Weekly Newsletter

This week began with our first Junior Assembly of the term, where we explored our value of the fortnight: responsibility. Pupils reflected on this through a lovely animation about a lighthouse keeper. Our Junior pupils consistently demonstrate responsibility in their learning through thoughtful questioning, proactivity and independence.

Nursery really impressed me (and the various prospective families we have had visiting) with their mathematical skills. They confidently compared longer and shorter items and even had a go at measuring using a ruler. As always, our youngest learners were encouraged to uplevel their learning and used the word equal with confidence.

Year 1 has impressed me with their thoughtful comparisons of two versions of the story Little Red Riding Hood, showing a growing understanding of how stories can be retold in different ways.

Year 2 pupils have continued their work on The Invisible, sequencing the story using time conjunctions to help connect the different parts and develop a clear sense of narrative structure.

Whilst our first full week back at Edge Grove has been a rather wet one, we have embraced the conditions and made every effort to spend as much of our playtime as possible outdoors, where puddles, fresh air and muddy boots have been thoroughly enjoyed.

A gentle reminder about our upcoming Number Day:

Number Day Thursday 6th February

Thursday 6th February marks NSPCC Number Day. This year, Mrs O’Brien, our Head of Maths, has set the Junior Department a very important challenge: pupils are invited to dress up as a number! There is a twist, however, football and sports kits are not allowed, so this will call for plenty of creativity and imagination. Some ideas to get you started…you could come dressed as a calculator, a deck of cards or even a bank note. 

Further details will be shared soon, but in the meantime, please do get your thinking caps on and start considering some inventive costume ideas.

Mrs Wynne
Assistant Head (Junior)

Nursery

This week has been all about a very familiar story ‘Stickman’. We have been busy measuring different length sticks and even measuring Mrs Henwood and Mrs Turberfield – did you know they are ‘equal’ in length! We have read the story focusing on the beginning, middle and end. The children drew fantastic story maps in their books where they were encouraged to think of a part of the story. We have also been busy changing parts of our classroom round to suit their learning which the children have helped us with!

Reception News

What an out-of-this-world week we’ve had in Reception! We blasted off into space to join The Smeds and the Smoos and had lots of fun exploring this Julia Donaldson favourite.

In Literacy, we focused on describing words, known as ‘adjectives’. The children used their fantastic imaginations to create their own aliens, describing them as fluffy, slimy, and friendly! We were so impressed with their creative ideas and vocabulary.

In Maths, we learned about sharing between two groups. Using the phrase “one for me, one for you”, the children explored how to find out whether a number can be shared fairly using lots of careful counting and great teamwork.

Our Understanding the World learning took us deeper into the solar system. We discovered which planet is the hottest and which one has rings, sparking lots of curiosity and brilliant questions from the children.

Another fun-filled week as we continue our exciting term of Julia Donaldson tales. We can’t wait to see where our learning adventure takes us next.

Year 1 News

Another fantastic week of learning this week in Year 1! We have dived into fairy tales and loved learning ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. Earlier in the week, the wolf visited our classroom and the children had some questions to ask him. He was very cheeky! The children have performed, and written the retelling of the story. They showed a sound understanding of the classic tale and a flare for writing!

In Maths, we have focused on ‘place value’. The children have explored numbers up to 100 using practical resources and pictorial representations. We have partitioned numbers into tens and ones using place value charts.

Sink or float? Well Year 1 can not only predict which will happen to an object but also explain why. We enjoyed a lovely practical science session this week, exploring items made of different materials. We found out that if an object is dense and has particles close together, that it will sink. Great scientific enquiry Year 1!

3…2…1…lift off! History this week took us to the moon, where we learnt all about the mission of Apollo 11. The children have been completely hooked by this topic and we have loved sharing facts as a year group.

Year 2 News

We have been extremely proud of the Year 2 children this week. They showed great responsibility and integrity throughout, even with many ‘new’ visitors popping in and out of their lessons. Well done, Year 2 — we are immensely proud of you all!

It has been another blisteringly busy and exciting week for our Year 2 children. We have been getting practical in Maths this week! We used mirrors to explore symmetry, looking at how complex patterns reflect across a vertical line. They explored the properties of 3D shapes, confidently using mathematical language such as faces, vertices and edges. They also enjoyed investigating whether different shapes were prisms, pyramids or spheres. We also dove deep into 3D shapes, discussing their properties (faces, edges, and vertices). We even challenged ourselves by looking at nets—visualising how a flat shape folds up to become a 3D object!

