Wellesley Weekly 26th April 2021

announcements

Update on school fixtures and spectators

Whilst we are optimistic about the term ahead and the return to normality, we are still operating under a number of Covid-19 restrictions and necessary safety measures. We are absolutely delighted to have re-introduced competitive fixtures into our programme, however, under the government guidance that we are obliged to follow, we cannot yet welcome spectators (i.e. parents) to watch school fixtures and our parents are not allowed on other school grounds. We hope that we will have more flexibility after the 17th May (the government review date). All schools are following the same line on this. Therefore, on match days at pick up from Wellesley, can we please ask that you wait by your cars for your children? Likewise, if our cricketers have been playing away from Wellesley, we will bring the pupils back to Wellesley for collection. We will endeavour to provide as accurate a time as possible for pick ups. Thank you very much for your understanding and respect of this. If you have any questions, please do contact the office.

SAVE THE DATE – SATURDAY 26TH JUNE

The Friends of Wellesley will be hosting a Summer Party on Saturday 26th June in the Dining Hall at Wellesley to include drinks, dinner and music. Tickets for tables will be going on sale shortly. Please save the date and watch this space!

Swimming

This term, we are pleased to be able to offer private swimming lessons (for both pre-prep and prep age groups), on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
£14 (per child) for a half hour, group lesson (max of 4 children)
£28 (per child) for a 1-2-1 half hour lesson
£40 (per child) for a one hour private lesson
If you are interested in booking lessons, please contact Geraldine via hmsecretary@wellesleyhouse.net

COVID-19

We thought that it would be valuable to share with parents our COVID-19 flow charts, which map out the necessary course of action, dependent on the situation for pupils and staff who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms in school.
Staff
Positive cases – children
Positive cases – boarders
Symptoms of COVID – children

School Last Week

Train set

The school has been lucky enough to have been given a huge Hornby train set. It is evident that a number of hours have been spent creating the scenery and track layout but unfortunately it has suffered some damage over the years.
We are looking for adults to help some of our enthusiastic teachers and children with restoring it to its former glory.
If you, or someone you know is able to help with fixing the track or sorting the electrics, then it is hoped that the pupils will be able to restore some of the buildings and create some extra scenery.
Obviously, at present there are restrictions on people being in school but we hope when restrictions are lifted that we will be able to start this challenge.
To offer support or advice please email our STEAM co-ordinator, Mr Waldie at cjw@wellesleyhouse.net.

The Townsend-Warner History Prize 2021

The Townsend-Warner History prize has an illustrious history dating back to 1885 and we are delighted to be invited to participate each year. As a means of context, the competition is for keen history students (normally in Years 7 and 8) and this year over 1000 pupils from IAPS schools all over the UK (and some international prep schools) took part in paper 1. From Wellesley, Archie Butterfill (Block 1), Hector Hulme (Block 2), Max Miller, Raf Cable and Georgie Carter (all Block 3) all took paper 1 here at Wellesley at the end of last term under the supervision of Mr Kearns. The top scoring 250 pupils are invited to go through to sit paper 2. We are both delighted and incredibly proud to report that Georgie Carter and Archie Butterfill made it through to paper 2 – a fantastic achievement in itself. What is even more remarkable is that Geogie came 19th (let’s not forget he is only in Block 3!) and Archie came 6th – out of in excess of 1000 of the strongest prep school historians. This is comfortably Wellesley’s best performance for as long as any current staff can remember. Well done to those who took part and to Georgie and Archie for making it through to paper 2.

Sir Philip Sydney Essay competition

Congratulations to Max Miller and Grace Flowers (both Block 3) who were awarded certificates for entering this competition organised by Shrewsbury School – very well done, Grace and Max.

The Wellesley Voice

The Lent edition of The Wellesley Voice was printed last week. Due to the lockdown, there was no plan to write a Wellesley Voice last term. However, Grace and Teegan, our dedicated members of the editorial team, took it upon themselves to write this edition in their own time. In the last two weeks of term, when we were back in school, they worked together to get it finalised and also accepted an article from another keen journalist (our mystery contributor). We hope you enjoy this issue, the e-version is available below.
The activity is back up and running this term and we have a team of intrepid reporters working together to produce the Summer issue. If you have any suggestions for articles, responses to the last issue, or problems for our agony aunts/uncle please send them to hmcd@wellesleyhouse.net 

School This Week

Deputy Heads of School

Congratulations to Henry Barker and Scarlett Newman Cousins who have been appointed as Deputy Heads of School for the Summer term. Well done, Henry and Scarlett.

Six of the Best

The new winner of Six of the Best is Greta Grand for her brilliant three colour drypoint print. The picture was inspired by a drawing by Van Gogh and Greta has done a superb job of studying the lines and textures from the original and translating them into a different medium. Greta is a very talented and enthusiastic Art and Design student and is certainly one to watch as a potential art scholar, she should be very proud of this work.

