November 27th

Mr Richard Evans
The Governors are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Richard Evans as the new Headmaster of Bromsgrove Preparatory School to succeed Mr Peter Lee-Smith on his retirement at the end of the academic year.

Mr Evans is currently Headmaster of St Andrew’s School, a co-educational Prep School for over 300 pupils in Woking, Surrey. He joins Bromsgrove Preparatory School with his wife Carol and two children.

Mr Evans has worked in a number of reputable Prep Schools and is an Independent Schools Inspector. He is also a member of the IAPS Sports and Recreation Committee.

He has a keen interest in sport having played rugby and cricket at a high level. He also enjoys golf, fly fishing and skiing.

Mr Evans will be taking over the Headship at an exciting time in the School’s development. “I am delighted with my appointment as Headmaster of Bromsgrove Preparatory School. I’m particularly looking forward to working with excellent staff, both in and outside the classroom, to further enhance the School’s already superb reputation and build on the tremendous work that Peter Lee-Smith has done as Headmaster”.

Mr Evans was born in Worcester and looks forward to returning to his home county.

Carol Services

Friday November 30th:  Christmas concert 7.00 p.m. in Cobham Hall.  Everybody welcome at a wonderful musical evening!  Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the dining room from 6.30 a.m.

Sunday December 2nd: the school candle-lit Advent Carol Service will welcome all Bromsgrove family and friends. The Service begins at 6.00 p.m. and will be followed at 7.00 p.m. by mince pies and mulled wine in the Senior School Dining Hall.  I am sure this is going to be a very special occasion; the Preparatory School will be contributing an item.  Please e-mail Mr Bowen with your numbers on pbowen@bromsgrove-school.co.uk

Tuesday December11th : The Christingle service for Years 3 and 4 will be held on Tuesday 11th December at 2.45 p.m. in the Memorial Chapel.  This will be a delightful service and we hope that many parents of our youngest pupils will be able to join us.  You will be able to take your children home after the service.

Friday 14th December: The Carol Service for Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be held at 2.00 p.m. in the Memorial Chapel on Friday 14th December.  Over 100 people have already applied for tickets; if you have not done so and would like to join us, please e-mail jbowett@bromsgrove-school.co.uk to be put on our list.  Because of space limitations we are allowing two tickets per family in the first instance.  Any spare tickets will be distributed to those who have requested them on Monday 10 December.

Children in Need
The Own Clothes Day for Children in Need raised £700.  This is a tremendous total from pupils' pocket money; every pupil in the school contributed. £110 came from Year 6 through a penny tower organised by Mr Falconer and Mrs Caldwell. 

Doris Dinsdale
Year 3 welcomed "Doris Dinsdale" to School. Doris told them all about life in the 1940s, particularly during the Second World War.  The children were able to dress up, use and play with the unfamiliar equipment and toys of the time.  They were amazed at how different everything was from those we use in the homes of today.

September 2007

European Languages Day
26th September is European Languages Day so Preparatory School's Language Department put on some special activities during morning lessons. Years 3 and 4 had fruit and hot chocolate served in Maple Hall at morning break, but of course pupils had to ask for these in French, German or Spanish! Pupils and staff had great fun learning more about our European neighbours.

Saturday Activities
The activity programme has swung into action this week to the delight of pupils young and old.  It is particularly encouraging to note that the number of pupils attending on Saturday morning has increased over last year.This reflects not only the increasing interest of activities to the pupils but also a better understanding by families of what the activity programme involves. 

OFSTED BOARDING INSPECTION
This week we have had the interesting experience of an OFSTED inspection of our boarding facilities and arrangements under the Boarding Standards. Ofsted having recently taken over this responsibility, we are one of the first schools nationally to have been inspected.  Although it will probably be a few weeks before the final report is published

Year 8 trip to the Globe Theatre
Mr Marks and the English department team led another exciting Year 8 drama trip to London and the Globe Theatre where pupils watched ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience which will contribute to their drama skills and syllabus. The practitioners who led the workshops were equally impressed by our pupils’ knowledge, demeanour and willingness to ask and answer questions. Overall, it was a great success. Thanks and congratulations to the pupils who did us proud; thank-you to the parents for putting up with an early start and a late finish and thanks to the staff who led and supervised the trip.

New Staff
There are six new members of staff who join the preparatory school team this term.  Ms Alison Read replaces Mrs Young in the art and design department.  Miss Read joins us from Aylestone School, Hereford.  Mrs Sian Horton joins the English department as a new appointment.  She has previously held a number of posts as coordinator of literacy and drama and middle schools in the Midlands.  She will take on the additional role as Head of Year 6.  Ms Samantha Wilde joins us from St Neots Community College, Cambridge as an additional girls' PE and games teacher.  Ms Rachel Jubb is another additional post, this time in humanities, particularly history and religious studies.  There are two new members of the modern languages department: Mrs Amina Urwin, who replaces Mr Kippax as Head of Department, brings to us her experience as Head of Departments at Admiral Lord Nelson School, Portsmouth.  Mr Lee Falconer is an additional member of the modern languages department in which he will be teaching French and German.

New Science Building
One important addition to Prep School at the end of the Summer Break was the delivery, by lorry and crane of a new science room in the old swimming pool quadrangle, between Maple the sports Hall and Cobham. It will be half term before this new building is fully kitted out and ready to use, but its delivery caused much excitement.

Please click here for more news from the last Academic Year