Issue 35

Welcome to this edition of Fort-Knightly News, where we're excited to share highlights from recent activities and events at Chandlings Prep. As we begin the new term, learning and discovery have been flourishing across the school.

Our Year 1 pupils embarked on an incredible space-themed adventure, arriving at school transformed into astronauts and aliens, ready to blast off into an exciting day of cosmic exploration.

The spirit of cultural celebration came alive during our French 'Épiphanie' festivities, where children had the delightful opportunity to sample La Galette des Rois - a traditional cake containing a hidden ceramic charm known as "la fève."

We're proud to announce the winners of our Year 5 Science Cell Model Making competition, where pupils demonstrated remarkable creativity and understanding in their designs.

Our Nursery children were treated to a special delight - a bespoke puppet show created exclusively for Chandlings pupils, which captivated their imaginations.

Finally, we're thrilled to share that our very own Rosie achieved success in the National Non-Fiction November competition - a wonderful achievement that showcases the literary talents within our school community.

It's always a pleasure to see the variety of activities that inspire our children and bring our school community closer together.

We look forward to sharing more exciting news and achievements in our next edition!

Best wishes, Fiona Love

Year 1 Space Day

Year 1 had an amazing space-themed adventure day! The children came to school dressed as astronauts and aliens, ready to blast off into space. They travelled on a moon buggy, zoomed through a black hole tunnel, and arrived at the Chandlings Space Station HQ. At the Space Station, they took charge of the control deck to make sure everyone had a safe journey through Outer Space. There was plenty of excitement in the Space Rocket tents, where they shared imaginative ideas. They also got creative by decorating rockets and making colourful scratch art. It was a day full of fun and exploration!

Celebrating "Épiphanie"

Prep children welcomed the New Year in a very French way by celebrating "Épiphanie". The children were able to sample La Galette des Rois, a special cake containing a hidden ceramic charm called "la fève." The Galettes were generously provided by the French Company Brioche Pasquier!

The children performed the ritual of the Galette, where the youngest child goes under the table and directs the distribution of the pieces of cake. The children who were lucky enough to find the "fève" became the King or Queen for the day and got to wear the paper crown.

This wonderful French cultural experience brought smiles all around and was a fun way to incorporate cultural awareness. What a fantastic way to start the New Year!

Year 6 Science Cell Model Making Competition

The children in Year 6 were tasked with making a model of a cell (plant, animal, bacteria, or virus) for a house competition, in order to support and cement their understanding of their Science and Engineering topic, Cells and Microbes. They had to choose their materials, label the parts of the cell, and include a description for each part.

There was a huge variety of fantastic models made out of a wide range of materials. The judging proved tricky due to the extremely high standard but we managed, after much deliberation, to decide upon the winners. I am delighted to share with you the results. Congratulations to the following:

Winners: Theo, Harrison, Scarlett and Leo

Runner Up: Toby, William, Amaara, Emile, Annabel and Jake.

Nursery Puppet Show

Nursery were treated to their very own puppet show this morning! Mrs Belcher, Head of Drama, and Robin Belcher, Puppet Maker, told a tale of friendship and self-worth specially written for Chandlings children.

Winner in the National Non-fiction November Competition

We’re so proud of Rosie for winning the younger category in the National Non-fiction November competition! Rosie created a fantastic leaflet about horse riding, inspired by this year’s theme ‘Why don’t you?’ which encouraged the participants to share their hobbies and interests to inspire others to try something new.

This is the third year in a row that a Chandlings Prep pupil has won the younger age category, what an amazing achievement! Congratulations again, Rosie!

Year 2 Ice Explorers

Year 2 had a brilliant time working together in small groups to rescue a Lego ice explorer that had become trapped in ice. The children were fascinated as they discovered how salt could melt the ice, and their eyes lit up when they added food colouring to reveal the beautiful crystal patterns hidden within. The afternoon was filled with even more creativity as they worked together to craft lovely 3D snowflakes.

The room was buzzing with excitement throughout the activities, and it was wonderful to hear their enthusiastic comments:

"This is the best day ever!"

"Wow, this is amazing!"

The hands-on nature of these activities really brought science to life for the children, and it was lovely to see them working together so well.

Staff Panto

The children were in for a real treat at the start of term as they were surprised by the staff putting on a panto during assembly time.

The Queen and Princess of Pantoland wanted to make the new year exciting, so they invited all of the Pantoland characters (Goodies, Baddies, Fairy Tale and Nursery Rhyme characters) to take part in a Pantolympics. Unfortunately, none of the teams were very good at training, so they had to decide which team would be the winners by playing a game of Musical Chairs. The Baddies, led by the dastardly Big Bad Wolf, nearly cheated their way to victory, but eventually Baby Bear came out on top for the Fairy Tale team. The Baddies were remorseful and the Queen declared everyone to be champions!

Thank you to all the staff who gallantly took part (after only one rehearsal!). It was a joy to see the excitement and enthusiasm on the children’s faces.

Blackboard Highlight: School Values

We're delighted to unveil a fresh direction for our Wellbeing board this year, showcasing the fundamental values that make Chandlings Prep special. Last term, we embraced our core principle of "Do your Best to be your Best." This powerful message encourages our pupils to pursue excellence in all they undertake - from their studies and friendships to confronting life's challenges.

When our children commit to giving their absolute best, they discover their true capabilities and shine brighter than ever. This principle empowers them to continually develop, build resilience, and trust in their own unique talents. Here at Chandlings Prep, we take pride in nurturing a community where every pupil's journey towards excellence is celebrated, ensuring each child can realise their full potential. For this new term, we're turning our attention to Being Courageous.