Friday 28th June 2024 

A Message from Mr Pears

Dear Parents,

The sunshine has brought joy and excitement to the many activities that we have enjoyed together this week.

I'd like to start by giving you the amazing news that St Michael's is the winner of this year's national Muddy Stilettos' Best Schools Awards in the Passionate about Sport category. Entered by over 500 schools from across the country, we are delighted to receive this recognition which is a testament to the outstanding sporting opportunities and lifelong love of sport that pupils enjoy at St Michael's. 

On Monday Year 1 took a trip to Stonepitts Farm for strawberry picking; the children were proud of the generous punnets they brought home to taste and share with their families. Thank you to Stonepitts Farm for being so welcoming and the Year 1 Team for organising this wholesome outing for the children. Meanwhile, in Kemsing our Year 8 pupils completed the first part of their community service project, helping at an Open Door event for senior residents at Kemsing Church and learning about the interesting history of the village. 

On Tuesday Year 8 welcomed the chance to cool off at Joss Bay as they spent the day learning to surf. We were all envious of them when they returned with stories about their refreshing day at sea. Back in school, we were delighted to welcome our September new joiners for Move-Up Morning. It was fantastic to see so many new faces across St Michael's and the warmth and kindness that our current pupils showed them. Year 2 especially looked so at home in the Prep building already, applying the confidence and knowledge they have built in this year's transition sessions to navigate this next step. 

This week has also seen our Open Rehearsals take place as we have invited Prep parents to watch their children in action during their Drama lessons. Thank you to Mr Powell for leading these sessions which are both invaluable to the children's performance skills and fascinating for audience members to experience. 

In Pre-Prep, Year 1 also impressed parents with their performance skills as they began our Prize Giving series on Thursday. Well done to Year 1 for an amazing concert!

We have finished the week with our whole school photograph which every pupil and staff member joined together for. We look forward to seeing the final masterpiece soon!

I'd like to end by thanking those of you who joined us for the Ellis Andrews Memorial Adult Cricket Match last Friday evening. As it always is, the evening was a celebration of the amazing community that we have here at St Michael's and it is a privilege to be able to remember Ellis in this special way each year. It was also great to see the Headmaster’s XI win the trophy!

Best wishes,

Nik Pears 

From the Head of Pre-Prep

Dear Parents,

Another hugely busy week has passed as we speed towards the end of the school year. Year 1 children had fun at Stonepitts Farm picking strawberries on Monday; their classrooms smelt wonderful in the afternoon as the scent of strawberries permeated the air. Tuesday was lots of fun as the children moved up to their new teachers! Thank you to all of the parents who attended the Move-Up Evening session.

The Year 1 Concert on Thursday was a highlight for me and I suspect all of the Year 1 parents. The children sung and performed incredibly well; they surpassed our expectations and we could hear every word. Well done to all the staff involved.

The whole school photo on Friday was as painless as possible with great organisation from the photographic team. It is always interesting to look at the main staircase in Prep school where all the past photographs are displayed. The change in the school numbers becomes apparent once the grounds were landscaped to allow for more sports facilities.

Next Thursday is the Year 2 production of Peter Pan and Prize Giving. This will be held at the Prep School Sports Hall and doors will open at 1.30pm. Please do not arrive too early as our Prep children are having their lunch playtime in the playground next to the Sports Hall. If you arrive early, please wait in your cars until 1.30pm. There are plenty of seats.

Overheard in Pre-Prep:

Child 1: "I must get more clever."

Child 2: "How are you going to do that?"

Child 1: "I’m going to eat more fish!"      

Have a lovely weekend,

Zerrin Leech

At the end of this term we will be saying goodbye to the following individuals:

Rebecca Williams - Year 1 Teacher

Rebecca Williams has been at St Michael’s for 33 years. She began working here as a Teaching Assistant with Nursery and later completed her PGCE. Both her own children Eleanor and Alex attended St Michael’s. For many years she has been a Year 1 Teacher in Pre-Prep.

Rebecca has seen many changes; the building of the Swimming Pool, the conversion of the old greenhouses into classrooms for Pre-Prep and the building of the new fantastically eco Pre-Prep building 11 years ago. Rebecca reduced to working one day per week last year which gave her the taste of freedom after 33 years! We will be sorry to see her go but wave her off knowing that she is going to enjoy her new role as a grandparent.

Words by Zerrin Leech, Head of Pre-Prep

Ian Watts - Director of Finance and Operations

At the end of the academic year, we will be saying goodbye to Ian Watts, our Director of Finance and Operations. 

We are grateful for all that Ian has contributed to the life of St Michael’s, not least in maintaining a good financial position for the school. Ian will be moving to take on a new challenge as the DFO of an international school in London.

We wish Ian all the very best for the future. 

