Junior Reflections

Junior Reflections Week 1 September 2024

Dear parents,

Welcome back

It has been truly wonderful to welcome all our junior school pupils back to school, looking super smart in their uniform and new shoes; let’s hope this continues, even if the weather isn’t on our side. As Ms Simpson mentioned in her start of term letter, schools are not meant to be empty and, even though peace and quiet is nice during the holidays, I missed the noise and the chatter that your children create, although with my parent head on it is quite nice to get the children back to school. We will be hosting a couple of coffee mornings in the next few weeks (do keep an eye out for the dates in yesterday’s important forms and notices newsletter) as it would be lovely to welcome our new families to the school and, of course, catch up with our current parents as well. We are aware that there are some delays with certain items in the school uniform shop, so please do not worry if your child does not have the correct kit – we do understand, and I don’t want anyone worrying.

Dream big

The pupils have been given a lot of information over the past couple of days; it will all make sense, and it is really quite amazing how quickly everyone finds their feet in their new form rooms. I shared with the pupils a wonderful video clip from the Olympics (I am sure I wasn’t the only one who was glued to the TV and felt rather lost when they finished) about ‘dreaming big’. Who knows where their journey will take them, for many of the Olympians hadn’t even found their sport until at secondary school, or, for some, at university.

Useful reminders

Below are a couple of, I hope, useful reminders as I know that there is always a lot of information shared at the beginning of term:

  • All pupils may come in their PE kit on the day when they have PE. This is their white PE top and blue shorts.
  • On Friday 4 October, there is no late room or clubs as we have our open day the following morning. We hope that many of the junior school pupils will be available to help with tours on that Saturday.
  • We are a nut free school so please can I ask that all snacks are healthy and nut free.
  • Please remember to label all items as this will then ensure that any that find their way to the office can be returned to their owners.
  • If you wish your child to walk home at the end of the day, please inform the office at jsreception@exeterschool.org.uk in order that we have permissions on record.
  • Clubs start on Monday.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend and I look forward to starting a full week on Monday.

Playground person of the week

Each week, Mrs Buckingham elects a few pupils who have been behaving well in the playground. These pupils could have helped out a fellow pupil, collaborated well in a game or just generally added a smile where it wasn’t before. Please share this opportunity to be mentioned to your child so we can help them make our community that little bit brighter each week.

Exonian Quiz

Our annual Exonian quiz was won by a staff team last year and Mr Al Reynolds has informed us that they will be ready to defend their title! A massive thank you to Giles Trelawny and Helen Sail who are going to be our Quizmasters for the evening. The quiz is open to staff, students, parents and alumni – everyone is welcome so please spread the word. Further information and the booking form can be found here.

Junior School News

Junior Sport News

Do you have a story or pupil achievement to share with our community?

If you have a couple of lines of information and a photograph that you and your child are happy to be shared we will try to post these at relevant times through the year.
Email our communications team
If you're in Years 7-9 and fancy a bit of cooking on today's INSET day, or at least to start planning ahead for Thursday, the European Day of Languages, we have just the competition for you. 

Our Modern Foreign Languages department have some Amazon vouchers up for grabs for entries of cakes or dishes representing a country of your choice. Whether you're keen on a Galette des rois, Tarta de Santiago or a classic panettone, bring your entry to the MFL staff room by lunchtime this Thursday to be in with a chance of winning!

Poster designed by L6 pupil Anna ☺️

#galettedesrois #tartadesantiago #panettone #mfl #modernforeignlanguages #europeandayoflanguages #celebrationoflanguages #europeanculture #cookingcompetition #exeterschools #AmazonVouchers

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Happy National Scone day! How do you eat yours? Keep a keen eye on the video note for our preference although we've sandwiched it together in the visual so as not to offend anyone who opts for alternatives😆

At the end of 'The Butterfly Lion', Michael Morpurgo discovers he's been taking tea with a ghost. We tasked our junior school poets with a little extension project to write a poem about this. Here is the poem from Bella in Upper One (Year 4) which we love. 

