Focus on Farringtons – December 2024

PREP SCHOOL

ANTI-BULLYING WEEK

This year’s Anti-Bullying Week in the Prep School was a resounding success! With the theme of respect, we encouraged our pupils to embrace kindness, empathy and understanding.

Odd Socks Day – We kicked off the week with colourful and fun odd socks. Our pupils loved expressing their individuality while showing
their support for anti-bullying.

World Kindness Day – On World Kindness Day, our pupils spread positivity by writing heartfelt messages on leaves and adding them to our Kindness Tree. It was a heart-warming sight to see the tree filled with messages of kindness and encouragement.

Writing cards for classmates –  To foster a sense of community and friendship, our pupils wrote thoughtful cards for their classmates.

Assembly on resolving disagreements – The week culminated with a special assembly focused on empowering our pupils to resolve playground disagreements independently.

The School Pledge is an important part of school life, and the sentiment of Anti-Bullying Week chimes with one of the School Pledges: ” To be kind, caring and to make everyone feel safe, happy and valued.”

Nativity Performances Shine Bright

Our youngest learners in Early Years and Key Stage 1 have once again captivated audiences with their heart-warming performances of the Nativity story.

The children’s enthusiasm, talent, and dedication shone through as they brought the Christmas story to life. From angelic singing to charming acting, each performance was a joy to behold.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff, parents, and children involved in making these special events possible. Your hard work and support have created lasting memories for everyone.

PREP SCHOOL SPORTS UPDATES

In Early Years, Pre-Reception and Reception have worked really hard in Gymnastics, coordination and on their ball skills. In Key Stage 1, it has been great to have all our children in Years 1 and 2 back in the swimming pool with lots of progress being made with more to come after Christmas. In Key Stage 2 we have had a fabulous term of sport with every child in Years 3-6 having the opportunity to represent Farringtons in either Rugby or Netball and lots of other fixtures in between.

Some particular highlights have been the Year 5 and 6 girls’ Netball teams and the Year 3 and 4 boys’ Rugby teams achieving several wins against our local rivals, the Year 5 boys’ Football team winning a local tournament, winning the Bromley Small Schools Swimming Gala, the Year 5 and 6 girls’ team winning the Barrett Cup at Cobham Hall Cross Country and the Year 5 girls placing 1st and Year 5 boys placing 2^nd in the Merton Court Cross Country relays. We hosted another successful cross-country event on Friday 6^th December with every child who attends running club given the opportunity to represent Farringtons. We are looking forward to a new term of fixtures in Football and Netball.

LUCEAT UPDATE

The Prep School have been enjoying their Luceat lessons this term with Year 2 continuing to learn Mandarin, in Year 3 they have been enjoying their instrumental carousel by learning the violin and dood and in Year 6 they have been experimenting with melting chocolate.

SENIOR SCHOOL

PET PROTECTORS

Our Pet Protectors group had a paw-some time meeting Max this term! Thanks to Lorena in Year 7 for bringing him in to share with everyone.

We also enjoyed a visit from Orla, with her owner Isla, and a visit from Amelia-Lily’s dogs Ted and Gigi – thank you for sharing them.

independent school of the year careers finalist

This half-term has been a busy and exciting time for Farringtons Futures, with plenty going on to help our pupils take steps towards their future goals. Year 11 and 13 pupils have had one-on-one careers guidance interviews, helping them fine-tune their plans for university, apprenticeships, or the workplace.

We have also started ‘Work-Ready Wednesday,’ a quick half-hour every half-term where all year groups explore careers using the Unifrog platform. In PSHE lessons, pupils in Years 10 and 12 have been learning about work experience—why it matters, how to find placements and how to make the most of it. Meanwhile, planning for Careers Week in March is well underway, with exciting guest speakers and workshops on the horizon.

The real highlight this term…we were finalists for the Independent School of the Year Award for Careers! The Heads of Careers, Mrs Miah and Mrs Ashworth, proudly attended the ceremony to celebrate our achievements and take inspiration from other schools excelling in careers education. Farringtons Futures is going from strength to strength, and we’re looking forward to even more exciting updates next term.

