Prep School Newsletter

• Head’s Lines

  Jun 2019

  It has been a particularly important and busy week for our Year 6 children. After months of rehearsals, all their hard work came to fruition in the form of their sensational production of ‘The Wind in the Willows’.

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• Climate Change Cake

  Jun 2019

  This week, Year 4 was set a challenge in Science; to independently research an aspect of climate change and then present their findings in an interesting and inventive way. 

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• Sew Much Fun!

  Jun 2019

  In DT, Year 3 pupils have taken up their needle and thread and learnt to sew.  They took to stitching, enthusiastically and had ‘sew’ much fun! Having learnt how to do running and backstitch, the children transferred their newfound skills to decorating a felt bookmark. With a rai...

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• Wonderful Wind in the Willows

  Jun 2019

  This week saw the Year 6 production of Wind in the Willows based on the book by Kenneth Graham.

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• Barnardo’s Big Toddle

  Jun 2019

  What enormous fun we had raising money for Barnardo's supporting their Big Toddle.

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Jun 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• STEM Day at the Senior School

  Jun 2019

  The Senior School welcomed Year 5 from SVPS for their annual STEM Day this week

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• First Trip for Reception

  Jun 2019

  On Monday, Reception pupils visited Tyland Barn to consolidate their topic this term, ‘Mini Beasts’.

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• Looking back...

  Jun 2019

  This week in English, Year 6 has been reflecting on their time spent at SVPS. 

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• Sports Day

  Jun 2019

  Last Saturday was one of the biggest events in the School calendar, where Year 3 to 6 pupils competed in our annual Sports Day. We were blessed with wonderful weather and the children were eager to get started. 

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• Bonne Fête!

  Jun 2019

  Prep French lessons this week have been all about revising days, months and numbers. 

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• Move Up Morning

  Jun 2019

  Our much anticipated ‘Move Up Morning’ happened on Tuesday and what a wonderful experience it was!

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• Gorgeous Glass

  Jun 2019

  Year 6 has been putting the finishing touches on their artworks in preparation for their Leavers' Exhibition on Friday 28th June at 6.30pm.

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• Head of Pre-Prep's Lines

  Jun 2019

  Everyone likes to have choices in the things that they do, this is equally true for children.  Giving children choices helps them feel like they have some power and control over that they do, and is a step in growing up.

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• Green Screen Takeover!

  Jun 2019

  This week has been a great week for trying out new things out. We had a new delivery of a professional green screen, which can be used as a resource for lessons. One child exclaimed, “Wow, it’s just like the ones YouTubers use!”. So it is already a very popular addition to the department.  

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• Super Stars and Courtesy Badges

  Jun 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners

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• Deputy Head's Lines

  Jun 2019

  At a recent educational conference, I was listening to a talk by Chartered Practitioner Psychologist, Dr Anwen Whitham, exploring the impact of technology on cognition, particularly in the developing brains of children. She ended her presentation with the following quote:

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• Year 4 visit Botany Bay

  Jun 2019

  The last half of term started with a bang, as Year 4 went to visit Botany Bay on the very first day back! 

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• Year 3 at Bedgebury

  Jun 2019

  Year 3’s trip to Bedgebury Pinetum started bright and sunny, but unfortunately descended into torrential rain and many soggy humans.

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• Moving Monsters Come to Life

  Jun 2019

  Finally, the construction of Year 3’s moving monsters in DT is complete. Their designs have come to life, with their carefully assembled pneumatic systems moving eyes, tongues, eyelashes, an arm and even a baby monster. They are monstrously good examples of perseverance, hard work and new skills.

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• Practice Makes Perfect

  Jun 2019

  This week, the children in Year 5 and 6 have been busily rehearsing for the forthcoming production of Wind in the Willows.  Rehearsals are where the hard work begins when putting on a production; it is when a paper script of text begins to come alive.  The children follow the d...

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• Pre-Prep Prize Giving and Sports Days

  Jun 2019

  Pre-Prep had a wonderful start to their morning with a hall full of families, congratulating the children on all their successes over the past year. The children performed a song A Wiggly Waggly Worm and then went onto the stage to receive their well-deserved prizes.

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• Year 6 in the Driver’s Seat

  Jun 2019

  “Glorious, stirring sight! The poetry of motion! The real way to travel! The only way to travel! Here today - in next week tomorrow! Villages skipped, towns and cities jumped - always somebody else's horizon! O bliss! O poop-poop! O my! O my!” -Toad, The Wind in the Willows.

