Somerhill Review 2023/24

THE SOMERHILL REVIEW 2023/24

SOMERHILL THE

2023/24

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18 Kindergarten 20 Reception 22 Year 1 24 Year 2 30 Somerhill Music 30

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04 Welcome to Somerhill 06 Somerhill’s Magnificent Milestones Afternoon Tea Pupils and staff from the 1950s to the present met to celebrate 125 years of Yardley Court, 70 years of Derwent Lodge and 30 years of Somerhill. 08 A Year in the Prep Library A busy year in the prep library with many literary events, author visits, a brilliant book fair and the launch of a brand-new library.

56 Sport 66 Sports Day 69 All things French

From French activities in school to residential trips to Toulouse and the French Alps, Somerhill’s children immersed themselves in French culture.

Somerhill was once again alive with the sound of music, harmony and joy, showcasing the remarkable talents and enthusiasm of our pupils.

72 Trips 81 The Colour Run

34 Art 42 Prep 43 Maths

Over 500 pupils, alumni, parents and staff brought their enthusiasm and enjoyment to this vibrant, fun-filled event.

10 World Book Day 12 Pre-Prep 13 Pre-Prep Pals

Alongside lots of practical learning in the classroom and in the grounds, pupils in every year group have had an opportunity to compete in national competitions.

82 Charity & Community 84 Scholarships and Leavers’ Destinations 86 Parents’ Association

This year, Pre-Prep welcomed their new friends, Ree the Bee, Hideo the Horse,Terri the Tortoise, Cortez the Cat, Darri the Dog, and Oli the Owl, reinforcing positive behaviour and fostering a strong sense of belonging.

44 Writing 54 Drama

A bumper year of events, including the Christmas Fair, Burns Night, a Quiz Night, an Easter Trail and an ‘East Meets West’ Summer Ball.

Poetry, Greek myths, public speaking, Shakespeare and Treasure Island - what a year in the drama department!

14 Saplings 16 Pre-School Nursery

88 Grandparents’ Day

Produced and edited by: Jonathan Shute Design and print: www.schoolscreative.co.uk

Somerhill,Tonbridge, Kent TN11 0NJ T: 01732 352124 E: reception@somerhill.org W: www.somerhill.org

THE SOMERHILL REVIEW 2023/24

Welcome to Somerhill At the end of every academic year, I look forward to collating the content for our magazine and reliving so much of the joy and excitement of Somerhill life from the previous 12 months. It is wonderful to see the energy, enthusiasm, and character of our young people on every page, a true embodiment of the ‘Somerhill spirit’.The children’s engagement with all the wonderful opportunities here as well as their simple happiness being with friends is reflected throughout these pages, and I hope you enjoy perusing them. Due to the success of the Life at Somerhill half-termly reviews, we have made the decision that we will no longer produce hard-copy publications, and this will be our last edition of this annual magazine,The Somerhill Review. In the future, we will continue to produce regular versions of Life at Somerhill and will collate and enhance these at the end of the academic year to produce a similarly expansive and enjoyable digital summary of the year for you all to enjoy.

With best wishes, Jonathan Shute, Editor

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Milestones Magnificent SOMERHILL’S

Thank you to everyone who celebrated Somerhill’s Magnificent Milestones Afternoon Tea on Saturday 23rd September 2023. Over 275 people caught up with old school friends and work colleagues, viewed the memorabilia on display from 1899 to the present, walked the buildings and grounds of Somerhill and enjoyed an excellent afternoon tea in the Dining Hall.

What a fantastic day for our first alumni event!

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Prep Library A YEAR IN THE

It has been a busy year in the prep library with numerous highlights, including literary events, author visits, a brilliant book fair and the launch of a brand-new library. We have also celebrated the talents of our creative and enthusiastic pupils, who have enjoyed success in numerous reading, writing and illustration competitions. More than 70 children in Years 4-6 rose to The Reading Agency’s ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ of reading six books over the summer holidays, and 4VM was awarded the class prize as the form with the highest proportion of completed entries. In November, a hugely impressive 21 Somerhill pupils from Years 3-6 made it through to the second round of the BBC’s 500 Words national creative writing competition.The competition showcased the rich and diverse talent of our young authors, and the high standard of writing, creativity and originality impressed the judges.

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Annabel McKenzie was awarded a runner-up prize in the National Book Tokens ‘Design a New Superhero’ competition, which invited children to design a new superhero with the power to help the environment. Annabel’s success was especially noteworthy given that, in 2023, she won first prize in the National Book Tokens ‘Design a Book Token’ competition, which resulted in her winning design being made into a book token and sold nationally! A wealth of talent from the literary world, including authors Annelise Gray, Alex Wheatle and Vashti Hardy, author/illustrator Jamie Littler and performance poet Mark Grist, has visited the school this year to inspire, enthuse and spark creativity in our pupils. Pupils have engaged in talks, workshops and even a poetry slam/rap battle! The Woodgate Library was formally opened in February 2024 by our generous benefactor, Mrs Carol Norris of the Woodgate family. Designed in part by our pupils, the library is a welcoming and cosy space and a place of stimulation and inspiration, fostering a love of reading for pleasure. There has always been a great reading culture at Somerhill, but now the pupils have the truly special library space that they deserve. A place where they can relax and immerse themselves in reading; a forum where they can discuss books; a quiet area for study and a well-being sanctuary where they can find respite from busy school life. Since its opening, the library has frequently been filled with pupils playing chess, others curled up in chairs with shoes off, soaking up their chosen read, and those excitedly perusing the newest titles. Seeing the enthusiasm of our brilliant, inquisitive pupils as they navigate their new space is an absolute joy. The June Book Fair rounded off a wonderful year of reading events. Hundreds of books were sold, and pupils generated much excited book talk as they pored over the latest releases.Thanks to the generosity of those who bought books, Somerhill also raised a significant amount of money to spend on new titles for the library to benefit the whole school community.