In science, the children used MRS GREN to help them decide whether something — animal or plant — was living. They successfully identified living, dead and never-alive things during a whole-class sorting activity, demonstrating excellent understanding. As you can imagine, the children found the “E” for Excretion particularly fascinating (and funny)!

Burning! Burning! London is burning! We have travelled futher back in time to start our new History topic: The Great Fire of London. We are learning why 1666 is such a significant year and have already started to build a picture of what London looked like in the past. History lessons prompted plenty of shocked expressions and animated reactions as the children learned about jobs in the 17th century — particularly the roles of rat catchers and gong farmers! They worked industriously to compare firefighters today with those who battled the fires of 1666, discovering how people relied on water squirts, hooks, axes and the long, laborious task of passing leather buckets of water from the River Thames. With no emergency services at the time, the children gained a real appreciation of how challenging firefighting was in the past.

In art, the children continued working on their fire-themed backgrounds in preparation for creating silhouetted buildings of London in 1666. These are shaping up beautifully and really capture the atmosphere of the Great Fire of London.

We hope you have had a lovely week. We are delighted to share an update on the exciting learning that has been taking place in class, as the children have enthusiastically launched into a range of new and engaging topics across the curriculum. A special highlight this week was the arrival of a fantastic, large-scale Lego model of the Titanic, kindly lent to us by Mr Hodge. The children were absolutely fascinated, and it provided a wonderful visual stimulus to support our learning. 

As always, we are incredibly proud of the effort, curiosity, and positive attitudes the children continue to show each day. We hope you enjoy reading about what they have been learning this week, and we wish you all a lovely and relaxing weekend.

Mrs Hodge
Deputy Head Academic

Year 3 – Miss Kyriacou, Miss Corin, Miss Lundrigan

In English, the children have begun a new topic entitled The Titanic. They were introduced to the core text, A Tragedy at Sea, which will support their reading and writing throughout this unit. To begin the topic, pupils used a thesaurus to identify ambitious vocabulary and appropriate synonyms, helping to develop their language choices. They also completed a range of comprehension activities based on the text to strengthen their understanding and retrieval skills.

In Mathematics, pupils have been focusing on rounding to the nearest ten. They have practised this through fluency exercises as well as reasoning questions, allowing them to explain their thinking and apply their knowledge to a variety of problems.

In Geography, we have started our new topic, Italy. The children developed their map skills by locating, plotting, and naming Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as identifying the surrounding seas. This work has supported their understanding of location and geographical context.

In History, the class has begun learning about The Romans. To introduce the topic, pupils recalled and sequenced the myth of Romulus and Remus, helping them to understand the legendary origins of Rome and to practise chronological awareness.

As always, we celebrate the effort and dedication that each pupil brings to their learning. Their curiosity and eagerness to engage in classroom activities are truly commendable.

Year 4 – Mrs Futerill, Mrs Warnes

This week, the Year 4 classrooms were transformed into a scene from the Isle of Berk as we launched our new English unit inspired by How to Train Your Dragon. To kick-start our learning, the children arrived to find a “Dragon’s Nest” hidden right here in school. This immersive “hook” wasn’t just for fun; it served as the inspiration for our Baseline Activity. By discovering a “mystery dragon silhouette” and exploring the “nest,” the children were bursting with ideas. They took on the role of dragon experts, writing reports on the diet, appearance, and habitats of these legendary beasts.

The children are currently mastering the art of prepositional phrases – learning how to guide a reader through a setting by describing what is beneath the jagged rocks, beside the echoing walls, and within the shadows of the cave. We have even mastered the difference between stalactites and stalagmites!

In Mrs Warnes’ maths group, we had great fun exploring tenths and hundredths. We used decimal place value charts to help us find equivalent decimals for a range of tenth and hundredth fractions. We made a fantastic discovery that ten hundredths are equal to one tenth.

We also played one of our favourite dice games, Nasty or Nice, which helped us to introduce and practise the concept of comparing decimals. 

In Science, we have been exploring the concepts of sound, vibrations, and sound waves. The lessons have been engaging and exciting in equal measure! We’ve played a variety of instruments to examine how sound is produced. In English, we added the phrase ‘cacophony of noise’ to our vocabulary and the students were highly amused to be able to describe their Science lesson as exactly that. They have watched rice ‘dance’ atop vibrating drum skins, observed the almost imperceptible movements of cymbals, and explored how pitch changes depending on the length of an instrument—much like a trombone.

