Friday 3rd May 2024

From the Head

Dear Parents,

Roman Day, a trip to Chatham Dockyard and the launch of our P & F Coffee Cart have brought excitement and fascination to our week at St Michael's.

On Monday, Year 4 embarked on a historical adventure, stepping into their Humanities text books to experience life as Ancient Romans. Thank you to the Year 4 Team, together with parent volunteers and visiting company History Off the Page, for immersing the children in a memorable day of learning.

Continuing our historical theme, Year 2 dove into the wonders of Chatham Dockyard on Wednesday, experiencing all the ships have to offer and learning so much of the site's legacy. We are grateful to the Year 2 Team for their enthusiasm and planning towards this trip. 

We thank you for your patience on Thursday as a local water outage caused challenge for St Michael's. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank our Estates Team for their hard work in ensuring the site was safe and equipped for us to return to. 

We have ended the week with the launch of our P & F Coffee Cart in partnership with Old Michaelian Danielle from local company Eat 'n' Mess. I hope many of you managed to stop by for a coffee or sweet treat and if you didn't, you will have the opportunity to every Friday from 7.30am and at many of our annual events. We are extremely proud of this new offering and the time our Parents and Friends Association, led by Kea Ashley and Laura Andrews, have put into this exciting project.

Wishing you a brilliant bank holiday weekend and to those pupils joining us for our Music Tour to Florence next week, a safe and unforgettable trip. 

Nik Pears

From the Head of Pre-Prep

Dear Parents,

What a busy week. Thank you for your forbearance with the water stoppage on Thursday. It was caused by a burst water main and of course, completely out of our control, affecting many roads north of Sainsbury's from the early hours of the morning. It is always difficult to get exact timings when utility companies are doing repairs and we couldn’t run a school without water. Thank you to Mark Edwards and the Catering Team who managed to feed us all a pasta lunch with apple pie for pudding in record time!

I was lucky enough to join the Year 2 children on their trip to Chatham Dockyards on Wednesday. It was a lovely trip. The sun shone and the children were polite and interested. We learned about submarines and made rope. I didn’t realise that ships' ropes have a colour thread running through the middle of them which denotes where they were made.

The Year 2 Parents' Information Morning about Stubbers had to be postponed until Thursday 16^th May 2024. The details are the same: 8.45am in the Pre-Prep Dining Room.

Well done to the P & F, especially Kea Ashley and Laura Andrews, who have spent months masterminding our new, on-site Coffee Cart. Despite the rain on Friday there was a queue for coffee. Danielle of Eat 'n' Mess came to St Michael’s as a child and will be running the Coffee Cart every Friday and at various St Michael's events.

Next week we are looking forward to seeing Nursery parents either on Wednesday or Thursday morning, whichever suits you best, for a chat about the year ahead in Kindergarten. Please meet Mrs Stibbons and Mrs Dodson in the Pre-Prep Dining Room at 8.45am over a coffee.

On Tuesday evening we invite all parents who have a child starting Nursery in September 2024 to join us at 7pm in the Pre-Prep Hall for a discussion about starting Nursery.

I am looking forward to the P & F Ball on Saturday 11^th May, hopefully you have got your carnival ball gowns at the ready.

Overheard in Pre-Prep: "Don’t grow up, it’s a trap!"

Enjoy the bank holiday weekend and see you all on Tuesday,

Zerrin Leech

We were delighted to see the launch of our brand new P & F Coffee Cart this morning as staff and parents gathered to try the delicious food and drinks on offer. 

Thank you to our Parents and Friends Association for organising this fantastic facility which will become a special part of life at St Michael's and Old Michaelian Danielle Rumbelow from local company Eat 'n' Mess for treating us to her amazing refreshments. 

Joining us for the launch were Lloyd and Ivanka Brook, representatives from Builders of London, who are sponsors of the Coffee Cart. 

Commenting on the success of the Coffee Cart, P & F Co-Chairs Laura Andrews and Kea Ashley said: "We are so pleased to bring the P & F Coffee Cart to St Michael's and grateful for everyone who has helped us to bring this project to life. As well as kind sponsorship from Builders and London, funds raised from our Christmas Fayre Farmers' Market and Sommi Pizza Van helped to fund equipment for the cart. We look forward to welcoming members of the St Michael's community to enjoy the Coffee Cart throughout the year!"

The P & F Coffee Cart will be available for parents to enjoy from 7.30am-8.30am every Friday during term time as well as at key events.

School Play 2025 announced!

We are excited to announce that the next School Play will be the wonderful story of The Durrell Family’s adventures to Corfu in 1939 in the play version of My Family and Other Animals. 

It's 1935 and an eccentric English family – four children, their widowed mother and Roger the dog – arrive on the sun-soaked shores of Corfu to start a new life.

