Open Classroom: The Masked Drama
Huge well done to our Year 7s, who performed to parents and siblings this afternoon in their Drama Open Classroom session. The children have been learning about the art of masked theatre, and using 'neutral masks' to discard their personal way of moving and acting, and embodying a character as a whole. The audience were treated to a number of funny, witty and heartbreaking stories, told with no words, just music and movement. Well done, Year 7.
Year 3 Bio Blitz
3HJ completed a 'Bio Blitz' this week, observing species of flora and fauna in our wild meadow. The meadow is part of our schools rewilding project and reduces the School's carbon footprint, along with creating a wonderful habitat for the children to explore and learn about nature. The children used sweep nets, bug observers and many different identification tools to investigate and document what they found.
Boarding Buzz
What a week to end this half of term.
We started by welcoming a fantastic group of Year 8s into the Boarding House for the week, as part of their preparation for senior school life. They settled in quickly, and it didn’t take long for the Boarding House to be filled with chatter, laughter and the familiar rhythm of the busy week ahead.
Tuesday evening brought one of my favourite moments so far this term; a "full-range" game of Wachy. From Year 4 to Year 8, everyone took to the field together. Batting, bowling, catching, dodging. It had it all. Wachy is always a highlight, and it was brilliant to see the whole Prep School joining in, full of energy and team spirit. After that, a group got stuck into cupcake decorating. Let’s just say, things may have got a little too fun by the end judging by the amount of icing spotted on faces and sleeves!
On Wednesday, some of the Year 8 children got creative with tie dye, producing wonderfully bold designs to take home. That was followed, naturally, by another big game of Wachy on the banks. Once again, this was full of enthusiasm, movement and laughter.
On Thursday, the Year 7s had chance to make their own pizzas from scratch, and cooked them in the outdoor ovens, although it is fair to say that the flour may have featured just as much on faces as it did in the dough! A vulture-like group of Year 8s circled, having smelled out some spare dough, so shared a few pizza slices as well. Later that evening, Mr Watt got the firepit going for everyone to cook breadsticks, paired with his very own secret-recipe of honey butter. Whether or not it’s truly been passed down through generations, we may never know, but it certainly went down a treat.
We can’t quite believe the Boarding House will be empty next week. It’s been so full of life, and it’s going to feel strangely quiet without the footsteps, chatter and joyful noise of the boarders filling every corner.
Next half of term promises to be just as full, if not even busier, with some brilliant boarding activities planned. We will be using the break to rest, recharge and get ready for the final stretch of the 2024–2025 boarding season.
Have a lovely Half Term,
Oli and Debbie Jones, Houseparents
Pre-Prep Report
We have enjoyed a joyful week leading us into Half Term, which has come around incredibly quickly!
Year 2 parents joined us in Pre-Prep this morning for assemblies in which the children acted out stories linked to their current inquiry topic about rainforests. The children had all learned their lines brilliantly and performed with confidence in front of many parents and grandparents, sharing their learning about sustainability and showcasing their emerging acting skills. Well done, Year 2, and many thanks to the teachers for their guidance as children have prepared for these assemblies.
The other Pre-Prep children had a preview of the Year 2 assembly earlier in the week and it was magic to see our Nursery children take inspiration from the performance and return to class keen to make their own costumes and hats; "just like the big children", said Huckleberry. We used this as an opportunity for Year 2 children and staff to pop into the Nursery classroom, build connections and celebrate each other’s success. So many events like this are about the process and interactions along the way, as well as the output at the end.
We have been continuing to make the most of the glorious weather with plenty of outside learning. Out on bug hunts, Nursery children spotted bees with pollen on their legs drinking nectar; as they continue their inquiry into answering the question ‘which minibeast is the most helpful?’.
Forest School has been as fun and enriching as ever. We have been enjoying welcoming Debbie Campbell, of the Cotswold Rivers Trust, as a volunteer in some of our Forest School sessions this term, who has been working alongside our wonderful Forest School team to deliver some of our Nursery sessions. We have been busy planting, digging and pond dipping together.
In class, we have been creating works of art, learning to visualise numbers, understanding fractions, creating fact files based on our research and so much more!
Anna Packman, Head of Pre-Prep
Lunchtime Concerts
We have been treated to two lunchtime concerts this week, where we listened to Mr Mason's drum pupils and Mr Jones' guitar pupils. It is always a joy to hear children of all levels performing to the best of their ability, and proudly too. Well done to all of our musicians.