PUBLIC SPEAKING SUCCESS

Sports Update from the PE Department

What a busy term we have had in the PE Department, with lots of training sessions, lunchtime clubs and fixtures across the different year groups, giving many pupils the opportunity to take part in sports, in both a recreational and competitive setting. Numbers at our clubs have never been higher with some dedicated netballers and swimmers attending early mornings, whatever the weather and our footballers remaining committed to the after-school club, despite the darker nights drawing in.

Lunchtime clubs have been hugely popular with pupils playing many different sports including Badminton, Futsal and Basketball. Some of these sports then lead to competitive fixtures against other schools.

Football

In Football this term, both boys and girls have played many fixtures, as well as attending our football training sessions.

In boys Football, there have been a number of block fixtures allowing our A and B teams the opportunity to come together and play against different opponents including Radnor House, St Dunstan’s College and Lingfield College. Many other fixtures have been played against Babington House, Gads Hill School, Bishop Challoner and Beechwood Sacred Heart, to name but a few. The cup competitions have proven very successful with our Year 9 boys.

The Senior 1st XI team are doing well, remaining in cup competitions and are unbeaten in their league. Some super individual and team goals have been scored along the way and the matches always entered in the right spirit.

The girls have had some great success in the cups also, with several of the age groups winning in several rounds and heading into 2025 with the hopes of extending their cup runs even further. Girls’ Football Club has been very popular this year and all have enjoyed matches mixing with other year groups to strengthen their working relationships with players in the years above and below.

Basketball

In Basketball, the squads have been really committed to training and have now started playing matches against some other local teams. There have been good results showing progression as the teams continue to develop with matches against Babington House and Radnor House this term and many more games to come after Christmas.

Cross Country

In Cross-Country we have had a number of competitions this term, with some great attendance at early morning running club. Isabella J ran at the Bromley Schools’ Cross-Country and has qualified for the Kent School Cross-Country Finals.

Year 7 and 8 girls had a fantastic result at the Brooke and Barrett run at Cobham Hall. Team 1 (Isabella J, Jessie G, Elsa M, Bea P and Aviana G) won The Barrett Cup, placing first as a team out of 16 schools. Team 2 (Fable W, Amelie VM, Lydia W and Lyla Z) placed third. Special mention must go to Isabella J winning the silver medal and Jessie G winning the bronze medal.

The Year 7 and 8 Cross-Country team also competed in the prestigious, gruelling and highly competitive Junior Knole Park Run. The girls team placed tenth out of 40 schools and Isabella J placed sixth out of 217 runners! The Year 7 girls also won the Bromley Cross Country Event, which was held here at Farringtons School.

Netball

Netball has been very busy this term with the U12 A and B teams making a great start to the year. They have spent time getting to know each other as a team and their commitment to Netball training has been admirable. Some very close matches against tough competition have been held.

Our U13 A and B teams have also come up against some strong sides. The A team have won most of their matches and are showing huge potential. The B team have made excellent progress with their teamwork as the term has progressed.

The U14 A and B teams are undefeated in their matches this year so far. They also came third in their pool at the Kent School Netball Tournament in Rainham. Harley G has been nominated Player of the Match by the opposition four times this year!

The U15 A team have won or drawn all their matches. They are a powerful team, demonstrating huge athleticism in every match. The U15B team have a very strong defence and are now working on their shooting accuracy and consistency. Well done to Sofia and Annabelle for playing-up in some U16 matches this term. Despite a tough start to the season, the Senior/U16 team has finished the term on a well-deserved win. They also won the Bromley Schools Netball Tournament.

LIBRARY BOOK CREATIONS

LIFE DRAWING WORKSHOP

Our GCSE and A Level Art pupils had a fantastic time exploring life drawing this term!

street photography trip

On the 15th November, our Year 12 Photography students embarked on a trip to London, honing their street photography skills on the streets of Soho. The trip provided an invaluable opportunity for students to practice their documentary photography skills as they sought the perfect interplay of light, action, expression and capturing the essence of urban life.

They also had the opportunity to visit The Photographers’ Gallery, where students explored the impactful and hard-hitting Letizia Battaglia exhibition. The exhibition offered profound insight into Battaglia’s fearless documentation of life in Sicily, challenging students to consider how photography can serve as a powerful tool for storytelling and activism.

