Archives for 2025

Once again, the time came for us to bid a heartfelt goodbye to our wonderful Year 6 children. Their final assembly was nothing short of spectacular and served as a perfect reflection of the creativity, humour, and spirit they’ve shown throughout their time at Hopelands.

The event began with a surprise awards ceremony, where the children took centre stage to present custom-made shields to unsuspecting staff members—each one thoughtfully based on individual personalities and interests. This light-hearted and touching moment set the tone for what was to come.

Next, the children delighted the audience with a series of sketches that humorously captured their memories and experiences of school life. They then performed one of their farewell songs, beautifully accompanied by our Year 5 choir, which moved many in the audience.

Following this, the official awards ceremony took place. Excitement and anticipation filled the room as the children discovered which cup or shield they would be receiving in recognition of their hard work and unique contributions.

To close the assembly, the children gave one final special performance before enjoying some well-earned snacks and running through the traditional flag parade, waving goodbye to everyone as cheers, laughter, and a few tears filled the air.

It was a truly memorable celebration, one that reminded us all just how incredible this group of young people is. We are so proud of everything they’ve achieved and cannot wait to see the great things they will go on to do in the future.

Good luck, Year 6—you’ll always be part of the Hopelands family.

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 had an exciting afternoon at Cheltenham College Sports Centre, taking part in a fun-filled multi-skills session led by the Move More team.

The day began with a lovely picnic under the trees, giving everyone a chance to relax and refuel before the activities began. Once back on their feet, the children joined in a high-energy Zumba dance warm-up, setting the tone for an active and enjoyable session ahead. Following the warm-up, pupils rotated through a carousel of skill-based stations, each designed to support their development of ‘FUNdamental’ movement skills. These included balance, kicking, catching, jumping, object control and more – all essential for building confidence and coordination in sport and physical activity.

What really stood out was the way our young athletes embraced the School Games values throughout the afternoon:

• Respect
• Honesty
• Determination
• Self-Belief
• Teamwork
• Passion

Their positive attitude and enthusiastic participation were recognised with wristbands celebrating their commitment to these values.

Last week, Hopelands was buzzing with creativity, collaboration, and scientific thinking as the entire school took part in our annual STEM Day. From Nursery through to Year 6, every pupil got involved in this year’s exciting challenge — designing and building ball or marble runs!

Early Years Exploration
Our youngest engineers in Nursery and Reception had a fantastic time working outdoors with a variety of equipment, including traffic cones, stools, and drainpipes. They explored how different sized balls moved through their custom-built tracks and enjoyed experimenting with speed, slope, and materials.

KS1 Teamwork and Big Ideas
Key Stage 1 worked alongside their teachers and our brilliant Year 6 helpers to turn their ideas into reality. There was a great sense of teamwork as they built imaginative and impressive structures, learning through trial, error, and lots of laughter.

KS2 Engineering in Action
Years 3 to 5 put their engineering hats on to independently design and build marble runs from scratch. With each new addition to their track, they carefully tested, tweaked, and refined their designs to ensure a smooth—and slow—journey for the marble. We were particularly impressed with the scientific thinking behind some clever ideas to slow the marble down, rather than just extending the track length.

Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration
What stood out most throughout the day was the problem-solving, resilience, and collaboration on display. It was a joy to see pupils of all ages learning together and supporting one another.

A huge thank you to all our class teachers for their enthusiasm, our TAs for their support, and of course our wonderful Year 6 helpers who guided and encouraged the younger pupils throughout the day.

Thank you also to everyone who donated tubes, boxes, and materials over the past few weeks — they made all the difference!

We’re already looking forward to next year’s challenge. But for now, congratulations to all the winning teams who achieved the slowest marble runs of the day — what an achievement!

Well done, everyone!

Hopelands Prep School was alive with colour, music, and community spirit during its recent Spanish-themed celebration, which welcomed over 60 Grandparents and Grandfriends from the school community.

A highlight of the event was the vibrant Spanish café, where Year 5 pupils served traditional delicacies including Spanish omelette, sangria, and a tempting selection of cakes – all warmly received by the guests. The day was brought to life by joyful musical performances from children across the school, from the youngest in Nursery to pupils in Year 4, showcasing their enthusiasm for the Spanish language and culture.

Year 6 pupils took to the stage with an engaging presentation about their forthcoming residential trip to Somiedo, while both Year 5 and 6 pupils shone as confident and enthusiastic tour guides, proudly leading visitors around the school.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere was a themed photo booth, capturing happy moments throughout the day. Guests were also invited to share their own treasured school memories, which will soon be displayed around the school for all to enjoy.

The children relished the opportunity to share their learning with their extended families, and it was truly heartwarming to witness the joy and connection between generations throughout the day.

It was, without doubt, a day to remember, filled with laughter, learning, and a shared love of language and culture.