News from Head of Prep

On Thursday, during a Learning Walk, I witnessed our youngest girls taking part in their weekly timetabled swimming lesson and it can only be described as pure joy! For these two year olds, their lessons are about building water confidence and essential life skills to stay safe in water. Swimming is also key for mental and emotional development; it has a calming effect on the mind, reduces stress and anxiety and helps to build self-esteem through perseverance and resilience. At EHS Prep, we are proud to focus on developing and supporting the whole child, both academically and pastorally. 

Our outstanding facilities mean that teaching staff are able to provide a wealth of opportunities for our girls. This week, our Year Five girls harnessed the power of Storm Chandra as they made the most of our outside space and became weather forecasters! The benefits of outdoor learning are endless and if the smiles on the faces of the girls are anything to go by then they certainly relished the opportunity to take their Geography lessons outside!

As we approach our 150th Birthday Assembly, we are reminded of the strength and determination demonstrated by the girls who have graced our classrooms for the past 150 years. The Engineers, Barristers, Surgeons and Architects, the Mothers, Sisters, Aunts and Grandmothers who are proud to call themselves EHS girls' smiles and laughter echo through the corridors. EHS is a unique environment within which girls are given the tools and support to become their unique and wonderful selves. We know that the strongest survive by adapting and changing. For us at EHS Prep, we proudly look back at what our predecessors have achieved, but are also brave enough to reflect and build on these successes. We encourage our girls to be reflective; to look at what went well, but what could be done better next time.

This week, family and friends came together to bid a final farewell to the remarkable Mrs Sally Hartley, who passed away in December and who proudly led EHS Prep School for sixteen years. In due course, we will come together as a whole school community to celebrate Mrs Hartley's life. Her legacy is evident in every corner of the Prep School and I feel honoured to be following in her footsteps. Sally Hartley was fiercely dedicated to her role and to ensuring that every pupil felt valued and heard. This ethos continues to be key in creating our unique and nurturing environment. 

Witnessing the quality of phonic knowledge within Kindergarten, the letter formation and sentence structure within Reception, the mathematical problem solving within Year Four and Five or the debating skills in Year Six, I know that our girls are being stretched and challenged. But, more importantly, they are developing a love of learning. They are experiencing joy in the every day. And this is how, at EHS Prep, we prepare our girls for future success.

With warmest wishes.

Mrs N Hobson

Head of Preparatory School