A Transformative Art Experience at the National Gallery’s Vincent van Gogh Exhibition

On a recent trip to the National Gallery, I had the privilege of experiencing the much anticipated Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition. What was expected to be a deep dive into the life and works of one of the world’s most celebrated artists turned out to be an eye-opening exploration not just of Van Gogh’s masterpieces, but of how his unique vision of the world can reshape the way we view architecture itself, among his many artworks.

From the moment I entered the gallery, I was struck by how Van Gogh’s emotional and often turbulent relationship with his surroundings informed not just his paintings but the very way he interacted with space.

One of the most profound moments came while standing before The Yellow House which he painted with such vivid, almost dreamlike colours. Seeing this painting up close, it became clear that Van Gogh didn’t simply depict buildings and streets; he imbued them with emotion. The way he used colour and perspective to transform a humble structure into a place of longing and creativity was breath-taking.

As I moved through the exhibition, I noticed the recurring presence of rooms, doors, windows, and walls in Van Gogh’s work. These architectural elements weren’t just part of the setting; they were essential to his storytelling.

In conclusion, my visit to the National Gallery’s Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition was nothing short of transformative, offering a rare and intimate view into the mind of one of the world’s most iconic artists. The exhibition’s exploration of Van Gogh’s evolution through colour, space, and emotion was a deeply moving experience that I’ll carry with me. Our time at the gallery was briefly interrupted by an unexpected evacuation — a moment of chaos that didn’t diminish the impact of the exhibition but rather added an unexpected layer to the day.

Many thanks to Mrs Allen for organising a fascinating Art trip.

Langa – Year 10

OUR DAY OUT PRODUCTION

Every Thursday, for the last seven months, rehearsals have taken place after school for Our Day Out rehearsals. Other than Games and Drama classes these were a highlight of the week. This massive undertaking has undoubtedly been fantastic and unforgettable, from the first day of auditions to celebrating our final show night in the changing rooms. It gave us an insight into what it feels like to be an actor and the art of theatre. We learned about miming, freezeframes and physical skills in drama to portray a scene. We also improved our ability to get into character as the real characters aren’t that different from us. The most challenging yet enticing part was preparing for and mastering the fast-shaped scenes that shaped the play. Ultimately, the play taught us about creativity and teamwork.

Sammed – Year 9

HOUSE UPDATEs

This term, our Senior School pupils have been having a blast during lunchtime with a variety of fun activities! From crafting beautiful Christmas baubles to testing their skills at shuffleboard and Jenga, there’s something for everyone. They have also challenged their knowledge with a Christmas quiz and indulged their sweet tooth with delicious treats from the Christmas-themed bake-off.

floreat update

Floreat continues to go from strength to strength with pupils learning and enjoying new skills. Take a look at some our our highlights below.

Skiiing lesson:

ICELAND TRIP

boarding

WEEKEND BOARDING VIDEO

Ever wondered what our boarders get up to on the weekends? After classes wrap up on Friday, the fun is just beginning. Watch our video to see what makes our weekends so special.

WHOLE SCHOOL

SCIENCE

As part of our curriculum the Science Department places a strong emphasis on the use of practical-based activities to enrich students learning. Central to our philosophy, is the need for students to engage with the world around them and appreciate the extent to which science can offer solutions to many of the world’s greatest problems. In our opinion, there is no better way to do this than through practical experimentation. This term, in Year 6, as part of the school’s Luceat Programme, pupils have been developing their problem solving skills when analysing the physical properties of chocolate In Year 9, our scientists have been studying both cell biology, and atomic structure. Specifically, pupils have learnt how to use a light microscope to observe, draw and label a selection of plant and animal cells and in Chemistry, to safely use a range of equipment to separate chemical mixtures. In Year 10, our biologists have investigated the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis using an aquatic organism, in this context pondweed. Last but not least, in Year 13, our A Level chemists have been familiarising themselves with the techniques and procedures used when measuring pH with a pH meter as part of the practical endorsement. We look forward to sharing with you many more wonderful examples in the Spring Term.

FARRINGTONS IN THE COMMUNITY