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Barrow Hills Bulletin
19 June 2026

Friday 19th June 2026

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

Years 7 and 8 have returned from their Spanish expedition, enriched by a wonderful programme of adventurous activities abroad. Special thanks go to Mr Smith, Mr Unwin and Mrs Mason for ensuring a safe, successful and enjoyable trip.

Closer to home, Year 1 were full of enthusiasm following their visit to Alice Holt Forest. Year 3 enjoyed an enriching day at RHS Wisley, and our Pre-Prep pupils had great fun at their Teddy Bears’ Picnic on the school lawns. Over the weekend, we also have a GB Hockey trip to London.

Thank you to Years 3 and 4 for entertaining us, with a lot of energy and confidence, with their production of Snow White and the Seven Jockeys on Thursday.

There is plenty more to look forward to next week, and we are hoping for good weather for the Pre-Prep Summer Celebration on Thursday and Sports Day on Friday.

Pupils’ annual reports are due to me this Friday for review, which marks the beginning of the countdown to the end of another successful academic year. Looking ahead to Prize Giving on 3rd July, we are delighted to welcome Sascha Dench, the pioneering environmentalist, as our guest speaker. It promises to be a wonderful occasion.

Have a great weekend.
Mr Towers, Head

News from Upper Prep

With an action-packed week split between the sunshine of Costa Brava and a busy return to school in the UK, our Year 7 & Year 8 children have been making the most of every opportunity.

To do justice to all the highlights, photos and stories from the trip, we will be publishing a full Year 7 & 8 trip round-up in next week’s newsletter. We look forward to bringing you a closer look at what has been a fantastic and memorable experience for everyone involved.

Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Mason, Head of Upper Prep

News from Prep

A lovely week for the Prep department. On Monday, Mr Asprey visited Year 6 to speak about geology – it is always so rewarding when parents are able to bring their knowledge and experience to the classroom, and we would like to thank Mr Asprey for a wonderful session. Today, Year 3 visited RHS Wisley, and thoroughly enjoyed a glorious sunny day immersed in nature.

On Thursday, all our Prep children displayed the confidence that a Barrow Hills education encourages. Some of the Year 5 children gave an assembly on the history of the Fifa World Cup, where we learned fascinating facts about some of the competing countries and how the tournament grew from humble origins to one of the most dominant sporting events in the world. In the evening, Year 3 and 4 presented the gloriously funny “Snow White and the Seven Jockeys”! The school productions are months in the planning, and the dedication to learning lines, cues, songs and choreography is always very impressive, particularly when we are looking at the younger cohorts. Well done to all of the children involved, and thank you to Mr O’Kelly, Mrs Wallace, Mrs Pickard and Mrs Davies for all your support.

Next week looks to be particularly hot and sunny, so please can all children come in with sun cream already applied, plus extra to put on during the day, a sun hat, and filled water bottles. I hope to see many of you next Friday for Sports Day!

Have a wonderful weekend,
Miss Tyrrell, Head of Prep

News from Pre-Prep

Our Year 1 children enjoyed an exciting Science trip at the beginning of the week to Alice Holt as part of their learning about Plants and Animals. During their visit, the children explored a forest environment and took a closer look at the plants that live there, as well as the different parts that make up a plant. Through a range of hands-on activities, they engaged with the natural world using all of their senses, a particular focus of their learning within ‘Animals including Humans’. The children enjoyed a special ‘Meet a Tree’ activity, where they developed their sensory skills and built a deeper connection with nature, and created their own forest ‘perfumes’ using natural materials found in the woodland, encouraging curiosity and creativity while exploring the scents of the forest.

On Thursday, our EYFS children in Nursery through to Reception enjoyed a wonderful Teddy Bears’ Picnic, bringing along their favourite teddy bears or other cuddly toys for a fun-filled morning of activities. The children took part in a carousel of engaging activities and there were plenty of smiles as they moved between the different stations, enjoying games, crafts and teddy-themed challenges with their friends. The picnic provided a lovely opportunity for the children to build their social skills as they sat together on picnic blankets on the outdoor stage with siblings and children across year groups. 

This week, Reception welcomed some very special visitors from the local police force. The children thoroughly enjoyed learning about the important role that police officers play in helping and protecting our communities. The officers spoke to the children about their work, the equipment they use and how they help people in a variety of situations. There was great excitement when the children were given the opportunity to explore the police car, sit inside and see some of its features up close. One of the highlights of the visit was hearing the siren and seeing the flashing lights in action!

Congratulations to Reuben (Kindy), Josh (Rec), Parker (Year 1) and India (Year 2) who were presented with Work of the Week certificates this morning. Luca and Sophie (Year 1) did brilliantly to achieve their Platinum Awards and a very special mention to Rocco (Year 2) who received his Diamond Award.