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World Book Day in March is always one of the highlights of the Somerhill calendar, and this year was no exception. We welcomed a stellar literary line-up to Somerhill, including author Vashti Hardy, World Book Day

author/illustrator Jamie Littler, author Alex Wheatle and performance poet Mark Grist. Somerhill was buzzing all day with the sound of inspirational talks, animated workshops and poetry slams and the Woodgate Library was transformed into a hub where our literary guests could chat and catch a breath between book signings and talks. As always, staff and pupils alike outdid themselves with their book-related costumes!

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A year of exploration and creativity. Pre-Prep

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Pre-Prep Pals INTRODUCING THE

This year, we welcomed some new friends into Pre-Prep: the Pre-Prep Pals.

These animals, chosen by the children to represent Somerhill’s values, have quickly become part of the school community and are helping children embrace and understand these important principles. By linking behaviours to each pal, the pals guide the pre prep community in making positive choices, creating consistency across both pastoral and academic areas, and supporting overall development. Each pre-prep pal embodies a specific value: Ree the Bee fosters community and teamwork, Hideo the Horse promotes excellence, Terri the Tortoise exemplifies resilience, Cortez the Cat represents respect, Darri the Dog encourages kindness, and Oli the Owl promotes responsibility. Children earn certificates and passport stamps as they demonstrate these values, reinforcing positive behaviour and fostering a strong sense of belonging. Children work together in their classes to earn pom-poms, and the class that earns the most wins the much-acclaimed pre-prep Values Cup, proudly displayed in its room for the week. Special thanks to Katie Raymond, a Somerhill parent, for bringing the Pals to life through her illustrations.

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Saplings

At Saplings, we work within the guiding principles of Forest School, which is a holistic, child-centred learning process which supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. This process helps children to develop socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually in a non-judgemental, nurturing, and natural environment. All children are seen as equal, unique, and valuable.They initiate and drive their own learning and development to experience regular personal success. Each week, we provide opportunities for children to meaningfully connect with nature through stories, games, and challenges and to expand on their knowledge of the environment in which we live. Saplings is a space for trying new things such as cooking together on an open fire and simple crafting with real tools.We work within a theme and explore seasonal and cultural events. Our sessions are also guided by the changing season and weather patterns. Throughout the autumn term, we learnt about sweet chestnuts, conkers, acorns and beech nuts.We made our own autumn coloured paint, using turmeric for the yellows and oranges, blackberries for the reds and browns and charcoal for black. We decorated large sheets of material with all the colours and then moved on to printing with apples as the harvest season approached.We took a trip to the orchard, collected lots of apples of different sizes, looked at the pips, and shared the story of the apple man, learning that inside every apple is a star.These made wonderful star prints, which we used to make bunting and flags. We tried our hand at our own Andy Goldsworthy style of pictures, using the treasure we had collected earlier in the term.This led to learning about patterns and demonstrating how to make recurring patterns with the objects. We learnt how to start a fire using the fire strikers; the children were excellent at learning how to be safe and practised making sparks – fantastic for fine motor development. We made hot chocolate and roasted sweet chestnuts – which nearly everyone tried! We also decorated a pumpkin to take home, using palm drills to make holes, so that golf tees, sticks and leaves could be hammered into them.

Amidst the snowy weather, the children delighted in making patterns and ice sculptures outdoors

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The Lent term found us embarking on a journey of exploration and creativity.We delved into the world of animal tracks, inspired by ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’.We crafted intricate footprints in dough, using a variety of tools and natural materials, and even created patterns reminiscent of animal paw prints. Amidst the snowy weather, the children delighted in making patterns and ice sculptures outdoors, before cosying up in the yurt for stories, snacks, and discussions about how woodland animals stay warm in the cold. As part of the RSPB Big Schools’ Bird Watch, the children practised quiet observation during ‘sit spot’ sessions, noting and discussing the birds they spotted. In addition, we focused on woodland creatures and their habitats, constructing mini nests with collected natural materials and observing animal prints. As the days grew warmer, we explored the emerging signs of spring with vibrant daffodils and buzzing bumblebees. We mastered the art of egg crafting, made pinecone bumblebees and felt swallows. The Trinity term began with spotting a tiny door leading to the old sweet chestnut tree…where did it go? Who could fit in there? These sparked weeks of fairy fun! We used lots of different tools including a hammer, knife, drill, and nails to make fairy doors, chairs and tables. We made fairy peg dolls and wrote to the fairies using leaves as paper. The fun continued over the term as the children’s play developed and we created fairy potions in the mud kitchen using herbs, grass, leaves, seeds, flower petals and water.The children also learnt how to make chalk paint by using graters and pipettes, carefully making chalk powder, and exploring how much water to add to make the perfect consistency. Caterpillars took up residency at Saplings and we watched them grow from tiny caterpillars into chrysalises, finally emerging as butterflies. It was truly magical as we released them into our meadow area, watching them flutter away on their new adventure.We collected different coloured flower petals and used the hapazome (hammering) technique to create pictures of butterflies on cotton.The elder tree flowered this term, and we could not pass up the opportunity to investigate and learn about this wonderful giving tree. We collected the flowers to make elderflower pancakes and cordial. Not surprisingly it was very well received with shouts of “Can I have some more please?!” We also looked at the elder bark and learnt that inside the elder has an exceptionally soft pith. This could easily be removed by using a tent peg and from it we created elder bead necklaces.

