Weekly Newsletter

We are trialling a new format for our Junior News, with a greater focus on showcasing children’s learning through photographs. We hope you enjoy this new approach.

It was wonderful to see so many of our EYFS parents at the Open Classrooms this week. These sessions provide a valuable opportunity for our children to showcase their work and share their school life with parents from their own perspective. Thank you to everyone who attended, and we look forward to welcoming our Key Stage 1 families to their events next week.

Reception pupils have been busy exploring early writing by creating simple messages and placing them in bottles. This playful activity encouraged mark-making, letters, and drawings, helping to build confidence, creativity, and early literacy skills while supporting communication and fine motor development.

Year 1 pupils have had a wonderful time writing letters from space; taking on the role of Astrid, the children “wrote home” and described their experiences of walking on the moon.

Year 2 mathematicians are excelling beyond their years, confidently tackling multiplication and division, with many using the bus stop method to divide numbers of up to four digits.

Number Day was, of course, a highlight for all. The costumes were incredibly inventive, from dice, snakes and ladders to cubes it was clear that both pupils and parents put a great deal of effort into making the day so special.

Mrs Broadis’s Future Schools Update and Academic Update are particularly pertinent to our wonderful Junior family so please do have a read of them below. We will also be hosting a special Future Schools event for our Junior Parents on Tuesday 10th March. More details will follow. 

Wishing you all a restful weekend.

Mrs Wynne
Assistant Head (Junior)

Nursery and Reception

Year 1

Year 2 

We are delighted to share a snapshot of the engaging and meaningful learning your children have taken part in this week. From exploring life aboard a historic ocean liner to hands-on investigations in science, pupils have been developing key academic skills alongside creativity, curiosity, and confidence. Across the curriculum, learning has been enriched through practical activities, thoughtful discussion, and opportunities for children to communicate their ideas clearly and enthusiastically.

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Mrs Hodge
Deputy Head Academic

Year 3 – Miss Kyriacou, Miss Corin, Miss Lundrigan

We are delighted to share a glimpse of the fun and meaningful learning your children have enjoyed this week.

In English, pupils were immersed in an exciting comparative study, examining first-class and third-class life on board a historic ocean liner. This unit encouraged empathy, inference, and analytical thinking as children explored contrasting perspectives. As part of their writing development, pupils completed a postcard writing task, creatively presenting factual information in an engaging format. Additionally, children learnt how to extract key facts and transform them into an explanatory speech, strengthening both their written and spoken communication skills.

In maths, pupils continued to build confidence and fluency in multiplication. Learning objectives included:  multiplying by 10, 100, and 1,000, multiplying two-digit numbers by a one-digit number and applying multiplication with exchange.These skills were developed through practical activities, problem-solving, and reasoning tasks to ensure deep understanding.

In science, the pupils carried out a simple investigation to help learn how water is transported within plants. During this activity, the children explored how plants took in water through their roots and moved it up the stem to the leaves. By observing a plant placed in coloured water, the children were able to see the water travelling through the plant. This hands-on investigation supported early scientific understanding, encouraged curiosity and helped children learn why water is essential for plant growth and health.

Our history lessons took pupils back to Roman times. Using clear historical instructions, children learnt how Roman shields were made before designing their own shield. This hands-on activity supports historical understanding while encouraging creativity and design skills.

In geography, children explored Northern Italy, identifying and comparing its physical and human features. Through maps, images, and discussion, pupils gained a greater understanding of how geography influences settlement, culture, and daily life. In addition to this, we focused on the city of Venice and described the location, the features of Venice and explained how it is affected by tourism.

Year 4 – Mrs Futerill, Mrs Warnes

Although the weather has not been our friend, some enthusiastic and highly motivated learning has been taking place in Year 4.

