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The Old School Henstead

The Old School Henstead

The Old School Henstead is an independent prep school in Suffolk, Henstead, for boys and girls aged 2 to 11 years old. Sign up for our next open day today.

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  • About Us
    • Welcome to the Old School Henstead
    • Why Choose Us
    • Our Aims
    • Our People
    • Inspection Reports
    • Senior School Entry & Scholarships
    • Policies
  • Admissions
    • Admissions & Open Days
    • Visit Us
    • Parent Testimonials
    • Our Prospectus
    • Fees
  • School Life
    • The School Day
    • Breakfast Club
    • Assemblies
    • Forms & Houses
    • Lunches
    • After School Clubs
    • Uniform
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Overview
    • English
    • Mathematics
    • Science
    • Humanities
    • Art & Design
    • Music
    • Languages
    • Drama
    • Outdoor Education
    • Sport
    • School Trips
  • Pastoral
    • Houses
    • School Council
  • Early Years
    • Early Years Department
    • Nursery
    • Aims & Objectives
  • Contact
    • Our Details
    • Vacancies
    • Contact Form & Map
  • News & Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Term Dates
    • Newsletters
    • PTFA
By: Admin 30 April 202530 April 2025
School Journal

21st March 2025

You can view all our previous newsletters here.

School Newsletter spring term 21st March 2025
I always thoroughly enjoy the final week or two of each term because it's filled
with wonderful events that bring us all together - children, staff and parents. This term is no exception, with poetry, drama, swimathons, parades, bingo, and of course, celebrating mums! Henstead is all about the children, and we truly value the opportunity to come together with you to celebrate them.
Their learning and
happiness are at the heart of everything we do, and as a teacher once remarked to me, our role goes beyond providing a great education; we want to create wonderful memories that they’ll look back on with deep affection, for the rest of their lives.
- Mrs Sonn
Key Dates: Tuesday 25th March - Sponsored Swimathon Wednesday 26th March - LAMDA Performances (8.45am in the hall - parents welcome) Wednesday 26th March - Spring Disco - 4.10pm - 5pm Thursday 27th March - Easter Service at St Mary’s Church, Henstead (8.50am - parents welcome) Monday 31st March - House and individual poetry competition (8.45am in the hall - parents welcome) Monday 31st March - EYFS Mothers Day Afternoon Tea - 3pm - 4pm Wednesday 2nd April - Trip to the Food Museum (Years 3 - 6) Thursday 3rd April - House Cross-country & Colour Run Friday 4th April - Easter Bonnet Parade in the orchard or hall, dependent on weather (8.45am - parents welcome) Friday 4th April - Easter Bingo 4pm - 6pm (Families welcome) Friday 4th April - Last day of term Full details regarding each of these events will be provided nearer the time and more dates will be added weekly.
School Events
Concerts
We have lots of wonderful events to look forward to in the coming weeks ahead.
Our Swimathon will take place on Tuesday 25th March. If you would like to sponsor Team Student or Team
Teacher, please click here
The Easter Bonnet Parade is on Friday 4th April at 9am in the orchard. There will be prizes for the most detailed, most creative and the tallest!
Our PTFA Easter Bingo will take place on Friday 4th April at 4pm - 6pm. Tickets will include your bingo book and dabber!
Tickets can be purchased here
Easter Service
You are all warmly invited to our Easter Service at St Mary’s Church, Henstead on Thursday 27th March. Please could your child/ren arrive at the church for 8.45am. If you are unable to attend and would like us to transport your child via our minibus, please email the office - office@theoldschoolhenstead.co.uk
 
EYFS Mothers Day Afternoon Tea
Calling all nursery mums and grandmas. Come and be spoiled at an afternoon tea just for you! If you would like to
attend or require more
information, please speak to
the nursery team.
  