We will be welcoming Richard Dearing into the role of Director of Finance and Operations over the summer who brings a wealth of schools' leadership experience with him. 

Words by Nik Pears, Head

Trish Peachey - PA to the Head

At the end of the academic year, we will be saying goodbye to Trish Peachey, our PA to the Head.

Whilst Trish has only been with St Michael’s a relatively short while, she has thoroughly enjoyed her time at the school and very much become part of the family here. Sadly, for us, Trish was headhunted for an exciting position within the London Fire Brigade and will be pursuing a career there.

We wish Trish all the very best for the future.    

Words by Nik Pears, Head

Helen Yarrow - Librarian

Helen Yarrow, our Librarian, leaves us at the end of this term to start her well-deserved retirement. She joined St Michael's in September 2020 which was quite a challenging time to join a new school in a new role! Helen brought with her a wealth of experience from her English teaching career at prep schools in the local area, plus an enduring love of books which she succeeded in instilling in the children at St Michael's.

In her time here, she has furnished the Library with fantastic new books, many of which reflect the changing world in which the children are growing up. She has fostered a calm, purposeful environment in the Library and has given support and guidance to many children - and not just about books either. She's also been a kind and supportive colleague. We wish her all the best for her retirement as she potters in her garden, looks after her grandchildren and dog, and reads lots of books!

Words by Laura Andrade, Head of English

No Activities following Prep Sports Day

There are no prep staff-led activities, including prep, taking place following Sports Day on Friday 5^th July 2024. All children will need to be collected and taken home at the end of Sports Day, which will be at approximately 4pm.

The only exceptions to this, which will still run on Sports Day, are LAMDA and Swimming activities. 

Late Room will be strictly for emergencies only.

Thank you.

St Michael's WINS national school award!

We are thrilled to announce that St Michael's Prep School has won the Passionate about Sport award in the national Muddy Stilettos' Best Schools Awards 2024. 

The national awards, which are open to independent schools from across the United Kingdom, celebrate outstanding pupil experience. This year's Awards received a record number of entries from over 500 schools across the 13 categories and were judged by professionals from various sectors including MBE recipients.

Writing to St Michael's on Thursday 27th June, Muddy Stilettos said: "The ethos of Muddy Stilettos is all about celebrating and supporting the best in modern, holistic education and we hope that your award will give your school a real boost. Now in their third year, the Best School Awards have grown exponentially – this year, we saw 500+ schools enter all around the country! The judges were incredibly impressed by all submissions, but felt that yours stood out for its originality and attention to detail."

St Michael's entry focused on the lifelong love of sport promoted at St Michael’s as well as the opportunities provided to children including the School of Sports programme, Sports Scholarships, GB athlete workshops and community outreach programme. The entry also celebrated St Michael's regional and national sporting triumphs, impressive participation in the Knight Frank Schools' Triathlon, pupils' and alumni's extra-curricular achievements and the inclusivity of our sporting curriculum.  

We are so proud of St Michael's (award-winning!) Sports Department and pleased that their hard work and tireless encouragement of our children has been recognised!

To find out more about the Muddy Stilettos' Best Schools Awards 2024 Winners, please click here.

Year 8 enjoy a splashing time in the Isle of Wight!

The Year 8 leavers' residential to the Isle of Wight was an amazing trip with lots of new and fun experiences.

We had structured days which included 9am to 12pm morning activities which were usually water based. Then we ate lunch before our afternoon activities which were 1pm to 4pm which were also mainly water based. After this we had a bit of time to relax in our rooms before we ate dinner around 6pm. Then we had our evening activities which were a range of things such as crabbing, swimming, football at a local rec, a quiz and Sports Hall games which were great bonding activities.

Some of our water activities were paddle boarding, dinghy sailing and wind surfing. We also did keel boating where we had the opportunity to touch and even hold jellyfish which was an unforgettable experience. We had a range of friendly instructors who were all very welcoming and helpful.

All of Year 8 made incredible memories and it was a wonderful way to end our time together at St Michael’s. We would all like to say thank you to the teachers for organising this trip; we will never forget it!

Words by Louisa W, Year 8

Ellis Andrews Memorial Adult Cricket Match

On Friday 21^st June, St Michael's staff played against an Ellis Andrews XI in the third Annual Match. With the first year seeing the staff win and last year seeing the Ellis Andrews XI win, it was all to play for.

Mr Morgan won the toss and decided the staff should bat and they posted an imposing 193 in 20 overs with three batsmen retiring. The Ellis Andrews XI came out strong looking to chase down the total but some strong bowling in the middle overs restricted them to 145 for 8.

It was a great game all round for an amazing cause. Thank you to all those that came and supported, there was an amazing atmosphere throughout. 

