Reception have this week been recapping their digraphs in phonics and ensuring they recognise them within words. When writing a given word, the children worked in pairs carefully to segment the various words and make sure they were written correctly, while Fred the frog sounded out words for children to create using the magnetic letters. These activities have helped Reception build their phonic confidence so that they can apply their knowledge in reading and writing.

Natasha Jacklin, Reception Class Teacher

Year 1’s learning objective in maths was to compare numbers from one to 100. The children worked in pairs and used their understanding of these numbers to find a given number on a board containing 100 squares. They were then asked to find a second number on the square and use their maths vocabulary to compare the numbers. The children then practised what they had learnt in pairs to play a ‘higher and lower’ game, complete with appropriate actions, and using greater than and less than symbols to complete number sentences on their whiteboards. After practising with their peers, the children were then keen to show their understanding and carefully completed the number sentences in their books.

Kathleen Salusbury, Year 1 Class Teacher

As part of their Our Wonderful World topic, Year 2 have been learning about the uses and sources of energy, exploring practical ways in which they can save energy in day-to-day situations to help reduce global warming. This week, the children investigated how long it takes a kettle to boil different volumes of water, from 250 millilitres up to one-and-a-half litres. They worked scientifically in groups, diligently measuring specific volumes of water before carefully putting the water into the kettle. After the lowest amount of water was boiled, the children predicted how long it would take for the remaining increments to come to the boil, with the children eagerly keeping an eye on the stopwatch while waiting for the click of the kettle. The children concluded that instead of boiling a full kettle to make one cup of tea, they could save significant amounts of energy by boiling just the right volume of water required.

Shirley Jervis, Year 2 Class Teacher

Year 3 came together in great style in music this week, fine tuning song-and-dance moves ahead of their year-group production which focuses on man-made threats to the environment. During the rehearsal for next week’s show, which ties in beautifully with Year 3’s summer term theme ‘Turning The Tide’, the children worked particularly hard at their Stomp-inspired percussion accompaniment for The Recycling Song, where they are playing instruments made using their own recycled items.

Jess Harman, Year 3 Music Teacher

Year 5 have spent this week focusing on geometry, specifically position and direction on a cartesian plane. The young mathematicians warmed up by using decimals as the basis for this before carrying on with their explorations of translating shapes using two-dimensional vectors. In both tasks, Year 5 got the opportunity to challenge themselves by tackling problems with a degree of difficulty beyond the Year 5 curriculum, something which they achieved with aplomb.

Lewis Campbell, Year 5 Maths Teacher

Year 6 have been learning about acids and alkalis and the pH scale in science this week. The children learned how universal indicator paper can be used to measure the pH of a chemical and then use this information to determine if the chemical was a strong/weak acid, neutral substance or strong/weak alkali. Working in pairs, the children collected the necessary materials from various locations in the lab and had to use the apparatus carefully to avoid cross-contamination. They also had to stay positive as matching the colour of the test papers to the pH chart was quite tricky; especially the bleach that rapidly decolourised the test paper. By the end of the lesson the children could explain how to identify acids and alkalis from their pH and were developing an understanding of how acids and alkalis could be combined in order to achieve neutral substances.

Peter Hesselmann, Year 6 Science Teacher

This week in wellbeing, Year 7 have been gaining a greater insight into what happens in our brains when we feel worried or anxious and how this understanding can help us better regulate our emotions. The children looked at the key function of our amygdala and the upstairs/downstairs model of the brain – learning that the upstairs brain is where all the thinking is done and the downstairs brain houses our feelings. Year 7 then considered effective calming techniques, including the butterfly hug, a simple bilateral movement that engages both the right and left sides of the brain, and a thoughtful task involving paper and scissors in which the children had to create the longest possible piece of paper that they could.

Zoe Thesiger-Pratt, Head of PSHE, PRE and Wellbeing

The Highfield and Brookham community is fortunate to have its Chapel at the centre of the school. This dedicated space provides a haven for reflection and prayer throughout the day, offering a welcome respite from the busy schedule of prep school life. On Monday, 17th June, the Chapel was filled with joyous song and celebration as thirteen Year 8 pupils received the sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Jonathan of the Portsmouth Diocese. The ceremony was witnessed by a large and supportive congregation of parents, grandparents, and extended family. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended to support the Confirmands, particularly Bishop Jonathan and his Chaplain, Amanda. We are also grateful to Mr Muhlemann for his skilful coordination of the beautiful musical programme. Bishop Jonathan’s key message to the Confirmands was a powerful reminder: “God is within us.” He emphasised that God’s love and grace are freely given to each and every one of us, even when we make mistakes or stray from the path.

Ian Nicholas, Deputy Head (Academic)