13.02.2026 Prep Bulletin

Dear Parents & Carers,

As I sit at my desk to write this message, the rain has, once again, started to patter against my study window. I am reliably informed that this is the 43rd day of 2026, and we have yet to register a day without precipitation. I am reminded of Norman Garstin’s 1889 depiction of the seafront between Newlyn and Penzance entitled ‘The Rain It Raineth Every Day’. Given that the title makes reference to Shakespeare’s words from both Twelfth Night and King Lear, I can only assume that the winters were just as wet in Shakespeare’s time; at least he didn’t have Met Office weather warnings to contend with!

Whilst the first half of term has been relentlessly dark and wet, we have managed to make it through remarkably unscathed in terms of events and activities. I take this opportunity to thank the Teaching, OPS and Grounds teams for their Herculean efforts in ensuring that the children’s activities have gone ahead as planned.

One activity unaffected by the weather was Tuesday’s Safer Internet Day. Mr Dove led a Prep School assembly on the topic, and this week’s IT lessons have focused on being ‘SMART’. Please see the message from Mr Dove in this week’s Bulletin for more details.

In assembly this week, we looked at the importance of optimism; seeing the glass as ‘half full’ and the benefits of such an approach. Whilst we spent time exploring the obvious advantages of such positivity, we also identified seven strategies to help us ‘fill our cups of optimism’.

· Setting one’s intention (before getting out of bed in the morning)

· Reframing a problem into an opportunity

· Choosing one’s company wisely (and avoiding energy draining relationships)

· Carrying oneself like an optimist (how ‘standing tall’ can change how you feel emotionally)

· Lightening up (the manifold benefits of laughter and smiling)

· Exercise (both physical and psychological benefits)

· Thinking of others (how service to others improves life for all)

There is no doubt that the children have bought into this approach, and it has been a pleasure to witness their energy and positivity throughout this week. I only hope that this will continue over the next 10 days so that you, too, may feel the benefit.

As we depart for the mid-term break, I take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and understanding during what has been an unusual half term. Work will continue on the grounds over the forthcoming months and, whilst each day brings us closer to normal routine, your patience and understanding are very much appreciated.

Remarkably (or should that be unbelievably?), the Met Office suggests that we might be set for a period of relatively cool and dry weather. I will keep my fingers crossed for plenty of sunshine and hope that it falls upon you all.

With every good wish,

Rob Morse

Head of Prep

School News

Latest From Truro School

STEAM Day Sparks Joy at Prep

The Truro School Prep team were delighted to welcome over 70 pupils from local primary schools to this year’s STEAM Discovery Day.

Year 3 Open Door Event

There was a lovely buzz around Truro School Prep last week as our Year 3 pupils welcomed parents and families into their classrooms for their Open Door event.

Pre-Prep Children Celebrate Lunar New Year

There was excitement in Truro School Pre-Prep this week as the children gathered for a special assembly with School Chaplain, Rev Helen, to learn all about the Lunar New Year.

Weekly News from Pre-Prep 13.02.26

It has been another busy and creative week in Pre-Prep at Truro School, with pupils across all year groups embracing new challenges and exploring their learning with enthusiasm.

A Glorious Gallery in Pre-Prep

Staff and pupils alike were proud and delighted to see their recent collaborative artwork on display in the Pre-Prep Assembly Hall.

A Lesson in Phonics in Pre-Prep

Our Pre-Prep team were delighted to welcome parents and carers of our Early Years children to a special Phonics Afternoon, designed to give families a clear insight into how we nurture early reading and writing skills at Truro School Pre-Prep.

Glorious Mud in Forest School

Our Nursery children were making the most of a rare break in the rain today in our glorious Forest School setting.

Prep Sports Round Up 13.02.26

Sport at Truro School Prep was, once again, heavily shaped by the weather, with a match cancelled due to the rain and some tough conditions for the matches that went ahead. Despite this, there was still plenty of determination and spirit on display from all involved!

Lanterns of Light for Year 5

Year 5 pupils at Truro School Prep have been learning about global faiths and festivals as part of their seasonal celebrations.

School Notices

Messages & Downloads

February Half-Term Holiday Club

Just a few places are remaining for our February half-term Holiday Club, running next week at the Sir Ben Ainslie Sports Centre at Truro School.

Whether you’re looking to ease the pressure of the working week or simply give your child a fun-filled break, our Holiday Clubs offer the perfect solution.

This February half-term, we’re delighted to be running our ever-popular Multi-Sport Camps. Children will stay active and entertained with a wide variety of games and activities, including dodgeball, bubble football, trampolining, Nerf wars and pool sessions with inflatables. These action-packed days are guaranteed to keep even the most energetic children busy!