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Nursery started the year focusing on themselves in our “All About Me” topic, excitedly sharing photos from home and telling their friends about their families and pets. As we investigated how we look, we discovered our differences to each other, acknowledging how unique we all are. We learnt about our emotions and how each one makes us feel, helping us understand why we might feel a certain way.We happily explored our senses, developing our descriptive language to explain what we experienced. As our topic changed to “India”, we began our journey of discovery into this far-away country.We thoroughly enjoyed learning about peacocks, India’s national bird, feeling their feathers and measuring ourselves against them as they were so long.We feasted on Indian food, having a go at exploring delicacies unfamiliar to us. Pre-School Nursery

We learnt about tigers and elephants, discovering what endangered means. As a team, we made rangoli patterns with coloured rice and impressively recreated the Taj Mahal to use as a book nook to read our books about India.

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We feasted on Indian food, having a go at exploring delicacies unfamiliar to us.

The New Year brought us into our “frosty footprints” topic, as we learnt about the seasonal changes of winter.We went on sensory walks feeling the frosty grass “crunch” under our feet, watching our breath in the crisp air, tasting snowflakes on our tongues, smelling Saplings wood burner heating the yurt and hearing the birds singing to each other.We made bird feeders for our feathered friends to help them through the winter months, as we discovered how hard it is to break through icy ground during our ice excavation activity.Working as a team, the children determinedly built an amazing igloo together in the classroom, which they thoroughly enjoyed using in their imaginary play. The term finished with Nursery embracing science week with great curiosity, all eager to experiment, observe and predict.The children were happy to share their thoughts and ideas, from colour mixing to dancing raisins and recreating clouds to floating and sinking, keenly explaining what they noticed. Summer saw Nursery wholeheartedly embracing our “Down on the Farm” topic.We visited Mr Sinclair’s chickens to see how many eggs they had laid, and we went to watch the school tractor cut the grass, noticing that the grass spraying up looked like “popcorn popping”.We even got to sit inside the tractor, exploring all the levers and handles.We planted beans which we soon discovered would grow very quickly and tall if we took good care of them. One of our farming parents kindly donated a huge strawberry plant for us to investigate, and we soon learned that the flowers change into tiny yellow strawberries that grow bigger and turn red as they ripen. Picking the ripe fruit and eating it at snack time was a great delight, as was making and eating our own honey sandwiches made with honey from local bees.

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Kindergarten

Kindergarten have had a wonderful time exploring

numerous interesting topics

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Michaelmas Term As we welcomed our new cohort to Kindergarten at the beginning of September, it was the perfect opportunity to find out ‘All about Me’.What do I look like? Who is in my family? What are my favourite things to do or play? There were so many opportunities to discuss and share information about ourselves and to find out a little more about our friends.We realised that we are not all the same; we are all different, each one of us is unique. Our learning then took us further afield as we embarked on a sensory discovery of the vibrant culture of India. We created colourful Rangoli patterns, smelt an assortment of spices, used our fingers to tear and assemble tiger stripe patterns, tasted rice, popadoms and mango chutney and moved our bodies to music as we copied some traditional Indian dances. We learnt about Diwali - the festival of light, and discovered celebrations go on into the night with colourful firework displays.This coincided with our Somerhill fireworks event, and the children created some fiery, sparkly artworks for our classroom displays.Towards the end of term, the children participated in the Kindergarten Nativity – a highlight in the calendar and an opportunity for us to showcase our developing confidence and tuneful singing voices in front of some very proud family members. Lent Term Robins were the focus for us at the start of term, and we looked at the features of these familiar garden birds to paint our own pictures.We used measuring worms to compare length and worked together to create nests with twigs, paper and shredded wheat. A timely sprinkle of snow coincided with our Snowman story focus, and we enjoyed some snowy and icy activities. We worked together to rescue some toy figures trapped in ice using hammers, tweezers and other tools.We experimented using pipettes of warm water and noticed how the ice melted before our eyes.We painted on ice and with ice cubes before thinking about animals from frozen worlds.There was much excitement with the arrival of eggs in our classrooms, and we worked together to build nests for them. Once hatched, we had two resident penguins to care for! Kindergarten had the most wonderful time celebrating the Lunar New Year Festival, and our classrooms were colourful and vibrant, decorated in shades of red and gold.We marked the arrival of the Year of the Dragon with a Dragon Dance workshop, dressing up, dancing, crafting paper lanterns, drawing Chinese calligraphy patterns and experimenting with chopsticks. Toward the end of the term, we enjoyed exploring some weather topics. A highlight was testing umbrellas to see if they were waterproof and creating colourful rainbows using a variety of media and resources.