Year 5 – Mr Russell and Mrs O’Brien

In PSHE, we have been focusing on the life-saving skills needed to deal with an emergency. The children learned the vital information required when calling the emergency services, using the acronym LIONEL to remember the key details for a call handler:

• Location
• Incident
• Other services needed
• Number of casualties
• Extent of injuries
• Location confirmation

We also began looking at how to conduct a primary survey on a casualty. To help us remember the steps, we introduced another handy acronym: DR ABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation). This is such a crucial topic, and we look forward to continuing our practice next week.

English has been particularly lively as we dived into the hilarious poem The Lion and Albert by Marriott Edgar. We were swamped with messages from the children about how much they loved the story! Many have been busy memorising lines for our big performance in the theatre this Friday. Kush and Kwabena found the experience especially beneficial for their oracy skills, gaining confidence in projecting their voices and performing on a professional stage. We cannot wait to see the final results!

It was a busy week in the workshops! Alice has been experimenting with intricate animal drawings, while Daniel showed great precision using a pillar drill to help create his keyring.

Leila had a wonderful time mastering the ukulele in Performing Arts, while Raphy has been fascinated by our new topic on Space in Science.

Our mathematicians have been pushing themselves; Torin excelled while testing his knowledge of prime numbers, and Hamza successfully tackled the complexities of equivalent fractions.

On the field, Rafael was pleased to get the rugby season underway. He was incredibly proud of his team’s effort and the progress they made in their first matches.

It has been a great week for Year 5. We hope you all have a lovely, restful weekend!

Year 6 – Mrs Allen, Mr Kay, Dr Moradi

Well done on completing our first full week of 2026! It has been wonderful to see how enthusiastically the children have thrown themselves into their learning. They particularly impressed our ISI inspectors with their maturity during lunchtime conversations, confidently engaging with them and truly demonstrating their Edge Grove curiosity and wonderful character.

We’ve had some really interesting conversations in class this week, especially in PSHE, where we have been exploring online fraud. The children were fascinated by the idea of becoming ‘cyber detectives’, discussing what does and doesn’t make a post safe online and how to spot potential risks and harm.

A huge congratulations to Ayomipo, who has been awarded Netball Captain – we are incredibly proud of you!

Congratulations to the following pupils for being awarded commendations 

for fantastic responses to Holiday Reading!

Kaiya

Cooper 

Louis 

Lucy

Tommy 

Aria

Amber 

Luke 

Asayoma

And special congratulations to Hridhaan, Ayomipo and Sami for being awarded Head’s Commendations for fantastic responses to Holiday Reading!

Well done also to all of our pupils who have been away at scholarship assessments this week. We know you have all been brilliant, whether attending sports scholarships, drama scholarships or interviews at senior schools. You should be very proud of yourselves.

Wishing you all a restful weekend.

This week, the Seniors have made some great progress with their UCL business lessons, and are looking forward next week to putting the learning into action by creating their business plan.

We extend a huge congratulations to Aiden, our Rugby Champion, for receiving his highly deserved position as Rugby Captain.  He has started the season as a force to be reckoned with – read more about how he led the Seniors to a massive victory in the match report.

Congratulations to Alex and Eashan who earnt a Head’s Commendation for their English holiday reading, and to Noah, Joseph, Aiden, Zach, Bolu and Leandro for their Commendation.  The other Seniors each earnt between one and three House Points for their efforts, and their engagement stands them in very good stead to tackle our study of political fiction, Animal Farm.  Pictured below is Eashan’s very clever CCTV camera to serve as a reminder that Big Brother is Watching! 

Before we get into the Pastoral Update, I wanted to share information about a Mental Health First Aid courseMental Health First Aid Course for parents coming up on Friday 23rd January, 09:30am-4:00pm. This training is FREE to Spring Mead Primary School. To register please contact: schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Pastoral Update by Mrs Wright, Senior Deputy Head Pastoral

Fake News and Disinformation Online – What’s the problem? 

Fake news is false or misleading information presented as genuine news. 

Your child might have seen fake news online about world events and conflicts, like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or conflict in the Middle East. Images and videos might misrepresent events, or be from an entirely different conflict or situation. 