We are currently busy adapting our non-chronological dragon reports by creating our own dragons and identifying their appearance and characteristics. Next, we will be exploring our dragons’ habitats and diets. I have been blown away by the children’s creativity and fantastic ideas. We have laughed a great deal while using Talk 4 Writing as a model for our writing.

Mrs Warnes’ maths group has been incredibly motivated while solving problems involving money, especially as the problems included our own names. Who knew solving problems could be so much fun!

In History, we wrote our own newspaper reports, and 4W has started practising how to read a newspaper report as a reporter. This cross-curricular skill was introduced by Mrs Allen during their Performing Arts lessons. Next week, we are planning on filming our news report, which is very exciting.

Geography has become a firm favourite in 4W, with pupils showing great curiosity and inquisitiveness as they continue to use globes and atlases to explore how lines of latitude and longitude can be used to locate places.

Science also sparked our interest, with each group in 4W investigating which materials would make the best soundproofing. Pupils used a decibel meter, a buzzer and a range of materials to carry out their investigation, recording and concluding their results in a table.

Please see photos below of the investigation: 

Year 5 – Mr Russell and Mrs O’Brien

In PSHE, our classrooms turned into mini-laboratories as we constructed our own working models of lungs. By inflating and deflating our creations, we visualised exactly how airflow works and labelled the key biological components. We also discussed how breathing changes for those with asthma and how to be supportive peers. We have since moved on to the circulatory system, specifically focusing on bleeding and first aid. The children learned about the four main components of blood – plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets – and the vital role each plays in keeping us healthy.

During form times, our Ted Talk Technique of the week was authenticity. To put this to the test, we played a high-stakes game of “Two Truths and a Lie.” The challenge was to remain so authentic and grounded that the audience could not tell the difference between fact and fiction! We discussed how building a genuine connection and appearing “real” is the secret to becoming a persuasive and relatable public speaker.

A major highlight was welcoming the published author, Josh Lacey, to Edge Grove. We were treated to the stories behind his books as well as hearing snippets from some of his work. Monty and Raphy thoroughly enjoyed listening to him, whilst others were delighted to pick up a signed copy of his books to take home.

In PE, the children used their navigational skills by communicating to a blindfolded partner how to cross the room safely. Sienna and Ava really enjoyed the puzzle-like feature of the activities, whilst Torin, Jesse, and Wolf took great pride in directing their partners safely around the various obstacles.

In the classroom, we have seen some fantastic individual progress. Raf enjoyed learning new topics in Maths, tackling Roman Numerals for the first time with great success. Kush was equally pleased with his progress in spellings; he has been able to figure out the specific spelling rule and apply it accurately to this week’s word list.

Thank you for another great week, Year 5. We look forward to our final week with you before half term. Have a great weekend!

Year 6 – Mrs Allen, Mr Kay, Dr Moradi

It has been a largely grey and rather wet week, with the welcome exception of a sunny Wednesday, which provided a much-needed lift for everyone! Despite the mixed weather, the children were delighted that fixtures continued as normal. It has been wonderful to hear feedback from the PE and Games department about the resilience shown during rugby and netball matches, alongside the consistently positive attitudes demonstrated in training sessions. Real courage, grit, and determination have been evident throughout the week.

Across Year 6, we are increasingly seeing the children grow in independence and maturity. They are beginning to problem-solve more confidently and make thoughtful decisions without always needing to rely on their teachers. This developing sense of responsibility and self-awareness is particularly evident as they immerse themselves in their final half of Year 6, and it represents a crucial stepping stone in readiness for the expectations of Senior Schools.

As part of our PSHE learning this week, Year 6 focused on British Values, with a particular emphasis on democracy. Through age-appropriate and politically neutral discussion, the children explored how democratic systems operate in the UK, including how decisions are made and the roles of MPs within Cabinet. This learning also reinforced the wider British Values of mutual respect, individual liberty, tolerance, and the rule of law, supporting the children’s growing understanding of their role within society.

