Mrs Bennett’s Bulletin, Tuesday 30 November 2021

Posted: 30th November 2021

Good morning, Prep School family,

 

I hope you are well and are enjoying this snowy weather. As I sit here at my desk writing to you, the sun is just setting and the playground at HPP looks magical. The sky is a gorgeous bluey/grey colour, the trees are still covered with a thick layer of snow and the field remains covered in a blanket of sparkling white. The white colour really does stand out against the sky. There is a sense of Narnia all around and it is making me feel very festive and Christmassy. . . it’s a good job really as it is December tomorrow! #MrsBennettisveryexcited!

 

So this week I thought I would share with you some quotes that I came across at the weekend. They really made me smile. A magazine asked children between the ages of 4 to 8 to answer the question, “What does love mean?” The answers are so varied, honest and more profound than anyone could have imagined.

I hope you enjoy!

 

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toe nails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all of the time, even when his hands have arthritis too.” – Rebecca, aged 8.

 

“When someone loves you they say your name differently. You know your name is safe in their mouth.” – Billy, aged 4.

 

“Love is when a boy and girl put perfume on and they smell nice!” – Karl, aged 5.

 

“Love is when you go out to eat and give someone most of your chips without making them give you any of theirs!” – Chrissy, aged 6.

 

“Love is what makes you smile when you are tired.” – Terri, aged 4.

 

“Love is when my mummy makes my daddy a coffee and she takes a sip before giving it to him to check that it tastes ok.”  – Danny, aged 8.

 

“If you want to learn to start to love better, you should start with a friend you hate.” – Nikka, aged 6.

 

“Love is like a little old man and a little old woman who have known each other forever but are still friends.” – Tommy, aged 6.

 

“During a piano concert at school, I felt very scared on stage. I looked into the audience and saw my daddy. The way he looked at me was pure love.” – Carla, aged 6.

 

“My mummy loves me more than anyone. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” – Claire, aged 6

 

“When you love someone, your eyelashes go up and down and stars come out of you!” – Karina, aged 5.

 

“You really shouldn’t say I love you unless you mean it, but if you mean it, say it a lot” – Mark, Aged 5 and a bit!

 

And my favourite two, I mean how thoughtful are these . . .

 

“Love is what is in the room at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.” – Bobby, aged 7.

 

This one comes from a young man (aged 4) whose elderly neighbour had just lost his wife. When visiting the gentleman with his mother, the boy saw the old man cry. He went and sat on his knee and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to his old neighbour, the boy just replied “Nothing, I just helped him cry. He misses love.”

 

Out of the mouth of babes.

 

Christmas quote of the week: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear” – Buddy the Elf!

 

Well-being tasks for this week: These tasks for December are based on doing good.

 

Tuesday 30 November – Let someone know you appreciate them

Wednesday 1 December – Look closely at our school well-being advent calendar and decide on some tasks you will do this month

Thursday 2 December – Contact someone you cannot be with and see how they are

Friday 3 December – Offer to help someone in need

Saturday 4 December – Donate something to your local charity shop

Sunday 5 December – Leave a positive message for someone to find

Monday 6 December – Smile at someone who maybe feeling sad or lonely

 

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 5 question: What is the name of the Christmas lottery held in Spain every year on 22nd December?

Answers via email please.

 

Jokes of the week: 

 

Q: What do Santa’s little helpers learn at school?

A: The elf-abet!

 

Q: What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?

A: A Christmas Quacker!

 

Q: What goes “Oh, Oh, Oh”?

A: Santa walking backwards!

 

Sleeps til Santa: 24 sleeps til Santa!

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 more cold and frosty mornings.
  2. I am looking forward to having Patsy in school on Wednesday.
  3. I am looking forward to reading my new book.
  4. I am grateful for the winter sunrises.
  5. I am grateful for feeling happy.

Have an amazing week. I look forward to hearing all about what you get up to instead of homework in December using our school well-bring and kindness advent calendar. This has to be one of my most favourite initiatives thought up by Student Council several years ago, I hope you enjoy it too. Please send me some photos and I can share on social media! Be creative and have some festive fun with it!

 

Lots of love and take care of yourselves,

 

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