More recently, AI has been used to alter or completely make up fake images and videos. In some cases, it’s very difficult to spot what’s real and what’s fake. 

• Fake news and disinformation has also been linked to radicalisation by extremists and attempts to skew people’s world views. Extremist narratives include: 
• Extreme right-wing narratives, which promote a belief that the world is ending and far-right groups can accelerate its end 
• White-nationalist extremism, which can include antisemitic, anti-Islamic and racist conspiracy theories to promote white-nationalist ideology 
• Islamist extremism, which promotes violence against those who don’t share their beliefs, support for terrorist organisations, and opposition to values like democracy and the rule of law ‘Incel’ narratives, which promote extreme misogyny and frequently anti LGBTQ+ views as well 

Reading information like this can upset or worry your child unnecessarily. Fake news also helps create a culture of fear and uncertainty, with children trusting reputable news outlets less as a result of fake news. 

How can I help my child spot fake news online?

Tell them to ask themselves:  

• ‘What’s the source? Is it a reputable news source, and are mainstream news outlets reporting it too? 
• When was it published? Check the date an article was published, as sometimes old stories are shared on social media. This could be an accident, or it might be to make it look like something happened recently 
• Have you seen anything similar elsewhere? What happens if you search for it on Google or check it using a fact-checking website like Full Fact?
• Do the pictures look real? Images might have been edited. They might also be unrelated images that have been used with the story 
• Why might this have been created? Could someone be trying to provoke a specific reaction, change your beliefs, or get you to click a link?

Encourage them to read beyond the headline too. Many people share stories having just read the headline, then discover the actual story is quite different. 

Point them to the government’s SHARE checklist (https://sharechecklist.gov.uk/) and advice from Childline (https://bit.ly/3oYfsgd) too. 

For more information about fake news, take a look at Educate Against Hate’s resources and guidance.  

What signs of radicalisation should I be alert to?

It’s worth knowing what signs to be alert to, just in case. If you do see these signs, it doesn’t necessarily mean your child is being radicalised – it could be nothing at all, or it could be a sign that something else is wrong. 

• Becoming more isolated from friends and family 
• Not being willing or able to talk about their views 
• Becoming more angry 
• Talking as if from a script 
• A sudden disrespectful attitude towards others 
• Being more secretive, especially about their internet use 

Sources 

• How to spot fake news, Childline https://www.childline.org.uk/get-involved/articles/how-to-spot-fake-news/ 
• COVID-19: how hateful extremists are exploiting the pandemic, GOV.UK – Commission for Safeguarding – Prevent in education, Education Scotland https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/safeguarding-prevent-in-education 
• Fake news and critical literacy: final report, National Literacy Trust https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/fake-news-and-critical-literacy-final-report/ 
• Protecting children from radicalisation, NSPCC https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/dedicated-helplines/protecting-children-fromradicalisation/ 
• Fake news, hoaxes and misinformation, NSPCC https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/inappropriate-explicit-content/fake-news/ 
• SHARE Checklist, GOV.UK – HM Government https://sharechecklist.gov.uk 
• ‘Fake news’, disinformation and misinformation – Educate Against Hate https://www.educateagainsthate.com/fake-news-misinformation-disinformation/ 
• Let’s discuss: Islamist extremism – Educate Against Hate https://www.educateagainsthate.com/resources/lets-discuss-islamist-extremism/  

Future Schools Update

Mrs Broadis, Head of Future Schools Curriculum

The Importance of Oracy

The inspection process this week highlighted the importance of children being able to express themselves clearly and confidently. During an inspection, the visiting team of inspectors not only visit lessons to see learning in action, and assess levels of engagement and progress, but they also select pupils to meet with them, to discuss classwork and feelings about school in general. 

This very much represents the experience of children visiting Future Schools for interviews and assessment days, where senior school colleagues are assessing pupils’ curiosity in academic learning, skills across the curriculum, and character. I am delighted that Mr Stanley was able to share with children in assembly today, that the lead inspector commented that Edge Grove children were filled with both curiosity and character!

Conversations with children at home are key to ensure that they grow up with the skills to hold an extended conversation, and where they can confidently share ideas with adults who are unfamiliar. I know as a mother, talk in the family home can often be transactional, and as parents we have to be intentional about creating opportunities over a meal, at bedtime, in the car, for opinion-building conversations about ideas, or relationship-building conversations about feelings. This week in Year 6 Critical Thinking lessons, pupils have been discussing their views about USA involvement in Venezuela, and President Trump’s ambitions for Greenland. Pupils with interviews at Future Schools this week are in a strong position to share their thoughts.

