28 June 2019 Prep Weekly Newsletter HEADlines ...

I have just come back from a quick scoot around and the same day our Under 13 girls were becoming County found some Year 5 children trooping down the front Cricket Champions, beating Millfield in a last bat field to go pond dipping, whilst up in the woods and the thriller! This last piece of news is so recent that it hasn’t top field, Year 2 were being marshalled by some Lower made the newsletter yet! Sixth Formers as part of their Young Leaders course Tomorrow afternoon is the Year 5 to 8 Sports Day and (I think the older children were doing the leading?). we look forward to seeing you there. It is definitely Lovely weather, children outside, loads of smiley faces about a fun occassion, challenging yourself as you with oodles of discovery, exploration and learning taking contribute to your House totals but it is worth noting place. The Lower Sixth were here for breakfast, too, and that among the runners and riders there are seven there was a tad of deja vu seeing some familiar faces once children who have qualified in their events for the again sitting round the dining tables! National Finals that take place on Monday at the A packed week of events has been tucked under our Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. belts with trips including a costal erosion field trip to Enjoy this week’s newsletter and see you all next week Lulworth Cove, marine biology studies in Plymouth, for the final week of term! the British legal structure in action at the Magistrates’ courts and zoological insights at Paignton Zoo. This is as well as having had a great team from South Africa here (thanks to those families who hosted some boys) on Justin Chippendale Headmaster

www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk facebook.com/KingsHallSchoolTaunton https://twitter.com/KingsHallSchool Coming up ... 1 – 5 July 2019

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

National Prep Schools Athletics Y3 & Y4 Golden Time Girls’ cricket v Perrott Hill Y5 – Y7 Plus Rewards Pre-Prep Summer Show Y8 Town Time (dress rehearsal) Y8 Charity Fundraising Fete Parents v staff Y8 Leavers’ Barbecue cricket and rounders matches

Thursday Friday Please refer to the school diary or website Pre-Prep Summer Show Prize Day: for timings and more 10am - Speeches & Prizegiving 11.45am - Summer Concert information. 1pm - Picnic lunch 2pm - End of term

SUMMER CRICKET CLINIC 27-28 August 2019 – for 10 -16 year olds for girls and boys based at King’s Hall School

[email protected] GROUP 1 Under 12s www.kings-taunton.co.uk GROUP 2 Under 10s GROUP 3 Under 8s • High quality rugby coaching with small coaching groups. South Road, Taunton TA1 3LA

for girls and boys aged 12 + years Ed Lewsey Ben Thomas Russell Earnshaw RFU Level 3 coach RFU Level 2 coach RFU Level 4 coach Former professional Bristol ladies back Former England 7s & with Exeter Chiefs coach & academy U18s coach Director of Rugby, coach Magic Academy King’s College Head Regional Scotland Exiles coach PERFORMANCEKing’s College coach Please go to our website to complete the link to register for this camp. Contact:RUGBY [email protected] On receipt of enquiry, we will contact you with further details.

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 24 July to Friday 26 July 2019 CAMP Friday 16 August 2019 27 - 28 August 2019 10.00am - 4.00pm £40 per day Payment can be made by cheque or BACS. Please make cheques payable to: King’s College Please send to Ben Thomas, King’s College, South Road, Taunton TA1 3LA. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK: For BACS details please refer to our online booking form. Please visit www.kings-taunton.co.uk/summer-cricket-clinic.pdf TO BOOK: Please complete our online form by visiting: www.kings-taunton.co.uk/rugby

You will receive confirmation of places via email. For any queries please email: [email protected] YEAR 8 FETE

School Uniform Shop Summer Opening Hours

The school shop will be open by appointment only as follows: Monday 8 – Wednesday 10 July

Monday 15 – Wednesday 17 July All of our Year 8 tutor groups have been hard at Monday 19 – Friday 23 August work this week preparing for their Summer Fete, which will be held on North Field on July 2nd.

Tuesday 27 – Friday 30 August Tokens for this much-anticipated event will be on sale to children in the Outer Quad next Monday To make an appointment, please and Tuesday during morning break. Tokens can contact the School Office on also be purchased at the event. 01823 285920. There will be plenty to do – games to play, cakes If you have any uniform related to eat, and ice-pops to quench your thirst (we’re questions, please email: praying for gorgeous weather!). If you have any [email protected]. questions, please contact us on 01823 285920.

