Newsletters

Dear Parents,

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the parents who joined us for our Wellbeing Wednesday event this week. It was wonderful to gather together to foster a sense of community and support for our school and connect with you over a warm cup of tea and some delicious pastries. It was a pleasure to spend this time with you.

It has been an absolutely jam-packed week of sports at St Bernard's Prep, and we couldn't be more proud of our talented athletes. 

Last Friday, our incredible Year 3 and 4 boys showed great skill and determination, as they represented St Bernard's against Eton End in a thrilling football match. 

On Monday, we had the pleasure of taking part in the annual Under 7's Papplewick Football Festival. St Bernard’s took on a staggering fifteen other teams in a nail-biting round-robin competition. Our boys showed immense skill and determination throughout, leaving their mark on the field.

Wednesday was an action-packed day for our talented Remove girls. We hosted the exhilarating U11's Netball Tournament right here at St Bernard's, witnessing moments of individual excellence and fabulous teamwork on the court. What an honour it was to see our children giving it their all and getting the result they deserved.

As if that wasn't enough, our U11's football team also went head-to-head against Caldicott. These young footballers left nothing behind as they played with passion and showcased their skills. We are immensely proud of every single member of the team! 

At St. Bernard's Prep, sport is more than just about winning – it teaches resilience, builds character, and fosters lifelong friendships. We take great pride in our children's incredible sportsmanship and tireless efforts. However, we know that such a fantastic attitude is only possible thanks to our exceptional sports department. We are fortunate to have a team of dedicated professionals who nourish our children's talents and encourage them to excel, both on and off the field.

Upper Trans Liturgy - Christian Unity Liturgy

On Wednesday, Upper Trans children lead a captivating Liturgy emphasising the importance of unity in the Christian community. Their eloquent words and beautiful prayers were truly inspiring.

Thanks to the leadership of their exceptional teachers, the Liturgy showcased the school's core values of promoting unity, acceptance, and love within our diverse community.

We believe that nurturing a strong sense of unity is essential for our children's personal development. This helps them cultivate empathy, understanding, and appreciation from different perspectives.

Remove W Assembly - Presentation of the Lord

This morning, Remove W delivered an awe-inspiring assembly on the Feast of Candlemas. The hall was filled with joy, laughter, and a sense of togetherness as they brought this beautiful tradition to life.

Candlemas, also known as the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, is a significant festival that commemorates the presentation of Jesus Christ in the temple 40 days after his birth. It marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the Candlemas season.

The children showcased their incredible acting skills, reciting captivating poems and concluding the assembly with a beautiful hymn, embodying the spirit of this ancient feast. Through their assembly, the Remove children reminded us of the importance of this unique occasion and its symbolism in our lives. They emphasised the symbolism of light represented by candles, which signifies hope, purity, and the presence of Christ. We also celeberated how light is a positive symbol in all world faiths and this gave us, yet again, an opportunity to focus on the commonality we all share.

Remove's creativity, passion, and dedication in delivering this magnificent assembly were truly inspiring. The hard work, commitment, and careful attention to detail were evident throughout the performance.

Year 2 - Windsor Castle

Wow! What a week it has been! There was much excitement and anticipation for our trip to Windsor Castle on Thursday. It was wonderful to see the children so enamoured with the grand buildings as they pointed out arrow slits, the moat and battlements. Watching the Changing of the Guard was a highlight for everyone, especially hearing the drums beating in the distance and getting closer and closer! Once inside St Georges Chapel, the children were stunned by the magnificent stained-glass windows. They also had a moment of reflection as they knelt and said a prayer at the altar, which was very special. The Queens doll's house was spectacular. The children couldn't believe the details and they especially liked the minuscule books and tiny vacuum cleaner complete with fabric bag! 

As we entered the State Apartments there was a look of awe and wonder in the children's eyes which lit up with excitement! The luxurious decor and amount of gold embellishments on the furniture and fabrics took everyone's breath away. The children didn't know where to look first! 

When they returned to school, the children were treated to a banquet fit for royalty! The table was set with an abundance of food and drink and even included fruit arrow heads! After everyone indulged, it was time for some fun activities! Decorating crowns with sequins, making collages of knights in shining armour and icing cakes with sprinkles. 

All in all, we had a fantastic day with some children saying, "It was the best day ever!"

Year 6 - DNA

Our Year 6 children have immersed themselves in an exciting adventure through the world of genetics and DNA this week.

Incredible models of DNA structures have sprung to life within the pages of our science books. We have discovered how the deoxyribose and phosphate backbones beautifully cradle the base pairings that hold the key to life itself. 

Just like pieces of a puzzling jigsaw, our brilliant young minds discovered that Cytosine and Guanine are inseparable allies, while Adenine and Thymine make the perfect pair! 

The journey has only just begun, and the excitement is already mounting. Brace yourselves for an in-depth exploration of genetics and inheritance throughout this term. We simply can't wait to unravel the mysteries of life's blueprint.

FOPS Valentines Disco

Love is in the air! Get ready for the most enchanting event of the year - our Valentines Disco, happening on Friday 9th February in our school hall.

This will be the 1st Valentines Disco since 2019, so be sure to mark it in your calendars and get your children's dancing shoes ready, because they will not want to miss this magical event.