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• Academic Deputy Head’s Lines

  Jun 2019

  What is enrichment?  Riches are valuable things, such as money, jewels and gold that may be considered as commodities to improve one’s quality of life and enrichment is defined as when something is made more valuable.  But what does it mean in the realms of education? 

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• SVS U11 6-a-Side Tournament Winners

  Jun 2019

  Sutton Valence Prep School Colts A Cricket team were deservedly tournament winners at the SVS Prep School competition. With excellent bowling and fielding, they made it difficult for their opponents to score.

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• Sports Day Preparations

  Jun 2019

  PE lessons across the whole of the School have turned their focus to Sports Day. Pupils have been practising many events from Egg and Spoon to High Jump and even Pushchair Relays. It has been great to see them working hard to improve, in readiness for the Pre-Prep Sports Days this coming Tuesday and...

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• Being Awesome

  Jun 2019

  1D pupils have been thinking about learning how to praise themselves.

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• Jungle Fever

  Jun 2019

  As temperatures turned tropical this week, the Art Room was filled with greenery.

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Jun 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• HIKSVS Art Festival 2019

  Jun 2019

  Art is one of the most direct activities for us to observe the world closely. It helps students discover beauty, look for beauty and gain the ability to feel beauty in life. This month is the HIKSVS Art exhibition. Pupils with a passion for Art have been invited to display their personal work at sch...

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• Year 6 Evacuee Day

  May 2019

  On 20th May, Year 6 went to Tenterden Station for a school trip.

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• Poetry in Motion

  May 2019

  This week in Year 3, the children have been exploring poetry; looking at stylistic features, rhyme and dramatic effect

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• Measuring up in Maths

  May 2019

  Year 6 has been revising metric and imperial units.

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• Head's Lines

  May 2019

  The week Year 5 has been waiting for all year finally arrived!

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• Diggerland Fun

  May 2019

  Why Diggerland? Why not? Where else can you drive a machine that is literally worth tens of thousands of pounds at the age of only 5 and 6? 

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• Head of Pre-Prep's Lines

  May 2019

  Last weekend, we had our Springtime Explorers’ event for our local community, which was a wonderful opportunity for others to visit our School and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of SVPS. However, as the event got closer, I was concerned about the weather. Why? The answer was simple; I was making t...

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• Felting Fun

  May 2019

  Year 6 became fine felters, this week when they learnt the art of Nuno felting. Sue Kimber, an experienced Nuno felter, inspired the children to create magic with wool and worms!

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• Artist Inspiration

  May 2019

  On Monday, Mrs Savage’s Art Club was imbued with inspiration and creative ideas after visiting the Marlborough House School Exhibition. Titled ‘A Sense of Place’, the exhibition featured works by local artists and the children of Marlborough House.

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• First Ski Team Competition

  May 2019

  Last Sunday, saw an SVPS team take part in the annual Kent Schools' Ski Race, for the first time, at Chatham Ski and Snowboard Centre.  After just two practice sessions Harry Heyworth, Charlotte Slaughter, Lydia Head and Joshua Slaughter bravely represented the School in the primary scho...

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• Stretching and Challenging the Curious...

  May 2019

  Last Saturday, SVPS held it's Summer Curiosity Club.  Over 50 children attended the exciting and challenging workshops, including children from local primary schools. 

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• Delancey Chess Megafinals

  May 2019

  During Chess Club last term, Jovan and Sam both achieved the qualifying standard for the Delancey UK Chess Challenge Megafinals, held in Tonbridge last Sunday

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• Measure for Measure

  May 2019

  This week, Year 6 has been using Drama in their Maths lessons as a medium to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and application of imperial and metric units of measurement.

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• Changing Times in PSHE

  May 2019

  In 1D, we have been thinking about the changes ahead as we are getting closer to the end of term, the summer holidays and Year 2.

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• Maths Problem

  May 2019

  Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every three by three box contains the numbers one to nine.

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• Guitar and Ukulele Assembly

  May 2019

  What a lovely start to the week!  On Monday morning, Mr Tunbridge’s guitar and ukulele pupils, from Year 1 to Year 6, delighted the School with a concert stuffed full of treats. 

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• Deputy Head's Line

  May 2019

  This week has seen two of the most remarkable football matches in recent times. Liverpool had been written off by even the most die-hard fans going into the second leg of their Champions’ League semi-final against Barcelona, trailing 3-0 from the first game.

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• Record Breaking LAMDA Results

  May 2019

  There was great excitement in the Bates Hall as the Year 2 children had their LAMDA examination results revealed to them.

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• Grandparents' Day 2019

  May 2019

  This Tuesday, the School held its annual Grandparents' Day welcoming over 200 grandparents.

