This week Mr Machin and I informed Prep parents that we are currently investigating the possibility of introducing an exciting new curriculum for the Prep School. The new curriculum, called the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC), covers 80% of the UK National Curriculum and has a thematic, skills-based approached to learning. 

• Revision_Pack_2011-2012.zip
   
• International_Middle_Years_Curriculum_Read-Only.pdf 
• Balance_mind_map.pdf
• Snorkelling.pdf 



The curriculum is designed by Fieldwork Education (who are also responsible for the highly successful International Primary Curriculum) and seeks to engage students in an exciting, learning focused curriculum that takes in to account the specific needs of middle years students, especially when considering what changes are going on within their brains during adolescence.

Last Friday, the Prep School held its end of the year swimming gala. Competition was fierce as usual between the different houses and the lead in the House points changed regularly through-out the morning. Suriyothai, with a great new swimming star Ni (6W), got off to a flying start and it looked as though they could cause a great upset. However, Byron and Churchill gradually pegged Suriyothai back and it all depended on the relay races-particularly the tube relays which are also a lot of fun. The greater swimming depth of Churchill started to take an effect, particularly their skills at change over with the tubes. Nehru had a particularly nasty tube that caused them a lot of difficulty! It was great to see the children having a heap of fun while still striving for their House. Final results were:

1^st Churchill                                          

2^nd Byron

3^rd Suriyothai                       

Our grateful thanks to Mr Jeffries and his PE team who ran the event like a well-oiled machine. We can all look forward to our final Sports Day-TBall next Monday.

Thank You Mr Rowlands

Mr Rowlands spoke at our assembly on Wednesday-the last time he will address the Prep School. He played a huge part in the original idea of a Prep School and he organised the meetings during all the planning days, particularly before I arrived. He continued to have a leading role in the term leading up to the Prep School starting and also was a great supporter during our first year when we had many obstacles to overcome. As the Prep School has become more established during our 3 years of operation, he has eased back to let us ‘run our ship.’’

He spoke about the meaning of ‘Values.’ Many of the values are ones we have in our Prep Fair Rules: honesty, be hard working and support the needy which are core to what we want our pupils to develop and use. His stories about 3 great men in history: Samuel Colgate, Mahatma Ghandi and Alexamder Fleming all displayed these values. They all started from very poor backgrounds but became great leaders through using these values. These values are in everyone but each person has to bring them out.

The Prep School sincerely thanks Mr Rowlands for all his help and support, not only for the Prep School but for Harrow in general. We wish him all the best for his future when he leaves HIS at the end of this school year.

All parents are most welcome and will get a letter inviting their attendance while parents of those pupils performing or gaining an award (or being recognised for an achievement) will be notified. It would be great to see a packed out assembly hall for this our final assembly 2011.

Welcome Mr Horsnell

At Wednesday’s assembly Mr Horsnell was welcomed as the new Head of Prep School starting next academic year. He talked to the pupils about the new change in the leadership in the Prep School and that he was really looking forward to his new challenge. He talked about the need to handle ‘change.’ He talked about the book, ‘Who moved the cheese?’ by Dr Spencer Johnson. This book brings home to those who read it about how to handle change because change will always happen. Some of the key points of change are as follows (in reference to the cheese):

Change Happens    They Keep Moving The Cheese

Expect Change Get Ready For The Cheese To Move

Monitor Change  Smell the Cheese Often So You Know  when It Is Getting Old

Adapt To Change Quickly  The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese

Change    Move With The Cheese

Enjoy Change!  Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!

Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again They Keep Moving The Cheese.

Mr Horsnell told the Year 7s they are in for big changes next year in Secondary but the Prep School has prepared them well and they should look forward to their new challenge and change with enthusiasm and determination. Year 6s will become the new leaders in the Prep School next year and Mr Horsnell was looking forward to working with them, particularly with our new Mission Statement of ‘Leadership for a better world’ taking a greater role and emphasis.

BISAC –Athletics
Congratulations to these Prep pupils who gained medals at this athletics meeting on Saturday 21st May:

Angie - Silver - high jump
Fluke - Gold x 2 - for 60m and 200m  sprint
Tartar - Bronze - 600m

Year 7 Induction
Mr McDonald, Head of Churchill, also spoke at assembly about the Year 7 Induction programme for Secondary next Monday and Tuesday. Like Mr Horsnell, he emphasised to the Year 7s of the need to be positive and enthusiastic in the 2 induction days and make a good first impression. Teamwork and co-operation were aspects that the 2 day programme is centred upon-not just sitting down and doing harder school work. It was also good for our Year 6s to see what this induction is all about. I hope that many of the Year 7 parents take the opportunity to be at the parent presentation on the Tuesday at 4.00 pm (mini-theatre).

Junior Mathematics challenge
Results of the Junior Mathematics Challenge have arrived. This very challenging test is aimed at the Year 8 level but capable Year 7s and 6s can also sit it. Once again, we were thrilled with the results for the Prep pupils

Gold Certificate:
Year 7: Proud, Kris, Jeep,
Year 6: Mil

Silver Certificate:
Year 7: Ae, Shun
Year 6: Poom, Poon, Peak, Sense

Bronze Certificate:
Year 7: Uno, Gund, Alan, James, Ing, Michael, Phut, Ken, Jinny, Pim, April, Gale
Year 6: Aum

 Evan Robson, Head of School

On Tuesday I was one of the Heads of School who spoke on Homework to the Friends of Harrow-too much or too little and the difficulties for parents, teachers and pupils alike. Homework issues are the same all over the world-yes even in New Zealand-and there are no easy answers because everyone is different. On one side you have the ‘Tiger Mum’ (mothers whose demands are far too excessive) and on the other side of the coin is the need for pupils to develop some sort of self-discipline and motivation to organise themselves and follow up their learning at home.

Here are some thoughts I expressed at the meeting for Prep pupils (and I certainly do not have all the answers!) 

Pupils do need to learn the discipline of writing down their homework/assignments and getting work completed on time. It is a 3 way process with teachers and pupils involved in the homework/learning involved and parents to support (not do the homework) both parties.

Some pupils are tremendous at this organising/self -discipline while others will be very frustrated and the rest will fall somewhere in between. Often you can find the 2 extremes in the 1 family! Some pupils will need a lot of support and monitoring but if you persist with firm and clear boundaries eventually the self- discipline comes and with it – success. Parents need to be strong yet positive.  

It is important at Prep to allow pupils to do their best in the 3 areas of Academic, Sport and Culture but parent and pupils must find a balance. If a child has 1/2 hours of sports coaching every night then the academic falls away so a balance needs to be worked out that caters for both. Something has to give somewhere to allow for this. It is best if the parent and child can work this out.  

There needs to be a balance in the types of homework teachers give that allows for finishing work, consolidation and extending what was learnt at school and opportunities for research and projects. 

Prep pupils, on average, should be doing up to 1 hour a night and if work is completed quickly then quiet reading of English books is a great way to complete the night. The pupils who succeed the most in English in Prep are the avid readers.  

Getting the  balance  that works for homework is perhaps the key to success.

Evan Robson, Head of Prep School