ENJOYING TODAY EDUCATING FOR TOMORROW PAGE 12 150TH CIRCUS EXTRAVAGANZA A fantastic fun-filled afternoon PAGE 22 150TH ANNIVERSARY BALL Celebrating 150 years of MHS PAGE 6 ICELAND TRIP Years 6 - 8 visit the land of fire and ice THE CASTLE Summer 2024
At Prizegiving this year, I attempted to articulate what makes Marlborough House so special and came up with two words in particular – warmth and affection. We take for granted the wonderful environment, small class sizes and wide range of opportunities, but most prep schools can do the same. Having worked in several schools, what stands out for me is the outstanding friendliness and rapport between all the people who make up the MHS community; children, staff and parents. Everybody seems pleased to be at the School on a daily basis, and the relationships between adults and children are genuinely close and based on mutual respect and affection. We saw this in spades as we celebrated our 150th anniversary with two elegant and enjoyable events. The Circus Extravaganza took us back in time as we celebrated the simple pleasures of old-style entertainment with children-led stalls and fairground attractions building up to a rousing big top finale. The Ball will live long in the memory as 250 current and former parents and staff partied hard on a spectacular evening: the ebullient mood and décor within the marquee was matched by the perfect weather and excellent food, drink and music to create an evening that was everything we’d hoped for. Huge thanks go to the organisers of both events. Whether it’s a trip to Iceland or an expedition to the British Museum in London, a concert, play or sports match, I keep finding the right mood in each event – a sense of camaraderie and shared workload, an appreciation of the efforts of others and a desire towork for the common good. There is a sense of loyalty and engagement that is heartwarming and essential for a smaller school to both thrive and ensure that important lifelong qualities are nurtured and understood. This same sense of purpose and togetherness is also evident in everyday activities, inside and outside of the classroom. Warmth and affection are not measurable but they are tangible, and I sense these qualities as I move around the School, being greeted by a cheery hello or witnessing yet another event full of teamwork and generosity. Schools will always be judged by performance, as assessment scores, music exam results and sports fixtures come with numbers attached and can therefore be quantified and measured. But for me, the qualities of warmth and affection reign supreme and make Marlborough House the special place that inspires loyalty and makes the children happy. Eddy Newton, Head Note from the Head Summer 2024
Contents @marlboroughhouse.school Follow us on social media: Private accounts for parents: Boarding: @marlboroughhouse.boarding Reception: @marlboroughhouse.reception Nursery: @marlboroughhouse.nursery /marlboroughhouseschool Awards News Small Independent School of the Year, Shortlist 2024 We were thrilled to be shortlisted for the ‘Small Independent School of the Year’ category of the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2024. Our size is our strength, from small class sizes, supporting every child to reach their potential, to the unique family-feel of our small School. We are small but mighty! Congratulations to the inspiring and dedicated MHS team and our talented pupils on a fantastic whole School achievement in this, our 150th year. The finalists will be announced in September. Top 20 Day Nursery, Winner 2024 Once again we were delighted to win the Top 20 Day Nursery Award for the South East of England. Huge congratulations to our wonderful Nursery Team: Mrs Edmondson, Miss Edwards, Mrs O’Brien, Mrs Loke, Mrs Black and Mrs White. A big MHS thank you to the Nursery parents who very kindly took the time to leave us a review on daynurseries.co.uk, helping us to achieve this award. We could not have done it without you. Young Shakespeare Company Workshop .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Year 7’s French Lunch.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pet Week in Nursery .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Reception’s Big Day Out .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Earth Day .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Iceland Trip.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 IAPS Singing Festival.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Year 4’s French Breakfast .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Watch out, Year 5 Vikings are about! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Pre-Prep’s Sensational Science Morning .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ‘Legion’ Exhibition Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Year 6’s Weather Talks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Year 3 Trip to Port Lympne Wildlife Park.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 150th Circus Extravaganza.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Poetry and Drama Celebration .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 UKMT Winners .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Paella Evening.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Year 5 Magical Minibeast Trip to Tyland Barn .. . . . . . . . . . . . 15 D-Day Commemoration .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Wealden Times Fair .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Year 4 become Town Planners .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Year 4 Detectives at work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Year 2 Trip to Dungeness .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Informal Concerts .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Year 3 Grandparents’ Tea Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Year 3 French Goûter .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Sports Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Year 4 Summer Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Year 5 French Plays .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Dunk’s Charity Art Competition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 150th Anniversary Ball .