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27th May 2022

Today has been filled with Jubilee-themed events, with the most fabulous outfits on show and a wide range of themed activities, including 'games the Queen would play' in Pre-Prep, Jubilee plate decorating, country dancing, portraits of the Queen and learning the National Anthem.

I look forward to hearing the children singing at the start of the May Fair this afternoon and am sure they will be in fine voice. Yesterday, there was much excitement in Early Years with a visit from the Queen (Caroline Hopkins - one of our former staff), which was the highlight of their Jubilee-themed week. Caroline is a keen amateur actress and gave a very convincing performance, so much so that a number of the children (including our daughter) went home convinced they had met the real Queen!

Today, we had a visit from the Mayor of Henley, who joined us for our Royal picnic on the lawn and she presented us with the saplings we will be giving every child to take home this afternoon as part of the 'plant a tree for the Jubilee' campaign. We hope that you will be keen to help your child find a spot in your garden where it can be planted.

Year 3 PGL Trip

The Year 3 children had a wonderful PGL day on Monday and I was most impressed with their willingness to attempt all the challenges, which included the giant swing, a monster zip-wire, aeroball and archery. Having had a go at some of these activities myself, I appreciated that they were not for the feint-hearted!

Year 6 Eagle House Maths Challenge

Well done to the Year 6 team who were very competitive in the Eagle House Maths Challenge event earlier in the week. It was super to hear that the children threw themselves into the challenges they were posed and that they enjoyed the experience of pitting themselves against some of the finest young brains in the prep school world. 

Foreign Coin Collection

Thank you to all the parents and children who so generously supported our foreign currency collection as part of International Week. Madame Sheriff carried out various activities with them before they were taken to be sold to raise more charitable funds. 

Developing the school uniform

My thanks to the parents who joined us yesterday for a meeting with Stevensons, our new uniform suppliers. They shared many very helpful suggestions and we discussed various items of clothing as part of an overhaul of the current uniform. We will share our plans in this regard with you as soon as they are confirmed.

Sports Events

A reminder to please sign up for The Great School Run at Stonor Park on Saturday 18th June. We hope that the parents will also take part and please do register soon as places are filling up fast. 

Well done to all the children who braved the Lidl Mudder last weekend. The 14-strong team of parents and staff, aptly named 'Rupert's Troopers', had great fun manoeuvring our way around the 10km course on Sunday, through mud, water, ice baths, electrified wires and over, under and around all manner of ridiculous obstacles!

On Wednesday morning, the Year 5 children had great fun bellboating, paddleboarding and kayaking from the Eyot Club, while Year 6 had an introduction to rowing at Henley Rowing Club. Despite the weather not behaving, the children enjoyed themselves and impressed the coaches with the speed with which they got to grips with the basics of the sports.

May Fair

The children are all very excited about the May Fair this afternoon up at the Sports pitches, and many thanks to the FoRH, the reps, the staff and the wider parent body for their hard work in organising and facilitating such a fabulous event for the benefit of the Rupert House community. 

On that note, I had better go and get changed into something suitable for the sponging I have been press-ganged into being on the receiving end of. I hope you all have a wonderful Half Term break and I look forward to seeing your children back on Monday 6th June.

With best wishes,

Nick Armitage, Head