Pre-Prep Reflections Week 11 December 2025

Dear parents,

What foul weather we are having! Despite this, the staging is up, rehearsals for the Christmas nativity are in full swing, and the children are enjoying sending and receiving Christmas cards via the school post box. Nursery and Year 2 had their first ‘buddy reading’ session this week, and we also welcomed Mrs Landy to the school office in her new role as school administrator.

Visitors

One of our new piano teachers, Mr Savage, came in on Monday to play the piano in assembly and talk to the children about his lessons. Further details can be found in the article below. On Tuesday, Mrs Van and Mr Bone came over to say hello to the children, and Mr Bone did a special assembly on winter birds and migration. The children have since enjoyed looking for robins and chaffinches in the playground, as well as pretending to be birds and doing lots of squawking!

Class Reps meeting

On Monday morning, I met with the class reps to hear feedback on a range of topics. Thank you for all the positive comments about the school and for sharing constructive feedback on areas where we could improve. We are looking into various suggestions as a team, while others will need to be taken to Exeter School for a decision. I will update you in due course. Many thanks to the class reps for all their hard work.

School Council

Yesterday, I had my second meeting with this term’s school council reps from each class. We talked mainly about the upcoming school disco, which will be slightly different from last year, as we are going to run it in-house during the school day. We are planning to have a Christmas disco in the hall, along with three breakout rooms in the classrooms coming off the hall. These will include a healthy snack bar and drinks, a shop where the children can exchange tokens for glow-in-the-dark items, and a chill-out relaxation room with neon face painting and perhaps even hand massages! The children came up with great ideas and took song request slips back to their classes for everyone to fill out.

Next week

Mrs Smyth will be teaching Reception on Wednesday instead of Mrs Rickard. We also have Mrs Davies, our new piano/singing/violin teacher, coming in to play for the children in assembly on Wednesday morning. And of course, the hotly anticipated nativity performances will take place on Thursday and Friday afternoon from 2.30-3.30pm. Please see the article below for all the details of the final two weeks.

Wishing you all a dry and festive weekend.

Mr Daniel Ayling

Diary Dates

8 December – Year 2 singing at Westbank

11 & 12 December 2.30pm – Nativity performances

15 December – Christmas pantomime

15 December 3pm – Informal parent drop-in

16 December – Christmas jumper day and disco

18 December – Christmas party and end of term (early finish at 12 noon)

 

Spring Term 2026

5 January – Term starts

30 January – 7+ assessment morning (Year 2)

13 February – International Day

16-20 February – Half term

23 February – Exeter School EdFest (school closed)

24 February – Staff INSET Day (school closed)

25 February – Open morning for prospective families

27 February – Spring reviews issued

4 March 4-7.30pm – Parents’ evening

5 March – World Book Day

20 March – Red Nose Day

25 March 3pm – Informal parent drop-in

1 April – Easter assembly and end of term

Term dates for 2025-26 and 2026-27 are available to download from the school website

Spotlight on Reception

This week, the children have continued with their topic ‘Out at Sea’. We have really enjoyed reading Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave by Quentin Blake. In literacy, the children have been answering comprehension questions based on the text and thinking carefully about the sequence of the story. In phonics, we have been focusing on the ‘ai’ and ‘ee’ digraphs, and we have been so impressed with how confidently the children have been reading and writing words containing these new phonemes. In mathematics, the children have been working on finding ‘one more’ and ‘one less’ than a number, and sequencing numbers accurately to 20. Alongside our topic work, the children have also been getting very festive; nativity rehearsals are going well and we cannot wait to share our amazing snowflake dance with you all. This week, we have been adding the finishing touches to our headbands, including plenty of glitter and sequins!

Mrs Rickard, Mrs Smyth and Miss Adams

Welcome, Mrs Landy!

We are delighted to welcome Mrs Samantha Landy as our new school administrator. Sam started with us on Wednesday and is looking forward to getting to know everyone. As well as being a qualified ballet teacher, she brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles at the University of Exeter and as an events co-ordinator. Next week, we will be working on getting next term’s lunch menus and clubs bookings sent out to you. If you need to contact Mrs Landy, please visit the school office, call the main number or email preprep@exeterschool.org.uk.

Mr Ayling

Christmas Festivities

Arrangements for the final two weeks of term are as follows:

Monday 8 December
Year 2 will be walking over to Westbank to sing some of their nativity songs after lunch.

Tuesday 9 December
The nativity dress rehearsal will be filmed and photographed in the morning.

Wednesday 10 December
All children and staff will enjoy a special Christmas lunch.

Thursday 11 and Friday 12 December
Nativity performances will take place in the hall from 2.30-3.30pm on both days. We will not be allocating seats but ask that parents kindly adhere to the policy of up to 4 seats per family. These may be used on either day. It would be helpful if individual parents and family members could choose one performance, rather than attending both, as this reduces the seats available for everyone.