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Year 6’s 3-day trip to Cuffley .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Year 7’s 3-day trip to Marchant Hills .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Race day for the Goblin Car Team.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Year 1 Trip.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 New: Year 2 School Council .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Summer Concert and Art Display .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 LAMDA Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Commotion in the Ocean .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Inter-House Swimming Galas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Clubs Round-Up .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Leavers’ Programme .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Equestrian Team Round-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Year 8 Leavers’ .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Sports Round-Ups .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Bright. Young. Things. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Staff News .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Friends of MHS Annual Review .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
APRIL 2024 | The Castle On Friday 19th April we were lucky enough to be joined by the Young Shakespeare Company for an interactive performance of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. It was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon, in which Years 5-8 were guided from the streets of Athens into an enchanted woodland, becoming embroiled in the world of mischievous fairies, love potions and the thespian pursuits of Quince, and his aspiring troop. There wasn’t a dull moment as the children acted, sung and danced their way through the afternoon. It served as a brilliant introduction to Shakespeare, and we were very proud to be told that the MHS pupils were the best audience so far! Mrs Henderson, Head of English Two tawny owlets visited Nursery as part of their Pet Week. The children were very quiet and careful as they looked at, learnt about and even stroked the owlets. Thank you to Nursery’s Miss Edwards, our resident Dr Dolittle, for bringing in the owlets for the children to enjoy. A few weeks later, we welcomed baby guinea pigs Miss Mabel Fudge and Miss Marjorie Smudge (named by the children) to Nursery! The guinea pigs have happily taken up residence in Nursery. Agneau marocain, œuf bourguignon, poulet basquaise, cassoulet, loup de mer avec fricassée de courgettes et tomates, bouillabaisse et gratin the pommes de terre were all on the lunch menu at Frédéric Bistro when Year 7 visited in May. All boys and girls made a great effort to order their drink in French and were superbly behaved in the restaurant. What Mr Priddin and I appreciated most was witnessing the children’s appetite and their curiosity to try all dishes. The pièce de résistance was the enormous tray of desserts which offered mille-feuilles, financiers, ParisBrest, tarte à l’abricot, croissants aux amandes, et brownies. We are very grateful to Mr Allsebrook and his team for their friendly welcome, hospitality, delicious food and beautiful rendition of the Marseillaise when we left! Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Young Shakespeare Company Workshop Year 7’s French Lunch Pet Week in Nursery SCAN ME Scan the code to watch our video Page 4
On Monday 29th April, the sun was shining down on Reception as they were treated to a fun-filled, practical learning adventure at the Rare Breeds Centre in Woodchurch. The trip included a huge amount of multi-sensory learning. We were able to interact with the animals and wildlife, whilst exploring our big learning question of ‘What do all living animals need to survive?’ The children were lucky enough to finish their day with a play in the huge adventure playground, learning balance, improving their core strength, problem-solving and teamwork, all through play and adventure. It was a delight to take them and much fun was had by all. Mrs Coombs, Reception Teacher Page 5 APRIL 2024 | The Castle Our Recycled Product Design Challenge celebrating Earth Day in the Prep School, produced some fantastic products and fascinating conversations. The children were challenged to design a new product that would make use of items that, in school, we would normally throw away. After carefully debating which group’s idea was the most interesting, each year group presented in a final assembly. We had ideas ranging from a ruler made of discarded paper to a whole range of playtime games for younger children. The children consistently impressed us with their thoughtful ideas, creativity and confidence. Maybe some of their ideas might end up on Dragon’s Den in a few year’s time! In Pre-Prep we had in-depth discussions and activities, raising the children’s awareness of what happens to their litter. In Reception, there was a playful twist when a ‘mystery’ litterer snuck in and threw rubbish all over the classroom. This in turn led the children to devise a plan to clean it up! These hands-on activities reinforced the importance of taking care of our environment and working together to address challenges like littering. Mr Priddin, Head of Enrichment and Mrs Cooper, Head of Pre-Prep Earth Day Reception’s Big Day Out Heads of School Congratulations to our Head Boy and Head Girl for the Autumn Term: Emma Ellvers and Rafferty Patterson.
