Head’s Blog 8th November Friday 8th November 2019

I trust that you were able to have an enjoyable and relaxing half term holiday and that your children have enjoyed the busyness of their first week back. We congratulate Ishwar Sharma on becoming European yoga champion over the holidays at the European Championships in Bordeaux.

It will be good to come together at the end of it today to celebrate Guy Fawkes’ Night with a spectacular firework display and time to catch up in relaxed surroundings.

There has been more debate this year in the press and on social media about the cruelty of letting off fireworks in relation to pets and we very much hope that your pets have been kept safely inside at the appropriate moments if you have known about displays near to where you live.

Having offered all the children in the school a reminder of their responsibilities within families to look after younger children and pets and guidance about how to keep safe when handling and watching fireworks, I would not wish to be part of any movement that said that fireworks are no longer allowed in this country and our celebration draws people together in one place at one time to share a fantastic professional display and we hope that this will be instead of many smaller parties where pets nearby might get stressed.

The senior team are looking this week at what’s going on in Year 7 and, by the time you are reading this, we will have popped in and out of quite a few lessons to enjoy the full extent of what is being offered to our pupils and will come together on Monday to discuss this in detail. I’ve also enjoyed some funky fungi work in two and three dimensions from Y6 .

On Monday the school will come together to pay respects to those who fell in all world wars and again we will hold our celebration outside around our Tommy sculpture. Parents who would like to join us will be most welcome on the terrace from 10. 45 and we will aim to mark our two minutes’ silence along with the rest of the nation at 11 am midway through our service.

We hope that whatever you’re doing, you have a relaxing weekend .

Jill Aisher

Latest News

Pupils give magical performances in music concerts

Prep pupils treated classmates and music teachers to a variety of musical performances this week in their half termly concert.

Performed in three instalments within their bubbles, the musicians showcased a variety of pieces, varying in both genre and instrument.

And although parents were unable to attend the concerts due to Covid-19 restrictions, the pupils’ families received a recording of the event.

Gordon Baird, Director of Music, said “We were delighted by how these first concerts of the academic year went despite the absence of the children’s parents. It was a lovely intimate experience for the children to play or sing to their friends and we heard some confident, accomplished performances.

Mr Baird added: “For some, it was their first time playing in a concert in the Prep school and we look forward to organising many more opportunities for them to perform throughout the year.”

A montage of the three music concerts can be found on the St Michael’s YouTube page at https://youtu.be/Bj_Wx4P9heg.

Pupils make a spooky guess

Spooky spiders and plump pumpkins sparked Halloween fun at St Michael’s this week.

Supported by the school’s Parents and Friends association, pupils enjoyed two games which offered great prizes to winners.

Coordinator of the Halloween competitions and P & F committee member, Kelly Downey said: “Given the restrictions currently in place, the P&F are focusing on strengthening the school community for parents and children this year.

“The competitions are a simple way for the children to have some fun in the week before half term, while raising some funds for the P&F.”

Children in Pre-Prep were tasked with guessing the number of spooky spiders in the jar, while Prep children were asked to guess the weight of a pumpkin. Pupils made a donations to the P & F in exchange for each guess they made.

And the winners of the games, Herbie W (Pre-Prep) A Ward, M Little, L Lutzow and H Owen (Prep), were awarded Halloween hampers which will help them celebrate this year’s festival in spooktacular style.

Kelly added: “The funds raised for the P&F will go towards funding activities and facilities for the children to enrich their time at the school.”

For more information about St Michael’s P & F association visit stmichaels.kent.sch.uk/parents-friends

Pupils give thanks in harvest celebrations

Strawberries and sunflowers were just some of the items celebrated in last week’s harvest assemblies.

The annual Pre-Prep event, performed as three instalments this year, saw Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils sing, dance and give prayer for the harvest while learning about the festival from their music teacher, Mrs Raveyeh.

Reflecting on the success of the events, Louise Raveyeh said: “I am quite moved by the children’s enthusiastic singing in our harvest celebration.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to realise that there is joy in giving and sharing what we have and happiness for those who gratefully receive it.

“Their singing and eagerness to share with others was heartwarming.”

During the assemblies pupils sung songs about harvest time, nature and the variety of fruit and vegetables grown in this country.

Louise said: “I wanted the children to be thankful for what they have by realising what an amazing rainbow variety of food we have, created with individual characteristics just like them.

“I wanted them to realise the sense of joy that there is in sharing what we have.

“The songs reflect our celebration of what we have and realisation of the process of planting, harvesting and sharing.”

And it wasn’t just songs that helped the children express their thanks. Helped by their generous parents, Pre-Prep donated hundreds of food items and household essentials to the Swanley branch of Trussell Trust food bank.

Head of Pre-Prep at St Michael’s, Zerrin Leech, said: “We had tables, cupboards and bags festooned with food last week as our families gave very kind donations of food and other items.

“A huge thank you must go to the pupils’ parents for their wonderful generosity once again this year which will be gratefully received by the Trussell Trust.

“Thank you also to Mrs Ravayeh for leading our three harvest assemblies. They have been lovely with lots of new songs as well as my all-time favourite, Cauliflowers Fluffy.”

Year 7 celebrate start of term with sunset BBQ

Sunsets and sizzling sausages set the tone for the new term last Friday as Year 7 pupils celebrated the start of their senior education journey.

The annual event, traditionally held as a Camp Out, was delivered as a fun-filled barbecue night which the children enjoyed with teachers including St Michael’s Acting Head, Mrs Bridges.

Throughout the evening pupils tucked into dinner cooked by Deputy Head Mr Wiseman, and toasted marshmallows on an open fire.

And to make use of their new term energy, games and group bonding activites were carried out, followed by a walk up the school’s famous Warren where the sunset was relished in all of its glory.

Reflecting on the sucess of the event, Head of Year 7 and 8, Mrs Shield, said: “Unfortunately, we were unable to camp this year, but that did not dampen anybody’s spirits.

“One of the highlights of the evening was our twilight walk to the top of the Warren where we marvelled at the beautiful site that our school occupies.

“We viewed the bats swirling the skies in the dusk of late summer and ended the evening with a well-deserved hot chocolate – not forgetting the squirty cream and yet more marshmallows.

“Life-long friendships were made and re-established after the long summer break.”