Achievements

Congratulations to Dhaani in Year 6 for passing her Grade 3 piano exam with distinction. We are very proud of her commitment and determination.

We are thrilled to congratulate both Manpreet and Hasitha on receiving their Netball Merit Badges. Their exceptional contribution to the sport has been recognised with this prestigious award. Their competitive spirit, enthusiasm, and impressive skills while representing the school's team have earned them this honour. Well done!

Wellbeing Weekend

This weekend is our first ‘Wellbeing Weekend’. The children have not been set homework and we hope this will give your child, and your family, the opportunity to spend some quality time together. You could use the time, usually spent on homework to go for a walk, visit family and friends, pursue a hobby, play some sport, watch a movie or take part in a creative activity. We look forward to hearing about what the children have got up to over the weekend and we would love to see some photos!

Wishing you a restful weekend.

Ms Underwood and The Wellbeing Team.

Guitar Lessons

We currently have limited slots available for anyone wishing to take up Guitar lessons at school on a weekly basis.

Our guitar teacher, Travis Williams, is a true rockstar. He has been a professional drummer, guitarist, and singer, and has shared the stage with legends like Shane McGowan (The Pogues), Paul Simonon (The Clash and Gorillaz), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), and many more! 

What sets Travis apart is his passion for teaching and ensuring children have fun whilst learning. With his expertise, Travis's students have achieved an impressive average mark of 86% in all graded exams. It is not uncommon for his pupils to achieve Grade 4, which is GCSE level, before leaving primary school!

If you are eager to get your child started on a musical journey, simply complete the form in the Parent Portal and return it to reception. Don't wait too long, as slots are limited and in high demand!

Get your child's creative juices flowing, boost their confidence, and let the music fill their souls! Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!

Football

On Friday 26th of February, a mixture of our Year 3 and 4 boys represented school against Eton End. The mixed A team played out a competitive and evenly matched 1-1 draw with Eton End. St Bernard’s conceded the first goal before Veeran levelled the match. St Bernard’s continued to knock on their opponents door, but Eton End also had chances of their own. If it wasn’t for the outstanding saves by Anuj, St Bernard’s may have ended up losing the game. Well done to all players and to Anuj the MVP. 

The St Bernard’s B team played their opponents in an entertaining and end to end game. St Bernard’s started and finished well and ended up 4-2 winners. Well done to all the players who played and to the MVP Akaal, who scored a hat-trick!

Football

On Monday it was the annual Under 7 Papplewick Football Festival. St Bernard’s took one team to compete against fifteen other teams in a round-robin style competition. St Bernard’s played superbly throughout and ended up with a record of two wins and four losses. This meant the team finished 8th out of the 16 participating teams. St Bernard’s scored 14 goals overall and really improved throughout the tournament, working well as a team and showing tremendous resilience. Well done to all players and to Karanvir who was the overall MVP of the afternoon.

Football

Trans

On Tuesday afternoon, Trans competed in an Inter-House Football tournament competing against one another for house points. All houses played against each other twice before playing in a semi-final and a final. Well done to all children who competed so well and showed such amazing teamwork and skills. The overall results were:
1st - Matthew 
2nd - Luke
3rd - Mark
4th - John

U11's

Last Wednesday, St. Bernard's U11A team journeyed to Caldicott for a triangular match against Caldicott and Pinewood. In the first game against Caldicott, St. Bernard's emerged victorious with a score of 3-1 thanks to three great goals. The second game against Pinewood was a closely contested match, but unfortunately, St. Bernard's lost 1-0. However, the team's strong defence was a highlight of the game. Congratulations to all the players, and a special shout-out to Raman for being the MVP.

Meanwhile, St. Bernard's U11B team had a tough match against Caldicott's B team, which was filled with skilled players. Although they lost the game, St. Bernard's managed to score a great goal thanks to Archie's efforts. Congratulations to all the players, and a round of applause to Zane for being the MVP.

Netball

U10's

On Friday the 26^th of January, Our Under 10 Netballers travelled to Langley Hall. Both teams put up an amazing effort with our A Team winning 2-1, and our B team narrowly losing 1-2. Both teams have worked exceptionally hard during their PE lessons and these close scores are testament to the great progress they have, and are making. All the players were outstanding on the day, with both Mahi and Zayna being nominated as the MVPs for their respective teams. Well done everyone!

Prep Schools Under 11 Netball Tournament

On Wednesday the 31^st of January St Bernard’s hosted a Prep School’s Under 11 Tournament with 6 teams participating. Long Close School, Gayhurst’s As & Bs, Langley Hall’s As & Bs and hosts St Bernard’s, all participated on the day. The event saw all the teams produce wonderful teamwork and outstanding all-round skills of catching, passing and great movement off the ball. With all the teams playing 5 matches, the top 4 teams progressed to the semi-finals and finals.

Our St Bernard’s U11A team were a force to be reckoned with throughout the competition. We won all of our group matches and progressed to the semi-finals to beat Langley Hall A, and then went on to the final to beat Langley Hall’s Bs to be the overall Champions of the Tournament. This is an amazing achievement from our team with every single player producing an outstanding performance on the day. Congratulations ladies! You have done your school proud!