HEAD’S MESSAGE
FROM THE HEAD
This term pupils enjoyed educational visits to the British Library, a local temple and Bletchley Park and engaged with visiting speakers who shared insights into cultural traditions, career pathways and STEAM topics during Science Week. The children represented the school with enthusiasm in quizzes and on the sports field, while Year 5 returned from their residential week with strengthened teamwork and confidence. House Singing, the poetry competition and the Year 1–2 production showcased impressive performance skills and the Easter Bonnet Parade brought our community together in a celebration of spring.
Dr Edmonds
MINDFULNESS AND WELLBEING
For Children’s Mental Health Week the theme, ‘This is my place’, encouraged pupils to think about what gives them a sense of belongingwhether as individuals, within friendships, at school or in the wider community. Feeling connected in these ways plays an important role in supporting positive wellbeing. Throughout the week children took part in activities designed to help them reflect on the spaces and relationships that make them feel included and secure. One activity involved creating a personal map, highlighting meaningful places, groups they belong to and hobbies they enjoy.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The School Council meets regularly to share their ideas on how to enhance different aspects of school life. Committee members are appointed each year and play an important role in representing pupil voice at PGP. They bring forward the views of their classmates and consistently offer thoughtful suggestions to the Head, Dr Edmonds, during their meetings. Recent recommendations that have been adopted include introducing indoor plants to classrooms and organising another sushi demonstration day in the Summer term.
ECO COMMITTEE
The Eco Committee’s focus has been on preparing and informing. They’ve spent time preparing flowerbeds, in readiness for planting seeds. The aim is to grow scented plants to help support local insects and provide a sensory experience for their classmates. The Eco Committee has also been informing the school about Earth Hour, an excellent opportunity for us to switch off non-essential lights to raise awareness about climate change and biodiversity loss.
HOUSE CUP RESULTS
Shackleton has won the House Cup this term with an average of 63.7 house points per pupil. Congratulations! Attenborough came second with 60.6, Williams third with 58.6 and Earhart fourth with 54.2.
THE ARTS
ART
This term has flown by. Year 1 studied colour theory and experimented mixing tints and shades. Year 2 created fabulous drawings of London cityscapes which demonstrated observational skills and attention to detail. Year 3 produced lovely Egyptian canopic jars made from coffee cups and modelling clay and Year 4 have honed their watercolour painting techniques. Year 5 have used mixed media for their river studies and Year 6 have used batik technique to make cushions.
LAMDA
This group has grown exponentially over the decade that Mr Max has been lucky enough to deliver it at PGP. It has gone from five to 66 children from Years 1-6. Self-expression, learning the power of voice and being confident and courageous are skills that benefit every part of the curriculum. The exam results are also exemplary.
PGP’S POETRY COMPETITION
PGP’s annual Poetry Competition was a roaring success, from powerful recitations to inspirational written poetry titled ‘One Day’. A huge thank you to our judge, Miss Emma, and a huge congratulations to every pupil who participated.
MUSIC, SINGING AND CHOIR
Music and performing arts have been full of creativity and discovery. Reception and Year 1 explored traditional music from around the world, while Year 2 developed their recorder skills. Prep pupils studied music from the 1930s to the 1970s and completed a Shakespeare module with a workshop. In singing and choir, pupils prepared summer concert material. Auditions for Mary Poppins showed great enthusiasm, with rehearsals beginning after Easter, building confidence, teamwork and excitement.
OUT AND ABOUT
SCIENCE MUSEUM
Mr Brendan couldn’t be prouder of his eager Year 3 scientists. The class enjoyed an exciting adventure to the Science Museum, where they explored captivating exhibits and took part in an energetic workshop all about forces. With hands-on investigations, interactive installations and plenty of eyeopening moments, the day truly brought science to life - making learning both engaging and unforgettable. A huge thank you to the Science Museum for delivering such an inspiring and educational experience.
LONDON WETLAND CENTRE
Year 1 had an exciting visit to the London Wetland Centre, where we became Plant Detectives and built impressive dens using our STEAM skills. Pupils learnt all about the different types of plants and what they need in order to grow and survive. The children had great fun learning to tie knots and use logs to build their own bird lookouts. They also enjoyed playing with great imagination in the adventure playground. It was a fascinating trip overall - well done Year 1 for your wonderful participation.
