A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
Many thanks to Ed Lewsey and Ben Thomas from King’s College Taunton for a brilliant rugby training session on Friday for Upper Prep. The boys worked on support lines and looking for the space to put others through gaps. Big thanks to you both and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Roll up, roll up! Tickets for our fireworks and bonfire night are now on sale – and this year’s event promises to be even bigger and better than before! Co-hosted by the Friends of Perrott Hill and the North Perrott Cricket Club, the event is taking place at Perrott Hill on Saturday 6th November and you can expect some James Bond classics, refreshments for sale and a fully stocked pay bar (shaken not stirred). There’s also a guy making competition from 5pm, with the bonfire being lit at 6pm. This event is open to everyone in the local community so please spread the word! Tickets are available from school or from the North Perrott Farm Shop. Click on the poster for full details including ticket prices.
Our Prep School Harvest Festival took place in the Theatre and was a wondrous celebration of all things harvest. Reverend Jonathan Morris spoke of giving thanks for all we have and helping those less fortunate, while the Headmaster, Heads of School and Prefects delivered readings and prayers. Well done to the Junior and Senior Choirs, Orchestra and Tootey Flutey for their brilliant performances (and to Mr Shortman, whose upbeat arrangement of ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ was a marvel!). Finally, an extra special thank you to our entire school community for the plentiful donations of food for The Lord’s Larder, Yeovil’s food bank. The man who runs it, Matt Callaghan (pictured here with our Headmaster, Head Boy and Head Girl), visited school earlier this month to give a talk at assembly about the important work they do. He also told us that Perrott Hill remains their single largest donor of food, which we are especially proud of. Many thanks to all our children, parents and grandparents for getting involved and supporting the cause.
Earlier this month, Pre-Prep enjoyed their annual outing to St Martin’s Church in North Perrott for their Harvest Festival. As well as reciting their acrostic poem (Year 2) and prayer (Year 1), the church was full of wonderful singing from the whole of the Pre-Prep, including a French song from Years 1 and 2. Trés bien les enfants!
Over the summer, Mr Shortman visited Hardy’s Cottage and got chatting to one of the brilliant National Trust volunteers about the music making the three generations of Hardys enjoyed in their home. One thing led to another and, last week, our string quartet – the fabulously named Le Courgette Quartet – got to visit the cottage and play music from the Hardys’ manuscript books, playing the actual melodies that were performed in the parlour when the Hardys were living there! Apparently ‘Enrico’, the melody that Evie chose, was the Hardys’ favourite in their time. What an incredible experience for our pupils! The biggest thanks to Mr Shortman, Ms Greenwood and all the staff and volunteers at the National Trust, who were extremely welcoming and full of fascinating stories about the Hardy family.
Emotions ran high in the Theatre on Friday afternoon as Year 8 debated the rights and wrongs of assisted dying. Kaitlin, Toby H and Magnus gave a good account of themselves in opposing the motion but it was their adversaries Toby S, Elsa and Eleanor who won the day as the motion to legalise euthanasia was carried by 41 votes to 17 with 1 abstention. Congratulations to all our speakers and to our Lady Chairman, Atiya, and timekeeper, Maxx, for handling this sensitive topic with finesse.
Many thanks to our amazing boarding staff for another weekend of fun in the dorms! On Friday, Year 3 pupils had their very first Loft Night, complete with golden hour activities and a film with tuck (we hear it was ‘the best night ever!’). Pupils enjoyed a special ‘fakeaway’ night on Saturday, thanks to Mr Wakeman’s healthier take on KFC – a popular request from the children – while Mr Sheldon and Miss White led a trip to AirHop Trampoline Park Bristol on Sunday. Another brilliantly busy weekend!
Years 7 and 8 received a fascinating insight into journalism from Perrott parent, Adam Thomson, at Thursday’s Careers Talk. Adam explored his profession’s role in recording history, shining a light on issues that matter and holding the powerful to account. He also highlighted the opportunities for travel within journalism and spoke of his experiences as the Paris correspondent and the Mexico and Central America bureau chief for the Financial Times. Thank you, Adam, for a hugely engaging and informative talk.
There was much excitement in the ICT room last week, as pupils are tried out our brand new suite of computers, complete with curved screens, LED light up keyboards and ultra-small desktops that mount on the back of the screen to save desk space. They also work well with our new 1000mb internet connection. We love this archive photograph of the ICT room in 1983 – hands up if you remember playing Pac-Man, Space Invaders or Asteroids on a BBC Model B!
There were smiles all round at Friday’s 1940s themed school fête, where pupils and staff took part in tin can alley, a welly throwing competition and ‘pin the tail on the wyvern’! Commemorative 75th anniversary rosettes were awarded to the winners and the whole school tucked into some birthday cake. After that, pupils were treated to the most amazing of concerts, courtesy of Mr Shortman and some very special Old Perrott Hillians. Bravo to Sebastian, who opened the show with Raider’s March on the trombone, and to the twelve former pupils (now at Blundell’s, Canford, King’s Bruton, King’s College Taunton, Sherborne and Wellington School) who blew us away with their performances. It was incredible! Many thanks to everyone involved.
