THE PADUA PRESS REFLECTS THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PUPILS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS
ART AND DESIGN
Thisterm,creativityflourishedacrossallyeargroups.Studentsenhancedtheirskillswhile experimentingwithadiverserangeofmediums.
Prep 1 made bears by winding wool around card and adding charming facial features to finish Some added hats as a link to their literacy work
Prep 2 experimented with watercolours to create atmospheric paint effects, which they then finished with a silhouette of Stonehenge They look fantastic!
Prep 4 brought their art skills to their project on the Cornish town of Zennor, inspired by their English topic book ‘The Mermaid of Zennor’
Prep 6 recreated a famous artwork in acrylic using the grid method to help focus on shape, form and accuracy as well as looking at the painting techniques of each artist
Prep 5 made rockets and competed for the title of rocket porkiest!
Prep 3 enjoyed making Stone Age inspired necklaces in Design and Technology in December
MUSIC
SINGING DAY
On Thursday 16th October, our Prep Choir were thrilled to host an exciting Singing Day. Welcoming enthusiastic children from Yetminster and Thornford Primary Schools for an afternoon filled with music and fun Under the leadership of Mrs Betley, Head of Prep Music and Performing Arts, the children enjoyed singing a lively mix of rounds and show tunes in celebration of World Singing Day. The event culminated in an excellent concert for parents
HARVEST FESTIVAL
Our Prep Choir joined the Senior Choir in the Chapel for a beautiful Harvest Liturgy filled with music and meaning. Their singing lifted the whole service, and our Prep pupils also led thoughtful readings and prayers with great confidence. It was a joy to see the chapel filled with such warmth and talent.
IN THE CLASSROOM
In Geography, Prep 4 used atlases to locate and label UK towns and cities with excellent execution and teamwork
In Religious Studies, Reception learnt about God, the Bible and how we talk to God. This was put into action with a visit to Trinity Chapel. The children loved exploring the building and talking about what they could see The visit concluded with a prayer to God and some singing too
In Forest School, Pre-prep focussed on using prepositions such as under, around, on top of, beneath, underneath, inside and behind. Prep 2 also explored the size, texture, colour and shape of leaves to create a leaf piece of artwork Prep 3 used mirrors to explore the trees and skyline above and worked on constructing triangle frames using wood they saw themselves, scavenged leaves and rope Prep 4 enjoyed woodland bingo and being human cameras Prep 5 made dens in the forest.
Prep 3 worked hard in Maths, practicing challenging multiplication and division sums
Prep 6 had their first use of bunsen burners with Mrs Le Poidevin in science! There was a mixture of anticipation and bravery but everyone took part and thoroughly enjoyed it Later in the term, Prep 6 elaborated on this experience with a lesson investigating flares - resulting in wonderful coloured flames
Prep 1 recreated the story of Billy and The Beast in drama class. Everyone earned a Leweston Learner sticker for confidence in participating in our spontaneous class performance There were so many smiles and giggles as the characters were brought to life!
Prep 5 were introduced to first aid and CPR by Mrs Parnell. A valuable lesson for the children to learn!
PENTATHLON & SPORT
South West Sapphire Athletics League & Yeovil Olympiads Awards
Elizabeth was delighted to receive a trophy for U11 Girl of the Year from Yeovil Olympiads She was also presented with her winners award for 1st U11 girl in the South West Sapphire Athletics League Unfortunately she was unable to attend the awards evening but brought her award into school to show in celebration assembly instead.
SPORTING NEWS
Prep 3 and 4 kicked off their sporting calendar in style with their first football fixture of the academic year against Sherborne Prep Both year groups brought fantastic energy to the field, showcasing impressive teamwork, talent, and passion throughout their mixed matches.
Reception had their first swim session in September They played some confidence games in the water to assess their ability and then they were off! By November, many are spending a lot of time diving under the water! Their increased confidence is wonderful to watch
Prep 2 have been learning football in their Games lessons since the half term. They concluded the term with a lively mini tournament on the Astro The children put all their newly learned skills into action, showing great teamwork, determination and plenty of enthusiasm Well played everyone!
Prep Run Club have been making the most of the beautiful orchards and trails that surround Leweston, enjoying energetic runs through the grounds each week With big smiles, fresh air and plenty of enthusiasm, the children have embraced their winter training brilliantly
PENTATHLON & SPORT
LEWESTON PREP CROSS COUNTRY
The Leweston Prep Inter-house Cross Country event was a great success. It was fantastic to witness everyone embracing the House spirit in a competitive yet friendly environment Our winning team was St Margarets!