HINDU TEMPLE
Year 4 had a wonderful time learning all about Hinduism during our visit to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. The children were fascinated by the beautiful architecture and showed great respect throughout the trip. We were lucky enough to take part in a peaceful prayer ceremony and explore the exhibition inside the temple, where the class learned more about Hindu beliefs, traditions and daily life. It was a memorable experience that really brought our Hindu topic to life.
BRITISH LIBRARY
In Year 2 we enjoyed a brilliant trip to the British Library. The children loved the storytelling workshops, which helped them to use their imaginations. The hands-on activities and unique library collection made learning fun. The staff at the British Library commented on the children’s enthusiasm and their excellent behaviour. Fun fact – the British Library holds priceless items, including the Magna Carta (1215), Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook and Beatles lyrics.
HINDLEAP WARREN
The Year 5 visit to Hindleap Warren provided a valuable opportunity for pupils to develop confidence, cooperation and independence. Through a range of outdoor challenges, including high rope activities and team-building tasks, the children demonstrated determination and a willingness to support one another. Their resilience was evident as they approached each activity with focus and perseverance. Throughout the trip, they maintained a positive attitude, contributing to a purposeful and rewarding experience.
STEAM
FULL STEAM AHEAD
At Parsons Green Prep STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and maths) is central to our curriculum. In STEAM lessons children tackle open-ended challenges and create their own solutions, working independently or as part of a team. Year 1 designed aliens using their knowledge of the senses and animal structures. Year 2 created artwork from recycled plastics and produced shadow puppet shows while learning about light and shadow. Year 3 made papyrus-style paper decorated with Ancient Egyptian writing. Year 4 explored electrical circuits, while Year 5 carried out self-led research projects on endangered animals. Year 6 studied the oceans and created presentations to share with parents after Easter. STEAM nurtures problem solving, curiosity and integrity while building creativity, communication, confidence and resilience. These principles run throughout the school - not just in our purpose-built STEAM room - making STEAM truly central to everything we do.
SAFER INTERNET DAY
This year children across the school explored the theme of AI and its growing presence in everyday life. From experimenting with voice assistants and chatbots to discovering how generative AI creates images and text, pupils developed a deeper understanding of modern technology. Each activity was carefully designed to be age appropriate, encouraging thoughtful discussion, curiosity and critical thinking while helping children learn how to use digital tools safely and responsibly.
ECONOMIC EDUCATION & CAREERS
Economic education provides the mathematical and critical thinking skills essential for life and introduces children to the relationship between their learning and work-related opportunities. This term Reception have started to apply their numeracy skills in role play and real life contexts, while Year 1 have explored charitable giving and donations. Year 2 focused on recognising coins and notes and solving multi-step money problems. Year 3 learned about spending, income tax and interest and Year 4 tackled money-based word problems using decimals, as well as discussing debt. Year 5 applied their knowledge of fractions and percentages to price reductions and Year 6’s Theme Park Maths Challenge involved calculating costs, profit, revenue increases and tax deductions.
COMPUTING
At PGP computing is embedded into all subjects. Teachers utilise interactive whiteboards, laptops and iPads to enhance and enrich the pupils’ learning. The pupils develop research, digital literacy, coding, analyses of information and many other skills through these lessons. A few highlights from this term include buddy computing, where Year 6 teach Reception children keyboard and operational skills, arcade games coded on Scratch by our Prep coding club and presentations developed by Year 6.
CLUBS
BALLET
In both Ballet and Irish Dancing lessons, every child is celebrated for their unique creativity, talent and physical expression because every dance matters. Within lessons the children have been building their musical awareness by listening closely to the music, dancing to the beat and learning the fundamentals of rhythm. In Ballet lessons each dance is inspired by a story and the children particularly enjoyed creating their own imaginative choreography based on Peter Rabbit. In Irish Dancing lessons the children have focused on refining their technique and following the beat.
CHESS CLUBS
The children have been building their knowledge of rules, tactics and special moves while enjoying plenty of friendly matches and healthy competition. It’s been great to see their confidence grow. Over the Easter holidays, do encourage them to keep practising. Remember the handy acronym CPR when in check: capture, protect or run away! If a playing partner isn’t available, a chess app on a phone or tablet is a great alternative.