We would also like to thank you for your continued support regarding the banning of Legami pens in school. Please do take the time to read the letter from Mrs Allen and Mr Russell for further information. You can read the letter which was emailed out yesterday here.

Rehearsals for the Year 6 showcase are going brilliantly. Year 6 pupils are bringing fabulous energy and excitement to rehearsals.

Please save the date: Tuesday 17th March 2026 at 6.00pm in the theatre. We are certainly set for a wickedly wonderful evening!

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend.

This week in Form Time, Leandro, our Charities Champion, introduced the idea of Walking for Water as part of WaterAid’s March challenge.  Watch this space!

Mr Stanley met with the Seniors for his half-termly check-in, and the Seniors always enjoy this extra time with the Headmaster.  A private common room was the topic of discussion this time!  …Again, watch this space!

The Seniors had a fantastic rugby match, winning their tournament, which you can read about in the Match Report.  

My highlight of the week was today in English, when the Seniors wrote in the role of Squealer from Animal Farm, using the seven types of propaganda to calm, quash and quell (…and threaten, coerce and frighten!) the other animals into accepting the pigs’ transgressions.   The Seniors produced some fantastic work!

Pupil Highlights:

Reuben: It was my birthday choice of Form Time on Tuesday 3rd, and we all played a book-themed game of Empire!

Zach: The badminton trip!

Aiden: Absolutely smashing the rugby tournament!

Senior of The Week

…will be decided after the table tennis and badminton trip today, and announced on Monday in Form Time!  We’ll do a double shout-out in next week’s newsletter.

Mergers and Acquisitions

By Mrs Broadis, Head of Future Schools Curriculum

The independent sector is undoubtedly undergoing a period of significant change. The imposition of VAT on school fees has placed considerable financial pressure on many schools. This, combined with a forecasted decline in the UK birth rate, is leading to falling pupil numbers across the sector, prompting a range of strategic responses from schools. These have included mergers and partnerships, with the formation of school groups, as well as structural changes within individual schools. 

We have seen some local schools respond by becoming coeducational, whereas further afield, some have chosen to expand provision downwards into younger year groups, and others have extended upwards to offer a broader through-school education. Such developments, designed to secure long-term sustainability, have naturally prompted questions among our Edge Grove parents about future availability of places in these schools at 11+ and 13+.

It is understandable that you should wish to seek reassurance at such a time. However, it is important to distinguish between broad sector trends and the specific position of our school and its pupils. Edge Grove remains independent, academically strong and well regarded. Crucially, our pupils continue to be highly valued by local senior schools, many of which rely on the well-prepared candidates we send to them to help fill their Year 7 and Year 9 places.

The strength of Edge Grove lies not only in academic outcomes, but in the confident, articulate and well-rounded young people it nurtures. Senior schools are seeking pupils who will contribute positively to their communities, engage fully with opportunities beyond the classroom and thrive in demanding environments. Edge Grove pupils consistently meet, and exceed, these expectations. Our relationships with local senior schools are built on trust, professional dialogue and a shared understanding of what constitutes excellent preparation for the next stage of education.

While the senior school landscape may be evolving, the fundamentals remain unchanged. Senior schools need high-quality applicants, and Edge Grove continues to produce them. Edge Grove pupils are valued, respected and sought after, and there is no indication that they will be disadvantaged as the sector adjusts to new realities, even when some senior schools are in the process of forging loyalties with new partner schools.

It is understandable though, that through-schools present an attractive option for families wishing to avoid the perceived pressures of the 11+ or deferred 13+ admissions process. Continuity and certainty are reassuring, particularly for busy parents. However, there are clear educational benefits to the transition process itself. Preparation for senior school entrance examinations gives a valuable academic boost at a key moment, and serves as an age-appropriate and valuable rehearsal for more demanding public examinations that all pupils encounter later in school. 

