This Week at Edge Grove

It was a pleasure to welcome so many parents on Monday evening and to share, alongside Mr Stanley, our vision for the future of the Junior Department at Edge Grove. We spoke about the importance of strong parent partnerships, our commitment to academic and pastoral excellence, and, most importantly, our dedication to celebrating each individual child as they build their foundations in education. My door is always open, and I would be delighted to meet with you individually to discuss the months and years ahead in more detail.

The sun has been shining, and it has been wonderful to see our pupils making the most of our spectacular outdoor spaces. Our Nursery children, in particular, have been fully embracing the outdoors as they develop their gross motor skills, with some impressive balancing skills on display!

Reception pupils were particularly keen to ‘take their maths learning on a picnic’. Whether they were sharing cake, biscuits, or strawberries, they did a fantastic job of dividing everything equally to ensure that everyone enjoyed a fair share. It was a wonderful, hands-on way to explore mathematical concepts in a real-world setting. 

We were delighted to welcome award-winning Chitra Soundar to Edge Grove for a virtual visit to our Year 1 pupils on Thursday. It is always lovely to meet authors through live sessions. Nikhil and Jay books are extremely popular short chapter books, each containing four stories, great for reading aloud and perfect for independent reading when confidence grows. Chitra has also just published a vibrant picture book called Happy Holi which is an exciting story celebrating this special festival. You can see a copy in the Junior Department foyer. Do take the opportunity to order Chitra’s books from Mrs Broadis at discounted prices using the order form below – deadline Sunday midnight.

Order Form

Year 2 impressed me with their outstanding comprehension skills, writing in full sentences as they made carefully considered predictions about The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark and confidently justified their answers using ‘because.’ It’s always a pleasure to look back through their books from the Autumn term; the progress they have made is outstanding!

On May 14th, Year 2 will meet Amy Atwater, palaeontologist and author of the newly released, The Fossil Keeper’s Treasure. Find the order form on the app so your child can get their own copy of this absolutely stunning book (RRP £16.99 – Edge Grove £13.50) signed by Amy on the day.

Wishing you all a restful long weekend. I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday morning as we embrace a week of ‘no screens.’ Can our wonderful Junior Department embrace the challenge at home too?

Mrs Wynne
Assistant Head (Junior Department)

Nursery

The children were very excited this week to receive a visit from a real firefighter! He spoke to them about what the role involves, and there were plenty of surprised faces when they learned that firefighters don’t just put out fires—they help in all sorts of ways to keep us safe. We even had the chance to try on some of the firefighter’s protective equipment. The children also asked some fantastic questions such as “Where does the water in the hose come from?” It was a fun and informative session that left everyone inspired.” 

In Maths, we have been learning comparative vocabulary such as “bigger,” “smaller,” and “taller,” and have enjoyed organising our toy fire engines by size. It has been wonderful to take our learning outdoors in the glorious sunshine—practising putting out pretend fires with water, driving our fire engines, and exploring what happens to water when it’s left outside. The children have thoroughly enjoyed their hands on exploring.

Reception

The clear highlight of our week was our trip to the zoo. We spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday quite literally beside ourselves with excitement. We drew pictures of animals we wanted to see, we created models of them and even read a story about a zoo vet. We, of course, continued to work hard with our phonics, writing and maths.We also discussed which animals might need to visit a vet and why. The pupils came up with a range of fascinating ideas. Using their phonics knowledge, they developed their own excellent sentences remembering the importance of capital letters, finger spaces and full stops. 

In maths we developed our understanding of ‘sharing equally.’ We used this as the perfect opportunity to prepare ourselves for the trip and shared our zoo animals equally with friends. Thursday came and the children came bouncing into the classroom ready to go. They had such tremendous fun on the trip.

We walked around the special dinosaur enclosure and let our imaginations run wild, picturing what life would be like if dinosaurs were roaming the Earth with us today. After enjoying our packed lunch together, we headed to the adventure playground. It was the perfect way to end our trip. After a full day of high energy, excitement, and sunshine, it’s no wonder that some of the children needed a nap on the bus ride home.

Year 1

We’ve made the most of the glorious weather this week, embracing plenty of outdoor learning opportunities.

In Science, we explored different animal groups and learned about what makes each one unique. Working as a team, we sorted the animals correctly and explained why we placed them into each group.

Maths this week has been all about time. The children have worked hard to identify and show o’clock and half past times. We look forward to seeing the children’s diaries which have been set for home learning.

Seaside artists have been our focus in art. The children enjoyed learning about the French artist, Henri-Edmond Cross and created their own copy of his most famous paintings depicting a seaside scene.

We enjoyed hearing from the author Nikhil and Jay, Chitra Soundar, on Thursday. She joined us for a live chat from her home in India. It was interesting to learn more about her Indian heritage and what inspired her to be a writer. We were so excited when she mentioned our school!

Well done for another busy week of learning, Year 1!

We look forward to No Screen Week next week. You’ve all received your challenge to see if you can extend this to home as well. Good luck, everyone—we can’t wait to hear how you get on!

Year 2 

The weather has been particularly lovely, and we are thrilled to be enjoying more of our lessons outside. With such perfect weather, we’re also excited to kick off our swimming lessons!

In Maths, we have been learning about the months of the year and the days of the week. This will help the children develop a better understanding of the passage of time and assist them in remembering important dates.

This term, we are introducing a new text, The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, and we’re certain it will quickly become a firm favourite with the children. This week, we’ve focused on developing the children’s comprehension skills, particularly in making inferences and predicting what might happen next. It’s been a fun and interactive way to enhance their reading abilities.

In topic, our exploration will take us to the different climates of the world. We’ll learn about what makes a climate hot or cold and the various ecosystems they support.

Dear Parents,

After the brevity of the three day week, last week, it was great to get back into the swing of things this week. The 4L children led this week’s assembly, and broke with typical assembly tradition and took all of the Middle Department children outside to play a rotation of team games. In an effort to offer others some outdoor play ideas, this active assembly was exactly what the children needed to give them inspiration for break time and lunch time play. Thank you 4L for hosting such a superb initiative; we await excitedly for 3C’s assembly on Monday 12th! 