#nationalsconeday #poetlaureate #exeterjuniorschool #devonscones #creamtea #devoncreamtea #butterflylion #michaelmorpurgo #nationalsconeday2026

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Like Delilah and Rosalila, Benjy is preparing for the trip of a lifetime following his A Levels and is off to Peru with @projecttrust. Here, we see how hearing from alumni helped him to make the decision about whether volunteering overseas was the right choice for him. Various futures events are run throughout sixth form life and before to prepare pupils for the real world. 

If you'd like to support Benjy raise the £6.5k he needs to get on his way, please go to his Just Giving link in the Linktree in our bio.

@exeterschool_alumni  thank you for the inspiration you give to current pupils.

🎵 Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co

High Heaven by Spencer Wilson, Jamie Elder, https://t.lickd.co/l/PXpo3X1PplE

#peru #volunteering #projecttrustperu @felix_in_cambodia #sixthformlife #ALevels #tipsfrompupils #independentschooluk #fundraising #welcomeandserve #educationforall #modernforeignlanguages #coeducationtothrive #realworldready

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Yesterday, we heard from Delilah in U6 who is off to Honduras in January and today is Rosalila in L6's turn. She'll be off to Peru for 8 months the year after next. Following her mother and her brothers' experiences with @projecttrust, she's excited about the experiences it will bring her to prepare for a course in human sciences/geography at uni later. 

We love the opportunities available for pupils out there, encouraging their younger peers to think big about the differences they can make in the world and will be bringing these to you over the coming months. 

Anyone wishing to support Rosalila's fundraising will be able to do so shortly through school newsletters. 

🎵 Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co

Gitano Rumbero by Miguel Moreno, https://t.lickd.co/l/7lY6vlBmYKM

@felix_in_cambodia #fundraising #honduras #peru #sixthformlife #ALevels #coeducationtothrive #RealWorldReady #futurepathways #charity #welcomeandserve

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Here is Delilah's story. She's right in the middle of A Level exams and getting in some fundraising for her next adventure.

We have many different pathways being followed when our Upper Sixth leave us to take their next steps into the world so we try to let them experience as many skills as possible for whatever they may do. 

We have a few pupils, following in the footsteps of some of our alumni, going off to various destinations to support @projecttrust. Project Trust's mission is to empower young people to develop their confidence, resilience, and leadership skills through long-term international volunteering experiences. By engaging in cross-cultural exchange, volunteers make a positive impact in host communities and return home as responsible, active global citizens.

We'll be bringing you a few pupils' upcoming trips over the next few days. Support Delilah via her Just Giving page - link in our Linktree in bio above

#futurepathways #projecttrusthonduras #hondurastravel #sixthformlife #ALevels #exeterschools #independentschoolsUK

🎵 Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co

Endlessly by Mike Lesirge, Guillaume Jambel, Campbell E Browning, Pablo Love, Edward Swinburne, Melvin E Brown, https://t.lickd.co/l/vlqR934WK9Z

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It's heating up all round but at Exeter School we ensure our pupils are Real-World Ready and take fire safety seriously. 

Our L6 RAF cadets got hands on last week in a fire extinguisher practical. Ensuring they do this safely and keep a level head and themselves safe if faced with the  real thing was all important.

#CadetsInSchools #welcomeandserve #firesafety #coeducationtothrive #exeterschools

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We wanted to say a huge thank you to @exetermorris for blessing our stand at the @devoncountyshow and warding off any negative spirits. They loved our frisbee fans as much as everyone else with us wiping out stocks and passing out over 500 beach balls too. 

Thank you to all who visited to say hello, learn more about the school and regale us with stories of memories passed. If you're yet to discover what's in store for you with Exeter School, why not reigster for our upcoming open morning on Wednesday 24 June - link in our bio above

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Junior School gardening club farewell

Upper Two Residential

Year 1 visit to Clyst St George Fire Station

Junior School Sports Day

AP Swim Clinic

Jazz Supper 2024