RECEPTION AND YEAR 6 PROJECT
Our Reception class were delighted to receive a delivery of eggs and eagerly watch them hatch into adorable chicks. The excitement continued as our Year 6 buddies joined us for a fun handson STEAM project. Working together, we planned and built a small chicken run to give the chicks space to explore. Everyone contributed ideas, tested designs and helped with the construction. It was a wonderful experience filled with teamwork, creativity and lots of joy. The chicks were delighted.
QUIZ CLUB AND DEBATING
With Quiz Club growing, it is clear the children thoroughly enjoy teamwork as well as being challenged in their knowledge of anything ranging from 'Which is the only national flag that isn't rectangular?' to 'When was the Battle of Bosworth?' These sessions give children the confidence to show off their knowledge in a timepressured environment while allowing them to enjoy learning. We also had the opportunity to compete against other UK schools in the General Knowledge and Maths heats.
IN THE CLASSROOM
RECEPTION
Panda Class enjoyed an exciting Spring term exploring Seasons, Space and Quirky Stories. Families joined us for a fun-filled parent learning morning where children designed their own International Space Stations. In phonics pupils learned all their sounds and began applying them confidently in reading and writing. Their curiosity and care shone during our chick experience and they fully immersed themselves in our Polka Theatre trip to see We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, watching it being brought to life.
YEAR 2
The class have enjoyed a rich and varied term, embracing every opportunity with enthusiasm. In English Year 2 developed their debating skills and wrote thoughtful nature poetry, as well as entering a story writing competition. In maths they built confidence in measurement, while in STEAM they designed and created impressive shadow puppets. The children also took part in scientific investigations, computing projects and memorable events, including a trip to Kew Gardens, Shackleton’s charity event and the Easter Bonnet Parade.
YEAR 1
The children showed excellent determination throughout the Spring term. In English pupils developed their use of adjectives and verbs across a range of writing tasks inspired by Beegu, The Odd Egg, and The Sea Saw. They were also introduced to poetry, creating fantastic free verse pieces. In maths they explored place value up to 50 and learned to measure length, mass and capacity. In topic they investigated a variety of plants and brought their learning to life during a visit to the London Wetland Centre.
YEAR 3
This term has seen Year 3 journey to Ancient Egypt, meeting the great pharaohs and their wonderful pyramids, exploring how to make a mummy and diving into why the river Nile is so important. In English we read about and joined Rhodopis on her adventures through Egypt in Cinderella of the Nile. The children then created their own versions of Cinderella - stories that were as creative as they were exciting to read. Multiplication and division were the main maths focus in the Spring term and the class were impressive with their manipulation of these skills. Amazing effort and achievements Year 3.
YEAR 4
We have had a fantastic term in Year 4. We have really enjoyed our maths topics and have successfully applied our times tables knowledge to formal methods of multiplication, division and fractions. In English we started the term with The Mermaid of Zennor and wrote our own versions of the story from the title character's perspective. We then moved on to Ever-Changing Earth, which complemented our humanities topic, Why is the Earth so angry? We explored volcanos, earthquakes, tornados and tsunamis.
YEAR 6
The class should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved this term and year; we certainly are. Year 6’s focus, hard work and resilience towards their 11+ exams and interviews have been exemplary and has culminated in them securing places in several top secondary schools. Other highlights of this term have included trips to Craven Cottage and Bletchley Park, a STEAM day with Reception and project-based maths.
YEAR 5
This term Year 5 have shown real commitment as they worked diligently in preparation for the 11+, approaching each task with focus and determination. Alongside their academic efforts, they enjoyed an insightful visit to Bletchley Park, where they explored the history of codebreaking and deepened their understanding of problem solving. Throughout the term their attitude has been consistently positive and mature and Mr Alex is genuinely pleased with the progress they have made.
ADVANCED FRENCH PROGRAMME
We have had a fantastic second term with the Advanced French Programme. We have continued our journey of grammar and comprehension sessions. The younger children have improved on their vocabulary and syllabus and the older children have had lessons in geography, history and science. We are all excited about the French Café on 11 May and are looking forward to inviting all the parents to share a croissant or pain au chocolat while singing for you all.