It is also a delight to welcome Sahana (4W) into the 500 House Point Hall of Fame. It’s a growing club of superstars, and I am not surprised that Sahana is on her way to earning 600 HPs.

Wishing you a wonderful bank holiday weekend in advance of screen-free week, next week!

Mr Thorne
Assistant Head (Middle Department)

Mrs Fox writes…

It has been a short but super week, and 3W marched straight into our Roman topic. In both English and History, we have begun exploring the Romans through our engaging cross-curricular text, Revolt Against the Romans by Tony Bradman.

In Science, we have started investigating soil, and the class is looking forward to the exciting hands-on experiments planned for the coming weeks. In Computing, pupils have been developing their coding skills using Scratch, learning how to build lines of code and experiment with different graphics. I have been very impressed by their creativity and confidence — I am sure they will be showing me new shortcuts in no time!

It has also been wonderful to hear all about everyone’s Easter adventures. If children would like to bring something in for Show and Tell, they are very welcome to do so. Aari gave a fantastic presentation on the ammonite fossils he excavated from the Jurassic Coast — a brilliant start to the term!

Miss Corin writes…

Welcome back, I hope you all had a fantastic break and feel well rested. Although this week has been a short one, Class 3C has made a wonderful start on their new topics for this term. It has been delightful to see the children return from the break with a strong appetite for learning.

In English, we have begun reading Revolt Against the Romans by Tony Bradman. Although we have only completed one chapter thus far, it has sparked numerous questions from the children regarding what life was like during the Roman period. To deepen our understanding, we worked collaboratively in groups to explore various aspects of Roman life, fostering both critical thinking and teamwork skills.

The excitement among the children has been palpable, particularly with the return of lunchtime activities. Many were particularly enthusiastic about rejoining the gardening club with Mrs Green, eager to see the progress of the seeds planted prior to the break. It is heartening to witness their engagement with nature.

As we embark on this summer term, we are looking forward to a jam-packed schedule filled with exciting activities and events that will further enhance the children’s learning experience.

Miss Corin writes…

It has been a shining week of learning in 3C. Our class has continued to delve into the fascinating history of the Romans and their conquest of Britain. The students have engaged with the material enthusiastically, exploring the various aspects of Roman life and its impact on our heritage.

Additionally, we were fortunate to conduct an exciting science experiment in the Science laboratories. The children had a wonderful time investigating soil permeability, with a focus on clay, sand, and chalk. They eagerly observed the varying capacities of these soil types to retain water, which sparked vibrant discussions and deepened their understanding of environmental science.

Moreover, in our Theology, Philosophy, and Religion (TPR) sessions, we have embarked on an exploration of Hinduism. We are particularly privileged to have three knowledgeable pupils in our class – Keshav, Reyansh, and Riyan – who generously shared their insights and experiences regarding this intricate religion. Their contributions enriched our learning environment, and the class listened to the stories and practices associated with Hinduism. Well done to the boys for their excellent presentation!

Looking ahead, I am eager for our upcoming ‘screen-free’ week in 3C, which promises to be an enriching experience for all. I wish you all a restful and enjoyable bank holiday.

Mrs Warnes writes…

‘Mrs Warnes, it is our last term in Year 4!’ 

As we embark on the final term of our Year 4 journey, excitement abounds in Mrs Warnes’ class! The first day back was filled with energy, as 4W realised just how close they are to becoming Year 5 pupils. I have been thoroughly impressed by their exemplary behaviour and positive learning attitudes this week; indeed, their eagerness to participate, along with the thoughtful questions and answers they offered, reflects the mindset expected of Year 5 students.

Last term, all Year 4 learners have been creatively inspired by the enchanting book “Tell Me a Dragon” by Jackie Morris. In response, they crafted their own captivating dragon-inspired poems. We celebrated their creativity by binding these works into individual books for each child.

I have been in contact with Jackie Morris, who was not only impressed with our poems but also requested a copy of our Year 4 book. To add to the excitement, she sent us a lovely postcard! And during the Easter holiday, Mrs Broadis met Jackie Morris, who mentioned that she was already aware of our talented Year 4 writers. How wonderful it is to receive such encouragement from an established author!

Mrs Fox writes…

3W have had a fantastic week enjoying the glorious sunshine. In Science, we explored soil samples and their permeability, heading into the science labs to conduct our own experiments. The children discussed the importance of accuracy and safety, recorded their results carefully, and compared them to their predictions. We certainly have some budding scientists in our midst!

In History and English, the children have continued to deepen their understanding of the impact Ancient Rome had on Britain. I have been incredibly impressed with their ability to recall key facts and historical figures with confidence.

Next week, we are looking forward to taking part in Screen Free Week. Do check in their diaries for the Screen Free Week Challenge (which will be stuck in on Tuesday).

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Pupil highlights

Emma: In DT we are making characters in our cards that move.

Eli: Coding is really fun in computing!

Mrs Senghani writes…

3S have been extremely busy this week with getting back into full week routines, and diving straight into a science experiment. We visited the science lab to investigate different soil samples, and its properties. The students were fascinated by the differences between the 3 soil samples, and how their properties are so different. Thiago was fascinated by how different the clay soil was to the other two samples, and how it crumbled at his fingertips. 

In English and history we continued learning more about the Romans and life in Britain for them. Arjun was engrossed in conversations linked to warrior fights and their weapons and armour as they looked cool.

Next week, the students and teachers will be taking part in Screen-Free-Week, and we are all looking forward to it. We have been getting creative with our lesson plans and resources, and look forward to teaching in a different way next week.

Have a lovely long bank holiday weekend!

Year 4 writes…

We have had an incredible week in Year 4! The excitement in 4L was palpable as the children proudly showcased the new equipment during playtime, demonstrating not only their skills but also the importance of playing nicely with their peers. Have you had the chance to join in on a lively game of Squeak, Piggy, Squeak, or perhaps ventured into the playful world of Lions? The enthusiasm was infectious!

Thanks to the glorious weather, we have taken our learning outdoors, allowing for a truly hands-on experience. During our explorations around Edge Grove, we diligently observed various natural habitats, including enchanting woodlands, intriguing microhabitats, vast grasslands, and vibrant gardens. Each discovery sparked meaningful discussions among the children as they shared their observations and insights. Bella (4F), drew a detailed picture of the living things and habitats at Edge Grove. Sahana(4W) explained eloquently about how we can classify ‘a living thing’. Mrs Warnes’ maths groups have worked collaboratively to solve problems involving time. It was great to see Beth (4L) take an active role in supporting others, demonstrating her understanding of the topic.