ENRICHMENT AND ACTIVITIES
Wow Days
PREP 4 - WW1
In November, Prep 4 had a fantastic morning exploring WW1 for their Topic Wow Day, with truly brilliant costumes
The children learned key facts about WW1 and Remembrance, including important dates, why we mark Remembrance Day and the role of animals in the war - discovering that the purple poppy honours their service and sacrifice They were fascinated by the wide range of artefacts Mr Stok (The History Man) brought in, including helmets, clothing, gas masks, weapons, photos and books, and they asked lots of thoughtful questions Out on the playground, the class threw themselves into drill practice They also enjoyed sampling foods linked to wartime rations, trying bread with marmite or jam, as well as humbugs and pear drops
A particularly special moment was when Tiggy, Harry and Emmie shared stories and photographs of family members who fought in WW1, helping everyone to connect more personally with the history they were learning
PREP 1 - SPACE
Prep 1 had an incredible experience during their space Wow Day The children looked fantastic in their costumes and were hugely enthusiastic about the topic The morning began with a lively space disco - complete with some very impressive breakdancing astronauts! Then some time in the ‘Reading Rocket’ with the astronaut projector and designing their own telescopes They baked delicious ‘ space rock’ cakes, made their own ‘ moon dough’, and enjoyed a fun round of alien hide and seek too.
In the afternoon, the children decorated their space rock cakes, made brilliant astronaut cress heads, and rounded off the day with wonderful exploration at Forest School
ENRICHMENT AND ACTIVITIES
ROYAL NAVY VISIT PREP 6
Prep 6 had a fantastic visit from members of the Royal Navy who led some exciting STEM enrichment activities, focussing on developing key Leweston Learner characteristics such as resilience and confidence One group built and launched flares, competing for the best design that flew the highest, whilst the other built ‘satellite towers’ in teams. Prep 6 showed incredible resilience, teamwork, and creativity throughout!
A big well done to everyone involved - what an inspiring and action-packed morning! And thank you to the Royal Navy!
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
CHILDREN IN NEED
We had an absolutely spot-tastic time celebrating Children In Need! Pupils learned all about the amazing work the charity does with Pudsey, raised funds through a super popular cake sale, danced their hearts out, and had fun with themed tuff trays!
HARVEST FESTIVAL
In October, the Leweston community gathered in the School Chapel for our annual Harvest Festival Prep pupils played a special role in the service, helping to deliver boxes of donations from each class to the Alter and leading readings and prayers with confidence The Prep Choir performed, including in a beautiful joint piece with Schola, and the service closed with a joyful rendition of Harvest Samba.
Thank you to the generosity of our families All the donations were gratefully received by Sherborne Food Bank and make an important difference in our wider community
CURIOUS LEARNERS
Prep 5 enjoyed a fun-filled day at We the Curious, Bristol They explored the solar system through an immersive 3D planetarium show, completing a fascinating Earth, Sun and Moon workshop and investigating all of the other attractions at the amazing science museum
ARMISTICE DAY
On the 11 November, the whole school community gathered in the chapel for our Armistice Day service Led by the Senior School Headmaster, the service included a wreath-laying, readings and reflections, and a moving war poem read by Head of Prep Richard Thompson. th
The prep children observed the service with excellent behaviour and silence, paying respect to those that gave their lives.
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
A VISIT TO THE PONIES
Prep children visited the ponies in the Riding Academy late November The children queued patiently for their turn to say hello Monty in Reception was particularly besotted, saying "I just absolutely love horses" and being in awe once he was up close
TERM HIGHLIGHTS
Roaming Liturgy
Our Prep and Senior students took part in a special Roaming Liturgy, exploring the Patron Saint of animals and the environment, Saint Francis Moving in mixed-age groups, students visited seven themed stations, each led by members of staff and Sixth Form students
From meeting Leweston’s dogs at the Boar Statue to singing in the Orchard and observing nature by the Italian Garden pond, students enjoyed a wonderful opportunity to walk through our beautiful grounds learning together Further stations at Trinity Chapel, the large tree, the Anchor and St Antony’s Chapel, offered moments of reflection, storytelling and connection
To see the whole photo gallery, please see here
FESTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
CHRISTMAS JUMPERS!
To see all of the Christmas photos, please see our gallery by scanning the QR code
FESTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
CELEBRATING OUR STUDENTS
It was heart-warming to witness all the House points, sports colours, and numerous other recognitions presented during our end-of-term assembly We are very proud of everyone for a remarkable and outstanding term!
SANTA’S GROTTO!
The children of Leweston Prep received a very special invitation to meet Father Christmas and his ponies and reindeer in the pop-up grotto in the Riding Academy! Everyone got to meet Father Christmas and received a present, plus a carrot for the horses!
FESTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
NATIVITY (Older Prep)
PRE-PREP NATIVITY
A huge congratulations to all our Pre-Prep students and the children from TC2 in the Nursery for their outstanding performance of the Nativity, 'Born in a Barn ' Each child did a remarkable job on stage
A huge well done to all our Older Prep pupils for their fantastic Nativity performance The children brought the story to life with confidence, energy and plenty of festive spirit. Our ‘Grandparent’ narrators added wonderful humour throughout, giving the production a charming twist that had the audience smiling from start to finish
FESTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
CHRISTMAS DINNER
The Leweston kitchen staff delivered an amazing feast for everyone and the children loved it! Some were even brave enough to try a brussel sprout!
PREP CAROL SERVICE
On the last day of term, our Prep pupils gathered in the Chapel for a beautiful Carol Service Children led the readings and prayers with confidence, and the Chapel rang with wonderful performances from our musical groups, including the Prep Choir, Orchestra and Recorder Consort The children brought the service to life and created a joyful start to the festive break.