Trinity Term Kindergarten had a wonderful time delving into the traditional tale of The Three Little Pigs! This led to a hive of activity with construction resources, both inside and outside of the classroom, as children were challenged to build with straw, sticks and bricks. Collaborating with each other for larger projects and working in smaller groups to draw designs or retell the story using puppets and pictures. Children painted their favourite farmyard animals, thinking carefully about colour and shape. They had great fun playing with small world farms with sensory materials, including soil, sand, water, sawdust and straw. We visited role-play farm shops to purchase fruit for morning break and observed how apples grow from seeds to the fruit we enjoy eating.We tasted a selection of fruits and voted for our favourite, with raspberries being the most popular. We used corn cobs to create interesting paint effects and conducted sensory investigations of tomatoes to identify how they look, feel, smell, and taste. General Our maths learning has accompanied all topics throughout the year, and we have worked on developing a deep understanding of numbers -- not only counting securely and recognising numerals but also subitising skills and looking for number patterns. Our mathematical curiosity has led us to explore shapes and patterns and measure and compare objects side by side. In our Dough Disco sessions, we have enjoyed some funky finger moves, practising fine motor skills by squeezing and manipulating playdough along to music.These sessions are great fun and enable us to practise hand and finger strength and begin making isolated finger actions.

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Exploring the world through little eyes: Reception’s exciting adventures Reception

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The children started the year by sharing and explaining ‘All About Me’ boxes that they had put together over the summer holidays.These included items that were special to them and photos of their family. This helped them gain insight into each other, and the children learnt about their peers’ interests and hobbies. We read stories about being special and unique, learning that our school is a community that cares for us and keeps us safe. Our journey to India in the Michaelmas term meant eating Indian cuisine, trying on colourful saris and learning traditional Indian dancing.The first trip of the year was to the spectacular Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden.The children saw many big cats and learnt about their habitats.The Indian tigers were beautiful, and the children even saw leopard cubs which had only been born a few weeks earlier. The Lent term began with discovering a mysterious egg in our classroom! The children created nests for the egg out of natural resources and studied who it might belong to. As our ‘Frosty Footprints’ topic continued, we learnt about Inuits, investigating how they live, including how they prepare and cook food. After washing and cutting our own vegetables, the children used the open fire in the woods to cook vegetable soup. On a cold wintery day, it definitely warmed us up! A visit to Eagle Heights helped the children learn more about huskies. Excitedly, the children met and stroked Shebby, discovering why dogs like huskies are essential to people in colder climates. In the Trinity term, our ‘Down on the Farm’ topic evoked lots of discussion about animals and farming.With a focus on history, the children busily researched the history of farming and compared the old practices to now. A visit to the Cranbrook Museum and Union Mill solidified this learning, with many pictures to study and equipment to hold.The children climbed to the top of the mill, seeing the five sweeps out of the windows.They ground their flour in the mill and used it back at school to make delicious rolls.We visited the bees at Somerhill to learn why bees are important on farms and visited the science block to learn about tadpoles and frogs.To finish the year, the children learnt and performed several songs for the pre-prep performance of The Bee Musical. Dressed as mice, they danced to many show-stopping songs with the rest of the pre-prep.

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Year 1 got off to a roaring start last year as we headed to Port Lympne to find out more about tigers as part of our ‘Treasures of India’ topic.We listened to a knowledgeable ranger who taught us all about their habitat, hunting and appearance. Inspired by this we headed back to Somerhill to become authors and write our own non-fiction books for our class book corner. Year 1 As Christmas approached we threw ourselves into our grand Nativity production of ‘The Late Angel.’The children were so excited to be performing a Nativity ‘with a twist’ as the story of the birth of Jesus unfolded from the point of view of the angels and the animals. After weeks of learning lines, working on projecting voices and practising with the props, the Year 1 children took to the stage with pride and delighted their families with singing and acting.The children looked incredible in their costumes and enjoyed their moment in the spotlight. As Trinity term came to a close we were delighted to celebrate our annual ‘Grandparents’ Day’ along with children in Year 4.The children worked hard on

learning songs and poems for a short recital in the Mansion Hall before heading off on a walk with their grandparents. They were treated to a tour of the grounds, a sneak peek at our Pre-Prep Art Exhibition and a fantastic afternoon tea!

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The children have worked hard and have enjoyed a busy year

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Year 2

Indian cooking workshop Exploring the topic of India certainly inspired the Year 2 children in the Michaelmas term.There were many highlights, but the children particularly enjoyed a fun cooking workshop with some very kind parent volunteers. The children developed their culinary skills as they learnt how to make vegetable samosas and coconut barfis.They enjoyed eating them so much that they were then inspired to use instructional writing techniques to write recipes of how to make these delicious treats! Young writers Year 2 children were given the opportunity to showcase their incredible creative writing skills by entering a Young Writers competition in December.They all created fabulous stories based on the theme of ‘Super Pets-Incredible Adventures’. All the entries were fantastic and led to 18 of our pupils being picked for publication!

Gherkin and the animated stories

Year 2 had a fantastic day out at Drusillas Park and were particularly excited to meet Gherkin, the Humboldt penguin adopted by Year 2 to enrich their Frozen Worlds topic.They learnt some incredible penguin facts during a fascinating workshop and used their penguin knowledge back at school to create some amazing, animated stories in their ICT lessons about Gherkin’s imagined adventures.

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Year 2 have had fun working on some exciting topics this year

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Pre-Prep has had some wonderful experiences in drama this year, with a series of Christmas performances ranging from Kindergarten Nativities to Year 2’s exploration of the history of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Pre-Prep’s Shows and Performances

The Kindergarten classes started the festive season with a heartwarming Nativity production.The children’s hard work was evident as they sang, acted, and memorised their lines with great enthusiasm.Their performance, accentuated by an enchanting snowfall, perfectly captured the holiday spirit and set a joyful tone for the season. The Reception children then wowed their families with their beautiful singing and humorous take on the Twelve Days of Christmas, showcasing their growing confidence and charm.Year 1 demonstrated remarkable independence and self-assurance in leading their own Nativity

performance this year, presenting a fresh and engaging twist on the classic story. Finally,Year 2 brought together singing, poetry, and historical insights in a captivating pageant that celebrated the rich traditions of Christmas, rounding off a year of impressive and varied performances. The year concluded with a spectacular end-of-year show — the Bee Musical.