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• Mini-Impressionists

  May 2019

  Year 1 made a fantastic first impression in the Art room on Thursday. It was their first foray into the Prep Art room and they, along with Mrs Savage, were very excited! The children created artwork inspired by Impressionism and one of its founders, Claude Monet. They embraced their French focuse...

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• Religious Education Roundup

  May 2019

  Having spent last term considering the question “Who is Jesus?” This term in Year 3 the children will be looking at “The Bible. What is this book that Christians hold so dear?” Is it really just one book? Is it important to any other religions?

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• Hog Hotel

  May 2019

  A massive thank you to all our parents for providing our guinea pigs with new accommodation! In particular, Mrs Wynne and Mrs Slaughter, who helped realise this project from the planning stage right through to the finished product.

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• SVS Prep School Maths Competition

  May 2019

  On Thursday 2nd May, two teams attended the SVS Prep School Maths Competition and they put their Growth Mindsets to the test.

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• Growth Mindset in Maths

  May 2019

  On Friday, Mrs Skelly’s Year 6 Maths set presented at our Celebration assembly. They asked, “What is strange about Maths?” They also explained that the biggest myth about Maths is that it is something that you either can or cannot do. The pupils showed that it is about inve...

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• Orchard Run

  May 2019

  The 2019 Orchard Run Cross Country competition was another great success, with the most competitors yet. The weather was a lot better this year with just a tiny shower at the end. The SVPS pupils set the tone for good sportsmanship and once again took control of the racing. Out of 24 medals, we won ...

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• Super Stars and Courtesy Badges

  May 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• French Animals and Insects

  May 2019

  In Pre-Prep this week, the children have been very busy during their French lessons, learning many new words and phrases through; listening to stories, singing songs;,learning finger rhymes and playing games, including a particular favourite, Jaques a dit! (Simon says!)

  It is Insect Wee...

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• Seasonal Art

  May 2019

  Year 4 has captured the colours of the seasons and woven them into seasonal trees.

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• Spanish Sabias

  May 2019

  The Year 6 children have been working in pairs to research and produce a poster about an aspect of Spanish life.

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• Academic Deputy Head's Lines

  May 2019

  ​​​​​​​As Jean Piaget said, “ The principle goal of education should be to create people who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – individuals who are creative, inventive and discoverers.”

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• Year 6 WaterAid Workshops

  Apr 2019

  On Wednesday, Judy Foote came to SVPS to talk to Year 6 about the charity, WaterAid.

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• Junior King’s Maths Competition

  Apr 2019

  Well done to Tom, Zach, Dulcie and Lydia who took part in the Junior King’s Maths Race in Canterbury yesterday.

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• Stretching and Challenging our Children's Curiosity

  Apr 2019

  The more curious a child is, the more he learns. Nurturing your child’s curiosity is one of the most important ways you can help her become a lifelong learner.

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• Performing Arts Showcase

  Apr 2019

  Year 2 turned the Bates Hall into an Art gallery, displaying works of Art for their parents to enjoy.

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• Year 5 CCF Experience

  Apr 2019

  At the end of last term, Year 5 visited SVS for an afternoon with the CCF.

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• Amazing Animals

  Apr 2019

  This year, SVPS celebrated British Science Week by inviting Maria and her amazing animals to the School.

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• Head's Lines 26th April

  Apr 2019

  Although we have only been back at School for a few days, in true Sutton Valence style the children have launched themselves wholeheartedly into the Summer Term and I have enjoyed visiting all the classes and observing our pupils getting stuck into new topics with their usual energy and enthusiasm.

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• Ski Trip 2019

  Apr 2019

  Over the Easter break, a group of SVPS children in Years 3 to 6 went to the resort of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley, Italy.

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Jacobs

  Apr 2019

  Amanda Jacobs, Head of Girls’ Games and Year 4 Form teacher.

  What interests you in your subject?

  The different ways people can achieve in Sport! Whether you win a match, a race, beat a personal best or manage to achieve a particular skill you have been w...

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• HIKSVS opens a new Refectory

  Apr 2019

  HIKSVS have opened their new refectory.

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• Foundation Concert with Voces8

  Mar 2019

  On Tuesday, the SVPS Chamber Choir travelled to London to take part in the culmination of this year’s Voces8 Project, generously funded and organised by the Foundation. 

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• Pirates vs Mermaids

  Mar 2019

  This week, the Year 4 production (with ample support from Year 3) was a huge success

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• Year 5 CCF

  Mar 2019

  Last Friday, Year 5 visited the Senior Schol for an afternoon with the CCF.