Academic Interviews

Interviews at highly academically selective schools are designed to explore how a child thinks and how they respond when faced with unfamiliar problems, texts, or resources. Rather than testing subject knowledge, interviewers are assessing intellectual curiosity, reasoning skills, and resilience. These discussions help schools determine whether a pupil is likely to enjoy – and thrive – with the pace, challenge, and academic rigour of the education they offer.

In an academic interview at Habs this week, children were presented with a fictional extract from A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, which had to be read aloud, and then children were asked to articulate the impact of the author’s use of literary devices. They were also given an image and were asked to articulate their feelings about the image, so staff could evaluate how creatively a child could interpret what they were looking at. The interview also had a strong mathematical focus where children had to talk their way through a problem where they had to calculate the area of a given shape with minimal information.

In the group interview, pupils worked in a team of four where their skills of collaboration were observed, as well as their use of logic to decode a number of escape-room style clues.

Interviewers are interested in broader knowledge that pupils can draw upon, the connections they make, and how clearly they reason and justify their ideas. Crucially, they observe how children responded when there was no obvious ‘right answer’.

Please let us know as soon as interview dates are confirmed. This allows us to schedule appropriate interview practice with members of the Senior Leadership Team, ensuring each child feels confident, prepared, and well supported ahead of the day.

Edge Scholarships for September 2026 – deadline Monday 19th

The Scholarship application process for entry to the Seniors Sept 2026 is open. A Scholarship application can be made here, and all parents who have made a commitment to Edge Grove should have received details which are outlined on the website. 

When are other senior school offers made?

St Margaret’s – no later than first week of February

13th Feb HABS Girls and Boys

13th Feb STAHs

13th Feb Aldenham

13th Feb St Albans

13th Feb Merchant Taylor’s

13th Feb Belmont, Mill Hill

2nd March Hertfordshire Secondary Transfer Allocation Day

Year 5 Future School Meetings

We encourage all Year 5 parents who have not yet booked a Future School meeting to book with Mr Stanley and Mrs Hodge for early in the new year, to share some preliminary thoughts about senior school education; please email Future Schools.

Queenswood School Invitation

Queenswood School extend an invitation to all girls in Years 4 and 5 to a Sports Carousel on Saturday 28 February. This fun filled morning will feature netball, hockey, tennis, and badminton, led by the school’s coaches and Director of Sport, Jo Wakeley. Please register through this link.

Future Schools List

Below is a list of those senior schools which Edge Grove families have chosen in the last four years, with links to Admissions pages.

Independent Schools

Abbot’s Hill

Aldenham

Belmont/Mill Hill

Berkhamsted

City of London School

HABS Boys

HABS Girls

Haileybury

Immanuel College

John Lyon

Merchant Taylors’ School

North London Collegiate School

Queenswood

Royal Masonic School

Sherrardswood

St Albans

St Albans High School for Girls

St Columba’s

St Helen’s 

St Margaret’s

St Paul’s 

UCS Hampstead

Wycombe Abbey

13+ Boarding Schools & Colleges

Bede’s

Charterhouse

Cheltenham Ladies’ College

Eton

Harrow

Marlborough

Wellington College

State Schools

Dame Alice Owen’s School

JFS

Henrietta Barnett School

Queen Elizabeth’s School

St Albans Girls’ School 

Herts SW Consortium Schools (Registration for Secondary Transfer into Year 7 for September 2027 opens on 1st April. Parents must register online.)

This week in Performing Arts we’ve had our first two-hour rehearsal for Bugsy Malone! It’s an exercise in stamina and focus, but the cast made it through barely breaking a sweat… we must work harder in the choreography! It’s been so exciting to have everyone back together again putting together a Grand Slam of a performance… see what I did there?

On Tuesday morning we have our All-Comers Platform in the Theatre. This informal concert was open to all pupils in Years 3-8 to come along and perform to family and friends. We had six excellent performances ranging from clarinet, to drums, and even a bassoon! It was a wonderful way to start off our Tuesday morning and we’re very proud of everyone who performed.

Next Wednesday morning we have our platform for the pupils of Miss Becker, “An Exploration of Claude Debussy for Piano,” which promises to be most exciting!

It’s been so joyous to hear music and drama being performed in our classrooms  once again and we can’t wait to see what the new year brings!

