Junior Reflections Week 8 November 2024

Dear parents,

It has been so lovely to be back at school, for my favourite half term, and welcoming back all the pupils after the two week break. I hope that you all had an enjoyable time, with the weather being rather kind to us as well.

Happy Diwali

My week started with a wonderful assembly given by Krithik, Niyati, Hari, Zara and Ishaan, who shared with the school community how their families celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of light. It was wonderful to listen to their accounts and I know the pupils were enthralled by the short video explaining the story behind it. Well done to all the pupils and thank you. Lower school also welcomed, Ms Roy (Ishaan’s Mum), to their assembly on Diwali where she shared how her family celebrate the festival and explained a little more about the story behind Diwali.

Love for reading

Also during Monday’s assembly, we thanked our newly appointed team of librarians and awarded them their gleaming new librarian badges, earned after their half-term of training. This group of pupils exemplifies how Exeter Junior School pupils welcome and serve their community, taking on several shifts a week to issue, return, and organise our book stop, among other creative tasks and the important job of promoting our love for reading.

Comets Club

Comets Club went off with a bang this week with an exciting session in the senior school science department, where they explored the chemistry behind fireworks! Perfectly timed for Guy Fawkes night, the children learnt about the light, pressure and colours of fireworks. Highlights included using the Bunsen burners to make their own sparklers crackle and watching different compounds glow in various hues when burned in the flame. Copper chloride’s blue-green flame was a favourite among the group. A big thank you to Dr. Smale for leading such a fantastic Comets session!

Colourful dress next week

Next week, it is Anti-Bullying week, and this year the theme is ‘Choose Respect’. This year, we want to empower our pupils to not resort to bullying, even when we disagree but to show respect and kindness. Here at Exeter Junior School, we don’t just focus on this issue during a week but throughout the year in assemblies, our purpose and virtues, PSHE and regular day to day school life. To raise awareness, we are asking all pupils (and staff) to wear odd socks on Tuesday to celebrate the importance of being different and to ‘Choose Respect’. We will also be having a non-school uniform day next Friday in support of Children in Need, where we are ask for a voluntary donation of £2 with all proceeds going to this very worthwhile charity.

Remembrance service

On Monday, the whole school will be participating in our Remembrance service that will take place outside. Please can I kindly ask that all pupils come to school wearing their school coats (with a poppy attached if possible) as this event will be taking place rain or shine.

I hope that you all enjoy the weekend.

Mrs Saskia van Schalkwyk

Playground people of the week

Olivia H F1C

Noa G L2E

Grace H L2M

Christmas Disco

Our junior school Christmas Disco will take place on Friday 29 November from 5-6pm for F1 and U1 and from 6.30-7.30pm for L2 and U2.

Thank you to our Family Society for organising this wonderful festive fun for our pupils.

Junior School News

Junior Sport News

WaterAid Concert

Our annual Charity Christmas Concert, this year in aid of WaterAid, takes place on Tuesday 3 December 2024 at 7.30pm in St Michael’s and All Angels’ Church, Heavitree.

Click here to book tickets for the concert

Chamber Concert

The Chamber Concert will take place on Thursday 21 November at 7.30pm in the School Chapel.

Tickets are available via MSP here.

Christmas Concert

Senior School Christmas Concert on Thursday 17 December 2024 at 7.30pm in the main school hall.

Tickets available via MSP here.

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
Upper Two pupils Toby and Flo recently received the fantastic news of their selection for the Devon County Cricket Development Squad 👏

Both pupils have excelled in recent months representing Exeter Cricket Club. Flo played in the U11 boys’ team that clinched the Devon Cup, as well as the U13 girls’ team that won both the softball and hardball Devon leagues. Toby also enjoyed an outstanding season, which saw him named Exeter Cricket Club U10s Hardball Player of the Year.

As part of their inclusion in the Development Squad, they will receive specialist coaching and net sessions throughout the winter 🏏

@devoncccofficial @exetercricketclub @exschsports #ExeterSchoolSport #SchoolOfGreatCharacter #ExeterSchools #DevonCricket

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Step inside one of the most iconic films in French cinema — a story that continues to challenge, provoke and captivate audiences 30 years after its release. 

All sixth form pupils are invited to a special screening of La Haine, taking place in the Sixth Form Common Room on Wednesday 5 November at 4:30pm 🍿

Unable to attend this time? The modern foreign languages department are hosting a series of film evenings this term so look out for future screenings.

#FrenchFilm #ModernForeignLanguages #ExeterSchool #InspireAndChallenge #CulturalEnrichment #IndependentEducation #DevonSchools

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Happy Halloween! 🎃

Before half term, the Third Form library club got into the Halloween spirit, creating these pumpkin decorations for display in our library. We hope pupils have enjoyed some quiet reading time over half term ✨

#HappyHalloween #AutumnReading #LibraryClub #DevonSchools #IndependentSchools

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A spectacular photo of Comet Lemmon captured on the school telescope! ☄️ Have you managed to spot Comet Lemmon? If not, you might be in for a rather long wait, as it could be another 1,150 years until it is visible again with the naked eye. 

The photo was captured by our Head of Physics, Mr Tuohey, who set off this afternoon with a group of pupils on a trip to CERN in Switzerland, where they will visit the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. We hope pupils enjoy this unique and enriching experience.

#ExeterSchools #PhysicsInAction #InspireAndChallenge #CometLemmon #DevonSchools #IndependentEducation

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Comets Club make fireworks

U1 Farmwise trip 2024

U2 Lulworth Cove trip 2024

L2 PGL residential to Beam House

Junior school try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Stover trip 2024

Sixth form open evening - Thursday 6 November

Come along to our sixth form open evening where you’ll be able to experience the spaces you’ll thrive in, chat to staff who will be there to support you and see if Exeter School sixth form would suit you.

Click here to register your place