Spring Disco
Spring Disco tickets are on sale now at £3 from the office. Please ensure children bring a change of clothes to school. A tuck shop will be available, so feel free to send them with some small change to spend!
Summer Show
Our summer show this year will be a musical medley tied together with an original story. This will give children from all year groups a chance to shine. We are holding soloist auditions for everyone in KS1 and KS2 and they will be held on the afternoon of 4th of April.
If your child would
like to audition,
please can they
prepare a short song
to perform.
Selections will be
announced in the first week after the Easter Holidays.
I can't wait to hear all of your wonderful voices! - Mrs Braidwood
Nursery
Concerts
The nursery children thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with herbal teabags, observing as the water changed colour. They were excited to explore using real-life resources such as china cups, saucers, bowls and jugs, which sparked conversations about home life while encouraging turn-taking and sharing.
The variety of teabags provided a sensory experience, as they eagerly smelled the different aromas, deepening their exploration. This activity also offered a great opportunity to incorporate mathematical skills, as they counted the teabags and measured the liquid.
- Miss Hammond
Year One and Two
British Science week with a theme of ’Change and Adapt’ was a great opportunity to test the children’s understanding of animal adaptations. We had a fun quiz where the children had to draw what animal was being described from a set of three clues that ranged from clue one being the hardest to clue three being the easiest. Some great answers and drawings!
- Mrs Dakin
Year One and Two
In French we have continued with our food theme, looking at Le petite dèjeuner. We used our knowledge on vowels to help fill the missing gaps to complete the spellings of some popular breakfast items. The children are looking forward to a French breakfast next week!
- Mrs Dakin
year one and two students in French class
Concerts
The children in years three and four have been exploring poetry this term. We have been looking at the work of Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris who wrote 'The Lost Words' and 'The Lost Spells' which are poetry anthologies based around the natural words, which have been sadly lost from the dictionary. This week, the children have written their own ‘verb poems' based on an animal they found in the glossary of words, to bring that creature back to the world. They then created a detailed watercolour
  painting of their chosen animal inspired by the illustrations that they found in the books.
- Mrs Braidwood
Year three and four students with their verb poems
Year Three and Four
Concerts
   On the Friday of science week I set the children a challenge. We discussed how some animals have adapted to be able to camouflage themselves against predators.
Each child had to hide a paper butterfly somewhere in the room and blend it into its surroundings. On Monday, my task was to see how many I could find. The person who camouflaged the butterfly the best
would win. Look at the amazing places the children hid them!
- Mrs Braidwood
Spotlight on...
End-of-term assessments are underway in the prep school, and pupils are putting their knowledge to the test. I’m always impressed by their attitude and conduct during these exams, as they approach them with a calm maturity and quiet determination to do their best. They understand that these evaluations are not just about results but about celebrating their successes and identifying any gaps in their learning, helping them reach their full academic potential.
It’s important to remember that a child’s education is not defined by exams alone, but by a rich and stimulating learning experience throughout the year. This not only enhances academic achievement but also fosters social and emotional development, confidence, problem-solving skills, and—arguably most importantly—resilience, a skill that will serve them well in the years beyond Henstead.
- Mrs Sonn
Year Five and Six - Food Tech Lesson
Science Week
Crochet Club
Concerts
Crochet Club pupils most recent creation: beautiful coasters, perfect for resting drinks on.
  
Achievements
A huge well done to Izaak and Sophia, who performed their LAMDA duo piece at the Norfolk County Music Festival.
Langley School Senior Show
Concerts
 A great time was had by all at the Langley School Senior Show ‘Bound for Broadway’.
All of the children were exceptionally well behaved and did the school proud.
Mascots
This half-term our school values are adventurer and analyser.
Last week’s mascot winners were:
Year 1/2 - Amy for settling in so well and trying her hardest in all her lessons.
Year 3/4 - Anna for great progress across all subjects - particularly English and maths.
Year 5/6 - Monty for exceeding expectations in science and applying critical thinking skills to his work.
House Competition (Golds)
Each week the children are awarded golds for good work and behaviour. These golds are individual awards and feed into the running total points for their
house.
Last week’s winners were:
Waveney - Ottilie M 
Deben - Lexi 
Orwell - James 
Yare - Hazel
This week’s winners are:
Waveney - Margot 
Deben - Monty 
Orwell - Ottilie 
Yare - Emma
TTRS Champions
TTRS highest complete sets of tables all correct.
Year 1/2 - Florrie Year 3/4 - Margot Year 5/6 - Hazel
  
Premier Education Holiday Camp
Unfortunately, due to reasons beyond our control, the Premier Education Easter Holiday Camp has been cancelled.
Red Nose Day celebrations
Red Nose Day celebrations continued
Lunch Menu - w/c 24th March
Thank you for your feedback on school lunches. We’ve updated our menu with some new dishes which we are confident the pupils will enjoy. If children do not like the lunch on a specific day, a personal choice of sandwich is provided along with accompaniments.
MONDAY - Jacket potato with cheese, beans or tuna
TUESDAY -Chicken with rice and peas
WEDNESDAY - Tomato pasta with sweetcorn and garlic bread
THURSDAY - Beef burger or sausages with potato wedges and corn on the cob
Nursery: Sausage, mashed potato and carrots
FRIDAY - Fish and chips with garden peas
Daily - Soup of the Day Carrot/Cucumber/ Pepper Sticks
Piece of Fruit, Yoghurt, Raisins and Biscuit Alternatives for vegetarian, vegan and food intolerances.
Lunch Menu - w/c 31st March
Concerts
MONDAY - Jacket potato with cheese, beans or tuna
TUESDAY - Chicken in pitta bread with salad and mozzarella sticks
WEDNESDAY - Macaroni cheese with broccoli
THURSDAY - Beef burger or sausages with potato wedges and peas
FRIDAY - Pizza and carrot sticks
Daily - Soup of the Day Carrot/Cucumber/Pepper Sticks Piece of Fruit, Yoghurt, Raisins and Biscuit
Alternatives for vegetarian, vegan and food intolerances.