We would like to extend the Edge Grove’s Got Talent deadline to Monday to give pupils this weekend to record and submit their entries. A reminder of the brief:

Edge Grove’s Got Talent 2026 – Audition Brief

Get ready for another spectacular showcase of talent… 

I’m thrilled to invite all pupils from Year 3 to Year 8 to take part in our exciting Talent Contest. Whether you sing, dance, act, play an instrument, or have a unique skill to show off, this is your moment to shine on stage!

How to audition? First-round auditions will be submitted via video.

For the best results:

• Record your video horizontally. Act to be no shorter than 90 seconds.
  
• Choose a well-lit space.
• Ensure clear audio by minimising background noise.

Submission Deadline: All video auditions must be submitted by Monday 19th January

Due to file size limits, please upload your video to your child’s Google Drive and share the link directly with Mrs Allen at jallen@edgegrove.com. Alternatively, videos can be posted on the Performing Arts Google Classroom under the Edge Grove’s Got Talent assignment.

The top 10 acts will be invited to perform live on stage at the Edge Grove’s Got Talent Final in February. We’ll be announcing our special guest judges very soon!

I can’t wait to see all of your amazing talents.

Break a leg!

Mrs Allen
Director of Drama

Mr Evans
Director of Music

Art Department Update: Creativity in the Making

We have had a wonderful start back in the Art department this term! We’ve truly hit the ground running with an array of new projects, ranging from technical drawing workshops and ceramic sculptures to modeling our fantastic 3D “Rock Birds.”

It has been a joy to watch the children dive deeper into their drawing skills. This week, we’ve been focusing on a vital lesson: process over product. It can be a challenge to teach children that not every mark on paper needs to be a “masterpiece.” True learning happens in the messy middle—through experimentation, play, and honing skills rather than seeking instant perfection.

Year 4, in particular, has impressed me with their bravery. They’ve embraced the “just give it a go” mentality with open arms. We’ve had several hand studies featuring seven fingers this week, but that is exactly where the magic happens! It serves as a great reminder to our young artists to look closely and study what is actually in front of them. In art, taking risks is the only way to grow.

Looking Ahead: The Summer Art Exhibition We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting a large Art Exhibition at the end of the summer term. This year, we would love to feature a dedicated “Home Gallery” to showcase the incredible work our pupils create in their spare time.

If your child has a piece they are proud of—whether it’s photography, textiles, drawing, or painting—please bring it in for Miss Turner to review. Space is limited, so we will be selective, but we can’t wait to see what you’ve been creating!

Submission Guidelines:

• Media: Photography, textiles, drawing, painting, etc.
• Please avoid: Traced images or large 3D sculptures (due to space constraints).

Well done to all our pupils on enduring the wet conditions this week. You can read the match reports for the fixtures that did go ahead below.

We would also like to make Year 4 and 5 girls aware of a fantastic Sports Carousel day being organised by Queenswood School on Saturday 28th February. This fun-filled morning will feature netball, hockey, tennis, and badminton, led by their expert coaches and Director of Sport, Jo Wakeley. Sessions will take place in their state-of-the-art Q Hall and on their Astro pitches, ensuring an inspiring experience for all. This event is designed especially for girls in Years 4 and 5, of all abilities, and promises energy, learning, and tailored guidance for every participant. Please see their flyer below:

Queenswood Sports Carousel February 2026

If you would like to book a place for your daughter please click the link in the flyer or click here.

U10 Rugby

U10B v Orley Farm

The Edge Grove U10 B team hosted Orley Farm at home today in a training match, marking the first rugby fixture of the season for both sides. With the focus firmly on development, the game was played over four ten-minute quarters.

The match was used as a structured training session. The first two quarters consisted of pure touch rugby, allowing the boys to work on spacing, alignment, and attacking structure. This provided an excellent foundation and helped build confidence with ball movement and decision making.

In the second half, we gradually introduced wrap tackling and rucks, carefully developing the boys’ contact skill set in a controlled and supportive environment. The progression throughout the session was excellent, with all players showing great enthusiasm, resilience, and a willingness to learn.

Overall, it was a highly productive session and a fantastic start to the season. The boys demonstrated real determination and improvement across the match. We will continue to build on this progress by developing our contact skills further during training. Keep up the hard work and commitment.