In Maths, we have been diving deep into the concept of time, focusing on the calendar and learning how to read minutes, hours, and days with great confidence. The discussions have encouraged the children to think about how they manage their time both in school and at home. Meanwhile, in English, our ongoing exploration of Varjak Paw has ignited creativity, leading to some outstanding descriptive writing, particularly around the concept of a helicopter—imaginative and detailed descriptions flowed from the children’s pens.

This week, the children have relished a variety of activities: Wolf and Kwabena were captivated by the assembly, while Ava found joy in creating an animal pencil pot during DT. Raphy thoroughly enjoyed basking in the sunshine during break time, and Daniel showcased his vocal talents while singing in the Year 4 Band, led by Mrs Futerill. Each child has brought their unique interests and joys to the classroom, contributing to a lively and engaging week for all!

Mrs Toniolo writes…

It’s been an action-packed week in Year 5, full of memorable moments both in the classroom and beyond.

Here are just a few of our highlights:

In French, we’ve been working on something special—a video showcasing all the wonderful things in our school grounds. The children are excited to share their favourite places and features, all narrated in French. Watch this space!

Luke shared his thoughts on this week’s science lesson: “In science, we did a practical where we saw substances dissolve, float or sink.” The class thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with different materials and making predictions about their properties.

We also celebrated success on the cricket field! Ariya was thrilled with her team’s performance in this week’s match, and Jasmine added: “We got a lot of sixes and fours and tried to make the most of every bowl. We all did amazing bowling and were just 1 millimetre away from a strike!” A huge well done to everyone who took part—you played with great enthusiasm and teamwork.

As part of our Our World discussions, Harry brought in an eye-opening news story: “This week, M&S got hacked by a user. The impact has been massive – they have had to close their website and suspend online services, including card use at the tills.” This led to a thoughtful class conversation about cybersecurity and the importance of staying safe online – even in everyday situations.

Mr Russell writes…

5R have settled back into the routines of the Summer Term with enthusiasm, and it’s been a pleasure to see their engagement across various subjects.

Our Topic Tuesday this week saw us celebrating National Parkour Day! The children were fascinated by the informative videos we watched, showcasing the skill and athleticism involved in this activity. The highlight of the session was a fiercely competitive table vs table quiz, with congratulations going to the Rajasthan Royals table for their impressive victory!

For TED Ed Thursday, our focus shifted to the vital importance of water for our bodies. This was a particularly timely discussion given the glorious, sunny weather we’ve been enjoying, perfect for cricket! The children demonstrated a good understanding of the benefits of staying hydrated.

The cricket season has started with a bang! We have had some very close and exciting matches. Sami was particularly thrilled to have taken a wicket with his bowling! Hunter also enjoyed playing a key role in securing a significant 58-run victory against Manor Lodge – a brilliant team effort, well done boys!

In Science, Lucy and Ayomipo have been thoroughly engaged in some practical investigations. They particularly enjoyed testing the solubility of different materials in water, making predictions and observing the results first-hand.

Tommy discovered a new passion in his Computing lesson this week, enthusiastically exploring the design platform Canva. It was wonderful to see his curiosity and creativity sparked by this digital tool.

Enjoy the long weekend.

Mrs Allen writes…

This week, I hand over to some of the pupils of 5A to inform you about their week at Edge Grove! Enjoy the long (hopefully sunny!) weekend.

Olivia: This week I have enjoyed my High School Musical rehearsals! It was incredible seeing the set for the first time! 

Chenlang: This week, I have enjoyed going outside in my Maths lesson on Thursday. Normally, we sit inside doing our learning, but not on Thursday! We made the most out of the sunshine!

Garv: This week, I particularly enjoyed the match on Wednesday, even though we lost. It was just the excitement that made the game a brilliant experience. I learnt to support the team and keep the positive atmosphere going!

Kaiya: This week I have enjoyed learning in English with Mr Thorne and my High School Musical rehearsals!

Aarin: This week we learned about confidence; I am sure my confidence has shot out the roof! In English we were reading The Hobbit. That book is a brilliant, classical book which is fantasy and we got to make our own hobbits. We did a scavenger hunt in Maths which was so fun but hard. We had to find two trees exactly 5 meters apart. Hard, right!

Amber: This week, I enjoyed the very hot weather during our matches! I also enjoyed art, it was so fun!

Aman: This week I have enjoyed writing my letter to Tom Percivel in English.

I also have enjoyed going outside with the rest of year five to do a treasure hunt in Maths.

Lyra: This week I have enjoyed going to matches with my friends. I love playing cricket in the sunshine and watching the ball fly through the air.

Freya: This week, I have enjoyed the hot weather during the matches! I have also enjoyed playing with my friends at break!

Aria: This week I have enjoyed High School musical rehearsals and my cricket match. They were both really fun and interesting.

Jack: On Wednesday the C team won their cricket match against Manor Lodge 103-45. We ran someone out once and bowled them out twice! In English we wrote to Mr Percival and I can’t wait to send my letter to him!

Maths:

This week members of Year 7, 8 and top set Year 6 have been sitting the annual Junior Maths Challenge. This national competition involves 25 problem-solving questions in an hour long paper with the highest scorers going through to the national final later this term. The Junior Maths Challenge follows on from last term’s Intermediate Maths Challenge which is aimed at Year 11s and taken by top set Year 8. Out of 8 pupils four gained gold (Timi, Robert, Samuel and Imeth) and these boys went through to the national final.

Science:

A group of Year 6 pupils participated in a STEM Challenge hosted by Haileybury School on Thursday, where we had the chance to showcase our teamwork, innovation, and science skills against eight other Prep schools. We are thrilled to be recognised and praised for our problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and creativity by the Haileybury Head of Science, and we received a medal and a certificate to celebrate our accomplishment. It was a challenging yet exhilarating day, and we all enjoyed the event, returning to our school enriched with valuable experience.

The Haileybury STEM Challenge is an annual event that brings together pupils from multiple schools to compete in STEM-related challenges, such as the “egg drop”, where teams use air resistance to protect eggs from falling, robot programming, and “Mars water” filtering.