Equally important is the emphasis placed on interview preparation. Through the structured in-school support we give pupils, they learn at an early age to articulate their interests, reflect on their strengths and present themselves with confidence and authenticity to people they do not know. As a result, the admissions process becomes not a hurdle, but a really formative experience which many pupils actually enjoy! I was reassured this week by the Head of a well-regarded North London independent school that Edge Grove pupils are known for being academically well prepared, quietly confident (without being arrogant), good all-rounders and particularly kind.

Finally, central to the transition process is our deep understanding of each individual child: their academic profile, character, interests, talents and aspirations. This enables us to guide families towards the schools in which their children will thrive –  a point reflected last year in pupils moving on successfully to over twenty different senior schools, each carefully chosen as the best possible fit, and I remain confident that we will see the same success this year.

Edge Grove parents can therefore remain confident that, supported by the strength of our provision and the quality of our relationships, our pupils will continue to benefit from transition preparation and secure places at a wide range of excellent senior schools well into the future.

Future Schools Update – Week 5

Mrs Broadis, Head of Future Schools Curriculum

In the Academic section of this week’s newsletter, I reflect on recent structural changes within the Independent Sector, and what these mean for Edge Grove parents.

Friday February 13th is a key date for admissions news from a range of Senior Schools. This is an exciting time of year when families receive offers of places, but can sometimes come with some difficult decision-making! If you would appreciate chatting through outcomes and choices, please email Future Schools and we will be glad to offer support.

When are senior school offers made?

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

Scholarship News

To date Year 6 pupils have been awarded the following Scholarships:

Abbots Hill English

Abbots Hill Sport

Haileybury Music Exhibition

Haileybury Art

Queenswood Sport

Queenswood Sport

RMS Drama

RMS Sport

St Margaret’s Academic x 5

Interviews for Edge Grove Scholarships have been completed and families will be informed of outcomes next week.

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

Northwood College

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

Wetherby

Wycombe Abbey

13+ Boarding Schools & Colleges

Bede’s

Benenden

Downe House

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.) 

Please click below for an update from our Librarian…

Book Corner 6th February

Please also see information here about the 2026 Read for Empathy collection:

This inspiring collection of 65 books for ages 3–16+ helps young people connect with themselves, others, and the world. Now in its 10th year, the Read for Empathy collection is curated by expert librarians, booksellers, teachers, and academics to celebrate children’s literature in all its diversity – the perfect way to Go All In during the National Year of Reading.

Reflecting our contemporary world, these books will spark meaningful conversations and nurture connection. From novels and graphics to picture books, poetry, non-fiction, and early readers – through these stories young people can experience, understand, and practise empathy, a learnable life skill at the heart of strong relationships and positive wellbeing.

Click the link for the Primary age Read for Empathy collection.

Check out this handy fact sheet about Online Safety.

Modern Theatre Dance Success

A huge congratulations to Daisy (Yr3), who achieved a Distinction in her Grade 1 Modern Theatre dance exam. This is a fantastic accomplishment that reflects her dedication and passion for dance.

LAMDA Platform

On Tuesday, several of our pupils took part in the LAMDA Platform. We are extremely proud of the following pupils for their commitment to developing their speech and drama skills, and for presenting their poems so confidently in the spotlight.

Year 3: Clara, Aalia, Isabella, Noah, Arlo, and Zak.

Year 4: Motunrayo, Savannah, Anira, and Neevan.

Year 5: Lily and Alice.

Year 6: Aman.

Special performances were also given by Noah (Year 3) and Lily (Year 5) during our celebration assembly today and we will be having weekly LAMDA performances in assembly as we creep closer to the Watford Festival of Speech and Drama.

Edge Grove’s Got Talent

We are thrilled to introduce the finalists for this year’s competition:

Arlo D

Asayoma S

Daniel L

Finlay F

Freya G

Garv P

Izzy C

Louis A

Leia J

Daisy K

Leila H

We can’t wait for our grand final next Friday evening!