A reminder that this Thursday (25th) is our end of year Pre-Prep Summer Celebration, due to be held on the Head’s Lawn and the outdoor staging as the forecast is set to be warm and dry. Refreshments will be served on the terrace at 8:15am after drop off and we will begin at 8:45am. Those whose Nursery and Kindy children do not usually attend on Thursday morning should contact Mrs Taylor to let her know if your child is able to join us that morning.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Barnett

School Notices

Music Lesson Timetables

Music lesson timetables are published every Friday via the School Portal. While our music teachers endeavour to attend on their designated days, there may be occasions when adjustments are necessary. We kindly ask parents to check the published timetables each week to ensure that students bring their instrument and music to school on the correct day.

Sun care in the Summer Term

With the warmer weather approaching please can we ensure that children are coming to school with water bottles, caps and have had sun cream applied in the morning.

Sally’s Swim School

Improve your confidence and skills with Sally’s Swim course over the summer holidays. More details can be found here.

Summer Sports Camp 2026

With the summer holidays fast approaching, we have just opened registrations for our Summer Sports Camp. Please fill out the google form here if you want to book a spot.

Summer Art & Nature Club 2026

Welcome to Earth Camp – a premium, small-group outdoor experience set in the gorgeous woodlands and newly restored Art Shed at Barrow Hills School. This activity camp is for Year 4-8 children and will be run by Mrs Wheeler and Mrs Wallace.
Book your space here now!

Barracudas Activity Day Camps

27th July until 21st August

Barracudas Activity Day Camps, the UK’s favourite school holiday camp for children aged 4 to 14 years, will be open at our school in 2026. 80+ exciting activities including arts and crafts, sports, teambuilding and much more! We also have specialist activities including archery and motorsports offered at our Easter and summer camps.

Ofsted registered, confidence building camps with high staff to child ratios.

Save up to £125 with their Early Booking offer and your exclusive code!

Book now at www.Barracudas.co.uk or call 01480 467 567

Barrow Hills Gin

You can order a bottle of our very own Barrow Hills Gin here.

Aquathlon Race Series at the Guildford Lido

Phoenix Triathlon Club is thrilled to host a three-part Aquathlon Race Series at the Guildford Lido this summer.

Designed to be fun, friendly, and accessible, these events are the perfect introduction to multi-sport racing for beginners, while also offering a fantastic local race opportunity for seasoned athletes.

Event Highlights:

The Venue: Swim in the iconic 50m Olympic Guildford Lido, followed by a safe, traffic-free run in Stoke Park.

The Dates:
Friday 12th June, Friday 10th July, and Friday 4th September 2026.
(All events start from 7:00 PM).

Fully Licensed: All races are officially licensed by the British Triathlon Federation (BTF).

Competitive Spirit: Prizes will be awarded for podium positions in female and open categories with medals for all finishers!

Full cafe facilities open at the Lido

Free parking

Dedicated marshals at all points with professional Medical staff on hand

Race Categories & Distances:

Category Age Swim Distance Run Distance
TriStar Start 8 years 50m 600m
TriStar 1 9-10 years 150m 1.5km
TriStar 2 11-12 years 200m 2km
TriStar 3 13-14 years 300m 3km
Youth & Junior 15-19 years 500m 5km
Adults 20+ years 500m 5km

 

Entry Fees:
Adults (20+): £32.50
Under 19s: £25.00

Group & Multi-Race Discounts:
We are offering exclusive discount codes for schools, clubs, families, or individuals entering all three races. Please reply directly to this email at aquathlon@phoenixtri.co.uk to secure your discount code or to ask any questions.

How to Book:
Click on the date you wish you book for and fill out the form – Friday 12th June, Friday 10th July or Friday 4th September.

Tree Tots at Barrow Hills

We’re thrilled to invite little ones into our Nursery and Forest School for a our weekly toddler class – Tree Tots @ Barrow Hills!

Tree Tots welcomes girls and boys aged 6 months – 3 years for a magical hour of play. Babies can relax in our baby sensory corner as toddlers take on themed activity stations – we’ll then all come together for songs, games and story time.

The classes will meet every Friday at 9am during term-time – the first two classes will be free to attend, (thereafter £5 per child), and include a hot drink and snack for both carers and their little ones!

Please do bring along any children and spread the word with friends – tickets must be booked in advance, through the Happity website.

Barrow Hills Parents’ Association

Bacon Butties were a welcome treat this morning, and helped raised £303. The Bacon Butty stall runs every Friday from 7:45am, 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!

This week we also have some good news to share with everyone – we have now been approved as a registered charity! More details can be found here.

Bridewell Schools Dry Cleaning & Launderers

 

Newsletter Archives

Barrow Hills Bulletin - 19 June 2026
Barrow Hills Bulletin - 12 June 2026
Barrow Hills Bulletin - 5 June 2026
Barrow Hills Bulletin - 22 May 2026
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Barrow Hills Bulletin - 8 May 2026
Barrow Hills Bulletin - 1 May 2026
Barrow Hills Bulletin - 24 April 2026
Barrow Hills Bulletin - 27 March 2026
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