Link Forms:

The ‘link forms’ initiative, which began last term, is proving to be a valuable way for Senior and Junior Department forms to connect. This week, my Year 6 form enjoyed a rewarding visit to Miss Gold’s Year 1 class during Tuesday form time. The interaction through games allowed the pupils to get to know each other, and our Year 6 students were able to share their experiences of Edge Grove, some spanning seven years, with the younger children.

Miss O’Sullivan

High School Musical Jr

11 days to go!

Wow, what an incredible week we’ve had in rehearsals!

The installation of the High School Musical set has taken the excitement to a whole new level. I genuinely believe this could be our biggest and best production yet. Seeing the cast’s faces when they first saw the set was absolutely priceless.

With less than two weeks to go, we’ve definitely got our Head in the Game!

EdgeFest

As part of the 90th Birthday Celebrations of the school, the Friends of Edge Grove are putting together a fantastic weekend of fun, games, shopping and camping!  On Saturday 7th June, the Summer Fair will be held at the school, followed by an evening of camping on the Colts Lawn.  As part of this, the Music Department is currently securing musical acts, some who will be very familiar to you, to perform in the marquee (and bar!) on the front lawn.  It’s going to be a very exciting weekend!

We’ve had a brilliant week in the Sports Department!

Both children and staff have made the most of the warmer weather, with swimming taking place during all PE lessons. In Games, our U12 and U13 cricket teams have progressed to the next stage of the County Cups—congratulations to them! The U10 and U11 girls’ cricket teams also had fantastic wins against Manor Lodge, and we were excited to attend our first Year 4 mixed cricket match of the season against Kingshott. 

Thank you also to Mr Craxton and Mr McManus who organised the IAPS Table Tennis Finals here at Edge Grove last weekend. You can read their report in the Match Reports section below.

Next week is Screen Free Week at school, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the children fully immerse themselves in the activities on offer. Be sure to check out our @edgegrovesport Instagram page, where we’ll be sharing fun screen-free challenges the children can take part in, both indoors and outdoors.

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend!

Saturday 26th April

IAPS National Table Tennis Finals

On Saturday 26 April Edge Grove hosted the IAPS Prep Schools National Table Tennis finals. Edge Grove has been hosting this competition since 2016 and it has grown from strength to strength with 156 boys and girls from 24 different schools taking part. There was an U11 event in the morning and an U13 event in the afternoon and the quality of table tennis on display was the best it has been with many outstanding players.

We had 5 girls entered in the U11 age group with Sienna and Lucy Both finishing third in their group with Freya, Anna and Eva fourth in their group. Freya, Anna, Eva and Lucy all winning their play-off matches. 

In the U11 boys special mention goes to Tyler who filled in at the last minute and won all three of his pool matches to finish first in his group. He narrowly lost his play-off match 14 – 16 in the final set. We also had Aksh, Ayush, Alex, Niam and Syon taking part with Ayush excelling by winning his group and making it all the way to the quarter finals. Aksh was third in his group and Niam, Alex and Syon fourth.

In the U13 boys Matt, Isaac and Timi all finished second in their group with Kaelan winning his group, winning his pay-off match and making it to the last 16 where he lost 13 – 15 in the final set. A great effort by all the Edge Grove players.

Thank you to Mr Craxton and Mr McManus for all their hard work in making this competition such a success. 

Monday 28th April

U11 Mixed Netball Tournament

On Monday afternoon, 8 Year 6 pupils took part in the annual York House Mixed Netball Tournament. It was a fantastic afternoon in the sunshine, with Ollie M and Sienna managing to score an impressive number of goals. Our movement around the netball court was precise, allowing the ball to transition smoothly to our attacking end. It was great to see how the pupils’ basketball skills transitioned so effectively into netball. Well done to all the pupils who took part! 

Wednesday 30th April

Edge Grove Colts B vs Manor Lodge

Edge Grove 269
Manor Lodge 283

On a fine summer’s day, the Colts B team from Edge Grove took on a strong Manor Lodge side in what proved to be an exciting and closely contested cricket match.

Edge Grove bowled first and faced a formidable Manor Lodge batting line-up. Despite the strength of the opposition, Edge Grove’s bowlers showed great discipline and teamwork to restrict Manor Lodge to a competitive total of 283. Standout performances with the ball came from Syon, Nathaniel, Cooper, and Josh, all of whom bowled with control and purpose, picking up key wickets and keeping the run rate in check.

In response, Edge Grove got off to a promising start in their chase. Atlas led the charge with a spirited innings, striking two impressive sixes to set the tone. He was well-supported by Isaac, Ved, and Aydin, who all made valuable contributions with the bat, keeping Edge Grove in the hunt throughout the innings.

However, despite the determined effort and some thrilling moments, Edge Grove ultimately fell just short of their target, finishing 14 runs behind. It was a valiant chase filled with skill and determination from the entire team. Special mention also goes to Syon for fantastic leadership throughout.

Well done to all players for a fantastic afternoon of cricket played in great spirit and under perfect summer skies!

Edge Grove U11A Girls vs Manor Lodge U11A

Edge Grove 292-233 Manor Lodge

The Under-11A Girls Cricket Team kicked off their season in style with a commanding win over Manor Lodge, beating Manor Lodge by 59 runs with a score of 292 runs to 233 in a high-energy match filled with fantastic performances.

Edge Grove shone with the bat, delivering a dominant display that left the opposition chasing. Edge Grove won the toss and chose to field first. Keavy led the charge with an explosive 47 runs, including six 6s and a 4, while Kirsten added an impressive 32 with three 6s and two 4s. Freya (27), Ruelle (22), Eva (21), Prithvika (14), Sienna (14), and Sophie (9) all contributed valuable runs, showcasing depth and confidence throughout the batting order. 

Keavy scored 47 runs with six 6’s and one 4

Kirsten scored 32 runs with three 6’s and two 4’s, 

Freya scored 27 runs with one 6 and four 4’s, 

Ruelle scored 22 runs with three 4’s, 

Eva scored 21 runs with two 6’s 

Prithvika scored 14 runs with one 4, 

Sienna scored 14 runs with one 4 

Sophie scored 9 runs with one 6 and one 4  

The girls also bowled with consistency and determination, with every player contributing to a disciplined bowling effort. Despite missing seven catching opportunities, Edge Grove maintained pressure and kept Manor Lodge from closing the gap.

