A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
It was great to see so many happy, smiling faces bounding into school on Monday! The Headmaster’s start-of-term assembly was all about apples – the importance of them, what they need to ripen and how they emit ethylene which helps those next to them ripen too. The message was that we, just like apples, need a nurturing and supportive environment to develop, and that we’ll make better progress if we accept help and look out for those around us at the same time. A wonderful message to take forward into the new school year.
Delighted to be kicking things off again with some very exciting news just in… We have been nominated for Best Prep School at the Tatler Schools Awards – a Perrott first, and a huge honour as the nominations are from parents and fellow schools! Thank you to everyone who voted for us.
Thank you to the organisers of The Melplash Show for another brilliant event last week – we loved catching up with so many pupils, parents, Old Perrott Hillians and friends. Congratulations to all those who got their GCSE results and A Level results this month – we are very proud of you all!
Friday’s Prize Giving for Years 3-8 took place on the Front Terrace on Friday and what a joyous occasion it was! Well done to all the pupils who won prizes (including those awarded at internal prize giving the day before) and a big thank you to our guest speaker, Bart Wielenga, Headmaster of Blundell’s. Bart spoke to the children about the importance of being your best self and making the right choices along the way, with the imparting message that it’s not the prizes you win (or don’t win) that you’ll be remembered for, but for the person you are and what you leave behind. Thank you, Bart. We also bid farewell to our grads, Mr Harlow, Miss Foice and Mr Matthews; to Miss Hand; to our Chair of Governors, Lord Bradbury, who has served the school for an impressive 18 years; and to Miss White, who has been at Perrott Hill for even longer – a whopping 19 years! Thank you for everything you’ve done for Perrott Hill over the years and good luck with your next adventures.
Hats off to our Year 6 pupils who wowed us with their superb production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ on the Front Terrace last week – it was magical! Special thanks to Dr Berkeley, Mrs Byrne and Mr Shortman, and to all the pupils and staff who helped behind the scenes. These included musicians from Years 5-7 in ‘The Dream Band’ (with the fairies’ ballet music composed by Ruby in Year 7), fairy attendants from Year 3 under the wonderful direction of Rose in Year 4, and stage management and props by Acer, Ruby, Caspian and Max. Very well done to you all.
It was a pleasure to welcome back our 2020 leavers for a get together on the Front Terrace last week. This brilliant group of pupils – who between them went onto 11 different schools including Canford School, Blundell’s, King’s Bruton, Sherborne Girls and Taunton School – missed out on the usual leavers’ events due to Covid. Needless to say, we loved having them back and hearing their stories about life at senior school.
Pre-Prep Prize Giving took place in the Grundy Hall on Friday, with the Year 2 children taking us on a wonderful trip down memory lane. From their first day at school to the friends they have made along the way, they each spoke beautifully as they recited their favourite memory of Pre-Prep. There was singing in the form of French songs and the children performed their special leavers’ song, too. Well done to Inigo in Year 1, who won this year’s House Points Cup, and to all the children in Year 2 who received prizes with a citation from the Headmaster and Pre-Prep staff. We are so proud of you all.
Year 8 performed their leavers’ play last week, which was a stellar production of J. Meade Faulkner’s 1898 novel ‘Moonfleet’, adapted for the stage by Mr Shortman. The acting was phenomenal and it felt very special to bring this local story to new audiences at Perrott Hill. Very well done to all our Year 8 pupils who were absolute superstars, and a massive thank you to the show’s directors, Sarah and Aaron from The Drama Club in Stratford-upon-Avon, to folk musician Tim Laycock, and to all the staff involved at school. It was brilliant!
One of our favourite events of the year – the much-loved Grandparents’ Tea Party – took place on the Front Terrace last Wednesday. It was such a joy to see the children’s faces as they led their grandparents off around the school, before enjoying a delicious afternoon tea and a short concert by our wonderful musicians. Our favourite number from their set? ‘Tea for Two’ of course… Many thanks to everyone involved in such a special afternoon.
Years 6 and 7 enjoyed a brilliant trip to France recently, where they were hosted by the wonderful Maison Claire Fontaine staff in Burgundy. As well as visiting the towns and villages of Avallon, Flavigny and Vézelay, they also toured le Château de Bussy Rabutin and took part in various workshops and competitions – all in French, bien entendu! Congratulations to Alice and Euan who were chosen as the two Perrott Hill ambassadors in recognition of their hard work and superb attitudes throughout the week, and to all of Years 6 and 7 who did themselves and the school proud. Un grand merci à Madame Brooks, Mr Finch, Mrs Tarrant et Miss Foice. Les enfants sont rentrés avec des souvenirs plein la tête et ont fait beaucoup de progrès à l’oral!