Monday 15 December
There will be no swimming for Year 2. The Pantomime Play Company will be coming into school to perform ‘The Solar Express’ for the whole school in the afternoon. All parents are warmly invited to join us for the first informal drop-in afternoon of the year from 3.00-3.30pm. Please go directly to your child’s classroom if you are able to join us.

Tuesday 16 December
Christmas Jumper Day: all children and staff may come into school wearing a Christmas jumper over their uniform. This is just for fun – no donations necessary. In the afternoon, we will be having a Christmas disco in the hall.

Wednesday 17 December
There will be no swimming for Year 1.

Thursday 18 December
Mrs Ruth Lawrence, our Drama Club teacher, will be entertaining the children at their annual Christmas Party in the hall from 10-11am. All children are welcome to come to school in party clothes for the morning. Each child will also receive a Christmas present from Father Christmas.

Please note that we finish early at 12.00 noon for the end of term on Thursday 18 December. There will be no lunch or Late Room, but the minibus will be operating a return journey to Exeter School.

There are no after school clubs running in the final week of term, except for Drama Club on Monday 15 December. Late Room will be open until 5.30pm from Monday 15 to Wednesday 17 December for those who need after school care.

There will be a charge of £12.00 per child towards the cost of the pantomime, disco, Christmas party and present, which will be added to your next invoice. If your child is in Nursery and you would like them to attend extra sessions in the run up to Christmas, please contact the school office to see if we have spaces available, either by phone or on preprep@exeterschool.org.uk.

Individual music lessons

We are now ready to start taking bookings for individual music lessons, starting in January 2026. Mr Will Savage will be teaching piano lessons on Wednesdays and has already been in to introduce himself to the children and play for them in assembly. Mrs Rosie Davies will be teaching singing, violin and piano on Tuesdays, and she will be coming in for assembly next Wednesday.

Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will have priority, and the teachers will consider requests from Nursery parents if they have space and feel that the child is ready to learn. Please complete this online form to register your interest. Once we have collated everybody’s requests, we will confirm your child’s lesson with you and put you in touch with the relevant teacher.

Mr Ayling

Times Tables Rock Stars

All Year 2 children received a letter in their bookbags this week with personal login details for the Times Tables Rock Stars website. This is a fun and interactive way for children to practise their times tables. To learn all about Times Tables Rock Stars and download free resources to help your child, please visit their dedicated parent information page: ttrockstars.com/parents/. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Ms Richards

Stars of the Week

Nursery

Robin

For settling into the Nursery class so well and always coming into school with a smile on his face. Well done!   

Mrs Dray

Reception

Sophie

For being a phonics superstar this week: she was great at spotting the ‘ai’ and ‘ee’ digraphs. Well done!

Mrs Rickard & Mrs Smyth

Year 1

William

For his marvellous ‘can do’ attitude when it comes to having a go at things he finds more challenging. Well done!

Ms Richards & Mrs Goodwill

Year 2

Estelle 

For having a wonderful attitude to school life and always presenting her work beautifully. Well done!

Miss Wheller

Head’s Star

Danny (Reception)

For his super contributions in our school council meeting and for putting his hand up to answer questions in my lesson this week. Well done!

Mr Ayling

Family Society summer ball

The Family Society will be hosting a summer ball on Friday 5 June at Sandy Park.

“We are offering an early bird discount and tickets are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment!

Hope to see you there!

The Family Society”

Book now

Parent quiz night

On Friday 27 February, the Family Society will be running a fun quiz night open to parents across the whole Exeter School community. Click the button below for more details on how to sign up.

The Family Society would also like to ask local businesses and individuals to donate gifts/prizes to go towards the raffle, to help make this a really special event. The support is very much appreciated and prizes can be dropped off at the bursary anytime between now and the 26 February.

Register here

Choral Society

We are delighted to share that Exeter School Choral Society will be returning in the Spring term, working towards a concert in Exeter Cathedral on Wednesday 11 February 2026.

If you are interested in participating, please read the full information, register and order a vocal score booklet.

The link below can be used by staff, guest singers and parents (both for themselves and for registering their sons/daughters).

The programme for the main chorus this year will feature Fauré Requiem, Parry I Was Glad and Handel’s Zadok the Priest.

I do hope you will be able to join us this season – please do place your orders for the score booklet by the deadline of 12 December to ensure we have your music available for the first rehearsal on Tuesday 6 January.

Click to register and order a vocal score booklet

Exonian Lecture

Hear from the man behind Blue Peter, Alex Leger, who has travelled the world meeting incredible people – including members of the Kayapo tribe in Brazil. Alex will share stories from his days here at Exeter School and explain how they set him on a path to an adventure-filled career. The lecture will take place on Friday 6 February at 6.00pm – 8.30pm.

Click here for the registration form

News

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