For eleven year old Gerry Durrell, the extraordinary landscape provides the perfect playground. Its exotic fauna inspires a life-long fascination with the animal kingdom and his much-loved memoir My Family and Other Animals; which in turn was adapted into multiple screen versions. Janys Chambers' acclaimed stage adaptation was first seen at York Theatre Royal and brings to life all the inhabitants of Durrell's cherished island – whether they walk and talk, fly and squawk, crawl, swim or slither.

Auditions and rehearsals will commence early in September 2024 at the start of the new school year.  

Auditions are only open to children who will be in Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 in September 2024. 

Children will need to audition for a part if they would like to be involved. There are a range of smaller and larger parts available, but the competition will be strong. There is also some opportunity for puppeteers to operate some puppet animals - they will still need to audition if they wish to be considered for those parts. There will also be some opportunity for some children to be involved in helping backstage which will be sourced post-audition.   

They must be committed to rehearsals; please ensure children do not sign up (in September) if they have too many other commitments (both inside and outside school) or think it will take up too much of their time. The Sunday rehearsals mentioned below are vital and usually involve most of the cast to some extent. 

When might they be needed?  

Rehearsals: These primarily take place on Mondays and Fridays from 4-5pm (or 6pm sometimes) and Thursdays 8-9am (before school). There will be five Sunday rehearsals from 10-4pm (one of these is usually Mother’s Day). Most children are unlikely to be required at all rehearsals and will receive a schedule of all the rehearsal sessions in advance of rehearsals beginning in September.

Mr Powell, Head of Drama

Year 6 circulatory Science projects

6P produced a wonderful array of creative responses to their recent homework challenge, Journey round the circulatory system. Their posters, board games, comic strips, poems and shoe box dioramas are all proudly on display in the Science Lab. 

A selection of the projects can be viewed in the below highlights video:

Year 2 voyage to Chatham Dockyards! 

Year 2 had a wonderful day exploring HMS Cavalier and climbing through the hatches on HMS Ocelot at Chatham Dockyards on Wednesday. During our workshop the children working well in teams to build their own boat which they then raced. The sun shone all day which meant we could enjoy our lunch outside. It was a great day out and we hope the children have shared all the fun they had with their family and friends.

Mrs Powell, Year 2 Teacher

A spellbinding trip to Harry Potter World!

On Friday 26th April our Drama Scholars experienced a day of film making magic at Warner Bros Studios Tour, The Making of Harry Potter in Watford. 

The pupils stepped onto authentic sets, discovering the magic behind spellbinding special effects and exploring behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series.

Jack C pushed open the huge doors to the iconic Hogwarts Great Hall where we were dazzled by the sets and costumes for all the scenes filmed in the Hall. Many more experiences awaited us including a chance to explore the Forbidden Forest, board the original Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾ and step foot in Gringotts Wizarding Bank, all before wandering down Diagon Alley. It was great to see the children actively participating and engaged in lots of conversations with the staff at hand for questioning.

The tour is located at the Studios where all eight films were produced. The Studio Tour showcases the British talent and artistry that went into the making of the Wizarding World and allows the children to relive the magic through the eyes of the film makers who brought the films to life. The children had a fantastic, fun and educational time; learning all about the craft of film making. A huge thanks to Mrs Caswall and Mrs Scott for their help.

Mr Powell, Head of Drama

Old Michaelians inspire with fencing workshops 

We had the absolute pleasure of welcoming back the Martin family on Monday to share their fencing expertise with the children. 

Old Michaelians Henry and James returned with their mum Caroline to host a Prep assembly as well as leading a Year 5 PE lesson.

Both Henry and James became interested in fencing when a local fencing club visited St Michael’s when the boys were pupils. Henry, James and their Mum Caroline all became hooked on the sport which has led to some fantastic success with both Henry and Caroline currently representing Team GB and James becoming a full time fencing coach.

The St Michael’s pupils were treated to a fun assembly where they learnt about the Sabre, the essential safety clothing, the rules of fencing and the correct etiquette for competitive fencing. Then came the pièce de résistance: Henry and James locked horns in a best-of-five duel, with cheers and hollers echoing through the Sports Hall. It was like something out of a swashbuckling adventure!

The Year 5 pupils were very lucky to then have a fun fencing lesson where they learnt the art of defence, craft of attack and even got a taste of the high-stakes pressure of a duel. A true adrenaline rush!

A heartfelt thank you to the Martin family for gracing us with their fencing prowess and creating an unforgettable experience for our pupils. We hope to see them again in the future!

And parents, if your child came home dreaming of becoming the next musketeer, fear not! Henry and James have kindly provided a link below to the local club where the magic all began. Happy fencing!

Please click here for more information about MX Fencing Club

Pupil Ski Trip 2025 applications are now open!

We have had a great response in the first few days following the announcement of the Pupil Ski Trip to Les Deux Alpes next Easter. If your child is keen to go, please email fwiseman@stmichaels.kent.sch.uk to avoid disappointment.

This trip is open to children currently in Years 4, 5, 6 (those staying at St Michael's) and 7. 

P & F Golf Day at The Darenth

Please click here to book your place on the P & F Golf Day.

