Lent Term Week 8 Head of Prep Newsletter
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Fresh from the half-term holidays, we started straight back into a bustling week here at the Prep. Our pupils had the opportunity to participate in Dog Trust workshops, enriching their understanding of our furry friends. Additionally, we enjoyed a Pupil Parliament talk from Mrs. Maddocks, politics teacher from the College. If your child has a passion for representation and politics, please encourage them to consider joining the Pupil Parliament – it's a fantastic opportunity to make their voices heard.
Our Pre-Prep students had a blast during their morning of gymnastics in Uttoxeter, showcasing their agility and enthusiasm. We were also treated to a spectacular concert from our talented prep musicians on Thursday night, highlighting the incredible musical talent within our school.
As we look ahead, a reminder about our Mother's Day service on Monday morning. It promises to be a heart-warming occasion. The service will be led by our Pre-Prep pupils starting at 0840. Parents are welcome to meet in the Lodge from 0830 before being escorted to the chapel for refreshments.
Additionally, don't forget about World Book Day on Thursday, where we will be celebrating with the wooden spoon challenge. Pupils can also look forward to dressing up in home clothes or as their favourite book characters on Friday 8 March. Instead of charitable donations for own clothes, the PTFA have asked if you will kindly bring a donation of chocolate which will be used for chocolate bingo on 21 March.
Music
We look forward to hearing Prep 4-6 play in another Teatime Concert on 12 March in the main assembly hall of the Prep School. Welcome drinks will be available from 16:00 and the concert will begin at 16:15 and will last no more than an hour. We have sixth formers helping with after school pick up and as before Reception to Prep 3 will need to be collected from the left side of the Prep the building and Prep 4-6 will need to be picked up from the right side of the building. As always thank you for your patience in supporting this concert.
Everyone is also welcome, especially Prep 6, to come and hear the Senior school ensembles perform in the Spring Serenade on 11th March. The concert will begin at 19:00 in the Chapel.
Reports
Reports will be available on the parent portal on Monday 18 March, followed by our Academic Parents' Evening on Thursday 21 March. More details on how to book appointments for the parents' evening will follow in next week’s newsletter.
Dyslexia and Multisensory Courses for Parents
The Dyslexia Association of Staffordshire are offering free on-line courses again this year for parents. Please see the letter on the parent portal for dates and times. To book or for more information, please contact Louise Davies: [email protected]
11+ Scholarships
From September 2025, we will no longer be offering assessment for scholarship candidates at 11+. We still wish to attract the highest quality candidates and still wish to make a Denstone education as affordable as possible for as many families as possible, but are increasingly determined to not pigeon hole children at a young age. It is hard to accurately assess skill, talent and potential at this age-group and in doing so are often asking young children to make impossible decisions too early. Internal and external awards are still available at 13+ and 16+. This will not impact anyone who currently has an award here at Denstone College and will only impact those children in Prep 5 or below.
Sibling Registration
Please note that our places for entry into many year groups for September 2025 and September 2026 are already nearing capacity. To that end, please may I ask that you enquire about the registration of any future siblings as a matter of urgency. Please email [email protected] to enquire about registration.
Notice to Leave
If your child is to leave Denstone at the end of this academic year (other than those in the Upper Sixth), the final day for giving notice is Monday 15 April. Due to demand, we unfortunately cannot accept ‘rolling notice’. Additionally, if you wish for your child to change their boarding or day requirements for the Michaelmas Term, please do get in touch at your earliest convenience.
Bussing Costs
For the Summer Term 2024, buses will now be charged at £7.50 a journey; increasing costs of fuel and bussing services are rising higher than the rate of inflation and therefore this is an unavoidable situation. As parents will be aware, we are looking at all of our bussing routes and costs for Michaelmas 2024 to try to make this as convenient and affordable as possible.
Earlier in the week, you may have received notification from Miss Tulloch announcing my retirement at the end of the summer. Rest assured; this transition will be seamless as we welcome Mrs Scott into the role. With her expertise, we're confident that the Prep will continue to thrive, maintaining our tradition of excellence.
Thank you for your continued support as we navigate through another exciting week at the Prep. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
The following attachments can be found on the Parent Portal by visiting https://denstonecollege.parents.isamshosting.cloud
- Uttoxeter Cricket Club 5 – 16 year olds
- Dyslexia and Multisensory Course Dates
Tracey Davies