IAPS Golf Tournament
We were represented by Rollo, Ethan, Tahha and Barnaby in the IAPS golf tournament yesterday at Minchinhampton Golf Club. The standard of golf was exceptionally high, and our boys represented themselves and the School admirably. Ali Curnock (Minchinhampton's Assistant Professional) has been coaching the boys and said, "It was great to see the boys playing competitive golf and putting all their hard work into action. Selection this year was difficult, as we have a number of very capable Year 8 golfers. Well done to the four boys who competed so well."
Mallet Medals
Super SUPA Results
We have had polo fever this week at Beaudesert, with both the SUPA Junior Schools National Summer Championships and our BPS Schools Polo Tournament taking place.
At the SUPA Championships on Sunday, our teams took medals in the novice, intermediate and open competitions. Our novice team (Wilfred, Flora and Ben) came 3rd, and our girls' intermediate team (Lola, Arabella, Iris and Delphi) and boys' intermediate team (Chips, Pip, Wilf and Joey) took 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Well done also to Kaia, who played in a mixed team with Westonbirt for the Championships.
In the Open competition, cousins Harry, Annalisa, Bertie and Rufus took the trophy!
Huge congratulations to all involved.
Beaudesert Park Polo Tournament
On Thursday, we hosted the Beaudesert Park Polo Tournament at Beaufort Polo Club. 35 children from Beaudesert Park and other schools took part in both Junior and Senior Leagues for an evening of excellent polo. All of the children excelled, with breakaway goals and tricky technical runs to contend with. Well done to the Blue team (which included Wilf T, Nina and Flora) who won the Junior League, and the Pink team (which included Harry AW, Pip and Lola) who won the Senior League!
If you fancy learning more about polo, or you are an avid spectator, Beaufort International is just a few weeks away. Beaudesert families can get a 10% discount using the code BEAUDESERT10 when booking.
Staff Spotlight
Mrs Crosbee is our Staff in the Spotlight this week.
What is your role at Beaudesert Park and how long have you worked here?
I am the Head of Drama and I have worked here for 13 years.
What is your favourite part of your job?
It's got to be the school productions. I love seeing a production grow from reading a script to a colourful and vibrant performance, which showcases the children's true potential.
Can you tell us what Beaudesert Park was like when you were a pupil?
It had the same safe, family feel to it, with a close sense of community. I think the School still has the same values at its core. I remember doing lots of sport. At break times, we were all given navy blue boiler suits and wellies, and we were encouraged to get outside and get as muddy possible; which is much the same today!
What do you think of the children at Beaudesert Park?
They are kind and generous, to both adults and each other. They are enthusiastic and willing to try new things, which is very handy in Drama. They have the ability to laugh at themselves and not take anything too seriously.
What book are you reading at the moment?
I am reading 'Marching to a Different Beat' by Sarah Ziegel, which is the diary of a family with four non-verbal autistic children. I am really enjoying it.
Form Assembly
This week, 7B hosted our Prep School assembly and spoke to the children about the importance of perseverance and resilience in tough situations. They acted out a few examples of the rewards resilience can garner, and narrated the tale of the man and the butterfly, one of Mr Searson's favourites. The story demonstrates how, in the end, struggle and strife can make us stronger.
Widden School Visit
On Tuesday, Widden School returned to Beaudesert for their exchange with our Year 4 children. Our Year 4s and Widden School took part in a carousel of activities including art workshops, science experiments, sports activities and firing rockets from Terraces! Children from both schools had a wonderful day, making new friends and learning more about each other. Our children will visit Widden later in the term.
Severnside Athletics
The 39th annual Severnside Athletics Tournament was a great success last Friday, with nine schools coming together to compete in the full range of track and field events. As always, the day was a great opportunity for children to represent their school and enjoy some healthy competition. Of the nine schools, Beaudesert came 2nd in the overall points tally, narrowly losing out to Dean Close.
There was a great sense of teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day, both on and off the track. Children supported one another and gave their best efforts in every event. Plenty of ice cream was enjoyed by the spectators and competitors, and the event ran smoothly thanks to the efforts of the staff involved. We must say a special thank you to the Year 8 helpers, who supported throughout the afternoon.
Well done to all of the children who took part, we are already looking forward to next year’s event.
Top Results
Relay Place for Beaudesert Park
Year 8 Girls' Relay – 1st place, 57.55s
Year 6 Girls' Relay – 1st place, 64.43s
Year 5 Boys' Relay – 2nd
Year 5 Girls' Relay – 2nd
Year 7 Girls' Relay – 3rd
Track Events
Year 5 Boys 100m - Gus (2nd)
Year 5 Boys 100m - Walter (1st, B Race)
Year 5 Girls 100m - Saskia (1st)
Year 8 Girls 100m - Isla (1st)
Year 5 Boys 200m - William AS (2nd)
Year 5 Boys 200m - Gus (2nd, B Race)
Year 5 Girls 200m - Rose S (1st, B Race)
Year 7 Girls 200m - Rose J (1st, B Race)
Year 8 Girls 200m - Willa (1st, B Race)
Year 5 Girls 800m - Saskia (1st)
Year 7 Boys 800m - Xander (3rd)
Cheltenham Leadership Challenge
Last week, Mr Cleaver took eight of our Year 5 children to attend the Cheltenham College Leadership Challenge 2025. Beaudesert was one of ten prep schools who took part, competing in ten rounds of tasks throughout the day, which challenged the children in activities ranging from critical thinking to team work.