Iceland has so many wonders to admire and with only 4 days, MHS packed in enough sites and spectacles for a week-long trip. Whether it was ice caves, the aurora, a geothermal power station, greenhouses, stables, wallowing in a secret lagoon, walking around and through waterfalls, geysers or the site of the first democratic ‘parliament’ at the mid-Atlantic ridge, the first day and a half was busy! There was no let up in the pace as we continued to admire and gaze at lava tunnels, more 60m waterfalls, real lava, black sand beaches, retreating glaciers, Reykjavik and a ‘flyover’ of the country. To top it off, we even got to see the lava flow from the recent eruptions near Grindavik, on Page 6 MAY 2024 | The Castle The land of fire and ice, formed and shaped over the past 16 million years, played host to 38 fortunate MHS students from Year 6 up to Year 8. Iceland Trip the Reykjanes Peninsula, as we flew home. We were expertly guided by our teacher-guide, Karen, from Discover the World Education who brought so much specialist knowledge and pitched it at just the right level. The photos will be admired as a lasting memory of this once-in-a-lifetime trip. With its vast amounts of space, social equality and an ‘outdoors’ lifestyle, the children could easily see why Iceland regularly makes it into the top 3 happiest countries in the world to live in… despite the climate and darkness! The children were praised by members of the public, our guide and bus driver as well as many others for their behaviour and bravery to visit the island, and they were a credit to MHS. A huge thanks goes to the staff team who have organised and prepared for the trip over the past 2 years. Mr Kimber, Head of Geography
Page 7 JANUARY 2024 | The Castle SCAN ME Scan the code to watch our video
Dressed from head to toe as Vikings with beards and tattoos, the children recreated battle scenes and Viking council meetings as part of their immersive Viking History Workshop. They also created ancient medicines, food, clothing and jewellery, and left with a handmade Viking amulet and engraving. It was wonderful to see all the children so engaged and learning through experimentation and practical activities. The Living History team praised Year 5 for their excellent behaviour and commitment to the workshop - another fantastic experience for pupils at MHS. Mr Everest, Year 5 History Teacher Page 8 Members of our Senior Choir had a wonderful time at the IAPS Singing Festival. Together with IAPS schools from Kent, we sang 6 songs in harmony, as well as an MHS performance of Hallelujah. It really was a truly special occasion to sing in a 250 strong choir in Benenden Centenary Hall. Well done to all involved. Mrs McEwan, Head of Music IAPS Singing Festival Thank you to all Year 4 parents who were able to attend our French breakfast in May. It was a lovely opportunity for pupils to showcase their linguistic skills and impress their parents with their impeccable pronunciation and heartfelt singing of “je suis une pizza”. Pupils were very proud to present their French folders to explain to their parents all the learning that had taken place in their lessons. I am grateful to Mrs Taylor and Mr Priddin for being superb hosts, comme d’habitude! Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Year 4’s French Breakfast Watch out, Year 5 Vikings are about! MAY 2024 | The Castle SCAN ME Scan the code to watch our video
Throughout themorning, thechildrennotonlyexplored scientific concepts but also fostered teamwork and collaboration working within their houses. It was an extraordinary celebration of science, filled with handson learning experiences and boundless enthusiasm. Thank you to all the Pre-Prep team for their hard work creating such exciting learning opportunities! Mrs Cooper, Head of Pre-Prep Page 9 MAY 2024 | The Castle Pre-Prep’s Sensational Science Morning was an exhilarating blend of exploration and discovery as the children delved into the wonders of science in their House groups. Mrs Mitchell sparked the day’s excitement with a captivating assembly and an experiment involving CocaCola and Mentos, setting the tone for the day ahead! Divided intotheir respectiveHousegroups, thechildren embarked on a carousel of engaging activities. In 1W they were crafting paper airplanes, gaining insights into the forces that govern flight. Then, they delved into the fascinating world of bubbles, experimenting with the effects of sugar on bubble formation. Under the guidance of Mrs. Pay, they unlocked the secrets of creating invisible messages and pictures using everyday household ingredients. The adventure continued outdoors with a bug hunt in our outdoor classroom. Equipped with microscopes, the children meticulously inspected their finds, uncovering the hidden wonders of the tiny creatures around them. Pre-Prep’s Sensational Science Morning SCAN ME Scan the code to watch our video
MAY 2024 | The Castle Some may see this as an ambitious visit with Years 6 and 7; however, this iconic exhibition of The Roman Army was proving so popular that we could not miss this opportunity. Add to that the location of the British Museum and you have a must have experience. The pupils embraced the exhibition, which followed the journey of the Horrible History style Terentianus the Rat through his lifetime in the army, with interest and enthusiasm. This exhibition was well structured with enough to fascinate adults but at the same time allow the pupils to access lots of interesting facts and plenty of hands on activities! They could test their strength to see if they were ready to apply, use the height chart to see if they were tall enough (some of us failed big time!), smell the contemporary camp smells – even smelly socks and play soldiers’ games. Their favourite activity was trying on the helmets and lifting the shields – not as easy as it looks, hence the strength test at the start. The artefacts were many and varied but some of the standout ones were the beautifully hand painted shields, the soldiers’ jewellery and the stack of gold for retiring legionnaires. There was even possibly one of the earliest ever birthday party invitations from a camp commander’s wife to her friends while stationed on Hadrian’s wall. Still legible! Our groups then explored other galleries in the museum; some went into the Egyptian Room, some to the Sutton Hoo Room with Mrs Lelliott as they recalled their Year 5 lessons and all of us went to the Roman Britain area. So much left to see for you all to explore later. Mrs Budd, Head of History and Latin ‘Legion’ Exhibition Trip Year 6 enjoyed fascinating talks from BBC weather forecaster, Sarah Keith-Lucas and Met Office weather forecaster Mark Rogers also. The children saw what goes into weather forecasting and the powerful computer that makes 16,000 trillion calculations every second, in order to tell us theweather over the coming days. Sarah also offered a brief history of weather