Manor Lodge batted smartly, finding gaps and running well between the wickets, but it wasn’t enough to match Edge Grove’s batting brilliance.

A fantastic team effort and a great start to the season—well done, girls!

Edge Grove U11B Girls vs Manor Lodge U11B

What a beautiful way to start the cricket season with the sun shining and clear blue skies. We were put into field first and the girls did incredibly well. Caoimhe opened our bowling and after a brilliant hit from the opposition Caoimhe’s first ball was hit for a 4, however she did not let this throw her, she continued to focus and bowled 3 dot balls, and only gave off 2 other singles. Abbie Z followed with a brilliant over with only 6 runs conceded. The girls continued to work hard in the field with brilliant overs from Tilly, only going for 3 runs and getting a wicket and Anna giving away 4 runs, and also conceding a wicket. Manor Lodge scored a total of 264 runs and the girls were excited with the challenge ahead.

Anna and Tilly opened the batting and scored an incredible 28 runs in 2 overs with 3 4’s from both the girls. Abbie and Sara came in as the 2nd batting pair, and also did really well scoring 13 runs, however were unfortunate to both get out whilst trying to rotate the strike. Orly and Caoimhe had a brilliant 2 overs, scoring 20 runs. Naya and Abigail came in as the final batting pair needing 15 runs to win in 2 overs, they worked incredibly hard looking for all opportunities to score, and did really well scoring 17 of the 2 overs giving the girls a brilliant win to start the cricket season.

A huge shout out to Caoimhe for getting most valuable player from Manor Lodge, and Tilly and Anna for coaches most valuable player. 

Edge Grove U10A Girls vs Manor Lodge U11B

Edge Grove 343 vs 252 Manor Lodge

It was a fantastic afternoon of cricket for our U10A team. We opened the field with Ayomipo as our first bowler. She set the tone with a strong first over—just two wides and no runs conceded. This great start carried on throughout the match, with Lyra bowling exceptionally well, conceding only one run in her first over and taking a wicket in her third.

Manor Lodge ended their innings with a respectable 252.

When it was our turn to bat, the team stepped up brilliantly. Edith led the charge with an outstanding performance, hitting four sixes, while Jasmin wasn’t far behind, striking three well-timed fours. We wrapped up our innings with a fantastic total of 343.

A great team effort all around, and I’m excited to see how this talented group continues to develop over the season!

U10 D Edge Grove 294 – 247 Heath Mount

A great start to the season of cricket played by the U10D team. All girls showed good focus and determination throughout the game and were able to develop their batting, bowling and fielding skills. All players worked brilliantly as a team, thinking about their bowling technique and where to hit the ball to get the most runs. Both teams played really well and demonstrated excellent sportsmanship. Well done to all players, a positive start to the season.

Colts A vs Manor Lodge

Manor Lodge 64 for 7

Edge Grove 52 for 9

This match was a pairs game played with an incrediball which has a very different bounce that our players were not really used to. We did adapt with our bowling and fielding and Henry, Christopher, Rafael and Elliott all taking wickets with Christopher taking a good catch and Oliver and Tyler combining for a good run out. It was the batting that we struggled to adapt to with the high bounce and we were not able to score enough runs. It was a good learning experience and we look forward to our first hardball match of the season next week. 

U12 County Cricket Plate ( Round One ) – Edge Grove vs St Edmund’s College

In sweltering conditions, Edge Grove faced St Edmund’s College in the U12 County Plate competition. After losing the toss, we were put into bat first under a blazing sun.

Daniel and Isaac opened the batting and saw off the new ball with great composure. Daniel was eventually dismissed by an excellent delivery, but Isaac continued to anchor the innings alongside Noah, who supported him well. Isaac top-scored with a determined 25 runs before Noah fell to a well-judged catch at mid-on from a lofted drive.

Max entered the crease and started strongly, batting with confidence and control. He was followed by Eashan, who announced his arrival with a stunning straight drive over the bowler’s head for four. Late contributions from Freddie, Thomas, and Ayaan helped push Edge Grove’s total to a competitive 109 runs.

With a solid total on the board, our focus turned to bowling and fielding. Niam opened the bowling and, despite a tricky first over, settled his rhythm to bowl a tight second over, conceding only 2 runs. Freddie struck early with a clean bowled dismissal, while Max maintained a disciplined line and length, making scoring difficult and taking a deserved wicket with a deceptive delivery.

The turning point came with Thomas, who changed the course of the game with an outstanding spell of bowling. He struck in his first over and then claimed two more wickets in his second, finishing with superb figures of 4 wickets for 8 runs in a well-earned Man of the Match performance.

Captain Noah led by example, bowling three exceptionally tight overs and claiming 2 wickets for just 3 runs. Matt, and Ayaan ensured the pressure never eased on St Edmund’s.

Our fielding was a highlight, with Isaac taking an extraordinary catch that seemed to loop beyond his reach, and Noah adding a smart tumbling catch. Matt and Freddie were particularly sharp on the boundary, cutting off runs and applying constant pressure. Grayson and Ayaan also worked hard and all of the bowlers fielded well off their own bowling.

In the end, our bowlers dismissed St Edmund’s College for 72 runs, sealing a well-deserved victory for Edge Grove. It was a fantastic all-round team performance and a great start to the County Plate campaign.

Thursday 1st May

U8 Mrs Emms’ team
Edge Grove 40 – 38 Westbrook Hay

It was a fantastic afternoon of cricket for our youngest match day players on Thursday, as we travelled to Westbrook Hay to play a game of diamond cricket. Despite the heat, the team showed great energy and focus throughout the match.

We started the game fielding and were very pleased with our strong, accurate passing – a key factor in keeping the opposition’s runs to a minimum. When it was our turn to bat, the team performed brilliantly. Leah and Toyosi stood out with their excellent communication and smart calls, helping the team rack up a series of well-earned single runs.

Thanks to a collective team effort, we came away with a well-deserved win. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the girls continue to develop over the term.