Our two teams really enjoyed themselves, and we asked them a few questions about their experience:
What task did you enjoy the most?
Caroline: My favourite task was the one with the animals. We had to make animal noises while blind-folded and find our partner.
Anabelle: My favourite task was an activity called 'Out of Bounds'. We had to get 2 buckets of 'radioactive material' over an 'electric fence' with 2 ropes, and we couldn't get within 1 metre of the buckets.
Simon: I enjoyed the bridge because we all worked together to get across.
What was the hardest task?
Caroline: The hardest task was the one where we had to get ourselves into a grid of 9.
Matilda: The hardest task was the number task with chairs. We just couldn't figure it out!
Simon: The hardest task was the 'Tower of Hanoi'.
What did you learn about yourself?
Caroline: I learned that I can be a leader!
Matilda: I learned that I can speak out and people will listen to me.
Arthur: I learned not rush off but to talk to your group to figure it out.
Simon: I realised that I am good at working in a social environment.
A Message from our Eco-Committee
Our Eco-Committee have a very important message to tell you about why it is important to pick up our litter.
View this post on Instagram
And they would like to share their Eco-Code:
Picking up litter keeps nature clean,
Making new homes where wildlife is seen,
Building safe spaces for hedgehogs to stay,
Helping our planet in kind, kind ways.
While we are out and about over Half Term, we hope all of our Beaudesertian families will tidy up after themselves.
Beaudesert Rats CC: Parents v Teachers
Friday 16th May saw the return of one of the greatest rivalries in the international sporting calendar: Beaudesert Rats CC: Parents v Teachers. The continuing run of glorious weather and pitch preparation from the Beaudesert ground staff, ensured perfect playing conditions suited to the collective talents of such a group of international level athletes. The home match also ensured plenty of support from children, with no choice but to hang around and watch or score. However, it did afford the opportunity for Sam and George to bring in the inter-generational aspect to play, as they were called to fill in for injuries and absence.
The Rats were given the opportunity to bat first and made quick inroads, with both openers accelerating the scoreboard with plenty of boundaries until reaching retirement at 25 apiece. That theme continued with punishment of the Teachers’ bowling resulting in a final score of 161-3 – a formidable target in the T20 format.
It would be foolish to underestimate the teachers and the dangerous opening partnership of Mr Griffiths and Mr Bird, who were capable of leading the fightback. Some very sharp and tight opening bowling restricted the opportunities and kept the run rate down, putting the pressure on the Teachers, which told with the dismissal of Mr Griffiths, followed closely by Mr Bird being clean bowled by Sam in Year 7. A life-long memento to cherish for any schoolboy cricketer. The Teachers’ struggles continued with the mini collapse of the middle order, following 2 wickets in the over off the trundling pace of Trevor Batey. Despite a desperate late effort from Mr Curr, the Teachers ultimately came up 30 runs short of their 162 run target.
With the bragging rights once again back in parent ownership, everyone was able to reflect on another fine and fun match in the Beaudesert cricket calendar, and rest the various aching and arthritic joints until next season’s re-match.
Trevor Batey
Alumni Founder’s Day Tea
We were delighted to welcome back a contingent of Old Beaudesertians for our Founder's Day Tea on Saturday afternoon. Former staff and pupils enjoyed an afternoon tea and a chance to wander through the school and grounds, reminiscing on memories from years gone by.
We heard great stories, of boys only able to wear trousers when they reached a certain height, and what happened to the stag heads which used to sit above the fireplace in the hallway.
It was a wonderful day for all involved.
Life Workshops
We were delighted to welcome Anita from Coram Life Education to school this week to deliver a range of workshops for children in the Pre-Prep and Years 3 and 4 with their teachers about topics such as first aid and growing and changing.
Coram Life developed one of the schemes of work we use in the Pre-Prep called SCARF (Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience, Friendship), and the puppet Harold the Giraffe helps with delivery of these sessions for younger children.
The Year 3 children learned about First Aid, dangers in the home and when to call 999, and our Year 4 children learned about healthy sleep and eating habits, as well as having a healthy relationship with digital devices.