forecasting at the BBC including that infamous moment when the 1987 storms in Kent and Sussex weren’t forecast! She also spoke about how climate change is affecting our weather, in the UK and across the world, and the important measures that we can all take to minimise our impact. Having been inspired at school by her Geography teacher, we hope that her talk may inspire the MHS students to go on and seek careers such as hers. Mark Rogers visited MHS and gave the children a wonderful presentation, covering the interesting work of the Met Office, a topic that affects everyone, every day. As well as revising the measuring of weather, he spoke about climate change. He even managed to generate a tornado in a bottle! Unfortunately, the lack of sunshine meant that the experiments outside didn’t work as well as hoped, and the question on everyone’s lips… when will the current weather get better?! Our huge thanks to Sarah Keith-Lucas and Mark Rogers for giving up their valuable days off to come and inspire Year 6. Mr Kimber, Head of Geography Year 6’s Weather Talks Page 10
The Year 3 trip to Port Lympne Wildlife Park was nothing short of extraordinary, filled with breathtaking views, fascinating creatures, and the joyous enthusiasm of the children. With clear skies overhead, the stage was set for a perfect day of discovery. The children wasted no time in soaking up the atmosphere and marvelling at the stunning vistas surrounding us. We were very fortunate to be given the opportunity to observe primates closely. From playful monkeys to agile gibbons and langurs, we were captivated by their intricate social dynamics and agile movements. However, the true stars of the show were the gorillas, especially a heartwarming encounter with a gorilla family and their adorable baby. In fact, we could have happily stayed watching the baby play all day! Throughout the day, our knowledgeable guide enlightened us about the importance of foraging, hunting, and grazing in the lives of these magnificent animals. We learnt about the delicate balance of ecosystems and the vital role each species plays in maintaining biodiversity. MAY 2024 | The Castle Page 11 Year 3 Trip to Port Lympne Wildlife Park In the afternoon, we boarded safari trucks that took us into the heart of the Kentish Savannah. Our adventure began with encounters with some of nature’s most majestic creatures. From the graceful giraffes to the powerful rhinos, we caught glimpses of elusive leopards and cheetahs. The views were truly beautiful and around every corner of the journey we were treated to the sight of capybaras basking in the sunlight and water buffalo in their swamp. We couldn’t be prouder of the enthusiasm and engagement displayed by Year 3 throughout a very successful day. Mrs Mathers, Year 3 Form Tutor
The sun shone, as pupils, teachers and parents gathered together for a Circus Extravaganza to mark Marlborough House’s 150th Anniversary. PrePrep provided a musical accompaniment to the Prep School mask parade that officially opened the Fair. There was a wonderfully relaxed and joyous atmosphere, created by the older children who ran traditional stalls with games of Hoopla, Splat the Rat and Tin Can Alley, whilst the youngest of pupils enjoyed the Carousel and Soak the Teacher in equal measure. Pupils had the opportunity to try out their newly acquired circus skills, with the fantastic afternoon culminating in a fabulous Circus Show in the Big Top Tent. Mrs Archer, Deputy Head MAY 2024 | The Castle Page 12 150th Extravaganza
MAY 2024 | The Castle SCAN ME Scan to watch our video What good sports!
Page 14 MAY 2024 | The Castle UKMT Winners Congratulations to the following pupils who came top of their year in the UK Maths Trust Competition. Silver Award and Best in Year 5 - Nathanael P and Raife Q Gold Award, Best in Year 6 and Best in School - Ella W Silver Award and Best in Year 7 - Sophie O Silver Award and Best in Year 8 - Isabella B The sun was shining, Spanish music was being played, the scent of the paella cooking was delicious and the children were laughing: a real summer feel! Everyone in Years 6, 7 and 8 who attended the Paella Evening had a really good time and the atmosphere was absolutely lovely. Year 8 did a superb job of leading three fun activities of musical statues, catch the flag and water drinking competition (from a Spanish earthen jar). What a shame we have to wait a whole year to do it all again! Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Paella Evening Just before the half term break, all the children in Years 6, 7 and 8 joined together to wow us with performances of poetry, monologues, duologues and sketches. This was a joint venture by the English and Drama Departments to showcase the children’s very clear talents in choral poetry, public speaking, and dramatic interpretation. The evening really did provide something for everyone; a plethora of pieces was performed: from the humorous campaign to ‘Be Nice To Your Turkeys This Christmas’ to impassioned complaints by the hard-done-by Ugly Stepsister to emotive portrayals of the Whale’s Song. Altogether, over 30 pieces were presented to the captivated audience and Mrs Henderson and I couldn’t have been more proud of the children. Many congratulations to everyone who took part. With such a high standard of performance, this all bodes very well for those children who are taking their LAMDA exams this term. Mrs Brundle, Head of Drama Poetry and Drama Celebration
