Hopelands blog

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.

All every parent wants, is for their child to be happy at school. Seeing your child thrive in an innovative and nurturing environment is key to both their and your happiness. Listening to your child’s excited chatter at the end of the day about what they have learnt, or the games they have been playing, gives you the confidence that they are both settled and content at school.

However, sometimes this does not happen. Your child may be showing signs of struggling at school, becoming disinterested in lessons or have problems with friendship groups. Simply put, they are just not happy. Changing schools can seem extreme, especially part way through the year, but it does happen, and if it is done carefully, it can be incredibly effective in restoring your child’s happiness.

Is it easy to change schools?

At Hopelands, we receive many enquiries from families who are looking to move their child part way through their primary schooling. The first thing we advise them to do, is to come and visit us during a normal school day. They will be able to spend time with the Headteacher and be shown around the school by the Head Pupils. We feel it is important to hear what the children have to say about their school and to see how they behave in the lessons and during playtimes. After the visit we offer a taster session. This provides a great opportunity for the child to come and join their class for either a morning or an afternoon. As we are a small school, with an average of 12 children per class we find that this helps the settling in process as they soon get to know everyone, from Reception right through to Year 6.

What happens when you start at Hopelands?

We recognise that moving schools and making new friends can be a little daunting and we work hard to ensure there is a smooth transition. On the first day the child is assigned a buddy and for children in the younger years their buddy will be a child from Year 6. At Hopelands it is seen as a privilege to be a ‘buddy’ and the pupils treat this role with great pride and responsibility. The buddies often form great friendships with the younger pupils and even have ‘buddy’ photos taken at the end of the year when the school photographer comes in.

The teaching staff keep a close eye to make sure the new pupil is settling in well. If there are any concerns the children are listened to, and a resolution is swiftly found. We pride ourselves on pastoral support and teacher/pupil relationships are key to our success. Our small class sizes come into their own here. But if the new child does not yet feel confident to talk to a staff member, they can post their concerns in the worry boxes which are in every classroom. Every day, the worry boxes are checked by the form teachers to ensure no worries are ever missed.

What do the families say who moved here from another school?

At the end of the day no one understands better what the reality of changing schools means than the families who go through this. We always strive to achieve the best for our families and regularly ask for feedback – here is a snapshot of what some families have said:

‘We hadn’t planned to send any of our children to an independent school. We weren’t sure if we’d “fit in”! Hopelands is a really special place. Freddie immediately felt at home and has thrived and grown into the absolute best version of himself. He is much more confident and happier; he has really been nurtured by the small class sizes and the engaging teaching. We truly believe that moving Freddie to Hopelands has been the best decision we’ve ever made for him. He wasn’t failing in his previous school, he wasn’t unhappy there, but he wasn’t the Freddie we now have!’

‘Our eldest daughter joined Hopelands in year 3. We were nervous about the move as she had been at her previous school for 5 years (nursery & lower prep) but for various reasons we had to make the move. To say it’s the best decision we made is an understatement. She fitted in straight away and her teachers helped with our nerves! She is now just about to start year six and our only regret is we didn’t move sooner.’ 

We were obviously apprehensive about our son changing schools, but from our first contact with Hopelands we were impressed by how welcoming both the children and staff were. He settled in immediately, and the transition could not have gone more smoothly.’ 

To find out more about Hopelands Preparatory School please call 01453 822164 or email scompton@hopelands.org.uk

Choosing the right primary school for your child is one of the hardest decisions for any family. At such a young age you are deciding the next 7 years of your child’s school life. Although people look at different features in a school, most families want their child to achieve the following:

• Happiness
• Academic Excellence
• Creativity
• Confidence
• Resilience

and probably most importantly to instil a love of learning. It is important to choose a school which you believe will motivate your child to be the best they can be.