Excitement buzzed around Bickmore Hall as the children took the stage, their months of preparation culminating in a performance filled with well-known songs and bee-related puns. Parents and families were thoroughly entertained, applauding and singing along with pride.The Bee Musical was a perfect finale to a year of impressive stage performances, leaving everyone eagerly anticipating next year’s shows and celebrating the rich tapestry of talent nurtured throughout the year.

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Engaging performances from our enthusiastic, talented children

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Pre-Prep’s Special Days

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2023/24

Pre-Prep Sports Review

Pre-Prep pupils have enjoyed being healthy and incredibly active this year, building their strength, fitness, and sporting skills. Nursery and Kindergarten pupils have developed their physical literacy and crucial fundamental movements, while Reception,Year 1, and Year 2 pupils have tackled all sporting challenges with great enthusiasm and energy and are growing into confident young athletes. Year 1 and 2 honed their skills on the pitches, practising netball, football, hockey, rugby, cross-country, and cricket. They demonstrated great improvements throughout the year.They also enjoyed being introduced to other sports, such as bench ball, dodgeball, handball, and mini lacrosse. The school year culminated with all the children showcasing their athleticism in the sunshine at Sports Day. Nursery and Kindergarten were thrilled to be performing in front of their families, who cheered on from the sidelines.They sprinted, jumped, balanced and slalomed their way through the morning, very much earning their ice lollies! It was fantastic to see so many happy, smiling faces. Reception,Year 1 and Year 2 competed for their teams across multiple athletic events, including the long jump, sack race, themed obstacle relay, Nerf throw, space hopper relay and the traditional egg and spoon race, amongst other fun-filled activities and the day finished with the fiercely competitive Year 2 Tug of War and prize-giving ceremony.

Well done, Pre-Prep, for all your sporting achievements this year. You can be incredibly proud of yourselves.

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Music

at Somerhill A Year in Review (2023-2024)

The 2023-2024 academic year at Somerhill was once again alive with the sound of music, harmony, and joy, showcasing the remarkable talents and enthusiasm of our pupils. From the youngest performers taking their first steps on stage to the more seasoned musicians exploring diverse styles and instruments, music flourished across all levels.

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Soirées Year 2 pupils made their debut into the world of performance during the soirées, which offered a relaxed and nurturing atmosphere to boost their confidence and foster musical growth. For Years 3 and 4, the soirées showcased a broad range of instruments and musical genres, with Year 4 delivering standout performances that highlighted the increasing sophistication of our young musicians. As pupils progressed, performances from Years 5 through 8 displayed remarkable advancement in both technical ability and musical passion.These more experienced performers delivered impressive recitals, a testament not only to their individual growth but also to the dedication of our peripatetic teachers who work tirelessly behind the scenes.The year culminated in the Leavers’ Soirées for DL and YC pupils, a final opportunity for them to share their talents before embarking on new musical adventures at their future schools.

Junior Carol Service A highlight of the festive season, the Junior Carol Service brought our younger pupils to St. Stephen’s Church in Tonbridge, where they filled the sacred space with heartwarming carols and festive cheer.Their beautiful renditions of traditional favourites like Away in a Manger and spirited pieces like the lively Cowboy Carol were interspersed with thoughtful readings, perfectly capturing the sense of community and joy that music brings to Somerhill.

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Senior Carol Service The Senior Carol Service, held in the enchanting Tonbridge School Chapel, was, like every year, a magical experience. Our senior choirs, led by accomplished choristers, delivered exceptional performances, with the YC choir offering a beautiful rendition of Gesu Bambino and the DL choir moving the audience with In the Bleak Midwinter . The stunning contributions of the Yardley Court Tonbridge choristers filled the grand chapel with the spirit of the season.The congregation was also invited to join in several traditional carols, adding to the sense of togetherness. Grandparents’ Day Our Grandparents’ Day concerts for Year 1 and Year 4 were heartwarming events that brought smiles and happy tears to the audience.Year 1 charmed everyone with their lively performance of Froggie Went a Courtin’ , complete with two playful false endings.Year 4 pupils showcased a wide variety of music, with the boys delivering a rousing version of Wellerman , with solos from the boys who auditioned to become Tonbridge choristers, and the girls captivating the audience with The Wreck , an evocative round that left a lasting impression. Spring Concert The whole school Spring Concert was another musical highlight, celebrating the hard work of our ensemble groups over the year.The full orchestra started the evening by delivering a thrilling rendition of the William Tell Overture . All ensembles followed, from the energetic Guava Guy performed by the Brass group to the hauntingly beautiful Shalom Chaverim by our cello ensemble; the concert was a testament to the dedication of all involved.