U8 Miss Evans Team 

Edge Grove 61-77 Westbrook Hay

Edge Grove U8s played their first cricket match of the season against Westbrook Hay in an exciting game of Diamond Cricket. The team showed excellent communication throughout the match, particularly with strong running between the wickets that helped them keep the scoreboard ticking.

In the field, Edge Grove worked well as a team and put in a good performance. However, Westbrook Hay found gaps and managed to hit multiple 4s, which ultimately proved to be the difference and helped them to victory.

Shreya had an outstanding all-round game, impressing both in the field and with the bat. Bella and Eila stood out in the batting innings, each scoring a 4 — the only boundaries for Edge Grove.

It was a promising start to the season with many positives to build on for the next match.

U8 Mr McManus vs Westbrook Hay

Edge Grove 98 for 1
Westbrook Hay 65 for 5
Edge Grove won by 53 runs

I was incredibly impressed by this entire team and the boys should be very proud of their achievements. We only lost 1 wicket in our entire innings and hit many boundaries with Niam top scoring with 20 runs. Our bowling and fielding was equally good with all the boys bowling with great accuracy. Ari S was the pick of the bowlers taking 3 wickets without conceding a run. Danny and Matthew also took a wicket and Danny took an amazing catch. Veer and Arav were unplayable with their leg spin bowling and Neevan and James bowled extremely well too. Well done all.

U9A Mixed Pairs Cricket

Edge Grove vs Kingshott
Edge Grove 42 – Kingshott 20

Edge Grove U9A produced a strong all-round performance to secure an impressive win over Kingshott in a mixed pairs cricket fixture.

Batting first, Edge Grove got off to a flying start with Harry and Rafi K opening the innings. Despite needing to adjust to a high-bouncing ball early on, the pair responded superbly, hitting multiple boundaries and amassing an outstanding 26 runs from their two overs – the highest partnership of the match across both teams.

Next in were Bella and Beth, who continued the momentum with some excellent running between the wickets. The highlight of the innings came when Bella struck a massive six over square leg, followed shortly by a lovely boundary four – a real standout moment.

Alice and Seb faced some top-quality bowling in their partnership but remained composed to add a valuable 7 runs to the total. The final pair, Rayan and Juan, also took a few balls to adjust to the bounce but ran intelligently and applied pressure on the fielding side, contributing a further 8 runs.

Edge Grove closed their innings on a solid 42 runs from 8 overs.

Kingshott began their innings with intent, scoring 20 runs in their opening partnership and putting Edge Grove on the back foot. However, the response from the Edge Grove bowlers was nothing short of superb. Bella bowled with accuracy and control to steady things, while Beth followed with tidy and consistent deliveries.

Rafi was in exceptional form, bowling with pace and movement to take multiple wickets, and Harry supported brilliantly with his crafty spin, also claiming several wickets. In the field, Rayan was relentless – backing up throws and keeping the pressure firmly on the opposition. Juan adjusted his length well and proved difficult to score off, while Seb supported effectively in both bowling and fielding duties.

Alice was handed the final over and delivered it with real composure and tactical awareness, cleverly using her angles to restrict scoring.

In the end, Kingshott were held to just 20 runs, meaning Edge Grove emerged as clear winners with a 22-run margin – a testament to excellent teamwork, resilience, and skill.

A fantastic team performance all round – well done to all the players!

U9B Mixed Cricket

Edge Grove vs Kingshott
Edge Grove 278 – Kingshott 245

On a scorching afternoon, the U9B team from Edge Grove took to the field against Kingshott in a spirited and well-contested match full of energy, enthusiasm, and developing talent.

Batting Highlights:
Edge Grove put in a strong performance with the bat, showcasing excellent teamwork and technique. Leading the charge were Daniel and Raphy, who both anchored the innings confidently, finding the gaps and notably hitting some huge sixes! Tulsi was also particularly impressive with her shot selection and footwork, while Sansiya brought flair and good decision making to the crease. The team finished with 278 runs, a challenging target for Kingshott to chase down.

Bowling Brilliance:
Edge Grove were then equally sharp with the ball. Teddy led the attack with precision, troubling the opposition batters with his accuracy. Wolf bowled with good pace and rhythm, picking up key wickets at crucial moments. Lily impressed with her consistency and control, while Monty wrapped things up with a tidy spell that secured the victory.

Overall, it was a fantastic team effort by Edge Grove, with every player contributing to a competitive and enjoyable match. The players showed great sportsmanship, resilience, and continued development—a very encouraging sign for the rest of the season.

U9C Mixed Cricket

Edge Grove vs Kingshott
Edge Grove 254 – Kingshott 238

On a sweltering afternoon, Edge Grove U9C made the trip to face Kingshott in what proved to be a competitive and enjoyable game of cricket, full of lessons and opportunity for the team to demonstrate what they had practiced.

Batting Highlights:
Edge Grove put together a solid batting display, with several players stepping up to deliver key performances. Iyanu was composed with her stroke play and excellent running between the wickets. Sienna brought great energy to the crease, rotating the strike cleverly and finding gaps in the field. Jola, who also captained the side brilliantly, added stability to the innings with a calm and controlled performance. Krishna displayed fine technique to regularly find the fence, while Kwabena contributed some valuable late runs with positive striking and quick decision-making.

Bowling and Fielding:
With the ball, Edge Grove were equally impressive. Wyatt bowled with accuracy, setting the tone early. Alexa and Ava maintained pressure through tight spells, with both players showing excellent control and awareness. Kevin rounded off the bowling effort with a lively performance, picking up key wickets and helping to restrict the Kingshott batters.

Captaincy and Team Spirit:
The team was expertly led by Jola, whose leadership on the field helped maintain focus and encouragement in tough conditions.

Overall, well done to everyone for a fantastic effort and we look forward to the season ahead!

U9D Mixed Cricket Match Report
Edge Grove vs Kingshott 

Edge Grove 220 – Kingshott 243

On a beautiful afternoon for cricket, the Edge Grove U9D mixed team enjoyed a fun and competitive match against Kingshott, full of energy, sportsmanship, and team spirit.

In the field, Liliana impressed with her awareness and discipline, holding her position on the boundary to prevent Kingshott from finding gaps. Sahana led the fielding effort with outstanding enthusiasm and drive, setting the tone for the team with her energy and sharp reactions.