Here are key things to look for when visiting schools:

1. Open days/mornings are great but to get a true feel for the school, visit again during a normal school day. See the children in the classroom environment, do the pupils look happy and engaged in the lessons, are they working in teams, are they inquisitive? Observe a break time, are the children being kind and respectful, is there any bad behaviour and if so, is it dealt with both quickly and efficiently. Do they walk around school calmly and well behaved? Are they good ambassadors of their school? Do they wear the uniform with pride? Did you feel welcome when you first entered the school?
2. Look at the displays, they can give a good indication of what the children are working on in class. Do the displays celebrate the pupils’ work and achievements, are they interactive?
3. Ask questions, how does the school support high or low achievers, is there a parent / pupil survey which you can look at, where do children normally go to secondary school afterwards, is there morning and/or after school provision etc.
4. Find out if the school offers extracurricular clubs. If a school has a wide variety of both lunchtime and after school clubs this can really add to a child’s school experience, and is a sign of committed and passionate teachers, who will want to go the extra mile to support your child’s educational journey.
5. Study the schools’ website. Is there information on there about the school’s ethos and values? If so, do you agree with them? Read their latest OFSTED/ISI report. Does the school have regular newsletters, it may be useful to have a look through recent ones as this will give you an insight into daily school life, are the children’s achievements celebrated frequently? Check out the school calendar, is it filled with different trips and excursions? All these will enrich a child’s learning.

As well as considering the factors above, it is also important to trust your instincts when choosing the right primary school. Nothing beats the feel-good factor when you walk round somewhere. Primary schools can be a fantastic experience for both you and your family; great relationships, academic excellence, and a love of learning which will continue to grow.

The deadline for Primary School Applications for September 2022 is the 15^th January 2022.

At Hopelands Preparatory school we believe it is important for all children to be given the access and knowledge to not only learn a new language, but to also gain an understanding of another county and their culture.

French is spoken by over 221 million people across five continents and is the second most widely learned language after English. It is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, visual arts, dance, and architecture.

Instilling a love of language at an early age has many benefits, at Hopelands Preparatory School we support this by having a specialist French teacher who teaches the children from Reception through to Year 6. Through learning from an expert, the children become fully immersed in the world of language. Not only does this build their language skills it also supports their transition to secondary school. Our French teacher, Madame Trebble, outlines the following benefits.

‘Learning French’: 

1. Is fun! French provision at Hopelands offers the children the chance to explore French through games, songs, rhymes, and storytelling.
2. Promotes self-confident and curious learners. Pupils are encouraged to become language detectives and as they learn to ‘crack the code’ there is a repeated sense of accomplishment.
3. Enhances communication, social and literacy skills. Lessons focus on practising reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
4. Provides opportunities to perform which nurtures pupils’ self-esteem.
5. Improves memorisation skills and the ability to interpret meaning. Pupils are presented with many new items of vocabulary and structures.
6. Enhances knowledges of your own language. As pupils’ study French grammar and compare it to their own, English grammar rules are reinforced and made clearer.
7. Increases intercultural understanding. Pupils are encouraged to explore, compare and contrast aspects of culture with those of other countries.
8. Develops critical thinking skills, problem solving, creativity and flexibility of mind. Learning a language helps to boost children’s cognitive development.
9. Improves performance. Many studies have shown that foreign language learners tend to perform better in maths, reading and vocabulary tests than those who don’t!

Learning a language allows you to fully appreciate the culture and engage with local native speakers when traveling, hugely enhancing the experience of travel.

Gone are the days where French lessons consisted of looking through the Tricolore and wearing a beret on the obligatory French day. Now the children discover the wonder of language through songs, games, puzzles, storytelling and more.

If you wish to find out more about what Hopelands can offer for your child please contact us on 01453 822164 or email scompton@hopelands.org.uk

In 1954, Mrs Eva Murray-Browne, who was the wife of a Doctor and lived in Stonehouse, saw that there was a need for an affordable local school which offered excellent education. She was a mother of 4 children and she originally founded the school in her home which was called the Mount (pictured). Her vision was to encourage pupils to learn together in an environment of strong family values. It is incredible to think that our school originally started with just fifteen pupils round the dining room table and is now bustling with over 70!

The vision of Mrs Murray-Browne, developed over fifty years ago, is still integral to the success and progress of Hopeland’s Preparatory School. By working closely with our Hopeland’s parents, we retain the family and homely atmosphere while continuing to achieve academic excellence.  Our aim is to ensure, that by the time our pupils leave us in Year 6, they are confident, resilient, inquisitive young people who have gained a love for learning and a zest for life.

We love hearing from former pupils, and we were delighted when John Tuffin got in contact. He attended the Mount from 1954 to 1956, together with his brother and sister, (in those days boys had to leave when they turned 7). John said it was a happy experience where he received a high standard of tuition and unlimited kindness.  Here are some of his recollections from his time at Hopelands:

I have abundant memories of The Mount, as it then was. (Hopelands was the name of the house where it later moved, further up Regent Street).