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Junior and Senior Summer Concerts

As the year came to an end, the Junior Summer Concert saw Year 3 and Year 4 pupils delivering an engaging and diverse program to complement the end-of-year prizegiving, celebrating their instrumental and vocal achievements both in the classroom and in ensemble practice. Ukuleles, xylophones, guitars, strings, and the joyful voices of all the pupils filled the Bickmore Hall with music. The Senior Summer Concert showcased the breadth of talent from our senior ensembles.Yardley Court and Derwent Lodge

choirs performed an array of Mr Macdonald’s favourite pieces, including moving choral renditions of poetry.The girls’ rendition of Confucius’ Where There Is Light was particularly touching, as was the boys’ performance of Silver Penny and An Apricot Tree . The peripatetic teachers joined for the finale, accompanying the pupils in a rousing rendition of Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off . It has been yet another extraordinary year for music at Somerhill, filled with moments of joy, growth, and inspiration.We eagerly anticipate what the next year will bring.

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Art in Action

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Every pupil, without exception, has developed resilience, honed their problem solving skills, and gained independence. Prep

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The Somerhill maths department continues to thrive and bring to life mathematics in all different scenarios. Alongside lots of practical learning in the classroom and in the grounds, pupils Maths Michaelmas Term Primary Maths Challenge for Years 5 and 6 Bronze Awards - Whillan Hartley, Kenzo Patel, Toby Clift and Oliver Beech Silver Award - Joshua Crane Lent Term Intermediate Maths Challenge for Years 7 and 8 Bronze Certificate - Thomas Wigg

from every year group have had an opportunity to compete in national competitions.These competitions allow the children to stretch their understanding and mathematical knowledge.

Trinity Term Junior Maths Challenge aimed at Years 7 and 8 57 certificates of either gold, silver or bronze were awarded - this was our second-highest amount on record. Kenzo Patel scored 129/135, only answering one question incorrectly - this is our highest score on record. In the kangaroo follow-up round, we had further success, and once again, our results continued to impress. Alex Thompson achieved an exceptional 129/135 in this paper and received a certificate of merit and the title of best in school. Marcus Roy also received a certificate of merit for his score of 106/135, which is highly commendable for a Year 6 pupil. Kenzo achieved a distinction in the Olympiad round, which was only awarded to the top 25% of the 1,200 entrants.This is an extraordinary achievement for a boy in Year 6, and we are very proud of what Kenzo

has achieved this academic year. First Mathematics Challenge

The Year 3 and 4 pupils tested their problem-solving and reasoning skills in the First Mathematics Challenge. Our highest-scoring pupil was Issey Patel (Year 4), who scored 19 out of 20.Violet, Matilda, Jude, and Samuel (all Year 4) scored 18, while the top-scoring Year 3 pupil was James Ray,

who scored an impressive 17. Sutton Valence Maths Race

This year we also entered the Sutton Valence maths race with a team in the separate Year 7 & Year 8 competitions. Our Year 8 boys performed well, answering 13 questions correctly and scoring 65 points.They eventually finished in 7th place, only 20 points behind the eventual winners, after four teams tied on 85 points. Our Year 7 boys fared slightly better, answering 16 of the 18 questions they attempted correctly.They finished in 4th position, which was a brilliant effort, and we look forward to returning with them next year to try to get on the podium! There was lots of teamwork, collaboration and problem-solving throughout the afternoon.

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Year 3

Truth About Trolls by Zac Eshun Lots of people think that trolls terrify everyone that comes their way. However, this is not true. I am going to tell you the truth about trolls. What do trolls look like? Amazingly, most trolls have sharp yellow teeth, orange sparkly eyes as bright as the sun and a bushy scraggly tail. Occasionally, some trolls will choose to wear dark brown shorts and a light green top. In addition to that, if available as a choice, they would put on a vibrant blue jacket. Furthermore, they would buy green and purple shoes. Where do trolls live? Many trolls live in deep, dark caves, underwater volcanoes and grassy meadows.Trolls who live in a cave like to eat more food. In addition, trolls like to live in round houses. Also, they live in Trolls eat slimy seals, crunchy crabs and slippery snakes.Trolls who eat wriggly rat stew, like playing outside. Sometimes they would munch on cockroach cakes. Also they would like juicy snail shells. Did you know? Trolls who eat mini maggot rolls have darker skin than others. Lots of trolls actually live in the jungle. 5% of trolls live for over 40 years! 25% of trolls live for over 60 years! underground holes. What do trolls eat?

My Noisy Bedroom, an Onomatopoeic Poem by Henry Hyseni Ding dong goes the clock alarmingly Scuttle, scuttle goes the pencil pot annoyingly. Crash, bang! I am loudly awoken as my Lego hits the floor! Clang goes my bed as I (naughtily) jump on it excitedly. Bang, thud, I scream as my head hits the wall!

My Bedroom’s Full of Noises by Grace Buckley-Mills Doors slamming atrociously,

Medals clattering loudly, Pens squeaking irritably, Books fluttering frantically, Curtains swishing gently, Beds creaking madly, Windows bashing quickly, Drawers thudding wildly.

Neverland by Cordelia Hoffman

Blue Tit by Oliver Chesterton A Blue Tit, A small, little gentleman?

The crystal clear waterfall rushed quickly down the mountain into the lagoon, the mysterious pirate ship shook violently and sparkling mermaids sang tunefully on the black, ragged rocks.The sparkling rainbow shone bright colours across the blue sky. Fluffy clouds floated lazily in the sky. Rocky mountains as tall as one hundred giraffes stacked on top of each other, reached up and touched the sky.The sea, as blue as the sky, led into a beautiful lake which glistened in the sun. Pretty flowers lined every single bit of land.

Behaviour…mmm…not so much! Perches on the thinnest and highest branches. CRASH! A branch comes down. The Blue Tit manages to escape. I’m a Happy Dude by Margot Berkeley I’m happy like a tiger, Eating strawberry ice cream.