SPORT
HOCKEY
Year 6 pupils have shown excellent commitment during their Thursday hockey sessions on the astro. They have made strong progress in essential skills including passing, dribbling, shooting and tackling. Small-sided matches have allowed them to apply these techniques in realistic game situations, encouraging teamwork, quick decision making and tactical awareness. A particular focus has been learning how to outwit defenders during attacking play. Their enthusiasm and determination have been evident throughout.
Tag rugby has been the main focus for the Prep school this term, with pupils developing key handling, passing and evasion skills during games lessons. They have worked hard to apply these techniques in match situations, showing growing confidence and tactical understanding. A highlight was PGP’s annual Year 3 Inter-school Tag Rugby Festival, where we welcomed four visiting schools to Hurlingham Park. The children performed brilliantly throughout the term, celebrating excellent progress and securing impressive victories. Well done to everyone.
HOUSE MATCHES
This term’s Prep School tag rugby competition delivered fantastic excitement from start to finish. Round 1 opened with Attenborough earning a hard fought 7-5 win over Earhart, while Shackleton and Williams produced a thrilling 6-6 draw. In Round 2 Attenborough edged Shackleton 5-4 and Williams impressed with an 8-4 victory. The final round saw Earhart beat Shackleton 8-7 before Williams sealed a 5-3 win over Attenborough. Williams finished undefeated to claim first place, with Attenborough second, Earhart third and Shackleton fourth.
PRE-PREP GAMES
Our Pre-Prep pupils have enjoyed an active and engaging term. Year 1 explored an outdoor Invasion Games module, developing their understanding of attacking and defending while strengthening key skills such as sending, receiving and dribbling with both hands and feet. Year 2 progressed to organised five-a-side netball, where teamwork and communication were central to their success. At the end of the term all Year 2 children played in a netball fixture against the Merlin School, providing valuable match experience and an opportunity to apply their developing skills.
DANCE
Dance has brought creativity and energy this term. Reception and Year 1 explored imaginative themes such as Under the Sea, helping them develop fundamental movement skills while building confidence and expression. From Year 2 upwards pupils enjoyed learning global dance styles including Bollywood, freestyle and flamenco. These lessons encouraged cultural appreciation, rhythm, coordination and choreography skills. Dance has been a joyful and expressive outlet.
EVENTS
CHARITY ROUND-UP
This term our school houses have shown great dedication to their chosen charities. Earhart supported Mind with a mindfulness day, while Shackleton raised funds for Battersea Cats and Dogs Home through a Taskmaster-inspired event. Pupils and staff showed teamwork and enthusiasm throughout, strengthening our sense of community. Next term Williams will support the London Retired Police Dogs Trust, including a visit from a retired police dog, and Attenborough will support the Fiorentini Foundation Performing Arts Charity.
WORLD BOOK DAY
During PGP’s World Book Week the school was filled with a buzz about books and a love of reading was evident, from conversations to participation in the librarian’s book cover competition. As always, both staff and pupils enjoyed dressing up as their favourite book characters and sharing their creativity for World Book Day. This year PGP was fortunate to welcome Zohab Zee Khan, an inspiring poet and performer, who engaged pupils in energetic workshops and shared his passion for the spoken word and storytelling. What a remarkable celebration of reading.
FRIENDS OF PARSONS GREEN PREP
The Spring term began with the popular children’s disco, featuring Sharky & George, where pupils donned disco outfits, danced and enjoyed snacks. The term concluded with Quiz Night, one of the school community’s favourite annual events. Parent and teacher teams descended on a festively decorated hall to demonstrate their trivia knowledge and vie for a chance at winning. Next term look out for a visit from the ice cream van and the unveiling of the 2026 PGP tea towel.
Kate Forrester
HOUSE MUSIC COMPETITION
The Parsons Green Prep House Music Competition was a vibrant celebration of talent, themed around ABBA. Each house performed Mamma Mia before presenting their own original piece, which they composed, choreographed and directed. The creativity and energy on display were outstanding. Earhart took the win with a standout performance of Waterloo, impressing the judges with their confidence and flair. Their performance particularly captivated Miss Emma, Head of Music, and Dr Edmonds, securing them a well-deserved victory.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!