This year our Prep School quiz teams have performed remarkably well, reaching the finals of the Quiz Club National Championships. The competition aims to boost confidence, broaden knowledge and encourage great team work, but above all is fantastic fun for your pupils and their supporters. This is a national inter-schools championship in 3 categories: General Knowledge, Maths and Science with over 600 schools entering the quiz each year. Last Friday, our two General Knowledge Quiz Teams visited Oxford University for the National Finals. They came 9th in the country and were the highest-placed school from the North of England. Congratulations to our pupils for their superb effort and fantastic achievement!    

Congratulations to all of the cast (pupils from P1-P4) and crew who were worked tirelessly to create the musical masterpiece, Matilda. The show was packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and was an unforgettable and joyous girl power romp! The children performed over two nights on the senior school stage, demonstrating talent beyond their years but above all having lots of fun. Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, Matilda is the captivating masterpiece that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. Matilda, beautifully performed by Amelie S, is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She's unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher Miss Honey. During her first term at school, the two forge a bond as Miss Honey, Suhana C, begins to recognize and appreciate Matilda's extraordinary personality. Matilda's school life isn't completely smooth sailing, however – the school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, played hilariously by Alex H, hates children and just loves to punish those who don't abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils' saving grace! Mrs Needham, Head of Drama said “I am immensely proud of each and every member of the cast for their resilience, teamwork and talent.”

Children at the Prep School really enjoy their Outdoor Education programme, becoming healthier and more resilient and transferring the confidence they gain into other areas of their learning. We often hear them say “that was the best day ever!” at the end of a trip, even after rainy days.  The chance to experience learning and work as part of a team (sometimes against the elements!) in another setting is a huge boost to the self-esteem of all of our pupils. Outdoor Education at the Prep School builds physical and mental resilience and improves general wellbeing. Each Class across the Prep School has one day every term dedicated specifically to Outdoor Education led by Dom McDermott of Beyond the 4 Walls. The children prepare for these days with briefing sessions where they are talked through the route which they will be walking and basic skills such as how to properly pack a rucksack and how to dress appropriately for the trip are discussed. These basic skills provide an important grounding for the work the children do when they reach Senior School. The Beyond the 4 Walls days take the children across the Peak District. Hope, Edale, Hathersage, Castleton, Mam Tor, Stanage Edge, Burbage Brook, Surprise View and Grindleford are just a few of the destinations. The children focus on orienteering, map skills and building walking stamina. The trips are planned and run entirely using public transport. This builds the children’s ability to plan a route and their independence as a result. The children have opportunities to work as a team and encourage each other in different ways from classroom learning. It provides the opportunity for children who might struggle to shine as leaders.  At Birkdale, children become increasingly confident in their preparation for the Beyond the 4 Walls days and their ability to manage the practicalities grows as they progress through the school.

The Prep School ‘Festival of Music Concert' to Parents was on Monday evening this week and WOW (!) what a fantastic showcase of school talent it was. The concert had a truly lovely and supportive atmosphere and featured students from P1 – P4 performing an eclectic mix of pop, classical, jazz and funk pieces. We were treated to Grade 8 piano repertoire, choreographed singing and dancing routines and young bands performing their own compositions to a wider audience for the first time. A fabulous time was had by all!

Birkdale Prep had a swashbuckling time on Thursday last week, when we celebrated a pirate-themed World Book Day. The school was transformed into a pirate ship for the day. The children had a workshop with pirate book author (and former Birkdale TA) Amy Wilkins-Patel, solved riddles on a treasure hunt around school, got up-close to 3 fabulous parrots, ate a delicious pirate-themed lunch, and enjoyed some pirate themed lessons. It was wonderful to see all the children in their fantastic costumes, celebrating pirates and, most importantly, books! Head of the Prep School Mr Burch said 'World Book Day is always a great day as we love celebrating books and reading here at Birkdale. Having a pirate theme this year was all down to a great idea from Mrs Tonks our Head of English. The superb pieces of writing that children from all parts of the school have produced is testament to how inspiring the whole day was.

For the first time in living memory, Prep 3 enjoyed a week of perfect weather during their residential to the Lake District. The sunshine provided the perfect backdrop for their canoeing, tree climbing, raft building, hill walking, team challenges and, most people’s favourite, ghyll scrambling. Some of the greatest excitement came from the evenings’ sports tournaments, whilst Mrs Miles’ edition of Pointless was equally competitive. Well done to all of P3, who had a fantastic time. All in all, a fabulous week!