Our convenient drop-off and pick-up times are designed to fit around a full working day.

• Dates: Monday–Friday, 16–20 February
• Age Range: 6–12 years
• Cost: £36 per day
• Time: 8.30am–5.30pm

With only a few places remaining, book now to secure your child’s place.

Click to book here.

Internet Safety

This week Truro School Prep marked Safer Internet Day, the annual initiative which has been running since 2004. The advent of artificial intelligence and the recent debate around the use of social media by young people may have added an extra impetus to the lessons and assemblies that took place around the Prep, but the reality is that educating our children in making safe and healthy choices in the use of smart technology starts from an early age. Internet Safety is taught across the year groups as part of our PSHE program, with AI currently taught as a discreet unit to the Year 6 pupils. Alongside this, the school recognises and values the importance of open and informative dialogue with parents through our regular internet safety updates. We also recognise that a holistic view of a child’s internet usage is vital, so do please engage with us if you have any questions, concerns or relevant information that can help ensure the children in our charge are best prepared for their digital lives ahead of them.

The UK Safer Internet Centre, which is responsible for promoting Safer Internet Day, has a wealth of resources relevant for parents and carers. This includes advice, recommendations and answers to common questions. Please click here to find out more. My online safety bulletin towards the end of last term provided advice and links to resources in setting up parental controls to help children stay safe whilst gaming. I also included guidance on PGEI ratings, screentime and the ‘smart phone free childhood’ initiative. Do please refer to that bulletin if you feel you need support or advice in these areas: 05.12.2025 Prep Bulletin – Truro School.

Our assembly this week reiterated the online safety message via the SMART mnemonic that we use in school. Please do discuss and refer to this with your child/children.

Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you are chatting or posting online.

Meet: Never arrange to meet an online friend because it can be dangerous. Tell a trusted adult straight away if they ever ask.

Accepting: Accepting emails, messages, or opening files, images or texts from people you do not know or trust can lead to problems.

Reliable: Someone online might lie about who they are, and information on the internet may not be true.

Tell: Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.

If ever a situation arises in which an individual has been subject to online abuse, please do use the NSPCC and CEOP websites to report any instance and seek advice on next steps. And as ever, if we as a School can be of assistance, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes,

Mr Dove

International Women’s Day Business Breakfast

Our next event will celebrate International Women’s Day, shining a spotlight on the incredible women within our local community.

This event will be held in the Heseltine Gallery at Truro School on Friday, 6 March, between 8 am and 10 am.

We are delighted to be joined by four inspiring speakers:

Julia Ward-Osseiran – A financial adviser with 30 years’ experience, passionate about empowering women to build financial confidence through knowledge and guidance.

Naabil Khan – A fifth-year medical student at the University of Exeter and healthcare advocate, best known for founding the website Skin For All.

Molly Scott Cato – Economist, author and long-standing Green Party spokesperson, with extensive experience in Brexit, finance and politics.

Jess Alderson – CEO and co-founder of So Syncd, the personality-based dating app recognised by Forbes as “the next big thing in dating”.

Guests will also have the opportunity to create their own International Women’s Day keepsake with our Artist-in-Residence, Rachael Coward.

Places for this event are free, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors Handelsbanken and Conscious Wealth.

If you wish to attend, you must register due to limited numbers, please book your ticket via the Microsoft Form

Book Swap for Book Week

From Monday, 30 March, we will be celebrating Book Week at Truro School Prep.

As a part of our celebrations, we are hosting another book swap, and we will be asking every child to bring in a much-loved book, suitable and age-appropriate for their year group.

Alongside the book, there would need to be a ‘post-it’ or note with a simple sentence to describe the book.

The idea is that every child will be able to take home a used, but excellent condition, book for them to read and enjoy. The book will be wrapped in plain paper, with a single sentence written on it to pique the reader’s curiosity.

Books need to be donated by Monday, 16th March at the latest, so that they can be wrapped and packaged by the Friends of Truro School (FTS) Team.

More details about Book Week will follow soon.

Young Artists’ Summer Show with the Royal Academy of Arts

I am posting this link, forwarded to me by a parent, for you to use should you wish to enter your child’s artwork into the Royal Academy art competition.

All the information is on the site. I have registered the school, so you should be able to upload images and information yourselves.

If you have any questions,  please contact me at [email protected], and I will endeavour to help.

Jane Ashdown (Head of Art)

Pentominoes

HOW TO TAKE PART:
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 Miss Ryder at [email protected]

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Pentominoes Hint

Here is your weekly Pentominoes hint.

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