U11 Rugby

Under 11A v Orley Farm

Edge Grove 11-4 Orley Farm 

The Under 11A team kicked off their season in superb fashion with an impressive 11–4 away victory against Orley Farm, delivering a confident and energetic performance from start to finish.

From the opening whistle, the team set the tone with intensity and commitment. A great start laid the foundations for the win, supported by excellent kick-off chases that consistently put Orley Farm under pressure and forced mistakes early on.

There were several outstanding individual performances, led by Hunter, who scored three tries and was deservedly named Player of the Match. His performance was defined not just by his finishing, but by his excellent tackling, strong rucking, and relentless work rate throughout the game.

The scoring was shared across the team, highlighting the squad’s depth and teamwork:

• Tommy crossed the line twice and was also outstanding in the kick chase, applying constant pressure.
  
• Tyler added two tries of his own, including a brilliant intercept try that shifted momentum firmly in our favour.
  
• Louis showcased his pace and footwork, darting in and out of defenders to score two excellent tries, while also leading some wonderful kick chases.
  
• Itai came on in the second half with real intent, made an immediate impact, and was rewarded with a well-earned try.
  
• Cooper rounded off the scoring with a deserved try, capping a strong all-round team effort.

A particular highlight was the much-improved rucking, which ensured quick ball and allowed the team to maintain tempo and control throughout the match.

Overall, this was a fantastic team performance and a great way to start the season. Well done to all the players on an excellent win and a very promising display.

Under 11B v Orley Farm

Edge Grove B Team Match Report vs Borney Farm

Edge Grove B Team took on a very strong Orley Farm side in what was always going to be a tough and physical fixture. Although the final scoreline resulted in a resounding win for Orley Farm, it genuinely didn’t reflect the effort, courage and commitment shown by the boys throughout the match. From the first whistle to the last, the team showed real character, tackling with bravery, supporting each other, and continuing to compete no matter the circumstances. There was no dropping of heads, no excuses, just a group of players putting their bodies on the line for one another and representing Edge Grove with pride.

A huge shout-out must go to Ben, whose work rate and determination were outstanding. Ben’s effort was relentless throughout and he fully embodied the spirit of never giving up. Special mention also to Chimdi, playing only his second game of rugby ever. He threw himself into the match with real bravery and worked extremely hard in both attack and defence, a brilliant effort and a performance he should be proud of.

As always, Luke led from the front as captain, encouraging and organising the team with maturity and composure. His leadership and attitude set an excellent example for the rest of the squad. Despite the challenge, Edge Grove showed real attacking intent and were rewarded with some excellent tries:

Sammy crossed the line with a well-earned try after strong involvement in open play. Riley also got on the scoresheet with a brilliant moment of determination. And a special highlight was Hridhaan, who absolutely stormed through the defence, an outstanding burst of pace and power that lifted the whole team.

Overall, whilst the result didn’t go our way, it was a performance full of heart. The boys can walk away with their heads held high knowing they gave everything for the team and that attitude is exactly what will drive improvement moving forward.

Well done to every single player who took part. Proud of the group.

Under 11 Touch Rugby v Orley Farm

The Edge Grove Touch Rugby Team kicked off their season this week with a spirited away fixture against Orley Farm. Setting up for their first competitive match of the year, the boys arrived with high levels of enthusiasm and a clear desire to put their training into practice.

The game began at a frantic pace. Orley Farm proved to be tricky opponents from the whistle, utilising clever footwork to weave through gaps in our line and secure an early lead. However, Edge Grove did not drop their heads. Aahil used his blistering speed to great effect, constantly putting the Orley Farm backline under pressure. He was supported brilliantly by Pranay, who led the team with mature tactical instruction, directing play and keeping the team focused.

Despite a series of further scores from the hosts, Arhaan provided a moment of inspiration, making a powerful burst through the heart of the defence to gain vital ground and shift the momentum back toward Edge Grove.

The match was physically demanding, and the conditions were far from easy. Garv, Aman, and Joshua all sustained minor injuries, yet they displayed incredible resilience by playing through the pain. Their determination helped keep the team organised and ensured that the defensive line remained intact during heavy periods of pressure.

Following the half-time break, the team showed great tactical adaptability. They worked tirelessly on tightening their defensive shape, moving from a reactive style to an effective man-marking system. This shift significantly stifled Orley Farm’s attacking options.

