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Dear Parents & Carers,
During this first week of Advent, our thoughts have naturally turned to Christmastime, and it is fair to say that the festive season is in full swing here at Truro School Prep.
Christmas carols, Cornish carols and all manner of festive jingles have echoed throughout the buildings as we throw ourselves into preparations for the ’12 Days of Christmas’ Concert, which, as you know, takes place at Truro Methodist Church next Wednesday (6pm start – please see the year group messages for further information).
Furthermore, the Pre-Prep children are deep into rehearsals for the EYFS and Key Stage 1 Nativity performances, and there is much anticipation in advance of next week’s performances (please see the year group messages for details).
Remaining with Advent, and amongst a forest of novelty calendars, we have delved into the meaning of the word ‘Advent’ and the concepts of waiting and anticipation, exploring the idea that, rather than wishing our time away to Christmas, we can make the most of every single day in terms of our learning, enjoyment and service to others.
Today, we will experience the delights of the Friends of Truro School Christmas Fair. I take this opportunity to thank the FTS committee and all who give so generously of their time, energy and resources to support the School throughout the year.
On the topic of Christmas, and any digital presents that may arrive, please see the helpful information from Chris Dove, Assistant Head (Academic) and Computing Coordinator, contained within the Notices section of this week’s Bulletin.
Changing tack completely, I draw your attention to the children’s school equipment and, in particular, stationery. Over the past two weeks, a number of pens have ‘gone missing’ and I thought it would be helpful for you to know how we deal with such matters should they arise.
In the first instance, we instigate a thorough search and do our best to locate the items. In the overwhelming majority of cases, such items have been mislaid and it is relatively straightforward to locate and, if named, return them.
If, however, it appears that the items have been taken, rather than lost, (this is very rarely the case, but it does occasionally happen), we remind the children of the School Behaviour Policy and of the consequences of such actions before appealing to the children’s better nature; giving them the opportunity to ‘find’ the items in question. Again, the items are often located and returned.
If the items are still missing, we make it very clear to the children (as I did earlier this week in the Prep School assembly) that theft is completely unacceptable. We underline the consequences of such actions in a school environment and in society in general. Furthermore, we make it very clear that our school community is based upon trust, and this is very quickly fractured in such circumstances. Of course, in the background, throughout this time, we work with the children and thoroughly investigate the situation.
Returning to this particular incident, I am pleased to inform you that we are well on the road to a positive outcome and I shared this information with the children this morning. I must admit that I have been impressed with their general conduct throughout this time and it reminds me how lucky I am to be part of this community.
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On the topic of stationery, as you are aware, we provide the children with all the equipment they need, but we have always been happy for the children to bring in their own preferred stationery to augment this. It is, however, essential that all items of stationery (and kit in general) are named so that we can ensure that anything that goes missing can promptly be returned to its owner. To give you an understanding of where we find ourselves, in Years 3 to 6 alone, if each child has between 20 and 30 items in their pencil cases, we have some 5,000 objects to deal with – very difficult to keep track of and almost impossible to return should they be mislaid or go missing. With this in mind, please may I request that you ensure that all kit (stationery, equipment, sportswear and uniform) is named so as to aid us as we attempt to ensure that children and kit remain connected.
Finally, we are deep into ’Report Reviews’ at Truro School Prep (for the uninitiated, this involves me meeting individually with each Prep School child alongside their Form Tutor). The opportunity to congratulate the children on their progress and to identify targets for the future is extremely valuable and I remain delighted with the engagement shown by each and every pupil. The reports will be sent home to you prior to the end of term (via iSAMS as identified in Mr Dove’s message earlier this term) and I hope that you will be able to find the time to peruse them with your children. As ever, I have also challenged the children to read their reports once again just before they return to school in January – I have always found that this provides the opportunity to remind children of how successful they have been, to refresh one’s memory of any challenges set and to provide a much-needed boost of enthusiasm for the new term when coming to the end of a holiday.
With season’s greetings and every good wish,
Rob Morse
Head of Prep
Latest From Truro School
Messages & Downloads
Online Safety: Navigating the Festive Fortnite!
Whilst long Cornish walks, charades and Christmas productions may well be on the agenda over the forthcoming break, the shorter days and generosity of relatives can mean that our children’s access to online devices may be greater than planned over the festive period. The smartphone-free childhood movement is supported by many of our families who wish to delay the onset of technology in their children’s lives. For others, however, technology forms an integral part of their daily routine, and supporting children in navigating this digital world can be challenging.
