25th April 2025

It has been an absolute delight to catch up with the children this week and hear all about their Easter adventures. A very warm welcome, too, to the 10 new pupils who have joined us in Nursery, Years 1, 2, 3, and 5 — it’s wonderful to see them settling in so well. The summer term is always a busy and exciting one, and we’re diving straight in with new topics, summer sports, clubs, and preparations for some of our most anticipated events — including the Pre-Prep and Prep performances and our annual Sports Day. Running Club was out in force this morning for a lovely run by the river up towards Temple Island in perfect conditions!

We’re thrilled to have welcomed our new catering company, Chapter One, to Rupert House this week. Their philosophy, “you are what you eat,” supports the idea that good food fuels great performance. They aim to inspire healthy habits from a young age, encouraging pupils to make positive dietary and lifestyle choices for life. Hopefully, your children have already shared their thoughts on the new lunch menu — I’ve certainly been enjoying it myself! The menus operate on a three-week rotation and can be found below and on the Parent Portal.

 

Rowing

Yesterday, our Year 6 pupils had an exciting introduction to rowing at Henley Rowing Club. Under the guidance of three excellent coaches, including Sam Redgrave, a Silver medal winning member of the women's coxless four from the Paris Olympics, they learned the basics — from carrying and setting up the boats to rowing technique and coxing. Each pupil had the chance to go out in a coxed quad and use the rowing machines, as well as hearing about Sam's rowing journey. It was a fantastic hands-on experience, and I am delighted that 25 of the children will be joining me at Henley Rowing Club on Friday afternoons through the course of this term to continue developing their skills.

 

Class photographs

Gillman and Soame will be at school next Tuesday to take class photographs. Please ensure children come to school in smart summer uniform and have their blazers with them. A reminder that white socks should be worn with the dress uniform in Reception to Year 4 (not navy socks or tights) and short navy socks should be worn with the shorts uniform. Navy ankle socks should also be worn with the skirt and shirt uniform in Years 5 and 6 (no tights or white socks).

 

Caps

As we move into the warmer months, it is important children are prepared for outdoor activities. School caps are available from the school office for £10. The office accepts contactless and card payments, and proceeds go to the Friends of Rupert House. Please remember to name your child’s cap — they do tend to go walkabout!

 

Portrait of a Loved One Art Competition 

We have already received lots of lovely portraits drawn and painted by your children for the ‘Portrait of a Loved One’ art competition. The deadline has been extended until Tuesday 6th May so that as many children can take part as are able to.  Please encourage your child to create an artwork of someone who is very special to them.  Artworks should be A4 size and can be created in any medium. Entries are going to be exhibited at the Amber Gallery and the winners at the Henley Festival, in addition to winning art prizes! More information below.

 

Great School Run

A reminder that The Great School Run of Henley takes place at Stonor Park on 18^th May. Children aged 3 and up can take part, and we encourage parents to get involved too. Entry is completely free, and this year we are proud to support NOMAD, with optional voluntary donations going to this fantastic local charity and there is also reduced entry to Tumblestone Hollow for those who wish to go on after the run. We are also thrilled to welcome a special guest – Jess Gibbon, sister of Miss Gibbon. Jess is the current British Cross Country Champion and represented Great Britain at the European Cross Country Championships last year. It’s a real privilege to have her involved in the event! For more information and to register, please visit The Great School Run Henley website.

 

Catholic church service at Stonor Chapel

There will be a family friendly Catholic church service at Stonor Chapel this Sunday (27th April) at 9.30am. The Stonors would like to welcome any Rupert House families who are interested to come along. For those coming, when you arrive, please park at the Tumblestone Hollow Visitor car park and come to the chapel at the side of the house.

 

Next week we have the Year 4 PGL trip to Osmington Bay (From Wednesday to Friday) which the children are very excited about! Please remember to follow the Rupert House Instagram account to receive real time updates @rupert_house_school_trips. Also next Friday we have the Year 6 ESB exams which I know they have worked very hard towards.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the Friends of Rupert House disco at the Rugby Club this evening. A huge thank you to all the organisers and parent volunteers helping out — your support makes events like these so special for the children.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Best wishes,

Nick Armitage