Team of the Week

For making such a positive and impressive start during their first week at Wellesley, this week’s Team of the Week are the new pupils in JL and Block 4. Well done! They will be rewarded with cookies and juice on the front lawn with the Headmaster and Mrs Franklin during Tuesday morning break time.

Captain Tom 100!

A message to Wellesley Haddon Dene from The Captain Tom Foundation, the charity set up to support causes that were close to the late Captain Sir Thomas Moore’s heart.
The Foundation is encouraging schools to take part in Captain Tom 100 – one year on from the day that the former British Army officer started his world-famous 100 laps of his garden in aid of NHS Charities Together.
Captain Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, says:
“Captain Tom 100 invites everyone of all ages and abilities to dream up a challenge based around the number 100 and complete it over Captain Tom’s birthday weekend from Saturday 1st May to Bank Holiday Monday 3 May. Take a look at our Captain Tom 100 video to find out more.”
You can raise funds by donating to The Captain Tom Foundation or a charity of your choice, or just complete the challenge for fun and help spread Captain Tom’s message of hope and resilience.
Please save the videos of your challenges using your school account in this folder so that we can share on social media.
Click here for inspiration.

Pre-Prep

It was lovely to welcome both familiar and new faces to Pre-prep for the beginning of the summer term and everyone has been making the most of the sunny weather, playing and learning outside as much as possible. In the first week back children have enjoyed swimming sessions, cricket, drum lessons and next week Beach School will recommence. On Friday the staff and children in the Early Years held a very popular and successful Stay and Play session for prospective families.
In our first assembly we discussed teamwork, an important Wellesley value and, as we found out, a skill that benefits humans and other animals. It was also an opportunity to congratulate our Pre-prep set captains for the term:
Suri Lear – Vikings
Stan Shoring – Danes
Algie Moore – Saxons
Sophie Spencer – Romans
Last term all the children took part in a sponsored swim for Red nose day and we are delighted to announce that the total raised for Comic Relief was a very impressive £418.
After School Club – we hope to spend as much time as we can outside. For ease of pick up for parents, please make sure you pick up at 4.10pm, 4.45pm or after supper at 5.10pm. This avoids waiting at the Junior House door and no one answering – many thanks!
Reminder – Friday 30th April is early pick up at 1pm and there is no school on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May.

Stay and Play

On Friday we were delighted to be able to welcome visitors to the first of this term’s Stay and Play sessions. Our younger visitors took full advantage of our Outdoor Classroom whilst parents had the opportunity to meet with our lovely Pre-prep team and see for themselves all Wellesley has to offer. As we are limiting numbers, we ask parents to pre-book and still have a few places available on the following dates: 7th May, 14th May, 21st May and 11th June. Held on Friday afternoons from 2pm to 3.15pm, if you, friends or family have children under 5 and would like to book a place please contact admissions@wellesleyhouse.net.

Music Department

We are delighted to be back teaching music lessons this week. All the peripatetic staff are here this term. Should you be interested in music lessons please email the head of music – jhb@wellesleyhouse.net

LAMDA

Unfortunately, we are unable to restart LAMDA lessons at the moment. Hopefully, we can get this activity going soon!

Long Exeat weekend

This weekend is our long exeat weekend. Pre-prep pick up is at 1pm and Years 4 to 8 pick up is at 1.30pm from the usual bubble pick up points. Boarders should return to school between 6.30pm and 7pm on Monday 3rd May (via the red covered way entrance) and day children should return at 8.10am on Tuesday 4th May. We wish you a relaxing Bank Holiday weekend.

Gap students

Please do get in touch with the school office if you know of any enthusiastic 18 year olds that may be interested in working at Wellesley Haddon Dene during the Michaelmas term. We are able to offer accommodation and meals if needed.

Menu

This week the kitchen will be serving Menu 2.

Senior School News

Inspirational talks for pupils, families and staff

Wellington College continues with its programme of Fireside Talks …
Mon 26th April 8pm: Dr Jason Hickel ‘Less is More: how degrowth will save the world’
Please click here to join the talk

Mon 10th May 8pm: Dr Ed Brooks ‘Post COVID and Trump: is it time for a new leadership paradigm?’
Please click here to join the talk

Benenden is hosting a series of online Prospective Parent Open Mornings, please click here for dates and further information.

Wellington College very much hopes to be able to welcome visitors soon, however, in the interim please view their Virtual Visitors Day via this link.

For boys seeking entry to Tonbridge School in 2024, you may now book a visit from Tuesday 27th April until Thursday 13th May 2021. In addition a virtual open morning is being held on Saturday 15th May and an ’in person’ Open Morning on Saturday 26th June.  For further information please contact admissions@tonbridge-school.org 

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