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• Head of Department Profile: Madame Buttle

  Mar 2019

  Head of French

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Mar 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• Maths Problem of the Week

  Mar 2019

  Solve this week's Maths problem.

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• Head’s Lines

  Mar 2019

  In Monday’s assembly, we heard the story of the woodcutter who was busy trying to cut down a tree.

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• Measuring Up in Maths

  Mar 2019

  Year 4 has been investigating measures. They have estimated and then checked different volumes, ordered different sized containers, estimated and measured how much liquid a container would hold and measured out different types of liquids to create magical coloured liquid jars. An active morning o...

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• Super Spanish

  Mar 2019

  This term in Pre-Prep Spanish Club we have been learning about animals.

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• Dancing Daffodils

  Mar 2019

  The School gardens have welcomed spring with yellow daffodils, like rays of sunshine, waving their heads in greeting

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• Road Safety in PSHE

  Mar 2019

  This week in PSHE the children in 1D have been talking about road safety.

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• Horton Kirby Trip

  Mar 2019

  On Tuesday, Year 5 went to the Horton Kirby Education Centre near Dartford for a river day as part of their Humanities topic, Rivers.

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• All Around Art

  Mar 2019

  Imagine a house that blends in with nature, has gigantic glass windows to allow light and trees to enter, a house that you can hear the sounds of a waterfall in every room.  This amazing house exists!

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• Windy Win for SVPS

  Mar 2019

  In School, we are constantly encouraging and challenging our pupils to 'do their best', 'never give up' and 'show resilience when things are tough'.  In the PE department we encourage these exact same things, as we strive to better ourselves in individual and team disciplines; whilst of course havin...

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• Outstanding Charity Work

  Mar 2019

  In 2012, my family (mainly orchestrated by my brother) and close friends, embarked on resurrecting a charity event my father organised to raise money for local charities. This event was always known as ‘The Charity Push’.

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• Super Snap

  Mar 2019

  This week in Year 4 French, the children have been practising their new vocabulary.  They have been learning words and phrases for activities and hobbies.  A really good way to practise is to play Bataille!  (Snap!)  Noisy but fun!  This exciting game encourages the child...

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Whittome

  Mar 2019

  I have been the Head of Learning Support since 2008. Prior to this, I worked in a number of roles supporting children with special needs in the state sector, including class teaching and advisory roles and tutoring within the specialist teaching service.

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• Head of Pre-Prep's Lines

  Mar 2019

  Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the IAPS Pre-Prep and Early Years Conference, with the theme ‘Where it all starts…’  Alistair Bryce-Clegg, Educational Consultant, delivered an inspirational and thought-provoking keynote speech on the importance of ‘Education Undercover’; the importance an...

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• World Book Day 2019

  Mar 2019

  ast Thursday, it was World Book Day and we set all the children a challenge of turning a wooden spoon into a book character.

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• Year 6 Fundraising

  Mar 2019

  On Friday 8th February, all of Year 6 took part in a fundraiser, raising money for the Heart of Kent Hospice.

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• SVS Public Speaking Competition

  Mar 2019

  Last Thursday, two teams from Year 6 took part in the inaugural SVS Public Speaking Competition.

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Mar 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners

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• Advisory Council Visit

  Mar 2019

  At the start of the Chinese New Year, HIKSVS welcomed the annual supervision visit from the SVS Advisory Council (Miss Corkran, Mrs Davies, Mr Grindlay and Mrs Swaine).

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• Idle Engines

  Mar 2019

  You may have seen the following headline in the news this week: "Schools should have 'no idling' zones ", The headline comes from an interview given to the BBC by Public Health England Medical director, Paul Cosford.
  Public Health England believes air pollution to be...

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• Maths Problem of the Week

  Mar 2019

  Solve this week's Maths problem.

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• Maths Problem of the Week

  Mar 2019

  Can you solve the problem? Bring your answers to Mrs Skelly, Room 5 to gain a House point.

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• U7 Hawthorns Prep School Tournament

  Mar 2019

  On Saturday, seven boys from Year 2 experienced their first tournament for the Prep School at the Hawthorns School U7 Football Tournament

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Dallamore

  Mar 2019

  I am Melissa Dallamore and I have taught at SVPS for 17 years; where does the time go? I have taught in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, and am currently the LACE (Leadership and Character Education) co-ordinator.

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• Instrumental Concert

  Mar 2019

  On Tuesday night, the SVPS Music Department held its annual Instrumental Concert.  We hold two informal Soloists’ Concerts each term, giving the pupils who sign up the opportunity to perform in a relaxed, supportive environment.  This concert, however, was more formal in nature, f...

