16.10.2026 Prep Bulletin

Dear Parents & Carers,

As we approach the end of a very busy, enjoyable and successful half term, there is no doubt that the children and staff are ready for a break. They have achieved so much both in and out of the classroom, and I want to thank them for their enthusiasm, determination, kindness, and good humour.

Tempting though it is, I will not bore you with an exhaustive list of events and activities, but I cannot let this opportunity pass by without mentioning just a few headlines of the past week alone. Firstly, last Sunday saw Mr Ward accompany a team of athletes to Taunton for the Pentathlon GB biathlon. I am delighted to report that all athletes performed extremely well and they were excellent ambassadors for the school. Rugby matches, swimming galas and educational visits have also featured in the programme, and we rounded the week off with today’s House Music Competition Final.

This week also saw the introduction of the ‘Kindness Board’, an initiative from some children in Year 6 who were keen to record the vast number of acts of kindness that we see regularly here at the school. It has been so lovely to see so many children involved and, once again, it underlines the warmth and compassion of the Truro School Prep family.

Turning to the future, I have no doubt that you will also be looking forward to having your children with you over the next two weeks, but I am mindful that there may be times when you might be in need of some support or distraction. With this in mind, I have a few suggestions that might feature on your agenda:

Firstly, the Truro School Conker Competition swings into action straight after the half-term break. We have a plethora of conkers here at school, but there is nothing quite so exciting as locating the base of a horse chestnut tree and searching through the leaves for that elusive unbreakable conker.

Secondly, Mrs Renshaw is in the process of teaching the Prep School George Friedrich Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, with a performance scheduled for the end of this term. We have taken great delight in singing along, but there is always room for improvement, and I thought that you might like to join in the fun. There are all manner of versions available online (with or without words), and I hope that your long journeys or downtime in the house may be accompanied by the strains of Hallelujah!

Thirdly, in the case of any inclement weather, I warmly invite you and your children to enter the Half-Term Puzzle-time Competition. The competition is based on the phrases known as Tom Swifties. The name comes from the Tom Swift series of books, similar in many ways to the better-known Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. In this series, the young scientist hero underwent adventures involving rocket ships, ray guns, and other inventions. A stylistic idiosyncrasy was that the author, “Victor Appleton,” went to great trouble to avoid repetition of the unadorned word “said”. Since many adverbs end in “ly”, this kind of pun was originally called a Tom Swiftly, the archetypal example being…

“We must hurry”, said Tom Swiftly.

At some point, this kind of humour was called a Tom Swifty, and that name is now more common.

Tom Swifty examples include:

“I need a pencil sharpener,” said Tom bluntly.
“I love hot dogs,” said Tom with relish.
“We just struck oil!” Tom gushed.
“It’s freezing,” Tom muttered icily.
“I unclogged the drain with a vacuum cleaner,” said Tom succinctly.
“I have no flowers,” Tom said lackadaisically.
“Careful with that chainsaw,” Tom said offhandedly.

For the record, they do not have to feature Tom:

“Do you write fairy tales as well?” asked the brothers, grimly.
“I wonder if this radium is radioactive?” asked Marie, curiously.
“The Battle of the Nile? A lot of fun!” said Lord Nelson, disarmingly.

And an old favourite:

“You call this a musical?” said Les Miserably

So, should you and your children find yourselves with a little time on your hands, on a dark, wet afternoon or a monotonous car journey, I challenge you to produce your own versions of Tom Swifties (perhaps with the Hallelujah Chorus in the background?).

Answers via your children upon their return from the break (and by Friday 6th November at the latest). Prizes will be awarded for the funniest, cleverest and most obscure.

Finally, I am delighted to share with you the excellent news that Truro School Prep once again features in the Tatler Schools Guide. This is the third year in a row that we have been included, and we remain the only school in Cornwall to do so.

As I regularly remind your children, this is their school, and they thoroughly deserve this accolade.

With every good wish

Rob

Rob Morse

Head of Prep

School News

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School Notices

Messages & Downloads

FTS Christmas Pudding Making Event

The Friends of Truro School are delighted to invite you to the annual Christmas Pudding Making Event, held at Truro School Prep on Friday, 20th November 2026.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 9th October, and we expect them to sell out quickly!

All ingredients and a glass of wine will be provided. Just bring a mixing bowl, a set of scales, a wooden spoon and an apron.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/christmas-pudding-making–2026

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