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.

Seniors 

Game 1: Edge Grove 9 – 0 St. Martin’s

Edge Grove signaled their intent from the opening whistle with a dominant start. A huge tackle from Bolu set the defensive tone for the game, and the scoring opened with a beautiful team try, finished with precision in the corner by Joseph.

As the momentum shifted entirely in Edge Grove’s favor, the tries began to flow. Aiden and Bolu tore through the defensive lines, while Max and Isaac proved impossible to bring down. The dominance was so pronounced that the coaching staff made the decision to retire Aiden, Bolu, and Alex early to balance the play.

Scoring Summary:

• Joseph: 2 Tries
• Max: 2 Tries
• Isaac: 2 Tries
• Bolu: 2 Tries
• Aiden: 1 Try

Game 2: Edge Grove 6 – 1 Lochinver House

The second match provided a different test of character. Edge Grove found themselves on the back foot early, conceding the opening try. However, this served only to rally the boys, sparking a fierce comeback.

Max led the charge to level the scores, followed by a superb brace from Leandro. The physical intensity moved to another level with Aiden, Bolu, and Blake all crossing the line to seal a comprehensive victory. Aiden’s try was particularly noteworthy – having chased down what looked to be a certain try for LH, Aiden tackled, jackaled and ran the length of the pitch to score.

Scoring Summary:

• Leandro: 2 Tries
• Max: 1 Try
• Bolu: 1 Try
• Aiden: 1 Try
• Blake 1 Try

Squad Highlights & Defensive Grit

While the try-scorers took the headlines, this was a solid team performance built on the dirty work in the trenches:

• The Engine Room: The rucking was relentless, led by the tireless work of Eashan, Grayson, and Zach, who ensured Edge Grove maintained possession under pressure.
• The Back Line: Noah provided a safe pair of hands and tactical awareness at Full Back, while Aydin proved to be a consistently solid option in transition.
• The Defense: The defense across both games was fantastic, with the boys showing great pride in their shape and strong running lines.

U11A Rugby

Edge Grove 6-1 Lochinver House

Edge Grove 10-0 St Martins 

The U11A rugby team put in an outstanding performance at their triangular tournament against St Martins and Lochinver House, recording two impressive victories of 10–1 and 6–1.

Across both matches, the team showed huge improvement and clearly began to put into practice what we have been working on and discussing in training. Their use of space out wide was excellent, allowing them to stretch the opposition, and their depth in attack was noticeably better, giving ball carriers more options and creating opportunities all over the pitch.

In the opening match against St Martins, the team were dominant from the outset. Tries were scored by Hunter (3), Tommy (3), Jack (1), Tyler (2) and Cooper (1), reflecting a strong all-round team effort and great support play throughout.

The second match against Lochinver House saw more of the same confident rugby. The boys moved the ball well and continued to attack with purpose. Tries were scored by Tyler (1), Josh (1), Tommy (3) and Chris (1) to secure a convincing 6–1 win.

Overall, this was a superb couple of performances and a real step forward for the team. The players should be very proud of their effort, attitude, and willingness to apply what they’ve learned in training. Keep it up!

U11B Rugby

Edge Grove 14-14 St Martins

What a fantastic turnaround performance from the Edge Grove U11B team.

The boys went into the match with their heads held high, despite a couple of understandably nervous players who would have preferred a touch fixture. With no touch games available, they stepped up for contact rugby, and what followed was an outstanding collective effort full of courage, determination, and growth.

Chimdi was exceptional once he received the ball, making powerful strides forward and scoring excellent tries. His impact on the game was clear and thoroughly deserved.

Aman, who has had very limited experience with tackling or contact rugby, produced a truly brilliant try. The determination in his eyes as he crossed the line summed up the spirit of the whole team.

Ben impressed with his strong running throughout, while Luke was superb across the pitch, contributing consistently in both attack and defence. Sami showed great energy and commitment, working both wings brilliantly and providing valuable width to our play.