Wealden Times Fair Page 15 JUNE 2024 | The Castle The MHS choir who performed at the Wealden Times Fair were full of smiles and energy and were met with much applause and appreciation. The children particularly enjoyed singing their rendition of “Get On Board, Little Children”. Huge congratulations to all involved and thank you to our supportive front row of MHS parents! Mrs McEwan, Head of Music Year 5’s set off to Tyland Barn for a fun day of becoming ‘dipping detectives’ and finding mini beasts in the woods, meadow and even the compost heap! There were lots of interesting and thoughtful discussions taking place throughout the day, and an opportunity to view their findings under the magnifying projector back in the classroom. All in all the children (and teachers) had a fantastic day. Mrs Mitchell, Head of Science Year 5 Magical Minibeast Trip to Tyland Barn Thank you to the Hawkhurst Branch of The Royal British Legion for hosting the D-Day remembrance event at the War Memorial in the village. Reflections were shared about bravery and sacrifice on D-Day; the largest naval, air and land operation in history which marked the start of Operation Overlord. Pupils from Year 6 read a poem and laid a wreath on behalf of Marlborough House. They were a credit to the School. It was wonderful to be part of this community event, along with other local schools. The children also saw a flag which had been carried from Battersea to Berlin, on a long journey that began on D-Day +1. And Paddy (formerly our Reading Dog) came to say hello, looking very smart sporting a poppy. D-Day Commemoration
Page 16 JUNE 2024 | The Castle Year 4 started the second half of term with a day of walking, observing, map-reading and outdoor learning at the Environmental Education Centre in Horton Kirby. They enjoyed a fascinating day in their role as new Town Planners, brought in to bring energy and encourage thriving business to put Horton Kirby on the map. Speaking of maps, they learnt to use compasses, orient themselves according to directions, follow grid references and spot key map symbols. Well done to Year 4 who came away having created a newHorton Kirby Town Plan, balancing the important needs of the residents, noise and all-important parking! Mrs Taylor, Year 4 Form Tutor’ Year 4 become Town Planners Year 4 had a fascinating look at forensics and solved a murder by looking at motivation, opportunity and means. You’ll be glad to know the perp is now in prison! The day included working over the crime scene, extensive clue searching, checking phone records and building a timeline, as well as dusting for prints in order to build a case to convict! Brilliant effort and engagement by all pupils and our best detectives got to the bottom of the crime themselves! Well done and a huge thank you to our Detective visitor. Mrs Taylor, Year 4 Form Tutor On Tuesday, Year 2 set off to Dungeness RSPB Nature Reserve for pond dipping and minibeast hunting. The children found leeches, water spiders, newts, tadpoles, water boatman and many more creatures in the pond. After a delicious lunch overlooking meadows and lakes, they set off to a field to find blue damselflies, grasshoppers and butterflies, Their volunteer guides told them many interesting facts about the beautiful nature reserve and the minibeasts that they discovered. What a wonderful day with lots of fresh air and observing nature at its best. Mrs Hancock, Year 2 Teacher Year 4 Detectives at work Year 2 Trip to Dungeness
Our younger and middle school pupils gave two very enjoyable informal concerts in June. Years 3-5 We heard pieces from pupils playing piano, clarinet, guitar, harp and drums, and a host of singers. All the children played very well and announced their pieces with great confidence. Huge congratulations to our middle school performers! Pre-Prep They began with the Singing Club who sang ‘The Bare Necessities’ followed by 14 individual performers who each introduced their piece clearly and acknowledged their audience with a bow afterwards. They completed our concert with the Recorder Group playing ‘The Legend of Zelda’ beautifully. Well done to all the children for listening so well to their friends and being such a supportive audience. Mrs McEwan, Head of Music, and Mrs Townsend, PrePrep Music Teacher Page 17 JUNE 2024 | The Castle On Friday 7th June, Year 3 had the pleasure of inviting their grandparents to the School for the Grandparents’ Tea Party. Theygave theirgrandparentsa tourof theSchool before sitting down to a delicious afternoon tea together. It was a very special occasion and it was wonderful to see the children talking with their grandparents and proudly telling them about School life. The highlight of the afternoonwas Year 3’s performance of ‘Rockstar’, which really captured their energy and enthusiasm for Year 3 life and brought a tear to many. We are sure that this will be an afternoon that will be remembered by grandparents and grandchildren alike for many years to come. Mr Linch and Mrs Mathers, Year 3 Form Teachers Informal Concerts Year 3 Grandparents’ Tea Party There was no rain on Tuesday, no sunshine either, but a smile on every child, parent and grandparent’s face. I feel very proud to pass on the linguistic and cultural knowledge I have of my mother tongue, especially when I see the next generation enjoy it so much. Pupils of Year 3 performed brilliantly for their family, they sang with their heart (and lungs!), they played French skipping, hopscotch, skipping ropes and, last but not least, enjoyed fruit, French pastries and grenadine: a real French goûter! Thank you to all the parents for attending and celebrating your child’s and my enjoyment of French. Mme De Haan, Head of MFL Year 3 French Goûter SCAN ME Scan the code to watch the video
Page 18 JUNE 2024 | The Castle Pre-Prep School On a warm day at the end of June, the children enjoyed an exciting themed series of events based on Thomas The Tank Engine, written by MHS old boy Rev. W. Awdry. Hosted by non-other than Sir Topham Hat (see the highlight video!), the events included a Coal Shuttle and Water Race to top up the teams’ engines. Congratulations to Awdry and Egan, joint winners of the Years 1 and 2 event, followed by Dunbar in third and Hawkings in fourth, and to Matilda M and Cary R R in Year 2 for showing ‘Most Athletic Promise’. Sports Days SCAN ME Scan the code to watch the video
Page 19 JUNE 2024 | The Castle Prep School Despite the rain at the Prep School Sports Day, it was a joyous event. Congratulations to Awdry who were the runaway winners with 283 points, to Hawkings who came second with 176 points, to Dunbar who came third with 168 points and Egan who came fourth with 138 points. Congratulations also go to our deserving Victrix Ludorum Ruby C in Year 8 who won the long jump, high jump and ball throw, and broke the 100m record with a new time of 13.85 secs (held since 2018). Mr Mathers, Director of Sport