A few words from ... Wilfie Rice! “Hello everyone, it’s cricket and when you It is rather a strange Wilfie Rice, this term’s get home from school feeling being in Year 8 Deputy Head Boy. it’s still so light outside. at the moment because by next Friday we will I cannot believe it’s Those of us who have all be coming into almost the end of the had exams have finished school for the last time. Summer Term – it’s them and been on an But, at the moment, gone so fast and time action-packed trip to there is still lots of flies when you’re having Okehampton for three excitement ahead what fun! It is always my nights, which was with Prize Giving and favourite term because I amazing. our Leavers’ Ball. absolutely love playing Bombs and Blackberries As part of Arts Week, parents and children were The Year 4 children had a lot of fun preparing treated to a heart-warming performance of Julia for their roles, launching themselves into every Donaldson’s Bombs and Blackberries. aspect of rehearsals. The group acted with true professionalism, sang with gusto, and danced Set in Britain during World War II, the play the jitterbug with such joy! followed the story of the Chivers, a happy family who find themselves suddenly separated Commenting, Lisa said: “It was almost a when their children are sent to the countryside touring production, as due to the British in search of safety. weather the children had to rehearse in three different venues – the Arts Centre, the Sports The bittersweet tale, which was brought to Hall, and the Rose Garden!”. life by Head of Drama, Lisa Kierle, featured ingenious props and costumes, including She added: “The final performance was an cardboard gas masks and suitcases, as well as absolute treat on a sunny Friday afternoon, and authentic sounds, music and dance. was the best way to conclude our celebrations.” ART AT TAC K

In another creative Arts Week They were then given the task of activity, we were delighted to creating their own composition, welcome artist Simon Ripley, inspired by the theme ‘Under and the Double Elephant studio the Sea’. It was important that team, who ran a fascinating all elements were stuck down printmaking workshop with our before leaving the work to dry Years 7s. thoroughly.

Simon led the children in Following this step, they began creating a series of collagraph experimenting with the inks to prints using two printing see how much would need to be presses, one of which was ours! applied. Once this was mastered, they were able to get creative To begin, the pupils were given with their colours, producing demonstrations on how to some fantastic final pieces. create their collagraph print board, how to roll out the inks Head of DT, Rebecca Cole, to create a background, and said: “It was an utter delight to how to layer the top sections, see the pleasure pupils got from before using the press to create rolling their print through the a design. press and seeing the final result.”

Pupils pop n’ lock in dance workshop Last week, pupils in Years 3 to Years 3 and 4 learnt how 7 got their groove on in a series to dance the jitterbug in of dance workshops with the preparation for Bombs and wonderful Miss Kelly from the Blackberries, Year 5 devised Kelly Leigh School of Dance. a routine to the Disney film Zombie, and Years 6 and 7 The sessions were tailored grooved to ‘Ease on Down to the children’s needs and the Road’ as part of their abilities, with the focus being forthcoming production, The on building their confidence. Wiz. Robin Stevens delivers detective masterclass Arts Week could not have ended Following this, she took part in a on a more perfect note. As you Q&A session, before signing the will have read in last week’s children’s books – of which there newsletter, we received a visit were plenty! from superstar children’s author, Robin Stevens, who is known After lunch, pupils in Year 6 for her Murder Most Unladylike were treated to a fascinating series. creative writing workshop in which they examined a “crime For more than an hour, Robin scene,” before devising their held her young audience own narratives. And in true spellbound with reading from Murder Most Unladylike style, her much-loved books, as well as the event was rounded off with a snippets of insight into her own delicious bun break. writing. The talk ended with an interactive exercise in which the If you would to learn more children had to create their own about Robin and her work, murder mystery plot. please visit her website.

Vanguard Speech and Drama success Still beaming from their success at this year’s translating to either a Distinction or Honours Taunton Drama Festival, pupils from across the mark. school completed their Vanguard Speech and Drama examinations last week. Summarising, Speech and Drama teacher, Alastair Kirby, said: “The children were Over a two-day period, they took part in fantastic, and so professional throughout the the following examinations: speaking, group whole exam period. I hope you will join me speaking, poetry and prose, prose reading, in congratulating them. A huge thank you dialogue acting, and solo and group acting. We must also go to the staff and parents for their are now pleased to announce that around 50% continued support.” of pupils achieved a mark of 85% or higher, LIFE IN LULWORTH

Earlier this week, Year 4 were treated to a Overall, an enjoyable day for pupils and staff bit of the ‘blue stuff’ as they travelled to alike. Lulworth Cove for a special geography field trip. It is safe to say that the Jurassic Coast has been a popular destination for the King’s The children spent the morning filling in Hall community lately. Just a few weeks ago, their worksheets on the five rocks that make two members of staff, Antonia Cheeseman up the Jurassic Coast, and learned about how and Siobhan Keeling, tackled the impressive tilting has led to hard and soft geology being coastal path for two charities. Read all about exposed to weathering. Throw in an ice age their feats here. 10,000 years ago and you have the unique feature that is Lulworth!