The highlight of the second half was a magnificent solo run from Avi, whose agility and pace had the opposition scrambling to catch him. While the boys were unable to capitalise on this pressure with a final score, the improvement in their structure was clear for all to see.

While the result went in favour of the hosts, this was a fantastic starting point for the season. The boys showed grit, tactical growth, and excellent sportsmanship.

Hello!

It’s been a very busy first week! 

We’ve had our first House Assembly of the year, preparing for our Lexathon. Mrs Broadis has been beavering away on preparation questions, planning an excellent intellectual competition. Try this one on for size:

Our Houses have also been tasked with choosing a House Charity to support. Remember, “it’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving” – Mother Teresa. Have a chat with your child about local charities and charities that mean something to you and your family.

Finally, our Houses were challenged to find the Five Hidden Truths in this following lecture. Can you spot them?

To start this lecture, I took a bag and I stuffed it full of every type of nut I could think of. Join me now, if you will, on a magical journey as I rummage through. What’s first? Ah, it’s a peanut. A peanut is a type of nut. I know over 1,000 facts about peanuts. For example, peanut butter rarely contains peanuts; rather, it is usually made from cashews. The cashew is another type of nut. Cashew nuts are technically mammals. When you make butter out of nuts, you call it nutter. The Dutch word for peanuts is mavoomnoes, which means “let’s go nuts”. The Dutch call peanut butter peanut cheese. In Roman times, the flower of the cashew nut was widely believed to be the cause of the common cold, and that is why, even now, we say cashew when we sneeze. What do we find next? A pistachio nut. A pistachio nut is a type of nut. Ireland’s climate is ideal for growing coconuts. Coconuts are another type of nut. In the olden days, some members of the Irish church believed that geese were actually nuts, which grew on trees. The walnut was invented by a Japanese nutcracker company in a bid to increase demand. Leonardo da Vinci once invented a horse-powered nutcracker, an early incarnation of The Supremes were called the Nutcrackers, and MC Hammer has a phobia of Nutcrackers. OK, on to the final nuts. Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are a type of nut and were named after former Ipswich Town striker and Talk Sport breakfast show host, Alan Brazil. Pine nuts are a type of nut named after jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine. Almonds are a type of nut and horse chestnuts are a type of nut. For the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, instead of using CGI, director Tim Burton trained 40 squirrels over ten months to open hazelnuts. And amazingly, the hazelnut is not actually a nut at all.

Both the Photo of the Week and Joke of the Week competitions are back underway, hopefully inspired by some of the photos of my Christmas holiday in assemblies.

This week’s photo comes from Luke in Hedgerows for this stunning snowy sunshine.: 10 House Points!

After inspecting the entries for this next competition, our Joke of the Week comes from Jemima in Sarnesfield for this ditty:

What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investi-gator!

That’s it for our first fun-filled week. Here’s to many more this term!

Mr Evans
Head of Houses
Director of Music
Mental Health Champion

Joke of the Week Entries

What’s the entrance to a magical door? A dumbell-dore.

Why did the child eat his homework? Their teacher said it was a piece of cake.

What should you do if you’re feeling cold? Stand in the corner, I hear it’s 90 degrees.

Why wasn’t the cactus invited to hangout with the mushrooms? Because he wasn’t a fungi.

Which building has the most amount of stories? The library!

What do you call a nervous jedi?  Panakin Skywalker.

Why did the old man fall in the well? Because he could not see that well.

Why did the tomato blush? Because he saw the salad dressing.

All the planets had a singing competition, who won? Bruno Mars.

Tooled Up Education wishes you a Happy New Year and warmly invites you to register for their upcoming January 2026 webinars:

Digital Risks and Harms Affecting Teens: Tips for Parents

REGISTER HERE: 22 January 2026, 19:30-20:30 GMT

Dr Kathy Weston explores the emerging challenges and risks facing teenagers as they navigate digital technology. She will discuss how to ensure teens use digital devices safely, build resilience to online pressures and how to stay connected with them so they are comfortable to seek support when things go wrong.

Early Signs of Eating Disorders: What Parents Need to Know

REGISTER HERE: 27 January 2026, 12:30-13:30 GMT

Clinical psychologist and specialist in eating disorders, Dr Anna Colton, will help parents to recognise early warning signs of eating disorders in children and young people, understand what might be driving these behaviours and feel more confident about what to do next. The session will offer clear, compassionate guidance on how to start conversations, when to seek support and how to respond in ways that protect both physical and emotional wellbeing.