Mr Morgan, Head of Year 4

Year 6 enjoy a day at Chessington

Strawberry picking at Stonepitts Farm

Year 1 were full of joy on Monday morning as they took a trip to Stonepitts Farm. Following an interesting talk about the lifecycle of a strawberry, the children were given some top tips on how to pick the tastiest fruit! The children behaved beautifully, selecting their strawberries in the sunshine. They then returned back to school to wash and sample a few before taking the rest home for their families.

Mrs Grove, Year 1 Teacher

A drum lesson with Mr Pears!

Year 5 pupil Sebbie enjoyed an exciting drum lesson with Mr Pears today after his family won the prize in this year's P & F Ball auction.

Learning the instrument from scratch, Mr Pears took Sebbie through the fundamental drum skills including how to hold the sticks properly.

At the end of their lesson, Mr Pears and Sebbie played a piece together which Sebbie described as a "very very very fun experience!"

Open Drama Rehearsals

Once again this week, the Drama Department invited parents and friends of Prep pupils to come into school and experience an ‘open rehearsal’. Here they had the opportunity to see the pupils in their form groups rehearsing scenes studied over the course of the term in their Drama lessons and in the final stages of rehearsal for performance.

All of the year groups did an amazing job, responding well to direction and instructions whilst flexing their performance skills. Many parents said how interesting it was to see the process and their child going through it. The Year 3 parents got to pick either the villains or the heroes to win the battles, whilst the Year 7 parents were even asked to be part of the cast! 

Year 3 - Devised scenes- Super Heroes and Super Villains (including own designed costumes) 

Year 4 - Bombs and Blackberries 

Year 5 - I Tell A Lie  

Year 6 - My Teacher’s A Troll   

Year 7 - Every Brilliant Thing 

Mr Powell, Head of Drama

Surfing at Joss Bay

St Michael’s Year 8 pupils enjoyed a trip to Joss Bay in Broadstairs on Tuesday for a day of sun, sea and surf lessons!

We were blessed with a bright and beautiful day, perfect for our surfing adventure. The pupils were greeted by the cool instructors: they assured us that we’d be catching some “waves” by the end of the day; sadly the waves were more like the kind you get in your bath, but that didn’t dampen our spirits!

The surf lessons kicked off with a lesson on how to paddle, pop up and sit on a board whilst looking as cool as possible. The pupils also learnt to spin the board around quickly, ready to catch a wave, which made some look like pro surfers in training. The instructors were always ready with a helpful push to make sure everyone managed to stand up and ride a wave into the beach, resulting in cheers, laughter and lots of falling off!

The beach wasn’t just about surfing; it was also home to the most fearless seagulls we’d ever encountered. These feathered food thieves swooped down with military precision, causing more than one pupil to abandon their lunch and run for cover. The sight of twelve-year-olds being outsmarted by birds provided endless entertainment for everyone - except those who lost their sandwiches!

In between surfing sessions and dodging seagulls, we took a break to give back to the environment. St Michael’s Beach Heroes armed with enthusiasm and litter-picking tools embarked on a beach clean inspired by our Eco Committee, proving that even whilst having fun, we can take care of our planet.

As the day drew to a close, it was clear that the Year 8 surf trip to Joss Bay had been a tremendous success. Everyone was sun-kissed, managed to stand up on their surfboard, ride a wave (albeit small ones) and had a blast playing in the sea. The pupils were brilliant, filling the day with fun and laughter; we're sure this trip will be talked about for weeks to come.

Words by Mr Brightman, Mrs Denton and Miss Prideaux (PE Department)

St Michael's Triathlon teams raise an amazing £17,088 for charity!

We are delighted to announce the total amount fundraised by St Michael's pupils as part of this year's Knight Frank Schools’ Triathlon. 

During May a record 132 St Michael’s pupils tackled the Knight Frank Schools’ Triathlon held at Sevenoaks School. The popular sporting event raised money for the charity Restless Development who support, train and mentor young people in Africa. St Michael’s triathlon teams were pleased to raise an incredible £17,088 in sponsorship funds which were donated to Restless Development and Demelza children’s charity. 

House Creative Writing Competition winners 2024

Congratulations to the winners of this year's House Creative Writing Competition whose entries were very impressive:

Years 3 and 4 winner: Edward H (Dover)

Second place: Ella D (Leeds)

Third place: Saskia E (Dover)

Highly commended: Amelie G (Leeds)

Years 5 and 6 winner: Robert M (Leeds)

Second place: Eva S (Dover)

Third place: Isabel E (Dover)

Highly commended: Elizabeth W (Windsor)

Years 7 and 8 winner: Anouk C (Dover)

Returning Prep Library books

A reminder to please ensure that all Prep Library books are returned to the Prep Library in the red bucket by Friday 5^th July 2024. No new loans will be issued after this date. Any borrowed books not returned by Friday 5^th July will be charged on end of term bills.

