www.abingdon.org.uk/prep Editor: Annabel Gaskell Abingdon School is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England and Wales Company No. 3625063. Registered Office: Abingdon School, Park Road, Abingdon, OX14 1DE Registered Charity No. 1071298 STAFF TOM ETTRIDGE Tom joined us soon after school as a Gap Student staying on for three years. He has made a huge impact, not just with the children, but everyone he comes into contact with. He has been involved with many aspects of school life, and made a big contribution during the lockdowns to keyworker school. Naturally, he is a superb sportsman himself, particularly excelling at cricket. It has been a pleasure to work FOND FAREWELLS KYLE TAPPAN Kyle joined us from The Oratory School as a fresh faced and enthusiastic young man who had a great sporting pedigree. I have had the pleasure of working closely with Kyle for numerous games sessions and he has always been a delight to work with. He showed super rugby refereeing confidence made it the subject so many people love, having such an impact on those she has taught. It is not just current pupils of APS who love CDT. Katie has been the school’s Partnerships Coordinator, going into local primary schools to work on CDT projects to encourage their love of the subject too. Former APS pupils also recall their time in the CDT room fondly, including the dispute between brothers over whose salad servers were the best—both sets are treasured to this day. Her pupils have gone on to build furniture and sheds using the skills acquired through her lessons. We wish Katie all the very best for a craftfilled and happy early retirement, and thank her for all she has done. Rachel Pairman with Tom. We wish him all the best as he pursues his Open University degree. I hope that one day he will return to the teaching profession, as it needs people like him. Richard Sutton and his demonstration kicking (spiralling the ball miles) rather put me to shame, and he has really helped our children develop their knowledge and skills on the sports field. Thank you, Kyle, for sharing your knowledge and expertise with Abingdon Prep, you have been a great asset to us over the year. We wish you all the best with your university degree and sporting future. Craig Williams HELEN TYNAN Helen arrived at our school four years ago to take up a part-time teaching role in the Science Department, bringing a huge smile, a sense of fun, a real passion for reading and a love of running with her too, moving into Pre-Prep the following year. As an avid reader, we will never forget her passion for the Mini Grey books and how excited she was when the author joined us at school. Everywhere in the classroom random objects, such as boxes of tissues were labelled with evil names that could then be added to stories the children wrote after that visit. Helen has shared her love for teaching, brought a sense of awe and wonder to the classroom and warmly nurtured the children in Pre-Prep. Alongside this, she has been studying for her Masters Degree (recently completed), competed in triathlons and has been planning her wedding! Helen, we send you huge congratulations for all that you have achieved and wish you the very best for your next adventure. Linda Gaskell LIL PULLEN Many of you have been lucky enough to work closely with Lil over the last few years. I first met her at interview and had high hopes for her smiling and friendly personality. She is also fun, as demonstrated by the 1:1 lesson she gave that day, all done in Lego, and the pupil learnt a lot! She always has energy too! Lil joins in with everything, she cheers you on in your work, in games and generally everything in life. Plus, she can whistle really loudly which is a great skill for playground duty! Lil has been a teacher for all of you but also a teacher for teachers: she is an expert in how children learn and we have learnt from her. The thing with Lil is that she cares: about how you feel and making a difference to that; about your achievements and helping you to reach your targets; and mostly she cares about you being happy and excited about school. We will all really miss you Lil and we wish you great success and happiness in your new role at Radley. Sarah Eastaugh
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNTM1