Year 7 explored how much energy different foods contain through a hands-on scientific investigation. Pupils tested a variety of foods by safely burning them and measuring the temperature rise of water to see how much energy was released.

They really enjoyed the practical aspect of the experiment, making careful observations and discussing why different foods produced different results. A great session of scientific enquiry, curiosity, and active learning!

This week, Year 8 have been exploring the powerful effects of coastal erosion, focusing on the dramatic and sudden collapse of the Holbeck Hall Hotel in Scarborough. To deepen their understanding, pupils stepped into the role of news reporters, producing highly professional on-scene broadcasts from the “hotel.”

Their reports demonstrated excellent subject knowledge, creativity and confidence, as they explained how coastal processes contributed to the disaster and the impact it had on the local area. It was an engaging and memorable way to bring geography to life—well done, Year 8!

Last half term, Year 1 and 2 dived into the vibrant world of artist Yayoi Kusama. The children learned about her life, her inspirations, and the distinctive patterns and colours that make her work so unique.

Using what they discovered, pupils created their own Kusama-inspired pieces in both 2D and 3D, experimenting confidently with a range of media. Their thoughtful observations, creativity, and willingness to explore new techniques have been wonderful to see.

We are incredibly proud of their imaginative work and the enthusiasm they brought to this unit. Well done, artists!

This week in Nursery has been full of creativity, curiosity, and hands-on exploration.

The children began by making their very own poppies, carefully gluing tissue paper onto poppy outlines. As they worked, we talked together about why we make poppies and what they represent. The children learned that poppies help us remember the brave people who kept us safe. It was a gentle and meaningful way to explore care, respect, and remembrance through art.

We also had lots of fun with cornflour play — always a favourite in Nursery! By mixing cornflour with water, the children created a wonderfully intriguing mixture that behaves like both a solid and a liquid. They loved squishing, squeezing, and stirring the gloopy texture, discovering how it changed in their hands.

To extend our learning, we explored colour mixing, adding different shades and watching them blend into new colours. This sparked lots of curiosity, experimentation, and conversation as the children observed cause and effect right before their eyes.

Cornflour play is more than just fun — it helps develop fine motor skills, early scientific thinking, and language as the children make predictions, test ideas, and talk about what they notice. Most importantly, it offers a rich sensory experience that supports creativity, exploration, and joy.

Our Year 10 Creative Media Studies pupils have been putting their design skills into action as they create promotional posters for our upcoming production of The Crucible. Exploring layout, typography, symbolism and audience impact, pupils have produced thoughtful and eye-catching designs that reflect the tension and atmosphere of the play. We look forward to sharing some of their finished work with the school community soon!

IT in the Prep School
In Year 2, pupils have been developing their digital skills by learning how to create and add data tables in Apple Pages. They explored different types of manual and powered technology, then organised their findings by entering the information into neatly presented tables. The children thoroughly enjoyed combining research with practical digital skills.

Meanwhile, Years 3 & 4 have been focusing on word processing techniques. This week, they learned how to modify text by changing font features and adjusting alignment, helping them understand how formatting can enhance clarity and presentation.

It has been a productive and engaging week for our young digital learners!