Archives for 2022

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Hopelands Prep Visits the Vets!

An exciting trip to Stonehouse Vets resulted in the children being immersed into the world of stethoscopes, thermometers, and the huge importance of animal care.

Under the careful guidance of the vet the children loved being able to listen to a dog’s heartbeat, understand how to centrifuge blood and separate plasma, examine x-rays, and learn about all the different tools and instruments which vets use to help animals and look after their health. The highlight was discovering how vets take an animal’s temperature!

The children came back excited, inspired, and appreciative of what a difference people can make within the community. Thank you to Stonehouse Vets for enabling such a fantastic insight.

       

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Tips to Achieve 11+ Success

The Grammar School Test is taking place tomorrow and we are very proud that all our Year 6 children are taking it. We wish them every success and whatever the outcome we are here for them.

Although this can be an anxious time for both children and their families, it is also a time of great excitement. Here are top tips from our teaching staff who have had the privilege to watch many pupils go through this experience and achieve success:

  1. Confidence is key, instil in your child the confidence that they can do this. They have spent many months learning, reading, preparing and boy, are they ready!
  2. Start the day with a healthy breakfast. A banana or healthy snack on the way is a good way to keep their blood sugar levels up, which aids concentration.
  3. Arrive in good time, have two adults in the car if possible. Traffic can be busy on the day and parking can be tricky. Having the option of an adult taking the child to the exam whilst the other parks the car can reduce stress levels.
  4. Check your child has everything they need for the test, i.e., a magic pencil and a rubber. A break time snack, bottle of water and a couple of tissues are also good.
  5. If they have a digital watch, turn any alarms off. Emphasise the need for your child to calculate their timings during the test. Listen to the instructor in the room!
  6. Start every question afresh, if you struggle on one, move on and do not dwell on it. Every question is a new opportunity. Never give up!
  7. Track answers, double check that they are in the correct spaces. The answer sheets can be tricky to fill in.
  8. Prepare your child to cope with any distractions within the exam room. They must stay focussed and keep their concentration.

Afterwards……. celebrate!

Whether your child feels they have done well in the test or had a complete disaster, their commitment, time and determination deserve huge recognition. At Hopelands Preparatory School our knowledgeable and experienced teaching staff ensure that the pupils are ready for this test.

Over the last 5 years we have celebrated an average of 80% pass rate to Gloucestershire Grammar Schools. A fantastic achievement which we are very proud of, especially as we are a non-selective school. This is achieved through the individual attention and ongoing encouragement by our specialist teaching staff to all the pupils. Key to Hopelands is to instil a nurturing and personal environment which allows children to feel safe, grow and succeed.

To find out more about how Hopelands can support your child’s educational journey, please contact Mrs Sam Compton on 01453 822164 or scompton@hopelands.org.uk.

 

 

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Hopelands ranked top Independent Preparatory School in Gloucestershire!

Hopelands Preparatory School in Stonehouse has been ranked as the top independent prep school in Gloucestershire, according to The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2022.

 

We were thrilled to receive the news that Hopelands was awarded position number 22 in the newspaper’s Parent Power ‘Top Independent Preparatory School’ league tables, which came out last December.

Parent Power league tables identify the 2,000 highest-achieving schools in the UK, and their table of ‘Top Independent Preparatory Schools’ positions Hopelands as the highest independent preparatory school in Gloucestershire.

Schools are normally ranked by their recent standard assessment tests (SATs). However, as these tests did not take place last year due to the pandemic, Parent Power took a three-year average of the schools’ previous academic outcomes. They focused on Reading, GPS (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling), and Maths. A score of 100 represents the expected standard children should achieve by the end of year 6, Hopelands scored well above this with 110, 108 and 108.

‘This outstanding result, which has seen us increase our ranking by 13 places from last year, alongside recently becoming a Music Mark School, is a fantastic achievement. Together with our dedicated staff, supportive families, and wonderful children I am very proud of the inclusive learning environment we have here at Hopelands,’ said Head Teacher, Mrs Sheila Bradburn.

 

 

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