Year 7 Visit Parliament
Year 7 visited the Houses of Parliament yesterday! They had a tour of Westminster Palace, sat in the public gallery during a live debate and learnt a lot about how laws are made and how the government works. They were also lucky enough to have a question and answer session with two members of our local MP, Felicty Buchan’s team, one of whom, Ned Whitley, was an ex-NHP pupil and gappie! They were both very impressed with the quality of questions and enthusiasm shown by our NHP students!
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Year 6 Fashion Week
In line with Paris (!) Year 6 had their own Fashion week, on 26th February, as part of the post 11+programme. On Monday they were very fortunate to have a ‘Fashion panel Q and A’ with variety of experts from within the industry. They came up with some interesting questions to ask the panel such as ‘Why did you get into fashion? What did you have to do to achieve your goals? How do you deal with rejection of your ideas? What is the most exciting/challenging thing about your job?’ There were some interesting insights as well as a strong message across the panel: don’t be afraid to make mistakes, be kind and just keep going!
On Tuesday the children visited the Victoria and Albert Museum and The Natural History Museum to take part in a workshop at each museum, as well as gather research sketches for the ‘biomorphic garments’ they would be making later in the week. At the V and A they became designers and made machettes in small groups. Their problem to solve: sustainability within the clothing industry. There were some fantastic inventions and ideas: extendible fabric which grows as you grow, a t-shirt which features solar panels on the fabric so you can charge your phone whilst you wear it, or selling parts of garments which are detachable so that your clothes are constantly changing depending on which collar/sleeve/cuff you decide!
On Wednesday the children were extremely lucky to have an assembly session with Sarah Burton. It was incredibly inspiring for the children to be able to touch garments she had made as well as be talked through her mood boards, inspiration and references for each of the piece. Sarah highlighted to the children the importance of the process and working with a team which set them up very well for the design project for the rest of the week.
On Friday in the Serbian Hall, the children exhibited their own processes and displayed the garments that they had designed and made in small groups from recycled materials. There was some exceptional examples where groups had reflected and evaluated to develop their pieces from research to design to final piece. All teams collaborated brilliantly and we were very impressed with their creativity to produce biomorphic garments from such unnatural materials such as plastic and bottle tops! One staff member commented that celebrities such as Bjork would love all of these outfits for her music videos, a Year 6 replied that they see them more on Billie Eilish! Thank you to all those who collected and donated their recycling. Well done Year 6… Paris would be lucky!
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World Book Day 2024
A glorious World Book Day was had on Thursday at NHP. The day was filled with reading and writing activities across the school, inspired by the array of wonderful animal-themed books we have in the library. From political anthropomorphism in George Orwell’s Animal Farm and NoViolet Bulawayo’s Glory, to unlikely friendships in Julia Donaldson’s The Snail and the Whale, pupils explored, created, and enjoyed all sorts of exciting literature. 6OS started our day on the right note with an assembly about the magic and power of reading. Throughout the day, pupils shared literary video messages across all buildings: re-enactments, rhymes, quizzes and recommendations were shared between our youngest and oldest pupils. Competitive spirits were ignited over lunch with a book-themed quiz which delighted all. Teachers carefully wove the magic of reading into their lessons and celebrated the spell of reading that all have fallen under at NHP.
NHP was also delighted to welcome the much-loved author, Helen Peters. Helen engaged with all the children, sharing stories from her beloved books and introducing some exciting new ones. Helen thrilled the OB children with tales of life on the farm, surrounded by animals. She discussed the inspiration behind each of her Jasmine Green stories, weaving in real-life anecdotes and captivating images. We met the real pig, sheep, otter and many more, all of whom you can find in her wonderful animal series.
The JCB group also delved into farm life. Helen’s father, a brilliant farmer who couldn’t brew a cup of tea, took centre stage. Her brother, now a farmer himself, even “farmed” the house using his toy tractor, inspiring ideas for The Secret Hen House. She also revealed that it took many marvellous mistakes and lots of persistence and perseverance to write this book (12 years in fact!).