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• Academic Deputy Head

  Mar 2019

  Watching politicians speaking on television this week, it reminded me how fundamental good communication is to children’s development; children need to be able to understand and be understood.

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• Year 3 visit Wildwood

  Mar 2019

  Year 3 visited Wildwood this week. The children enjoyed an interactive workshop about skeletons where they identified various bones and found out which animals have an exoskeleton. As they walked around the zoo, they learnt about different woodland animals. A firm favourite was a mischievous otte...

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• Poetry Competition Runner-Up

  Mar 2019

  To celebrate the brilliant and inspirational poetry book, I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, budding poets aged seven to 11 across the nation were invited to write a poem inspired by the natural world.

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• Retail Therapy

  Mar 2019

  As part of Numeracy this term, Form 1L did some retail therapy. Each child was given a different amount of money. Their mission was to choose two items from the 'shops', label and purchase them. The pupils learnt a lot through the process, they had great fun getting th...

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• Year 2 Vikings Workshop

  Mar 2019

  Year 2 pupils enjoyed a fun-filled morning on Thursday and were fully engrossed in learning about the Vikings. 

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• Deputy Head's Lines

  Mar 2019

  If you have not yet seen Olivia Colman’s remarkable speech, given whilst accepting the Oscar for Best Actress at the Academy Awards last weekend, then it is well worth a watch. Sometimes it is easy to look at all of the glitz and glamour which comes with such accolades and forget all of the hard wor...

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• Nuno Felting

  Feb 2019

  This week Mrs Savage was inspired by an Art workshop at Rose Hill and learnt a new skill with other local Art teachers - Nuno felting.

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• Fashion Show

  Feb 2019

  After the recent Paris and London Fashion shows, it was time today for Le Fashion Week de SVPS.

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Skelly

  Feb 2019

  I absolutely love Mathematics.

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• Superhero Cape Experiment

  Feb 2019

  Reception has begun their new topic ‘Can we fix it?’ As part of the new topic, they are investigating materials.

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• Head's Lines

  Feb 2019

  Helen Keller famously said, ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much’. This is certainly the message we are emphasising this term with our theme of ‘Togetherness and Unity’ and, of course, this fits with the fact that, at SVPS, the Community Journey is hugely valued. We treasure all me...

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• Mesmerising Mathemagician

  Feb 2019

  On Tuesday, Andrew Jeffrey, the Mathemagican visited SVPS. The children in Year 1 to Year 6 were entertained with a very mathematical and biblical assembly; involving the sharing of camels (helped by some wonderful acting by Mr Watkins).

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Feb 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• Painting with Poems

  Feb 2019

  This week, Year 5 has taken the words of the master, Leonardo da Vinci literally, “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Savage

  Feb 2019

  Head of Art and DT

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• The Sweetness of Classification

  Feb 2019

  Mr Strydom uses inventive ways to bring Science to life; last term he showed Year 6 how to investigate crime during their topic ‘Light’.

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• Internet Safety

  Feb 2019

  In Pre-Prep the children learnt about the importance of not sharing information with strangers. The children met a very ‘nice’ person called ‘Twinkle Toes’, who went to SVPS. However, did they really meet this person, or were they in disguise? We decided not give any ...

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• Fantastic Feet

  Feb 2019

  ear 3 has finished creating their Moving Monsters in DT.

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• Investigating Invaders and Settlers

  Feb 2019

  In Year 4 Humanities, the children have been studying invaders and settlers and have done lots of work with maps. They have learnt about OS map symbols and investigated how a key works. They have looked at why some OS map symbols are grouped into different colours according to the features t...

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• Head of Science Profile: Mr Strydom

  Feb 2019

  Mr Strydom, Head of Science

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• Year 2 Charcoal Drawings

  Jan 2019

  Year 2 has been seeing Science through Art!

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Jan 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• Staff Profile: Mr Davey

  Jan 2019

  Mr Davey Head of PE and Boys' Games

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• Pre-Prep PE and Games

  Jan 2019

  Year 1 has been having fun in their PE lessons over the last three weeks. Mr Davey has set them the task of inventing their own games, using a variety of equipment from the PE cupboard. It’s a great way for our younger pupils to develop an understanding of sports and games. They now kn...

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• Super Self-Portraits 

  Jan 2019

  2C has been studying the art of the self-portrait.

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• Sensory Collage

  Jan 2019

  After hearing the story Lucy's Picture by Nicola Moon, Amy selected the collage pieces to make her own picture designed for a blind person, linked to Reception&rsq...

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• Musical Imaginings

  Jan 2019

  In our Music lesson last week, we were thinking about how music can inspire us and spark our imagination. The children closed their eyes and listened in silence to a piece of music.

