Newsletter

We can at times be accused as a nation of an undue propensity to talk about the weather but, really, there is quite some maelstrom out and about at the moment – and after another deluge this weekend, some forecast possible snow smatterings next week?

There is no doubt gloomy weather can have an external impact but we have spoken internally, both amongst children and adults, about how we can control the mood within our school and the difference that one can make amongst many. We can’t control the weather, but you can make a difference to yourself, you can make a difference to your friends, you can make a difference to your class/team/group, you can make a difference to your year, you can make a difference to the School and who knows where else it might lead?

Fr Mark was talking about Epiphany yesterday in our first Chapel of term.  He described an Epiphany as an 'Aha!’ moment. Once I had quietened the opening bars of ‘Take On Me’ in my head I was making the link to my messages to the children.  During this term, there is plenty of encouragement and opportunity for children to make a difference to themselves, to encounter ‘Aha!’ moments: whether it be marginal gains in learning, mastering a skill, giving a performance, understanding a subtle social dynamic to be a more adept friend, crafting a piece of creative art, being stronger for a challenging experience or contributing to House Music on the final morning.

We need to both seek challenge as well as be ready and willing to pounce on opportunity when it casually passes right in front of our eyes. I must check where the sledges are.

Pre-Prep have kicked off 2023 with plenty of energy and enthusiasm following the Christmas break. It has been lovely to hear about their festive adventures and of their hopes for 2023 which range from playing back on the field at playtimes and getting back in the swimming pool to solving crimes and becoming movie stars! We’re never short of ambition in Pre-Prep! 

Two spaces have become available to attend the Year 5-8 ski trip to Lesorres in France leaving on Saturday 25th March and returning on Saturday 1st April. The cost for the trip is £1490 and is open to all children in Years 5-8.

We need to fill these spaces by Monday 16th January so please get in touch if you would like a space.

Please contact Mrs Foad or the School Office as soon as possible to secure.

If you require day prep provision for your child next week please book them in using the link below.  Hobbies start this week so if you have made a regular booking please let us know if this requires updating due to this. The booking form will close at 9.15 am on Monday; if you need to make a late booking or make any changes after this time please let us know by emailing SchoolOffice@kingshalltaunton.co.uk.   

If your child uses School transport and you need to make any changes next week please email Transport@kingshalltaunton.co.uk to let us know.    

Hello, my name is Chris, and I am Head Boy for the Lent term.

I hope you all had a great Christmas holiday and got some rest. I really enjoyed my Christmas holiday, we visited all my family and had a lovely Christmas dinner. My favourite presents were some new trainers and a pair of ski boots. We had a lot of fun and played lots of party games.

On New Year's Eve, we had a party with friends, ready for the new year to start. Welcome 2023! Have you made any resolutions for the new year? Mine is to make an effort to help more around the house. 

This term all of Year 8 have exams, but there is also lots of fun to be had, as we look forward to the Year 6 play which is currently being rehearsed. I am also looking forward to playing hockey every week, which I love, and am excited for a good season ahead.

Let's make 2023 an amazing year starting with an exciting term ahead.

Happy New Year from 8JR! The Lent term has started and the tutor group have returned with some lovely stories from their Christmas holidays, as well as story swapping of impressive gifts from Santa.

There has been much discussion on the up and coming exams for both the Scholarship and Common Entrance groups with our first PSHE lesson being on revision skills. During this session pupils shared ways of revising that worked best for them including some excellent suggestions such as note taking, mind-maps, practice questions, quizzes, flash cards. We also looked at creating a revision timetable where we planned where revision sessions could take place after school and even found time to plan time on the X-Box! The main theme was ‘little and often’ and that a good revision plan will assist in alleviating any nervousness as exams approach. 

With a new term and new year, the tutor group also spent time discussing New Year resolutions or targets for the term with many of these focussed on performing well in this term’s exams. There were some others:

To help out more in the boarding house. (Mrs Hardy will be pleased!) 

To stop procrastinating. (a very mature resolution and one we could all follow) 

To reduce my screen time. (very wise)    

It is going to be a busy term no doubt with lots of hard work, sports fixtures and fun along the way. Have a great Lent term!    

Geography is not all about maps, countries, capitals and colouring in – we do WAY more! Last term the children in Prep studied topics including Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Rivers and Coasts, local study of Exmoor, Polar Regions, Tourism in Kenya and The Maldives, The Americas (see photos) and Environmental Issues. Knowing where places are in the world and map world obviously come into these topics and children have enjoyed learning about maps and tasks have ranged from designing their own treasure island maps to Map Skills Battleships (see photos). 

The Year 7 children sat exams just before the holidays – are you smarter than a 12 year old? See photos for the Location Knowledge sections - how would you have done? 

It has been great to see all of the children getting their fitness goals in already during the first week back and working off those Christmas meals and goodies! The weather has definitley been a challenge for matches and games in general this week with very soggy netballers and hockey players alike, but the children have done brilliantly and soldiered on regardless. Here's looking forward to sunnier days in the months ahead!

For more sporting updates, please click below to view our Twitter page.

We would like to wish former King's Hall pupils the Friend brothers all the best on their rowing journey across the Atlantic Ocean taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2022.

Thank you to those parents that have completed the consent via Somerset SAINT for the HPV vaccinations.

If you have not yet completed the form, this is required whether or not you wish for your son/daughter to have the vaccine administered.

You will need to enter our unique code for King's Hall which is SM123934 

Further information can be found below as well as the consent form for completion.

If you have any queries or your son or daughter has already receieved the vaccine, please contact Somerset SAINT directly