While it’s impossible to mention every player individually, this really was a huge team effort. Every boy worked hard for one another, showed resilience, and supported their teammates throughout.

The 14–14 draw reflected a match full of quality tries and competitive rugby, along with clear positives to build on and areas we can continue to develop in training.

A thoroughly positive afternoon and a performance the boys should be very proud of. Really well done to all involved.

U10A Rugby

Edge Grove 3 – 4 Lochinver House

Edge Grove 10 – 7 St Martins 

Edge Grove U10A produced a much-improved performance this week, showing clear progress in structure, decision-making, and overall defensive organisation compared to last week. The team played with greater confidence and purpose.

A hard-fought win against St Martins was a real highlight, with the players showing determination and resilience throughout. While our general defence was significantly stronger, one-on-one tackling centre field proved costly at key moments, allowing a couple of soft tries to slip through that could have been avoided.

Against Lochinver, we were put under pressure early on, conceding three quick tries in the opening stages. This left us playing catch-up rugby for the remainder of the game, but the team responded positively, refusing to give up and continuing to compete strongly.

Overall, it was a very encouraging day that showed tremendous improvement from the previous week. With continued focus on individual tackling, this group is clearly moving in the right direction.

U10B rugby

Edge Grove U10s hosted a triangular fixture at home against Lochinver House and St Martins, showing excellent progress and determination across both matches. In the opening game against Lochinver House, Edge Grove demonstrated a drastic improvement from last week’s performance. The boys rucked strongly over the ball, attacked with confidence, and linked play well through regular offloads. There was also a noticeable improvement in team structure, with players committing fewer numbers to the breakdown and allowing the team to stay organised across the pitch. Despite the strong performance, Lochinver House edged the game 6–3. Oscar J scored two well taken tries, with Rayan C adding another for Edge Grove.The second match against St Martins saw the team improve even further. Edge Grove’s fighting spirit and growing confidence were clear to see as they played with pace, skill, and great support play. This resulted in a convincing 9–3 victory. Tries were shared across the squad, with Oscar J scoring three, Sebastian O and Rayan C each scoring two, and Daniel L and Kevin C adding one try apiece.

Overall, this was a very encouraging morning of rugby. If the boys continue to show this level of determination and commitment throughout the season, they will do very well. The focus now is to keep working on tackling technique and defensive organisation, but the progress so far has been excellent. Well done, boys!

Colts Dodgeball

On Wednesday, the Edge Grove Dodgeball team travelled to York House School for an action-packed afternoon of competition. Facing off against hosts York House, Aldwickbury, and St Martin’s, the boys showcased great spirit and tactical flexibility across three varied rounds of play.

The afternoon opened with the traditional concept of dodgeball. It took the boys a few moments to find their rhythm, resulting in two very narrow, hard-fought encounters against York House and Aldwickbury. However, having found their stride, Edge Grove finished the round on a high with a clinical victory over St Martin’s.

In the second round, a special red ball was introduced, adding a high-stakes twist: catching the red ball would instantly allow a team to regenerate their entire line-up of eliminated players. A similar pattern occurred during this round; despite some fantastic catches and agile movement, the boys suffered losses against York House and Aldwickbury before once again securing a convincing win against St Martin’s.

The final round featured the highly enjoyable version of Goalkeeper Dodgeball. In this variation, catching the ball no longer allowed teammates to return; instead, a goal was placed at each end of the court. To bring an eliminated player back into the game, the ball had to be thrown successfully into the goal. The catch, however, was the presence of a goalkeeper allowed to block shots whilst staying grounded on a specialist mat. Garv and Pranay protected our goal valiantly, pulling off some superb blocks as we narrowly lost to York House and Aldwickbury again. Unfortunately, time did not allow for a third fixture against St Martin’s.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of dodgeball and the boys should be proud of their efforts and sportsmanship.