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• Online Safety

  Jan 2019

  Next Tuesday is Internet Safety Day. In the lead up to the day, do take a look at some tips and information below to help your child be more safe online.

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• Head of Pre-Prep's Lines

  Jan 2019

  Building firm foundation in the Early Years is vital in preparing our pupils with a wide skillset that will support them for life. These building blocks will enable SVPS children to flourish in whatever situations they find themselves.

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Geering

  Jan 2019

  What interests you in your subject?

  Music has always been my passion and I am very lucky to be able to be able to work in this area.  As Director of Music, I oversee all musical activity at SVPS and I love the variety of the role. A typical day involves teaching cl...

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• Peaceful PSHE

  Jan 2019

  Every PSHE lesson in 1D begins with ‘mindful circular breathing’: try it for yourself, never let the circle of breath stop. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Put your hands on your tummy and feel your lungs going up and down. Sit with a straight back and your legs crossed ...

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• Curiosity Club

  Jan 2019

  The Lent Term Curiosity Club offered the opportunity for our pupils to extend their learning and explore new topics. Each activity was carefully planned to ensure the children were challenged and absorbed in their learning.

  The Year 1 and Year 2 pupils enjoyed designing waterproof shelt...

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• National Number Day 2019

  Jan 2019

  SVPS will be supporting the NSPCC by taking part in National Number Day on Friday 1st February. Our mathematical fundraising will consist of two activities.

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• Reception Literacy

  Jan 2019

  Mrs Glover’s pupils have been exploring speech bubbles in Literacy this week.

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• Marvellous Maidstone Museum

  Jan 2019

  Year 1 pupils had hands-on immersion into mummification and the delights of the Egyptian galleries at Maidstone Museum last week.

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• Academic Deputy Head’s Lines

  Jan 2019

  As I stood in my garden in the early hours of darkness earlier this week, I looked up at the magnificent blood moon, beaming down in all its glory and it reminded me how important it is to look up, to aim high.

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• Deputy Head's Lines

  Jan 2019

  Just before we came back to School last week, I came across the following quote by the author, Neil Gaiman, which I think ties in perfectly with our ethos that each cares for all and individuality is cherished:

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• Head of Department Profile: Mrs Barr

  Jan 2019

  Sally Barr, Head of English and Drama.

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• Super Stars and Courtesy Badge Winners

  Jan 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• A week in the life of the Prep French Department

  Jan 2019

  As usual, the Prep children have been very busy in their French lessons this week, with a wide and varied range of activities taking place across the year groups.

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• Excited about English

  Jan 2019

  This term, in Year 5 English we have been working on The Lost Happy Endings, by Carol Ann Duffy. The book has fabulous descriptive language, including wonderful similes and metaphors.  The illustrations, by Jane Ray, are also superb.  The story features Jub, whose job is to sha...

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• Measuring in Maths

  Jan 2019

  This week Year 1 have been discovering why there is a need for standard units of measurement.

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• All Around Art

  Jan 2019

  In Design Technology Year 3 have been making use of many marvellous skills to create 3D monsters.

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• Who Needs Ratio?

  Jan 2019

  Year 6 have been making their own ‘mocktails’.

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• Ratio and Proportion

  Jan 2019

  Year 6 has been looking at ratio and proportion.

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• Fun with Fractions

  Jan 2019

  Year 4 has been looking at fractions in their Mathematics lessons.

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• Head's Lines 11th January

  Jan 2019

  It has been fantastic to see the children racing into school each morning this week, ready to embrace all that 2019 has to offer! I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the pupils’ holiday adventures and seeing them knuckle down to their learning with such enthusiasm!

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• Head of Department profile

  Jan 2019

  Mr Jon Evans – Head of ICT at Sutton Valence Prep School for 10 years

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• Swim Relay Trophies

  Jan 2019

  The Maidstone Riverside Rotary have confirmed Sutton Valence has won two trophies in the annual Swim Relay,

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• Super Stars and Courtesy Badge Winners

  Jan 2019

  Congratulations to this week's winners.

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges

  Dec 2018

  Congratulations to this week's winners

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• Wildlife Winners

  Dec 2018

  Nearly forty children in Year 3 to 6 entered the Prep School Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition this year. Last week, the winners were announced, after a couple of weeks of judging from all members of the School community.

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• From the Head of Pre-Prep

  Dec 2018

  This is a wonderful time of year to be a child. Christmas magic is in the air and the Nativities have begun in a busy last two weeks for the Pre-Prep calendar.