, 

Could you be a St Michael's Beach Hero?

Year 8 beach clean makes a difference at Joss Bay

On Tuesday Year 8 took part in a beach clean at Joss Bay. Thank you to the pupils for making a difference as part of the St Michael's Beach Clean challenge which links to the marine focus of the Eco Schools Green Flag Award.

Both the Breakfast Club and The Hive decorated muffins this week to make tasty Dory sponge treats.

Milkshakes and morning outdoor fun have also been enjoyed in the Breakfast Club, whilst in The Hive children have loved playing a variety of ball and skipping games.

Déjà Vu will be open on some days during the summer holidays to allow families to prepare for September. The opening times can be found below:

Déjà Vu Summer Holiday Opening Times

Friday 16th August 10am-12pm

Monday 19th August 10am-12pm

Thursday 29th August 10am-12pm

Tuesday 3rd September 9am-11am

Summer dresses will only be available to buy until the end of term, and then be back again after the Easter holidays in 2025. From August only winter dresses will be available.

We are still offering to buy St Michael's blazers from you (size 4 and above) for £35. 

Any new families joining St Michael's, please email Melissa Samworth on melbrand@yahoo.co.uk for a private appointment.

If you have any questions, please also contact Melissa. 

St Michael's map - available to buy

St Michael's Parents and Friends have worked with local artist Debbie Draws Maps to create a wonderful map of St Michael's. The P&F kindly donated the murals in Pre-Prep and Prep; they are a lovely addition and the children love seeing the map of their school. Commenting on the illustrated map, Mr Pears, Head said: "We are delighted by Debbie's wonderful illustration of St Michael's which is proudly displayed in both Pre-Prep and Prep. Every little detail, from the fairies at our Fairy Tree to our Wildlife Pond, perfectly presents life at St Michael's. Thank you to Debbie for her creative work and the P & F for generously sponsoring our wall prints."

You also have an opportunity to purchase an A3 print of the map. These can be purchased from the links below:

A3 Map

£25 - once purchased, it can be picked up from the Prep Office

Please click here to buy the A3 map

A3 Custom Map

£75 - custom - includes a drawing of your children - please follow the instructions on the link for ordering your custom prints

Please click here to buy the A3 custom map

St Michael's Umbrellas

Celebrating our year together

The International Club recently hosted two events to conclude the school year: a dinner and a Coffee Morning. During these gatherings, we said farewell to some cherished members and welcomed new ones.

I will be stepping down as Chair and handing over to Cheryl Chatwin and Yuliya Folland, who I am confident will do a fantastic job. I want to thank everyone for their support and assistance during my time as Chair.

Bianca Steinhardt

Intclubstm@gmail.com

Players of the Match – week commencing 24th June 2024

Robert and Nik compete in Football Tournament Finals

Congratulations to Year 5 pupils Robert M and Nik B whose U10 Sevenoaks Town Football Club team were runners-up at the Tonbridge Junior Football Tournament. They made it to the Finals against Tunbridge Wells Forester with a final score of 2-1 to their opponent.

Keep up the amazing football boys and congratulations on a brilliant season!

Ian and Aadhi are Cricket Tournament runners-up!

Congratulations to Ian V and Aadhi C in Year 3 who competed in the U9 Holmesdale Cricket Tournament last Sunday with their team Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Club who were runners-up in the Finals amongst a group of 16 teams.

This is a brilliant achievement, well done boys!

Dan and Danny win Tonbridge Football Tournament

Congratulations to Year 2 pupils Dan L and Danny S whose team Chipstead Kestrels U7s won the Tonbridge Junior Football Club Fiesta tournament this weekend, coming first out of nine teams and narrowly beating second placed Sevenoaks Town! Keep up the amazing football, boys!

Happy News

Mrs Lake becomes a grandmother!

Congratulations to Mrs Lake who recently became a grandmother to her beautiful granddaughter baby Arabella Ann born on the 13th June weighing 7lb 11oz. 

Camp Beaumont is back this summer!

Camp Beaumont is coming back to St Michael's for summer from Monday 15th July to Friday 16th August 2024.

Click here to book your child's place

Use code STMICHAELS24 for 10% off your booking.

Please click the above banner for information including: 

Cranbrook School Open Evening

Sevenoaks School Holiday Activity Programme

State Secondary School Open Events

Tonbridge School Summer Sports Camps

Wrotham School Transition Events

Please click the above banner for notices including:

Dulwich Cranbrook Triathlon 

How to spot an Asian Hornet 

Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Club

Free Family Fun Days in Sevenoaks this summer

Muddy Stilettos Summer Holiday Guide

Follow us on social media!

Make sure you are following St Michael’s social media channels for important updates and content throughout the year.