From Chris Wilson, Head of Prep School
6th March 2026
Dear Parents,
‘The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library’
Albert Einstein
World Book Day was a wonderful way to tie off the week, with the children thoroughly enjoying the chance to dress up as their favourite book character, with no end of imaginative costumes on display. Watching Mr Bump chatting away to Little Red Riding Hood definitely brought a smile to my face.
To mark the day, we were joined by author, educator and environmentalist Dr Sarah Pye, who led a series of workshops to individual year groups before running an assembly to all of the Upper Prep which went down very well indeed, especially as it tied into our wider College focus on sustainability.
We also welcomed members of the Sixth Form who came down to Pre-Prep to read stories to the children, which was very well received. Elsewhere, we hosted a Book Fair in the Art Café, with the children able to purchase books suitable to their age and reading level.
This last week we had a visit from COBIS accreditors, who came to review the College, looking at all aspects of the provision that we offer and we look forward to hearing how we did in due course.
The Drama Department has been busy with casting the parts for the Year 7 and 8 play of Beauty and the Beast, with the first rehearsals due to start imminently.
Thursday brought with it the much anticipated Piano Festival, with some 65 children taking part. The quality of the performances were exceptional and a joy to listen to, making for a magical end to the school day. Well done to all the children who took part.
This evening, Year 7 and 8 will be enjoying their Social in the Green Hall, a delightful way in which to close out the week, while the weekend is full of sporting fixtures, especially for our football and tennis players.
Looking ahead to next week, we have our Science Week, with a number of wonderful events lined up to celebrate all aspects of Science.
With best wishes for a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.
With best wishes,
Chris Wilson
Head of Prep School
A Message from Mrs Cassidy and the Pre-Prep Team
It has been a busy week, culminating in the fun and inspiration provided during World Book Day. The costumes have been wonderfully creative and all the children absolutely loved taking part in workshops by author, educator and environmentalist, Dr Sarah Pye. Try and get them to tell you all about it!
The classes did a great job of decorating their doors, inspired by some of their favourite books, and the day was sprinkled with activities that celebrated books and stories. The Library provides the calm and constant heart to our vibrant school, and it is wonderful to celebrate the crucial role that reading plays in every child’s development.
Well done to all the participants in the Piano Festival on Thursday, as ever I was so impressed by their confidence, talent and courage. It is a very daunting undertaking, to play alone in front of people – literally ‘in the spotlight’ – and they did an incredible job.
Marlborough’s Got Talent!
Finally the time has come to ask for entries for this year’s amazing MGT competition. We hope to see children showcasing a range of talents, including singing, dance, and performance. We are also happy to see anyone who would like to show us a less usual talent, such as circus skills, comedy or magic tricks! Who is feeling brave enough to share their talents with us? Please sign up HERE. Auditions will take place on Monday, 16th March.
A Message from Mrs Harinath, Prep Science Week
Prep Science Week : 9th–13th March
Next week we will be celebrating Science Week with the theme “Curiosity: What’s your question?” There will be lots happening across the Prep School to inspire pupils to think like scientists. In lessons, pupils will be getting hands-on and practical as they explore their own questions about the world around them. Over the past week, pupils have already begun sharing what they are curious about by creating “curiosity puzzle pieces”, which we will be researching and investigating together during Science Week.
On Wednesday, our Pre-Prep pupils will visit the Prep Art Café to take part in a carousel of exciting science stations, and later in the week we will also be hosting an inter-house Science Quiz. Finally, pupils are invited to take part in our Science Week Poster Competition. Full details are available on pupils’ Google Classrooms, and the deadline for entries is 16th April. There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. We look forward to a week full of curiosity, questions, and discovery.
A Message from Mrs James, Head of Prep Drama
Year 7 & 8 Production – Beauty and the Beast
A huge thank you to the 100+ pupils who auditioned to be part of this year’s Year 7 & 8 production of Beauty and the Beast. We were incredibly impressed by the talent, enthusiasm and courage shown throughout the audition process.
This year’s production will be proudly pupil-led, with pupils cast not only as performers, but also as musicians, stage managers, dance champions and even singing coaches. It has been wonderful to see so many children eager to contribute both on and off the stage.
With such a large number of auditions, it is inevitable that some pupils did not receive the role they had hoped for. A few have understandably chosen to step away from the production. While we are sad not to have them continue with us, we respect their decisions and appreciate the commitment they showed throughout auditions.
With just 10 school weeks until performance, rehearsals will begin promptly.
Initial Full Company Rehearsals
- Friday, 13th March – 4:30–6:00pm
- Sunday, 15th March – 9:00am–1:00pm
These sessions will involve the entire cast for a read-through of the script, songs and music. A detailed rehearsal schedule will then be shared via the Beauty and the Beast Google Classroom and updated on the pupils’ clipboards.
We will have one additional weekend rehearsal on 24th May.
Performance Dates
- Thursday, 4th June
- Friday, 5th June
We are incredibly excited to begin rehearsals and look forward to stepping into a tale as old as time together.
A Message from Miss Mathieson, Head of Hunt
Hunt Charity Week – Donate, Swap, & Support Sustainability
We are delighted to announce Hunt House’s Clothes Swap Event, open to all children from Nursery to Year 8. This will be running from the 6th – 10th of April. This is a wonderful opportunity to support sustainability, reduce waste, and share good-quality clothing within our school community.
Clothes Donations:
- Drop-off dates: Monday, 6th April & Tuesday, 7th April
- Drop-off time: Before 8:00am
- Location: Please hand donations to Miss Rara at Prep Reception
We are inviting families to donate:
- Clean clothing
- No holes or stains
- In good, wearable condition
Shopping Days:
Upper Prep pupils can shop during lunch from Wednesday, 8th April to Friday, 10th April.
Parents of Pre-Prep & Upper Prep children are invited to shop on Thursday and Friday during the following times:
- Morning: 7:30 am – 8:00 am
- Afternoon: 4:15 pm – 4:30 pm
We kindly ask families to send small notes where possible.
All proceeds from this event will go to Outreach, supporting our ongoing community initiatives. Thank you for your generosity.
Year 8 “Moving Up with Confidence” Transition Event Presentation Slide now available
We were delighted to welcome Year 8 and so many parents to the transition event ‘Moving up with Confidence’ last Friday, 27th February . The presentation shared that afternoon can be found under Documents on the Parent portal under ‘Preparatory School Information.’
The Power of 15 Minutes – Reading Recommendation
We are committed to supporting every pupil in becoming a confident reader, as strong reading skills are essential for success across all areas of learning. Equally, we aim to nurture a natural love of reading for pleasure that will stay with pupils throughout their lives.
To achieve this, we strongly recommend that all pupils in Upper Prep dedicate at least 15 minutes every evening (Sunday to Thursday) to independent reading, ideally in bed. Building a regular reading routine is key to developing a lasting reading discipline and a lifelong love of books.
Here are some useful UK lists to provide inspiration and ideas for reading: Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8. However, pupils should select books appropriate for their individual reading ability. If you would like recommendations tailored to your child’s interests and reading ability, please encourage your child to speak directly with their English teacher. (Please always monitor what your child is reading and refer to the Common Sense Media website for guidance.)