This is the truth about trolls. Professor Zac - Troll Master

I’m glad like a tiger, Jumping up a tree. I’m innocent like a tiger, Drinking cool water. I’m jolly like a tiger, Watching TV Kids.

Frog by Finn Enefer

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Year 4

The Feathered Deer-Fox by Liam Thirkell

At midnight, a creature as majestic as a hippogriff comes out to hunt. It feels like a silk bed sheet. Its sound hypnotises creatures to come to it and when they do it devours its prey in one bite. In the morning the feathered deer-fox finds a tree as thick as an elephant and bites it. Only few lived to tell the tale because if it sees you, it brainwashes you and makes a noise that sounds like your loved ones. People only find the feathered deer-fox in the woods at Somerhill.The headmaster has personal experience of seeing this mythical beast. Should pupils have to wear school uniform? by Max Bell For many years children have had to wear school uniforms, but some people believe that home clothes are a much nicer way of going to learn. Should school uniform be forgotten? Firstly, school uniform is formal and traditional; for many adults, school uniform is a memory jogger and makes many happy thoughts. Clearly, most uniform is distinctive to your school and it is as colourful as a Mexican Fiesta in the summer and is very nice to admire whilst walking. On the flip side, there is evidence that school uniforms are very itchy and are uncomfortable to wear. Undoubtedly, school uniforms are very expensive and are unaffordable to many people. As a result, many people cannot go to the school they want. In conclusion, there are many different opinions on whether school regalia should be banned. In my opinion, I think school uniforms should be forgotten due to the prices of cloth. Will this argument ever end?

The Most Boring Day of the Year by Louisa Jenner-Jones It was the most boring day of the year, school trip day. Ameli hated school trip day.They always went to the museum. The class stopped at each display, but Ameli only got interested in the Egyptian display. It was the newest display at the museum. A canopic jar held her attention.The golds shimmered, blacks shined and hieroglyphics sparkled. It was as beautiful as a gem. As 4SD wandered into the Roman section, Ameli waited.When her class were out of sight, Ameli reached out, touched the jar and felt a sudden wave of pain. She withdrew her hand as if she had been stung! A moment later, she was standing in the middle of a vast desert. Pyramids stood as tall as skyscrapers towering high above Emily. Sand brushed against her feet and a sapphire blue river oozed by. Palm trees swayed, and Emily gasped, for she knew exactly where she was. A beautiful lady strode towards her and Emily ran into the nearest pyramid. The lady followed her. Emily ran as far as she could but her way was blocked. Suddenly Ameli saw the jar. She reached out, touched the jar and felt the shock of pain once again. Before she could say jar, Ameli found herself back in the museum, face to face with Mrs Stannage.“Where have you been?” she shouted. “In Egypt,” Ameli stammered, but her teacher did not look pleased with her explanation.

ArTHur’s Adventure by Fraser Sinclair Dear Diary, This morning, at the crack of dawn, I went out on my boat to see a friend. The sea was calm, bright blue and the sky empty. Each of the ragged, grey rocks sat in the sea with a little house on top. Just as l’d done yet another loop, I saw an unusual creature hidden under the deep, blue sea with ten slimy, emerald, green tentacles and a head stuck out of the water. I recognised it at once a Monopolis! The slimy, disgusting creature lashed its tentacles at me with all its might, but my trusty little boat got away. Its eye as big as the moon, its tentacles crawling up my oar I felt I could stand it no longer. I let go of my one and only oar. Then, as soon as I’d seen the Monopolis, I remembered...the Monopolis booster! I pressed the buttons all at once and BAM! The Monopolis shot back into the water. I’d never felt as lucky as I did then as WHOOSH my boat shot through the water and straight to my friend’s house. I’m writing this from home and thankfully had no other adventures coming back, but I am so, so tired. Yours sincerely, Arthur

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Year 5

Fantastic, Functional Flute by Luca Meston

Do you need the latest gadgets for your next mission? Are you falling behind the spy trends? Do those criminals keep getting away? If that’s true, you must buy the Fantastic, Functional Flute (FFF). If they are getting away, the FFF might just come in handy. The FFF includes the best new features like: • A homing device so it will always come back to you • Keys that turn into mini shurikens • A laser that can burn through any type of metal • Can be used to communicate in morse code using quavers and semi-quavers And if that wasn’t enough, it comes with a hidden spyglass that can look at faraway places (maximum distance being 4.7 miles). It also has a free music book for playing normal music when you need to disguise in dangerous places. However, the most essential reason to buy this is there is a secret piece hidden in the back of the book. If played, you can stun criminals in any situation or send them to deep sleep (only lasts for 1 and a half hours). Be prepared to hear what James Bond (world-wide spy) has to say about the FFF. “Brilliant! I have no idea how I used to catch criminals without this gadget.” It also comes with a free case and spare keys. If bought in the next 3 days, you will get 15% money back. Buy now at TheSpyStore.co.uk. Or scan the QR code down below.

