20th June 2025
While rehearsals for Annie Jr. have been in full swing this week, the children have also enjoyed a wide range of exciting activities across the school.
These have included a Year 3 cricket festival, several cricket fixtures, the Year 6 trip to Shiplake Island, and a visit to Chiltern Court Care Home where the children performed some of their favourite Annie Jr. songs. A number of parents enjoyed hearing about how we can work to together to encourage healthy eating habits from our catering company Chapter One, Year 6 parents were most impressed with the ‘Make £5 Grow’ presentations, and the children enjoyed showing off their work in the engaging Show and Tell sessions in both Prep and Pre-Prep.
Looking ahead to next week, in addition to the Annie Jr. performances at The Kenton, we have a number of other exciting events planned. On Tuesday, Year 4 will take part in a cricket festival (parents are warmly invited to come and watch), while Year 5 will be heading off-site for a thrilling rackets afternoon at The Oratory. Thursday features an ABRSM showcase concert, and on Friday, following Prize Giving, there will be a Pre-Prep Maths Afternoon while Year 6 will enjoy their chosen ‘Make £5 Grow’ activity, with a considerable amount also being donated by them to the charity they decide to support.
Ekiden
In my Monday Assembly, we were joined by Anna Dingley who organised the first UK Ekiden last year. She spoke about the history of the event and how it has been very positively received here already, with over 30 teams taking part in today's event. She brought in the beautiful trophy, made by Viscount Linley, the King's cousin and explained its significance, with the base being made of 1000 year old Japanese wood, whilst the body of it was made from different pieces of wood from all over the British Isles. The Ekiden was due complete a handover in Henley this afternoon – you may have seen it in action down at Mill Meadows! To celebrate the Ekiden in school this week, Madame Sheriff has been teaching the children about Japanese culture. We have also enjoyed Japanese themed food on the menu over the past couple of weeks and we have been busy carrying out our own versions of the Ekiden in sports lessons. You can read all about it HERE.
Annie Jr
Hopefully all Prep parents have now managed to reserve seats at one of the upcoming Annie Jr. performances. There are still a few seats available for the evening shows. A couple of Pre-Prep parents have also expressed an interest in coming along to watch the show. If you are a Pre-Prep parent and would like to come to the Monday or Tuesday 2pm performance, please email jenny.ovstedal@ruperthouse.co.uk and she will allocate you a seat. Please note though that if you watch the Monday performance, you will not be able to sit with you child as they will be sitting with their year groups.
We plan to have a photographer at the matinee performances. He will take photos of the children which will then be available to purchase online afterwards. Please let jenny.ovstedal@ruperthouse.co.uk know if you do not want your child to be included in these photographs by 9am on Monday 23rd June.
Discover Summer Camps
This summer, we are excited to offer a fantastic range of clubs for children aged 4–14, run by Discover Camps. Open to all local families, these camps are ideal for working parents, with sessions running daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm and lunch is provided.
Places are now available to book. Find out more about the camps on offer HERE.
Prep Prize Giving at Shiplake
We are very much looking forward to our upcoming Prep School Prize Giving, which will take place at Shiplake College (RG9 4BW), on Friday 27th June from 11am to 12pm. To ensure a smooth morning, please bring your Prep child directly to Shiplake College by 10:40am and drop them off at the marquee with their form teacher. You are then invited to have coffee and pastries before Prize Giving starts. Parking marshals will guide you on arrival. After the event, please return your child to Rupert House for the rest of the school day (clubs will run as usual, except Running Club). If you are not able to attend, please drop your child at Rupert House as normal and we will arrange transport – in this case, this form must be completed in order to make sure we make appropriate arrangements.
The Pre-Prep prize giving will take place in school on Thursday 3rd July at 3pm on the lawn. Parents are invited to attend from 2.45pm for tea and cakes. We expect it to finish by 3.30pm.
ABRSM Showcase Concert
Parents are invited to attend our music exam Showcase Concert on Thursday 26th June. The Concert will feature performances from all our children who are taking Associated Board and Trinity exams this session. It will be chance for them to perform some of their exam pieces in front of an audience and hopefully quash a few nerves at the same time! The Concert will start at 4.30pm in the Hall and should finish at around 5.30pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
Henley Regatta Stewards tickets
Thank you to all those who have very kindly given us Stewards' tickets for the Year 6 trip to Henley Regatta on Tuesday 1st July. If you have any spare tickets, please drop them into the office early next week. Thank you in advance.
Picnic Concert Staff and Parent Choir
As has become tradition, the staff and parent choir will be performing at the Picnic Concert on Wednesday 2nd July and we would like to encourage you to come and join us this year for a rendition of the Beatles' 'Penny Lane'! No prior musical experience is necessary, just a willingness to sing with gusto. Mr Dwinell will be running brief rehearsals on Thursday 26th June at 3.45pm in the Studio before the ABRSM Concert and also on Monday 30th June at 8.15am after drop-off. Please do come and join us for either or both rehearsals.
Fundraising for Kiya Survivors
On Sunday 13th July there will be an event in Henley Town Square to raise money for the charity Kiya Survivors. A team of 6 parents (including the Rossdales and the Muls) will be cycling a distance of 1200km in 12 hours – the equivalent distance from Lima to Mancora – on spinning bikes. Our Breakdancing Club will also be taking part in a special performance with the talented John Johnny. The aim is to raise money for children and their families in Lima who have special needs. The Rossdales, the Muls and another local family will be travelling to Mancora in the summer to volunteer with the charity there. Please do go along to the event and cheer them on!
Thank you to the Friends of Rupert House for supplying the children with ice lollies on the hottest day of the week. They thoroughly enjoyed them!
Best of luck to all those performing at the Kenton next week - I do hope that everyone enjoys the show!
Nick Armitage