Oscar brought positivity to the game, playing with focus and enjoyment, always with a smile on his face. Hamza had an excellent afternoon, contributing with confidence and showing great enjoyment in all aspects of the game.

With the bat, Tamsin showed real grit and determination in her innings, playing with focus and resilience. Izzy supported her teammates well and played positively, contributing both on and off the field with encouragement and team spirit. Laasya stood out for her energetic approach, giving her all and demonstrating strong determination throughout.

Alexander was a steady presence for Edge Grove, showing maturity and freedom in his play, expressing himself with the bat and ball, and contributing strongly throughout the match.

Although Kingshott edged the result, winning 243 to 220, the match was a fantastic display of mixed cricket, teamwork, and enjoyment from both sides. Every child should be proud of their performance – well played, Edge Grove!

Edge Grove U9E v Kingshott U9E

What an afternoon for the start of cricket season, with the sun shining and the students smiling. This week we played mixed paired cricket and they had a great time. Edge Grove were put to bat with Torin and Leila opening, once again doing a great job with the bat this time. They both worked extremely well communicating between the wickets with great singles, followed by a 4 from them both. Dennis and Adam had a great time batting, however not so successful with the runs scored, but giving it their best efforts for their team. Alice B gave batting a great go, and managed to hit the ball consistently. Torin and Isabella came in for the final 2 overs scoring a brilliant 20 runs from 12 balls. The pair were ready and up for the challenge. They kept rotating the strike, taking singles where they came, as well as taking advantage of the more sloppy bowls. They communicated so well between the wickets. They both hit 4’s and Torin managed to hit a 6. 

Kingshott were chasing a brilliant 249 with Torin opening the bowling taking 3 wickets in his first over. Adam had 2 direct hit run outs, showing his strength in the field, which gave the team a great start with the ball. Isabella also demonstrated some great bowling and fielding skills with a clean bowl in her over. The team work with the support of Adam in the field was brilliant and positive. 

Edge Grove restricted Kingshott to 183, A great win to start the season, keep up the brilliant work.

Hi-de-hi!

In a peculiar turn of events, after the rain I experienced when writing last week’s newsletter, I now found myself covered in suncream with a strong desire to dive into the Edge Grove pool every chance I get!  I’ve managed to restrain myself so far, but it’s only a matter of time.

We’re getting back into the swing of things at the moment, but it won’t be long until the House competitions start.  In preparation, our House Assembly next week will be an opportunity to boost our teamwork skills and get ready for Sports Day.  The House Spirit will run rampant once again.

Due to popular demand (literally no-one asked me to do this but I thought it was a good idea, and I’d like to think I’m reasonably popular) I’m going to be running a joke of the week competition through this newsletter and Google Classroom so even our parents can get involved.  I’ll start off this week, but from next week I hope to select the best joke from amongst the entries on this Google Form.

https://forms.gle/mXbVkZ5zVkLiQ6fJA 

House points will be given to pupils and parents for entries, and the best joke will receive 10 House Points!

Here is my Joke of the Week…

A man gets shipwrecked.
When he wakes up, he’s on a beach.
The sand is purple.
The sky is purple.
He walks around a bit and sees that there is purple grass, purple birds and purple fruit on the purple trees.
He’s shocked when he finds that his skin is starting to turn purple too.
“Oh no!!” he says, “I think I’ve been marooned!!”

Until next week!

Mr Evans
Head of Houses
Director of Music
School Jester

As our Year 6 pupils move into the final phases of their chosen senior schools’ admissions processes, parents with pupils in lower year groups may be starting to think more about the journey that they and their child will be embarking on in the not too distant future. If your child is in Year 5 or below and you would like to meet to discuss their academic profile and next steps, please book an appointment via Mrs Thomas, Head’s PA on futureschools@edgegrove.com 

The Future Schools Presentation to Parents is now available to view on the Future School Documents section of the app.

INFORMATION FROM SENIOR SCHOOLS

ABINGDON SCHOOL

Abingdon Senior School will start to welcome girls to our First Year (Year 7) and Sixth Form from September 2026. We will therefore welcome girls at the 13+ stage in 2028.  

We have a number of events for prospective families running throughout the course of this term and next – all of which can be booked online via this link.

ABBOT’S HILL SCHOOL

13+ Scholarship Opportunities

We have recently launched some new Scholarship opportunities. Scholarships will be available in the following areas:

Sport
Music
Drama
Art+Design

Enquiries to  https://www.abbotshill.herts.sch.uk/scholarships/ or email admissions@abbotshill.herts.sch.uk

AMPLEFORTH COLLEGE

Our next Open Morning is on Saturday 10th May 2025 10am – 1:30pm. Registration for this event can be found here.

BISHOPS STORTFORD COLLEGE

Whole School Open Event – Saturday 20th September

11+ entry in September 2026. 

Application Deadline for entry to the College in September 2026: 

Monday 3 November 2025

Scholarship Assessment Days:

Tuesday 11 November 2025 (11+ art and music) 

Wednesday 12 November 2025 (11+ sport)

11+ Entry Testing Day:  

Saturday 15 November 2025

Outcomes sent to parents:

Friday 28 November 2025

CHANNING SCHOOL

Summer Term “school-in-action” Open Mornings – Attendance is by booking tickets in advance, at the following links:

Thursday 24 April (9am – 11am)

Tuesday 24 June (9am – 11am)

Here are the Channing 11+ (2026) key dates for your diary:

11+ Application Deadline: Friday 7 November 2025

Bursary and Music Scholarship Application Deadline: Friday 7 November 2025

Channing offers both bursaries and Scholarships for Year 7.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at admissions@channing.co.uk if we can be of further assistance.

CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

11+ Admissions Brochure

 For more information and to book, visit www.clsg.org.uk

HAILEYBURY

We are always happy to welcome any interested families to come and visit us; this can be done in a number of ways:

• Families can book onto one of our Open Events. Please encourage prospective families to book their place via the School’s website. 
• Contact the Admissions department (admissions7to9@haileybury.com / 01992 706353 ) to arrange an individual family visit during term time.

Once a family has decided to proceed with an application to Haileybury, we encourage them to register with us by completing our online Registration Form.