A mysterious and intriguing tale transported the PGB children back to World War II. They solved clues and learned about an extraordinary woman with a passion for fast cars who was the inspiration for her book Friends and Traitors. The children hung on to her every word, posing excellent questions. Helen was impressed by their focus and creativity. She also marvelled at the “kaleidoscope of creatures” she encountered. A truly wonderful author visit that we hope will inspire the authors of tomorrow.
Thank you to Susie Comish and the PA volunteers who decorated the JCB and PGB, and to NHP’s teachers who worked so hard to bring World Book Day to life.
Read MoreYear 6 Visit the NHM and the V&A
On Tuesday, Year 6 visited the NHM and the V&A. They took part in workshops at both museums and were able to do some research drawings of anything that inspired them in preparation for their biomorphic fashion creations this week. We were blown away by what they came up with at the Year 6 fashion showcase!
Read MoreCheltenham College Maths Competition
On Tuesday 6th February, Notting Hill Prep returned to Cheltenham College for their annual maths competition. The children worked collaboratively on a range of tasks, which included a group round, a logic puzzle, a set of sequential questions where no communication was allowed and a team relay race. They displayed wonderful enthusiasm, admirable resilience and communicated with clarity as they competed against 9 other schools! The children were a credit to NHP and should be extremely proud of their efforts. A special congratulations to the Year 6 team for finishing as runners-up – a marvellous achievement!
Mr Lee
Head of Maths
Read MoreYear 7 Athletics Success
A team of year 7 boys recently took on the challenge of the RBKC sportshall athletics borough championships. They competed in a variety of running, jumping and throwing events and finished a fantastic 1st place overall! They will now represent the borough at the London Youth Games. Well done to everyone involved!
Read MoreYear 1’s History Projects
In Humanities this term, Year 1 have been learning about ‘Women in History.’ In preparation for this topic, the children were tasked with carrying out research about an inspirational woman in their lives. The result was a collection of informative and exciting projects, including posters showcasing the remarkable lives and journeys of their aunties, grandmas, and mothers! Well done, Year 1!
Read MoreTigertones visit NHP!
All the way from Princeton University, USA, the Tigertones all male a cappella group visited NHP for the fourth time on Friday morning. What a treat they had in store for the whole school! Singing beautiful arrangements, including songs by The Beatles, Harry Connick Jr, Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen, the ensemble had the children and staff enthralled from first note to last. Self-effacing, witty, soulful yet impeccably well-prepared, the Tigertones are an inspiration to us all. Their performance yet again reiterated for me the importance of singing and how much happiness it brings to performer and listener alike. A special mention must go to Oi Leng, mother of Lena (Year 6) and Mika (Year 3) a Princeton alumna, who helped arrange this unforgettable event!
Read MoreYear 4 Trip to the Tower of London
On Monday, we embarked on a captivating trip to the historic Tower of London. Transported back in time to the Tudor era, Year 4 delved into the fascinating tales of Henry VIII’s wives. The day was filled with interesting facts and stories, and we explored the White Tower to view Henry VIII’s weaponry and armour. We were also lucky enough to view the impressive crown jewels – a highlight for many of the Year 4 pupils!
“We went to see the crown jewels. It was so cool to see the deep blue sapphires and to imagine walking into class draped in red velvet gowns.” Arthur H
“We learnt a rhyme for the six wives of Henry VIII – divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived!” – Errol
“My favourite part was when I had to act as Anne Boleyn. It was very fun until I realised that I was going to have my head chopped off!” – Paloma
“I loved how our guide acted out the events of Henry VIII’s wives – it made the workshop very interesting and fun!” – Lochie
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Donkey Hoatee Saves the Day
Our Year 1 pupils took to the stage for the annual nativity performance. This year, our parents and staff were in for a treat, with the performance of an NHP classic, ‘Donkey Hoatee Saves the Day’. The children were absolutely brilliant, speaking with clarity, remembering all of their lines and singing beautifully. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the shows. Thank you to the Year 1 teachers and teaching assistants and to Mr Harlan for all your time and effort. Well done Year 1, you should be very proud of yourselves.
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