While completing their work, one of the groups had a close encounter with an adder, proving that the wildlife in the chalk downland is never far away. Then, in the afternoon, the group walked a mile and a half to the impressive sea arch that is Durldle Door, before a quick visit to the gift shop.

Summer Reading for KH Bookworms This summer a real feast of fiction awaits our Book Club and Book Breakfast members! Sign up to our Summer Reading Challenge by emailing: [email protected].

Year 3 Book Club – The Adventures of Harry Stevenson by Ali Pye Year 4 Book Club – The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell Year 5 & 6 Book Club – Rumblestar by Abi Elphinstone Year 7 Book Breakfast – The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell Year 8 Book Breakfast – When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak UNDER THE SEA

It is that time of the year again The group listened intently to The group were unfortunately when the Year 5s head to the tour guide, Joe, and asked unable to complete their beach Plymouth to spend some time at searching and poignant questions rock pooling survey due to both the National Marine Aquarium. throughout the visit. He was inlets in Plymouth Hoe being particularly impressed with how closed off. They did, however, The children were excited to see well they behaved, and by the get to see the new Royal Navy many of the creatures and marine breadth of knowledge that they Carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, life that they had studied in possessed. He even said that they sitting just off shore. This was an school, both local to our shores were the “best group of children” exciting way to end the day! and in more tropical waters. he has had the pleasure of touring in a long time.

Pupils undertake vital first aid training Those in Year 8 developed symptoms of a heart attack, some vital life-saving skills basic use of a defibrillator, earlier this week, as Health and CPR. and Safety Officer at King’s College, Phil Musgrove, The workshops gave the delivered a number of basic pupils a basic knowledge of first aid training sessions. what to do in an emergency situation, with the main focus The children covered topics being on how to recognise that included dealing with if somebody was not well. casualties, making emergency These simple skills will help phone calls, the signs and to save lives. Snoops’ Diary

Robin Stevens. I was fascinated by her stories as they all took place in a school similar to King’s Hall (minus the dog!), and involve lots of murder and mystery.

Naturally, Robin was pleased to meet me and was particularly interested in my role as School Detective. Although I hope there is never a murder to investigate here, I do like the thought of fulfilling such a role – I mean, who better to sneak around, quietly assessing minor and major misdemeanours?

Hello dear friends! I took centre stage during her presentation – she shook my paw and we posed for a selfie! Mrs I must say that it is a little difficult to put in to Marcucilli even loaned me a Sherlock Holmes-esque words just how much we have going on during this hat as I was hoping to inspire her into creating a penultimate week of term (hopefully the newsletter new character. Oh well, one can only wish ... will better convey the madness that has ensued over the past couple of weeks). Enjoy your weekend all and see you on Monday for the final week of term. Yipee! I am, however, going to tell you about our author visit last Friday. As you may have read (unless you’ve skipped straight to my entry, which is highly Lots of love, possible), we recently welcomed children’s author, Snoops x Boarders enjoy wild weekend at Tropiquaria For our boarders, the long weekend started most scrumptiously with an ‘a-Mei’s-ing’ Chinese buffet, followed by an evening of frolicing on the front field.

As the weekend dawned, the children made their way to Tropiquaria for some reptilian animal encounters and a spot of fish and chips, before heading to Dunster Castle to watch a lovely outdoor production of The Secret Garden.