Year 5 presented their French plays (The Little Red Hen and Wendy Goes Shopping) and it is fair to say that their enjoyment shone through! The children did us really proud and both Mrs Brundle and I acknowledge the enormous progress the whole crew has made in terms of confidence and performance. It was a real joy to see both classes deliver their lines in beautiful French, with passion and enthusiasm. Very well done to them all and if anything, this was an excellent preparation for the Year 6 and Year 8 plays. Mme De Hann, Head of MFL Year 5 French Plays Year 4 Summer Play Despite it being on the hottest day of the year so far, Year 4 put on a wonderful show, performing their many lines, song words and dance moves to an outstanding standard. After his starring role in our Easter show, Mr Bunny should be putting his lucky rabbit feet up and relaxing. Unfortunately, he has been kidnapped by a ‘winged menace’. Even more unfortunately, the ones who are investigating his disappearance are the Diamond Brothers, widely known as the world’s worst private detectives. Year 4 performed their story in our production of ‘Farewell, my Bunny’. Next time you have a crime to be solved, just call Diamond! Congratulations to all the children in Year 4 on their fantastic production. Mr Priddin, Year 4 Form Tutor A huge thank you to Mr Priddin for writing another remarkable play especially for the Year 4 children. We are so lucky to have a talented playwright and songwriter in Mr Priddin! Page 20 JUNE 2024 | The Castle
ECO 2023 | The Castle Page 21 JUNE 2024 | The Castle As part of the Dunk’s Almshouses 300th anniversary celebrations, schools in Hawkhurst were invited to participate in creating work for an exhibition, alongside historical material relating to the history of the buildings and their use (formerly both for the provision of homes to local people and a boys’ school) and their work today within the Dunks Educational Trust. The artwork could be about any aspect of the Almshouses, the buildings themselves, the gardens, the 300 years or Sir Thomas Dunk himself! The Prep School entered work from Years 3-8, which was then shortlisted for the exhibition by the trust. Those entries were then shown in the central hall of the Almshouses, where they formed part of the focal point of the exhibition. Two of our pupils’ works, (Toby G in Year 7 and Rosie C in Year 8) were singled out in particular and were winners in their age category (11-13 years). Congratulations to everyone who took part. The work was amazing and much appreciated by all the visitors. Mrs McNamara, Head of Art Dunk’s Charity Art Competition
Page 22 JUNE 2024 | The Castle In a glittering night to remember for the School, past and present parents, governors and staff celebrated 150 years of Marlborough House at our fantastic Anniversary Ball. The ball was a joyous affair beginning with a sunset champagne reception on the lawn, followed by a delicious dinner (cooked by our own School catering team) and games. After dinner, guests took to the dancefloor to the fabulous music from the live band. The evening drew to a close around midnight, with the sounds of merriment echoing through the grounds as everyone made their way home. A huge thank you to the unstoppable ball organisers Emma Houchin and Sharon Jones and to everyone who came along to celebrate on Saturday. We hope you had a wonderful evening. 150th Anniversary Ball
JUNE 2024 | The Castle Page 23 Year 6’s 3-day trip to Cuffley Year 6 embarked on their residential to Cuffley in high spirits, excited for what was in store. Upon arrival, the children were delighted with the sleeping arrangements – wooden pods with bunk beds – however they were not too pleased about making their own beds! We were very fortunate to have glorious weather for all our activities which included climbing, fire building, laser tag, bridge building and camo concealment, all of which the children thoroughly enjoyed. The children were a delight to take and fully immersed themselves in the whole experience. We are incredibly proud of all they achieved during the visit, whether this be staying away from home for the first time or overcoming a fear of heights on the climbing wall. Mrs Goldsmith, Year 6 Form Tutor
Page 24 JUNE 2024 | The Castle Year 7’s 3-day trip to Marchant Hills Year 7 enjoyed a wonderful few days in rural Surrey, showing their courage, developing collaboration and generally having a fun time. With so many different activities, there was a chance for everyone to shine, whether it was throwing axes, jumping off platforms in the trees, problem solving, or cheering on their friends and classmates. It was an opportunity for the group to bond, enjoy the activities and challenge themselves. There was much fun and joviality, and we even managed to watch England’s Euro 2024 football match. Children cooled off from the heat with a dip in the lake, taking a few teachers with them. It was a lovely way to celebrate the year and give three of the group a memorable send off. Mr Kimber, Year 7 Form Tutor
JUNE 2024 | The Castle Page 25 Thank you to the Big Cat Sanctuary for a great day out linked to our Science curriculum. We had a very warm welcome and the animals and children alike were happy and stimulated. It was set in beautiful grounds, and our ranger, Gill, was exceptionally knowledgeable. The children not only learnt a lot, but also showcased the range of things they have learnt during the course of our Science topic this term. Thank you MHS for the splendid picnic, and to the weather for being so kind. To add to our joy, a bi plane complete with wing walker, kept flying over from Headcorn aerodrome, and we saw a succession of parachutists jump. That’s a target you don’t want to get wrong! Mrs Willett, Year 1 Teacher Year 1 Trip New: Year 2 School Council The Marlborough House Goblin Car Team had an immensely successful day racing in our kit car at The Gathering of Goblins event. Hosted at the iconic Goodwood Motor Circuit, pupils competed in four events testing their speed, teamwork and driving skills. Following an intense scrutineering session at 8am, the teams’ building and design skills were checked and approved. Our team won four out of six heats in the drag race and registered fantastic times without fault on the speed chicane event. Congratulations to the race day team (and all those involved in the goblin car club): Olivia R, Ellie M and Raife Q in Year 5, and team captain Max V in Year 6. Mr Everest, Head of DT This term, our Year 2 School Council have made a remarkable impact in the Pre-Prep. They successfully advocated for healthier and more lunchtime options, resulting in a fresh salad on each table and a (less healthy but well deserved) sweet treat for all of Pre-Prep at the end of each term. For the next academic year, the School Council has arranged for some upgraded playground equipment and a Creative Club to be run, and they have identified the need for a new sign for The Friendship Bench. Mrs Cooper is incredibly proud of all they have achieved for our school! Race day for the Goblin Car Team SCAN ME Scan to watch the video
