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18 PREP / COMMUNITY
Betas’ Marchant Hill Adventure
Mrs Laura Dalton
In the last week
of September,
the Betas went
on their annual
residential
trip to PGL’s
Marchant’s
Hill centre in
Surrey. We
spent our time
there getting
up to all sorts
of feats, like
flying through the air on a giant swing;
abseiling down wooden towers; climbing impossible
structures or whizzing down huge zip wires.
The principal focus of our two-night stay is, however, to put the
Prep’s character values into action. It takes courage to take that
first step off the abseiling tower, or launch yourself off the zip
wire platform; it takes resilience to bounce back when it was that
little bit too high when you got to the top and persistence to dust
yourself off, pick yourself up and try again. These are not the only
challenges that faced the Betas. For many it was the first time away
from home without parents, so organising their belongings, making
their beds, getting dressed and ready for activities and the sense of
independence they gained were all small victories along the way.
Our group leaders, Jordan and Nathan, were excellent and built up a
real rapport with our children. They organised a traditional campfire,
complete with marshmallows, and really got in to the spirit of the
disco with their intriguing outfits. It affords the staff who accompany
the trip a unique insight into the way the children respond to
challenges and work as a team and the Beta teachers, Mrs Life, Mr
Layburn and Mrs Wall enjoyed it equally as much. We arrived home
exhausted, yet triumphant, with bags full of dirty washing but with
many excited tales to tell.
Governors’ Report
Professor Peter Kopelman,
Chair of the Governing Board
This summer two governors retired
from the Governing Board having
completed their terms of office;
Bancroft’s will be forever grateful
to Philip Ogden and Peter Southern
for the wide-ranging contributions
they have individually made to
the School. Philip has chaired
the Governing Board for the
past five years. His commitment
and enthusiastic support for the
School have been outstanding, as
has his engagement with pupils,
staff and parents. Philip has been
an exceptional Chair and I am
conscious that he is an extremely
hard act to follow. He has become
Master of the Drapers’ Livery
Company and so we shall be
welcoming him back to the School
in the summer in a different role on
Visitation Day.
We are additionally sad to bid farewell
from the Board to Peter Southern. Peter,
as many of you will know, was Head of
the School from 1985 to 1996 and was
instrumental in establishing the Prep
School. The Governors have benefitted
considerably from his knowledge,
experience, wisdom and wit - Peter will be
much missed.
The Governors share the School’s pride
in the success of pupils at A Level and
GCSE this summer and we congratulate
pupils and staff. As a parent of three
former pupils, I know well the anxiety
felt by families waiting for results and the
enormous relief from such good outcomes.
The Board appreciates the importance of
engaging with pupils and staff not only to
learn about their academic studies but
also to be familiar with the many extra-
curricular activities provided by the School.
We plan to spend a day in School early next
year in addition to attending as many of
the School events in the coming months.
The latter provides valuable and enjoyable
opportunities for meeting parents.