As we enter the final week of a long, busy and action-packed term it is always hard to try and identify the defining moments. The term started with two groups of children having conquered the ‘Everest of swimming’ – their Channel swim. Their herculean efforts helped to raise a phenomenal amount of money for the Barnaby Webber Foundation and, with the next TPS Channel team already training hard, we can look forward to further great achievements next summer. Seeing pupils take on unique challenges such as this seems to be a welcome theme in the Prep School.

The recent assembly delivered by 6G on sign language was one of those moments that demonstrates the depth of talent at TPS and the genuine gusto with which pupils throw themselves into each and every challenge. The whole school participating in ‘This is Me’ was incredible and will linger long in my memory as well as that of many others present that morning. It will not be long before Madame Griffin’s first group of pupils will be sitting their GCSE in British Sign Language, and her lunchtime club seems to be growing ever more popular.

Individual performances remain a key part of the Prep School, from the Performing Arts Café to the Music Recital Evening, and culminating in the phenomenal number of pupils who took part in the recent Taunton Festival of the Arts. The team element of performance remains a key part of the wider programme, and the Winter Concert showcased so many outstanding performances, with the orchestra combining with the Year 3 and 4 choir, through to the finale, in which the 180-strong Prep School Choir was superb. The Year 6 production of a modernised ‘Twelfth Night’ just after half term was equally impressive.  

Sport remains an integral part of ‘finding your exceptional’ at TPS and it was great to hear the Sports Department share their vision with parents at the start of this term. Inclusion and excellence should work alongside each other, and it is an ethos I not only support but believe is vital to ensure that the Prep School’s number one superpower, kindness, is evident in every facet of school life. There have been some amazing individual and team performances this term with pupils participating in modern penthalon, pistol shooting and cross country at national level. These highlights sit alongside many other weekly school matches, such as the U13C rugby team who, in their match against Millfield earlier this term, displayed such amazing team spirit as well as skill and focus. It was a real pleasure to watch them. 

Finally, and most importantly, I have loved spending more time in the classroom this term. Whether as a teacher, on a learning walk or in a formal lesson observation, it has been wonderful to see the vibrancy in each classroom, with passionate teachers and enthusiastic and hard-working pupils. Two particular highlights were the ‘Word Guerilla’ and the recent Art Workshop which led to the creation of our own life-sized Dumbledore. Our very successful ISI Inspection in the summer has given us key areas to focus on and it has been great to see our teachers engage wholeheartedly in the process towards making TPS an even more inclusive, thriving and successful school.  

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and well-deserved holiday.