The Team: Jesse, Avi, Aahil, Joshua, Garv, Pranay, and Arhaan. Coach: Hamza

Colts A Netball

EG 6-0 St Columba’s

A fantastic game of netball against St Columba’s saw our Colts A team showcase outstanding skill, precision, and sportsmanship. From our very first centre pass, the ball was moved with power and accuracy, connecting seamlessly from player to player. We worked the ball confidently around the D, creating space and ensuring our shooters were well positioned to take their shots.
With four goals from Ayomipo and two from Edith, both shooters stayed calm under pressure and remained focused, delivering excellent shooting throughout the game. A fantastic performance all round, well done!

EG 0-18 Manor Lodge

Not our best game of netball, but we played a very fair and committed match against a well-drilled Manor Lodge team. While our girls were not as physical as the opposition, they still produced an excellent performance. Lucy worked tirelessly, staying close to her opponent and moving well alongside her, while Adam listened well to feedback at half time and applied it effectively on court.
We can draw a line under this game and move forward to the next one. I am extremely proud of how the team kept their heads held high and continued to play with determination and positivity throughout.

Colts B Netball

EG 1 – 0 St Columba’s

The Colts B team produced a great performance against St Columba’s, delivering an energetic and well-structured display throughout the match. Edge Grove moved the ball with confidence, working effectively to transition the ball seamlessly down the court. The team created numerous scoring opportunities, showing excellent awareness and teamwork in attack. Unfortunately, a number of well-taken shots struck the post and narrowly missed converting into goals. 

It was a fantastic performance from the Colts B. Well done!

EG 0 – 6 Manor Lodge

A more challenging match for the Colts B team, but this did nothing to dampen their determination. Each player worked tirelessly to contain a fast and agile Manor Lodge side, showing great resilience and teamwork throughout the match.There were several brilliant interceptions that successfully disrupted Manor Lodge’s attacking flow, supported by good defensive pressure across the court. The Colts B continued to battle hard and created opportunities.

Despite the result, the team’s positive attitude and refusal to give up was extremely impressive. A commendable effort from all involved—well done!

Colts C Netball

EG 2-0 St Columbas

EG 2-1 Manor Lodge

A great afternoon of playing netball. The triangular tournament gave the opportunity for Edge Grove to play some fast paced netball skills against Manor Lodge and St Columba’s. Teamwork was shown throughout, with all players working hard to focus on their passing, footwork and interception. Tamsin made some great interceptions throughout both games, Lily consistently moved into space, and Nico and Isabella worked well together in the D providing opportunities for shooting. Well done to all players, a positive outcome from both games!

Thursday

U9 Rugby – Cancelled

U9 Netball

Mrs Emms Edge Grove 0-7 NLCS

The scoreline didn’t truly reflect the game we played. While NLCS made some great interceptions, we matched them with Iylah and Alessandra moving all over the court to keep the ball flowing effectively up the court. We created some excellent breaks of play; unfortunately, we just couldn’t convert the shots today. The whole team played well, stayed composed, and kept their heads held high. Well done, girls!

Mrs Warnes Edge Grove 3-2 NLCS

What an exciting match this was! A determined group of girls decided to start on centre pass, and they showed great focus and teamwork from the very first whistle.

Miny was a fantastic Centre, moving across the court with agility and creating lots of space. She worked hard to make herself available for passes and did a great job of distracting the opposition to support her teammates.

Emma and Toyosi worked fabulously together, getting into strong goal-shooting positions and using accurate passes to create scoring opportunities. Their teamwork in the shooting circle was excellent to watch.

Tireni and Shreya worked extremely hard in defence, intercepting passes and defending the goal with great determination. Their effort and awareness really helped to put pressure on the opposition.

The teamwork and effort each girl put into the match was lovely to see. Everyone played their part, supported one another, and showed great sportsmanship throughout.