It is easy to lose track of the duration of time a child spends gaming or simply watching YouTube videos, as the nature of digital entertainment means there is no clear endpoint to their time online. The fast-moving world of the gaming industry can also make it difficult for parents/carers to be fully cogniscent of the nature and content of the games their children may be playing.
Establishing secure parental controls and ensuring engagement and interest in a child’s online life can become all the more relevant during the Christmas period.
Internet Matters offers a wealth of advice and information for parents and professionals across the spectrum of online safety. This includes key considerations when buying an electronic device for a child, as well as guidance on key features and parental controls. Click here to find out more.
Internet Matters also provides product specific, step by step guides in setting up parental controls to help children stay safe whilst gaming and using gaming consoles. This includes information on popular games such as Roblox and Fortnite, and control and setting guides for the Nintendo Switch, PS5 and x-Box 360. Click here to read more.
Ask About Games is another useful website providing advice on the age-appropriate game choice for children. This includes content descriptors and clarity around the PEGI ratings, all useful when making an informed choice around game selection.
Screen time for many families can be a point of contention; up for negotiation and tricky to adhere to. ‘Just 5 more minutes’ is a familiar refrain to many!
Internet Matters contains a section with guidance specifically around screen time and the associated risks (and benefits); click here to read more.
Childnet too provides guidance published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, with the displacement of positive activities as a result of screentime an interesting angle. Follow this link to read more: Screen Time & Healthy Balance | Childnet
Finally, Common Sense Media provides in-depth guidance on a range of media, and offers reviews, ratings and content guidance across the entertainment world: movies, TV, games and books. It too gives guidance for parents of children from nursery to the teenage years. A comprehensive resource but please note, some features require a subscription fee.
Open discussions, secure parental controls and engagement and interest in a child’s online life are key. A good understanding of your child’s digital interests combined with a few simple protocols can ensure a healthy balance of screen and family time is maintained.
As always, if you have any questions or suggestions regarding online safety, do get in touch.
Wishing you a digitally safe and happy Christmas.
Mr. Dove
Twelve Days of Christmas Concert 10 December
A reminder about the Christmas Concert at Truro Methodist Church 6:00pm until 7:00pm.
Due to building work taking place at Truro Methodist Church, they have asked us to limit the number of guests to 350. To ensure that this number is not exceeded, please could you book tickets on the link below. There is, of course, no charge for this.
In the first instance, to ensure all families can attend, we are limiting it to 2 tickets per family, with any additional tickets being made available from Thursday, 4 December.
We are expecting Truro to be busy on the night of 10 December, due to late-night shopping. There will be limited parking available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Senior School site. Please only use the available designated parking bays.
https://burrell.vbotickets.com/event/Truro_Preps_12_Days_of_Christmas/179442
Santas on the Run
We will be taking part in the Santas on the Run Schools Challenge on 17th December 2025, raising money for Children’s Hospice South West.
Please help us raise vital funds for families supported by their 3 hospices across the South West.
The FTS Team is asking for donations ahead of the event and would be grateful for donations here.
Christmas Cards
Don’t forget to drop your Christmas cards into the Prep post box (in the foyer of Treliske House) and the Pre-Prep post box for delivery on Tuesday, 16th December.
Please write the recipient child’s name and class on the front of the envelope.
Flu Clinics
As you may have heard, there have been flu outbreaks around Cornwall, and flu is predicted to be particularly virulent this year.
Kernow Health, who ran the nasal vaccinations in our school earlier this term, would like you to be aware that they will be running flu clinics at various locations across Cornwall in early/mid-December, by appointment only.
If this is something your family/friends may find useful, please contact Kernow Health directly via 01872 221105 or [email protected] for further information.
Kernow Health is hoping the uptake in Cornwall can be significantly increased to reduce the likelihood of further flu outbreaks, especially around Christmas.
Katrina Cameron-Luzmoor
Medical Care Lead
Pentominoes 1
For this week, we are delighted to give you two Pentominoes Challenges to complete.
You can find the weekly Pentominoes challenge HERE every week in the Notices section of the Online School Bulletin.
To access the weekly challenge, you will need to click on the VIEW option below to bring up the weekly challenge.
These can then be printed at home and enjoyed. Please note that they need to be printed off as A3, 100% size (not fit to scale).
If you do not have an A3 printer at home, there are ready-printed copies in the Prep Reception Office that your children can collect on a Friday and bring home.
Finally, hints on how to solve the puzzle will be available each week. These will also be here in the Notices section should you get stuck!
Please take a photo of the completed challenge and email it to Mrs Ryder at [email protected]
Pentominoes 2
Pentominoes Hint 1
Here is your weekly Pentominoes hint.
Pentominoes Hint 2
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