Friday 12th September 2025

Welcome to the Barrow Hills Bulletin, your weekly newsletter with a snapshot of life at School.

 

Message From the Head 

Dear Parents,

Sports Day Poster

We’ve really enjoyed the start of term, and a special well done to our many new pupils from Nursery to Year 6 who have settled in so well.

For parents, children, and staff, we’re looking forward to our Welcome Back BBQ & Children’s Fun Triathlon next Saturday. Fill your boots with food and more, while the children run, cycle, and swim. The sports start at 10am, with lunch served from 12 – 2.30pm.

On important dates, for parents (especially from Year 4 upwards) seeking advice on the world of senior school transfer, we have our annual seminar with special guests on Monday 22nd at 6pm in the Chapel. This event gives honest, practical guidance to help you navigate the process.

We also host our “Life at the Top” event on Monday 29th September at 6pm, where you can speak with students, staff, and parents about the unique opportunities in Years 7 and 8 at Barrow Hills —combining academic stretch, close pastoral support, and leadership experiences that many senior schools can’t match.

If you would like to be more involved in the wider life of the school, we are launching a fully constituted Parents’ Association, registered as a charity. This will build on the great work of our volunteers and the informal BHCC, providing a stronger structure and representation from every year group (Nursery to Year 8). A small but welcome bonus—it also means no VAT on our bacon butty stall! Please join us on 1st October at morning drop-off for coffee and cake, and to find out more.

There are still places available in many of our clubs, including mountain biking, Lego, rugby, netball, robotics, and more. Please see the guide we sent out—the portal link is still open for sign-ups.

Finally, a big well done to all our children for their bravery and spirit as they launched our new Pony Riding Club this Monday. High expectations matter, and we hope this will pave the way for creating our own equestrian team in the future.

Mr Towers, Head

News from Upper Prep

It has been wonderful to see all the children in Year 7 and Year 8 back in school after the summer break and to hear all about their exciting adventures over the holidays.

Year 8 have embraced their new captaincy roles with enthusiasm. They introduced themselves in their assembly on Thursday and told everyone about their plans and targets for the coming school year. It was great to hear all about their ideas! Mateo and Philip, as our Pre-Prep and Upper Prep sports captains, have already started to support our coaches with Pre-Prep sport and they were joined by other members of Year 8 too. Our House Captains, Josh, Alfie and George took the lead in our house meetings last week and it has been lovely to see all of Year 8 taking the time to speak to the new children and to welcome them to Barrow Hills.

Year 7 have settled quickly into life at the top of the school and they all look very smart in their blue blazers. Again, I have been impressed by the way they have engaged in their lessons and the enthusiasm they have shown for the 13+ Common Entrance curriculum.

A few dates for your diaries:

Saturday 20th September: This is not only our ‘Welcome Back BBQ’ and triathlon, but also a chance to celebrate 75 Years of Barrow Hills!

Monday 29th September: Life at the Top: Please join us to hear more about life in Upper Prep from staff, parents and past and present pupils.

I hope to see you at some of these events!

Mrs Mason, Head of Upper Prep

News from Prep
It has been a real pleasure to welcome the children back to school this week after the summer break.

A particularly warm welcome goes to all of our new families who have joined us this term. You are a wonderful addition to our community, and it has been lovely to see both children and parents already beginning to form new friendships and connections. I know you will soon feel very much at home at Barrow Hills.

This week also saw the start of Pony Club with myself and Mrs Goedkoop, which was a lovely way to begin the term. It is always wonderful to see the children trying new things and throwing themselves into the opportunities on offer.

A few gentle reminders as we get back into the rhythm of school life: children must have long trousers and long-sleeved tops if they are to participate in Forest School, so please make sure they come prepared. Also, if your child achieves something outside of school—whether in sport, music, drama, or another area—please do send the details in to us. We love celebrating these successes together, and they can be shared during our Friday Awards Assembly.

Upcoming events of note include our informative Senior Schools evening, held in the Chapel on 22nd September, and our Life at the Top information session scheduled for 29th September, full of useful insights into the wonderful opportunities available to those children moving into Upper Prep.

Warm regards,

Miss Tyrrell, Head of Prep

News from Pre-Prep

Our first full week back at school means our first full week of our new timetables, new routines and exciting new opportunities for our Pre-Prep children. As I said in my earlier correspondence, I have been enormously proud of how well our youngest learners have come into school and embraced their school day, showing courage at times and immediate engagement with the activities their first few days have presented.

Roles of responsibility including School Council members and Eco Reps, as well as vice house captains in Year 2 have been elected and the first house points were collected in from Pre-Prep classes at the end of this week in time for this morning’s whole school assembly. Our first recipients of Work of the Week certificates were congratulated this morning at assembly. Well done to Valo (Y1) for his super counting on from any number in Maths and to Teddy (Y2) for impressing Mrs James with his mental arithmetic. Congratulations also to Freddie (Rec) who was awarded Work of the Week for his fantastic painting of a diplodocus.

Thank you to those of you who were able to join us for the Parent Information Mornings this week. I hope you found it a useful opportunity to hear about the year ahead and to ask any questions you may have had. If you were unable to attend, please do reach out to your child’s class teacher if you wish to know more details about anything in particular. Next Wednesday, 17th September, at 8:35am is our Nursery and Kindy Parent Information Morning.

Finally, a reminder that a week on Saturday, 20th September, is our 75th Anniversary Launch and Welcome BBQ. The day will start with our Barrow Hills’ triathlon (starts at 10.00am, children to register at 9.45am for this fun swim, bike and run event), after which food will be served from 12.00pm until 2.30pm in the Pre-Prep garden. We look forward to seeing you all there for this event.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Barnett, Head of Pre-Prep

Barrow Hills Triathlon

Please register on the fields at 9:45am for the event to start at 10am. Children need to bring a bike, helmet, swim wear and have comfortable exercise clothes to run and cycle their way through the course. Teams will be both Prep and Pre-Prep with staff in the water with the Pre-Prep children to help them through their swim.

BHCC

Bacon Butties were a welcome treat on this sunny morning, and helped raise £74.16. The Bacon Butty stall runs every single Friday, serving a selection of delicious breakfast treats and hot drinks, and is a fabulous meeting point for everyone to catch up at the end of the school week.

Thanks to our amazing team and the community for your support!

Bridewell Schools Autumn Term Offer

 

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