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• SVPS at Snow White

  Dec 2018

  It is December, which means it is panto time!  On Tuesday, 150 'panto-ready' Prep children were escorted to Aylesford, in three double-decker buses!

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• Fantastic Fundraisers

  Dec 2018

  A group of Year 4 children planned, organised and ran a fundraising event in the Prep School in aid of the Heart of Kent Hospice, which raised an impressive £362.67.

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• Monstrous Moving Mechanisms

  Dec 2018

  Year 3 have had a great deal of fun while they found out about pneumatic systems in DT.

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• Foundation Art Exhibition

  Dec 2018

  The annual Foundation Art Exhibition at the Tanya Baxter Contemporary Gallery featured an array of wonderful artworks from Sutton Valence and the four other schools under the Westminster Foundation umbrella.

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• French Play

  Nov 2018

  On Thursday, it was French theatre day for our children in Years 5 and 6. For the third year running, Onatti Theatre Company treated us to a very energetic and amusing performance by two actors: one French-speaking and one English.

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• Maidstone Charity SwimRelay

  Nov 2018

  Pupils and staff took the plunge last weekend in a charity swimming event. Fifteen pupils from SVPS joined a number of pupils and staff from SVS in competing at the Maidstone Charity Swim Relay. In teams of five, the task was to swim as many lengths as your team could in 30 minutes. Our pupi...

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• Head's Lines 30th November

  Nov 2018

  As I mentioned last week, this time of year is always a very busy, and special, time for the Music department and our Chamber Choir kicked off the festive season with a wonderful performance at last Saturday’s Maidstone Festival. Mrs Geering was extremely proud of the children and, although they wer...

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• Greek Art

  Nov 2018

  Year 3 have designed and painted plates in the style of the Ancient Greeks. The children learnt about the patterns and pictures the Ancient Greeks used on their pottery to help inspire their own works of art.

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• Swim Relay Winners

  Nov 2018

  Pupils and staff took the plunge last weekend in a charity swimming event. The challenge involved teams of six swimming as many lengths as possible in 30 minutes.

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• Equestrian Report

  Nov 2018

  The Equestrian Team has had a busy and successful few weeks, taking part in the NSEA Plate Championships and the Grass Roots Show.

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• Parachuting Project

  Nov 2018

  This Half Term, Year 5 have been exploring a variety of forces, including gravity, air resistance, water resistance and friction. 

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• Electronic Billing

  Nov 2018

  In line with our environmental sustainability objectives, we aim to reduce our environmental impact and to increase efficiency and communication by aiming to discontinue our hard copy fee invoicing practices. Receiving your fee invoice by email is:

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• HIKSVS represent British Education at international exposition

  Nov 2018

  The first-ever China International Import Expo (CIIE) was hosted in Shanghai, in early November 2018, under President Xi’s vision of building an open world economy. HIK Education Group and Partners were proud to represent the very best of British education at the British National Pavilion.

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• All Around Art

  Nov 2018

  Art is all around, even on the playground.

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• Super Stars and Courtesy Badge Winners

  Nov 2018

  Congratulations to this week's winners. 

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• A Burning Question

  Nov 2018

  Did you know Samuel Pepys buried his diary, his wine and a very expensive Parmesan cheese in his garden to save them from the Great Fire of London in 1666?

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• Architecture and Art workshop

  Nov 2018

  On Tuesday 20th November, 6T had an adventurous day with an architect who taught us all kinds of different things; from how to use tools to building enormous shapes that would have touched the ceiling of the Bates Hall (if we were tall enough)!

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• Napier’s Bones

  Nov 2018

  At SVPS the teachers are always keen to reach out to seek new and innovative ways to deliver the curriculum and enhance the children’s’ learning opportunities; finding different ways to understand.

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• Musical Show and Tell

  Nov 2018

  Ciara, Sophie and Zara all played their violins. Oscar performed the waltz on his 'cello and Tilly, Avia and Alice sang a song of their choice. We were all very inspired to becoming a class of musicians. 

  
  

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• Making SVPS History

  Nov 2018

  Charlotte Slaughter, in Year 4, is the first girl in the history of SVPS to play Rugby for the School.  She played for U9B in their first fixture of the season against Dulwich Prep, which ended with an impressive 65-15 win!

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• From the Head

  Nov 2018

  This week has seen the arrival of winter and there is definitely a whiff of Christmas in the air as nativities are being rehearsed and carols learned, in preparation for the final few weeks of term.

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• STEM Challenge

  Nov 2018

  Last week, some Year 6 children were set a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) challenge and were given the morning to achieve it.