What a well-deserved win — well done girls!

Miss Corin Edge Grove 0-4 NLCS

Although Edge Grove didn’t win the match, the girls played very well together as a team. There was good communication and teamwork throughout the game, which really showed on the field. Motunrayo and Anira stood out for their excellent passing, consistently finding their teammates and helping to keep the play moving. The team also demonstrated great awareness, with some well-timed interceptions and tight marking that put pressure on the opposition. Overall, it was a positive performance with lots of effort, determination, and teamwork from everyone involved.

Ahoy shipmates!

A quiet but creative week across our five Houses! While the competitive fields may have been calm, our pupils have been busy finding inspiration in the details.

Photo of the Week

Winner: Grayson (Hedgerows)

Huge congratulations to Grayson for his stunning and thought-provoking image of a Daruma figure. Beyond the technical skill, Grayson shared the beautiful meaning behind his subject:

“Representing perseverance and good luck, they are used for goal-setting: painting one blank eye when setting a goal and the second upon success. It also has the proverb ‘fall down seven times, get up eight,’ which in Japanese is Nanakorobi yaoki.”

A fantastic reminder for all of us in Hedgerows, Churchills, Gills, Stratton, and Sarnesfield to keep pushing toward our goals!

Joke of the Week

Winner: Daisy (Gills)

Daisy has provided the giggle of the week to brighten up our corridors:

• Daisy: “What do you call a cat in a pharmacy?”
• The School: “We don’t know, Daisy. What?”
• Daisy: “Puss in Boots!”

Get ready for more House challenges as we head further into the term. Whether it’s on the sports field or in the classroom, every point counts!

Mr Evans
Head of Houses
Director of Music
Mental Health Champion
Runner up in the World’s Tallest Teacher Competition 2014

Joke Entries this Week (See if you can spot Mrs Broadis’ one!)

What is a cat’s favourite colour crayon? Purr-ple.

Did you hear about the race between 19 and 20? 21.

I’ve just been reading a book about anti-gravity, it’s impossible to put down!

Why did the echo get detention? It was always answering back.

I’m reading a book about the history of glue and I can’t put it down.

Why did the golfer have two pairs of trousers? In case he got a hole in one.

The English teacher who swallowed a handful of Scrabble tiles, suffered really uncomfortable vowel movements. She was sure the next trip to the bathroom would spell DISASTER (9 points).

Why do ducks make great detectives? They always quack the case.

Why don’t eggs tell jokes? Because they’d crack up.

Did you hear about the invisible man at the doctors? He was just waiting to be seen

Even the most picture-perfect families can struggle to get along from time to time – a reality highlighted by a recent high-profile family fallout making global headlines. For parents, this can raise important questions: how do we reduce the risk of painful rifts, support siblings through conflict and ensure communication with children stays open and honest, rather than issues being quietly brushed aside?

The Tooled Up platform has a wealth of expert-led resources to help parents navigate life as family relationships evolve and change, and a selection are shared below.

With younger children, feelings about family life can be explored through play or stories. As children move into the tween and teen years, conversations may need to be more intentional. Thoughtfully planned check-ins can help surface concerns early, before small issues grow into bigger ones. How to ‘Audit’ Family Life and Have Difficult Conversations offers practical prompts and strategies to help you start these conversations early.

Sibling relationships from early childhood through to adolescence play an important role, influencing social and emotional development. Where positive, they support communication, empathy and emotional regulation; when conflict is frequent or unresolved, behavioural and social challenges can follow. Paying attention to this relationship really matters. Nurturing Positive Sibling Relationships: Tips for Parents shares simple, positive steps to encourage kindness, collaboration and greater harmony at home.

For some families, challenges may be compounded by separation or relationship breakdown. If this is your experience, you’re not alone. 30 Ways to Support Your Child Through Parental Separation is packed with practical guidance to help children feel supported, loved and considered as families adjust to new arrangements.