Mrs Murray-Browne was the Principal and never far away.  On a day-to-day basis the school was run by two friends, Miss Gallie and Miss Bowmer.  They were talented teachers.  Miss Bowmer was very musical.  Other teachers were Miss Alliston and Miss Saint.  In keeping with the Parents National Education Union tradition, various mothers used to come in and help as well.

Apart from the three Rs we learned some general culture about Roman history and Greek legends.  We started French, read Bible stories, and had a lot of music.  When I was about 6, we had Picture Study.  Each term we were given a book of reproductions of about 10 paintings by a single artist.  Every week we spent a period looking at one of these and discussing it.  I did Vermeer, Gozzoli and Memling.  Vermeer and Gozzoli struck a particular chord with me, and I still have one of the Gozzoli reproductions.

We also spent a lot of time with games of all sorts, drawing and painting, sewing and crafts.  In the summer we played rounders outside. The food was excellent and abundant, and we had lunch in Mrs Murray-Browne’s dining room.

I have only good memories of Hopelands, I am delighted to see that you are still going, and I wish you every success for the future.

A fantastic insight into the early days of Hopelands!

Hopelands feature in the Stroud News and Journal about how we are keeping our children happy and learning through lockdown. The full article can be accessed here:

SN&J 20.01.21

Within a week of entering 2021 the nation was put on lockdown once more. With minimal notice, plans had to be cancelled, businesses and schools were closed, parents hoped their home IT was up to the challenge and school staff aged a few years overnight.

Within a day, Hopelands Preparatory School teachers moved their lessons online and the virtual timetable, which had been developed to strengthen pupils’ resilience and continue their passion for learning, was implemented. The virtual timetable mirrors the school day and runs from 8.30-3.30. Every subject continues to be taught including art, DT, dance, French, PE, and music. The children attend the lessons, interact with their form teachers, see their friends, ask questions, and receive feedback on their work. We know that home schooling can be both uninspiring and isolating, so having this interaction with teachers and peers is key to continuing the successful relationship the pupils have with our school. To date we have had an outstanding high engagement rate with our pupils through the virtual learning which we are incredibly proud of.

There are 10-minute breaks between each lesson as well as the longer morning and afternoon breaks and time for a healthy lunch. Children are encouraged to move away from the screen, run around outside or play with their siblings or toys.

Parents have both embraced and supported the timetable and have been instrumental in encouraging their children to carry on their love of learning. We have listened and acknowledged their feedback as it is important for us to understand how we can further support our families through these difficult times.

• ‘I am amazed and grateful for how well the online learning appears to be working and a credit to all those involved in accomplishing this.  Thank you.  Our son is certainly more comfortable with the experience this time round, if still a little reluctant to open his camera!  Tomorrow morning’s music session might sort that out as he presents his violin and a short piece of music!’

• ‘We have been blown away by how brilliant you have all been this term, and prior to this lockdown. It is evident there has been a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes preparing for a possible lockdown, but to roll out a full online timetable for all 6 classes with 24 hours’ notice is incredible! The communication has been fantastic, both from you all in the office, but also from all the teachers keeping us updated with lesson plans. We were very impressed with how the class teacher adjusted her teaching plans considering feedback from some of the parents, adapting content and providing resources such that classes could be carried out off-line if that was the parents’ preference. She has also been brilliant these last two days managing on-line teaching and 4 students in class. We are reminded, yet again, how pleased we are that we decided to send our child to Hopelands…. as before in the previous lockdown, the ‘I can, I will, I do’ attitude shines through.’

• ‘We are so deeply grateful for the day we stepped into the Head Teachers office: two confused worried parents, too frightened to make the change to Prep School. “Well, what are you waiting for?!” you asked us quite firmly! It was just the shake we needed. Our daughter is flying at grammar school and we are so grateful for the excellent quality of teaching our youngest child is receiving at Hopelands. So, thank you one and all.

• ‘Just wanted to say what a fantastic job you and the rest of the staff are doing. The Government really did spring it on everyone this time, but it has been incredibly smooth and well organised. Both my children really enjoyed the school experience yesterday, so thank you’

• ‘We just wanted to say how pleased and impressed we are with the provision of teaching during the lockdown. It’s great to see how well the children and teachers can work together remotely.’