Mrs Bennett’s Bulletin, Tuesday 23 November 2021

Posted: 23rd November 2021

Good morning, Prep School family,

I hope you are well and enjoying this week so far. Did you all have a lovely weekend? Mine was gone in a flash but it was good all the same! Can you believe that next weekend is the last one in November and then it will be December and all of the fun and festivities that that it brings with it.

So in recent weeks, I have been doing lots of reflecting and remembering. As November is the month of Remembrance due to Remembrance Day, it has seemed quite fitting. I have had a really busy few weeks personally due to the fact that I have had a very quick house move. It has been a time of mixed emotions – it has been rather hectic and sometimes stressful. It has been exciting, sad and joyful. It has closed one chapter of a book for myself and Mr Bennett but it has also opened new doors for more adventures together going forward. The one thing that I have really enjoyed about the move is sorting out all of our belongings. This has also coincided with me helping my dad to sort out his house as well. For those of you who know me, I love a good sort out and tidy up. I don’t really do clutter or mess and I am definitely not a hoarder. However, this trait does not run in my family! It turns out that my dad is a huge ‘collector’ of all things useless and he likes to have multiples of these things. Who would have thought that my dad would need 9 tin openers, over 70 empty packets of frozen raspberries (waiting to go to the recycling but they never seem to have made it), 16 empty shoe boxes, 5 carrier bags of golf balls or spices that went out of date in 1993. . .

Having said all of this, in the process of tidying, sorting and packing, I have come across many things that have sparked very special memories for me. At my dad’s, I found family photos of when my brother and I were younger that I had never seen before. I discovered my grandma and grandad’s wedding photo album. I found old letters that I used to write to my parents from boarding school. There were pictures I painted when I was 5. There were all of mine and my mum’s school reports. The least said about my school reports the better, but it was amazing to read how my mum was at school and some of the comments were similar to my own. I rediscovered a book of thoughts and memories I had made for my mum when she was poorly and that she could take to hospital with her. We laughed at letters I had written threatening to leave home unless I got a 500% increase in my pocket money! I was treated to an actual slideshow (with the curtains closed a la Ross from Friends) of when my dad was living in Finland and all of the timber mills he ran whilst he was out there! I found class books from when I was teaching full time and many thank you cards from past pupils and parents – the words in which were so touching, especially as those children are now grown up and working themselves. I even found my christening gown, I thought that had been lost forever.

I can safely say that the past few weeks have been filled with tears of joy and sadness, laughter and plenty of smiles. Although some of these memories were hard to experience, I am so glad that I was able to do so. They brought back times that I had forgotten or was choosing to ignore as they stirred emotions I wasn’t comfortable dealing with at the time. Memories are so special. Can you imagine a lifetime without memories? It is so funny what sparks a memory. It could be a story, a song or a saying. All I can say to you all is cherish each moment you have on this earth as, in the coming years, they will become very precious. Even the mundane tasks will find a special place inside your heart that you will treasure.

And on top of all of this, my dad and I have also created many more memories in the last few weeks. . . I’m sure we will be laughing about the empty raspberry packets in years to come. . .

 

Quote of the week: “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” – Dr Seuss.

 

Well-being tasks for this week: All of these tasks for November are based on moving forward.

Tuesday 23 November – Set aside time for an activity that you love

Wednesday 24 November – Share with a friend something useful you have leaned recently

Thursday 25 November – Use one of your strengths creatively

Friday 26 November – Try out a new radio station on the way to school

Saturday 27 November – Join a friend doing something that they love – team work makes the dream work!

Sunday 28 November – Design a card for someone you love

Monday 29 November – Enjoy music today – sing, dance or simply listen

 

An added extra bit of fun courtesy of our Language Ambassadors at HPP:

The Language Ambassadors would like to set you a special challenge in the run up to Christmas. Every week, they are going to ask you a question in the Bennett Bulletin about how people in Spain celebrate Christmas. If you would like to participate, you need to email the answer to Ms Kenny at c.kenny@highclareschool.co.uk

Whoever finds the most correct answers over the weeks will win a special festive prize. This is open to all children in Key Stage 1 and 2. IBuena Suerte!

 

Week 4 question: What are the names of the Reyes Magos?
Answers via email please.

Jokes of the week: 

Q: How does a sheep say Merry Christmas?

Fleece Navidad!

Q: Where does a snowman keep his money?

In a snow bank!

Q: What do you get when you combine a Christmas tree with an iPad?

A pineapple!

Sleeps til Santa: 31 sleeps til Santa. . . its getting so close now!

5 things that I am grateful for or looking forward to this week:

Can you try this simple exercise in gratitude and positivity?

  1. I am looking forward to listening to Christmas songs on the way home
  2. I am looking forward to an exciting breakfast meeting on Saturday
  3. I am looking forward to watching Christmas films non-stop
  4. I am grateful for my friends
  5. I am grateful for my warm coat

Have a lovely week and enjoy everything you do. . . snow is forecast for later on this week, how very exciting, I have everything crossed we have at least sprinkling of it! I know many of you will equally have your fingers crossed that we have none! Take care of yourselves.

 

Lots of love,

 

Mrs Bennett

Highclare School is proud to announce its newest Sixth Form Scholarship

Our Sixth Form Pre-Med Scholarship is now live for applicants to Highclare Sixth Form from September 2024 onwards.

The scholarship provides a bespoke programme for students aiming to enter university in September 2026 with a research-science based degree.

For more information email admissions@highclareschool.co.uk