Page 26 JUNE 2024 | The Castle Year 6 channelled their studies in abstraction this term, to create semi-abstract figures. Year 7 contributed the hanging microorganism sculptures which turned the big Cedar into a rather surrealist looking Christmas tree, and Year 8 showed their Pop-Art talents in their contemporary take on a 1950s genre. This by no means covers the breadth of the work undertaken, or indeed exhibited by the prep school children this year. They work incredibly hard to produce such a range of diverse and exciting work in their weekly art lesson and really deserve our congratulations. Well done Prep School children! The Summer Concert was a lovely, relaxed affair beginning on the Harrison lawn and finishing in a packed-out Hopkins Hall. With over 80 performers from Years 3 – 8, we were brilliantly entertained by our talented young musicians. It was a wonderful occasion to showcase solos from our leaving pupils as well as having performances from all the MHS ensembles. Huge congratulations to everyone involved. Mrs McEwan, Head of Music, and Mrs McNamara, Head of Art A riot of colourful art provided a great backdrop to the musical showcase at this highlight of our summer term events. The art display to accompany the Summer Concert was a culmination of work produced this year, across the whole of the Prep School. From the youngest pupils in Year 3, who worked hard to create their colourful Rainforest plants, Year 4s bugs (some of which you wouldn’t want to encounter) to Year 5s beautiful Japanese fans that fluttered in the evening breeze. Summer Concert and Art Display
JUNE 2024 | The Castle Page 27 SCAN ME Scan to watch our video
Year 2 worked incredibly hard towards their end of year show. Using the story ‘Commotion in the Ocean’ by Giles Andreae, the children turned into many different creatures that you might find in the ocean. After a wonderful rendition of ‘Under the Sea’ from The Little Mermaid, the parents enjoyed joining in with the encore song ‘Yellow Submarine’. All headbands were proudly made by the children, and it was certainly a joyful way to end the year and their time in Pre-Prep! Mrs Hancock, Year 2 Teacher After a frustrating wait at the end of the summer term, the much-anticipated results of the June LAMDA exams finally arrived. Fifty children from across Years 3 to 8 took exams ranging from the Solo Introductory Exam to the Grade 3 Acting Exam. With a wonderful collection of 48 Distinctions and 2 Merits, the children should be extremely proud of all that they have achieved. The examiners commented on both the high quality of acting and thorough preparation that the children demonstrated. It was also noted that all were exceptionally polite and well-mannered; a credit to the school. Here is some of the examination feedback that was received: ‘you perform with energy and a sense of fun’, ‘a spirited and polished performer’, ‘an engaging and empathetic performer’, ‘you have a magnetic connection with your audience’, ‘you perform with assurance and confidence’... all excellent comments that truly reflect the talent and focus that our MHS thespians have developed over the past year. I am so very proud of them all and I am looking forward to continuing with my LAMDA sessions in September. Mrs Brundle, Head of Drama LAMDA Results Congratulations to Awdry who took the house cup at both the Senior and Junior Swimming Galas. Special mentions go to William P (Year 6) for breaking an incredible four School Records and to Emil D (Year 5) for beating one. They are pictured with the Senior girls from Awdry. Mr Mathers, Director of Sport Inter-House Swimming Galas Commotion in the Ocean
CLUBS 2024 | The Castle Page 29 Dance We celebrated the end of another year of Ballet and Acro with watch weeks galore in June. All classes from Nursery upwards enjoyed sharing their term’s worth of work, with displays of examination and class work along with new routines. The classes finished with a presentation of medals for all in acknowledgement of everyone’s hard work this past year. We look forward to returning in September for another busy year, with the introduction also of a new rosette awards syllabus. Miss Caister, Dance Teacher Karate As the school year draws to a close, the karate students from CMA Karate who attend MHS can all be extremely proud of themselves. Most students have passed at Clubs Round-Up least one grade this school year and some have passed two. Following our most recent grading in June, we can now congratulate Year 2s: Harvey S, Henry H, Mireille F-T and William R-M for passing their yellow stripe belts along with Bella M–H and Horatio M who attained their red belts. Zachary P, Felix T and Magnus H in Year 3, and Elliott L in Year 2, all passed grades earlier in the year with Zach, Felix and Magnus achieving their orange belts and Elliot his red belt. Karate is not about what you have around your waist but what you have in your heart and spirit. The staying power and discipline to practice brings rewards of new belts but the real winner is your personality and strength of character. I look forward to teaching you again next term. Sensei Sarah, Karate Teacher