Snowdrop and the Snow-Fox by Eva Reynolds Overhead, the huge, intimidating clouds threw down snow like stones pounding against Snowdrop’s soft coat.The howls of wind cut through the sky, slicing it in two halves. Everywhere Snowdrop looked, mammoth teeth-like mountains stabbed at the thickening fog, only making it more determined to swallow anyone up who came too close.The freezing cold wind pushed back at Snowdrop, forcing her to go in the wrong direction. Snowy and the Storm-wolf by Evelyn Clarke The snow sliced her fur.The wind whipped the tall trees causing them to sway like zombies. Snowy stood, engulfed in mist, shivering. Frost bit at her coat and rain poured relentlessly, the cold suffocating her. As the ominous black clouds surrounded the distant mountains, hail pounded the sleet-covered ground, making them rumble with fear. Ash and the Fire Dragon by Ivy Warren Lightning thrashed down like spears from the dreadful sky, setting trees alight by the thousands and felling them by the millions. Rain slashed at the ground, creating battered mud and overflowing rivers.The horrific wind stabbed at Ash’s feather coat, pushing her off balance and gnawing at her talons. Warmth.That was her only need.

The Chase by Henry Marconi

Lightning crashed on the trees; Max huddled in the shadows. Frozen leaves were scattered around in the half-moon light. Although tree roots nearly tripped her over, she still ventured into the forest.Trees as bare as a cactus stood like soldiers. Max took several deep breaths. Shelter. That is what he needed. Without hesitation, he ran into the hollow of a tree. Just making out a shape of a massive creature pacing, prowling, and inspecting. Each muscle flexed and pulsed a strong power: Max froze like it was a game of musical statues. The petrifying animal came nearer and nearer, and a low mumble vibrated around the Earth. Steam puffed itself out of its snotty, dirty nostrils with fury. Max could hear stomps bashing the floor like a stampede. Could it feel Max’s fear? Max could not take it anymore.Without thinking, he picked himself out of the hollow of the tree, ran across the pathway, with roots, and leaped over a small river. He heard a howl from the creature. Nearly landing in the river, he took lots of calm breaths. Silence. He was alone and he could still hear the loud thumps from the animal. He was safe…for now.

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Year 6

An extract from The Hippocamp

by Alannah de Silva Wijeyeratne I rarely tell people my story. I shall tell you, but you should not spread my story to anyone else. It is an unbelievable story, not many people would be able to bear it. Far to the east of the country, beyond the chaotic roads, there is a beach. It is as quiet as memories, as remote as time and as peaceful as the morning breeze, but no one dares go there. A beach overflowed with secrets as dusk falls. Every morning, the scuba divers drag the equipment to the far coves, travelling miles more than needed, occasionally glancing at the beach. No- one even looked at the beach for too long until the teenage boy. “Is the water too dangerous to scuba dive in?” questioned the teenage boy. “No, it’s as calm as ever, perfect, in fact, to scuba dive,” answered the local scuba diver expert. “Then why travel to the far coves when there is a perfectly good scuba diving area so close.” Nobody could drag their eyes away from the teenage boy. Awkwardly, they began to shuffle to their own table. Eventually, an ancient lady grabbed his arm, whispering under her breath in secretive tones. “The waters you shout about are incredibly calm. But it has long since been haunted by another. A beast of ultimate strength.There are legends that suggest it’s deadly, fierce and can cause immense devastation.” “What is this creature you speak of?” asked the teenage boy.”Why do you listen to these feeble attempts at a story.”

Centaur by Martin de Castro

A Fantasy Opening by Seren Spender Zoro would never forget the night when she was forced to leave her home, her family and all that she ever knew. Bonsinover, a magical village in the land of Svent, once was a place of wonder: a city of pure gold; streets lined with rubies; and crystal buildings towered high over the dusty deserted desert. She didn’t want to leave her home, but she had to, all because of a horrifying iron-grey and blood-splattered dragon. By night, it circled incessantly over hundreds of petrified people; by day, it retreated to its bone-scattered death-trap lair, slaughtering many innocent citizens, old and young, including her parents. After two years of running, Zoro was ready to avenge their deaths - with a little help from her new best friend: an energetic and overprotective corn snake named Cornell. In the south-east of Asia, guarded by a mass of green land, lies a large forest. It stretches as far as the ocean and is as dense as mountains of rock.Yet no human has gone anywhere near that forest. Somewhere like that, hazards will lie. So, early every morning, rising with the sun, the villagers carry their axes and start their walk, round the darkest yet largest of the forests to other forests.The tradition was never changed until the young woman arrived. Setting description from The Leshy by Marcus Lane

His wonderful luck continued for almost all his vacation until the last trip. He ventured beyond the village and towards the cave, but this time, the atmosphere felt different, weeds ripped off the ground, hurtling mud and grass into the boy’s face; the wind lifted the rain, carrying it back and forth into the boy like a whip striking: lightning crackled above, lighting the sky for seconds as if the heavens were showing then, concealing itself with the clouds; the clouds, seeming of smoke, dampening the sky so no visible sunlight was showing. It was as if the dark days had started.This, to the young boy, was simply a small setback, not a signal for retreat. All through the night, the boy ventured to the cave, and as it seemed as if the lightning was stopping, he started collecting the gems. He stopped; a noise had disturbed him.When he walked to the source of the sound, he understood. It was not a rock falling from the ceiling but a Centaur’s arrows flying against the wall, killing whatever prey had stumbled in. He had seen a Centaur. Standing in the darkness, the Centaur’s bow and arrow quiver shone out the most.The arrows crafted of spruce wood carved perfectly by hand. But the legs! Brown tanned as the sun, and its fur allowing it to camouflage into the cave. At that moment, he could not comprehend if it was the understanding of the beast being real or just the mesmerising reality of what had happened. A voice appeared in his mind. “Thou has trespassed into the depths where one shall not go. Never return...”

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