P & F Ball Auction 2024 is live!

We are thrilled to announce that the P & F Ball Auction is now live! 

Please click here to view the auction prizes and make your bids!

St Michael's Umbrellas

P & F update from Mr Pears

Coats and Blazers Reminder             

A reminder to all parents that the children must be wearing either their coat or blazer when they arrive at school in the morning. 

Boys and girls both need their blazers on days they have cricket matches with other schools. 

Mr Wiseman, Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Could you be a St Michael's beach hero?

Tennis at St Michael’s

St Michael’s is delighted to maintain its partnership with LoveSport Tennis Coaching this year. We are seeing more and more pupils wanting to learn and play tennis and the Trinity Term's Tuesday School of Sport tennis sessions have once again proved very popular. Lee Friend, a Level 3 LTA Coach, still has spaces available in our Saturday morning coaching sessions. Please refer to the LoveSport flyer below for Lee’s contact details.

The mental and physical advantages of tennis for children are profound. It's an exceptional sport that encourages camaraderie among friends and family. Beyond being incredibly enjoyable, it offers remarkable health benefits that extend into adulthood. In addition to its physical advantages, tennis provides children with a workout that enhances memory, learning, social skills and behaviour. Moreover, it fosters various transferable physical skills such as coordination, flexibility and balance.

Mr Brightman, Director of Sport

This week in the Breakfast Club we’ve enjoyed playing outside on the bikes and playing football. 

In The Hive we’ve been busy potting up some sweetcorn and runner beans with some little helpers from the Mini Hive who joined us for some gardening fun! We have also planted potatoes and constructed a tepee like frame in preparation for when we plant out our runner beans.

Better Body Group partnership 

Dear Parents,

The St Michael’s PE Team continues to explore new ideas to promote sports and activity for all of our pupils. Recently, we have engaged in discussions with the Better Body Group in Sevenoaks regarding an opportunity to provide our pupils with access to their Young Athlete Development Program. As a result of these discussions, we are excited to announce that our Years 7 and 8 Sports Scholars will be embarking on a ten-week programme aimed at educating young athletes on correct training techniques, while focusing on developing strength, flexibility and mobility to support overall sports development. These sessions will be led by experienced Better Body specialised strength, conditioning and exercise coaches.

Furthermore, the Better Body Group would like to extend an offer to all St Michael’s Prep School pupils (please note this is applicable for Year 3 and above) for a free 30-minute 'Kids Personal Training Session'. Please refer to the below flyer for contact details.

We sincerely appreciate all your support.

Best regards,

St Michael’s PE Team

Helena H for careful and accurate writing about her weekend

Alexandra O for fantastic enthusiasm and engagement in every lesson

Hattie R for leading her group with confidence and kindness when creating a poster about plastic pollution

Maia B for her wonderfully positive attitude to her learning and doing her best in all of our activities

Ava W for her great drawings and ideas drawing our Bog Baby topic

Dilly E for fabulous enthusiasm and understanding in our odd and even activities

Michael S for great interest and understanding in our life cycle activities

Tiara A for a wonderful creation of her own Bog Baby

Sofia B for excellent descriptions of her own Bog Baby

Arthur R for producing a great, independent comic strip about Traction Man

Lincoln L for great work in Maths when making arrays

Sophia P for approaching every day with enthusiasm and writing some interesting and well thought out questions for Traction Man

Angelica H for working hard on her reading

Jessica C for making well thought out contributions in our class discussions 

Archie F for an amazing effort with his Traction Man comic strip

Rosie C for improved concentration and effort in PE and Games lessons

Thomas R for showing effort and enthusiasm during cricket sessions

Mason S for always working hard and leading by example in PE lessons

All of 2B, 2P and 2SW for excellent engagement and interest during the workshops at the Chatham Dockyards

House Point Certificates 

Dover: Lucas T

Leeds: Phoebe D; Sebby B; Sophia P and Allegra F

Rochester: James C and Lottie B

Windsor: Harry W and Becca A 

Times Tables Certificates 

Bronze Times Tables Certificate: Florrie B, Harvey R and Ethan M

Gold Times Tables Certificate: Rafferty R

Players of the Match – week commencing 29th April

Nathan and Dylan conquer charity swimathon

Half Term staff sports camps

Mr Thomas’ Half Term Hockey Camp

Mr Thomas will be holding his Half Term Hockey Camp at Hollybush Hockey Pitch on:

Tuesday 28th May

Wednesday 29th May

Please click here to book.

Please click the above banner for information including: 

Cobham Hall Taster Afternoon and Optional Sleepover

King's School Canterbury Open Morning

Sevenoaks School Holiday Activity Programme

State Secondary School Open Events

Please click the above banner for notices including:

Midsummer at Archbishop's Palace, Otford

Girls' Cricket at Holmesdale 

Dulwich Cranbrook Triathlon 

How to spot an Asian Hornet 

Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Club

Restless Development Schools Triathlon volunteers needed

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