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• Christmas Door Wreath and Table Decoration Holiday Club

  Nov 2018

  It’s that time of year again when Mrs McNama has kindly offered to do her annual Christmas Wreath Holiday Club. It will take place on Wednesday 19th December, from 9.30-15.30,

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• In a Spin Over Tables

  Nov 2018

  The Mathematics department has been coming up with creative ways to enthuse our pupils about multiplication.

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• Critical Thinkers

  Nov 2018

  'How do you know that?' is one question, but philosophers ask, 'How do you know that you know that?' 

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• From the Head of Pre-Prep

  Nov 2018

  This week, life in Pre-Prep started off with a rather a hot topic - the Fire of London. I was kindly invited by the teachers and pupils for a re-enactment on the field. As I got closer, I saw 40 miniature Tudor houses all set up as a mock-London street. The pupils were very knowledgeabl...

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• Partitioning for a Pyjama Party

  Nov 2018

  2C so impressed Mrs Crampton this week with their work in Maths on partition addition

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• Year 5 Hever Trip

  Nov 2018

  Travelling back 500 years, Year 5 found themselves at Hever Castle, the family home of Anne Boleyn.  The castle was in a bustle as everyone was busy getting ready for Henry VIII’s visit.

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• Superstars and Courtesy Badges 0811

  Nov 2018

  Congratulations to this week's winners

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• Dazzling Diwali

  Nov 2018

  Reception had the opportunity to participate in a Dazzling Diwali workshop. 

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• Guy Fawkes comes to life!

  Nov 2018

  The children in 1L have been learning about the story of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot and discovering why we still celebrate Bonfire Night today.

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• From the Deputy Head

  Nov 2018

  The clocks may have gone back and we may be faced with increasingly cold and damp weather to go along with the growing darkness, but Sutton Valence Prep School is showing no signs of going into hibernation any time soon.

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• Head's Lines 19th October

  Oct 2018

  We have come to the end of the longest Half Term in the academic year and there is no doubt in my mind that the pupils and staff deserve to have a good rest for the next couple of weeks!

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• Autumn Joint Concert

  Oct 2018

  Last night’s Autumn Concert was the second collaboration between the schools showcasing music from popular music genres.  It is a great pleasure for us to give so many of our musicians the chance to perform and exciting to see how students joined together to perform.

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• Double Double Toil and Trouble

  Oct 2018

  Year 6 have been studying Shakespeare’s Macbeth this Half Term, in English.

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• Digital Arts

  Oct 2018

  Movies, characters, costumes, posters, Photoshop and Year 5 were the ingredients for a fantastic Media Studies workshop held at the Senior School on a sunny Saturday.

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• Globe Trip

  Oct 2018

  Our Year 6 trip to Shakespeare's Globe was outstanding! It was a glorious day in London as we strolled along the South Bank admiring the London skyline.

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• Colts A Hockey Girls Victorious Again

  Oct 2018

  After the success at the SVPS Hockey Tournament, the Colts A Hockey girls were eager to repeat the performance at the In2Kent Mini Championships. The girls were fired up ready to give their all straight from the first whistle.

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• Could you be the SVPS Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018?

  Oct 2018

  After last year’s successful launch, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is back! To enter this exciting competition, you need to take a photograph of some wildlife that you see over the next few weeks.

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• Pre-Prep Winners

  Oct 2018

  Congratulations to this week's winners

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• SVPS Success at Hockey Tournament

  Oct 2018

  On Wednesday, we held our annual U11 Hockey Tournament, with 14 schools attending from near and far. This tournament is held in high regard, with all schools keen to get their hands on the trophy.

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• Head's Lines 12th October

  Oct 2018

  In Monday’s assembly, the children were introduced to habit two from Seven Habits for Happy Kids. Habit two is focused on the importance of planning ahead.

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• Calm moments in PSHE

  Oct 2018

  In 1D our PSHE lesson feels more like relaxation time in our favourite spa! We begin the time sitting in a circle, with lights dimmed and soft music playing.

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• Head's Lines 5th October

  Oct 2018

  As you may be aware, I attended the annual IAPS Conference last week which took the theme of ‘Tomorrow’s World; Global Citizens’.

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• Maths and English Information Evening

  Oct 2018

  We hosted our Year 3 to Year 6 Mathematics and English Information Evening this Thursday evening. Over 60 parents attended the informative and helpful presentations given by Mrs Barr (Head of English) and Mrs Skelly (Head of Mathematics). 

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• IAPS Hockey 2018

  Oct 2018

  The U11A team travelled to Hurstpierpoint College, on Tuesday, for the IAPS Hockey Tournament. The team consisted of four Year 6 and three Year 5 girls. The bare seven, no substitutions!

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