Pre-Prep Reflections Week 12 December 2025

Diary Dates

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 Year 1

It has been another jam-packed week in Year 1. Of course, our big focus this week has been our nativity play and we are very proud of how well the children coped with their roles. In English, we have started a topic on poetry, while our focus in mathematics has been 2D and 3D shapes. We have enjoyed learning about the history of flight in our history lesson this week and had lots of fun at our last swimming lesson of this term. As part of our art and DT learning this half term, Year 1 learned about character design; they unleashed their imagination and designed some fantastic monsters for the Young Writers’ Monster Mayhem drawing competition. Their entries have now been sent off and we will be keeping our fingers crossed! In response to their artwork, the children wrote wonderful descriptions of their monsters. They have really come on in leaps and bounds with their writing this term and should be very proud of themselves. We are looking forward to a festive last week together before the holidays.

Ms Richards, Mrs Goodwill, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Higgins

Spring Term Clubs

If you have not already done so, please click here to book your child’s after school clubs for next term. Clubs will start on the first day of term, Monday 5 January 2026. In order to secure your child’s place, please complete the online form by Monday 15 December. Please note that all club bookings are for the full term ahead and that we are not able to offer clubs on a trial basis. Thank you for your understanding.

New lunch menu

If you have not already done so, please complete this online lunch booking form for your child by 4pm on Tuesday 16 December. This is a three-week rolling menu which will start on the first day of term, Monday 5 January 2026. You may notice that we have made some changes to include healthier options, in line with new early years nutritional guidance from the government.

If your child is in the Nursery class, please select option 4 for any days when they do not attend. If your child has any allergies or intolerances which we are not already aware of, or if you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Landy in the school office.

If you would like to download and print a copy of the new menu, please click here.

Individual music lessons

Thank you to those of you who have already completed the online form for individual music lessons. If you have not yet done so, the deadline for completion is next Monday, 15 December. 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 before the end of term.

Nativity

We hope you enjoyed the nativity performances as much as we did! Many thanks once again to Mrs Leigh Farmer, parent of Max in Year 1, for giving up her time on Tuesday afternoon to come in and take beautiful photographs at the nativity dress rehearsal. Please click on this link to take a look at the secure online gallery. The password is Rudolph25. Parents are welcome to view and download photographs from the gallery, but please do not share them on social media. The dress rehearsal was also filmed and this recording is currently being edited. We look forward to sharing this with you in due course.

Final week

A reminder that the arrangements for the last few days of term are as follows:

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. After this, 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 an in-house Christmas disco in the hall with the whole school.

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.

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.

You can register and order a vocal score booklet here. The link below can be used by staff, guest singers and parents (both for themselves and for registering their sons/daughters). Please order the score booklet by the deadline of 12 December (today) to ensure we have your music available for the first rehearsal on Tuesday 6 January.

Click to purchase your tickets

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