independent_schools

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Newbury Weekly News

Thorngrove School

Tours this year headed off to Barcelona and the West Country. New Director of Sport, Nick Harrison has brought in pre- season sports training with professional sports coaches – which is a real hit. Fiddler on the Roof was the big senior school musical last year, with 70 pupils taking part. The school also hosts a dance project with Mary Hare, a local special school for deaf children. In the summer, the school will be running a dance project with Year 3 and 4 children. They will be doing all forms of dance, from ballet to street. Drama is on the curriculum with the school’s LAMDA-trained teacher, Julia Lee-Delisle. Every child this year who took a LAMDA exam achieved either merit or distinction. At Christmas, Thorngrove’s ballet teacher, Miss Holly, hosted a ballet project with local primary schools using The Nutcracker as her theme. Eighty per cent of pupils from Year 3 up learn a musical instru- ment. We have a plethora of music groups and all children take part in a music festival, with many forming their own groups and creating their own music. The choir are going on tour to Wales in May and singing even- song in Llandaff Cathedral will be a real highlight. Art is strong with two scholar- ships awarded this year to Brad- field and Pangbourne. Our Art Exhibition is loads of fun with every child in the school having their artwork professionally

hung and judged. The school provides more than 30 activities every week. The quirkiest ones are disco roller skating, fishing, street dance, remote control car club, forest school, golf and Yoga for 4 year olds. Clay pigeon shooting has recently been added, tutuored by Olympic Gold medallist Richard Faulds, whose children are at the school. A team is going to the Northern Shoot in April and will hopefully perform well. Mindfulness is a big part of Thorngrove. They have recently appointed a new Deputy Head Pastoral and also have a teacher who teaches mindfulness and meditation to all age groups. There is a school counsellor and next year the school hopes to create a drop-in facility for chil- dren to pop in and chat to a trained counsellor if they have any worries. There is a great learning support department, helping inside the classroom and on a one-to-one basis. The school celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with a Summer Ball. Founder children, now in their 30s, will be coming to the ball. Jaunita the 2016 Masterchef finalist will be cook- ing the dinner. If you would like to see the school for yourself and find out how a Thorngrove education could benefit your child please call the Registrar Bev O’Brien on (01635) 253172. Alternatively, you can call the school office on the same number and book a place at the next open day on Saturday, May 12.

IN a sentence, Thorngrove is a happy, nurturing school where children can be themselves, fulfil their dreams and ulti- mately become well-rounded, well-rooted and resilient young people. Most children will usually join the nursery or reception class. The other main points of entry are usually Years 3 and 4. Thorn- grove’s small, nurturing nursery is close to full for next year and several other year groups have waiting lists. At the end of Year 8, pupils move on to an eclectic range of senior schools. Considering the Year 8 is usually small – about 20-25 chil- dren – they usually do very well at senior school scholarships. Most years 25 percent of Year 8 children will pick up awards to their next school. Last year, leavers went to Abingdon, St Helen & St Katherine, Bradfield, Marlborough, Pangbourne, Mill- field and Sherborne Girls. Roughly a third will board and two thirds will head off to inde- pendent day or flexi-boarding schools nearby. Thorngrove’s sports department prides itself on making sport for all. Everyone from Year 3 up plays in a team for the school and there is a wide-ranging fixture list. As well as the usual sports, there is so much on offer including dance – both contemporary and ballet, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting and roller skating to name but a few. The school is also introducing girls’ cricket for the first time this summer.

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The Mount, Highclere, Newbury, RG20 9PS, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1635 253172