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🐣🐔 New arrivals alert! Our lovely hens have 🐣🐔 New arrivals alert!

Our lovely hens have joined us and are already part of the family, happily exploring, settling in and even laying eggs.🥚

But there’s one important thing missing… names! 💭
We’d love your suggestions – pop them in the comments!

#SchoolLife #FarmLife #NameOurHens #Eggs #TheOldSchoolHenstead
🚴 Round 2: The Bikeathon… and what a result! 🚴 Round 2: The Bikeathon… and what a result!

Pupils vs Teachers and… no contest this time 😄💨 The pupils powered ahead while the teachers were left pedalling for dear life!

Such a fun event with loads of energy and determination all round 🙌

Huge thanks to everyone who sponsored – we really appreciate your support!

Roll on Round 3 - The Marathon… the teachers are already in training 👀

#Bikeathon #SchoolLife #PupilsWin #SportsFun #TheOldSchoolHenstead
Brilliant Bingo Bash! It was wonderful to see the Brilliant Bingo Bash!

It was wonderful to see the hall so full at our annual bingo event last week, with lots of our school families coming together for a great evening. A big thank you to Mr H, who was brilliant as our caller, to our PTFA who helped behind the scenes and to everyone who came with their dabbers at the ready.

A fun night, full of laughter and a great sense of community.  We loved every minute.

Eyes down… we’d definitely call that a full house! 🎉

#BingoNight #SchoolCommunity #FullHouse #FamilyFun #TheOldSchoolHenstead
Don’t miss our egg-stra special Easter Fayre! 🐣🌷

Only 4 sleeps to go until the fun begins – what a fantastic way to kick off the Easter holidays. There will be so much to see and do, with something for everyone to enjoy.

We can’t wait to see you there.

#EasterFayre #FamilyFun #SchoolEvents #EasterFun #DaysOut #TheOldSchoolHenstead
Hip hip Hooray for Red Nose Day! We had a fantasti Hip hip Hooray for Red Nose Day!
We had a fantastic time celebrating Red Nose Day. Thank you to everyone who joined in, dressed up and helped raise money for such an important cause ❤️
#RedNoseDay #ComicRelief #SchoolCommunity #MakingADifference #FundraisingFun
🎭 Henstead LAMDA Pupils Take to the Stage 🌟 🎭 Henstead LAMDA Pupils Take to the Stage 🌟

Three of our pupils performed their exam pieces at the Norfolk County Music Festival (now over 100 years old!) and received rave reviews on Drama day.

It was fantastic to see their confidence and personality shine through – we are very proud of them! 👏

#LAMDA #Drama #PerformingArts #PupilSuccess #SchoolLife #ProudMoment #YoungPerformers #NorfolkCountyMusicFestival
🚨 Reception 2026 reminder 🚨 If your child i 🚨 Reception 2026 reminder 🚨

If your child is turning 5 next year, you could receive up to 100% funding for their Reception year at The Old School Henstead.

✨ A confident start.
📚 Small classes.
🌱 A nurturing environment.

Spaces are limited - please contact us ASAP for details.

📧 office@theoldschoolhenstead.co.uk

#Reception2026 #SchoolPlaces #IndependentSchool #EarlyYearsEducation #SchoolAdmissions #Henstead #SmallSchoolBigOpportunities
🚑 Science in real life! Our pupils enjoyed a v 🚑 Science in real life!

Our pupils enjoyed a visit from Mr Saunders on Friday, who spoke to them about his work as a paramedic. It was perfectly timed with our current science learning about the circulatory system, the skeleton, muscles, and how diet and lifestyle affect our bodies and minds.

Hearing how this knowledge is used in real-life situations helped bring their learning to life and sparked lots of great questions! 🚑

🦴❤️ #SchoolLife #PrimarySchool #STEMEducation #ScienceLearning #LearningInAction #RealLifeLearning #FutureScientists #ParamedicLife #STEMinSchool #CuriousMinds #LearningBeyondTheClassroom #SchoolCommunity
Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mums, s Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mums, step-mums, grandmothers, carers, mentors, and nurturing souls who give their love, time, and strength every day. Your care shapes lives in ways that truly matter. Today we celebrate you. 💐
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© The Old School Henstead Educational Trust Limited, Toad Row, Henstead, Nr Beccles, Suffolk NR34 7LG. Tel. +44 (0)1502 741150. Company No. 01459291. Charity No. 279265
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