Sunday naturally consisted of roasties, retail therapy, and a trip to the cinema to see the hilarious Toy Story 4. What a jam-packed but fabulous weekend! THIS WEEK IN SPORT

ISFA Girls National Football Finals It was a long time coming the ball off to Elise Roberts for our U13 girls, who who scored a fantastic first earlier this week jetted off goal of the tournament. to Staffordshire ahead of the ISFA Girls National Over the course of the day, Football Finals. the girls had numerous shots, wide and saved, The team qualified for however it was just not the competition in the their day to hit the back of Michaelmas Term after the net. impressing at the King’s College IAPS qualifiers. In total, they played five pool games, winning one, Fuelled by a delicious drawing two, and losing cooked breakfast, the two by a narrow 0-1. While girls made their way to St not being the desired result, George’s Park, where they it was a fantastic experience were made to feel at home for the girls, who held on the training ground’s their own throughout the indoor 3G pitch. tournament, exhibiting great teamwork and spirit. Following an effective warm up, the team were ready to play their first match. Well done to Jasmine Kerr who put up a strong fight in goal, playing

Darcey scoops bronze at water polo festival

Year 7 pupil Darcey who had entered the Darcey and her Tomlinson spent first all girls U15 team teammates played last weekend living in club history. exceptionally, walking the city life as away with a much she competed in She was also lucky deserved bronze. Manchester’s Festival enough to be selected of Water Polo. for the Plymouth- Despite competing based team, the in over ten matches, She formed part of the Devonports. As part Darcey was elated at Taunton Deane team, of an U13s squad, her team’s win. FOLLOW US @kingshallsport

Bronze all round for promising young fencers At the weekend, eight of our young fencers securing a bronze medal and place in the semi-final. attended the 2019 Dunstans foil and epee competition, held at Millfield Prep. The U11 boys’ foil was a larger field, with Jack Besley supporting Julian Barnes and George Noble In the U14 epee, Maisie Everett was entered into in their first ever competition. The two found a mixed pool – a competition in which everyone their form early, rattling off some strong wins, but fences everyone, boys and girls. The Year 8 pupil unfortunately it was not enough to reach the final. was fast and ferocious, securing 14 wins out of a Jack, however, pulled off a cracking win, again possible 15, placing her second overall. securing bronze and a place in the semis.

In the U13 girls’ foil, Ella Francis and Freya Finally, in the U9 boys’ foil, newcomers Barnie Spencer supported one another brilliantly, despite Gothard and Connor Ewing put up a strong fight. having to face each other in the first match. Connor fought with a passion, and Barnie kept his Through to the Direct Elimination and a tough head, coming face-to-face with the top seed and fight to 15, both girls dug deep and battled hard, claiming bronze.

A good week for boys’ cricket

Our boys have taken and the inter-house cricket part in a total of four competition, which was competitions this week. held at King’s College.

Our U8 and U9 teams To round off the started off the week at penultimate week of term, Taunton Prep school, our 1st XI today competed where they played their in a thrilling match against final match of the season. Cornwall Hill School. Phew – we’re tired just This was quickly followed thinking about it! by the Four Schools Cricket Tournament, again hosted by Taunton Prep, Getting to Know You ... In this week’s ‘Getting to Know You’, we caught up with Year 6 tutor and boarding 5) What is the oddest present you have ever stalwart, Jacqui Wilmott. received? The strangest present I have ever received 1) What does your dream day look like? would have to be an inflatable crocodile, left My dream day would start at around 7am, anonymously in my tent in Croatia. and ideally, the outside temperature would be around -7 degrees. I would take the earliest 6) What three items would you take with you cable car up the mountain, and make the first on a deserted island? tracks down the valley and through the trees My Kindle, a chess board, and a hammock. on fresh, spring snow. The rest of the day would consist of more skiing, gluwein, rosti, 7) How many languages do you speak? and a spot of apres ski. Other than English, I speak rusty, hotchpotch 2) What is the last book you read? German. It used to be hochdeutsch but it has now morphed into Swiss-German (“Gruezi”). I have recently joined a book club, so my reading has increased and diversified. Two 8) How do you like to spend a rainy day? books I thoroughly enjoyed were Pillars of the Earth and At World’s End by Ken Follett. A rainy day for me would involve lots of pottering and numerous guilt-free pleasures: 3) What is your favourite family recipe? the newspaper, a podcast, freshly ground coffee, scrabble, and a footstall! I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy the odd steak, but my family are huge fish eaters. 9) What’s the best piece of advice you have Our favourite dish has got to be Uncle Neil’s ever been given? scallops wrapped in parma ham, with a shaving of parmesan cheese on top. Bon appetit! When my father dropped me off at university, he announced the following: 1) I won’t be 4) What did you want to be when you were happy if you come out with a third class small? degree (too much partying and not enough work). 2) I won’t be pleased if you receive a After visiting SeaWorld in Florida, I wanted to first class degree (too much work, not enough be a dolphin trainer. I was hugely disappointed social life). 3) I will be the happiest dad if you when I discovered that there weren’t many receive a good second class degree (the perfect openings in my desired field! work-life balance).