A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 3-13 year olds
Hats off to our amazing Lower Prep pupils for the most joyous and uplifting production of ‘Cinderella & Rockerfella’ on Friday. In true panto style, there were cheers, boos and laughs aplenty as the children retold the classic fairytale in their own unique way. Big thanks to the show’s director, Mr Silk, along with Ms Bresland and Miss Hand, Mr Shortman and his team for the superb music, Mrs Palmer and senior pupil Maxx for the set design, Miss White for the choreography, Mr Andrews for the lighting, our maintenance team and everyone else involved. Encore!
Our activities programme has been in full swing this week, with lots of outdoor learning on the go. In our gardening clubs, Pre-Prep and Years 3-5 pupils have been busy weeding and potting on, and the Pre-Prep children loved having a visit from Head Chef Mr Yeomans in the kitchen garden area. In textiles, pupils have been making rosette brooches and hair decorations in jubilee colours, whilst the pupils in orienteering club have been following the clues to make their way around school. Brilliant – we’re all now eagerly awaiting the return of the sun!
Parents and children enjoyed a top morning at Potwell Farm Racing Stables recently. A tour of the stables and a chance to watch the horses on the gallops was crowned by a close encounter with the yard’s superstars, Regal Encore, (pictured) and stable mate, Sam Brown (owned by Perrott grandparents Tim and Monica Frost) who was roared on by a crowd of 70,000 at Aintree in March to win the Betway Handicap Chase. Many thanks to our hosts, Rachael and Anthony Honeyball and their fantastic team.
We are delighted to announce that Perrott Hill has been shortlisted for Independent Prep School of the Year at the Tes Schools Awards 2022. This is an exceptional achievement and we are so proud to be flying the flag for the South West! “This year has seen an incredibly high standard of entries to the Tes Schools Awards,” says Tes editor and chief judge, Jon Severs. “Every teacher and school who has been nominated should be incredibly proud – it’s a fantastic achievement. We are looking forward to showcasing, as we do every year, just how vital our education professionals are to every facet of this country. Teachers, leaders and support staff have all played an enormous role as schools have battled with immense challenges over the last few years: this is our chance to say thank you for all that they do.” Please keep everything crossed for the awards ceremony on Friday 17th June. Proud to be Perrott.
Years 3-8 were treated to a wonderfully hands-on lecture on organic farming last Friday courtesy of Perrott parents Sophie and Tom Gregory and Mark Raymond. The trio gave a brilliant insight into the importance of regenerative agriculture which, amongst other things, involved taking soil samples on Top Field. Mr Bartlett, our Head Groundsman, was relieved to learn that the 1st XI square escaped Tom Gregory’s spade…
At lunchtimes last week the children’s tastebuds were tickled by the three competing puddings for our Platinum Jubilee Street Party later this month: Trifle, Eton Mess and Summer Fruits Cheesecake. Choosing between them was a tough job, but our plucky young Perrott Hillians rose to the challenge and we can now exclusively reveal that the winner is… the Eton Mess! Many thanks to our wonderful catering team for spreading some pudding-based fun and cheer.
Year 7 enjoyed a brilliant history trip to Corfe Castle, Dorset last week, as part of the new Common Entrance syllabus. They learnt about what life was like in medieval times and how people lived and worked in a castle. They also heard about the history of Corfe Castle and how it has been developed and used in different ways over time. Many thanks to Mr Finch and all the staff at Corfe Castle for a brilliant day of learning.
Lambing was the order of the day in April as our Young Farmers paid a visit to North Buckham Farm near Mosterton at the invitation of James Vickery. North Buckham is part of the Chedington estate and James and Head Shepherd, Marcus, gave the children a fascinating tour of the sheep pens which allowed them the opportunity to handle the orphan lambs and to see Marcus’s splendid sheep dog, Wren, in action. Our biggest thanks to you both!
We are delighted to announce that Perrott Hill has been named as a finalist for the ‘Originality in Teaching Music and the Arts’ award at the inaugural Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards 2022. This is in recognition of the outstanding work and dedication of our music and art departments, led by Mr Shortman and Mrs Palmer. From lockdown projects and exhibitions to virtual performances and our recent community orchestral morning, these are two members of staff who consistently go above and beyond to support and inspire our pupils, and who thoroughly deserve the spotlight. Head to the Muddy Stilettos website (https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-schools-awards/results/) to see the full list of finalists and highly commended schools. We are honoured to be nestled among them.
