Dear Parents and Carers
In the last few weeks there has been a flurry of learning taking place outside the Pre-Prep classrooms. From Kindergarten to Year 2 the children have been venturing out into the real world or visiting other schools in the Foundation. A change of environment and interacting with new people has given the children the opportunity to put their thinking skills to the test. During the visit to a local farm the Reception children were asking questions about how the machinery works and at the pizza restaurant they were researching how pizza dough is made. Both trips gave the children a detailed insight into the very different processes involved in getting food ready to eat on our plates.
Our Year 2 classes on their recent visit demonstrated their memory skills. On Tuesday they went to the Senior School hall to take to the stage for rehearsals of this years Christmas play. Lines have already been learnt and the children impressed the teachers with their creative interpretation of the script, the two kings, queen and donkey are characters to watch out for. They have been the oldest children in the Pre-Prep for a short time and are already displaying maturity and confidence in their approach to the rehearsals. We look forward to sharing the results of all their hard work on Friday 8th December.
It is a popular time of the year with many different celebrations and cultural events taking place. The Kindergarten classes also embarked on a visit to a different part of the Foundation when they joined their Dame Bradbury’s friends to learn more about Diwali celebrations. With boys and girls in Year 7 at the Senior School, these early collaborations between the children from all three Pre-Preps could be the beginning of life long friendships as the children move through the Foundation.
The Year 1 classes have been getting used to their weekly sporting adventures at Latham Road. The children are learning to reflect on their ball skills and techniques and to listen to tips from the coaches on how they can improve. I am always impressed by how much the Year 1 children eat on Friday lunch times as they replenish their energy levels after such an active morning.
Finally I would like to thank all the parents that have volunteered to support the trips this term. Without your support it would not be possible to provide the children with such valuable learning experiences. If you would like to help on future trips please do not hesitate to contact the Pre-Prep office or speak to your child’s classteacher.
Warm wishes,
Sarah Holyoake
Head of Pre-Prep
Pizza Express
As a part of our topic, City and Madingley Reception went to Pizza Express to find out how their favourite food was being made. They learnt about making dough from a professional pizza chef and discovered that pizza was first made in Egypt! They had fun making their own margarita pizzas which they took home at the end of the day to share with their families. Yum!
Peck’s Farm
Thanks to the Peck family, the children had the opportunity to visit a working family farm. They learnt about different types of grains and how bread was being made. They visited the “grain hospital” to see what happens with infected grains and then went to a lab to learn how the grains were being tested. Mr Peck showed the children different machines that are being used on the farm and they all experienced first hand sitting behind the steering wheel of a combine harvester and a tractor! They are now looking forward to building their own farm vehicles.
Forest School for Reception
Reception class at Madingley had a wonderful time on their final Forest School lesson of the year at Madingley Park. They began the lesson by exploring boundaries and listening carefully to instructions. They even got to use the equipment safely at the park. After a short rest and a story, the children went off and hunted for wood to make a fire for a special Forest School feast of popcorn and delicious toasted marshmallows!
It was great fun!
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