Week 1 Skern Lodge was one of the best experiences we’ve had, speaking on behalf of Year 8. Not only has it helped our bond grow as a group, but it has also helped us overcome some of our fears. On the first day of Skern it mainly consisted of McDonalds, singing and sleeping but as soon as we arrived onsite, the staff welcomed us with beaming faces and open arms. The sun shone bright for most of the week which brightened the mood a little when some were hesitant to abseil off a very high wall or kayak in the freezing cold. However, every single person in our class no matter how scared they were (with little resistance) participated in every activity with a smile on their face and a skip in their step (although skipping by the water’s edge at crabbing maybe wasn’t the best idea). We made our way from the Skern site down to the beach by foot. And sung all the way, no matter how annoying the teachers may have found it. Everyone had a great time and caught at least 3 crabs per pair! We ambled back to Skern after our legs had died from the scenic bike ride the day before. The food was amazing and the opportunities we were given throughout the entire trip were life changing. Whether it be making our way through dark tunnels with minimal light, surfing for the first time, creating fabulous tents that unfortunately we had to sleep in (the plastic bags were very classy), or just simply spending time with each other, learning and having fun, we loved it all and are very grateful for this opportunity we were given as it has enabled us to grow as individuals. Page 30 JULY 2024 | The Castle Leavers’ Programme written by Year 8 Week 2 On the second week of our leavers programme, we went on a lovely ice cream walk (not actually an ice cream walk but I think that the highlight for most of us was the ice cream). We walked, ran and ate round Bewl Water and really enjoyed the weather and evidently other people’s snacks. The following day we had an
the doors, mixed emotions sprung to mind. “will this be awkward? “what if it makes me upset?” but still, we continued walking. The joy it brought us, when we entered the room and every single face lit up, it was such a fulfilling experience as we knew we would be the highlight of our audience’s week. We didn’t think that they could get any happier. And then they heard us sing. After our performance, we conversed with the residents, enabling us to listen to their many interesting stories. early start volunteering at our local public garden, where we weeded and helped out. Following that we headed back to school and went down to the school shooting range - generally we were very accurate! The Spanish students set off to Benenden to watch a fantastic play that we enjoyed thoroughly and quite frankly learnt from! After the play we nibbled on a churro between 5 of us (truth be told it was rather stale and the chocolate sauce was cold – (2/10). Besides that, it was a lovely way to start the morning. As the Spanish would say “Estaba bien, pero no muy buena la comida.” ArenaPursuits! Oneof thebest things about our Leavers’ Programme was this, we did raft building, building a car, ordinance map reading, team skills, and everyone’s favourite: quad-biking. Most hadn’t quad-biked before, but we will be doing it again! It was amazing, 35mph as a top speed - not too shabby!! We trekked through fields of green overlooking the beautiful waters of Bewl and went deep into the dusty woods wearing stylish balaclavas, dark shades and helmets. We may have looked like we were going to high jack a car, but it was definitely worth it! Written by Cleo M- C, Year 8 Week 3 The third week of the Leavers’ Programme started with first aid, learning different skills if someone needed our help. For example, recognising the symptoms of an asthma attack. On the same day we visited a care home only a ten-minute drive from school. As we approached JULY 2024 | The Castle Page 31
Throughout the week we indulged in many different activities, such as; the Hastings ‘Fish and Chip’ Lunch, Chocolate workshop, and Mini golf (where Mrs Lelliot won a free round, and Mrs Reeve may have beaten us all. Luck … or sneaky practise?). On the Wednesday we had an eventful morning of community litter picking, followed by play rehearsals and shooting practice on the school range. An exhilarating cricket match against Benenden awaited us after lunch. This would be the last match the Year 8s would get to play together. I would proudly like to say (or write) that we completely FLOGGED them. Our trip to Urban Jump which was a mission within itself. A highlight was watching Mr Kimber perfectly execute his front flip into the foam pit. On the last day of the week, we were all a little tired… so we went to Rye Watersports for a whole day of sailing, windsurfing, and paddleboarding. We wouldn’t have been able to enjoy our last few weeks at MHS without the teachers. So, on behalf of Year 8, we thank you all! Written by Ruby C, Year 8 Page 32 JULY 2024 | The Castle Week 4 Year 8 performed a wonderful leavers’ play; Bright Young Things by Georgia Christou. Although we were not exactly pleased at first by the sheer amount of effort we would have to put into this play, Mrs Brundle managed to produce an amazing result thanks to her expertise in acting and drama. We would all like to say a big thank you to all the teachers, who shall remain nameless as I am too scared to miss one out. Anyway, thank you so much you will be greatly missed (and hopefully so will we). Written by Cleo M-C, Year 8
EQUESTRIAN | The Castle Page 33 Equestrian Team Round-Up April Competition Four members of the MHS Equestrian Team were out competing in the Easter holidays. Congratulations to Tara B, with a 2nd in both the 60 cm show jumping and 60cm arena eventing, to Carolina K coming 2nd in the 50cm show jumping and to Beatrice K coming 9th in a very competitive 90cm show jumping class. June Competition Our riders were out in force with nine pupils competing at the NSEA Show Jumping and Combined Training, and Grass Roots Qualifiers. Congratulations go to: 1st place: Emma G, Zoe C and Beatrice K won the 80cm Jumping with Style 1st place: Beatrice K won the 70cm Jumping with Style 1st place: A double win for Tara B in the Grass Roots 60cm and 70cm 2nd place: A Team second in the 60cm for Annabel J, Matilda M, Tara B and Carolina K 1st place: A Team win in the 70cm for Annabel J, Tara B and Erin C With such fantastic results, everyone qualified for either the National Championships at Hickstead in August or at Addington in October. Mrs Jones, Equestrian Team Manager
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