JOHN LYON SCHOOL

Admissions Brochure

To book a School in Action Open Morning please contact admissions@johnlyon.org

KING’S CANTERBURY

Open Morning Saturday 17 May

There will be displays and exhibitions of life at King’s all around the school.

The link to sign up is:

https://www.kings-school.co.uk/admissions/senior-kings/register-for-an-open-morning/

THE LEYS

Information on small group visits can be found here and, in addition, we’re always pleased to discuss the possibility of a private visit with families too.

LONDON 11+ CONSORTIUM

Information regarding the Consortium can be found on our website.

These are the key dates:

Closing date for registrations: Friday 7 November 2025

Consortium Assessment dates: Friday 28 November, Tuesday 2 December and Thursday 4

December 2025

Offer date: Friday 13 February 2026

Deadline to accept: Wednesday 4 March 2026 – 12 noon

MILL HILL

Visit Our School | Senior Admissions North London | Mill Hill

MILL HILL COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

APTITUDE TEST DATES FOR YEAR 7 ENTRY FROM SEPTEMBER 2026

Registrations for Aptitude Tests will open on Friday 21st March 2025 and close at 3pm on Friday 9th May 2025. Registrations for Aptitude Tests are to be made online via the Mill Hill County High School website

https://www.mhchs.org.uk/1763/apply-for-aptitude-tests-4

QUEENSWOOD 

We are holding our final Open Morning of this academic year on Saturday 10 May. Please use this  booking link.

Families will have the chance to tour Queenswood, hear from our Principal, meet pupils and staff, ask any admissions questions and take part in lots of fun educational activities. Of course, no visit to ‘Q’ would be complete without sampling our legendary food – brunch will be served in the Dining Room from 11.30am.

RADLEY COLLEGE – 2026 ENTRY INFORMATION

All the details of our Open Days can be found on our website here. 

All 2028 entrants, regardless of their route of entry, will need to sit the ISEB Common Pre-Tests by 28 November 2025 .Parents need to register their children directly with the ISEB to sit the Common Pre-Tests via the ISEB Parent Portal. Parent Registration will open on 10 June 2025. 

Boys who have been shortlisted following receipt of the ISEB Common Pre-Tests results and Head’s report, will be asked to attend one of the following Assessment Days:

13, 15, 20, 22, 27 January & 3, 5 February 2026.

RMS – PRIVATE TOUR OF RMS FOR GIRLS – Contact Admissions to book a tour

 Do not hesitate to contact our friendly Admissions Team who will happily arrange a private tour of the School at a time convenient for you.
Please contact admissions@rmsforgirls.com 

ROEDEAN SCHOOL

13+ Open Afternoon – 9 May 2025

Roedean is hosting an Open Afternoon on 9 May for students starting their admissions journey for 2028. This event is tailored for families with girls in Year 5, but will also be helpful for children in older year groups who are still deciding on their Senior School.

SHREWSBURY SCHOOL

We are always delighted to welcome families to our Open Days, when they can get a sense of our beautiful campus site.  Each Open Day starts with a presentation from the Headmaster and other senior staff, followed by a Q&A session with pupils.  Families visit one of our houses and then enjoy a school tour with pupils, followed by lunch.  Open Days & School Tours | Shrewsbury School

The Director of Admissions, Martin Cropper (mc@shrewsbury.org.uk), is always pleased to talk to parents and to offer advice on our Admissions process.  We welcome applications for September 2026 onwards, and a small number of places for September 2025 have recently become available.

SOUTH WEST HERTS CONSORTIUM – Secondary Transfer 2026

This year, registration for the tests spans a period of almost ten weeks, from Tuesday 1st April to Friday 6th June 2025. As previously, no late registrations will be accepted. If a parent has extenuating circumstances for failing to register for the tests, this may be cited as part of an appeal to an independent panel at a secondary transfer appeal hearing.

The Test Administration Team can be contacted via email only at info@swhertsschools.org.uk. There is no facility to telephone.

Key testing dates can be found in the image at the bottom of this section.

TONBRIDGE SCHOOL

The School has numerous Open Mornings taking place. These are a great opportunity for families to discover what a Tonbridge education can offer their son, as well as the chance to meet boys and staff.

Come along and find out what makes us the top boys’ boarding school in the country as well as the best boys’ school in the South-East, as ranked by The Sunday Times’ Parent Power table.

Book your place using this link.

UPPINGHAM SCHOOL

Uppingham’s Visiting Days Families can sign up to attend via our website or contact Sarah Heading (sch@uppingham.co.uk). 

This term is such a busy one with so much organising going on behind the scenes!

We are excited to announce that tickets are now on sale for Edge Fest, a treat of a weekend on 7/8 June including a night under the stars on our beautiful grounds. Tickets can be purchased here.

We are also busy selling Edge Grove branded hoodies and torches. Perfect for camping trips, enrichment week and forest school! The deadline for the hoodies to be here in time for enrichment week is 13 May so please get ordering soon!

The second hand uniform shop is looking very empty right now! We are especially short of PE kit and cricket whites, so please drop any unwanted items to the main or junior receptions so they can be used by someone else!

Don’t forget FOEG coffee mornings will take place on 14 May, 13 June and the AGM will be on 1 July. It would be great to see you there. Anyone who would like to help us out next year please do get in touch!

Have a lovely bank holiday weekend.

Mrs Carr
Chair of the Friends of Edge Grove

A Message From Tooled Up:

Dear parents and carers,

We hope that you and your families are settling into the new summer term. We are writing as we wanted to remind you that our school subscribes to Tooled Up Education. 

This gives you privileged access to an online platform packed full of resources, podcasts, webinars, activities and practical advice to help support you in all matters to do with parenting and family life.

Here are two quick resources highlighting how you can make the most of your Tooled Up membership.

• 10 Things About Tooled Up Parent Benefit Sheet  – this is attached to the email
  
• Tooled Up Tour Video Link – this is a 5 minute video walk through of the platform, showing you how to navigate its features

If you have already signed up for an account: simply click this link to access

To register for your free account now: click Create my Tooled Up Account, enter your email address and our unique school PIN (available from the school office).

To view the platform on your phone: click this link or scan the QR code with your phone camera. 

If you have any question, please just click on the ‘Support’ button on the website and one of the Tooled Up team will be happy to assist you.